Travel Butlers African Safari Blog.

Book and stay at Irene Country Lodge during the DLF Indian Premier League and enjoy special rates on a Bed and Breakfast basis. The hotel will also arrange transfers from to and from the cricket stadium, which is situated only 3 km from the hotel.

Nestling in the historic village of Irene, the Irene Country Lodge is centrally located between Johannesburg and Pretoria, and a mere twenty-five minute drive from Johannesburg International Airport.

Forthcoming games are as follows :

30 April - Deccan Chargers v Delhi Daredevils - 12.30 pm
30 April - Rajastan Royals v Chennai Super Kings - 4.30 pm

6 May - Deccan Chargers v Mumbai Indians - 4.30 pm

7 May - Bangalore Royal Challengers v Rajastan Royals - 12.30 pm
7 May - Kings XI Punjab v Chennai Super Kings - 4.30 pm

12 May - Bangalore Royal Challengers v Kolkata Knight Riders - 12.30 pm
12 May - Mumbai Indians v Kings XI Punjab - 4.30 pm

18 May - Kolkata Knight Riders v Chennai Super Kings - 4.30 pm

21 May - Mumbai Indians v Delhi Daredevils - 12.30 pm
21 May - Deccan Chargers v Bangalore Royal Challengers - 4.30 pm

22 May - 1st Semi-Final - 4.30 pm

Please contact Tracey Campbell at Travel Butles on tracey.campbell@travelbutlers.com or call her on +44 845 838 2450 for more information and for a quote !

As most people know, South Africa is the proud host of the second edition of the DFL-Indian Premier League, with the opening ceremony being held in Cape Town, and the inaugural match being played at Newlands on Saturday April 18 2009.

The Newlands cricket stadium is staging 8 of the exhilarating games and visitors can look forward to being entertained from start to finish.

The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa have put together a package that will help you unwind after all the excitement.

The IPL T20 Cricket package includes:

Welcome drink on arrival + Luxury Accommodation + Full English Breakfast daily + Complimentary transfer to and from Newlands Cricket ground (set transfer times) + Complimentary use of the Sanctuary spa hot jet and cold plunge pools and flotation tank.

Please call Tracey Campbell at Travel Butlers on +44 845 838 2450 or email her on tracey.campbell@travelbutlers.com to find out more and to get a quote. The package is valid from the 13th of April 2009 until the 25th of May 2009.

For information too, the 8 Cape Town PL fixtures will be as follows :

18 April 2009 Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings - 12.30pm
18 April 2009 Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bangalore - 4.30pm
19 April 2009 Delhi Daredevils vs Kings XI Punjab - 12.30pm
19 April 2009 Kolkata Knight Riders vs Deccan Chargers - 4.30pm
22 April 2009 Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Deccan Chargers - 12.30pm
23 April 2009 Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals - 12.30pm
25 April 2009 Deccan Chargers vs Mumbai Indians - 12.30pm
25 April 2009 Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings - 4.30pm

With the IPL starting in South Africa this coming weekend, Setanta is showing a couple of documentries this week to help UK based fans get in the mood.

First up, on Tuesday April 14, there is Warne’s Story. This is the story of The Rajasthan Royals’ IPL season last year including an exclusive interview with Shane Warne about his role as captain and coach of the inaugural IPL champions.

Following this on Wednesday April 15 is Access All Areas which takes the viewer behind the scenes with The Rajasthan Royals during last year’s IPL.

The tourament starts on Saturday 18th April with two games in Cape Town: at 4pm, RAJASTHAN ROYALS take on ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE, and this is followed by MUMBAI INDIANS v CHENNAI SUPER KINGS at 8 pm. See the full match schedule here.

Remember: South Africa is 1 hour ahead of British Summer Time, so these games will be on TV in the UK at 3pm and 7pm.

The IPL will be taking place in South Africa between 18th April and 24th May, with games in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban, Johannesburg, Pretoria, and East London.  

The full schedule of games is as follows (please note times given here are South African times and are 1 hour ahead of UK times):

April 18: RAJASTHAN ROYALS v ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE (4 pm) at Cape Town; MUMBAI INDIANS v CHENNAI SUPER KINGS (8 pm) at Cape Town

April 19: KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS v DECCAN CHARGERS (4 pm) at Cape Town; DELHI DAREDEVILS v KINGS XI PUNJAB (8 pm) at Cape Town.

April 20: ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE V CHENNAI SUPER KINGS (4 pm) at Port Elizabeth.

April 21: RAJASTHAN ROYALS v MUMBAI INDIANS (4 pm) at Durban; KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS v KINGS XI PUNJAB (8 pm) at Durban

April 22: DELHI DAREDEVILS v CHENNAI SUPER KINGS (4 pm) at Durban; ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE v DECCAN CHARGERS (8 pm) at Cape Town

April 23: KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS v RAJASTHAN ROYALS (4 pm) at Port Elizabeth

April 24: KINGS XI PUNJAB v ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE (4 pm) at Johannesburg

April 25: KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS v CHENNAI SUPER KINGS (4 pm) at Cape Town; DECCAN CHARGERS v MUMBAI INDIANS (8 pm) at Durban.

April 26: RAJASTHAN ROYALS v KINGS XI PUNJAB (4 pm) at Cape Town; ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE v DELHI DAREDEVILS (8 pm) Port Elizabeth

April 27: KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS v MUMBAI INDIANS (4 pm) at Cape Town; CHENNAI SUPER KINGS v DECCAN CHARGERS (8 pm) at Durban.

April 28: DELHI DAREDEVILS v RAJASTHAN ROYALS (4 pm) at Pretoria

April 29: MUMBAI INDIANS v KINGS XI PUNJAB (4 pm) at Durban; KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS v ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE (8 pm) at Durban

April 30: DELHI DAREDEVILS v DECCAN CHARGERS (4 pm) at Pretoria; RAJASTHAN ROYALS v CHENNAI SUPER KINGS (8 pm) at Pretoria.

May 1: ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE v KINGS XI PUNJAB (4 pm) at East London; MUMBAI INDIANS v KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS (8 pm) at Durban

May 2: RAJASTHAN ROYALS v DECCAN CHARGERS (4 pm) at Johannesburg; CHENNAI SUPER KINGS v DELHI DAREDEVILS (8 pm) at Port Elizabeth

May 3: MUMBAI INDIANS v ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE (4 pm) at Durban; KINGS XI PUNJAB v KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS (8 pm) at East London

May 4: DECCAN CHARGERS v CHENNAI SUPER KINGS (4 pm) at Port Elizabeth

May 5: DELHI DAREDEVILS v KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS (4 pm) at Durban; KINGS XI PUNJAB v RAJASTHAN ROYALS (8 pm) at Durban

May 6: MUMBAI INDIANS v DECCAN CHARGERS (4 pm) at Pretoria

May 7: KINGS XI PUNJAB v CHENNAI SUPER KINGS (4 pm) at Pretoria; ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE v RAJASTHAN ROYALS (8 pm) at Pretoria

May 8: DELHI DAREDEVILS v MUMBAI INDIANS (4 pm) at East London

May 9: DECCAN CHARGERS v KINGS XI PUNJAB (4 pm) at Bloemfontein; CHENNAI SUPER KINGS v RAJASTHAN ROYALS (8 pm) at Port Elizabeth

May 10: KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS v DELHI DAREDEVILS (4 pm) at East London; ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE v MUMBAI INDIANS (8 pm) at Johannesburg

May 11: DECCAN CHARGERS v RAJASTHAN ROYALS (4 pm) at Bloemfontein

May 12: ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE v KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS (4 pm) at Pretoria; KINGS XI PUNJAB v MUMBAI INDIANS (8 pm) at Pretoria.

May 13: DECCAN CHARGERS v DELHI DAREDEVILS (4 pm) at Durban

May 14: MUMBAI INDIANS v RAJASTHAN ROYALS (4 pm) at Durban; CHENNAI SUPER KINGS v ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE (8 pm) at Durban.

May 15: KINGS XI PUNJAB v DELHI DAREDEVILS (4 pm) at Kimberley

May 16: CHENNAI SUPER KINGS v MUMBAI INDIANS (4 pm) at Johannesburg; DECCAN CHARGERS v KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS (8 pm) at Port Elizabeth

May 17: RAJASTHAN ROYALS v DELHI DAREDEVILS (4 pm) at Kimberley; KINGS XI PUNJAB v DECCAN CHARGERS (8 pm) at Johannesburg

May 18: CHENNAI SUPER KINGS v KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS (4 pm) at Pretoria

May 19: DELHI DAREDEVILS v ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE (4 pm) at Johannesburg

May 20: CHENNAI SUPER KINGS v KINGS XI PUNJAB (4 pm) at Durban; RAJASTHAN ROYALS v KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS (8 pm) at Durban

May 21: DECCAN CHARGERS v ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE (4 pm) at Pretoria; MUMBAI INDIANS v DELHI DAREDEVILS (8 pm) at Pretoria

May 22: Semi Final 1 at Pretoria

May 23: Semi Final 2 at Johannesburg

May 24: Final at Johannesburg.

Following the recent annoucement that the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be staged in South Africa this year, The Cellars Hohenort in Constantia have a couple of wonderful packages available over this time.

One of the great country house hotels of the Cape, the 5* Cellars-Hohenort Country House is a member of the international Relais & Chateaux Association. With its understated luxury, antique furnishings and original works of art, the hotel is a celebration of traditional values and gracious living.

You can stay 2 or 3 nights in a stylish and individually appointed Double Room, and each morning the updated scores and schedule will be delivered to your room with your choice of tea or coffee. Having browsed the latest cricket scores, you can enjoy a delicious full English breakfast in the restaurant, garden terrace or in the privacy of your room. The hotel will pack you up a refreshing picnic to be enjoyed during your exciting day of cricket ahead, and take you to the Newlands Cricket Stadium. You will then be collected after the game, and returned to the hotel.

For a 2 night stay, we can offer all the above for only R5,650 in total, based on 2 people sharing, or for a 3 night stay, the cost would be just R7,800 in total, also based on 2 people sharing. This rate is valid from 1st April 2009 until 31st May 2009. Rates for single occupancy on request.

Please contact Tracey Campbell at Travel Butlers on +44 845 838 2450, or email her on tracey.campbell@travelbutlers.com for more information and to ask her to check availability for you !

After much speculation over the last few days, it has now been confirmed that the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be staged in South Africa this year.

The Twenty20 competition was moved out of India due to security reasons, and a revised fixture list for the 59 match tournament will be announced shortly.

“We are very happy to confirm that South Africa will host the 2009 DLF Indian Premier League tournament,” IPL chairman Lalit Modi said in a statement following a meeting of the event’s organisers and Cricket South Africa (CSA).

“The South African public loves T2O cricket and CSA successfully hosted the inaugural ICC World T20.

“Both these factors weighed heavily in South Africa’s favour, and we look forward to a successful and exciting tournament being held at venues throughout South Africa,” Modi said in the news release.

We suspect that the affordability of South Africa as a destination along with good weather, excellent facilities and a large population of Indian and South Asian descent also helped swing the decision in South Africa’s favour. 

Either way, this is a huge vote of confidence in South Africa and we are sure that the tournament will be a great success.