FEATURE SOUTHERN AFRICA
nearly 225,000. These are distances not to be taken lightly and can represent a trap for the unwary travel agent or client wishing to satisfy an unfeasibly large wish list, but with Johannesburg acting as a regional hub, South Africa can be easily twinned with the other three. However, aside from Mozambique,
which still represents mostly a beach and/or dive market for the UK market, clients can easily spend entire holidays in South Africa, Botswana or Namibia. With the most diverse product, South
Africa offers year-round holiday options that range from sophisticated city life in Cape Town and Johannesburg, beach resort life around Durban, game viewing galore in many national and private reserves, outstanding scenery, first-class lodging choices and a wide range of cultural and adventure activities. Botswana is usually seen as a more
expensive option than South Africa – but not necessarily more upmarket – attracts discerning visitors to its stunning Okavango Delta floodplain. This is best experienced between May and October when the pools and channels are full and a huge number of animals are concentrated on high ground. Other game viewing hotspots in the country are the Makgadikgadi saltpans and the northern Chobi National Park, famous for its elephants. With Victoria Falls thundering on the
Zambezi River near Botswana's northern border, the country makes an attractive twin-centre option with Zambia and Zimbabwe. Namibia ticks game viewing boxes with
the famous Etosha National Park, the Caprivi Strip linking Namibia, Botswana
and Zambia, the huge Cape Cross seal colony and the Skeleton Coast, which apart from its mist-shrouded natural beauty is renowned for its birdlife. Other highlights include the awe-
inspiring Fish River Canyon to the south of the country and the giant sand dunes of Sussusvlei. Activities around Sossusvlei and Swakopmund include dune boarding, sand skiing, paragliding, micro-lighting, quad biking and kite surfing. Apart from the architectural colonial
charm of Mozambique's capital Maputo, the country's tourism appeal relies largely on the lure of its island beach resorts sprinkled through the Bazaruto and Quirimbas archipelagos lying in the Indian Ocean off the mainland.
Opposite page (clockwise): The Twelve Apostles, South Africa; Tall story in Zambia; A typical Namibian landscape; Hippo in Botswana
Efforts to restock the country's once
teeming Gorangosa National Park are proving slow and difficult, and with such outstanding game viewing options available in surrounding countries, tour operators say it will be a long time before Mozambique moves beyond its beach destination draw card.
WHAT’S NEW New product in Namibia includes Dolomite Camp, due to open in May. Situated in the ecologically significant western part of Etosha, an area previously closed off to tourism, the camp becomes Namibia Wildlife Resort's fifth property inside Etosha and nineteenth overall (
nwr.com.na). New for Kirkier Holidays this year is
the five-star Sanbona Wildlife Reserve in South Africa's Little Karoo and Samara Private Game Reserve in the Great Karoo, both near to Cape Town. Kings Camp Lodge, in Timbavati near Sabi Sands is also new. The Table Bay Hotel, located in Cape
Town’s Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, has a four-nights-for-the-price-of-three offer until August 31 2011. Another Sun International hotel, the
Royal Livingstone in Zambia, has special wedding packages available until November 30 this year. For $1200 (Deluxe) or $1880 (Superior) couples can tie the knot against the backdrop of the rolling mists of Victoria Falls. Both packages include a wedding coordinator, décor at the wedding gazebo for 20 guests and a bridal bouquet, amongst other features. The Superior deal includes a private dinner for two prior to
the wedding night, a wedding cake and 36 photographs. The Blue Train is running two new set departures this year, combining a luxury rail experience with a break in KwaZulu- Natal or a safari in the Pilanesberg Game Reserve. Departures for the Zimbali Resort Breakaway to KwaZulu-Natal are on September 8-12 and November 17-21, while Pilanesberg's Safaris in Style departures are September 15-18 and December 29-January 1. Winchester Mansions (www.
winchester.co.za), a four-star hotel overlooking the Atlantic in Sea Point, Cape Town, has a three-nights-for-two deal for stays between May 1 and August 31 2011. Breakfast is included. The hotel is close to Cape Town's central attractions, beaches and the V&A Waterfront. Winchester Mansions has teamed up with local bike company, Bike and Saddle, to offer a variety of guided tours around the Cape Peninsula and Winelands (
www.bikeandsaddle.com). South African Airways lists some special UK-South Africa deals on its website (
www.flysaa.com), with prices to Johannesburg starting from £529 and Cape Town £637, for flights until September 30 2011.
TOURISM TALK LEBOHANG MOKHESI UK COUNTRY MANGER, SOUTH AFRICAN TOURISM “Latest UK arrival figures, up to October last year, show a 3.6 per cent increase year-on-year,
which we are pleased with, and we have targeted further conservative growth
TOP SELLING TIPS... Think of South Africa
as a year-round destination. Good deals are available off-peak
Namibia is also good
for nine months of the year. January to March can be too hot for many visitors
Sell the time zone.
Most of Southern Africa is just two hours off GMT - so no jetlag
Overnight flights leave
clients ready to hit the ground running
Family safaris are a
good sell, particularly in malaria-free lodges in South Africa
Mozambique is now a
viable stand-alone beach destination but think twin-centre with safari countries such as South Africa
Encourage self-drive in
South Africa and Namibia for second- or third-time Africa visitors
Look at the train
options. Some are short luxury trips and others are longer safaris on rails
Be realistic with a
client's wish list. Distances in Africa are vast so don’t suggest they try to take on too much
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