Thornybush Game Lodge is offering guests who stay here from 16th July until the end of the year one complimentary night if they book and pay for 2 nights.

Thornybush Game Lodge is situated within the Thornybush Private Game Reserve – 11,500 hectares of fenced prime game viewing bushveld just west of Timbavati and the Greater Kruger Park.

Unrivalled game viewing, including the Big 5, is complemented by exquisite accommodation and sublime cuisine. Superb attention to detail and highly personalized service make for a memorable stay.

The luxury suites line the banks of the seasonal Monwana River, all with spectacular views of the active water hole and the surrounding savanna.

Spaciously appointed, each glass fronted suite has mini bar fridge, telephones, air-conditioning and private decks, as well as en-suite bathrooms with massive wooden framed windows overlooking the river, with indoor and outdoor showers.

The lodge welcomes children of any age.

Garonga Safari Camp is an exclusive safari lodge, situated in the private 22,000 hectare fenced Makalali Conservancy, located west of the Kruger National Park. This unassuming sanctuary promises an intimate wildlife encounter in an unhurried environment.

Activities include game drives, wilderness walks, sleep-outs, outdoor bush-baths and aromatherapy and reflexology sessions. Guests are encouraged to indulge in activities that will allow them to walk close to the animals, and thereby enhance their wildlife encounter.

On sleep-outs, guests are taken out to a beautiful deck with stunning views overlooking the bush. A mouth-watering picnic hamper, a drinks box, and hot drinks are left for you at the deck. You are left with a radio and will get collected in the morning. A wash basin and toilet close by are provided. It is only a 20 minute drive from Garonga Safari Camp so help is never far away ! A truly magical experience !

To make this dream safari more attractive, Garonga Safari Camp are running a Stay for 4 Nights, Only Pay for 3 offer over the following dates :

1 – 31 July 2010
20 November – 18th December 2010
10 January – 28th February 2011

Contact Travel Butlers today to enquire about rates and availability !

The Cape Royale in Green Point, Cape Town, has just announced that it is going to introduce a children’s activity series in July to keep the entire family entertained should the Cape Town winter weather set in.

This hotel already attracts families, as it does not charge for children under 16 years of age when staying in a room with their parents, but the new Kiddies Club will offer activities such as baking, pizza-making, Playstation, Wii, Lego, DVDs, Play-dough and board-games for all ages, and a list of creative activities including arts and crafts as well as scheduled entertainment.

A babysitter can be arranged for children under the age of 2 years who will be too young to join in the other activities.

For the adults, Cape Royale offers an exclusive pool deck and Sky Bar which has a heated pool, and the Equinox Spa offers mini manicures and pedicure treatments.

If you want to see whales – don’t go to Canada – go to South Africa !

The first whales have already been sighted off the coast of the De Hoop Nature Reserve, which is situated just 3 hours drive from Cape Town. This area is well-known for its land-based whale watching opportunities, and visitors every year have never been disappointed.

Every year, some 40% of the world’s Southern Right Whales come to these shores to breed. Females and their calves swim in the clear waters, while males put on spectacular displays.

The De Hoop Nature Reserve has been classed as a World Heritage Site and extends 3 nautical miles off the coastline. It offers the perfect place for the whales to breed in.

With whale, plus a wide range of other activities and superb accommodation to choose from, De Hoop is the perfect stop over to include on any Garden Route itinerary.

For anyone travelling to Cape Town between 23 to 27 August 2010 inclusive, unfortunately the Table Mountain Cableway will be closed for annual maintenance.

You can still walk up the mountain though to the top if you are feeling really energetic …

At last ! Breaking news is that the Gautrain is FINALLY ready to rock and roll (not literally otherwise that would be a bit dangerous).

The much-awaited service between OR Tambo and Sandton wil be operational today, just in time for the World Cup … talk about running it to the wire !

But lets not complain !

Four stations – OR Tambo, Rhodesfield in Kempton Park, Marlboro and Sandton are now operational.

Over the World Cup, it is anticipated thousands of fans will be using service, but once the World Cup is over and forgotten, this new service will be invaluable to anyone wanting to get easily and quickly from the airport into Sandton, without battling against the ever-present heavy traffic.

After nearly 30 years of low flows, interspersed with occasional average flows and then the highs of 2008 and 2009, this wetland is receiving a record inflow in 2010 – a hugely important event for the biodiversity of the Okavango and northern Botswana in general.

The flood is an eagerly anticipated annual phenomenon. The level of each year’s flood is primarily dependant on rainfall in the catchment areas in Angola as well as rainfall over the Delta itself and there is a distinct short and long term cycle to the inflows and flooding patterns of the Okavango and associated river systems.

The extent and duration of the previous season’s rainfall and flood also have a major effect on the ensuing season. As 2008 and 2009 were both above average flood years, this has collectively led to this so-called ‘super year’ of 2010. These “wet” cycles usually last 10-15 years, so 2010 is about three years into the wet cycle, moving out of the dry cycle experienced between 1985 and 2005.

What is truly exciting is that the water levels of 2010 are going to be on a par with those last seen in the 1970s, primarily due to the following:

• The current high water tables as a result of both 2008 and 2009 inputs from flood and rainfall.
• Increased inflows from the two feeding Angolan rivers (Cubango and Quito) in 2010 which have arrived earlier than usual in the Delta.
• Above average rains over the Okavango Delta itself, with intense rainfall events as late as April (rainfall recorded exceeded 890 mm for the season).

This very special occurrence, cyclical in nature, is much needed in maintaining greater biodiversity. The annual flooding regimes retain the very essence of the Okavango Delta – a veritable Garden of Eden. The effects are fantastic, as large grassland areas and floodplains that have not been inundated for many years and even decades, become flooded, and a continued recharge of groundwater takes place.

The Okavango Delta will be gradually inundated with crystal clear, lifegiving water. Islands will be rejuvenated and distal lakes like Ngami and Mababe will fill. Linked to Mababe and fed from the Linyanti/Kwando system the Savute Channel can be expected to have a major increase in flows, resuscitating the famed Savute Marsh at the terminal end of the channel.

The Selinda Spillway has now also joined up with the Savute Channel for only the 2nd time in 30 years.

Grassy plains can be expected to be flooded by mid 2010, and important changes in vegetation structures and the resultant movement of animal life will occur. All over northern Botswana the effects will be felt.

The water levels are expected to drop slowly this year, and the flood season is expected to last until September or October and even into November when one can expect large numbers of birds to concentrate on the drying floodplains and so called “fish traps”. The floodplains are even expected to still be partially full when the next rain season arrives in November or December, setting the stage for another excellent flood in 2011.

The next few seasons are going to offer wonderful opportunities to experience the Okavango Delta in all its glory…

Stay for 4 nights and only pay for 3 at Pestana Inhaca Lodge, just 40 km off the coast of Mozambique.

The lodge is situated on Inhaca Island, a small inhabited island lying just 40 km off the Mozambican capital of Maputo and positioned at the entrance to Delagoa Bay, and easily accessible by boat, ferry or small plane from Maputo.

The island is a great destination for anyone who wants to enjoy the relaxed rhythms of a small, semitropical, Indian Ocean island.

The Pestana Inhaca Lodge is situated on the beach front, amongst coconut palm groves and luxuriant tropical vegetation. There are a total of 40 en-suite rooms situated amidst exotic gardens. All the rooms have air-conditioning and ceiling fans.

Activities that can be enjoyed during a stay at the hotel include water skiing, wind surfing, snorkelling, sailing boat trips, walking trails, excursions to the lighthouse and the Museum of Marine Biology, as well as visits by boat to Portuguese Island, Santa Maria Island and Turtle Island, fishing and whale watching. The outdoor salt water swimming pool is ideal for relaxing around, or for the more energetic there is a fitness room and a tennis court.

For families, the Kids Club provides entertainment for younger guests, and there is also a games room complete with table tennis, pool table, darts and table games, and a TV room.

The World Cup TV Planner can let you plan your entire world cup viewing and can automatically add fixtures to your Outlook (or similar) calendar to ensure you never miss a vital game!

This FaceBook application translates the South African kick-off times for every game into different time zones, and for the UK, it even has details of which TV channel the matches will be on!

All the matches are searchable by team, group, match date, and more, and if you set your preferences-up the planner will default to your team and time zone next time you use it. You can even look-up when any two teams are scheduled to meet in the competition’s knock-out stages!

Stay for 3 nights at the Vineyard Hotel & Spa in Cape Town, followed immediately before or after by 2 nights at d’Ouwe Werf Hotel in Stellenbosch, and one night in each hotel will be complimentary.

With over 200 years of history within its walls, the 4* deluxe Vineyard Hotel & Spa is situated in 6 acres of attractive landscaped parkland.

It is set in the lush leafy suburb of Newlands on the banks of the Liesbeeck River, and is just 15 minutes away from the City Centre and the V&A Waterfront.

This beautiful establishment, with its exquisite ceramic murals and marvellous antiques, offers rooms ranging from single to family suites, both mountain and courtyard facing.

Since 1802, d’ Ouwe Werf, the oldest inn in South Africa, has been welcoming guests with its unique charm and character. The individually decorated en-suite bedrooms combine traditional Old Cape atmosphere with modern comforts and conveniences, and beautiful authentic antiques and faithfully copied reproductions are in all the rooms.

The “1802 Restaurant” is renowned for its traditional and international cuisine, and boasts a wine list that will satisfy even the most sophisticated connoisseur.

This package is valid for travel between 1 May 2010 and 31 August 2010. Bookings are subject to room availability. Multiples of this offer are also accepted (ie Stay 10 nights, Pay for 6). This offer is NOT valid for stays over the World Cup period (11 June 2010 until 6 July 2010 inclusive).