What our clients say

“A belated but heartfelt thank you for the fantastic trip we had to South Africa recently. Your help and planning was invaluable to us and from the minute we landed until our departure, we cannot tell you how much we enjoyed our stay. Our tours in Cape Town and Soweto gave us great perspective on both the regions and culture of the areas and our guides were so knowledgeable and informative. We followed your suggestions on some local restaurants and discovered wonderful ones on our own in both Cape Town and Stellenbosch…not to mention, thoroughly enjoying the local wines which outshone many of our California ones!

Lion Sands proved to be a personal highlight, not only because the lodge itself was so wonderful, but the animals didn’t disappoint and we saw every one that was on our list. The rangers and trackers there are so talented and found everyone from leopards in the dead of night to the elusive black rhino. Given the choice, I think I would have stayed another week there!

All in all, a trip to remember and we can’t thank you enough for making it a truly remarkable adventure.”

United States

The lodge has a total of 20 rooms and is a great option for those looking for a Malaria free safari location. There is option to drive from Johannesburg or, there are daily flights with Federal Air.

From a price comparison this lodge is approximately 20% more affordable than your average 5* property in the Sabi Sands region.

The rugged Paaiskloof gorge runs through the sanctuary. The habitat is extremely diverse with aquatic and riverine bush along the lake, rugged mountains flattening out to open savannah grasslands with thickets. The species diversity is wide with many suitable medium to large size prey available.

Tiger Canyons has 14 tigers and 1 white tiger. Safaris are carried out in the early morning and late afternoon and include a tiger talk, game drive and breakfast (at platform overlooking the canyon) or dinner (in the barn).

The safari vehicles are converted 4×4 vehicles where guests are in a cage. You can watch and film the free roaming tigers through bars which offers lovely photo opportunities. They have 4 vehicles each taking 7 guests.

Private 1, 2 & 3 day tiger safaris can be arranged, led by John Varty – subject to his availability.

Accommodation is recommended at Starry Nights in the town of Philippolis. Please note that this is basic but clean 3* accommodation.

The historic Alphen Hotel has been offering Cape Hospitality since the 18th century and declared a national monument in 1973. The Alphen, originally part of the Groot Constantia Estate in the Constantia Valley, recently re-opened as a 5-star boutique establishment. After undergoing an extensive revamp, the 11.5 acre property now offers accommodation with two independently operated restaurants. Further features include 3 bars, a deli, a conference & business centre and outdoor events facilities – all open to the public.
Centrally situated on the Cape Peninsula and located a mere 20 minutes from Cape Town CBD, Cape Town International Airport and False Bay, The Alphen Hotel aims to attract leisure and corporate, local and international guests. Not your traditional 5-star hotel, a modern and playful twist has been added to the décor and design, whilst preserving the rich backdrop of history. The concept is marrying old with new and part of the décor is an extensive private collection of antique furniture and art, combined with specially commissioned oversized, contemporary new works.
The 21 luxurious suites have all the trimmings expected of a 5-star property – his and her bathrooms, rain showers, 3-tier mini-bars, Lavazza pod coffee machines, multi-media entertainment systems, in-room business services, iced fruit bowls, king-size beds and private terraces, to name a few.
The food and beverage operations are not typical hotel fine dining and include the day venue La Belle Café & Bakery with deli and retail section, specialising in light meals, breads, patisseries and salads while 5Rooms with its dark, rich colours, heavy fabrics, dramatic décor and cosmopolitan cuisine provide a warm atmosphere for evening dining. A unique feature is its own accommodation upstairs for patrons wishing to stay over after a night of wining and dining. Both operations offer indoor and outdoor seating under ancient oak trees. Unique to the Western Cape is The Rose Bar, a garden bar and terrace overlooking the extensive, re-designed, landscaped garden with water features, pool and rose garden.
The Alphen Boutique Hotel team supports responsible tourism and plans to contribute greatly towards social responsibility and environmental sustainability.

Resident Fynbos expert at the Table Bay Hotel, Executive Sous Chef Adrian Schreuder has been avidly interested in cooking with Fynbos for over a decade. He is also fortunate to be the son-in-law of the owners of the Baskloof Nature Reserve above Scarborough (nearby coastal area to Cape Town) and has tapped into four decades worth of experience gained by his mother-in-law, Danielle Harris, who grows Fynbos on the property.

Schreuder uses Fynbos to create unique South African dishes. He picks the Fynbos ingredients himself and now offers guests the opportunity of accompanying him on his jaunts.

The hotel offers a half day Cooking With Fynbos Package or a full day package . The Half Day Package includes a welcome drink infused with Fynbos – the choice of infusions range from Buchu Lemonade, Lemon Pelargonium Iced Tea, Rooibos Mojito, Sour Fig and Mint Cordial to Wild Dagga Tea. An assortment of canapés accompanies the welcome drink. Guests are given a short introduction to Fynbos by Chef Schreuder and this is then followed by a 5 course tasting menu. Each guest also receives a Fynbos gift.

“Of the 300 different species of Fynbos, there are about eight plants that are edible”, says Schreuder. “Although Wild dagga has been used for centuries in Africa for its medicinal properties, it does not share the narcotic properties of Cannabis and, in fact, belongs to the mint family of plants. So you may safely enjoy eating or drinking this plant.”

The Full day package includes a trip to Baskloof Private Nature Reserve, a 60min road trip (transfers are included in the package). Guests depart from the hotel at 09h00 and upon arrival at Baskloof they are treated to hot soup served in a Blik Beker (rustic tin coffee mug) and crusty loaves. There are a range of soups from which to choose from: Chunky bean and waterblommetjie soup with wild rosemary; beef, barley and wild rosemary; vegetable and buchu; or chicken soup with lentil and wild dagga. Guests then go for a Fynbos walk where they learn about Fynbos and also the correct way to pick it. The Fynbos picked is used to cook with later that
night.

Min 2pax │ Max 10pax
Subject to availability and must be pre-approved by the hotel and pre booked 30 days out
Subject to availability of Chef Adrian Schreuder

We also say farewell to two of our staff members, Kerrie Miller and Odette Momberg. We wish them luck in their new endeavours. At the same time we say hello to our newest staff member Karis Christophers – welcome to the team!

After completing a Marketing Diploma, Karis travelled to Malaysia, spending time in Langkawi as a camp counsellor. On her return in November 2000, Karis joined Rennies Travel where she stayed until 2003 before joining Islands in Africa; a lodge management company with game lodges in the Caprivi Strip. She was at Islands in Africa for 4 years, becoming the reservations manager. Her interest in the bush took her to the charming town of Hoedspruit and Footsteps in Africa where her enthusiasm for Botswana was realised. After almost 3 years in the bush and needing a change, she came back to Johannesburg. Although she has travelled extensively overseas, her passion is still Africa, its wild life and wide open spaces. Her interests lie in outdoor activities, reading and dancing.

THE LAST WORD – It makes you think

“If I would have asked my customers what they wanted, they would have said a faster horse.” Henry Ford

“We have been looking to expand our routes for some time, and Mombasa presents the perfect opportunity to do so. The city is one of Kenya’s most popular destinations, and a highly sought after holiday location. Therefore, this route has vast potential to entice new customers, and add further value to 1time’s bottom lines,” said 1time ceo Rodney James.

James concludes that 1time’s strong position in the low-cost carrier market will allow it to expand into other markets in the near future as well as continue to provide additional flights on its existing routes. This also reflects a positive view of the coming year.

Plan Hotels opens the New Exploreans Ngorongoro Lodge in Karatu, north circuit in Tanzania.

Exploreans Ngorongoro opened in January 2012 and is set in 50 acres of virgin Tanzanian bush in Karatu district about 160 km from Arusha town in the Ngorongoro volcanic landscape. This all-suites wood log cabin style retreat is a mere five minutes driving distance from the entrance to the world famous Conservation Area and 20 minutes’ drive away from the Ngorongoro Crater that is said to have one of the most dense concentration of wildlife in Africa.

This all inclusive property features 20 spacious, individual, private log cabins with fire place, featuring en-suite facilities with solar heated water, large walk-in shower, double hand wash basins, WC, bidet, hand-shower and hairdryer. The resort is on an all-inclusive basis which includes; in room deluxe coffee, tea and hot chocolate making facilities; in-room mini bar; afternoon tea at the pool or lounge; juices, soft drinks, selected wine, local beer, coffee and tea served during meals and at the lounge bar. Other services available include laundry and valet service, in-room service, a Library, television with satellite channels, Mvua African Rain Spa, safari boutique & a swimming pool with sundeck.

CSR Projects in Tanzania

CSR projects are a relatively new concept in East Africa. Most cultural tour sites in mainland Tanzania have developed by the Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) in conjunction with the Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV), starting with selected villages around Arusha in northern Tanzania. These are traditionally existing villages which provide visitors with a glimpse of the authentic lifestyle of the many tribes in rural Tanzania. Besides enriching itineraries for visitors, the cultural tours are generating income directly to the local communities that are visited. By visiting the cultural sites the guests would be giving support to community health, water projects, primary education and many other projects carried out at village level including reforestation and protection of the environment.

Mto wa Mbu is one of the first cultural tourism sites developed by TTB and SNV. The site is situated on the foot of the Great Rift Valley, bordering Lake Manyara National Park, straddling the famous Arusha / Serengeti route, 120kms and 60kms from Arusha and Ngorongoro respectively. Following the setting up of irrigation systems in the early 1950s, the area rapidly developed into a small town attracting a new wave of tribes from all over the country, each with its own cultural background. Nowhere else in Tanzania have so many different tribes settled in such a small area. The Mto wa Mbu tour is a village walk, designed to provide guests with an experience of the rich cultural heritage in Tanzania, this can be a half day or full day activity.

The varied products, handicrafts and activities that can be seen in the market place and in the village farms is an illustration of this cultural diversity. When you visit the Mbugwe people from Manyara Region; they will show you how they grind different grains to obtain flour using traditional millstone; join the local people of Mto wa Mbu and learn how they construct mud huts, typical housing for most tribes around the area. You will be shown how to mix mud, rice husks and cow dung to obtain the right mud stuff for strong walls, and how the local people roof their huts using dry banana barks and leaves. The local people will show you how to make different tools like spears, knives, arrows. Learn from the local women how pots and dishes are made from clay soil and baked to make them hard.

Housed within the old Reserve Bank, a historic 150 year old building in Cape Town’s city centre, the imposing space with its 12m high ceiling has been decorated in a fabulously eclectic style. An Andrea Graaf interior billed as “a fantasy of creating two different areas the patrons can explore and enjoy, while always admiring the different visual and sensual elements.” A birdcage provides the piece de resistance, with accents of bright pink ducco-ed coffee tables and a bar reminiscent of kitsch 1950s Palm Springs. Both areas host 30 plus, which makes for an intimate affair with dance podiums set up throughout the lounge areas for the more risqué. The nightclub has been opened a few months, but this has been complimented by the very recently opened Reserve Restaurant. Executive chef Alessandro Pizza serves up modern Mediterranean cuisine, reflecting mostly his Italian background and his extensive experience in the south of France. He concentrates on using fresh produce and subtle flavors to create dishes reminiscent of sunny afternoons on the cote d’azur.
Signature dishes include the Italian style beef tartar prepared with a rocket pesto,
Parmesan shavings and sun-dried tomato or the delicious potato gnocchi with slow cooked lamb ragu. For dessert you could indulge in the caramel centered chocolate fondant served with a shot of red berry coulis and vanilla ice cream.

The restaurant comfortably seats 120 guests and both venues can be hired for exclusive use.

Capacity is approximately 400 guests and it can be utilized for a buy-out. It opens between 12 midday till midnight.