by africagirl | Apr 30, 2010 | Uncategorized
The most outstanding and independently vetted safari lodges, camps and hotels in Africa are going to be honoured at the 2010 Good Safari Guide (GSG) Awards to be held at the Indaba at the Hilton Ballroom in Durban on Friday, May 7 2010.
Safari specialists, tour operators, agents and travel journalists were invited to nominate camps, lodges and hotels that they believe offer the best safari experience. The finalists will compete in categories including: Best Safari Property Africa, Best Safari Property Southern Africa, Best Safari Hotel, Best Ecological Safari Property, Best Safari Cuisine, Best African Tourism Board and Traveller’s Choice.
The panel of judges consists of highly respected independent and experienced tour operators. To see a full list of the nominees and to check out the judges, visit the Good Safari Guide website.
by africagirl | Nov 30, 2009 | Uncategorized
As the Fifa 2010 Soccer World Cup approaches, hoards of dedicated fans from around the world are sure to descend upon the African continent’s Southern tip, South Africa. They’ll be laden with loads of luggage, sunscreen and expectations.
Despite the worldwide hype surrounding Fifa World Cup, many teenagers are still quick to turn up their noses at the prospect of having to endure an African holiday away from civilisation, with only family and wildlife as company. After all, it is considered “social suicide” to spend time with one’s own family, away from the excitement and hustle and bustle of city life.
Few realise the huge diversity offered by this country and the excitement it presents, not only in the game reserve but also in our cities, brimming with fast paced action, entertainment and extravagance.
Johannesburg, or ‘Jozi’ as it’s more commonly known, is without a doubt the great big beating heart of South Africa. It is the biggest city in South Africa and has the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Not only does Johannesburg offer riveting night life, it also offers visitors’ trendy suburbs like Parktown and Norwood, with restaurant-lined avenues – catering to the dining and décor set – and the extensive malls of Sandton, all combining to make the city a great place to be.
Cape Town, or the Mother City, is described as the city which merges historic architecture, breathtaking natural beauty and modernity. It attracts hoards of visitors yearly, all drawn by the myriad of things to do, see and experience. Framed by the world renowned Table Mountain, Cape Town is said to possess a form of magic, compelling visitors to return time and time again.
A relaxed holiday filled with spectacular scenery, wildlife and exhilarating game drives, coupled with the fast-paced metropolitan sophistication of South Africa’s biggest cities, will create a get-away sure to satisfy even the harshest of family critics, truly offering the best of both worlds.
by africagirl | Nov 20, 2009 | Uncategorized
Gone are the days when a bush holiday simply involved a relaxing, peaceful getaway filled with long naps and lazy afternoons. Nowadays the ideal holiday consists of an eclectic mix of leisure, African beauty and exhilarating adventure sports. Boundaries have been pushed, creating the need for guests to exceed the “typical bush excursion” and surpass their limits by experiencing the ultimate in safari experience, including adrenaline inducing activities such as shark diving, deep sea fishing, beach horse rides and whale watching.
Shark diving is definitely not for the faint hearted, getting up close and personal with the oceans fiercest fish is sure to get the heart rate going. However for the less adventurous, divers can suspend into the ocean inside steel cages, preventing the sharks from getting too close for comfort. Guests don’t require experience or equipment, just themselves and a touch of Dutch courage. For the less adventurous, or as some would say the more sane, whale watching can be enjoyed, above the water! Whale watching proves to be breathtaking, and witnessing these majestic creatures in their natural habitat is sure to make unforgettable memories. For the more romantic guests, horse riding on the beach proves to be idyllic, galloping along the beachfront with only the ocean breeze, soft sand and ones loved one, truly is the perfect way to spend a romantic afternoon.
With the countless options, and array of adventure sports available, guests nowadays really can fill their days with riveting entertainment and are sure never to be bored. The prototype of an African Safari has shifted to include something for everyone, ensuring that guests’ holidays are extraordinary and unforgettable in every sense of the word.
by africagirl | Nov 16, 2009 | Uncategorized
With the stress of our daily lives, one can easily forget to treat ourselves. Everything and everyone else often take priority over our desires, leaving our bodies and minds tired and restless. Everyone deserves to say thank you to themselves once in a while, spoil their body and mind with a rejuvenating spa treatment, where the only decisions that need to be made include roses, hot stones, body oil and aromatherapy.
Easily distracted the outside world often finds a way to creep into “our” time so rather prevent disturbances by making a complete getaway experience out of it, a treatment in a secluded bush spa sounds idyllic, with only the distraction being the African landscape and odd wildlife creature sneaking up to the pool side for a drink. Sounds pretty perfect, and tranquillity doesn’t get any better than in a quiet African setting, minus the hustle and bustle of city life, noisy traffic or menial daily tasks.
All experiences have their difficulties however and Bush Spas prove to be no different. Firstly the task of a selecting a treatment proves tricky, one may resolve to select a few as the temptation often prevails. Secondly the ability to stay awake can really be tough as one battles not to sink into a deep sleep as every muscle floats into heavenly bliss. Finally, probably the most difficult of all is the ability to drag oneself away from the Bush Spa at the end of stay and reside to a stress filled chore driven life. However one can take solace in the fact that another visit is simply a phone call away or mouse click away.
by africagirl | Oct 31, 2009 | Uncategorized
South Africa is in the final stretch of the preparations to host the FIFA Soccer World Cup and excitement is already reaching fever pitch.
This world class sporting event will kick off with an opening ceremony in Johannesburg on 11 June 2010. From there, the action will spread to eight other host cities across the country. These cities include Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Rustenburg, Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Nelspruit and Polokwane.
Many local and international tour operators will be using the World Cup as an opportunity to offer package deals at bargain prices for so-called combination soccer safari trips. They will be enabling soccer fans travelling to our gorgeous country to support their teams at matches and to – while they are here – also experience a genuine, once-in-a-lifetime South African safari at many of the country’s luxury lodges and game reserves located near all the host cities.
We think it’s a great idea. After all, it would be a sin to travel all the way here and not experience one of South Africa’s biggest attractions: getting a close-up glimpse of our abundant wildlife in their natural habitat from the safe vantage point of an organised safari tour, while also being treated to the warmth, the cuisine and the general, world-class standard of South Africa’s hospitality industry at our game reserves and lodges.
We can’t wait to welcome the world!
