Travel Butlers African Safari Blog.

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 !!

Johannesburg is becoming more and more accessible !

A new daily direct service is soon to be launched by Jet Airways between Mumbai and Johannesburg, starting on April 15, subject to regulatory approval.

Jet Airways will be running an A330-200 aircraft, and will offer 30 seats in Business Class / Première and 190 seats in Economy class.

Première passengers will enjoy a 180-degree flat bed with lumbar support and massage systems, oversized table, laptop power, telephone, SMS, email and live text news and on-demand in-flight entertainment.

Flights will depart Mumbai at 02h05, arriving in Johannesburg at 07h35 - so absolutely ideal for then connecting with an onwards flight over to the Kruger for a safari, or getting down to Cape Town in time for a spot of lunch !

The return service will depart Johannesburg at 11h00, arriving in Mumbai at 23h30.

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.

Stay 4 nights for the price of 3 at either Hlosi Game Lodge or Bukela Game Lodge, both situated less than an hours drive from Port Elizabeth.

Both lodges offer exciting malaria-free Big 5 game drives in search of Africa’s wildlife, in specially modified, open air 4WD Land Rovers designed to accommodate 8 guests. Because the land is privately owned, your ranger can take you off the beaten track and get you unbelievably close to the animals in their natural habitat.

This offer is valid for travel up to the end of April 2010.

For anyone looking to go on safari in March or April this year, this superb offer gives visitors to South Africa the opportunity to experience a fantastic 3 day safari in the Amakhala Game Reserve in South Africa’s Eastern Cape for the cost of only 2 nights.

The Amakhala Game Reserve began in 1999 as a joint conservation venture and today its independently owned lodges offer malaria-free safaris less than an hour drive from Port Elizabeth.

Go on game drives in an open Land Rover in search of wildlife including rhino, elephant, cheetah, buffalo, giraffe, black wildebeest, zebra, and over 16 antelope species, or take a night drive with cheese and wine sundowners before searching for elusive nocturnal animals; relax on a slow river cruise down the Bushman’s River; or take a guided walk with one of the qualified rangers.

Choose from 4 lodges - Bush Lodge, Leeuwenbosch, Safari Lodge or Woodbury Lodge.

Although already a beautiful lodge, the Phinda Forest Lodge has undergone a recent refurbishment … and if it was ever possible to improve on perfection - well, they have successfully achieved this !

Forest Lodge is just one of lodges situated in the 22,000 hectare Big 5 Phinda Game Reserve, just 3 hours from Durban.

Forest Lodge is unique, in that it is extremely eco-sensitive, and it is set deep in a sand forest within the heart of the reserve. The refurbishment took over a year to complete, and care was taken to protect the natural surroundings.

The suites all now boast newly tiled bathrooms, and each suite has been completely repainted with colours reflecting the Zulu culture and which accentuate the dark, handsome furniture used throughout. Each suite now offers complete privacy and intimacy.

The main guest area in the lodge has also been extended, with over 100 square metres (330 square feet) being added to the deck, splitting it now into 2 levels. The boma area has also been completely rebuit, with the addition of an elevated platform designed to accommodate nighttime choir performances for guests enjoyment while dining around the open fire under the stars.

And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better … you can also stay here for 4 nights and only pay for 3 between the 6th April and the 10th October (excluding the World Cup period).

So go on … why not ask us to check availability for you now so that you can experience this all for yourself ?

Celebrate the romantic month of February with a safari at Kambaku Safari Lodge, in the Timbavati Game Reserve, adjoining the Kruger Park.