el mundo fam recap s africa march 2016
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Familiarization Trip:
South Africa, Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe
November 2011
Laurelee Graham
Regional Sales & Relationship Manager
Southern Africa FAM Trip November 2011
In November 2011,
I hosted top agents
from up & down the
western US to a
special
Familiarization Trip
to Southern Africa;
which included trip
to Zambia, Botswana
and Zimbabwe.
The Republic of South Africa covers the southernmost tip
of the African continent. It is bordered by Namibia, Botswana,
Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The land is about 1/5 the size of
the US but 5x larger than Britain. Since 1868, South Africa has
been the world’s leading producer of Gold & Diamonds using
the most sophisticated mining techniques in the world.
Platinum, chromium, manganese & flourine are also mined
here.SA builds SALT helmets for missiles & is the #1 exporter of Merlino wool and Mohair in the world. It is 1 of 2 places in
the world that produce Isotopes for Cancer treatments. It is believed from fossil remains the early man evolved in South
Africa separately from other prehistoric populations in the North; separated by the Sahara Desert. The Negroids(later named
Bantus) & the Capoids (later the Hottentots & the Bushmen) were the primary groups. By the Middle Ages, the Bantu had
spread across Southern Africa & the peaceful Native Bushmen were either killed or absorbed by the Bantu. By the time
Europeans arrived, the Bushmen were on the brink of extinction. Portuguese Bartholomew Dias discovered the Cape of Good
Hope in 1488, but the Dutch did not settle in South Africa until 1652. The French followed in 1688 and the British in 1820.
The discovery of Diamonds & Gold in the late 1800’s brought settlers & fortune seekers by the boatload. The 3 year Anglo
Boer War, won by the British, established the Union of South Africa in 1910.
The country was a part of the British Commonwealth until 1961. Apartheid
policies started in 1948 when the Nationalist Party came into power. Anti-
Apartheid movements reached their peak in the late 1980’s and early 1990s;
resulting in Nelson Mandela, a political prisoner and the face of Apartheid in
South Africa, being released from the prison on Robben Island where he had been
held for 27 years; followed by national elections in 1994.
Nelson Mandela became the first democratic president of South Africa and is
regarded as a National Treasure and the Father of
Modern South Africa. Nelson Mandela’s real first
name is “Rolihlahla”, but, upon entering school was
given the “Christian” name of Nelson. Today in South
Africa, he is known as Nelson Rolihlahla
Mandela. www.CapeRoyal.co.za ; www.tmnp.co.zawww.africa.com/cape-
town/city; www.TajHotels.com
www.Robben-Island.org.za;
Day One: “Sawubona Emukela” is the Zulu greeting.
Cape Town is called the “Mother City”and is the oldest city in S
Africa as well as the legislative capital. Table Mountain sits high
atop the city and is visible, barring weather, from almost anywhere in
the city. Despite numerous plans to take the air tram up to the top,
we were unable to as the winds come & go, adding suspense as to
whether you will get up to the top; as well as a reason to return. It
was the third trip for one of our agents and she happily put it back on
her busket list for a return trip. Founded in 1652 by the Dutch East
India
company,
Cape Town
lies on the
northern end
of the Cape
Peninsula and
includes the
busy harbor
of Table Bay.
Most
recently, Cape
Town hosted the World at 2011’s World Cup Soccer Finals. The new
stadium that now competes with Table Mountain for the city skyline was
built in 2012 specifically for the World Cup, as was the Airport Gautrain
high speed train that avoids the traffic of a metropolitan city. Cape Town
was founded specifically for growing food, and its culture and heritage it
clearly reflected in the many restaurants and wine estates in the area.
Check in at the Cape Royal Luxury Hotel brought the lovely surprise of a
very European Parisian feel. We had two suites, a full dining room and
living area as well as a fully equipped kitchen. Those arriving early in the day were treated to an evening at the Gold of Africa
Museum’s Gold Restaurant complete with jembe drumming, songs, Mali puppets dancing & singing. The 15 course “Taste Safari”
immersed everyone into the feel of Africa and readied them for the adventure to come….
Day Two: Early off after breakfast for Robben Island via hydrofoil. Robben Island is an island in Table Bay off the west
coast of Cape Town. The name is Dutch for "seal island". The island served as a place of banishment from the 17th-20
th centuries,
but is now a UNESCO World Heritage site & Museum. The Dutch settlers were the first to use Robben Island as a prison. Its first
prisoner was probably in the mid-17th century.
The island was also used as a Leper Colony
Starting in 1845, lepers were moved to Robben
Island. During the Second World War the island
was fortified and guns were installed as part of the
defenses for Cape Town. It was also still used as a
prison. It serves as a reminder of the recently won
freedom from Apartheid in South Africa. It was
here that past President Mandela and also past
President Kgalema Motlanthe & other political
prisoners spent decades imprisoned during the
Apartheid era. Current South Africa President
Jacob Zuma was imprisoned there for 10
years.You can actually visit Nelson Mandela’s
cell of 27 years, guided by gentlemen who were
interned with Mr. Mandela. It is a sobering yet
inspiring visit. Mr. Mandela was finally released
in February 1990, but it took four more years until
South Africa held their first elections and elected
him their first President.
Table Mountain
Lunch at The Mint & a site
inspection at the fabulous
Taj Hotel was truly a treat.
The Taj Cape Town was
originally the site of the South
African Reserve Bank. It truly
sumptuous décor and views of
the town square, St. George’s
Mall and street market make
it a great location for visitors.
The restaurant overlooks the
mall & many rooms face the
Cathedral or wide sweeping
views of Table Mountain. See
the local “Tiffin Box lunch”, a
stacked Bento box type lunch.
Hot, spicy, delicious >>>
After the fabulous lunch and tour,
we headed South to see the
penguins. The
drive down the
Peninsula to Cape
Point was scenic &
Sunny to…
The Cape
of Good
Hope
Nature
Reserve.
Evening found us back in
the city for a sunset dinner
on the marina walk at the
Victoria & Alfred
Hotel. Set along the
Marina, it affords
spectacular views of the
Boardwalk, the still active
and working Harbor as
well as Table Mountain.
www.vahotel.co.za
Fabulous!
Day 3,4&5 Our next attempt to ride up to Table Mountain via
the City’s famous cable cars was cancelled at the last minute due to
high winds. I think this is a tourism tactic to get us all to just come back. Instead, we toured up around Signal Hill & Lion Head
Mountain to enjoy the views from other angles. Also remember that is was here the world’s first heart transplant was performed by
Dr. Christiaan Barnard in 1967 at the Groot Schuur Hospital, the local hospital here. The patient survived the operation and
lived for 18 days. Barnard became an international superstar overnight and. for many, the Face of South Africa. Barnard continued
to perform heart transplants. In a transplant operation was conducted in 1968, the patient, survived for 19 months. A patient, who
received a new heart in 1971, was the longest-lived
recipient; surviving over 23 years.
Lunch at the One and Only was exceptional. Set along
the base of Table Mountain, this is one of the loveliest
settings anywhere & the ONLY 6****** hotel in S
Africa. www.oneandonlyresorts/CapeTown
Late
afternoon, we
left Cape
Town and
headed down
the coast for
our stay at
Grootbos
Nature
Reserve.
The drive is beautiful along the coast and took us through
Walker Bay and the town of Gansbaal. Grootbos Reserve is
a 5***** Luxury along the Garden Route. The word
breathtaking is over used, but the only accurate one to use for the
views at Grootbos. The main lodges overlook some of the best whale
watching anywhere. Over 2300 hectares (over 5000 acres, yes, I looked it up), it is
one of the largest private forests in the world. The Cape Floral Kingdom that
flourishes here is difficult to believe without seeing it and is home to more than 750
species of Fynbos, 100+
bird species. The word
fynbos is the Afrikaans
for "fine bush", referring to
the thin leaves. Fynbos
forms part of the Cape
floral kingdom, where it
accounts for half of the
surface area and 80% of the
plant varieties. The
fynbos in the western
regions is richer and
more varied than in the eastern regions of South Africa. Of the
world's six floral kingdoms, this is the smallest and richest per
area unit. This was a Fave…. The views from Grootbos
Yes, some of our brave agents went Great White SHARK
diving in cages, while others went whale watching or
horseback riding along the beautiful hills down to the beach.
While the last Whale hunting stations here closed in 1975,
Gansbaal & Grootbos are said to be the capitol for Great White
Whale watching anywhere. The height of whale watching season is from June to November and the best is the first two weeks in
September. There is also a famous Garden Tour that departs from Capetown to this area in June. The famous scholar Cecil
Rhodes, of the Rhodes Scholarship, lived in this area for 40+ years and started the Diamond mining industry in South Africa.
Our guide, Kevin, could NOT have been better. His knowledge of the flora and fauna made for a fun time riding along the hillsides
in the sunshine learning about them FUN. They run a foundation, the Grootbos Foundation, that promotes livlihoods for locals
by educatin them about the flora. Many work on the Reserve and have even become guides. The exceptional service at Grootbos
coupled with Sundowners on the coast listening to
whales and spectacular sunsets made this one of the
memorable stays of the trip.
www.Grootbosfoundation.com/en/the-grootbos-
foundation ; www.Grootbos.com ;
www.saveourseas.com ; www.sharkwatchsa.co
www.whalewatchsa.com
Day 5:We sadly left our wonderful home at Grootbos, but were excited for our next South African adventure……..
Wine Country… As we rounded the hillside looking over the valley of the Dutch settlements of Franschoek &
Stellenbosch. We had an unscheduled stop to watch monkys groom, yes, in the middle of the highway. They were
everywhere on the road, alongside the highway and seemed to not be bothered by the big tour bus sitting alongside them. We
were then treated along the trail to the very shy hill climbing antelope that literally ran up sheer rock walls with ease.
Stellenbosch is one of the most well known and highly regarded wine areas in the world. Napoleon Bonaparte spent his last
years on Santsalina Island and requested his favorite wine, Constansia Muscatel, from this area on his deathbed. The area is so
incredibly picturesque, it has more more monuments than any place in South Africa. Originally settled by the Dutch as a
“banishment” in 1679 by the Governor of the Cape Colony Simon van der Stel (who named it after himself), Stellenbosch
means "(van der) Stel's forest". In 1690 Huguenot refugees settled in Stellenbosch, & planted grapes in the fertile valleys
around Stellenbosch & it soon became the center of the South African wine industry. The early houses in
Stellenbosch were built in the Cape Dutch style & are unique to the Cape. The style has roots in medeval Holland, Germany,
France and Indonesia. From the whitewashed Anglican church & museums surrounding the Braak (Stellenbosch’s “Central
Park”), to the Cape Dutch farmhouses & 19th century university buildings, the town exudes the history and good taste of the
architectural styles of the last three centuries. The town is located 55 km (34 mi) east of
Cape Town in a hilly region of The Cape Winelands. The Stellenbosch, Paarl &
Franschhoek valleys form the Cape Winelands; the larger of the two main wine
growing regions in South Africa. The soils combined with the well-drained, hilly
terrain and Mediterranean climate of
hot summers & cool wet winters are
ideal for winemaking. (Viticulture) The
South African wine industry produces
about 1,000,000,000 liters of wine
annually. The world renowned
Stellenbosch wine route was
established in 1971 by Frans Malan.
Stellenbosch University is one of
South Africa's leading universities &
dates back to 1863. Stellenbosch is the
primary location for viticulture &
Stellenbosch University even has a
Winemaking program(Viticulture).
They have also successfully built a
communications satellite, Sunsat, which was launched in 2000 & orbited
the earth for three years. Mark, our fearless guide...
The Huegenot Dutch memorial gardens and Statue in the heart of South African Wine country
After a site inspection, we
were first treated to a
spectacular lunch on the
beautiful grounds of
Franschoek Country
House & Villas at their
restaurant, Monneaux. The
property overlooks the
winegrowing valleys and is
simply put: stunning.
Many enjoyed the local
Pinotage wine; developed
by Professor Perold, the
first Professor of
Viticulture at Stellenbosch
University. The grounds
and rooms are truly
spectacular as was the
service. After lunch, a
quick (okay, not so quick) shopping
stop in downtown Stellenbosch
brought Chris Pringle, an agent on the
trip, a Pringle Golf shirt he proudly wore for a
later dinner. We took a beautiful walking tour
through town and the Braak, learning about how
the Dutch were banished here and settled. We
continued to Franschoek to check in to the Le
Franschoek Hotel for a taste of a French Chateau
inside with the distinct traditional thatched
rooftops. A Conde Nast Readers Choice winner
in 2010,& featured on the Conde Naste GOLD
list for 2011. 63 rooms in one of Franschoek’s
original country manors, the panoramic views are
gorgeous.
Evening brought a late afternoon site inspection
on the grounds of Le Quartier Francais. This
property is in the heart of town, but has the most
beautiful french countryside style gardens hidden
behind the walls. Everywhere you look something
is blooming, brimming over, or climbing up the wall. Different rooms categories are
modern and sleek, or country charm. The Common Room, where we dined, was off the
wall. Bright red, sleek and shiney, the award winning spot serves multiple “WOW” bites
such as fish pops, chakalaka ketchup &
sticky bun ice cream for the table to share.
If you prefer more elegant, the award
winning Tasting Room is just across the
hall. www.mydorpie.com/m/?page=stellenbosch;
www.stellenbosch.org.za;
www.tourismstellenbosch.co.za ;
www.lefranschoek.co.za
www.wineroute.co.za/reasons.asp;
www.wineroute.co.za ; www.fch.co.za; www.lqf.co.za
Lunch @ Monneaux
A room @ Le Quartier Francias
View from a room @ Franschoek
County House & Villas
Outside patio @Le Quartier
Francias
Franschoek Hotel w/Historic
thatched roof
The common Room that is
NOT so common
Days 6,7&8:Early morning
took us to the airport for flight via
Johannesberg to Kruger National
Park, the private Sabi Sand Game
Reserve and the stunning Lions
Sands River Lodge. Sabi Sand
Reserve borders Kruger National Park
on an unfenced side, which allows
animals to roam freely between state
and private land. We arrived to Walter
dancing a primal dance with a shield,
although in western clothing. He
greeted us throughout our stay; blowing
his whistle, dancing & chanting each
time we entered or left the
property. The owner said they
never discussed this, he just
started dancing several years
ago. Lion Sands sits on the edge
of the Sabi River surrounded by
trees over 800 years old. Family
owned since 1933, the property
has a private bar/lounge area at
open air sitting areas in settings
that create memories. With 18
luxurious thatched roof
bedrooms overlooking the river,
we were greeted with our names
in flower petals on the beds and
a hardbound book written by
one of the owners: “The Desert
Pool” by Guy Chalkey. Once
settled into our lovely villas, we set out for an evening
game drive and “Sundowners”, a term I came to
like. Sunrisers were great too…..all in the name
of “research”. ;)
She makes
research look
easy….. Sundowners!
Early morning drive to seek game & Amarula coffee on
the river with the Hippos, we made stops for site
inspections at sister properties: Ivory Lodge & the “1933
Villa”; all members of More Hotels of South Africa.
THIS is the leopard I found even before Sam, our wonderful tracker (above left), or Enoch, our guide (above rt)
After three days of early 5am game drives and late evening drives after dinner, delicious food and exceptional service, site
inspections & game drives at Sabi Sabi Private Reserve, Tinga & Earth Lodge, we said goodbye to Sam, Enoch, & Harvey,
our guides & tracker; & PJ, our gracious host & headed to Johannesburg. **Our most seasoned Africa Travel agent said we
saw more game in 2 days than her group had in a previous 10 day trip to Africa! www.LionSands.com ; www.morehotels.co.za/ ;
www.sabisabi.com www.sabisabi.com/lodges/earth www.sa-venues.com/visit/tingalodge www.tinga.co.za www.lionsands.com/lodges/1933 www.lionsands.com/lodges/ivory
Days 9&10: We took the
new Gautrain into town, the high
speed train built for the World
Cup Games in 2011. The train
runs every 20 minutes from the
airport into the city. While quick,
clients and travelers should be
aware they will have to tote their
luggage onto trains. After an
afternoon city tour & wonderful
evening
at the
world
famous Saxon
Hotel, we had a
private dinner
with the hotel
sales staff and our
ground operator
partners in
Johannesburg,
Thompson’s. This stunning
property is where
Oprah stays &
where Nelson
Mandela edited
his memoir:
“Long Walk to
Freedom” after
his prison release.
It is a member of
Leading Hotels
of the World.
The next morning we headed to
Zambia and Victoria Falls to check into the Royal Livingstone Hotel.
A luxurious 5*plus Hotel on the Zambian side of the Victoria Falls, the hotel stretches
along the banks of the Zambezi River, just a short walk to the entrance of The Victoria Falls. The hotel is named in honor of the
explorer Dr. David Livingstone, and its interior design reflects the elegance of a bygone era with an African architectural style.
The Royal Livingstone Hotel consists of 173 colonial-style rooms, all w/private verandas. The resident Zebra herd ran through
the property on our walk to a FANTASTIC outdoor candlelit dinner; & were wandering outside our rooms on our return; really!
Zambia, formerly called Rhodesia, is a landlocked country surrounded by The Republic of Congo , Tanzania , Malawi ,
Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana , Namibia & Angola. The population is concentrated around the capitol of Lusaka, in the
south-central part of the country & the “Copper Belt Province” to the NW. Originally inhabited by Khoisan peoples, modern
Zambia was colonized during the Bantu expansion in the 13th century. After visits by European explorers in the18th century,
Zambia became the British colony of Northern Rhodesia towards the end of the 119th century. For most of the colonial period,
the country was governed by an administration appointed from London with the advice of the British South Africa Company.
The earliest account of a European visiting the area was Francisco de Lacerda in the late 18th century, followed by other
European visitors in the 19th century. The most prominent of these was David
Livingstone, He was the first European to see the magnificent waterfall on the
Zambezi River in 1855, naming them "Victoria Falls" after Queen Victoria - he
described them as "Scenes so lovely they must have been gazed upon by angels in
their flight". Locally the falls are known as "Mosi-o-Tunya" or "(the) thundering
smoke" (in the Lozi or Kololo dialect). The town of Livingstone, near the Falls, is
named after him. Highly publicized accounts of his journeys motivated a wave of
European visitors, missionaries and traders after his death in 1873. In 1888, the
British South Africa Company (BSA Company), led by Cecil Rhodes, obtained
mineral rights from the Chief of the Lozi of the area which later became North-
Western Rhodesia. The official language of Zambia is English, which is used for
official business & education. The main local language, especially in Lusaka, is
Nyanja. However, Bemba and Nyanja are spoken in the urban areas & up to 73 other
local languages. Formally the British colony of Northern Rhodesia, the country was developed for its vast copper resources. It
was grouped with Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) and Nyasaland (Malawi) as part of a federation in 1953. On 24 October 1964,
the country declared independence from Independence from Britain. We rose early for a morning river cruise along the Chobi
River. There were HUNDREDS of elephants EVERYWHERE; alligators; Hippos, & Water Buffalo. After a delicious lunch at
Chobi Safari River Lodge & afternoon game drive along the upper hills of the Chobe River, we were ready for our evening site
inspection and dinner at Sanctuary Sussi & Chuma. Named after David Livingstone’s guides, the lodge is tucked away in the
jungle at the river’s edge the elephants roam freely on the grounds. Indeed, one was eating in the drive up to the hotel and
delayed us by 20 minutes. The Hotel Manager just laughed. The elephants LOUDLY joined us for dinner just off the patios as
well. The grounds & rooms were lovely & the food delicious. The falls can be seen from the Zambia side OR Zimbabwe side.
Chobi River Lodge on the Chobi River
Devil's Pond at the edge of Victoria Falls
GESwww.Royal-Livingstone-
hotel.com www.zambiatourism.com www.zambiatourism.com
www.royal-livingstone-hotel.com;
www.sanctuaryretreats.com www.chobesafarilodge.com www.lhw.com/SaxonBoutiqueHotel
A COBB "Salad" at the Saxon
Entrance @ the Saxon in Joberg
Days 11&12:Early morning found us back in Joberg saying
fond farwells to most of the group. Leanne From Hood Canal Travel
& I had one more day of adventure to look forward to, so we
happily checked BACK into the Saxon for our last night. Dinner
at the patio lounge was a nice relaxing last night to a fun & exciting
trip. The “seafood cobb salad” below, was a stack packed with
deliciousness and looked amazing. The Saxon Hotel, in the
gated residential area of Sandhurst, is close to the 2 major shopping
areas in Johannesburg. An all-suite hotel, on 10 acres of land in a
residential area of Johannesburg -this exclusive luxury hotel
epitomizes authentic African elegance combined with discretely
personalized attention to detail. 24 suites in the Saxon main hotel
and three Villas + 29 suites all with a strong element of African Art, state-of-the-art facilities, writing desk, in suite laptop
and wireless Internet access. When you
walk in the door, you just say Ahhhhh……
Our last morning in South Africa, we enjoyed a terrace breakfast in our
room overlooking the pool area (See above), then headed off to see Soweto
& the Nelson Mandela Museum. Driving through Soweto & walking
through the Hector Pieterson Museum in Soweto, we learned about the
student uprisings there that, ultimately, led to the END of Apartheid in South
Africa and to the country they have become today. www.joberg.org.za;
www.sowetouprising.com; www.apartheidmuseum.org The one thing that
specifically sticks in my mind, beyond the magnificent Big Five, the
outstanding service & amazing properties, is the friendliness and constant
SMILES of the South African people.
Never have I
been
anywhere
where the
smiles are so
free,
immediate
and genuine.
I LOVED
that!
If you made it this far reading, THANK YOU!! I appreciate sharing details & tips with you on the sights, properties, tourist areas and unique little known once in a lifetime experiences we (and YOU!) can give your client through El Mundo Safaris.
A perfect extension for any combination of this itinerary could include: Durban, extra days in Cape Town and Johannesburg, a wine adventure in the Cape Winelands area…..
…is ready to help YOU with your clients to anywhere in Africa. In addition to South Africa, Zambia, Botswana & Zimbabwe highlighted in this trip, El Mundo Safaris specializes in other Destinations in Africa and the surrounding region: Kenya, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Madagascar, Maldives,
Mauritius, Seychelles, Dubai, Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Malawi, & Namibia.
El Mundo Safaris: A world where the cascading waters of Victoria Fall plummet into crystal blue pools and raging rapids give way to the to the serene Zambezi River, where the Namib sands lead to the indigenous Himba Tribe, animals roam in the Serengeti sun, where the bustle of cosmopolitan Cape Town shimmers under Tabletop Mountain and penguins roam the beaches of South Cape….
THIS is Africa…..…….
For quotes & Reservations:
For Africa: 1-206-898-0651 Info@ElMundoSafaris.com www.ElMundoSafaris.com
As always, please call or email me if you have questions. Remember, if you are not in business, I’m not either.
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