Each season offers its own beauty when it comes to exploring. Many are the perks to travelling this season. Autumn's crisp air and bright colours inspire wanderers to embrace the outdoors.

The nippy weather makes it an ideal time to take a hike or road trip to admire the country as it prepares for winter.

If you’re looking for solitude, privacy and time away with your partner, pods are a great romantic option.

Escaping from the city or mundane daily tasks can help you reconnect with nature and your lover.

Picture gazing at the starry African sky or waking up to a view of the sun rising over the horizon in the comfort of your bed.

It’s all possible. So here are five bespoke eco-pods for the wanderlust explorer to escape to with a loved one this season.

The Valley Pod and Waterfall Pod - Melozhori Game Reserve

One of the pods at Melozhori Private Game Reserve. Picture: Instagram

Melozhori Private Game Reserve lies in the picturesque Cape Fold Mountains, adjacent to the tiny hamlet of Stormsvlei, in the verdant Overberg district of the Western Cape.

It’s less than 200km from Cape Town and conveniently halfway to the world-famous Garden Route, making it the perfect escape.

The game reserve has two pods where guests can enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of the mountains. According to Melozhori, the Valley Pod and Waterfall Pod are the epitome of barefoot luxury and ideal for romantic breakaways and honeymoons.

“Surrounded by undulating hills and mountains, with no other signs of civilization, it feels as though you’re in the deepest “bush” of Africa,“ said Melozhori.

A stay at a pod starts from R4 000 per unit.

Camdeboo Pods- Mount Camdeboo

A luxury pod at Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve. Picture: Instagram

In the heart of the Great Karoo, Mount Camdeboo is the perfect place for the safari loving couple.

The eco-friendly pods are tucked away in a secluded spot on the Camdeboo Plains and blend in seamlessly with the landscape, making them perfect for couples, honeymooners and wildlife lovers.

Apart from the game drives and viewings at the reserve, Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve offers some of the best stargazing opportunities in South Africa.

The eco-pods offer close proximity to wild life and guests can also take a special late-night drive up the mountain to a clearing where they can stargaze and learn about the patterns and how to navigate using the stars.

A pod stay starts at R7 680 a night for two people.

Copia Eco Cabins - Bot Rivier

A view of the farm and mountain landscape at Soetdoring Cabin part of Copia Eco Cabins. Picture: Instagram

Copia Eco Cabins is situated on a working farm in the Bot River valley, about a 90 minute drive from Cape Town.

According to Copia Eco Cabins, it converts old shipping containers into eco-friendly, self-catering accommodation and has four options on the farm; namely Copia, Lone Tree, Waterval and Soetdoring Cabin to choose from.

The group provides all the luxuries needed during your stay, including towels, cutlery, crockery, pantry items like plunger coffee, basic spices, rusks & eggs, braai equipment, braai wood and toilet paper, just to name a few.

Guests provide their own eats, treats and drinks and there is a free-standing bath inside the cabin for them to use. All the water is used for irrigation around the cabin, so nothing is wasted.

Reception is limited in the valley so guests are advised to bring a book or a magazine to read, a board game and some cards to play with, or to spend some quality time with their partners admiring the sunset.

The pods vary in prices, starting from R1 950 a night for the Waterval Cabin to R2 200 a night for the Soetdoring Cabin.

Mount Grey Cabin - Klein Swartberg

Mount Grey Eco Cabin in Greyton. Picture: Instagram

Mount Grey Eco Cabin is between Caledon and Greyton on a farm in the Klein Swartberg conservation area, and about a 90 minute drive from Cape Town.

The cabin is build out of heat treated pine and balau wood with luxurious finishes inside.

Mount Grey offers breath taking views of the farm an Swartberg conservation area with fynbos and fantastic bird life.

Couples can enjoy the cabins wood fire hot tub on the deck whilst enjoying the view with a gin an tonic in hand.

The property is completely off the grid and uses solar power. Reception is good on the farm, however, guests are advised to pack something to keep busy a there i no WiFi on the farm. Guests can also enjoy a hike on the farm or mountain biking.

A stay starts from R3 000 night.

The Dome

The Dome is provide beautiful luxury accommodation for tourists visiting Storms River in the Tsitsikamma forest region.

On a dramatic escarpment 230m above sea level,guests are surrounded by nature and have the opportunity to enjoy star gazing and captivating views of the Indian Ocean.

According to The Dome, whether lazing on the air bed with a book or soaking up the bubbles in a 40 years old wine barrel tub, the dome promises the ultimate relaxation experience.

The Dome features an outdoor bathroom containing a shower with eco heater, hair dryer and towels and a queen sized bed where guests can gaze at the sky morning, noon and night.

Outside is an eco friendly wood fire hot tub with hot and cold water and eco-friendly bubbles.

Guests can also explore the Milky Way with the property’s celestial telescope exclusively for honeymoon couples or anyone wishing to catch their shooting star.

A stay at The Dome starts from R 5 605 a room a night.

Read the latest issue of IOL Travel digital magazine here.

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