Upper East Side Lobby with Vida e Caffe, STUNNING venue!

Creative Mornings is a concept which has been launched in 33 cities around the world and Cape Town is the only city on the African continent. It is a monthly breakfast lecture series for creative types. Each event is free of charge, and includes a 20 minute talk, plus coffee! The get-together in Cape Town is once a month on a Friday morning at the Upper East Side Hotel on the upper reaches of Woodstock. Coffee and muffins are sponsored by Vida e Caffe (Thank you!) and other sponsors are… How awesome is this? Each month there are 80 spots and the guest list opens on Monday morning at 11. Last month the event was ‘sold out’ at 11h06. Wow!! I’m not sure if this is because of the free breakfast, the awesome venue or the inspiring speaker… I will find out next month when I hopefully will be able to get a spot again.

The speaker was Richard Griffin who talked about his journey with Madame Zingara. I LOVE the Madame Zingara Theater of Dreams and whenever the tent is in Cape Town, I make sure to ramble up some friend and get our hands on some tickets. A fantastic night out, guaranteed. Richard answer on how to make magic was: ‘We find the weirdest people in the city, put them all in 1 room and then turn up the music’. Remarkable was the 92% return rate of the staff after bankruptcy.

It was a great morning spend with likeminded people in a fantastic venue. Of course, I did a small site inspection after the event and got to see some rooms of the hotel. It was just buzzing with activity, all meeting & conference rooms were booked up. Jeez, I def. have to go back and just spend some more time there. This area of Cape Town is just happening.

Info:
www.creativemornings.com
www.uppereastsidehotel.co.za
www.madamezingara.com

Day 1: Late arrival in Johannesburg if you arrive with KLM, overnight at an airport hotel, inclusive of B&B

Day 2 – 4 / 2 nights stay in a lovely lodge in the Greater Kruger Park Area in the Balule Game Reserve; inclusive of Dinner, Bed & Breakfast
Explore the area and spot the first animals.

Day 5 / 1 night,  family unit in Graskop, inclusive of B&B
On your way to the southern part of the Kruger Park you will have the chance to visit and explore the Blyde River Canyon (God’s Windows, Potholes & 3 Rondavels)

Day 6 – 7 / 2 nights, Lovely self catering cottage overlooking the Crocodile River and with a bush shower, Self catering, no meals included
Explore the southern part of the Kruger National park.

Day 8 – 9 / 2 nights in Mlilwane Wildlife Reserve, Swaziland, inclusive of B&B
Spend the night in lovely authentic beehive huts with ensuite bathrooms. It’s safe to walk around in the park and see zebra, wildebeest and other animals up close and personal while being very quiet….

Day 10 / 1 night, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi, inclusive of B&B and 1 open jeep safari
Enjoy and evening game drive in the oldest park of Africa. Perhaps spot the big 5 for the last time.

Day 11 – 14 / 3 night in a self catering apartment close to Durban
Spend the last 3 nights at the Dolphin Coast and relax by the sea.

Departure from Durban Airport

Price for this trip for 2 adults, 2 kids as described above: ZAR 38.000 for 14 nights.

Price includes: Car rental Group K, Hyundai Tuscon or similar inclusive of unlimited mileage AND FULL COVER (= 0 excess)

Book here

Day 1 JOHANNESBURG – BLYDE RIVER CANYON, SABIE
You will pick up your rental car and drive towards Mpumalanga where you can visit the Blyde River Canyon in the afternoon. Enjoy God’s Window, Bourke Lucks Potholes and the 3 Rondavels. Your guesthouse has a stunning view and a beautiful swimming pool.

Inclusive of accommodation, dinner & breakfast

Day 2 & 3 SABIE – KRUGERPARK, MALELANE
Today you can already enter the Kruger National Park at Phabeni gate. Make sure you can leave the park again by the end of the afternoon at Malelane gate. Look for as much game as possible and be taken by surprise by the beautiful bush. A safari in an open vehicle can be organised by the lodge. Or why not play a round of golf at SA’s no 1 golf course, Leopard’s Creek. You will stay in a ****lodge and will be pampered. From your lazy chair by the pool you might be able to see the elephants cross the river.

Inclusive of accommodation, dinner & breakfast

Optional: jeep safari and round of golf

Day 4 & 5 KRUGERPARK – MLILWANE, SWAZILAND
Malelane is close to the border with Swaziland. At Jeppe’s Reef border post you can visit a Swazi show, beautiful singing and impressive Swazi dancing. The journey through Swaziland is beautiful. Take it easy and stop at souvenir stalls and shops along the road. Mlilwane is a beautiful nature reserve where you can hike or maybe you would like to go for a horse ride. You will stay in Reilly’s Rock, which is the house where the founders of the park used to live. It’s a unique place in Africa where a lot of history can be found.

Inclusive of accommodation, dinner & breakfast

Optional: horse riding, mountain biking, guided walks, jeep safari

Day 6 & 7 MLILWANE, SWAZILAND – HLUHLUWE-IMFOLOZI
Hluhluwe is the oldest Big 5 park in South Africa. Very different from Kruger and that’s why it may not be missed. You will stay in a private game reserve in a lovely, quiet nature setting.

Inclusive of accommodation, dinner & breakfast

Optional: jeep safari, bush walks

Day 8 & 9 HLUHLUWE – AMAKHALA, ADDO
From Hluhluwe it’s about a 3 hour drive to Durban. Hand in your rental car and hop on the plane from Durbs to Port Elizabeth. Pick up your new rental car and drive in the direction of Grahamstown. Tonight you will stay in one of the beautiful lodges of Amakhala, 4****. From here you can visit the famous Addo Elephant park. Enjoy some amazing South African hospitality.

Inclusive of full board, 2 actitvities (safari, bush walk, cano, river cruise or evening drive)

Day 10 & 11 AMAKHALA – TSITSIKAMMA
Hopefully by this time you’ve seen a whole lot of wild animals. Now it’s time to start enjoying South Africa’s Garden Route. Tsitsikamma National Park is the perfect place to enjoy walks along the Indian Ocean and in the mountains. From your lodge you can walk passed rock pools. Don’t miss out on Storms River Mouth and cross the bridge. You dinner can be a buffet style dinner or you can enjoy a ‘braai’ (South African BBQ) in the privacy of your own garden cabin.

Inclusive of accommodation, dinner and breakfast

Inclusief diner en ontbijt

Day 12 & 13 TSITSIKAMMA – WILDERNESS
Wilderness is a lovely place to stay. Go for a walk on the beach or the Wilderness Nature Reserve. The famous golf courses of Fancourt are only 15 km away. The golf courses of Pezula only 25 km. Enjoy the breathtaking views from your cosy guesthouse. Don’t miss out on the sun set or the Saturday morning market in Sedgefield. The owners are happy to take you or point you in the right direction.

Inclusive of accommodation and breakfast

Optional: round of golf

Day 14 & 15 WILDERNESS – FRANSCHHOEK, WINE LANDS
In the beautiful wine lands of the Western Cape you will always be running out of time. Every year there are more wineries to explore. Your beautiful guesthouse is in walking distance from all the delicious restaurants. Visit Stellenbosch, taste wines, cheese and chocolate and have dinner at SA’s number 1 restaurant in Franschhoek.

Inclusive of accommodation and breakfast

Optional: pick-nick lunch at Boschendal

Day 16 & 17 WINE LANDS – CAPE TOWN
Cape Town is hip, hot and happening. Once you’ve been here and seen Table Mountain, you will never forget this city. The location is spectacular. Visit Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Make a day trip to the Cape of Good Hope and visit the penguins at Boulder’s Beach in Simonstown. Take a stroll down Long Street and buy your African souvenirs at Greenmarket Square. Your guesthouse is situated in a quiet neighbourhood called ‘Oranjezicht’ and, again, there’s a spectacular view for you to enjoy.

Inclusive of accommodation and breakfast

Optional: historical city walk and township visit

Inclusive:
- 17 x accommodation
- 17 x breakfast
- 11 x dinner
- 2 x lunch
- domestic flight from Durban to Port Elizabeth
- rental car group C for 18 days with super cover and unlimited mileage

Price for 2 people sharing: from € 11.550

Every safari expedition is led by one of the most highly qualified ranger/tracker teams in South Africa, ranger Dale Jackson and veteran tracker Jack Ngomane. Guests kick-start the day with an early-morning outdoor shower, steaming hot coffee and homemade rusks, before venturing out on a game walk. The group walks for between ten and twelve kilometers per day, tracking wildlife and bird watching and stopping to take in the magnificent scenery and biodiversity of the reserve.

After a day spent exploring the great outdoors, guests return to the secluded Machaton Hide located high up on a platform on the banks of the Machaton River and overlooking a popular watering hole. Here they are treated to a hearty dinner cooked over a fire in the traditional ‘bush kitchen’ style.

The Hide is rustic yet fully equipped with all the necessary creature comforts of camp beds, linen, mosquito nets, oil lanterns, bush showers and a toilet. Memories are made and stories are shared around the campfire before guests retire with nothing but a mosquito net between them, the wilderness and the big night sky.

An intimate group of a minimum of two and a maximum of six people per walking safari can be accommodated, making the experience ideal for families, friends and couples travelling together.

The package includes:

• First and last night accommodation at Tanda Tula Safari Camp
• Second and third night accommodation at Machaton Hide
• All meals and all drinks
• All private guided walking and vehicle safaris
• Note: Machaton Hide only accommodates a maximum of six people (regrettably no children under fourteen years)
• Rates are depending on the number of guests in the group

1 night: InterContinental OR Tambo, Bed & Breakfast
3 nights: Ulusaba, full board and open jeep safaris included
3 nights: Le Franschhoek, Franschoek, Cape Winelands, Bed & Breakfast
3 nights: Queen Victoria Hotel, V&A Waterfront,  Cape Town, Bed & Breakfast

Total cost for 2 couples including:
- domestic flights to/from Ulusaba and from Johannesburg to Cape Town;
- 6 day rental car, group K with unlimited mileage and Premium Cover
- 10 nights accommodation, see above

R 152.500

If you like an African dream holiday like this, please contact us here

Day 1 – 4: Self-catering cottage in Hout Bay, 20 km from Cape Town
This lodge is beautifully located between Hout Bay and Constantia and close to all the highlights of the Cape Peninsula. We will make sure your refrigerator is stocked upon arriavl!

To-do in the Cape Town area:
While visiting Cape Town our suggestions would be to visit Camps Bay with the kids, go up the mountain and don’t forget the Aquarium in the Waterfront. A beautiful drive around the peninsula should also be on your list. Kirstenbosch Botanical gardens is the perfect place to take your family for a picnic. Order a picnic basket from the restaurant and let the kids run around and explore.

Day 5 – 7: 3 nights / kids friendly hotel in the wine lands, African restaurant on the premises
Enjoy driving around the wine lands and taste not only wine but also olives, chocolate and cheese. Many restaurant that are kids friendly, like Pierneef in Franschhoek where the kids can paint.

Day 8 – 9 / 2 nights in private game lodge on the Garden Route, all inclusive, meals and activities
Are you ready for your first wildlife experience? Enjoy this kids friendly safari lodge and be pampered.

Day 10 – 13 / 4 nights in Knysna, overnight in self-catering cottage, jump in the pool from your bed!

To-do in the Knysna area:
Knysna has a vibrant Waterfront with many shops and restaurants. Drive to the Knysna Heads and enjoy the views. A little boat trip on the lagoon is also nice. Or perhaps an excursion into the Featherbed Nature Reserve? Try the Knysna Oysters and lunch at 34° South for great fish lovers. The best bakery in South Africa in on Thesen Island and called Ile de Pain. Plettenberg Bay has a very nice beach and warm water. Perhaps you’re lucky and you will find a Pansy Shell on the beach. In Tsitsikamma National Park you visit the Storms River Mouth and walk over the suspension bridge. Really a lovely spot. Oh, and not to forget, have dinner at the Firefly Eating House. Incredible flavour explosions!

Day 14- 16/ 3 nights self-catering apartment in Jeffreys Bay
Enjoy the sea and beach in this surfer’s paradise. Drive to Cape St. Francis or just relax

Day 17 – 18 / 2 nights in a beautiful family cottage, Addo area
This thatched roof self catering cottage, is very private.  Enjoy the views over the mountain on your private patio while preparing dinner over a relaxing fire.  This unit has 2 separate bedrooms with open plan living area and a separate bathroom. The kitchen is fully equipped, includes both, a microwave, and a conventional oven, as well as all the other necessities to make your stay as comfortable as possible (Sleeps 4 people).

To-do in the Addo area:
Addo Elephant Park is a beautiful national park and FULL of, guess what, Ellies! You would be really unfortunate if you don’t see any elephants. Make sure NOT to have any oranges in your car because the elephants love them. The Sunday River Valley is also known for the many citrus farms so perhaps a farm visit would be fun with the kids. Daniel’s Cheetah Breeding Farm lets you cuddle with all kinds of wild cats. Perhaps the kids are a bit small yet but also great fun for the grownups.

Day 19 – 20 / 2 nights in luxurious Big 5 private game reserve, all inclusive, malaria free of course
To top off your South African tour you will stay in a beautiful private game reserve and enjoy the African bush the last 2 days.

You will depart from Port Elizabeth.

Price for a family of 4 in high season: ZAR 54.950

Inclusive of:
- 20 nights of accommodation
- of which 3 inclusive of Bed & Breakfast
- of which 4 all inclusive (all meals & 2 jeep safaris per day)
- of which 13 no meals are included

Book here!

A train journey from Cape Town to Pretoria will be a 2 day journey with stops in Matjiesfontein and Kimberley. Everything is included, from your mini bar to your laundry. The train goes nice and slowly, about 60 km per hour. This way travelers are allowed to take  in the incredible beautiful South African landscape and have the possibility of taking pictures. Joy explains that as soon as the train stops for more than 5 minutes, staff will be cleaning the windows to ensure uninterrupted views throughout the journey. I absolutely loved the goggles that can be found in each room. Guests can use the goggles to be able to put their face out of the window without getting bugs etc into their eyes. This is the only luxury train in the world where windows can be opened. I felt the entire morning like walking around in a movie from the 1920s. I also loved the fact that the dress code is smart casual when wining & dining. Men are kindly asked to wear a jacket and a tie. Women are encouraged to wear cocktail style dresses. If men travel without jacket, Rovos Rail will have a jacket for them availabe upon arrival (of course your travel agent should have mentioned that). Ah, where are the times of traveling in style? Well, you can all have it back for a little while, when traveling on The Pride of Africa.

There are 3 kind of suites: The Pullmann, Deluxe and the Royal. We would recommend a Deluxe suite, it’s about 11 m². All suites have separate bathrooms and the Royal Suits even have a bath!

Tariffs from 1 October 2011 – 30 September 2012
Pretoria – Cape Town: from ZAR 12.950 to ZAR 25.900 per person sharing, 50% single supplement
2 nights

The Cape Timetable
Tuesday / Wednesday / Friday
15h00: The Pride of Africa Departs from Capital Park; guests may freshen up in their suites before joining fellow travellers in the midway Lounge car or Observation Carriage at the rear of the train.
19h30: Dinner is served; a set menu is served everyday with a focus on local delicacies

Wednesday / Thursday / Saturday
07h00: Breakfast is served till about 09h45
09h30: 10 minutes before arriving in Kimberley there is a shallow lake on the right hand side facing forward. Often Flamingos (approx. 23.000) can be spotted
09h45: Arrive in Kimberley, guests disembark and proceed by coach / combi for a tour of the city, the ‘Big Hole’ and the mine museum.
12h30: Depart Kimberley
13h00: Lunch!
19h30: Dinner will be served

Thursday / Friday / Sunday
08h00: There is an opportunity to disembark the train at Whitehill and walk or jog the 5 km to Matjiesfontein. The Train Manager or a member of the staff will accompany you. Comfortable walking or running shoes are essential.
08h25: Arrival at Matjiesfontein where you will have the chance to stroll through this historic settlement. Of special interest is the museum on the platform and a collection of historic cars and railway carriages to the right of the hotel. Breakfast will be served in the dining car between 07h00 and 10h00.
10h30: Departure of Matjiesfontein passing through Tweedside and Touws River. At 12h00 we reach the first of four tunnels which take us through the Hex River Pass. The second tunnel is 13.5 kms long.
13h00: Lunch!
18h00: Arrival in Cape Town where your journey ends and you’ll take home incredible memories!

Book / enquire here!

Pretoria – Victoria Falls: from ZAR 14.850 to ZAR 29.700 per person sharing, 50% single supplement
2 nights

Book / enquire here!

Pretoria – Durban including safari, visit to battlefields and Ardmore Ceramics Excursion
From ZAR 12.950 to ZAR 25.900 per person sharing, 50% single supplement
2 nights

Book / enquire here!

So their itinerary looked like this:

2 nights, Paternoster, about 2 hrs from Cape Town; Blue Dolphin B&B
2 nights, Bushmans Kloof, beautiful spot in the Cederberg; well known for their bushman paintings and extraordinary food, service and overall experience.
1 night, Montagu, cute village in the Karoo, lovely white historical buildings, surrounded by mountains and fruit farms, Mimosa Lodge, B&B

From Cape Town they left in northern direction onto the R27. En route they could visit Khwattu, a San educational and cultural centre and the West Coast National Park. I highly recommend both. SUCH special places! Ah, this country is full of them.

From Paternoster to Bushmanskloof, they just drove straight there. Bushmanskloof is a very special place and you really want to spend there as much time as possible. Enjoy bushman paintings, incredible stars at night, delicious cuisine and just ultimate luxury.

On the way to Montagu there are quite a few nice stops. ‘Dorpies’ (=villages) are nice to village, have a chat with the locals, enjoy a coffee or Rooibos tea in Tulbagh and / or Riebeek-Kasteel. Don’t be in a hurry, the places will slow you down..

The accommodation package (5 nights) for this trip is about R 16500 which includes all your meals and activities at Bushmanskloof and Bed & Breakfast in Paternoster and Montagu.

The 2 day hike covers a distance of 17km in the beautiful Tsitsikamma Area (well known for the Otter trail). All bagage is portered to the overnight accommodations which makes this hike ideal for all ages. 3 nights are spend in 4 star, luxury accommodation, beginning at the Storms River Mouth and ending at the Sanddrift River.

Rates are ZAR 4.620 per person sharing / ZAR 5.500 for a single person and include the following:
- all meals, from dinner on the day of arrival to breakfast on the day of departure
- the assistance of well trained local guides
- a 4 x 4 driver through the old Storms River Pass
- the transportation of luggage by vehicle between overnight stops

Contact us here and enjoy this hike this Spring or Summer (we’re going end of August so watch out for blog!)

Your Guesthouse is beautifully situated with a nice swimming pool to relax.

Inclusive of Bed & Breakfast

Day 3 and 4: Greater Kruger Park Area

Enjoy 2 relaxing days in the Greater Kruger Park area and let yourself be pampered. This beautiful Wildlife Lodge is situated on the banks of the Olifants River in Balule Nature Reserve. Balule is part of the Greater Kruger Park (the largest nature reserve of South Africa). The lodge is particularly valued for its high personal service, excellent cuisine and beautiful surroundings. The best of ‘in the heart of nature’ in combination with western comforts, contributes to a unique experience! The Lodge’s perfect location makes it possible to see several highlights of the area within one and a half hours reach. There is a great variety of activities you can participate in such as game drives, hiking, bird watching, elephant back safaris, cultural village tour or visit the Cheetah Breeding Project etc.

Inclusive of Dinner, Bed & Breakfast

Day 5 Kruger National Park
Today you can enter the Kruger National Park via the Orpen Gate and spent your day watching the amazing wildlife of South African´s most popular National Park. Your accommodation is situated on the southern banks of the Sabie River. The camp is well foliaged and there are some lofty trees along the river’s edge.

Activities and facilities are diverse, as are the animals and plants found both within the camp and in the surrounding areas. With its stunning wildlife you might be able to see the, fruit bat, thick–tailed bush baby, warthog, spotted hyena, purple–crested louri eand and many more.

Self Catering; there’s a restaurant at the camp site

Day 6 Kruger National Park
In Kruger National Park there is so much to explore so why not spending one more night there but just in a different accommodation. You will drive towards the southern end of the park where you will be able to see different game than in the northern part.

Your accommodation is situated on the bank of the Matjulu Spruit with a view of softly undulating hills to the east. On the northern and southern sides dry riverbeds and a dam border the camp. There are large trees along the streams and dry riverbeds. Special care has been taken to preserve the natural vegetation in the camp. Expect an amazing wildlife including the white rhino, klipspringer, leopard, scarlet-chested sunbird, heuglin’s robinand many more.

Self Catering; there’s a restaurant at the camp

Day 7 & 8 Swaziland
On day 7 of your journey you will enter Swaziland. At Jeppe’s Reef border post you can visit a Swazi show, beautiful singing and impressive Swazi dancing. The travel through Swaziland is amazing. Take your time and explore the souvenir stalls and shops along the road. Experience Swaziland and be part of the many activities offered like hiking, horse riding and mountain biking. Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary is founded by the O’Reilly family. They belong to the most important conservationists of Swaziland. You will wake up and find yourself amongst warthog and nyala’s grazing next to your bed.

Your accommodation will give you the feeling of traditional Swazi homesteads with grass dome-shaped huts arranged in semi-circles.

Bed & breakfast; there’s a beautiful restaurant in Mlilwane where you can enjoy your meals.

Day 9 & 10 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park.
Today you will leave Swaziland again and travel to a big 5 Park called Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park. Your accommodation is award-winning camp on the summit of a forested hill and offers fine views of the surrounding countryside. The camp, the oldest in KwaZulu-Natal, was extensively rebuilt and enlarged in the early nineties, and today accommodation ranges from a luxury lodge to a variety of superbly appointed self-catering accommodation facilities. All units are serviced daily.

Enjoy pure nature and be part of game drives, hikes, private bushwalks or a boat safari. The wide range of plant life in the park gives rise to a diversity of mammals, birdlife, reptiles and amphibians. The BIG FIVE – Lion, Rhino (black & white) Elephant, Buffalo and Leopard are all to be seen in the park, as well as a variety of other species, including Cheetah, Wild Dog and Giraffe. It is also one of the best places in the world to see Nyala.

Inclusive of Bed & Breakfast

Day 11 & 12 Drakensberg
Enter the region of the Ukhahlamba Drakensberg Park, a World Heritage Site, and be amazed by its stunning scenery. This KwaZulu-Natal nature reserve offers breathtaking views of deep valleys, grassy plateaus and craggy mountains. Go hiking, take private walking tours or enjoy a nice safari to see the amazing wildlife.

Your accommodation is situated on a grassy plateau among the deep valleys running down from the face of the High Drakensberg, offering glorious views for hikers and mountain climbers.

Inclusive  Bed & Breakfast

Day 13 & 14
Last but not least a trip to Lesotho should not be missed. The chosen accommodation will give the possibility to experience authentic traditional Basotho life, while listening to various Basotho children’s choirs and local bands when they use their local homemade instruments, during a night around the campfire.

On day 15 you can drive back to Johannesburg from where your international flight will depart

Inclusive of  Bed & Breakfast

TOTAL accommodation for 2 guests from: ZAR 15 950

Book here