Conferencing: escape the city
ONE of South Africa’s most accessible parks, Pilanesberg National Park is near Johannesburg and is gaining popularity for bush conferencing. “Pilanesberg is just a short drive from Johannesburg and Pretoria, which makes it an ideal break away from the busy city,” says Ruzandri Stoltz, aha marketing manager. “The setting is ideal to enjoy a relaxed conferencing atmosphere, but at the same time get business done.” Both of aha’s lodges in the Pilanesberg – aha Ivory Tree Game Lodge and aha Shepherd's Tree Game Lodge – offer dedicated conference facilities with a variety of activities. Add-on activities for delegates include game
drives, spa treatments, hotair ballooning, interactive drumming, archery and boma as well as bush dinners, says Ruzandri. Legacy Hotels and Resorts is investing in extending and refurbishing its conferencing room at Bakubung and has introduced three different levels of conferencing packages, as a result of the growth in MICE business. “People are looking for variation and customisation,” says Hara Jackson, group sales manager of Legacy. She says variations can also be built around these packages. “It is important to understand what the customer wants to achieve from their conference so that our offer aligns with that objective.” Pilanesberg National Park
is in the Bojanala Region in North West Province and, covering 550 sq km, is the fourth-largest in South Africa. It is a two- to three-hour drive from OR Tambo International or Lanseria Airport and is close to Sun City. It is a Big Five reserve with plains game including waterbuck, wildebeest, zebra and impala. There is a bird hide close to the Mankwe Dam, where fish eagles, kingfishers and cormorants can be spotted. Another highlight is the volcano crater, which is believed to have been left by an eruption 1,3 billion years ago. The crater is a ring dyke complex, where, instead of erupting through the surface, the magma cooled underground, later collapsing in the centre.
Bush experience just outside Nairobi
MORE than 20 national parks, including the renowned Maasai Mara as well as Amboseli National Park – famed for its elephant population – make Kenya’s safari offering compelling. Plenty of direct flights into Nairobi from Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban make this city an appropriate central point for multi-country safaris, taking in Tanzania to see the migration, and Uganda or Rwanda to include gorilla trekking. Nairobi is also unique for being one of the few cities –
if not the only one – where travellers are likely to spot wildlife while flying into the airport. Touted as ‘the world’s only wildlife capital’, the city is less than 10km north of Nairobi National Park, which covers more than 100 sq km. Predators, including lions, leopards, cheetahs and hyenas, are found in the park, along with other mammals such as buffaloes, giraffes and Black rhinos. Over 400 species of birdlife have been recorded in the park.
Great access Kenya Airways operates 21 weekly flights out of Johannesburg and 10 weekly flights from Cape Town. From its hub in Nairobi, the airline operates five daily flights to Dar es Salaam, 42 weekly flights to Entebbe and double-daily flights to Kigali. Airkenya operates out of Wilson Airport in Nairobi to Amboseli National Park, Kilimanjaro, the Maasai Mara, Meru National Park, Nanyuki, Lewa Downs and Samburu.
Premier Hotels upgrades Eastern Cape lodges
PREMIER Hotels & Resorts has invested over R18m in expanding and upgrading Premier Resort Mpongo Private Game Reserve in East London. The upgrades include two additional lodges, Indlovu Lodge and Umthombe Bush Villa, both designed with a colonial feel. Indlovu Lodge is perched on a hilltop overlooking the reserve and comprises one family room, 18 standard rooms as well as two dormitories, which together are capable of catering for up to 16 people. The lodge also has a swimming pool, communal lounge and dining room. Umthombe Bush Villa
offers five bedrooms, a boardroom/games room, braai area, swimming pool and a lounge and dining room. Premier’s investment has also seen renovations to the restaurant, upgrades to the Edu-Centre and the construction of new administration offices at the resort. The resort is 40km from East London Airport and 30km from East London, on more than 35 sq km of conservation land. It is home to animals such as elephants, lions (including rare white lions), buffaloes, hippos, giraffes, numerous antelope and over 200 bird species.
Did you know?
Bakubung Bush Lodge offers four- to five-hour walking safaris led by a qualified field ranger.
New luxury camp opens in Thornybush
SASEKA Tented Camp opened in Thornybush Nature Reserve in March. The camp is situated along the Monwana River, with the main area on a curve in the river. The elevated tented suites give guests a full view of the riverbed and the accompanying game viewing. Saseka comprises ten 200-sqm tented suites spaced around two common areas. The smaller common area is designed for exclusive small groups and families, as the Leadwood Tented Villa. Each tented suite has its own private pool, outdoor
shower and sundeck, and is air-conditioned. Andy Payne, chairman of Thornybush, explains the motivation for Saseka. “We wanted to offer our guests a completely different experience to what we already have at Thornybush – a luxury tented safari experience with innovative design. “Saseka Tented Camp has been a year in the making,” he says. “It is such a thrill to see our vision come to life and we are extremely excited to welcome guests and share the Saseka experience with them.” Thornybush Private Nature Reserve covers 140 sq km.
The reserve forms part of the Greater Kruger National Park Conservation Area now that the fences bordering the Timbavati Reserve and Thornybush have been dropped. Saseka is the Tsonga word for beautiful and also the name of a female leopard in the area.
Sell more high-end safaris
“Once South Africans have stayed at a premium lodge in SA they tend to become repeat guests, in greater percentages to foreign guests,” says Nic Griffin, ceo of Thornybush
Luxury Game Lodge Collection. “Premium game experiences are generally good value and supported by first-timers and are an important part of the guest mix.
Airlink offers seamless connections to luxury lodges
AIRLINK reports that its air transfer system connecting travellers between Skukuza, Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport and certain game lodges has seen an increase in uptake. Airlink’s Lodge Link system flies direct from Nelspruit Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport and Skukuza Airport to the Londolozi, Arathusa, Ulusaba, Ngala and Phinda airstrips. Passengers are then collected from the airstrips and transferred to various surrounding game lodges. Karin Murray, senior
manager of sales and marketing at Airlink, says the Lodge Link flights are marketed as a city-to-lodge service where clients can connect seamlessly from international and domestic destinations to game lodges using one ticket and allowing them convenient access to various destinations around Southern Africa. While, locally, guests can connect from Cape Town to Londolozi for instance, international guests can connect seamlessly from New York all the way to Ulusaba.
The services feature the lodge destinations in the GDS, with interline connectivity and single contract ticketing. The transfer system is timed to connect with Airlink’s scheduled flight services from Johannesburg and Cape Town. Airlink’s Lodge Link flights are operated with a new twin pilot Cessna Grand Caravan 208BEX, 12-seater turboprop aircraft. Checked and cabin baggage is limited to 20kg and 8kg respectively and must be in soft bags, which are available to use free on request.
Book it!
Thompsons Holidays is offering two-night packages to Madikwe Game Reserve, staying at aha Thakadu River Camp. Pricing starts from R6 985pps for self-drive guests, and includes breakfast, lunch and dinner and two game drives daily. Gate entrance fee of R180pp per stay; a conservation levy of R150pp per night; and a bed levy of R10pp per night are excluded. The special is available for bookings until September 30.
Spotlight on Madikwe
THE 750 sq km Madikwe Game Reserve is famous for its population of wild dogs, which are the second most endangered carnivore in Africa after the Ethiopian wolf. There are fewer than 5 000 wild dogs in the world and the species is threatened by the loss of natural habitat and their susceptibility to disease and human-wildlife conflict. The reserve is 350km from Johannesburg, in the North West province, where it shares a border with Botswana. In addition to plains game and the Big Five, the reserve also boasts other rare predators such as cheetahs, caracal, brown and spotted hyenas. Madikwe is considered unique because of its location in a transition zone on the edges of the Kalahari and the bushveld and, as a result, rare species from both ecosystems naturally occur in the reserve. For example, it is one of a few reserves in southern Africa where visitors can see Kalahari gemsbok, springbok, brown hyena and aardwolf. There are nearly 90 different species of mammals and more than 350 bird species. Animals in the reserve include zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, ostrich,
warthog, and antelope species such as impala, springbok, kudu, waterbuck, eland, blesbok, nyala and sable. The number of vehicles is limited, as the reserve is closed to outside visitors and is only open to guests overnighting. Guests are not permitted to drive their own vehicles and field rangers manage the number of vehicles on a sighting. “Madikwe enjoys regular reports of top game sightings,” says John Ridler, PR and media manager of Thompsons Holidays. “The undulating scenery is dotted with rocky hills and expansive plains – excellent terrain for game viewing. “The reserve is the fifth largest in SA and is malaria free, making it ideal for families with small children.” He says another selling point is that it is easily reached by car from Gauteng, with the eastern border of the reserve reaching to Sun City. Commenting on the guest experience, Renate Oostmeijer, gm of Tau Game Lodge, says: “The early-morning safaris are spectacular, offering magical light for photography, with a pitstop for Amarula coffee and delicious buttermilk rusks, overlooking the verdant bush, whilst game
rangers always keep a vigilant eye on game and predators. “Afternoon game drives include dazzling African sunsets with decadent sundowners before returning to the lodge for a convivial dinner, which is hosted in the boma, restaurant or dining deck, depending on the weather.” Madikwe’s wild dogs Earlier this year, a second clan of wild dogs was introduced into the reserve, thanks to a collaboration between Madikwe Game Reserve, North West Parks, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and Endangered Wildlife Trust. Four male wild dogs from KZN were placed in a boma
in Madikwe Game Reserve with five females from the reserve so that they could bond and form a second genetically strong pack. The translocation of wild dogs began in 1994 and today the reserve prides itself on its efforts to
conserve this species. Since the release of the second pack, the Madikwe Field Guides Association has distributed Madikwe Wild Dog identification kits so that rangers and guests can participate in identifying specific individuals.
Book it
Premier Resorts Mpongo Private Game Reserve near East London is offering a 20% discount on its rates until the end of August. To take advantage of this offer, agents must book using the promo code Winter 2019
Premier Resorts Mpongo Private Game Reserve near East London is offering a 20% discount on its rates until the end of August. To take advantage of this offer, agents must book using the promo code Winter 2019
Voluntourism
Wildlife ACT – which has programmes in Zululand, KwaZulu Natal – focuses on critically endangered species, including the African wild dog. It is the only African volunteer organisation that works with, and is supported by, WWF. The group’s wildlife
volunteer programme is also Fair Trade Tourism certified. Volunteers are invited to join the programme for periods of two weeks or more, where they will assist researchers track and monitor individuals, documenting behaviour.
Maasai Mitzvahs uniquely mark coming-of-age
ANGAMA Mara, which is located above the floor of the Great Rift Valley and overlooks Kenya’s Maasai Mara, has created an experience to mark the Jewish coming-of-age ritual of both Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. Families staying at the lodge celebrate by exposing their children to what young Maasai men and women undertake on their journey into adulthood. Angama Mara also has a kosher kitchen and can cater for their dietary requirements. “Being in the heart of Maasailand means Angama Mara guests have the opportunity to learn more about how this significant milestone is celebrated in a completely different culture from their own, all the while sharing experiences and learning from one another,” says Angama Mara ceo, Nicky Fitzgerald. She says, while Angama has accommodated several Jewish guests on this experience, there has also been interest from non-religious family groups who want to give their children the opportunity to learn more about what it means to come of age in an entirely different culture. The Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah celebrations both start with an early wilderness walk. The Bar Mitzvah celebrant will be accompanied by a Maasai naturalist who
will share his stories about becoming a Maasai warrior. While exploring Maasailand, he will be taught the traditional skills of spear and rungu (wooden club) throwing. After breakfast, the young man will spend some contemplative time with a Maasai elder in a manyatta (traditional homestead) where they will discuss what it means to come of age in the Maasai culture. The day’s events come to a celebratory close with the family gathering in the sundowner boma overlooking the Great Rift Valley, where the young man will be taught how to jump like a Maasai warrior. The occasion will be commemorated with a Maasai blessing and the presentation of a yarmulke beaded by local women. On the Bat Mitzvah celebration, the young woman will be accompanied by a Maasai maiden who will share stories of what it was like to grow up in her culture. Afterwards, the family will gather in the Shamba (lodge kitchen garden) where they will be greeted in song by Maasai women. From here, the Bat Mitzvah girl will be escorted to the manyatta to be adorned with traditional beaded gifts. The group will head back to the deck of the Shamba where the family will witness a ceremony where the young woman will be given a Maasai name.
Bush school is cool
Thornybush Game Lodge and Waterside Lodge
Children staying at Thornybush Game Lodge and Thornybush Waterside Lodge have a special programme prepared for them prior to their arrival. Drives and activities can also be tailored to suit children’s interests and attention span. Some of the activities offered include picnics at the pool, educational walks with rangers, treasure hunts, baking and face painting. While the programme is only offered at Thornybush Game Lodge and Thornybush Waterside Lodge, children staying at these two lodges as well as Serondella Game Lodge, Monwana Lodge and Jackalberry Lodge, will all receive ‘Ranger in Training’ backpacks on arrival to keep them entertained during their stay. Contents include a colouring
book with crayons or a game drive book with pencil; a water bottle; glow-in-the
dark mosquito repellent arm bands; lip ice; and an agerelated safari interactive toy.
Bakubung and Kwa Maritane
Legacy has a Junior Ranger Programme at both its lodges in the Pilanesberg – Bakubung and Kwa Maritane – that teach children about animals, birds, spoors, scat, and urban legends about the trees in the park. Other activities include an hour’s guided educational
walk around the lodge; morning game drives where children are given a spoor kit (not suitable for children under six years); and a birding programme that consists of a selection of checklists and activity books for kids. Other than the game drives, these activities are
reserved for children aged between four and 12. Legacy also offers full-day kiddies’ programmes during the school holidays, with new activities every day, including basketball, balloon painting, and creating pictures out of sand.
Serena Mountain Lodge
Serena Hotels offers a range of children’s activities at its lodges in East Africa. At Serena Mountain Lodge
in Mount Kenya, children can listen to historic tales of Mt Kenya narrated by guides at the kids’ club. At
Lake Manyara Serena Camp in Tanzania, children can participate in a watercolour painting session.
Tau Game Lodge
At Tau Game Lodge in Madikwe, children aged between three and five, who cannot join adults on game drives, automatically become members of the Tau Cubz Club. It includes a short game drive after breakfast just for the kids, after which they are entertained with treasure hunts and arts and crafts activities. The children are provided with their own Cubz Club backpacks, which are filled with a wildlife activity booklet that includes an
animal sticker checklist, a deputy ranger sticker badge and certificate (which is signed off by their personal ranger), as well as a special Tau T-shirt. The club runs from 09h00 to 16h00, with additional babysitting available afterwards. Children aged between six and 11 can join the adult safaris. They will also be issued with a special Cubz Club activity booklet and are welcome to join their siblings for the Cubz Club activities.
Premier Resort Mpongo
Premier Hotels & Resorts has kids’ holiday activities at all its resorts, including activities such as kiddies’ talent shows, kids’ Olympic Games, treasure hunts, pool
games and marshmallow toasting. At Premier Resort Mpongo, the group’s ‘Bush’ Buddies programme focuses on activities inspired by the
reserve’s conservation goals. Children up to 12 years old are taught about wildlife, survival bush tactics and basic scout training.
