STAY 4 NIGHTS AND ONLY PAY FOR 3

• Valid from 1 October 2011 – 30 April 2013.
• Valid for all room categories at the following properties :

Lion Sands River Lodge and Lion Sands Ivory Lodge, in the exclusive Sabi Sand Game Reserve

Tinga Legends and Tinga Narina lodges, in Big 5 Kruger Park

Madikwe Safari Lodge, in the malaria-free Madikwe Game Reserve

and Cape Cadogan and More Quarters, in the buzzy and beautiful city of Cape Town.

Restrictions of Offer: May NOT be booked over the peak periods of 23 December 2011 – 3 January 2012 and 23 December 2012 – 3 January 2013.

A unique opportunity to join African Vet Safaris for a once-in-a-lifetime safari experience, whilst also helping to conserve Africa’s wildlife through your participation.

Set in the northern area of KwaZulu Natal, this safari takes you ‘behind the scenes’, giving you the opportunity to interact with vets and guides while they go about their daily task of researching elephant herds and the endangered black rhino.

A key part of this research work is the capture and safe immobilisation of a chosen animal, in order to carry out various monitoring procedures – ear notching a rhino for positive identification and management reasons, and to help combat poaching, and also micro-chipping and blood sampling for research purposes; or placing a tracking collar on an elephant.

Although the focus of this safari will obviusly be on elephant and rhino, many other species will be viewed and enjoyed along the way.

The starting date is Sunday 4th September, and including one night in a Johannesburg hotel so that you can relax after your international flight, followed by 4 nights on safari, the cost of this adventure would be R31,290 per person sharing (single supplements will apply). The cost is based on a minimum of 6 guests participating in the safari, and is subject to a maximum of 8 guests.

The cost excludes international flights, but we can help arrange these too.

If you are interested or would like more information, please contact Tracey Campbell at Travel Butlers by emailing tracey.campbell@travelbutlers.com.

I think it is fair to say that not only have the recent media stories about the terrible drought situation in the Horn of Africa wrenched at peoples heart strings, they have also had been of concern to holiday makers who are possibly considering going to Kenya for their safari holiday, and many people are now considering alternative holiday destinations.

During the whole of 2010, the prolonged drought in the countries to the north of Kenya and in the north-eastern part of the country have resulted in the drought being declared a national disaster, and efforts over the past few weeks have intensified to provide relief to those affected.

However, although the drought is tearing apart some of the country, it is ONLY in certain areas – and conversely, there are many other regions of the country – including the main areas where the tourist activitiy takes place – that have still enjoyed adequate rainfall and as a result, are not experiencing such dire problems. As a result, there is still fantastic game viewing in the Parks, Reserves and Conservancies.

I would stress that people who were considering Kenya as their holiday destination this year, or next year, to consider the knock on impact of not going here. It is very fair to say that there is a large proportion of Kenyans who wholly depend on the money that tourism brings in, either directly and or indirectly, as a means to live. This includes the people live in the communities around Parks and Reserves, and those who operate community owned conservancies as an alternative to farming.

Therefore, please be assured that anyone who was or is still thinking of going to Kenya can be confident that not only will they be able to enjoy their holidays as planned; they will also help to generate income and benefits to the local communities.

Now, if I was to say to you, you are going on safari and sleeping in a tent, what would your first images / thoughts be ? Of a 2 man dome tent, stuck in the middle of the bush, with lions and elephants sleeping outside the tent door keeping you company through the night ?

Possibly NOT of a spacious tent, including a bathroom with a freestanding bath, polished wooden floors, climate-control air-conditioning system, mini bar and tea / coffee-making facilities. Oh yes, and a covered deck that extends along the length of the tent, with uninterrupted views out of the African bush.

Not to mention an infinity-edge pool in the central guest area, ideal for relaxing around inbetween exciting game drives in search of Africas’ Big 5.

Well, if this appeals to those of you with a sense of adventure BUT who still like your luxuries, then you need to look no further than Buffalo Camp, in the Kapama Game Reserve – a 13,000 hectare fenced reserve situated near the Kruger National Park, which supports no less than 42 mammal species and approximately 350 bird species.

Rates here start from just R2,115 per person per night until the end of November, and for this you get 3 meals per day (special bush dinners can be arranged), tea / coffee, cakes, pastries and afternoon teatime snacks; 2 game drives daily (including night drive by spotlight) in open safari vehicles, accompanied by experienced rangers and expert Shangaan trackers; and complimentary road transfers between your Kapama accommodation and Eastgate Airport.

We get a lot of nice compliments about our services from happy customers, but this one in particular is lovely – from Diana Garretts, who went to South Africa for her honeymoon in June :

I thought I had a pretty good idea of where we wanted to stay along the Garden Route, and then I found Travel Butlers! Tracey was full of great suggestions while always bearing in mind what we had actually asked for. She was infinitely patient helping us tweak our plans until we had the itinerary which gave us a really perfect honeymoon. Tracey also helped my son set up an awesome surprise wedding present for us in Cape Town – thank you so much. We would recommend Travel Butlers without hesitation and only wish you covered another continent! If ever we go back to Africa we will be in touch.

O On Kloof is set on the slopes of Signal Hill with views over the Atlantic Ocean.

This exclusive boutique hotel offers warm hospitality, superior service and a strong sense of style and luxury, and is just minutes from the city centre, V&A Waterfront and Table Mountain and close to Camps Bay and Clifton’s famous beaches. There are 8 suites, all individually decorated, offering sumptious accommodation.

BUT the best part of all this story is the truly FANTASTIC rates that are being offered here from now until the end of September …. for example, Room 1 is called the O’ Suite – it has its own balcony with sea view, a hammock to laze away the hours in, and a jacuzzi. You can get ALL this, including breakfast, for just R1,500 per suite per night. If you don’t want to pay that much, Standard Rooms are just R1,000 per room per night, or Luxury Rooms R1,200 per room per night.

Not the most exciting blog ever to have been written, but it is a ‘need to know’ thing for anyone who is travelling to Cape Town over the next few weeks.

As happens every year, the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway will close for annual maintenance between July 18th and July 31st and the cableway will reopen for business on August 1st, weather permitting.

But don’t let that stop you going up Table Mountain … there are walking trails ….

Whale watching is one of the major attractions of the Western Cape, and Hermanus and Gansbaai are the 2 main areas for whale watching, either boat-based or land-based.

The first Southern Right whale has been spotted in Walker Bay at Hermanus, so this is now officially the start of the whale watching season !

Having been whale watching myself at Hermanus, I would definately recommend including this in your itinerary if you are in this area. I would also recommend actually staying in Hermanus for at least one or 2 nights if time permits, especially if you want to go out on a boat. The boats tend to leave early in the morning, as they go out with first tides, so this would mean a VERY early start from Cape Town (around the 5.30 am time) to ensure you arrive in time – and let’s be honest, unless you are on safari do you really want to get up that early ??

You can read more about whale watching in Hermanus, and check out the hotels and guest houses that we recommend by clicking here.

We also recommend Dyer Island Cruises or Southern Right Charters if you are looking for an operator to go out with.

They have arrived !

Monday 6th June, in the evening, saw the first arrivals of the Great Migration from the Serengeti in Tanzania to the Masai Mara in Kenya.

This picture was taken from the banks of the Sand and Keekerok Rivers in the Masai Mara Reserve.

Cottars 1920’s Safari Camp … I must admit, I was a bit apprehensive about staying here initially. Don’t get me wrong, I had no fear that I wouldn’t enjoy the obvious luxury of the tents and the camp, or the awesome game viewing of the Masai Mara … I was just a bit worried about the atmosphere. Would it be perhaps a bit pretentious ? After all, there are not many places where there are ‘butlers who have been trained to provide guests with discreet, yet attentive service’.

Anyway, I am delighted to report back that I had a wonderful time here. Can’t fault it AT ALL.

My guide, Ken, was personable, knowledgeable and extremely friendly, and he made me feel at ease as soon as I met him. On the drive back to the camp, we just happened to come across a cheetah mum with 6 cubs under one tree, and then literally 5 minutes later, we spotted another 3 cheetahs under another tree. 10 cheetahs in 10 minutes ? Surely a pretty good record!

I arrived at the camp to find I was actually the only guest in the entire camp that night, so I was suddenly transported into a fantasy world of what it would be like to be Angelina Jolie or Madonna and be able to take over an entire safari camp. Anyway, the camp was too nice to remain in fantasy world for too long.

I was firstly shown into the main guest area, a huge tented ‘mess room’ with a dining area at one end, and comfy chairs and sofas around the rest. A real ‘Out of Africa’ feel prevailed, and truly finished off when the butler, complete with fez, approached to see whether I would like a cup of tea or a gin & tonic. There was absolutely nothing, however, pretentious about this – I just felt as if I was being welcomed and that nothing would be too much trouble.

I arrived in time for lunch, so after I was shown to my room (more about that later), I then came back to the main area. A 2 course lunch followed – the food was delicious and beautifully presented, and of the quality I would expect from a top London restaurant. After lunch, I treated myself to having a massage – the first half hour was complimentary as part of the rate, the 2nd half hour I paid for. And it was one of the best massages I have ever ever had.

My room was ENORMOUS – I had one of the family tents, and I swear I nearly got lost in it. And it came complete with my own private Masai guide, who stood guard outside my room as soon as it got dark until I left in the morning. AND there was a proper shower (I had by this stage been used to safari camp bucket style showers), which was such a treat !!

My afternoon activity was a bush walk, followed by a scenic sundowner on a hill overlooking the reserve (more G&T and homemade crisps this time), and then we returned to a lovely dinner again, with drinks afterwards around the open fire.

My morning drive was exciting in that I ‘crossed’ over the border into Tanzania for about 10 minutes – so I can say on this trip, I visited the Serengeti AS WELL AS the Masai Mara ! Cottars is right on the far edge of the Mara, on its own private concession, and it literally borders right onto Tanzania – and oddly enough, there are not border posts in the bush here ! Oh yes, and we saw elephant, giraffe, lion, and antelope too !!

Cottars was simply awesome. If you have the budget, please please please go and experience it for yourself. You will not be disappointed at all.