A great couples’ getaway does not have to revolve around either adventure or indulgence. In some of South Africa’s most scenic corners, you can spend the morning hiking, fly-fishing or exploring a forest, then swap your walking shoes for a table at a country restaurant, farm café or local food market.
These destinations make it easy to build a weekend around both. Expect outdoor activities, scenic drives and plenty of opportunities to discover local produce, independent restaurants and memorable places to eat.
Magoebaskloof, Limpopo
Louis Changuion hiking trail, starting point/JMK/Wikimedia Commons
Hike through the mountains, then eat local
Magoebaskloof and nearby Haenertsburg offer a particularly good combination of outdoor adventure and food. The landscape ranges from indigenous forest and grasslands to mountain views, while Haenertsburg has developed into a small food and coffee hub.
Couples can spend the morning walking one of the area’s trails before settling down for a leisurely lunch. The Louis Changuion Trail starts in Haenertsburg and passes through the Haenertsburg Grassland Nature Reserve, with shorter and longer routes available. The 10km loop takes around four to five hours at a leisurely pace.
There is also plenty for couples who want something more adrenaline-fuelled. Magoebaskloof offers activities including ziplining, abseiling and canopy tours.
Make time for the farm produce
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Food is part of the appeal here rather than simply something to do after a hike. The area has farm stalls, restaurants and coffee shops, with local produce appearing across the region. Blueberry Heights Farm Cafe, for example, sits on a blueberry and organic kiwi farm, while other local eateries offer everything from pastries and coffee to more substantial meals.
It makes for an easy couple’s itinerary: adventure in the morning, a long lunch afterwards and a slower afternoon exploring Haenertsburg.
Dullstroom, Mpumalanga
Dullstroom fishing dam in Mpumalanga/By: Shams/iStock
Fly-fish, cycle or ride before dinner
Dullstroom has long been associated with fly-fishing, but the Mpumalanga town offers enough outdoor activities to make a couple’s weekend about more than casting a line.
Fly fishing remains one of its biggest draws, with dams and private fisheries offering opportunities for experienced anglers and beginners. Mountain biking is another option, with trails taking riders through the surrounding countryside.
Couples who prefer to stay on horseback can also explore the area’s rolling landscapes on guided rides.
The result is a destination where the day’s activities naturally work up an appetite.
Turn the meal into part of the getaway
Dullstroom has an unusually strong selection of restaurants for a small inland town. Local dining options range from country-style meals and trout dishes to tapas and more contemporary menus. The town’s food offering also includes bakeries, delis and coffee shops.
For couples, that means the day can be as simple as fly-fishing in the morning, browsing the village in the afternoon and sitting down to dinner beside a fireplace in the evening.
Hogsback, Eastern Cape
Hogsback Arboretum, Eastern Cape/By: Joel Masson/iStock
Chase waterfalls through an indigenous forest
Hogsback feels almost purpose-built for couples who like their weekends active but atmospheric.
The village sits high in the Amathole Mountains and is surrounded by indigenous forest, mountain scenery and waterfalls. Hiking trails lead through the landscape, while more adventurous visitors can try activities such as abseiling and other mountain sports.
A morning spent following forest trails to waterfalls gives the destination its adventure component without requiring an extreme level of fitness.
Stay for the food
Hogsback also punches above its weight when it comes to eating out. The local food scene ranges from pizza and pasta to more elaborate dining experiences.
There are cosy country-style restaurants, cafés and more unusual dining experiences. The Touraco Table, for instance, offers menus influenced by cuisines including French, Indian, Thai, Moroccan, Persian, Italian and South African.
That makes Hogsback particularly suited to couples who enjoy ending an outdoorsy day somewhere warm and atmospheric rather than rushing back to their accommodation.
KwaZulu-Natal Midlands
Follow country roads between outdoor adventures and food stops
The KwaZulu-Natal Midlands is less a single destination than a collection of country roads, farms, villages and experiences, which makes it particularly good for couples who enjoy building their own weekend itinerary.
The Midlands Meander stretches across several scenic routes and combines food, art, countryside and outdoor activities. Couples can hike, mountain bike, fly-fish, horse ride or take on the Karkloof Canopy Tour before stopping at a restaurant, farm stall or market.
Make the food trail part of the adventure
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Food is one of the Midlands’ biggest attractions. The area is known for farm-style breakfasts, artisanal products, restaurants, cafés and markets, with cheese, trout and other local produce forming part of the region’s culinary identity.
Couples could spend a morning hiking or fly-fishing, stop for lunch at a country restaurant, browse local crafts and produce, then continue along the route for another experience.
The Karkloof Farmers’ Market is another option for a weekend itinerary centred on local food and producers.
The beauty of the Midlands is that there is no pressure to choose between doing something and eating somewhere. The two are part of the same road trip.
Plettenberg Bay, Western Cape
Golden-hour view of Robberg Nature Reserve’s rugged cliffs, wooden hiking trail, and coastline in Plettenberg Bay/By: Mohammad Saiful Islam/Getty Images
Hike the coast, then make a meal of the ocean
Plettenberg Bay brings a coastal version to the list, but the focus does not have to be on lying on the beach.
One of the best ways to experience the area is on foot. Robberg Nature Reserve has several hiking routes ranging from a short walk to a more demanding four-hour circular trail, with dramatic coastal scenery along the way.
There are also plenty of options for couples who would rather get onto the water. Sea kayaking, boating and marine excursions offer another perspective of the coastline, while nearby activities include mountain biking and hiking.
Follow it with seafood and local produce
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Plett’s food scene gives couples plenty of ways to reward themselves after an active day. Seafood is an obvious choice, but the town also has craft breweries, cafés, restaurants and food markets.
Market Off Main combines food vendors, craft beer, coffee and local products with views over the bay.
For something more restaurant-focused, Plett has everything from casual seafood spots to more polished dining.
The combination works particularly well here: a coastal hike or kayak trip during the day, followed by fresh seafood and a sunset drink.
Why food and adventure make a good couple’s getaway
The appeal of these destinations is that neither side of the trip has to dominate.
A morning outdoors gives couples something to experience together, whether that means hiking through the forest, trying fly-fishing for the first time or exploring the coast by kayak. Food then becomes part of the reward, but also part of the destination itself.
That could mean eating produce grown nearby, stopping at a farm stall, browsing a weekend market or booking a memorable dinner.
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