A safari in Zambia has been my dream for years and the day had finally come. I boarded Zambian Airways at the crack of dawn filled with anticipation.

Zambian Airways and Kulula code share for the flights to Zambia, so while this is a reliable service, don’t expect any frills. And take along something to drink and snack on as Zambia is hot, and there are no shops to buy anything along the way.

From Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, I boarded a small scheduled charter flight to the Kafue National Park. From there it was a short drive to the Lunga River Lodge situated on the banks of the Lunga River. This lodge has been around for a while and is being upgraded as we speak but the rooms overlook the river and hippos frolicking in the water. If you want solitude, wilderness and some grand fishing, then this is the place for you. If you want action, then look elsewhere.

My next stop was Shumba Camp, a 4,5 hour drive away. This strech can also be done by helicopter in 15 minutes and it highly recommended. The drive was long and full of tsetse flies and not something I would like to again.

Shumba Camp however was worth waiting for. This rates among the very best lodges I have seen in my life. Wilderness Safari’s have outdone themselves at Shumba Camp. The public area is completely open and bush modern and overlooks an endless plain filled with animals. In fact, the infinity pool never needs to be left as you can see all the game from there. Everything is well planned and luxurious, down to the open air bush loo!

The large ensuite tents are beautifully decorated in khaki colours with a massive four poster bed, again overlooking the plain. I felt like a queen. And anytime I felt thirsty or hungry, someone came running.

The next stop was Kapinga Camp. Again this lodge is incredibly luxurious and decorated in bold reds and greens. The camps is on the edge of a forest, cooling down the rooms a bit. The tents themselves are identical to the ones at Shumba Lodge, but instead of Khaki decor, these tents are brightly decorated.

Both Shumba Lodge and Kapinga Camp are a superb choice for people wanting a wilderness experience in a virtually unexplored part of Zambia. The game is good and we saw loads of Puku, wildebeest, zebra, hippo and a very relaxed pride of lion. The rangers are the best in Africa and will tell you all about the animals, birds and area. However don’t expect to see game around every corner like you do in the South Luangwa.

If you are looking for a romantic destination then look no further. The Kafue is great to combine with the Lower Zambezi or South Luangwa where the game viewing is outstanding. Finish off with a couple of nights at the Victoria Falls where your adrenalin will be given a good kick!

My trip to Zambia was excellent and I can highly recommend it to anyone wanting to really experience Africa. I can’t wait to go back.

It was not only arriving in the Lower Zambezi National Park that threw  me, it was the leaving. I didn’t want to leave – I didn’t want to leave the magnificent banks of the Zambezi – I didn’t want to leave the parks vast open tracks of land – I didn’t want to leave the environment with which I  was becoming one – I didn’t want to leave my new found paradise. Canoeing down one of the numerous inlets into the mighty Zambezi which gives life to all it traverses, my son in law aptly said to me, “we have discovered Africa’s Eden.” Never has a truer word been said.

Having experienced three of the recommended camps in the area one came away with full marks for all of them.

Chiawa was the first camp we arrived at, having flown in by single engine aircraft from Lusaka to Royal Airstrip – then land safari to the rivers edge followed by boat to our camp. After our warm welcome from management, rangers and staff the first thing that strikes one is that the game came first wherever they were.
All three camps give way to elephants, buffalo and hippo who wander freely wherever they please, but all the time both animals and humans are being constantly observed by rangers and staff and at  no time did one feel intimidated or threatened by their presence. Often we were prevented from entering or exiting from our tents and had to be taken and collected by vehicle - but that all added to the thrill of Africa!

For me, being in Chiawa felt like being in an “Out of Africa” scene. A dream come true! Well nearly! Luxury tents with open to the elements en suite bathrooms, the epitome of comfort  but oh so simplistic and African. And a rustic pool to cool you off!
The smoothness and ease whereby everything and everyone mixed and mingled was entirely due to the efficiency of the staff. Situated on the great Zambezi Chiawa and Sausage Tree Camp offered game drives, river cruises which incorporates as much wild life as one sees on land, excellent tiger fishing, canoeing, walking and observing. There is something for everyone and more!

Sausage Tree Camp, down river from Chiawa, can be reached either by canoe or by river boat, both of which are spectacular. The same in comfort but with a more colonial style Sausage Tree is set deep in lush forests with palm trees which creates a more tropical feel. Excellent cuisine, a beautiful pool and awesome views of the Zambezi gives this camp more than its fair share of charm and seduction.

And then on down the river to Old Mondoro. Wow, now we are really in a bush camp. Taking only 8 guests, with no electricity, hot water brought to you on request and sleeping in open reed bungalows no one could be closer to nature – unbelievable. And once again five metres from the life blood of the wilds – the Zambezi River. Walking with and observing the elephants and buffalo herds more than makes up for the lack of a swimming facilities.

The game and their behavioural patterns are somewhat different to those in South Africa, due to being on the river and poaching. Bird life is  in abundance and different vegetation makes this part of Africa a must for anyone who is looking for comfort, adventure and an ongoing relationship with the mighty, magnificent, magical Zambezi.Š

We took at trip to Durban last week to visit the new and popular Ushaka Marine World. This is a park that, according to its website, offers fun for the whole family with dolphin and seal shows, a massive aquarium and wet and wild.

Now if someone is charging upwards of R100 for a wet and wild pass, you expect something fun and fancy, something with water slides and pools and wave machines. Not at Ushaka, the Wet and Wild there consists of a long river around the complex and a tube to sit in. I am sorry, but with the sea close by, there is a lot more fun to be had in the waves for free.

The dolphin show was nice and the kids enjoyed it. It wasn’t spectacular and the audience interaction wasn’t great except for one man who was invited to touch a dolphin. But a pleasant way to spend half an hour - and the kids were impressed.

The aquarium itself is massive and some of it very impressive. Built in an old ship, you walk around in the hull watching the fish. We watched them feeding the sting rays and thought immediately went to Steve Irwin. We didn’t have time to watch the shark feed, but that sounded fun.

But all in all I think this is a completely over priced adventure. You get a very similar aquarium in Cape Town (without the tubing and dolphin show) as well which I feel is better value for money.

Just met with Singita Private Game Reserve marketing manager Lew Rood who told me that Singita is in the process of adding more rooms to Singita Boulders and Singita Ebony. Each lodge will get two more rooms in the form of a two-bedroom suite. This means that for the first time you can take your children under 10 years to Singita. It also means that you can now have a completely private singita experience with a private chef and ranger.

If you are traveling to Singita with children under 10 years, you need to take this suite on a private basis so that the children don’t disturb other guests. This means that you need to pay R4500 extra per night for the private ranger, chef and host. It also means that you can go on game drives whenever suits you.

If you are four adults traveling together you can either take the suite on a private basis and pay the extra R4500 per night for the chef and ranger, or you can take the rooms on a normal basis and take your meals and game drives with the other Singita guests. This gives you complete flexibility on your safari.

I am off to Zambia!!!! I have just been invited to join Wilderness Safaris on a trip to their new lodge Shumba Camp. I am so excited I am bouncing off the walls!

Shumba Camp is situated in the Kafue National Park, in the northern most bit, called Busanga Plains. This is one of Zambias most significant wetland resourses and (this is the most exciting bit) it is vertually untouched by humans. So I am going off to be an intrepid explorer…! 

Wildlife in the area includes herds of zebra, hartebeest and buffalo which attracts loads of lions, leopards and wild dog. Apparently pride of lion as big as 20 strong.

I will keep you posted on the trip on Shumba Camp!

More and more people are asking for self catering accommodation in Cape Town. This is a fantastic way to keep prices within a reasonable budget while still getting the comfort of a 4 star hotel.

Our favorite self catering apartments are the ones at the Waterfront and De Waterkant Village. Here you get one and two bedroomed flats, modernly decorated and with all the bells and whistles. And for a superb price.

Now you can take your family of four to Cape Town for the amazing price of R1790 per night. And this in high season 2006/2007!

So the pressure is on and the local tourism industry is gearing itself for the Soccer Word Cup in 2010 and the opportunity to score big points and make lots of money, but will anyone come?   Some say that our European friends are going to stay in Europe and watch the games on big screens in specially designed uber-cool ‘entertainment stadiums’  and that people in the East will prefer to watch the games on their cell phones, wristwatches and iPods.   What about Americans?  Will soccer have more of a following in the USA by 2010?   Do Americans attend big international sporting events if they are not in their own country? (Isn’t going to Atlanta if you live in Spokane a bit like traveling to another country? )  Perhaps the African-ness of our World Cup will be a draw card as Americans come here to support the cultural aspect of the event, to feel the vibe and the rhythm and experience the warmth of ‘ubuntu’ (collective unity). One thing is certain, there will be a lot of drumming and dancing and chest beating !  Combine that mental image with the fact that I predict a southern hemisphere World Cup with gyrating South Americans and whooping Australians swamping our streets, bars and beaches, and I think we are in for momentous carnival parade !

With this, my very FIRST blog cast, I’m excited to announce that I’m busy planning a marketing trip to America. I leave Cape Town on the 6^th Sept,  and after a long haul flight from JHB – DC and then a trans-America flight (window seat so that I can see all the State of America ) I get to San Francisco on the 6^th Sept -  Time zones are mind bloggling!   My main destination is the WINESONG auction in Mendocino County.   I have packaged a Cape winelands tour and safari which will be on the auction.  I’m also going to be representing cousin Mike Ratcliffe’s Warwick Wines.
I would really appreciate it if anyone could put me in touch with folks in the Mendocino, Napa, San Francisco areas who might be interested in meeting me…
Professionals in the wine industry  ie: a winery owner / distributor /wine club co-ordinator / restauranteur who is interested in SA wines and would like to visit the Cape winelands or perhaps envisages bringing a group of people on a wine and gourmet trip to South Africa.    Private individuals and collectors who like to incorporate excellent food and wine when they travel.     I’m also going to be promoting the fact that we facilitate golf tours, honeymoons, family safaris etc.  Another trend we are seeing that some of you will relate to is multi-generational family travel (family reunions!)   We can also handle small corporate incentive groups.   

South Africa has so much to offer!

Dort

Namibia Safari 

For those of you looking for a good quality lodge in Etosha that won’t break the bank, look no further. Onguma Lodge is situated on the eastern gate of Etosha within its own game reserve. This brand new luxury lodge has only 7 large East Africa style tents, making it intimate and personal. The tents are huge and have open plan bathroms as well as a lovely veranda looking over the bush. Each tent is completely private.

What I really liked about Onguma is that while you aren’t sleeping in the Etosha (only the 3 rest camps are inside the park) you still are within a game reserve and need to watch out for the lion! And if you don’t feel like going on a game drive, you can sip cocktails at the lovely pool all day long.

If you are on a shoe string budget then Onguma has a couple of other options as well such as camping and rustinc family chalets. And all at a good price.

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A NEW guest house has opened in Cape Town’s Camps Bay, targeting the high-end traveller.
There is a brand new luxury hotel in Camps Bay, Cape Town called Eleven Sedgemoor Road. We haven’t been to visit it yet, but watch this space for an update.

Eleven Sedgemoor Road offers four suites set on two levels, with a gourmet kitchen, two lounge areas, an open-plan dining room, deck and patio, pool and 24-hour on-site management service.

The property offers two luxury suites, a superior suite and a penthouse suite.
Additional facilities include Internet access, and fax and telephone facilities. Two large indoor public areas are available for business meetings or small conferences.