Archive for the ‘Travel stories’ Category
Amy’s Pre Wedding Highlights
Posted by: africacollection in Travel stories, Uncategorized on June 1st, 2011
Where to start….?
The last 2 weeks have been a bit of whirlwind, so writing this blog I am hoping will allow me to experience the wedding, food, animals, scenery and everything else South Africa has to offer all over again! Not sure if I am going to be able to find enough different adjectives to describe it all though….
Pre Wedding Week
We chose to fly out to South Africa with Emirates – having the additional 7kgs (30kgs per bag of luggage in economy) made a huge difference, plus we are skywards members. Very last minute an email came through from Skywards offering an upgrade to business class for a small fee – we decided as it was our wedding and honeymoon we should not hold back – and we are so glad chose to upgrade!
What an experience – from being greeted at the check in desk, to being assisted with my wedding dress, champagne in the lounge followed by a delicious dinner before boarding to the flat beds with optional chair massager, 3 course dinner, a great nights sleep and 5 star service all the way – it is well worth the additional money!
We arrived into Cape Town and picked up our car hire from Avis – we decided on a Group C rather than a Group B – which was a good decision as the extra boot space was needed with all the extras we managed to pick up on our way! We drove from Cape Town Airport to Sea Point – just a quick 20 minute drive, which was easily sign posted – to arrive at our hotel – Cape Royale. Cape Royale is a 5 star luxury hotel, situated opposite the Football Stadium and a 10 walk to the waterfront. We were greeted by the doorman who immediately helped unpack the car, and took our luggage up to our room. On check in we found out that we had been upgraded to a 2 bedroom suite, with fully equipped kitchen and large, spacious dining room and lounge. The hotel has a roof top swimming pool, spectacular views of the mountain and waterfront as well as an in house spa. They also offer complimentary shuttles within 5km of the hotel.
The Cape Royal Hotel, Cape Town
Our 2 days in Cape Town were fairly hectic – meeting with our minister, photographer and DJ, hair and makeup trial and sorting out the suit hire! However – throughout this very busy time the staff at Cape Royale were amazing! So attentive and willing to help. They took all the pressure off and managed to help fit the following into our hire car on check out - 4 large suitcases, a wedding dress, 4 suits, 48 bottles of wine, a cake, 3 small bags, our table plan and my sister!
We decided to take the N2 to Hermanus rather than the scenic coastal route passed Gordons Bay – it took 2 hours, but we did stop for dinner on the way. We spent the next 3 day staying in the small town of De Kelders in self catering accommodation. Whale season runs from June – November, but there is still plenty to do within this area outside of whale season from local wine farms, 4×4 trails and exploring the nearby town of Stanford.
As a joint hen and stag day out, we decided to go shark cage diving. Ten of our guests joined us for the 15 minute boat ride from Klein Baai Harbour out to Dyer Seal Island, where we spent the next 2 hours in 12 degree water, watching 5 enormous Great White Sharks! Such graceful animals, and such an amazing experience. We booked through Shark Diving Unlimited who have hosted the likes of Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and Halle Berry. Included in the rate is breakfast or lunch before hand, refreshments and snacks on the boat, dry beach towels and then lunch and afternoon tea when you return to the club house to watch your DVD. I would highly recommend this experience for people who like a bit of adventure and who are happy to brave the cold waters of the Western Cape.
Shark Diving, South Africa
For more information on booking Emirates Flights, AVIS car rental, The Cape Royal and Shark Diving please do not hesitate to contact us
Sheba the Orphaned Lioness at Pumba
Posted by: africacollection in Travel stories on November 11th, 2010
We would like to share the latest news with you regarding the new arrivals at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center at Pumba Private Game Reserve, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
On the 24 February 2010 during a lion capture and relocation operation in the Eastern Cape a heavily pregnant lioness was inadvertently captured by the game relocation team heading up the operation. Unfortunately the lioness gave birth to 3 cubs in the relocation boma of which two died and the third being abandoned by the mother. They were approached by the game capture team to enquire whether Pumba were prepared to take the new born lioness into their Rehabilitation Center to stabilise her and try and save her from certain death. The response was a very conditional one, as normally nature is allowed to take its course, which would mean the little lioness would have been left to die. The condition was that the little lioness was to be fully adopted by Pumba to try and save and if we succeeded to raise her themselves and rehabilitate her over the first 18 months of her life with the objective of releasing her back into the wild to join up with one of the existing Pumba prides of lion. With agreement being reached on their condition, the next job was to try and stabilise the 1 kg bundle of fur. The challenge now was to stabilize the little lioness and get some colostrum into her to build up antibodies in her system, the first three days of a mammals life it is critical for survival that the young suckle from their mother to get this colostrum, which in this instance did not happen, so they were not over confident that the little lioness would survive. However, she has showed a fighting survival spirit and has got through the critical period and now weighs 4 kg’s and will be 4 weeks old on 24 March 2010. Her eyes are fully open and she has started walking. Feeding is a major operation which takes about an hour every three hours for the first 6/8 weeks which is shared between Dale Howarth and his wife Paula (like having babies of our own all over again).
Dale with the cubs
Two days after receiving the baby lioness, they got another call this time from a predator hunting operator from a sheep farming area some 250 km north of Pumba, this time the sad story was that the hunter using a pack of dogs to hunt Caracal that were killing the farmers sheep had chased a female Caracal into her den, where the dogs killed her. The huntsman arrived in time to discover that there were two tiny Caracal cubs of a day or two old in the den which were now left without their mother. The huntsman saved the two little cubs from the hunting dogs, and being aware of our Rehabilitation Center called to ask whether we were prepared to accept the two little cubs and try and stabilise and save them from certain death. This opportunity seemed to be so coincidental with getting the lioness a few days earlier, that we immediately accepted as now they would had company for the lioness even though quite a lot smaller in size, the lioness will grow to 100 kg at 18 months old, and the Caracal about 15-20 kg. However, they should prove very good company for each other as they grow up. As they had just started the process with the little lioness, they took the two caracal in and put them onto the same process, again they have proved little survivors and have come through their critical period and reached the same stage of development as the lioness.
Sheba having dinner in the lounge!
So in all Dale has three brand new babies in his family room which they have turned into their new den while they get them to an age when they can be weaned from their bottles and put onto solids. The three musketeers will live Dale and his wife in their house which is situated in the middle of the Pumba Private Game Reserve, until such time as they are ready to be introduced back into the wild.
They have had previously very good experience with reintroducing hand raised animals back into the wild as witnessed with their three white lions who are the only free ranging self sustaining pride of white lions known. So they are extremely confident that these three young cats will be able to be reintroduced into their natural environment to live the life that they were never destined to lead.
Sheba the orphaned lioness has now turned 9 months old (November 2010), and weighs 65 kg, and still shares their house on the farm.
Dale and Sheba reading the paper together
For further information on Pumba Private Game Reserve please do not hesitate to contact us
Tourist testimonials – Don’t take our word for it!
Posted by: africacollection in Travel stories on March 17th, 2009
Occasionally we like to remind ourselves why we do what we do, and we also want to tell you why you should let us do what we do, for you. We pride ourselves on providing the very best in holidays to South Africa. The following are just a selection of some of our very latest (genuine) feedback comments:-
‘A short note to thank you and all the team for a fantastic holiday in South Africa. All the places we stayed were individual, but universally excellent, and the other travel arrangements went perfectly. Things could not have been better, and I shall certainly recommend the Africa Collection to any of my friends who intend to visit.’
‘We are back after our wonderful trip . . . . all the accommodation was first class, all very clean, well furnished, owners and staff very friendly, food everywhere fantastic.’
‘Just a note to thank you and everyone else involved in our holiday last week – it was unforgettable for all the right reasons. Everything was perfect – the accommodation – the tour guides – the people – the weather – the food. Couldn’t have possibly asked for any more.’
‘Anyway am sure you want to know how holiday went – fantastic!! Everywhere we went people were so welcoming. Loved South Africa and could ramble on for ages – would love to go again sometime!’
‘Wow! What a super trip! Thank you so much for organising Victoria Falls, Knysna and Pumba Game Reserve– everything was perfect. Now back to earth with a bump, but I have lovely memories.’
‘We had a superb holiday.’
‘I wanted to let you know that our trip to Namibia was very good. Everything went smoothly and we had no issues at all. The itinerary was well explained and we’ve found every place very easily.’
‘Thanks for organising a brilliant holiday this year. Thirdly, and very belatedly, thanks for a similarly great holiday along the Garden Route last year.’
Let us find you a great holiday in Botswana, Cape Town, Chobe or Drakensberg among others. These customer testimonials prove our ability to provide the perfect South African holiday. The accommodation in South Africa which we offer uphold our high standards. You can expect to feel like a welcome guest in the hotels and lodges, with hospitality, attentiveness and genuine local insight. We can arrange competitive flights, accommodation, car rental, safaris and escorted tours in Southern Africa.
