Kwazulu Natal Adventure

Our Africa Specialist, Ally, has just arrived back from her amazing trip to South Africa and tells us all about it….

After an overnight flight with British Airways into Johannesburg International Airport and an onward connecting flight with Comair, we finally arrived at the new King Shaka (Durban) International Airport which is north of the city.  Our path through the airport from baggage reclaims, Immigration and Customs went very smoothly and the Avis Rent a Car Desk was only a short walk just outside the building.  We signed the paperwork and were soon on our way to the Drakensburg Mountains via the N2 highway.  There are tolls on the SA motorways so be prepared but it is only about 7 Rand which is less than a £1.

Our drive took us south towards Durban and then north through Pietermartizburg until we met the R2 road leading from Winterton.  Once off the main road the scenery was stunning.  Wide open spaces dotted here and there with the odd round thatched hut or square breeze block house.  Considering it was Summer time the pastures were very green and the rivers were flowing fast but apparently they’ve had more rain than normal this year.  This road to the Cathedral Peak Hotel took approximately an hour but overall the drive took approximately 3.5 hrs.   One minute we were crossing a river and the next going around the side of a mountain but it was amazing.  Eventually, we started to climb higher as we neared the Cathedral Peak hotel which is nestled in the mountains and the road became narrower and the mountain became shrouded in cloud.   The reception staff at the hotel greeted us with of those big South African smiles and we were shown to our room which was larger than we expected and it had its own little garden area.

The hotel is situated in a Cultural and Natural World Heritage site and mainly caters for hikers and walkers but they do cater very well for families as they have some rooms which will accommodate up to 5 people.  Some of the activities include horse riding, quad biking, golf, bowls, tennis, badminton, fishing, bird spotting, free daily guided walks and hikes, a climbing wall and a small pool overlooking the river below.  I can thoroughly recommend the horse riding and the quad biking. The food at the hotel was plentiful, very delicious and we found the wine exceptionally good value. The hotel was originally founded in the early 1900′s by Albert van der Riet and is still run by the family who have extended it over the years – there is so much history here and well worth a staying here.

If this has made you want to travel to this stunning area, why not take advantage of our Kwazulu Natal Offer Package, which includes staying at the Cathedral Park Hotel.

A hawk stole my banana in the Ngorongoro Crater!

Please see below an exciting account from one of our advisors Mark who travelled to Tanzania…..

Once in the Crater you are met by the vast plain that is the crater floor. Tracks fan out over the crater floor to the different areas and within minutes you are within site of the Wildlife. The first wildlife we saw was herds of Zebra. You are likely to see these on the way up to the Crater rim as well, but as you progress the other plains grazers are all evident. We soon came upon a water-hole with a Herd of Hippos wallowing in the morning sun.  The birdlife sharing the waterhole and catching the odd ride on the backs of the Hippos was an amusing addition to a great picture. Surprisingly, Hippo is the most dangerous animal in Africa.

As you progress across the crater you are likely to experience Buffalo, Antelope, Hyenas and Lion. We even had a sighting of a rhino at long distance, but the haze from the crater floor made it hard to get a good picture.

There are rest stations on the edge of the crater and even here the wildlife will keep you entertained. Whilst having our packed lunch one of my friends had her banana “stolen” from out of her hands by one of the Hawks that inhabit the crater. The look on her face was a sight to see as the Hawk swooped down from her blindside and took the open banana just before she ate it.

Whilst in the crater you are probably going to experience quite a lot of traffic. This cannot be avoided as the crater is enclosed so drivers tend to see other drivers or groups and head over to see what’s going on. I did not think that this made the experience any less as the crater is an amazing place and its best experienced in one day so it’s worth putting up with the traffic to experience this amazing place and all the wildlife that it holds.

I have to say that one of the most memorable views that I have experienced in Africa was from the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater. This amazing crater with all its’ wildlife seemed to come to life as the clouds cleared and the sun shone through.

Happy Customers

 Great feedback from happy clients who booked 2 nights at Porini Rhino Camp, 2 nights at Porini Lion Camp along with time on the beach at Pinewood Village and Sable Valley - just what we always like to hear!

The trip far exceeded all of the expectations that we had.  The Porini camps are just a wonderful way to experience a safari and I cannot compliment the staff enough for making our stays so memorable. The food and service were great, the people so welcoming – we felt very privileged to be able to share their country and wildlife.  Our stay at Pinewood was also very relaxing – a great hotel and great people again!
The gamedrives were fantastic with a wealth of animals (including the ‘big 5’).  A mixture of times flexible to our requirements and the guide’s knowledge of the area/wildlife were amazing. Particular thanks to Domonic/Bill at the Porini Rhino camp and Mechak/Gerrard at the Porini Lion camp.
A special thank you for arranging the ‘birthday treat’ for Laura both at the Lion camp and the Sable Valley Tree House – both of which were very much appreciated.
I wanted to drop you a quick line to thank you for arranging our fantastic holiday to Kenya!