Mini-Moon in the Karoo: Food, Nature & Quiet at Drie Kuilen

So, a few weeks before the big day, we booked a couple of nights at a private nature reserve, just two hours outside of Cape Town. Secluded, scenic, and beautifully still, it felt like the perfect mix of luxury and simplicity. A quiet escape to be together, surrounded by nature, stars, and the comfort of good food shared between just us two.

We didn’t want to go far, but just far enough to unplug, exhale, and eat well. So we planned a mini-moon escape to Drie Kuilen Nature Reserve, tucked between Touwsrivier and Montagu in the Klein Karoo, a wild, rocky, and ruggedly beautiful corner of the Western Cape where silence stretches wide and the horizon feels endless.

The day after the wedding, still floating (and barely functioning), we pulled ourselves together and did a massive grocery run. Essentials only: eggs, bacon, bread, salad, coffee, all the braai (South African BBQ) basics—and, of course, all the must-haves for a proper braaibroodjie. Naturally, we also packed the leftover wedding champagne. Priorities! If you’ve missed our wedding feast story, you can catch it here: 👉 Love, Lekker Food & Laughter: Our South African Wedding Feast

The next morning, we set off. The drive was gorgeous… until it wasn’t. Somewhere along the way, we got properly lost. But after a few wrong turns, some questionable gravel roads, and a lot of dusty, laughter-filled moments, we finally arrived. Early enough, to whip up some breakfast in the quiet of the Karoo, eggs scrambling, kettle whistling, and the mountain air still crisp with morning. It was charming.

Drie Kuilen is the kind of place that makes you slow down. Tucked between rugged mountains and miles of Karoo bossies (those scrappy, beautiful little bushes), it felt like the world paused just for us. Bliss—framed by silence, sky, and space. We spent our time going on nature drives, sipping champagne, spotting antelope, zebras, black wildebeest, and soaking in the scent of the unique and hardy Karoo fynbos. And like all South Africans do—we braai’ed. Seeing the glow of the coals under the dark Karoo night sky was something special.

Our braai feast: boerewors, lamb chops, chicken, salad, and of course, the quintessential South African braai staple—the good old braaibroodjie. A toasted sandwich done the only way that matters: on the fire. Two slices of bread, layered with cheese, tomato, onion, and chutney, buttered on the outside and toasted over the coals until golden and gooey. Crisp on the outside, melted and smoky inside. I can still smell the braai meat and taste that braaibroodjie. Lekker!

The time we had there was slow, tasty, simple—and perfect. Just the two of us, surrounded by Karoo beauty, good food, and the softest kind of quiet.

Well the adventure didn’t end there…

Next Stop: Istanbul

On our way back to Toronto, we had a 10-hour layover in Istanbul—and you know we didn’t waste it.
From a full Turkish breakfast to kofta and Türk Kahvesi (Turkish Coffee), it turned into one of the tastiest detours we’ve ever taken.
👉🏽 Read the full Istanbul story here →