selling
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Welcome
W
e are delighted to invite agents on
perhaps unfamiliar with the many scenic
a journey through South Africa by
attractions, game parks, vibrant cities or historic
reading this dedicated selling tool.
sites on offer, or are one of our South Africa
We recognise the trade is crucial to our
Specialist agents looking to convince more
success and this guide is the result of feedback
clients to pay a second, third or fourth visit,
we received from agents across the UK at our many trade evenings, training days, road shows and other events. The content that follows directly
there should be plenty in the pages that follow to help you convert more of those Kgalagadi National Park clients curious about South Africa into clients booking South Africa.
reflects those conversations – your
Enjoy this guide and look out in 2017
recommendations to us – and has been
for our many trade initiatives, including a new
designed to provide you with some of the
newsletter that will provide details on training
essential information and tips to help you sell
opportunities and some fabulous fam trips.
more of one of the world’s most diverse and
Tolene Van der Merwe,
appealing holiday destinations.
UK Country Manager
Whether you are new to selling the country,
South African Tourism
Upington Kimberley
Augrabies National Park Namaqua National Park
NORTHERN CAPE Proudly published for South African Tourism UK by BMI Publishing Ltd 2016 © 2016. Suffolk House, George St, Croydon, Surrey, CR9 1SR, UK T 020 8649 7233 | F 020 8649 7234 enquiries@bmipublishing.co.uk bmipublishing.co.uk sellingtravel.co.uk Written by: Peter Ellegard Editorial Director: Steve Hartridge Designer: Zoë Tarrant Advertisement Manager: Lisa Merrigan Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, BMI Publishing cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. ISSN: 2056-9319. Cover image: Main image: Victoria and Albert waterfront, with table mountain in the background, Cape Town
National Capital
Airport
Provincial Capital
Game reserve
Town, Village
Battlefields
Itinerary One (page 20)
Marine reserve
Itinerary Two (page 22)
National Monument
Itinerary Three (page 24)
Site of historical importance
Itinerary Four (page 26)
Wine tours
Cederberg wilderness area
Paternoster West Coast National Park
Valley of Desolation
WESTERN CAPE
Stellenbosch Cape Town
Oudtshoorn
Franschhoek
George
Hermanus
All maps are artist impressions
saspecialist.southafrica.net
Mosselbaai
Knysna
Tsitsikamma National Park
3 Mapungubwe National Park
Louis Trichardt
MOZAMBIQUE
LIMPOPO
Graskop Hazyview
Pilanesberg National Park
Getting around Planes, trains, buses
Hoedspruit
Madikwe Game Reserve
Sabi Sands Skukuza
6
Sun City Cradle of Humankind & Sterkfontein Caves Pretoria
NORTH WEST
Wow factor The perfect dozen
Nelspruit
MPUMALANGA
8
Johannesburg
GAUTENG
Did you know? South African surprises
SWAZILAND
Jozini Dam Greater St. Lucia Wetlands
KWAZULU NATAL
Golden Gate National Park
Hluhluwe– Imfolozi Park
FREE STATE
LESOTHO
Ballito Umhlanga Durban
Midlands Meander
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Bush babies On safari
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Day in the life of... A private game reserve
Battlefields
Dr ge ake nsberg Ran
Bloemfontein
The Bare essentials Visas, health, currency
5
Polokwane
Waterberg
BOTSWANA
Kruger National Park
Timbavati
4
13
Find your wild Adrenalin rushes
Addo Elephant National Park
OC AN DI IN
st Co a
Wi ld
EASTERN CAPE
Qunu (burial site of Nelson Mandela)
EA
N
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Exploring Johannesburg Vibrant and dynamic
18
Driven to distraction Take to the open roads
20
East London
Itineraries Four suggested driving routes
Grahamstown
Port Elizabeth
30
Lodges Safari choices
saspecialist.southafrica.net
4
essentials The bare
At just over one-third the size of the EU and four times the size of Germany, South Africa is big! Kruger National Park alone is the same size as Wales.
unabridged birth certificate for each child, detailing the parents, and a consent form signed by the other parent if only one is travelling. See southafricahouseuk.com/documents/ childtravel13jan2016.pdf
KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North
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West and Western Cape. The capital, Pretoria, lies in Gauteng and
however, there is a malaria risk in the Kruger National Park,
is the fifth-largest city, behind Johannesburg and Soweto (also
northern Limpopo and northern KwaZulu-Natal.
both in Gauteng and the third- and fourth-largest respectively), Durban (in KwaZulu-Natal) and its most-populous city, Cape
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Town (Western Cape).
transformers. Plugs have either two or three rounded pins,
There are nine provinces: Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng,
The north and large swathes of the centre and west are arid,
Health and innoculations: Consult a doctor for advice on vaccinations. Much of South Africa is malaria-free,
Electricity: South Africa’s electricity supply is 220/230 volts 50HZ, so UK appliances will work without
requiring adapters. Some hotels have English sockets.
The mighty Drakensberg Mountains form its south-western
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spine. Tourism is mainly centred on its coastal regions and in
available at airports, banks, hotels and some shops. Travellers’
the Kruger and other game parks in the east. The Western and
cheques are difficult to change.
covered by the Kalahari Desert and Karoo semi-desert region.
Currency: The Rand (R). The current tourist rate is about R16.5 to £1 (at November 2016). ATMs are widely
Natal is sub-tropical – which means you can
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enjoy its beaches year round
hours. Onwards flights to Cape Town take
Eastern Capes are temperate, while KwaZulu-
Flying time: Direct flights from London to Johannesburg take about 11
two hours; Port Elizabeth is one hour and 40 GET A GRIP OF THE BASICS
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Entry requirements: Visas are not needed by British and EU nationals
for stays of up to 90 days. UK passports must Top Left: Stunning beaches are found along the Garden Route. Bottom Left: walking in Ficksburg; Free Sate; Moyo Pier, Durban; hiking in Mapungubwe, Limpopo
have at least six months’ remaining validity and include a minimum of two blank pages for entry stamps. Under current rules, all parents travelling with children under 18 must produce an
The peak summer season in Cape Town and along the Garden Route is from September to April, when the days are warm and there is less rainfall The beaches and game parks of sub-tropical KwaZuluNatal are best enjoyed in the drier months between April and September, when the humidity also drops
saspecialist.southafrica.net
minutes; Durban and Hoedspruit is an hour and Nelspruit is 45 minutes.
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Time zone: South Africa is one hour ahead of the UK during the British
summer time and two hours ahead during the winter, so visitors experience no jet lag.
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Learn more: Sign up to South African Tourism’s official interactive online
training programme: saspecialist.southafrica.net
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around Getting
South Africa is a vast country – the 25th largest in size –
Cape’s malaria-free game reserves. Kruger Park
with a coastline that stretches over 1,555 miles, but there
can be accessed from several airports: Nelspruit’s
are plenty of ways to get between its main tourism centres
Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport and Skukuza for the southern Kruger, Hoedspruit [also known as Eastgate Airport]
FLIGHTS
for the central Kruger, and Hoedspruit and Kruger Park Gateway
Flight Paths: Visitors from the UK have a number of
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Airport [in Phalaborwa] for the northern Kruger. Among gateway
options for getting to South Africa. There are 37 direct
airports close to private game reserves are Skukuza (five minutes
flights each week between London’s Heathrow Airport and
from Sabi Sand) and Hoedspruit (30 minutes from Timbavati).
Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport, operated by
Pilanesberg Airport is just minutes from both Sun City and
British Airways and South African Airways (both twice daily)
Pilanesberg National Park. Small charter airlines also fly directly to
and Virgin Atlantic Airways.
private game lodge airstrips.
From November 24 2016, British Airways flies to Cape Town from London Gatwick three times a week, a switch from
OTHER TRANSPORT OPTIONS
Heathrow. Thomas Cook is also operating three flights a week from Gatwick to Cape Town this winter. Clients can also travel
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from UK regional airports with airlines such as KLM, Air France,
companies including Greyhound and its subsidiary Citiliner, City
Lufthansa, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, connecting
to City, Translux, Intercape and Eldo Coaches. Baz Bus, a hop-on
via the airlines’ main hubs.
hop-off service that can carry bicycles and surfboards, connects
Domestic flights: South Africa is easy to get around by air, with routes served by several airlines: British Airways (operated by Comair), South African Airways, South African Express
Bus: Regular, scheduled buses linking towns and cities across South Africa and beyond are operated by private
destinations between Cape Town and Johannesburg.
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Rail: Travel in luxury with Rovos Rail and the Blue Train or aboard the Shongololo Express, a three-star train which
and Airlink, which fly between major centres as well as some
was bought by Rovos Rail and began operating in summer
smaller destinations, and low-cost carriers (Kulula.com), Mango
2016 after a complete revamp. The rapid rail Gautrain links
and Safair, which operate popular routes.
Pretoria and Johannesburg and also serves OR Tambo Airport.
Key domestic destinations include Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban (also an international gateway), Kimberley, East London, Bloemfontein and both George and Port Elizabeth, which offer
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Wine buses: Join a wine bus tour in Stellenbosch and around Cape Town aboard the Vine Hopper and on
safari-style Wine Hoppers in Hermanus. Or take a hop-on,
easy access to either end of the Garden Route.
hop-off tour on the open-sided Franschhoek
Port Elizabeth is also the gateway to Eastern
Wine Tram.
Suggest clients take a guided motorcycle tour, such as an eyeturning HarleyDavidson tour of Cape Town and the Winelands
saspecialist.southafrica.net
Top Right: Franschhoek wine tram in the western cape; Bottom left: take a guided motorbike tour of cape town; cheese and wine tasting; Take a trip on the Rovos rail
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Explore where our ancestors originated at the Cradle of Humandkind UNESCO World Heritage Site, 50 kilometres north-west of Johannesburg. Fossils found at sites such as the Sterkfontein Caves give an astonishing insight into how hominids developed two to three million years ago. maropeng.co.za
When southern right whales visit from June to November, Hermanus is the place to be for the world’s best land-based whale-watching and boat tours But the leviathans can also be seen all along the Garden Route coast and round the Cape peninsula. Other marine giants to watch out for are migrating humpback whales and whale sharks. hermanustourism.info Join a turtle tour from St Lucia, KwaZuluNatal, to see huge leatherback and loggerhead turtles laying eggs at iSamangaliso Wetland Park from November. Or, between January and March, watch the turtle hatchlings emerge. The coastline is the last remaining nesting site in Africa for the two species. zulu.org.za
The advent of spring turns the Namaqua National Park in the Northern Cape into a vivid patchwork of rainbow colours as daisies and other wild flowers carpet landscapes from mountains to river estuaries and the coast, while flamboyant blooms along the rest of the province’s Wild Flower Route produce one of the world’s great natural flower shows. experiencenortherncape.com Star gaze in the Northern Cape. The clear skies of the Karoo attracted the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), erected on a remote 2,000-metre-high plateau outside Sutherland (a four-hour drive from Cape Town). Join a guided tour or sign up for a 90-minute stargazing session. Pre-booking is essential. experiencenortherncape.com
Experience Xhosa (pronounced kh-o-sa) hospitality and learn about Xhosa arts, crafts and culture on a visit to cultural villages such as Mgwali in the Eastern Cape. Visitors are invited to help prepare meals including the staple umngqusho maize and bean dish, meet traditional healers and pipe makers, watch dance displays and buy clothing. visiteasterncape.co.za.
saspecialist.southafrica.net
7 Stay in the North West’s malaria-free Madikwe Game Reserve to see its wild dogs. Accommodation ranges from an eco-bush camp to ultra-luxury lodges. The reserve lies on the South Africa/Botswana border and is four hours by road from Johannesburg (320km) and two and a half hours (230km) from Sun City. tourismnorthwest.co.za
Take a cultural tour through northern Limpopo and discover the heritage of the 800-year-old Mapungubwe kingdom. Explore the traditions of the Venda people and their arts and crafts. Visit galleries, workshops and museums in communities along the Ribolla Art Route, which stretches from Polokwane to Louis Trichardt and Kruger Park. golimpopo.com
Spot distinctive blackmaned lions in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, the vast Kalahari Desert conservation area linking South Africa, Botswana and Namibia. It covers 2.5 million square kilometres of sand and scrub. Stay at the Twee Rivieren Rest Camp or wilderness camps and take guided safaris drives to find them. sanparks.org
The Sardine Run is one of the world’s great marine spectacles. It sees billions of sardines gather to spawn off the KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape coasts from May to July, attracting whales, dolphins, seals and sharks. Follow the huge shoals by boat or get close to the action on a snorkel or diving trip. visiteasterncape.co.za.
The Big Hole, close to Kimberley, is a 215-metre-deep chasm excavated for diamonds after they were found on what was then a flattopped hill in 1871. Both Rovos Rail and the Blue Train stop at Kimberley on some tours and offer excursions to the Big Hole. freestatetourism.org
Acrtists’ enclave Clarens offers everything from galleries to activities like white-water rafting, horse riding, quad biking, abseiling, mountain biking, fly-fishing, tennis and golf – all in a striking landscape of sandstone cliffs. The Golden Gate National Park, South Africa’s only grassland national park, is nearby. freestatetourism.org
saspecialist.southafrica.net
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Did you know? Due to its sheer size and diversity, South Africa throws up plenty of surprises for visitors. If you think you know all about the Rainbow Nation, read on!
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Tee off : Enjoy world-class championhsip golf for amazing value on courses that include include Fancourt
Resort near George and Sun City’s two Gary Player-designed layouts in the North Wet. A round at top-rated Durban Country
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Snow wonder: You can ski and snowboard at South
Club costs just R565 (about £33), and R160 (£10) plus a
Africa’s only alpine resort, Tiffindell, 2,720 metres
discretionary tip for a caddy.
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above sea level on Ben McDhui mountain in the southern
Animal magic: You don’t have to be in a game reserve to
Drakensberg, Eastern Cape. The ski season runs from the end
spot wildlife. See zebras on Table Mountain, penguins at
of May to the end of August.
Boulders Beach near Cape Town or Stony Point near
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Beach life: KwaZulu-Natal’s 120km coastline is lined
Hermanus, ostriches around Oudtshoorn, sea lions in Hout Bay
with pristine beaches that can be enjoyed year-round
and baboons at Cape Point.
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in its sub-tropical climate in resorts such as Ballito, Umhlanga,
Seal of approval: Playful, wild Cape fur seals often
Margate, Ramsgate, San Lameer and Southbroom. All swimming beaches have shark nets.
interact with snorkellers on shallow-water snorkelling
trips to Duiker Island, in Cape Town’s Hout Bay, which is home
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Surf or dive: Action-seekers can go surfing off Durban or
to 5,000 of the mammals. Cool Atlantic waters and thick kelp
try shark cage-diving and snorkelling at top diving site
forests help keep the sharks away.
Aliwal Shoal, 45 minutes south of Durban. Surfing dudes also congregate on the beaches of Port Elizabeth. faliwalshoal.co.za
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Sex and grub: Ronnies Sex Shop is actually a remote pub on Route 62 (90 minutes/150km from Oudtshoorn)
Burn, baby burn: Unusual South Africa festivals include
in the Klein Karoo that’s now a popular pitstop after it was
AfrikaBurn, a regional event of America’s Burning Man, held
renamed from Ronnies Shop to drum up passing trade. Its
each April on an isolated farm in the Northern Cape desert just
restaurant is called the Roadkill Café.
outside Tankwa Karoo National Park. It involves music, colourful
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costumes, wacky vehicles and giant art installations, some of
High drinks: Africa’s highest pub is located 2,873 metres up in the Sani Mountain Lodge, at the top of
which are burnt at the festival’s end. afrikaburn.com
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Natal’s Drakensberg Mountains, bordering
downhill ascent on Monster Mountain
Lesotho. The Sunlands Baobab Bar has
Scooters at Table Mountain (Cape Town), Garden Route National Park (Kynsna) and the Drakensberg Mountains (KwaZulu-Natal).
features 'Lizzie' the articulated T-Rex, by art collective Fata Morgana
Top left: KwaZulu-Natal’s coastline. Bottom left: Penguins at Boulders Beach; AfrikaBurn, an event held annually in the Tankwa Karoo; Monster Mountain Scooters
spectacular 4x4 trail Sani Pass in KwaZulu-
Monster thrills: Enjoy an exhilarating
been serving customers from inside a huge,
With over 560 wineries and 4,400 producers, South Africa’s Winelands offer ample tasting opportunies. Visit during the autumn harvest (February-April), when the weather is warm and winds are light
saspecialist.southafrica.net
hollowed-out baobab tree on a mango farm near Tzaneen, Limpopo, since 1933.
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Bush b From the North West to the Northern Cape, South Africa’s provinces boast an incredible array of wildlife – and there are plenty of ways your clients
In the Eastern Cape, the bush experience stays consistently good any time of the year, with the best game viewing months being those from May to
can experience it. Whether they have deep pockets or are
September due to the concentration of wildlife
looking for a more budget-wary safari option, there are
around water holes, and October when many
plenty of ways of getting out into the bush. The challenge
animals give birth and the predators are
for agents is matching the client to the right lodge
much more active.
or reserve. PRIVATE GAME RESERVE OR There are national parks, provincial parks and
NATIONAL PARK?
private game reserves offering game drives and
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overnight lodging in every province, with Limpopo and Mpumulanga sharing the world-famous Kruger National Park.
Game shows: National parks such as Kruger, Addo,
Hluhluwe-Umfolozi and Pilanesberg offer excellent game-spotting opportunities, as do private game reserves like Sabi Sabi, Madikwe and Phinda – but agents
WINTER OR SUMMER?
should be aware of the key differences in the experience
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Well seasoned: Thanks to
between a national park and a private reserve.
the diversity of weather
patterns across the country, a safaris can be enjoyed at any time of the year.
National parks, with their tarmac roads, allow self-driving, however all vehicles must stay strictly on the roads and be back in camp or out of the park at night.
The Kruger is great for game viewing during the dry
By contrast, private reserves benefit from ranger-guided
season winter months, from May to September, when animals
safari vehicles which can go off-track to allow visitors the
congregate at water holes. The nights are cool but days are
chance to follow wildlife as it move through the bushveld.
warm. The same holds true for reserves in the North West,
This is particularly exciting when you are following lions
Limpopo and Mpumalanga.
that are hunting!
In KwaZulu-Natal, the dry season runs from
Guests are taken on game drives by highly-
June to October, and the best time for game
-qualified rangers in smaller safari vehicles
viewing in its parks is just before the rainy season (November to late January) begins.
for a more intimate experience. The reserve’s
The Blue Train has added departures between Pretoria and Hoedspruit for passengers to stay in Kruger Park. Departures are on selected Fridays and Saturdays in March, July and August in 2017
saspecialist.southafrica.net
rangers also keep in radio contact to let
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babies each other know where animals are and to limit the number
found across the country’s more arid areas, such
of vehicles at sightings, particularly where there are cubs, to
as Oudtshoorn on Route 62 near the Garden Route, or
ensure the animals are not stressed.
in the Northern Cape’s Kuruman River Reserve (where TV the
Nightly rates for private reserve safari stays are
series Meerkat Manor is filmed), Kalahari Trails park and
much higher than those in the national parks,
nearby Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. Kgalagadi is also
but it is importamt to share that these include all
famed for its black-maned lions while Madikwe Game
game viewing activities and meals – usuallyl three a day – and the majority also include drinks.
Reserve in the malaria-free North West province is knowwn for its excellent sightings of wild dogs.
Accommodation in the national parks is operated by SAN Parks and generally comprises self-catering in tents
BEYOND THE BIG FIVE
or bungalows with en-suite facilities. There are on-site, selfservice restaurants and convenience stores where guests can
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True gold: Visit Golden Gate Highlands National Park in Free
buy food to cook themselves.
State to see antelopes
Guests staying in national parks can head
bounding across
out on a pre-booked game drive, although
shimmering
group sizes and vehicles are larger than in
grasslands. Or
the private reserves. WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE Heads up: Many clients will hope the see the Big Five of elephant, buffalo, leopard, rhino and lion, but there are plenty of other
Advise clients that animals in parks and reserves are wild and that sightings are not guaranteed
animal encounters on offer. Meerkats can be
visit iSimangaliso Wetland Park in NZN whose eight ecosystems include swamps, lakes, coral reefs and 220km of Indian Ocean beachfront. You might see whales and rhinos on the same day.
Garonga SA Guide FINAL.qxp_Layout 1 19/08/2016 14:44 Page 1
unassuming… unhurried… untamed It’s the Garonga difference: Six luxurious safari tents and three sumptuous suites, set in the exclusive Makalali Reserve, west of the Kruger National Park. Experience guided walks, game drives and sleep outs, or simply relax with a bush bath or outdoor aromatherapy.
www.garonga.com Untitled-3 1
19/08/2016 15:37
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A day in the life of a private
game reserve Lodges on private reserve include all meals and generally all drinks, both alcohol and soft drinks. The more information you can give the lodge
out out into the bush. Not only does this give visitors a chance to experience the game reserve on foot and see the smaller creatures and plant life, it also helps them work up an appetite
about your clients, the better they will be able to cater to
for lunch. A bush walk is a must do and enclosed shoes are
their needs and the more special the experience will be.
required. Alternatively, guests can just enjoy the facilities of the lodge. Lunch is generally served in a lodge location that
RISE AND SHINE
overlooks the bush or an animal watering hole.
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exciting safari game drive at sun-up, typically lasting three
swimming pool, if the lodge has one. Some lodges have rooms
hours. The early morning is one of the best times to view
that come with their own plunge pool. Afternoons are also
wildlife and to see predators such as lions on the hunt or
a good time to enjoy a massage at lodges that feature a spa.
elephants seeking out new areas to forage. Open-top safari
Many lodges offer a high tea, usually served on the deck, from
vehicles generally take a maximum of six passengers, each
which guests can look out for nearby game on the move.
with an eagle-eyed ranger and tracker who know the reserve
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Morning: After a pre-dawn wake-up call guests gather for tea or coffee in the lodge, before embarking on an
well and can spot animals that guests often miss.
choose to relax in their rooms or take a dip in the
Early Evening: As the sun starts to set and the day cools off it’s time for another game drive in the ebbing daylight,
When a good sighting is made, the rangers in the camp’s
stopping halfway for sundowners – alcoholic or non-alcoholic
vehicles communicate with each other by radio to alert them
beverages of choice - as you watch the sun set over the Africa
to animal sightings. This also ensures that the animals are not
bush while listening out for the calls of birds, monkeys and
disturbed by having too many vehicles around them at one
hyenas. Driving through the bush in darkness is a completely
time. The limit is often just two vehicles at a sighting.
different experience, the eyes of nocturnal animals such as
Tea and coffee with snacks are generally served halfway through the safari drive at a scenic location, whether that be
Top: Elephant at Madikwe Private Game Reserve. Bottom left: Monkey at iSimangaliso Wetland Park; Bush colours; Lionesss in the Kruger
Afternoon: As the day hots up after lunch guests can
prowling leopards or bush babies lighting up in the tracker’s spotlight while overhead the stars shine brilliantly in the ink-black
by a river filled with hippos or a vantage
sky. Back at the lodge there is time for guests
point overlooking the surrounding bushveld.
to soak in a hot bath before dinner. Dinner can
Back at the lodge, guests enjoy a full
be served in the lodge, in the boma (an open
breakfast on the deck with views out over the bushveld or forest. Some lodges offer guided walks with rangers, who take guests
outdoor space around a fire pit), or out in the
South Africa’s winters require warm sweaters or jackets for morning and evening game drives, although the lodges also provide blankets and rain capes. Smart clothes are not required for dinner
saspecialist.southafrica.net
bush. Most lodges rotate dining locations to make things interesting for guests.
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wild
Find your
Whether your clients are looking to dive with great white
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Get cagey: Experience heart-pumping
sharks, jump off a decommissioned power station or ride
thrills whilst cage diving among great white
world-cass rapids, there are no shortage of adrenalin-
sharks at Gansbaai, two hours east of Cape Town in the
inducing thrills in every province of South Africa.
Western Cape. Alternatively, come face to face with ragged tooth sharks at leading KwaZulu-Natal diving spot, Aliwal
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Tiger tiger: Battle tenacious fighting tiger fish, renowned
Shoal, located 45 minutes south of Durban.
as the best African game fish, on a two- or three-night
luxury houseboat cruise on Lake Jozini in Kwazulu-Natal.
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Going underground: South Africa is not just
Besides fishing, pontoon tender boats take passengers close to
stunningly beautiful above ground it also has some
the shore for game viewing and bird watching. The prime tiger
amazing subterranean wonders to explore. The Cango Caves,
fishing season runs from September to April.
30 kilometres from Oudtshoorn in the Klein Karoo, comprise huge chambers and narrow passageways that can be explored
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Surf’s up: Catch a ‘supertube’ at Jeffreys Bay in Eastern
on easy-paced or more or adventurous tours.
Cape. Foaming breakers up to three metres high create
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fast, hollow waves riders can surf through, making it one of
River fun: The Orange River, South Africa’s longest at
the top surfing destinations in the world and attracting surfers
2,200km long, stretches along the border between
from around the globe. Good surfing conditions, produced
Northern Cape and Namibia and offers a wealth of adventure
by strong westerly winds, can be found on approximately 150
for outdoor enthusiasts including guided rafting, canoeing and
days of the year.
fly-fishing trips. Tours, which can last from half a day to a four-day expedition, often start in Augrabies Falls National Park
Fall guys: Soweto’s brightly-painted twin Orlando Towers
or the |Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld National Park, which straddles the
– actually decommissioned power station cooling towers –
Namibia border. Both offer adventure tour options.
offer adrenalin junkies either a 100-metre bungee jump between the towers or the chance to abseili down them. Then there’s the
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Take a hike: Suggest your clients turn a blind eye to the
latest extreme craze: the world’s highest SCAD (suspended catch
cable car and hike up Table Mountain instead. The
air device) freefall experience sees ‘jumpers’
Platteklip Gorge hiking route, which starts a
hurl themselves into one tower before
few metres to the right of the lower cableway
plunging 70 metres down into a to a huge
station, is the most direct route - and the
net– and without a harness.
most challenging.
South Africa’s blue skies make it an excellent place to skydive. There are ‘drop zones’ close to Cape Town, along the Garden Route, in KwaZuluNatal and around the Johannesburg area
saspecialist.southafrica.net
Top: Guided rafting on the Orange River. Bottom left: Diving among great white sharks at Gansbaai; The amazing Cango Caves; great surfing in the Eastern Cape
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Exploring Jo South Africa’s second-largest city and
and fall of South Africa’s
its economic powerhouse has undergone a
darkest chapter through
remarkable renaissance in recent years. Once a virtual no-go zone for visitors, an impressive urban regeneration
photographs, videos, press cuttings and
of its downtown means that Johannesburg
moving anecdotes.
– affectionately called ‘Jo’burg’ or ‘Jozi’ –
Covering a century
now has a vibrant, beating heart that welcomes tourists and has plenty for them to explore.
of history, Constitution Hill its Constitutional
Echoing upmarket Sandton and
Court built within a
Rosebank, central districts such
fort-turned-jail whose prisoners
as Newtown and Braamfontein now bristle with cafes,
included Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Ghandi.
restaurants and cultural
Another key site in apartheid history is Liliesleaf
attractions while the
Farm, tucked away in the northern leafy suburb of
funky Maboneng Precinct is the city’s hottest (and coolest) new urban area, featuring shops, restaurants, art galleries
Rivonia. It is now a museum and heritage site but it once provided safe and secretive refuge for many ANC dissidents, including Mandela, in the early 1960s.
and entertainment venues. The 80km Gautrain rapid rail system – built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup – has made Johannesburg far more accessible.
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City sights: Enjoy panoramic views from the Top of Africa viewing deck, atop
It links the city centre with OR Tambo
the 50-storey Carlton
International Airport and Pretoria, as well as
Centre, Africa’s tallest
Sandton and Rosebank.
building. Then browse a huge
HISTORY COMES ALIVE
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Darkest hour: The intensely-moving Apartheid Museum charts the rise
See Johannesburg’s main sights on a hop-on, hop-off city sightseeing tour, aboard a topless red doubledecker bus with informative audio commentary. Tickets are valid for one or two days
saspecialist.southafrica.net
collection of African crafts to drumbeats in the daily Rosebank Art and Craft Market. A Sunday version takes place on the rooftop of Rosebank Mall.
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ohannesburg Bargaining is expected and savvy shoppers
museum but where Nelson Mandela
can take home some great bargains. The
lived after his 27 years in prison;
Gold Reef City theme park, built around
and the family home of
an old gold mine, can be explored
Archbishop Desmond Tutu,
on tours. It blends thrill rides with
where his family still live.
Johannesburg’s mining heritage and
The street has several restaurants
is where visitors can learn about
and bars that make a great tour
the 1886 Witwatersrand Gold
stop or somewhere to go
Rush that led to the founding
for dinner. Another significant
of Johannesburg. Or your clients
place in Soweto’s story is the
can seek their own riches at the Tuscan-
Hector Pieterson Memorial
flavoured casino and entertainment complex,
and Museum, the site of the
Montecasino. The complex has some of the city’s most
infamous 1976 Soweto uprising
popular bars and eateries.
and located two blocks from where in 1976 the 12-year-old
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Soweto: Take an official tour of Soweto (an
Hector was shot by police, leading to
acronym for South-Western Townships) for
uprisings around the country.
some insights into South Africa’s past struggles and the gritty lives many lead today. A guided bicycle tour, which can last from two hours to a full day, is one of the best ways of experiencing the sights, sounds, aromas
Beyond Johannesburg: There is plenty to see
and do without travelling too far out of ‘Jozi’. Just 50km north-west of the city, the
and atmosphere of Soweto on a
Cradle of Humankind is a UNESCO
personal level. Your clients can also
World Heritage Site comprising a 116,000-
opt for a tuk-tuk tour. Soweto’s Vilakazi Street is the only street in the world to have been home to two Nobel Peace Prize winners: the recently-revamped Mandela House, now a
acre landscape of limestone caves where rich
Try local beers at the SAB World of Beers, twice named the number one tourist attraction in South Africa
fossil discoveries have shed light on the dawn of man. Visitors can take tours of two key sites, the Sterkfontein Caves and Maropeng.
Then visit SMACK! a craft beer brewery in the trendy downtown Maboneng precinct
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Driven to d South Africa is made for exploring by car. The country has an excellent road network, both in and between the main tourist regions, and your clients
ROAD WORTHY
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The basics: Traffic moves on the left, as in the UK. Seatbelts are
won’t even need a 4x4 vehicle if they are visiting game
compulsory and the use of mobile
reserves or staying at safari lodges.
phones is illegal, unless with a hands-free kit. The minimum
Renting a 4x4 is certainly an option for those who want to get off the beaten track, but even the dirt tracks that
age for drivers varies. Some allow 18-year-old drivers
lead to the safari lodges are well maintained. And should clients wish to go on a self-driving safari through national parks, such as Kruger or Addo, they must stick to the
while others limit rentals to those over 20 or 23. Distances are in kilometres and speed limits are 60km/h for urban roads, 100km/h for
tarred and gravel roads
secondary roads and 120km/h for national
anyway as off-road
highways unless otherwise posted. Drink/
driving is not allowed.
drive limits are stricter than in the UK.
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Tolls: Some national roads have tolls,
All the major car rental companies operate in South Africa, along with a number of local operators, with
Top: Scenic backdrops often accompany a South African road trip; Below: Cheetah crossing in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park; Golden Gate National Park; Johannesburg
to rent
particularly those around major cities and on popular tourist routes. For example, between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth there is a toll plaza at Tsitsikamma on the Garden
locations in major cities and at international
Route, with a toll fee of R45 (about £2.50), and
and larger domestic airports. Rental vehicles
if driving on to Durban there are three more
range from budget through to luxury, and
tolls, making a total of R95 (£5). Individual tolls
even campervans and luxury motorhomes.
in South Africa range from R4 (20p) to R75 (£4).
Motorcycles and scooters can also be rented. Drop-off fees may apply if renting from one city or airport and returning at another.
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National park fees: National parks have a daily ‘conservation fee’ that visitors must pay. The Kruger Park’s tariff is R280
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distraction (about £19) per day for international visitors while the Garden Route has a cluster of three areas with charges, totalling R372 (£26) a day. DISTANCES AND JOURNEY TIMES
However, overseas visitors can buy a Wild Card, giving entry to national parks and conservation partner parks, reserves and
South Africa is a big country and many of the main tourism centres are far apart. Here are some distances and non-stop driving times:
resorts for a year and costing R1,920 (£133) for individuals, R3,005 (£209) for couples and R3,590 (£250) for families of up to seven, including two adults (2016 prices).
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Petrol stations attendants and car guards: Petrol
JOURNEY
DISTANCE
TIME
(KM)
stations (called garages in South Africa) are not self-service. Attendants wearing high-vis bibs will
George
436km
5 hours
Port Elizabeth
765km
8 hours
Durban (Via Port Elizabeth)
1,658km
20 hours
Johannesburg
1,393km
13 hours
Pretoria
63km
1 hour
Nelspruit
358km
3.5 hours
Durban
566km
5.5 hours
also wash your windscreen. Tip them R5-R10 (£35p-70p). Keep some small change
CAPE TOWN
fill your car, take your payment and may
handy as you will need this when parking in a car park or keep watch on your vehicle, are widespread in South Africa. If official, they usually wear bibs, but may be self-appointed. Advise clients to tip at least R5 (35p).
JOHANNESBURG
on the street. ‘Car guards’, who
Top: Cars in South Africa’s National Parks must follow the central roads - as this elephant is doing
the Voortrekker Monument ce n e i r e exp
it!
culture, heritage & history... www.vtm.org.za Untitled-1 1
02/08/2016 09:15
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G RE EN R OU T E
The Cape escape Driving Route One: Cape Town-Winelands-Hermanus-Garden Route-Eastern Cape game reserves Total distance: 1,200km; 14 days
5-6 1-4
CAPE TOWN: DAYS 1-4 Hop-on, hop-off bus: A good way to After renting a car from Cape Town explore the Mother City’s sights is on a International Airport it is just a 20-minute narrated hop-on, hop-off sightseeing bus tour in drive into the Cape Town. Alternatively, open-top, double-decker buses. arrange an airport transfer so clients can citysightseeing.co.za/cape-town enjoy Cape Town’s many experiences without V&A Waterfront: Cape Town’s revitalised worrying about driving. Suggest they have harbour offers stunning city and Table their vehicle delivered prior to leaving for the Mountain views and houses numerous Winelands. Here are some recommendations restaurants and shops, hotels and the Two for activities in Cape Town: Oceans Aquarium. waterfront.co.za Table Mountain: A must visit, its two Get with the beat: Enjoy disabled-friendly cable jazz in clubs such as The cars each take 65 people and Crypt (thecryptjazz.com), below the run all day. Journeys to the city’s St George’s Cathedral, and summit take three minutes and Asoka (asoka.za.com), or African the cars rotate for 360-degree beats at venues including Long Clients on the 9.00 views. tablemountain.net Street institution Mama Africa boat from the Robben Island: See (mamaafricarestaurant.co.za). V&A Waterfront to where Nelson Mandel Robben Island will
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spent 18 of his 27 years in prison. It is now a museum. robben-island.org.za District Six Museum: This museum recalls the once-lively multicultural Cape Town community that was torn apart by apartheid. districtsix.co.za
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be back in Cape Town in time for lunch. Suggest The Test Kitchen – but reserve a table as there’s a sixmonth waiting list
WINELANDS: DAYS 5-6 Known for its pretty towns, Cape Dutch architecture and scenic mountains, the area known as the Cape Winelands is packed with self-drive possibilities. This tour takes in the Cape’s
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southern wine areas, comprising Constantia, the closest to Cape Town at just 20 minutes south of the city, and the Southern Hemisphere’s oldest wine-producing region, Stellenbosch, a 40-minute drive from Cape Town. Thirty minutes further on is historic Franschhoek, regarded as the culinary capital of South Africa due to its its many world-class restaurants. Experiences include: Vine Hopper: Take one of three hop-on, hop-off wine bus tours for visits and tastings at wine estates in Stellenbosch. vinehopper.co.za Franschhoek Wine Tram: Enjoy tastings and lunch at wine estates in the Franschhoek Valley aboard the open-air, hop-on and hop-off Wine Tram. winetram.co.za Jonkershoek Nature Reserve: Just a
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15-minute drive from Stellenbosch, visitors can hike, cycle or swim amidst glorious mountain scenery. capenature.co.za/reserves HERMANUS: DAY 7 A 70-minute drive from Franschhoek, bustling Hermanus is also a wine-growing area and has been listed by WWF as one of the 12 best whale watching destinations in the world. From July to November, southern right
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11-13 14 8-10
whales come to mate and calve in Walker Bay and can be viewed just metres offshore as well as on boat tours. Activities include: Dine and whale-watch: View whales while dining on the terraces at Bientang’s Cave restaurant, on the Walker Bay shore. bientangscave.com Sea kayaking: See magnificent whales and Cape fur seals on a sea kayaking trip. walkerbayadventures.co.za Wine Hopper: Safari-style Hermanus Wine Hopper wine tours visit vineyards along the Hermanus Wine Route. hermanuswinehoppers.co.za Cage diving with sharks: Across the bay, Gansbaii is the world’s great white shark capital. Licensed operators offering cage dives include Great White Shark Tours (sharkcagediving.net),
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Marina Dynamics Shark Tours (sharkwatchsa.com) and Shark Diving Unlimited (sharkdivingunlimited.com). GARDEN ROUTE: Days 8-10 From Hermanus, the 300km drive to Mossel Bay takes around three hours. Beyond Mossel Bay, the spectacular Garden Route coastline stretches over 200km to Storms River. Driving times from Mossel Bay are: George (great for golfers), 35 minutes; Wilderness (a
seaside resort with a lagoon and long sandy facility rehabilitates injured creatures from wild beach), 50 minutes; Knysna (an adventure cats to seals and birds. tenikwa.com playground with a lagoon and ancient Storms River sea kayaking: Kayak through forests), 1.5 hours; Plettenberg Bay (nature the Storm River gorge to the ocean. and activities are close by this seaside town) untouchedadventures.com two hours; The Crags (a mountainous area with attractions including Birds of Eden, the EASTERN CAPE GAME RESERVES: DAYS 11-13 world’s largest free-flight aviary), two hours; End this road trip with a dafari in a malariaand Storms River (a scenic river offering free Big Five reserve. Suggest: outdoor adventure in Tsitsikamma National Game Reserves: Addo Elephant National Park), two hours 30 minutes. Suggest these: Park (sanparks.org), South Africa’s Knysna Township Tour: third-largest national park; Experience life in a and private reserves Shamwari township with Xhosa drumming (shamwari.com), Amakhala and singing. visitknysna.co.za (amakhala.co.za), Kwandwe Knysna Oyster Cruises: (kwandwe.com), Lalibela (lalibela. Suggest clients Knysna is famous for net), Kariega (kariega.co.za) and head up Table
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its oysters and clients can enjoy them with wine on a
Knysna Lagoon sunset cruise. knysnacharters.com
first-ever wine estate in the Bramon Wine Estate: The
Western Cape’s eastern section. bramonwines.co.za Tenikwa Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre: This
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Mountain at the first possible opportunity. Srong winds and low clouds can prevent the cable car from operating. Afternoons are quieter
Pumba (pumbagamereserve.co.za). From Storms River to the furthest reserve, Kwandwe, takes just over three hours. DEPART FROM PORT
ELIZABETH: Day 14 Clients return their car at Port Elizabeth International Airport for the connecting flight home.
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YELLO W R OU T E
Over and above Driving Route Two: Cape Town-Winelands-Oudtshoorn-Garden Route-Eastern Cape game reserves Total distance: 1,250km; 14 days
5-6
1-4
CAPE TOWN: DAYS 1-4 Township tours: Experience the vibe and Your clients will want several days to explore community spirit of a township on a tour. the large array of places to see and things Options include Cape Town’s oldest, Langa, to do, both in the Mother City and in the established in 1923. surrounding area. These are a few options: townshiptourscapetown.co.za Cape of Good Hope: 50km south of Cape Swim with seals: Go snorkelling with Town is a wildlife reserve that is home playful Cape fur seals on boat trips from to 1,200 plant species of plants and mammals Hout Bay Harbour (from September to May). including antelope, zebra and baboons. Take the sealsnorkeling.com funicular to the top of Cape Point. capepoint.co.za Sidecar tours: See the Cape Town area as Boulders Beach: A unique chance to see a passenger in a vintage, ex-military resident endangered motorcycle sidecar. sidecars.co.za African Penguins from a Cool food and drink: viewpoint and boardwalks at Hang out in cafes and their Simons Town colony, on restaurants along Cape Town’s the Cape Peninsula: hippest street, Bree Street and See rare roaming visit Neighbourgoods Market in sanparks.org/parks white lions at the Kirstenbosch National the Woodstock area of the city. Sanbona Wildlife Botanical Garden: On neighbourgoodsmarket.co.za
valleys and historic communities. The Route 62 Wine Route spans 70 wine farms in the northern Cape Winelands. Wine towns to visit include 330-year-old Paarl, (45 minutes from Cape Town), its 12km-long Main Street lined with restaurants and coffee shops; Wellington (45 minutes from Cape Town) noted for its Cape Dutch homesteads, gardens and wine farms; the neoclassical architecture and wide, tree-lined streets of Worcester (80 minutes from Cape Town); and Robertson, western gateway to the heart of Route 62. Things to see and do include: Mandela’s long walk: The ‘Long Walk to Freedom’ statue of Nelson Mandela outside the gates of Drakenstein Correctional Centre, near Paarl, marks where he spent his last 15
the slopes of Table Mountain, Kirstenbosch is acclaimed as
WINELANDS: DAYS 5-6
Worcester from a base camp in a private game reserve with Breakwater Adventures.
From Cape Town, the inland, scenic Route 62 links the Mother City with the Garden Route via the arid Klein Karoo (Little Karoo) region, passing through fertile wine-growing
breederiverraftingworcester.co.za Trolley rail adventure: The Hexpas Express is a five-hour trip and picnic stop aboard trolley carriages pulled by an adapted tractor on a historic railway track up the Hex River Pass, near Worcester. impangelemountainlodge.co.za
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one of the world’s greatest and most beautiful botanical gardens. See flora from across southern Africa or catch a summer concert in the gardens. sanbi.org/gardens/kirstenbosch
Reserve, a private reserve three hours from Cape Town, off Route 62, as well as at Pumba Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape
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months in prison before being released in 1990. River rafting: Raft on the Breede River near
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11-13 7
14
8-10
�produces some of the world’s best
Brandy: Besides its wines, the Western Cape
brandies. Clients can visit 20 Brandy Homes – distilleries offering tours and tastings – in the Cape Winelands and along Route 62. sabrandy.co.za/brandyhomes OUDTSHOORN: DAY 7 Take Route 62 for quaint towns such as Barrydale (three hours from Cape Town), with its own art and crafts artisans; Ladismith, (three hours 45 minutes from Cape Town), known for its wines and cheeses (it has a Cheese and Wine Festival in October); and Calitzdorp (30 minutes from Oudtshoorn), the ‘port wine capital’ of South Africa. In the Klein Karoo, Oudtshoorn (four hours 45 minutes from Cape Town) is South Africa’s ostrich town. The town’s fame and fortune was built on ostrich feathers in the late 1800s and the birds are still farmed today, mostly for their lean meat. Aardvark tracking: At the Aardvark Nature Reserve, a short detour off Route 62 between Barrydale and Ladismith, clients can go on guided nature walks, take horse safaris or join a three-hour tour tracking aardvarks. aardvarklodge.co.za
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via the Outeniqua Pass. Other activities along the 200km Garden Route in their natural habitat. meerkatadventures.co.za not mentioned in Itinerary One include: Cango Caves: Explore vast rock halls, Garden Route National Park: sanparks.org/parks striking rock formations, stalactites and Tsitsikamma hiking trails: A series of stalagmites 30 minutes from Oudtshoorn. walking trails goes through indigenous forests cango-caves.co.za surrounding the pretty Garden Route town. Cango Ostrich Show Farm: Visitors can tsitsikamma.info hand-feed ostriches and even ride them. Bloukrans Bridge Bungee: The fearless cangoostrich.co.za can try the world’s highest commercial Crocodile cage diving: Visitors are bungee bridge jump, at 216 metres. faceadrenalin.com lowered in a cage into a Scootours: A unique clear, heated pool for a way to experience the 10-minute encounter with Knysna Forests on monster four-metre crocodiles at the mountain scooters. Cango Wildlife Centre, which also scootours.co.za/knysna-forest/ A three-hour offers interaction with cheetahs. circular driving cango.co.za EASTERN CAPE GAME tour from RESERVES: DAYS 11-13 Oudtshoorn to Prince Albert, GARDEN ROUTE: DAYS 8-10 See Itinerary One for game gateway to the From Oudtshoorn, the drive reserve options. Great Karoo, through the Outeniqua takes in two Mountains to the Garden DEPART FROM PORT
�Oudtshoorn, see habituated wild meerkats Meerkat tours: On a farm just outside
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Route takes an hour, either via the historic, gravel Montagu Pass to Mossel Bay or on the N12 route to George
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spectacular passes through the Swartberg Mountains
ELIZABETH: DAY 14 Clients return their car at Port Elizabeth Airport for the connecting flight home.
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B LUE R O U T E
Take a meander Driving Route Three: Durban-Midlands-Drakensberg Mountains-Battlefields-Jozini Dam Hluhluwe-St Lucia Wetlands-North Coast Beaches Total distance: 1,200km; 12 days
MIDLANDS: DAY 1 Appaloosa horses on trails, framed by the After picking up their rental car at Durban’s Drakensberg. bergtrails.co.za airport, clients can explore KwaZulu-Natal’s Nelson Mandela’s Capture Site: Mandela hinterland. Pietermaritzburg is the gateway was captured in 1962 near Lions River in to the Midlands, a scenic area of lakes and the Midlands. See a portrait sculpture made from rivers in the foothills of the Drakensberg 50 10-metre-high laser-cut steel poles. Mountains dotted with small towns. The thecapturesite.co.za journey from Durban to Pietermaritzburg is about 75 minutes, so suggest a short detour DRAKENSBERG MOUNTAINS: DAYS 2-3 through the picturesque Valley of 1000 Hills, The scenic Drakensberg Mountains, a rich in Zulu traditions. Places to visit and UNESCO World Heritage Site, are a highlight things to do include: for adventure and outdoor Midlands Meander: This activity lovers. Choose from 80km network of routes the Southern Drakensberg features arts and crafts galleries, region, around Underberg, studios, shops and activities. the Central Drakensberg Turtle season in midlandsmeander.co.za such as Giant’s Castle and the bays north
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Karkloof Canopy Tour:
canopy of Southern Africa’s second-largest indigenous forest on 10 zip line slides. karkloofcanopytour.co.za Horse-riding: KwaZuluNatal’s Midlands is horse country: BergTrails offers guided horse riding on
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of St Lucia lasts NovemberMarch. Take a day beach tour to see loggerhead and leatherback turtles lay their eggs and a night tour to see the hatchlings
areas such as Royal Natal National Park in the Northern Drakensberg (distances from Pietermaritzburg range from 1.2-2.5 hours). Suggest: Drakensberg Adventures: Hiking, pony trekking trips and 4x4 tours up the Sani Pass to the Roof of Africa, bordering Lesotho. sanilodge.co.za/da
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�left rock paintings at hundreds of sites in San rock art: The ancient San bushmen
the Drakensberg. View some and get an insight into their art and culture at the Didima San Rock Art Centre at Cathedral Peak. didima.info/ Accommodation/didima-camp-rock-art-center.html Giant’s Castle Nature Reserve: Popular with ramblers, hikers and mountain climbers, this reserve is home to majestic eland – large antelopes – and birds including rare-bearded vultures, which can be viewed from the restaurant at Giant’s Castle Camp. giantscastle.info Tugela Falls: The Tugela River drops 950 metres down from the top of the Amphitheatre plateau in Royal Natal National Park: see the world’s second-highest waterfall. royalnatal.info
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BATTLEFIELDS: DAY 4 The hills, valleys and plains around Ladysmith and Dundee (around 2.5-3 hours from the Drakensberg Mountains), north-west of the Drakensberg peaks, are sprinkled with names of places that still resonate today for bloody battles fought during the Zulu and AngloBoer Wars. Sites include: Spion Kop: The hill where this famous Boer War battle was fought (both Winston
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5
6-8 9-10
4
11-12
2-3 1
Churchill and Mahatma Gandhi were involved) gave its name to Liverpool Football Club’s Kop for the many local soldiers who died there. Take a guided battlefield tour or a safari drive in the game reserve. spionkop.co.za Rorke’s Drift and Isandlwana: Depicted in the 1964 film, Zulu, Rorke’s Drift was where 140 British soldiers fought off thousands of Zulu warriors for 12 hours – the same day that the British suffered a humiliating defeat at nearby Isandlwana. Half-day tours take in both sites. Dundee: This coal-mining town was where the Second Anglo-Boer War began. Seethe Talana Museum and Heritage Park, where exhibits portray battles. talana.co.za
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JOZINI DAM: DAY 5 A three-hour drive north from Dundee this dam has created a lake amidst scenic mountains that is a haven for wildlife. Game reserves and lodges border its shores while activities on the lake include houseboat trips, canoeing and fishing. Tiger fishing: Jozini Dam is regarded as the best place in South Africa to pit your wits against tiger fish, the game fish of inland waters. jozinitigerfishing.org
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HLUHLUWE: DAYS 6-8 An hour from Jozini Dam, Hluhluwe–Umfolozi Park is South Africa’s oldest proclaimed nature reserve and one of its largest. Wildlife includes the Big Five, wild dogs, cheetahs, hippos, hyenas and giraffes, and more than 340 bird species. Accommodation ranges from rondavels (thatched huts) to luxury lodges. Game drives and walks: Look for big game or nocturnal species such as leopards and bushbabies. There are several private game reserves in the area. kznwildlife.com
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ST LUCIA WETLANDS: DAYS 9-10
An hour from Hluhluwe, St Lucia is the gateway to the St Lucia Wetlands (now the iSimangaliso Wetland Park), South Africa’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site. This coastal wildlife paradise has lakes, swamps, forests and offshore reefs and offers activities galore. They include: Wildlife boat cruises: Clients can join pontoon boat tours on Lake St Lucia to see
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hippos, Nile crocodiles and birds. stluciasouthafrica.com Whale-watching tours: Beachlaunched boat tours operate from St Lucia to see migrating humpback whales from June to the end of November. advantagetours.co.za
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NORTH BEACHES: DAYS 11-12 Before flying back from Durban, clients can relax by golden beaches in holiday towns such as Ballito on the Dolphin Coast (45 minutes north of Durban), and Umhlanga (20 minutes from the city) which has a huge choice of restaurants and shops. Both make a good base for exploring the area and Mahatma Gandhi visiting Durban. Among spent 21 years options are: in South Africa, Shaka Marine World: 20kms north
of Durban, the cottage where Ghandi lived with his family and several other buildings related to his life are now a museum
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Durban’s water park and the Southern Hemisphere’s largest aquarium, it has a restaurant where sharks swimming past your table, separated only by the aquarium’s thick acrylic wall. ushakamarineworld.co.za
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RE D R O U TE
Game on
Driving Route Four: Hazyview-Sabi Sands Game Reserve-Graskop-Timbavati Game Reserve Total distance: 550km; 10 days
HAZYVIEW: DAYS 1-3 Canopy Tours: Two different adventures After their flight arrives into Johannesburg’s offer the chance to enjoy the region’s OR Tambo International Airport, clients would natural environment from a thrilling aerial fly to Nelspruit’s Kruger Mpumalanga Airport, perspective. skywaytrails.com pick up a rental car and point their sat nav in Sabie Brewing Company: In the nearby the direction of Hazyview, approximately a town of Sabie (a 30-minute drive away) 50-minute drive. Hazyview is a regional your clients can enjoy tasting local craft beers. hub that offers easy access to Kruger sabiebrewery.com National Park, with the park’s nearest gate, Phabeni, just SABI SANDS GAME 15km away. There are also RESERVE: DAYS 4-5 plenty of activities within An hour’s drive from easy reach of Hazyview. Hazyview, Sabi Sand (sabisand. From Graskop, These include: co.za) is the oldest private photographers Elephant Whispers: game reserve in South Africa, will find the Clients with young having been established best light in the families will love interacting in 1948. It shares a 50km mornings for with the trained and tame unfenced border with Kruger the waterfalls by heading south and elephants, which they can Park, so that animals can pass the afternoon light follow with by a short ride on freely between them. Sabi better for sights one through the African bush. Sand comprises a collection north of Graskop, seasonsinafrica.com of private game reserves including Blyde River rafting: Ride the and lodges spanning 65,000 River Canyon, gentle rapids of the hectares and is known for its Three Rondavels Sabie River near Hazyview on a frequent leopard viewing as and God’s Window three-hour rafting trip. well as possessing many other hazyviewactivities.co.za species, besides the Big Five.
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The game reserve’s name derives from the Sabie and Sand rivers that flow through it providing an important water source for the region’s wildlife. Airport: Kruger Mpumalanga Airport is around1.5 hours away (from Hazyview) by road, but the closest airport is Skukuza, just a few minutes from the closest reserve within Sabi Sand. Skukuza is served by direct daily flights from both Johannesburg and Cape Town and has car rental facilities. Game lodges close to Skukuza Airport will collect guests and transfer them to their accommodation.
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GRASKOP: DAYS 6-7 A 90-minute drive from Sabi Sands, Graskop is a small town noted for its pancake bar and curios shops. It makes an excellent base from which to visit the area’s many scenic wonders and other attractions. Among them are: Pilgrim’s Rest: Twenty minutes from
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Grashop this former gold rush town and national monument has been preserved as it was in the late-1800s when it attracted a rush of prospectors. The Royal Hotel takes visitors on a nostalgia-filled trip to a bygone era. pilgrimsrest.org.za
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1-3
8-10 6-7 4-5
�Graskop, Long Tom Pass is a hairpin-filled Long Tom Pass: A 50-minute drive from
22km mountain pass named after a cannon used in the Anglo-Boar Wars. Panorama Route: Clients can take in the many spectacular sights of the Panorama Route. These include one of the world’s largest canyons on the journey to Timbavati Game Reserve. The Panorama Route drive is about 130km, but advise clients to allow a
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full day for the journey to Timbavati to include sightseeing. Highlights along the route are: Mac Mac Falls: Fifteen minutes south of Graskop these twin waterfalls plunge 65 metres (entrance fee R10, around 58p) per car. Another two kilometres on is Mac Mac Pools, where you can swim or go on a circular walk; entry R20 (approx. £1.16) per person. Pinnacle Rock: Heading north back through Graskop for 20 minutes, this free-standing
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Clients can fly directly to airports in or near the Kruger National Park if they prefer not to drive from Johannesburg
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pillar towers 30 metres above a forested ravine; you to these deep cylindrical scours in soft entrance fee R10 (approx. 58p) per car. bedrock created by waterfalls. There are also two God’s Window: Around six minutes along short hiking routes as well (entry fee is R20,approx. the R523 road, the viewpoint offers £1.14, per car and R30, around £1.58) per adult and amazing panoramic views of the Lowveld and R20, approx. £1.16 per child). A visitor centre with Kruger Park beyond (fee R10 (approx. 58p) per toilets and curio stalls are on site. car; toilet facilities and curio Three Rondavels: The drive stalls are on site. Another two from the potholes is just kilometres further on, parking 20 minutes but around the is free at the roadside Wonder half-way mark, the roadside View viewpoint – and the vistas Lowveld View viewpoint affords Flower lovers are as impressive. stunning views of the Blyde should look out Lisbon Falls: These River Canyon. The Rondavels for proteas on the spectacular falls, the are giant hut-shaped peaks Panorama Route. highest in the area at 92 metres standing 700m above the The Blyde protea is high, are 10 minutes on from canyon floor; entrance fee R10 indigenous to the God’s Window, partly on a (approx. 58p) per car, which area
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gravel road (fee R10, around 58p per car). Berlin Falls: Just five minutes away, these falls are said to resemble a candle for the shape of the tumbling cascade (fee R10, around 58p per car). Bourke’s Luck Potholes: A 20-minute drive brings
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Remind clients that malaria is a risk in the Kruger Park and the private reserves around its borders, so they should take appropriate precautions
includes Blyde River Canyon viewpoint; toilet facilities and curio stalls on site. Blyde River Canyon: Another 12 minutes on, the upper and lower lookouts give breathtaking vistas of the third-largest canyon in the world and the winding Blyde River far below (entrance fee
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R10, approx. 58p per car, which includes the Three Rondavels). Echo Caves: Another half an hour’s drive will bring motorists to this ancient cave system which has a 60-metres high cavern and San rock paintings (entrance fee R60, approx. £3.43 per person, which includes a guided tour lasting 45 minutes); toilet facilities and curios shop on site. echocaves.co.za
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TIMBAVATI GAME RESERVE: DAYS 8-10 Authentic luxury: From Echo Caves, it is around a 75-minutes to Timbavati. Created by conservation-minded landowners in 1956, this private reserve spans 53,000 hectares of pristine bushveld. It shares a fenceless border with Kruger Park to allow animals to migrate freely and forms part of the Greater Kruger National Park. The reserve has a choice of private lodges and has abundant game including all the sought-after predators, but is best known for its rare white lions, first seen in the 1970s.
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Clients can fly from Hoedspruit Airport, half an hour away from the reserve. For the return journey, they could drive to Johannesburg, 480km and a five-hour journey from Timbavati.
TAKE THE PATH LESS TRAVELLED
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Lodges Ekuthuleni Lodge
Ghost Mountain Inn
Gondwana Game Reserve
Ekuthuleni Lodge in the malaria-free Welgevonden Game Reserve invites guests to relax next to the swimming pool overlooking sweeping grassy plains. Each of the five suites offer guests intimacy, privacy and magnificent views of the grasslands, giving a whole new meaning to nature on your doorstep. +27 11 3273910 reservations@rareearth.co.za www.rareearth.co.za
Situated in Mkuze, KwaZulu Natal near the historical and legendary Ghost Mountain, this 4 Star Country Inn with its welcoming hospitality is central to many game and coastal reserves. Enjoy a variety of wildlife, Zulu cultural and boat safaris and walks or be pampered with an African inspired spa treatment. � +27 (0)35 573 1025 �gmi@ghostmountaininn.co.za www.ghostmountaininn.co.za
Gondwana provides the perfect safari break for Cape Town visitors. Less than a four-hour drive away along South Africa’s popular Garden Route, the 11,000-hectare (26,000 acre) private game reserve offers a distinctive malaria-free safari with free roaming Big 5 game. Luxury accommodation in Kwena Lodge or Bush Villas ideal for families. �021 555 0807 �reservations@gondwanagr.co.za www.gondwanagr.co.za
Isibindi Zulu Lodge
Kosi Forest Lodge
Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge
Located in a private game reserve in the heart of the Anglo-Zulu Battlefields, KwaZulu Natal, Isibindi Zulu Lodge rises majestically from the rugged bushveld and is the ideal place from which to enjoy exhilarating cultural experiences and explore the battle sites of Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift with expert guides. � +27 (0)35 474 1473 �res@isibindi.co.za www.isibindi.co.za
Tucked into the tranquil sand forest alongside the Kosi lake system in an unspoilt wilderness that is part of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. This 20-bed lodge offers comfortable accommodation, unique open air bathrooms and a host of estuarine, beach and wilderness activities. A nature lovers’ paradise. � +27 (0)35 474 1473 �res@isibindi.co.za www.isibindi.co.za
Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge is situated in the Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park, KZN. Enjoy spectacular views over Big 5 territory from this chic eclectic lodge. Accommodation ranges from Honeymoon Villas with private plunge pools, Luxury Bush Villas to Safari Family Rooms. Relax at the infinity pool area or indulge in the spa. +27 (0)35 474 1473 res@isibindi.co.za www.isibindi.co.za
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LIMPOPO
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MPUMALANGA GAUTENG NORTH WEST
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FREE STATE
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KWAZULU NATAL NORTHERN CAPE
EASTERN CAPE
WESTERN CAPE
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The Outpost
Thonga Beach Lodge
Tshwene Lodge
The Outpost lies in the Makuleke Contractual Park, part of Kruger National Park. Accommodation consists of 12 standalone Luxury Spaces offering spectacular panoramic views of the river and bush below. Game drives and walking safaris are undertaken in one of the most scenically beautiful and diverse wilderness areas in the Kruger. +27 11 3273910 reservations@theoutpost.co.za www.theoutpost.co.za
This intimate, luxury lodge is nestled on the pristine coast of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. Its crystal clear, warm waters offer superb snorkelling and world class off-shore SCUBA diving. Air-conditioned suites, delectable food, romantic candlelight dinners on the beach and relaxing spa treatments. Guided forest walks, kayaking and turtle tracking. +27 (0)35 474 1473 res@isibindi.co.za www.isibindi.co.za
Surrounded by rock outcrops, Tshwene Lodge is a secluded oasis in the rugged valley of the Taaibos River in the malaria-free Welgevonden Game Reserve. Tshwene offers peace and tranquility for those seeking to get away from it all. Five strategically located suites all offer exhilarating views of the valleys below and the hills beyond. +27 11 3273910 reservations@rareearth.co.za www.rareearth.co.za
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“South African Tourism is committed to working closely with the UK travel trade. We will continue to work with agents and develop the tools that will help them sell more South Africa holidays� To l e n e Va n d e r M e r w e, Co u n t ry M a n ag e r , UK & Ireland
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