Putting back the smiles

BY THE time our open-top Jeep arrived at the gate of the reserve for our morning game drive, my arms were tired and my cheeks ached. All along the road from the hotel, everyone we passed waved and smiled with such enthusiasm that we couldn't help but wave and smile right back.

Women carefully took their finelybalanced baskets from their heads and placed them on the ground so they could wave properly; children ran alongside us with wide, toothy grins and even the hardened faces of the town's elders wrinkled into smiles when they saw us.

Visitors are more than just welcome in Alicedale, they are cherished - and particularly those like us, driving in a Bushman Sands vehicle. This small South African town has undergone a transformation in the past two years, thanks to the Bushman Sands tourism initiative.

Alicedale was once a thriving railway town on the main route between Port Elizabeth and the diamond mines of Kimberley, but when steam trains were sidelined in 1977 the town's fortunes changed and it decayed.

At its lowest point, the town's 4,500 residents suffered from 98 per cent unemployment and all the associated social ills. Now, however, their lives have been given fresh hope by this game and golf "resort", a joint initiative between the Eastern Cape government and the Mantis Group, owners of the nearby Shamwari game reserve, the five-star Lake Pleasant Hotel on the Garden Route, four other South African properties and the Draycott hotel in London.

Named after Bushman's River, which runs through the town, Bushman Sands has already generated around 400 jobs, created new business opportunities, and enticed back the many sons and daughters who left their homes to find work elsewhere. Justin, our 21-year-old ranger, was forced to relocate to Johannesburg after leaving school but couldn't wait to return home when an alternative arose.

"My friends called me and told me what was happening here, so I left my job in telecommunications and came straight back. I did the ranger training and now I can live back at home with my mother. I'm so much happier and so is she," he said.

Government officials believe that each new breadwinner from Bushman Sands is able to provide for up to seven dependents, which means that more than half the local population is already directly benefiting from the project. When the resort is completed and the supporting infrastructure is in place - shops, craft centres, bakers, butchers, laundry, security, waste management, taxis and a game auction - even more jobs will be created.

In the same way that the first Mantis property, Shamwari, was transformed from barren farmland 12 years ago into one of the world's top conservation projects, Bushman Sands is intended to be a model of the sustainable regeneration of a disadvantaged community.

In the first phase of the development, nearby farmland has been returned to its natural habitat and game that roamed here 200 years ago, including the big five, have been reintroduced. Qualified rangers (all from Alicedale) take guests on three-hour game drives or on a sunset boat cruise on the New Year's Dam.

The reserve is relatively small (3,500 hectares). On the downside, this means you are aware of the perimeter fences but, on the positive side, means you have a pretty good chance of seeing the game. We ticked off zebra, giraffe, countless species of antelope, warthogs and two white rhino on the first morning.

An 18-hole Gary Player-designed golf course is being developed for this autumn (the first 10 holes are already completed) and will be the only course in the world where you play a hole (the first) over a railway track that is still in daily use.

Golf enthusiasts have quickly snapped up the 194 plots of land for sale around the course. At only R300,000 (around Pounds 30,000) - half the price of plots on golf estates on the country's coast - they were all sold before they were even advertised.

At the core of Bushman Sands is a 39-room, four-star, one-storey hotel built around the original and now restored railway, college and station houses.

The hotel's modern furniture has been made by a family-run business in Alicedale, which also supplies to other Mantis properties. Bedrooms are painted cream inside and out and lack character, with beige carpets and plain, pastel-coloured bed linen and curtains. But they are clean and spacious, with super-size beds, standalone baths and double sink units.

Guests can chill out in a comfortable lobby lounge or in a more formal cigar lounge, which doubles as a photographic museum of Alicedale. Even if you don't fancy braving the cold water of the outside pool, you can nap on the terrace after an early game drive. There is also a spa, sauna, steam room and fitness centre for a small extra charge. The restaurant is a bit drab, though there is a colourful breakfast buffet. The daily dinner menu, a choice of fish and meat dishes that are apparently a combination of Xhosa, English and Cape Malay cuisine, were mostly uninspiring and, despite looking tempting, the mousses and cakes on the dessert trolley were disappointing.

It is still early days, though, and management admits that training hotel and restaurant staff has not been easy.

When most of the young employees have never eaten in a restaurant, it is understandably difficult for them to appreciate why a guest would need two sets of knives and forks or should always be served from the right.

But Bushman Sands' general manager Eddie van Zyl believes what the staff initially lacked in skills, they make up for in enthusiasm.

"They might not know how to help you, but they certainly want to help you," he says. I can certainly vouch for that. One evening at dinner, when our young waitress positioned my knife and fork the wrong way around, she quickly realised and swapped them with a giggle and a shy smile that would appease even the most difficult guest.

It's easy to overlook the small teething problems when you know that your stay at Bushman Sands is part of such a unique, historic and worthy project, especially when you see those smiles.

WAY TO GO

Virgin Holidays (0871 222 5847, www.virginholidays.com/ southafrica) offers 10 nights in South Africa from Pounds 1,619pp, including scheduled Virgin Atlantic flights from London Heathrow to Cape Town, five nights accommodation at Bushman Sands on a half- board basis, five nights at the Lake Pleasant Hotel and Spa on a BB basis, and car hire. At Bushman Sands, game drives cost R350pp and boat cruises R270pp.

01483 428162, www.mantiscollection.com

Five more swanky safari experiences

ULUSABA PRIVATE GAME RESERVE

Owned by Richard Branson, Ulusaba has moved the goalposts for luxury safari holidays. Its stylish design makes it an impressive place to stay and its flexibility of service and child-friendly ethos help it stand out.

There are two lodges - Rock Lodge, with panoramic views of the Drakensberg Mountains, and Safari Lodge, on the banks of the now dry Madrak River, with treehouse style rooms reached by a rope bridge.

With a spa, tennis court and excellent game viewing in the Sabi Sand reserve, Ulusaba is one of Africa's top safari destinations.

From Pounds 299pp per night. Exclusive use of Ulusaba costs from Pounds 375 per night based on 20 sharing (0871 222 5847, www.virginholidays.com/southafrica).

MKUZE FALLS PRIVATE GAME RESERVE

Overlooking the waterfalls of the Mkuze River in northwest KwaZulu-Natal is Mkuze Falls Safari Lodge, a private reserve that can boast excellent game viewing of all the "big five". Made up of eight thatched cottages, a luxury safari suite and five tented rooms on the riverbank, Mkuze offers a variety of accommodation as well as a swimming pool and central lodge complex with dining area. There is also an extensive terrace area with fantastic views across the river.

From Pounds 99pp per night (0871 222 5847, www.virginholidays.com/ southafrica)

MAKANYANE SAFARI LODGE

In the heart of the malaria-free Madikwe game reserve lies Makanyane, a privately owned lodge on 1,800 hectares with exclusive access to the only watering hole on the reserve. Makanyane's simple design means it blends into the scenery, with each of the eight suites featuring glass-walled bedrooms and bathrooms for that ultimate view of the bush and local wildlife. With an infinity pool, a wine cellar and beauty treatment room, the lodge offers prime wildlife with all the trimmings.

From Pounds 317pp (00 27 14 778 9600, www.makanyane.com).

GORAH ELEPHANT CAMP

Simply the best place to see elephant - 45 minutes north of Port Elizabeth, Gorah has the densest elephant population in the world. The camp is based around the main house, which has been restored to its original colonial style. There is an elegant dining room while the accommodation is in large cream tented suites - the whole camp exudes an air of traditional opulence with service to match.

From Pounds 199pp, per night, including all meals and game viewing (00 27 44 532 7818, www.gorah.com).

TSWALU

The exclusive Tswalu game reserve occupies 1,000 sq km of land in the Northern Cape, on the edge of the Kalahari desert. Owned by the Oppenheimer family, Tswalu is an exciting project which balances conservation, luxury and fun. Activities include stargazing through the camp's high-powered telescope and horse riding. There are two lodges - the Motse, where each room has an indoor and outdoor shower, and Tarkuni, a private, free-standing lodge perfect for a family or small party.

From Pounds 389pp including meals and daily drives (00 27 53 781 9284, www.tswalu.com).

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