South Africa Adventure
They flew out to Cape Town in February and as it was a special trip they decided to go business class - this gave them the opportunity to arrive fresh and relaxed after chilling out on the flight in the comfort of a chair that converts to a flatbed! Great start to the holiday!
On arrival I had arranged for a private transfer to take them to their hotel - they were staying at the One and Only Hotel in Cape Town and were met with refreshments and nibble before they were shown to their room. A fantastic room with views of Table Mountain. My client had also asked me to see if I could arrange for cricket tickets for the day/night game against England which I managed to book, and the tickets were waiting for him with the concierge when he arrived. They said that they had a fantastic time and the atmosphere was electric - England lost but hey ho!
Cape Town is an amazing city and so diverse - it has fantastic restaurants and bars and a wide variety of day trips that you can take. Robbin Island where Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners were held is not far and you can combine it with a city tour. One of the best ways I feel to see any city is to take the hop on and hop off bus tour. This gives you great insight to the town and places to visit and doesn't cost a lot! Wineland tours are also very popular and if you feel adventurous you can go in a great white shark cage (my son did this!) and whale watching. Of course, you can also do a day safari or if you wish a longer trip, but my clients were doing something rather special further on in their trip so opted not to do a safari trip from here.
After a few days they took the famous Blue Train from Cape Town to Johannesburg - my client needs a bath as opposed to a shower and with our local contacts I was able to obtain a room with a bath for her on the train. The Blue Train is one of the most iconic train rides in the world! Its more than just a train journey, the Blue Train is an all-inclusive luxury rail cruise which show some of country's most spectacular scenery. Its stylish interior and attentive service have made it one of the most famous and highly acclaimed rail experiences in the world. Your elegant cabin by days turns into an en suite bedroom with butler service. There is a Club Car and lounge to enjoy drinks and afternoon tea whilst silver service meals are served in the dining car. My clients loved this trip and said that the staff were fantastic and so helpful and friendly.
On arrival in Johannesburg they were transferred to their overnight hotel and back to the airport in the morning for their internal flight to Kruger. On arrival they were met by private transfer and transferred to Ulusaba Private Game Reserve! This property has to be one of the most breath-taking in the world - it belongs to Richard Branson and the views from the rooms are stunning! Ulusaba was voted as the number one resort in Africa in the Condé Nast Traveller Reader's Choice Awards in 2016 and was ranked as the third best resort in the world! My clients had a Rock Suite - a spacious two bedroom suite with living area, but the most fantastic part of this room was that you are on top of the world at Rock Lodge! Survey miles of game-rich bush as you stand eight hundred feet above the wilderness. Here the view is king and there are endless opportunities to spot the roaming wildlife, all set against a backdrop of the Drakensberg Mountains far in the distance. My client said that she was taking a bath and a monkey appeared at her window! Having breakfast on your decking whilst the elephants and other wildlife were drinking in the waterhole below you is a surreal experience!
They had two game drives a day and each day was different seeing a variety of wildlife - the game wardens tailor-make your game drive for you so it’s a unique experience. The food and service were outstanding, and they said that it is a placed that will stay in their memories forever!
The next part of their trip was to Victoria Falls. They had an overnight in Johannesburg before their flight out, but a problem occurred, and they missed their flight! After a call to me I managed to rearrange the flight for them for the next day - its only once a day to fly there - and they arrived at Victoria Fall Hotels for two nights. The falls rooms were fully booked but we managed to get a standard room for them which they said was still great and whilst there they took a Sundowner Cruise on the lake - a stunning leisurely cruise around Lake Victoria - taking in the magnificent view of the falls as well as the magnificent hippos and otters and if you’re lucky a Monitor Lizard and Nile croc!
After all this excitement they needed time to relax and rest, so I booked them a few days in Durban in a beautiful beach hotel. They spent the last few days just chilling out and reflecting on their amazing holiday, not sure if they wanted to return to the UK!
It was great being able to piece this trip together for them and to know that I was able to give them a trip of a lifetime!