Travel Butlers African Safari Blog.

For anyone considering a family holiday AFTER the World Cup this summer, we have some great news for you.

AmaKhosi Lodge not only welcomes children of any age, BUT from the 14th July 2010 until the end of August, children STAY FOR FREE !

The lodge has 2 family suites, which both have a separate lounge area with fold out beds for the children. They are also introducing a Childrens Programme, starting 1st April 2010, which will include activities such as fabric painting, movie watching (with popcorn!), and an exciting Goody Bag.

The 12,000 hectare reserve is home to Africa’s Big 5 (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo) as well as giraffe, warthog and hyena, hippopotamus and crocodile. There are also no less than 400 bird species.

For anyone planning their South African holiday in advance, it is so refreshing to have just heard that the Amakhala Game Reserve have announced that they are HOLDING their current 2010 rates throughout 2011.

They are also going to continue to offer the excellent Special Offer deal of Stay for 4 Nights, Pay for 3 during January, February, March and April 2011, and during the low season months of May, June, July, August and September 2011 they are offering a Stay for 3 nights, Only Pay for 2 deal.

All in all - a winner all round for anyone wanting to experience exciting game drives in search of the Big 5 in a malaria-free environment !

Call us now to make your booking …. why wait any longer !!

Sibuya Tented Camp, situated in the malaria-free Eastern Cape, is a 3,000 hectare ’sanctuary’ to an abundance of diverse wildlife from elephants to otters, and almost everything in between, including the other 4 members of the Big 5 - so lion, leopard, buffalo and rhino.

River Camp is ideal for families, as the children can be accommodated on fold-out sofa beds in the suites, and there is also a special 'entertainment tent' just for younger guests.

Rates from Travel Butlers for a stay in this camp start from just R2,130 per adult per night up until the end of August, and then increase on the 1st September to R2,420 per adult sharing. Single rooms attract a 50 supplement, and children under 3 stay free of charge, and up to 12 years pay half rate.

Sun City have announced that they now are proud to offer Go-Karting as just one of many activities that can be enjoyed at the Sun City resort. The track is located at the bottom car park on the Resort, and is operational from 10 am in the morning until 10 pm at night.

Other activites include safari drives into Pilanesberg, hot air balloon rides, golf, archery, quad-biking, clay target shooting, helicopter flips, the Afro-Dizzia Extravaganza, the Valley of the Waves and Waterworld, casinos and slot machines … absolutely loads to keep everyone entertained, whatever your age, for a few days !!

Stay for 3 nights for the price of 2 at Fynbos Camp, situated in the 10,000 hectare Gondwana Game Reserve - one of the first and only authentic Big 5 private game reserves in the Western Cape, located 15 km west of Mossel Bay.

The setting is remote yet easily accessible to the Garden Route, with its beautiful beaches and some of the best golf courses in the world, and only 3.5 hours from Cape Town. The area is also well known for its moderate year-round climate.

Safaris in search of the Big 5 are conducted in open game viewing vehicles in the Big 5 malaria-free reserve, and horse-back safaris will be possible in a fenced off area of the reserve.

All meals, local beverages, and 2 game drives per day are included.

Children under 12 years are welcome.

Valid for travel between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2010. This offer is only applicable on bookings which are confirmed BEFORE 1st June 2010.

AS us to check availability now !

Travel Butlers are pleased to now be working with Sibuya Tented Camp, in the malaria-free Eastern Cape.

The 3,000 hectare malaria-free reserve is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including the Big 5 of the African bush - elephant, rhino, lion, leopard and buffalo. Over 400 bird species have also been recorded.

A wide range of activities await guests, including guided game drives, fishing, canoeing, and horseback safaris. But the most unique part of a stay here is the 30 minute boat transfer to River or Forest Camp from the main reception area - during which, if you are lucky, you may see dolphins and turtles in the river mouth.

Accommodation is in safari tents, split between 2 camps - Forest and River. Children are welcome at River Camp.

Cape Royale Luxury Hotel and Residence provides an enclave of luxury and refinement. Situated along a tree-lined boulevard in Green Point, the artistic quarter of Cape Town, it is a mere 30-minute drive from the airport, and within 5 minutes of the beaches of Clifton and the palm-fringed white sands of Camps Bay, not to mention a stone’s throw away from the famous shoppers paradise, the V&A Waterfront.

From the grand and elegant façade and entrance to the intimate and relaxed atmosphere of the designer furnished suites, the Cape Royale is the first choice for discerning travellers seeking the very best in comfort and convenience.

For guests wanting to stay in this stunning hotel between now and the 15th December, they can enjoy a stay of 7 nights and only pay for 5 nights. Click here to ask us to check availability for you and to make a booking.

Visit Cape Town between now and the 15th December and stay for 4 nights and only pay for 3 night at the Cape Royale Hotel, in Green Point.

Each of the 95 suites, including the new 2 bedroom Family Suites (which have their own lounge and dining area), features contemporary décor, luxurious fabrics and fine textures and the carefully selected artwork has been chosen to create an ambiance of understated luxury.

Click here to enquire about availability and to ask us to make a booking for you !

If you are thinking of arranging a family holiday to South Africa, and including a couple of days at a safari lodge, you will be amazed at the number of lodges that do cater specifically for children - and by this, we mean not only just offering to put extra beds in the room for them to sleep on !

A growing number of safari lodges now offer children programmes for their younger guests. These obviously vary from lodge to lodge, but in general the majority of the programmes will include ‘bush bumbles’ - a shortened version of the adults game drive, plus the vehicle will not get as close to the larger animals of the African bush (such as elephants, lions, buffalo and rhino); short bush walks in search of insects and animal spoor (what child wouldn’t just LOVE the opportunity to be able to pick up some zebra dung !!), and story-telling about ‘Why the Elephant has a Trunk’ , ‘Why the Zebra has a Stripy Coat’ and ‘Why the Warthog is so Ugly’. Some lodges will offer kiddies bush picnics or special ‘themed’ meal times, some will even invite the children into the kitchen where the chef will help them bake cookies.

And all this goes on while the parents either enjoy their own game drives or just relax around the pool !

You can see a selection of lodges that Travel Butlers work with who offer such programmes by clicking HERE.

Even if you want to go to a lodge that doesn’t offer a bespoke children’s programme, there will always be babysitters on hand to look after the really young children during game drives. In general, all the lodges right across South Africa will not allow children younger than 5 to go on the long adult game drives (but the age restriction does vary from lodge to lodge so you do need to check with us before booking).

If you really do want to share the safari experience with your little ones, you can ask the lodge if you can hire a Land Rover for a day, and the ranger will only take you and your family out on your own game drives.

This will be an extra cost over and above the rate that you would normally pay, and whilst the lodge will do everything they can to accommodate this, they all do state that they cannot guarantee this service - purely for the reason that each lodge will normally have just one ’spare’ Land Rover - and if one of the vehicles that is due to take out the other guests breaks down, then the spare vehicle has to be used !

Finally, for most families, the family-friendly lodges in the malaria-free regions, such as the Eastern Cape, the Waterberg and Madikwe, will offer the most appeal, as this will mean that the kiddies will not have to take malaria tablets before, during and after the safari part of the trip !

Ant’s Reserve is located in the magnificent, malaria-free Waterberg region.

Home to both Ant’s Nest and Ant’s Hill lodges, both lodges are owned and run by Ant and Tessa Baber. The Baber family have a long history in the area, dating back to 1886, and indeed were one of the earliest pioneers to the region.

In the mid 1990’s, Ant and Tessa renovated their old ranch house, which became Ant’s Nest, and in 2003, they built a second lodge, Ant’s Hill, above a spectacular gorge, offering superb views of the surrounding bushveld.

Their aim is very simple - to provide all guests with a unique safari experience, whatever their age.

Guests staying at either lodge have a wide range of game viewing activities to choose from.

They can opt to go on a game drive in an open Land Rover with an experienced ranger, or they can get to know the African bush in greater detail by participating in a guided game walks (anything from a gentle stroll across the open plains to a full days hike over the rugged hills that dominate the terrain).

However, probably the most exciting game viewing activity is on horseback. The lodges own 60 well-schooled horses in total, which can cater for any riding ability - from the complete novice to the experienced rider.

However you want to tailor your stay at Ant’s Reserve, it is up to you. Your guide will sit down with you when you arrive, and you can together work out a plan for your stay, which may also include a massage, or a trip to a nearby elephant sanctuary for a 90 minute elephant back safari experience through a Big 5 reserve, or even mountain-biking … or just pure relaxation time if you need to regenerate your batteries !

Both lodges can be booked on an exclusive basis, so this is ideal if you are travelling with a large group or family, or you can book just one room if you are a couple or family travelling on your own.

Many people also enjoy combining a stay at Ant’s Reserve with a stay at the Big 5 Madikwe Game Reserve, which is also malaria-free, and a short stay at Sun City either at the start or end of your holiday, you can also see our suggestions for a 7 night itinerary including all 3 of these areas by clicking here.

Finally, for guests really wanting to get ‘back to nature’, why not consider adding a couple of nights at their 3rd lodge, Ant’s Bush Camp, which is situated in the nearby Lapalala Reserve and only a 40 minutes drive away.

Bush Camp has only 3 safari tents, and no electricity, so a stay here really is very authentic. The camp is also only booked on an exclusive basis, so you can be assured of a truly personal service and intimate experience.