Posts Tagged ‘South Africa’

The overwhelming majority of travellers on a Botswana safari include light aircraft transfers to remote bush lodges and therefore need to plan what to take for their Botswana safari luggage.  If your itinerary does not align with this you are the exception and can use normal luggage. However, if your itinerary does call for one or more light aircraft transfers then you’ll need to have the right luggage before you begin packing.

The aircraft used between camps are small and light, and have VERY LIMITED space. In other words, many of the traditional luggages used for business or city holiday’s are not suitable for a Botswana safari or these small planes.

The air charter companies are strict and enforce this policy – so do come prepared or you will be asked to repack into their smaller bags at the airport.

Regaulations for your Botswana Safari Luggage

The most important aspect is your Botswana safari luggage must be entirely soft-sided. This means no wheels or internal/external frames. This is not an option, it’s a regulation! We have seen peoples luggage left on the runway because they ignored this rule. If your luggage is unable to fit on the plane, you will be forced to decide between leaving it behind or pay for a separate plane to bring your luggage to you.

Botswana Safari Luggage size limit is as follows:

• 10in wide x 12in high x 24in long (25cm x 30cm x 61cm)

Each traveller is allowed up to 2 bags. However, your total Botswana safari luggage weight cannot exceed the maximum limit allowed.

It shall also be mentioned that the baggage compartment is 12in high (30cm) but the doorway is only 10in high (25cm).  I suggest to not pack tightly and leave room for manoeuvre as your bag will certainly be squashed a bit as the pilot loads everyone’s luggage onto the plane.

The TOTAL WEIGHT LIMIT for Botswana safari luggage (whether you have 1 or 2 bags) on light aircraft transfers is:

• 20kg (44lb) in Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa
• 12kg (26.5lb) in all other countries

This includes all carry-on luggage – camera, video equipment.  There is no overhead or under-seat storage on these types of planes. All carry-on luggages will need to sit on your lap.

These Botswana safari luggage limits might sound pretty strict however, with careful packing and the added luxury of many safari camps offering laundry on a daily basis, together this will drastically cut down the amount of clothing you will need to bring.

We recommend the following Duffel:

Click Here to View Other Popular Options

In the event you have extra bags you won’t need on your safari, it’s possible to arrange ahead of time to send them to the next town within that country as unaccompanied baggage at an additional cost (USD$100 per person).  Extra bags can also be arranged to stay at some airports or hotels.

People who absolutely must have more luggage –like serious photographers with a generous amount of gear – should consider purchasing an extra seat on their transfers. This will allow you to bring up to 154lbs (70kg) of additional luggage.  Extra seats must be arranged in advance.

Contact us for a detailed Botswana safari luggage packing list where we suggest what you absolutely need and what you can leave at home.

The Robberg Nature Reserve, 8 km south of Plettenberg Bay, is an extraordinary opportunity to delve into the outdoors experiencing incredible scenery, views over the shoreline and sea, home to a thriving Cape fur seal colony, a vast diversity of bird life, and unique fynbos (heathland vegetation) endemic along the small belt of the Western Cape.

Visitors have access to 3 trails at Robberg Nature Reserve.  The 45 minute walk to Point Circuit, a 5 hour moderately strenuous circular walk that takes hikers to Robberg point – an area that should visited with caution.  It is cautioned to be vigilant and beware of freak waves and strong currents at all times.  The peninsula is dangerous.  Although the lookout points create great curiosity the strong winds can easily take you off your feet.

Nonetheless, once cautioned of the dangers the perks –crashing waves, barking Cape fur seals, stunning scenery and beaches – are extraordinary, sights up the coastline up to Nature’s Valley at Robberg Nature Reserve.

Visitors who wish to walk the entire Robberg Peninsula can overnight at the secluded wooden Fountain Shack.  Cape Nature provides braai (bbq) and cleaning supplies in a bag at the gate.  You will need to bring your own water bottles, hiking shoes, hats, and clothing suitable for sudden and unexpected changes in weather.

My tips for hiking at Robberg Nature Reserve:

1. Lightweight hiking boots or walking shoes is a must.
2. In summer, start early to avoid the heat.  Don’t start hike after 1-2pm, you won’t make it out in time.
3. Take 1-2 litre’s of water per person, binoculars, camera, snacks, hat, waterproof jacket, mobile phone (in case of emergency) if you have one.
4. Walk the trail clockwise, this way if you need to cut short your hike for any reason you can run down the Witsand dune.
5. The first quarter of the trail is the most “death defying.”  The second quarter is generally an easy Cliffside trail.
6. The old hut just south of the point is gone – swept away by a large wave. There is a new hut above on the hillside.
7. Disregard the point on the map with skull and crossbones at Stydom’s Sloop.  The trail is clearly marked to take you steeply up the hill rather than around the rocky coastline.
8. Heed the warning about not walking the south side in rough weather and especially during high tide – the trail runs fairly close to the sea at times.
9. Do not attempt this trail with children under the age of 12.

If you do decide to take a day and explore the magnificent Robberg Nature Reserve you’ll have a whole new appreciation of South Africa as well as the powers packed behind nature.

Boulders Beach Lodge and Restaurant near Simonstown, is situated just 70 meters from the world famous Boulders Beach African Penguin Colony. In a sheltered cove where the mountains meet the sea, lays a haven that the African Penguins call home: Boulders Beach Lodge offers accommodation in Simonstown.

Boulders Beach Lodge is situated en route to Cape Point from Simonstown and overlooks the unspoilt and sheltered beauty of Boulders Beach.

The Boulders Coastal Park, which forms part of the Table Mountain National Park, is one of the few sites where the vulnerable African Penguin can be observed at close range.

The African penguin colony remains the prime attraction for the guests. The penguins are plentiful and have adapted to a co-existence with humans thus enabling you to observe them in their natural environment. The penguins can also be found walking around the lodge and restaurant.

Each room has complimentary sherry, Amarula and Lindt chocolates on the pillows to soothe and relax you, after a long day relaxing at the beach.

Accommodation at Boulders Beach Lodge

• Boulders Courtyard: Each of the 9 Courtyard en suite rooms comprises a blend of unique character, rustic flair and finishes with a touch of opulence, offering tea and coffee facilities as well as other guest amenities.
• Upper Deck: Each of the 3 upper deck suites providing extended guest amenities, and sea views from the deck.
• Family Suites: The 2 family suites consisting of two bedrooms (one double and one twin room), a family bathroom, an open plan lounge area and fully fitted and equipped kitchenette, are ideal for traveling families providing a simple, yet refreshing atmosphere.

Activities

• Enjoy the restaurant
• Visit the penguin colony
• Penguin Curio shop
• Scuba diving

How to get there

To get to Boulders Beach Lodge from the Airport:

Exit the airport following signs for N2 Cape Town. The freeway splits and follow the signs for M3 (direction Muizenberg) so you are headed southbound and not north to the city centre. Continue along the M3 until the end of the freeway and turn left at the traffic lights. At the next set of lights, turn right in the direction of Muizenberg on the M4. Follow the coastal road, through Muizenberg until you reach Fish Hoek. At the traffic circle in Fish Hoek, keep to your left and follow the directional signs to Simonstown.  Pass through central Simonstown and approximately 1.5km out of town; turn left into Bellevue Road (there is a golf course landmark on the corner!) Take the second road left into Boulders Place.

Boulders Beach Lodge is the large yellow building with the blue roof and giant palm tree.

To get to Boulders Beach Lodge from Cape Town City:

Follow directional signage to De Waal drive and the M3 southbound (direction Muizenberg)  If you are near the V & A Waterfront, get onto the freeway towards the N1 Paarl but KEEP RIGHT, following signage to M3 Muizenberg as the freeway forks. Continue as above.

Addo Elephant National Park is 1 hour’s drive north of Port Elizabeth near the Sundays River Valley on South Africa’s Eastern Cape.  Addo Elephant National Park is home to approximately 450 elephants.  When the park opened in 1931, there were only 11 elephants which through successful conservancy efforts protected to allow their numbers to grow to the level we see today.

Other wildlife at Addo Elephant National Park

The current area of 164km², is planned to expand to 3,600km².  With this incorporated expansion of land, this will also include a 1,200km² marine reserve which contains the world’s largest breeding population of Cape gannets and the second largest breeding population of African penguins, all of whom live on the islands off the coastal boundaries of Addo Elephant National park.

Visitors to the park have the opportunity to see a variety of South Africa’s wildlife including the Big Five –elephant, rhino, lion, buffalo, leopard.  Once the park has expanded it will be one of the few areas on all of the continent to view the Big Seven –the Big Five plus the southern right whale and the great white shark.  Cape buffalo, black rhino, and antelope are also found here.

Activities at Addo Elephant National Park include:

• Horseback safaris
• Guided walks
• Hiking
• 4×4 Eco-adventure trails
• Bird watching
• Elephant backed safaris
• Sunset river cruises
• Canoeing
• Excursions to visit local cheetah breeding project and crocodile farm

Game drives are conducted on open-top land rovers and trucks with local guides.  Game drives are available at sunrise, during the day, sunset and at night.

How to get there?

Many visitors to Addo are self-drive visitors as this allows them the freedom to explore the Park at their own leisure. If travelling from further afield, it may be advisable to fly to the Port Elizabeth Airport and then hire a vehicle.

One popular excursion from Cape Town is the Garden Route that stretches from Mossel Bay to Tsitsikamma.  Generally speaking, travel to South Africa usually includes Cape Town and the surrounding area into the itinerary.  The Garden Route is a narrow coastal strip of land, boardered by deep-blue lagoons and white sandy beaches which separate it from the Indian Ocean.  Between the ocean the mountain vistas, a magnificent patchwork of lively vegetation and forests appropriately give rise to the name, The Garden Route.

Allow yourself a minimum of 3 or 4 days to explore the area, to drive the mountains, relax in the small towns –Mossel Bay, Knysna, Oudtshoorn, Plettenberg Bay, Nature’s Vally, and George –and unwind along the coastline and beaches.

With mild to warm summers and mild to cool winters, the Garden Route has the mildest climate in South Africa.  The climate and year-round temperatures can easily be compared to Hawaii.  Rain occurs year-round and you can expect more during South Africa’s spring when the humid sea-winds from the Indian Ocean rise against the Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma Mountains just inland from the coast.

The Garden Route  is home to over 300 species of bird and is a birders paradise.

The area encompasses 10 nature reserves hosting a variety of ecosystems and unique marine reserves home to soft coral reefs, dolphins, seals, and many more marine species.  In addition, various bays along the route are nurseries to the endangered Southern Right Whale which migrates to the area to calve from July – December each year.

Popular Areas of the Garden Route

The Overberg and Swellendam – East of Cape Town, Swellendam is the perfect stop for a night or two on your way to the Garden Route.  Activities include, craft studios, a museum, or a drive to Bontebok National Park for amazing day hikes.

Places to stay include – The Old Mill Guest House, Klippe Rivier Country House, and Mardouw.

The Little Karoo –Nestled between three mountain ranges, the Swartberg Mountains in the north, the Langeberg Mountains in the southwest, and the Outeniqua Mountains in the southeast, the Little Karoo finds its home.  The area is generally dry and hot and perhaps one of the most diverse regions of the Western Cape.  You can easily find gigantic cliffs, desert-like ecosystems, clear mountain streams, and fertile vineyards.

Places to stay include –Oulap Country House, and Rosenhof Country House.

Wilderness is a small town surrounded by networks of rivers and lagoons, and as you can imagine it is extremely lush and surprisingly flat.  It is especially popular amongst the outdoorsy type travelers with activities including hiking, mountain-biking, horseback riding, canoeing, fishing, surfing, kite-surfing, and much more.  Quiet area with good restaurants.

Places to stay include –Hilltop Country House

Knysna, nothing but a small town, is a popular resort especially known for its wood carvings, art galleries, and fresh oysters.  The town nestles up against a large lagoon that attracts huge flocks of migrant birds and is home to the endemic species of sea horse.  It is a great focal point to launch walking excursions to the coast, and boat trips to Featherbed Reserve. The mountains behind the town are reminiscent of the indigenous forests that once covered the entire Cape.

Places to stay include –St. James of Knysna, Point Lodge, Phantom Forest, Belvidere Manor Hotel

Plettenberg Bay hosts lovely beaches, lakes, mountains and rivers, all within a short distance traveled.  Activities include, what claims to be, the world’s highest bungee-jump, a high level canopy walk in the forest, fantastic whale watching (from boats and shore), and the Robberg Nature Reserve creating refuge for its colony of Cape fur seals.

Places to stay include –The Plettenberg, Periwinkle Guest House, Southern Cross Beach House, Hog Hollow, and Hunters Country House.

Tsitsikamma National Park, located further east, is renowned for its walking trails and dramatic coastal scenery.  No guides are needed to hike, freely enjoying yourself to wander through the forest where you’ll find waterfalls, ravines, and amazing flora; perhaps South Africa’s most splendid coastal footpath.

Places to stay inside the park include –Storms River Restcamp

Explore the Garden Route by car or on Africa’s last remaining passenger steam train, the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe.

Combine your Garden Route excursion with some of South Africa’s other highlights.

Here you will find the best accommodation near Johannesburg airport. Nearly all travelers who safari in southern Africa pass through Johannesburg O.R. Tambo International Airport and as a result many visitors select to overnight en route to other destinations – whether it be Cape Town, Namibia, Botswana, or Victoria Falls, there are a number of reputable choices of accommodation near Johannesburg airport to choose from.

With stories of high crime rates dominating the news, Jo’burg isn’t high on the list of peoples top places to visit.  Nevertheless, there are a number of comfortable and safe places of accommodation near Johannesburg airport we do recommend if Jo’burg becomes part of your scheduled travel itinerary.

3 places of accommodation near Johannesburg airport

The Safari Club S.A.

Centrally located in the economic heartland of South Africa, the Safari Club offers a luxurious and homely ambience for accommodation near Johannesburg airport.  Relax after your long flight in the lounge, enjoy a drink at the bar, or dine in the breakfast room.  During the summer months enjoy a swim in the pool.

The 17 en-suite rooms are uniquely decorated to represent a theme of southern Africa’s different regions – the Kalahari, Etosha, or Okavango rooms.  Each room is equipped with a television, air-conditioning, and tea and coffee facilities.

Visitors can expect to be tailored according to their needs.

Only a 4 minute drive from O.R. Tambo International Airport, the busiest airport in Africa.  The Safari Club offers its guests complimentary transfers to and from the airport.

The InterContinental

Located directly opposite the international arrivals hall (terminal 3) at Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport, and approximately 12 miles from the city center, this place of accommodation near Johannesburg airport makes for sheer convenience for an over-night stop.

The hotel has 138 rooms, 26 executive rooms, and 2 presidential suites.  Decorated with African art, natural colors, and furnished with king size beds.  All rooms are en-suite, have tea/coffee facilities, satellite TV, and wireless internet access.  The windows are sound-proof due to the hotel’s close proximity to the airport, ensuring a peaceful nights rest.

Enjoy access to the fully equipped gymnasium, a spa offering massages and beauty treatments, and a heated indoor pool.

Eat at the hotels, on site, The Quills Restaurant, located on the ground floor known for its local specialties – springbok, warthog, and crocodile.  An extraordinary selection of wine is also available and the restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The Airport Grand Hotel

Only a short drive from Johannesburg O.R. Tambo International Airport, the Airport Grand Hotel is a reasonably priced option for an overnight stop.

The hotel has 151 rooms, all with en-suite bathrooms, hair dryer, television, telephone, safe, and air conditioning.  There is also a restaurant, cocktail bar, terrace and swimming pool.  A gym is available opposite the hotel and visitors can easily utilize the shuttle transfer service to and from the airport.

Book your accommodation near Johannesburg airport with the rest of your holiday by contacting us today!

Where to go after South Africa?

Safari Botswana – http://wildsafariafrica.com/destinations/safari-botswana/

Safari Namibia – http://wildsafariafrica.com/destinations/safari-namibia/

A Namibia travel guide written by a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer. Experience Namibia like a local, off the beaten path, eco-friendly, responsible travel and great tips to making the most of your journey.

The Namibia travel guide story…

The moon shined down upon the homestead like a large spot light.  I dug my feet in the sand watching the shadows dance off the fire’s glittering glow.

A sharpened high-pitched ululation sang out into the night’s air, “lelelelelelelelelelelele.”   I remembered the first time I heard this distinctly African trait.  It had put chills down my spine, just as it had done once again.

Women howled between the choruses they sang, during moments of happiness, in brief spurts of joy, and in times of celebration.

Tonight, the women’s “lelelelelelelelelelele” rose, then fell wavering in a long sweet sound to celebrate the union between a man and woman.

For the next three days we celebrated honking our kazoos, singing into the open skies, and dancing the night away.  The men and I slaughtered the bull, as the woman prepared the feast.  We drank.  We laughed.  We celebrated!

In the village, there were many reasons to celebrate.  A child came home with good grades and a chicken was slaughtered.  Birthdays, the long anticipated visit from an old friend or surprise stopover from family, we would celebrate. The birth of a child, or a wedding, the celebrations were bigger and longer.

However, when my Namibia travel guide was published last Friday I could already see the men congratulating me with a hug and the woman throwing their hands up in the air and letting out their cry of happiness “lelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelele.”

And when a good Owambo friend of mine said “Owa longa nawa tate Jeremy.  Kalunga ne ku yambeke” I knew she flicked her tongue in ululation.

It was great to have a Namibian, an Owambo, approve of my book and celebrate with me.  Worlds apart, I responded “Ito ligola, ito li!” or “if you don’t sing, you don’t eat!” simply meaning if you don’t join in the celebration than both of us will starve.

You see there are many reasons to celebrate life.  It just so happens this week I celebrate because after 10 long months of tackling a task so daunting, such as writing this book, it was finally published and caused reason to celebrate.

To travel the world had been a goal of mine since I was little.  When I finally stepped out into the world, I found myself evolving, discovering new dreams, and one of those dreams was to write a book.

I have now both circled the world and wrote a Namibia travel guide.  And guess what?

Just because my goals have been completed, doesn’t mean the dream is dead.   I will never stop traveling to distant lands and am in the middle of writing another book, continuing to live the dream.

They say the first time is always the most difficult and I would have to agree.  My first trip overseas was overwhelming.  I didn’t know how to communicate to people who couldn’t speak my language, or how to listen and learn to speak theirs.  I was fearful of getting lost, even when I was lost.  I had fears of getting sick, of being robbed, and the list went on.

However, the second time around it made more sense.  The third, much easier; and now a distant land thousands of miles away, such as Namibia (a place I now call my second home), is only five minutes away inside my head.

If we never challenge ourselves, how will we ever fully develop as an inspirational human being?

To making life a Safari “journey,”

Jeremy

P.S. My Namibia Travel Guide is full of detailed descriptions of the many clans of Namibia, cultures, traditions, histories, geography, and much more!  Even if you’re not planning to visit, this is one book that will inspire the dream!  Get your copy today – http://www.otherplacespublishing.com/namibia.html

P.P.S. Safari is a Swahili word meaning journey.

Good day!

The 2010 World Cup is only four months away.

On a continent where soccer is a daily activity, played by all ages, and held high in the hearts and minds of all Africans, I cannot think of a better place for such a grand tournament to be hosted.

From the villages, to the townships, into the heart of the nation’s capital, soccer is a daily activity.

Deep in the northern Namibian bush of Uukwaluudhi, the village in which I lived for over two years, soccer was a daily activity.  Creativity thrived with the groups of children and the most important thing was never if they had an actual soccer ball to play with, rather the MOST important thing was the game itself.

Whether the ball was the size of a tennis ball, made of several wrapped plastic bags, or old rolled up socks, the game played on.

Mothers and grandmothers fought the children to take a breather from the game to complete their daily chores of herding livestock. All the boys wanted to do was play soccer.

Fields were abstract.  Goal posts were wooden sticks gathered from the forest.  Very few shoes were worn, and the idea of shin pads and green fields –well forget about it.  Yet the passion and spirit for the game could not be broken.

Between classes, before and after school, in the mornings and afternoons, after a meal or while hungry, the kids found a way to play the game.

Where there is a will, there is a way and in that way there was purpose to be found.

The 2010 World Cup in South Africa could perhaps be the most energetic, exciting places to host this international event.  Thousands from around the globe will attend, celebrate, and mourn, the loss, or win, of their home teams.

African children will be kickin’ a makeshift ball in the townships imagining they were Ronaldo playing in the large stadiums and being cheered on by thousands.  They will be creating their own celebrity.

These children are inspiring and this is motivating.

If there is anything that shines upon the World Cup 2010, it’s that it will continue to allow young African children to run with their imagination and create their own reality, inspired by the best soccer players in the world.

Be inspired by the World Cup’s future stars and be inspired to be thankful for what you have, as you’re never too old to quit imagining and creating.  If you don’t somebody else will!

To finding that something in your life that brings you zest and passion for life,

Jeremy

P.S. Many aren’t just attending the games but also have plans for safari in South Africa or nearby countries.  Even if your safari isn’t this year but next, you got to watch this!