These days, most people appear to be glued to their smartphones or tablets. The problem is that we have become reliant on our mobile devices in business and in our social lives and we rarely take the time to have a full digital detox. There’s a good chance that you are probably reading this article on your mobile device right now – which just goes to prove our point!
Just us our bodies can benefit from a health detox – so too can our minds benefit from a complete digital detox, without guilt. This means that you should be able to plan and fully enjoy an escape that takes mind, body, and soul far from the digital space. Your mobile devices will be waiting for you when you get back (or back within cell phone signal range at least).
When people think of booking flights to Cape Town it’s usually for a luxurious, relaxing escape from the hustle and bustle of life, or some exciting sports adventure, yet Cape Town and the rest of South Africa offer a variety of other destinations that could provide you with the type of getaway you’re looking for.
Here’s our top pick of digital-escape-worthy destinations in SA.
- Eastern Cape
Mtentu Lodge, which is found in the Mkambati Nature Reserve, is a great place to head to if you would like to escape the digital world in the Eastern Cape. Don’t expect to take any urgent work calls at the lodge as you’ll find no cell phone reception here – even up a tree. That being said, there’s no need to worry about getting bored. There’s a whole lot to do, which you are sure to thoroughly enjoy, once you get used to not being glued to your mobile device.
What to do at Mtentu Lodge:
- Stroll the pristine stretches of beach
- Try out paddling at the estuary
- Embark on a hiking adventure
- Western Cape
If you book flights to Cape Town and head to Bakkrans Nature Reserve in Cederberg, you are guaranteed a digital detox. When it comes to remote destinations, Bakkrans Nature Reserve fits the description perfectly for a family gathering or group looking for complete privacy. Accommodation is in old-style thatched stone cottages or reed house which perfectly reflect the lifestyles of the herders from a bygone era. This little piece of tranquillity stretches for 6 thousand hectares.
What to do at Bakkrans Nature Reserve:
- Reflect life as you gaze out into the seemingly endless space
- Head out on a geology and rock art excursion
- Discover trees some 360 million years’ old
- Set out on a self-guided game drive
- Enjoy an early morning or afternoon of mountain biking
- Adventure along the Leopard Trail
- KwaZulu Natal
At Karkloof Nature Reserve, Rockwood Mountain Lodge serves as the perfect escape from the digital world in KwaZulu Natal. If you are looking for a 100% digital-free holiday, this eco-lodge that runs off solar power is it! Bring along your iPod if you want to play your favourite relaxing music, but be prepared to spend most of your time revelling in nature. The accommodation can only be accessed by 4×4, but don’t worry if you don’t have one – you can always rent one or make use of the transfers that can be arranged.
What to do at Karkloof Nature Reserve:
- Stroll along a tranquil hiking trail
- Head out on an exhilarating mountain bike trail
- Bird watch to your heart’s content
- Read a book and watch the kids play in the play area
- Mpumalanga
Better yet, book cheap flights to Mpumalanga where you can get the whole family off of their mobile devices and back to nature at the Elandskloof Trout Farm. There’s limited cell phone reception, which will make trying to stay connected frustrating for the teens, so leave devices in the vehicle or don’t take them at all. The farm comes from humble beginnings in the 1960s and has since grown in popularity for those wishing to get away from city life and enjoy nature in all its glory.
What to do at Elandskloof Trout Farm:
- Learn about farm operations from cattle herding to vegetable tending
- See the farm scenery on horseback
- Try your hand at fly fishing
- Embark on an adventurous hiking trail
- Venture out on a game viewing expedition to spot Aardvark, Jackal, Wildebeest, and Deer.
- Northern Cape
When you need to completely escape the real world, the Tankwa Karoo National Park in the Northern Cape, is just the place to go. This remotely stark yet surprisingly beautiful National Park is the ultimate destinationif you want total and utter disconnect from the digital world. There’s absolutely no cell phone reception or WiFi in Tankwa Karoo National Park. There’s also no petrol station nearby, so make sure that you arrive with a full tank.
What to do in the Tankwa Karoo National Park:
- Go looking for Kudu, Zebra, Eland, Ostrich and prolific birdlife on a self-guided game drive
- Go plant spotting
- Scoot off on a mountain biking trail
- Enjoy the gorgeous scenery on a hiking trail
- Take a drive over the Gannaga pass
Escape the Screen & Head Out Into Nature
While our mobile devices offer us a world of convenience and connectivity, they can also create distraction from important moments in life and instil a sense of ongoing anxiety. It’s important to take a break every now and again. Book flights to Cape Town (Western Cape), KZN, Northern Cape, Mpumalanga, or the Eastern Cape and enjoy a digital-detoxat a destination that resets body, mind, and soul.