Area of the week – Kapama Reserve

Kapama Private Game Reserve

Kapama Game Reserve is in Limpopo Province, occupying an area between the northern Drakensberg Mountains and the Greater Kruger National Park. Kapama is made up of over 13000 hectares and is home to all the big 5 as well as many other large mammal species and a huge diversity of birds. A game relocation programme was introduced and has been very successful as the reserve really does have a wide diversity of game now.

It is the largest single-owner game reserve in the region, proclaimed a private nature reserve in December 1993.

There are 4 camps / lodges in the Reserve and they can accommodate a total of 208 people between them. It is an ideal location as Hoedspruit airport is just a few minutes drive from the reserve. Kapama also include free airport transfers in open safari vehicle direct to any of the 4 lodges in the reserve; Kapama Lodge, River Lodge, Karula lodge or Buffalo camp.

All 4 of Kapama’s camps and lodges give guests the opportunity to have close encounters with the African animals in the area. There is also the opportunity to have an elephant back safari, visit Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre or do a birding or sundowner cruise over and above your inclusive daily game drives and/or bush walks.

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Itinerary of the week – City / Safari Break

Johannesburg & Malaria-free Madikwe Safari

Johannesburg is the largest city in South Africa and is a dynamic cosmopolitan city with lots of choice when it comes to shops, restaurants and bars and it has a great nightlife. It also has a good range of places to stay.

If you are planning to visit Johannesburg when you are in South Africa then the Madikwe Game Reserve is a great safari add-on option. A one hour flight or a four hour drive later and you will find yourself in the midst of this malaria-free safari country. Madikwe is a ‘Big Five’ game reserve and is one of the largest reserves in South Africa so it is able to offer amazing game viewing opportunities.

Day 1
Arriving in Johannesburg, collect your hire car from the airport and make your way to The Peech Hotel in Melrose. From this base, spend 2 days exploring the city. On your first day, you could shop till you drop as there are plenty of shopping malls to choose from. Sandton Shopping Centre is very popular, as is Nelson Mandela Square or if you prefer, the Oriental Plaza or Rosebank Flea Market. This evening enjoy dinner at one of the city’s trendy restaurants.

Day 2
Today visit the Apartheid museum or take a tour of Soweto township.

Day 3
Drive or fly to the Madikwe Reserve and stay at Madikwe Safari Lodge or one of the other great lodges in the area for the next 3 nights. Twice daily game drives as well as game walks are inclusive with your stay and you will more than likely get to view all the Big 5 animals during a 3 day stay and you might even get a sighting of a cheetah.

Day 4
Make the most of your game viewing opportunities on your game drives and enjoy the lodge’s facilities. Relax around the pool and indulge in a boma dinner this evening. A big fire and the stars overhead makes for a great dining experience.

Day 5
Today make sure that you do an interactive bush walk, instead of one of your game drives, if you have not done so already. You can really get into the thick of the bush and you will learn some very interesting facts from your professional guide.
Returning to Johannesburg by car, you could either stay another night or two or make the journey to the airport for your onward flight .
Flying, you would either make your way into the city again via hire car from the airport or transfer if you are spending a few more days, otherwise take a connecting flight straight from the airport.

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Area of the week – malaria-free Madikwe Reserve

Madikwe Game Reserve

The Madikwe Game Reserve is one of the areas in South Africa that is well-known for their malaria–free safari options.

Covering over 75,000 hectares, it offers excellent game viewing opportunities and has all the Big 5 animals.

The restocking of the reserve over the past 18 years, initially in what was known as Operation Phoenix, has been hugely successful with over 25 new species being introduced; including the big 5, spotted hyena, cheetah, wild dog, giraffe, zebra and hippo. The Reserve is now very well known for their wild dog population.

Madikwe adopted an approach to sustainability and is an excellent example of an environmental area that benefits the local communities with the tourism it attracts.

Madikwe is an ideal malaria – free safari choice especially if you are in or near Johannesburg and is a great family destination as most of the lodges make a real effort with children’s programmes and entertainment.

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Area of the week – Addo Elephant National Park

Addo Elephant National Park

Situated in the Eastern Cape and one of the malaria-free safari areas in South Africa, Addo is a popular tourist destination. It boasts the densest population of elephants in any reserve world-wide, housing a population of over 450 elephants. Not only does it have elephant in large numbers but all the big 5 animals are to be found here. It also has Cape buffalo, black rhino, a variety of antelope species, as well as the unique flightless dung beetle, which are found almost exclusively here.

There are plenty of activities to keep you busy. Primarily, there are the guided game drives but you can self -drive in Addo. Guided Horseback Safaris are also available and even Elephant Back Safaris.
The surrounding areas also offer opportunities to cruise on the lake or river, canoe, visit a cheetah outreach programme or Addo crocodile farm.

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Itinerary of the week – 3 Day Kruger Safari

3 Nights and 3 Full Days at the Kruger for under R5 000.00 per person sharing

Superior 3 Full Day Kruger National Park Safari

From ZAR 4300.00 per person sharing

Three nights at Africa on Foot in the Klaserie Reserve offers a small intimate camp setting in which to enjoy a safari experience. It is a rustic, authentic owner run lodge specialising in Kruger Walking Safaris.

The Klaserie Reserve is not as well known as the Sabi Sands or Timbavati and can therefore offer a more remote and quiet safari with low vehicle density. This gives you the opportunity to see a lot more animals including lion and leopard. Being a Big 5 private Reserve and sharing an unfenced border with the Kruger National Park, the region is home to a huge variety of animals and birds.

The lodge offers proper walking safaris with excellent guides but also offers afternoon and night game drives.

For the more adventurous, one can sleep out in the treehouse accomodation and experience a night in the real African bush surrounded by the sounds of the nocturnal animals.

A return transfer to Hoedspruit airport for your onward flight is included.

Includes

Transfers to and from Hoedspruit Airport
All meals, game walks & drives, teas & coffees

Excludes

Flights to and from Hoedspruit
Drinks

The age limit on walking safaris is 16 years.

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Area of the week – Klaserie Reserve

Klaserie Private Game Reserve - Africa on Foot

The Klaserie Private Nature Reserve is a part of the Greater Kruger National Park. It shares an unfenced border with this famous National Park. The Klaserie Reserve lies to the west of Timbavati covering 60 000 ha on either side of the Klaserie River.

This Reserve is not as well known as its counterparts like the Sabi Sands and the Timbavati but this allows for a remote and quiet safari experience with low vehicle density. It is a big 5 private reserve and the private nature of this wilderness sanctuary enables one to embrace the African bushveld taking in the sounds, sights and smells that make it such a unique experience.

Safaris in this area tend to focus on the bush and its eco-systems and one can also track Africa’s big game.

Africa on Foot, one of the camps in this Reserve, offers incredible walking safaris. You will be led by experienced and professional game rangers through a wildlife area rich in game including lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, buffalo as well as hyena, hippo, giraffe, zebra and a whole host of other wildlife. Game drives and night drives are also on offer.

For the adventurous, Africa on Foot also have a sleep out option where there is the opportunity to overnight in their treehouse accomodation and really authenticate your Kruger Safari experience by being immersed in the environment of the nocturnal animals and their activities and sounds

The pool at Africa on Foot

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Itinerary of the week – 5 day Kruger Park Safari

5 Nights and 5 Full Days at the Kruger for under R10 000.00 per person sharing

Please note that the lodges provided are indicative of what is available, we can tailor the lodge choice to meet your specific requirements.
Please also note this can be reduced to be a 4 night / 5 Day itinerary.

Superior 5 Night Kruger Park Safari

From ZAR 9180 per person sharing – roughly GBP 835 / USD 1225

On your 5 Night Kruger Safari – Spend three nights at Africa on Foot in the Klaserie which offers a rustic, authentic owner run lodge. Specialising in Kruger Walking Safaris, you will get a chance to get close to the African bush. The Klaserie Reserve offers a remote and quiet safari experience with low vehicle density. It is a big 5 private reserve and shares an unfenced border with the Kruger National Park.

The lodge provides outstanding guiding, personal attention; relaxed service and a friendly environment. For the adventurous there is the opportunity to sleep out in the treehouse to really authenticate your Kruger Safari experience.

Transfer to the Sabi Sands and enjoy two nights at Elephant Plains. With comfortable accommodation, excellent wildlife, good service and a wide range of facilities, this offers the chance to experience the Sabi Sands, arguably the best reserve in South Africa due to the density of wildlife.

Includes

All transfers – airport to the lodge, between the two lodges and back to the airport.
Accomodation includes all meals, game walks; drives, teas & coffees.
Age limit on Walking Safaris is 16 years at Africa on Foot.

Excludes

Flights to and from Hoedspruit airport
Accommodation excludes drinks.

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Area of the Week – Sossusvlei, Namibia

 

Namib-Nauklift National Park
The Namib is the world’s oldest desert and boasts the highest sand dunes on earth, monsters that reach hundreds of feet into the sky and the Naukluft Mountains are the barrier between the desert and the central interior of the country. The national park encompasses much of the Namib and the Naukluft Mountains.

The Namib Naukluft National Park boasts numerous fascinating aspects including the world-renowned Sossuslvlei, the fresh water bird haven that is Sandwhich Harbour on the coast and unique plant species that have adapted to survive in the harsh environment.

Sossusvlei
Sossusvlei is probably the best known part of the park and it is here where the highest sand dunes can be found – and climbed. Sossusvlei is a pan formed over time by the rarely-flowing Tsauchab River. It is a place of dramatic colours and spectacular scapes and is one place that can sell itself as a must-see destination all on its own.

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Photo of the week

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Itinerary of the week – Honeymoon in Tanzania & Zanzibar

Day 1 – Arusha

You will arrive in Tanzania to spend your first night in the safari capital, Arusha. Your stay will be at the luxuriousArusha Coffee Lodge, which is located among the coffee plantations just outside town.

Day 2 – Lake Manyara

The next day you will start your Tanzania safari with a short flight to the Manyara Airstrip. A vehicle from Lake Manyara Tree Lodge will be waiting to take you to the Lodge, where you will enjoy two nights in a luxurious stilted tree house. Enjoy twice daily game drives in the Lake Manyara National Park known for its tree climbing lions, and its huge flamingo population that flocks to the lake each year.

Day 4 – Serengeti National Park

Your journey continues with an exciting flight to the Serengeti, known for the annual wildebeest migration that occurs in the park from November – July each year. Depending on the time of year, you will either stay at Grumeti Camp or Klein’s Camp. Both camps are well located to see the wildebeest migration at different times of the year.

The Serengeti is teeming with wildlife – apart from the wildebeest migration, herds of zebra and gazelle, cheetah and prides of lion are commonly seen.

Spend three nights at one of these camps enjoying twice daily game drives and spending the rest of your time enjoying the facilities the camp has to offer.

Day 7 – Ngorongoro Crater

Your safari will finally end with a magical two nights at the incredible Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, overlooking the crater down below. While you’re there, take in some of the most spectacular views on the African continent. Enjoy a game drive into the crater where you will experience an abundance of wildlife such as rhino, elephant, lion, hyena and plenty more.

Day 9 – Zanzibar

The perfect way to end your holiday is to add on a few nights at Mnemba Island Lodge, located on Mnemba Island just off Zanzibar. Zanzibar is one of Africa’s most culturally interesting and beautiful islands, with pristine beaches, warm turquoise waters and friendly people. Spend your last four nights relaxing, snorkelling, diving or visiting the historical town of Stone Town.

Day 13

You will be transferred back to Zanzibar airport in time for your departure flight.

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