Hidden Gems . . . Mmmmm. There are so many of them if you know where to look. And if I told you about them they wouldn’t be hidden any longer, would they? But there is one that I’m happy and excited to share with you.

I was recently at Umlani Bush Camp in The Timbavati Game Reserve. The Timbavati is privately owned but continuous with The Greater Kruger National Park. This is wild country! The lodge is small and personal and blends-in to the surroundings. There are no fences surrounding the camp and we had buffalo and elephants strolling through the camp while we were there.

I was there leading a safari – a unique safari. Peter Finlayson, the renowned South African winemaker joined me to host a safari for wine-lovers. By day I guided walks through the bush and in the evening Peter guided us through the finer details of wine types and wine styles. The game viewing was excellent. We saw lions kill a buffalo and we saw leopard, elephant, buffalo, Nyala and civet as well as the more common species. We tasted Bordeaux Blends, Burgundy Blends and Nebbiolo blends and vowed to do it again. Why not join us next time?