Mzanzitravel Local Travel Inspiration Issue 11

Mzanzitravel
October October 2018 - 2018 Issue - Issue 11 1
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Magnificent Wild Wild Coast Coast
POPULAR PITSTOPS & &
FARMSTALLS
October - 2018 ISSUE 11
UNDERWATER DIVING DIVING
ADVENTURES
GET GET MORE NIGHT
Guide to to this
summer’s nightlife
10 10 Best Best Camping Sites
WHERE WHERE TO CELEBRATE
TO NEW NEW YEAR YEA

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Eldo Coaches

C O NTENTS
45464
07
EDITOR’S NOTE
08
TRAVEL BITES -
Tourism-related news and
information
12
POPULAR PITSTOPS & FABULOUS
FARMSTALLS
20
SUMMER CALENDAR…what’s on,
when and where
28
A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE…. the
magnificent Wild Coast
34
HIDDEN GEMS…delightful
experiences and places off the
beaten track
44
A SEASON FOR UNDERWATER SEA
ADVENTURES
54
GET MORE NIGHT IN YOUR LIFE…
guide to best night-time fun this
summer
28
16
12
44

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C O NTENTS
62
76
62
GONE CAMPING! 10 of the best
camping sites in SA
68
GET CAMP SMART…The essentials of
buying your tent
76
WHERE TO CELEBRATE THE NEW
YEAR… Most popular parties,
gatherings and events
78
TATTOO CRAZINESS!
84
MOZAMBIQUE…tropical pearl of
Africa
90
GREAT ESCAPES
84
Mzanzitravel welcomes the New CEO of Ugu
South Coast Tourism
Ugu South Coast Tourism’s new CEO, Phelisa Mangcu, has
taken up her position at the agency’s head office in Port
Shepstone on 13 August 2018 with big plans to put the KZN
South Coast firmly on the domestic and international tourism
map - on par with the Garden Route as a recognizable and
sought-after destination.

Spring/Summer
2018
I am sure many of you are as pleased as I am that winter has
finally come to an end. Out with the woollies and jackets; in
with the shorts and sandals! And that is what this edition of
Mzanzitravel is all about. Summer.
Right now, it’s turning out to be a wonderful spring, and I am
sure it’s going to be an even better summer. With the Western
and Northern Cape finally receiving good and long-awaited
rains, the Namaqualand wild flowers have turned out to be
a magnificent spectacle this year. This edition also arrives
from the printers in the middle of Tourism Month and it’s very
encouraging to see the spotlight having been put on three very
worthy campaigns: promoting ecotourism; promoting local
travel among young and especially black South Africans; and
the promotion of township tourism in a bid to increase female
representation in the tourism sector. All three are natural
growth areas for our tourism sector in a country with so much
human and natural diversity, beauty and potential.
As many of you will be on the road this coming festive season,
we revisit some of our most beloved, iconic and some lesserknown
roadside pitstops and farm stalls where you can stretch
your legs, fill up the car and indulge in some tasty treats straight
from delicatessen heaven. We also take our readers on a
diving expedition along our 2,800km long coastline – showing
you some of the best snorkelling and scuba-diving spots. Be
Editor'S Note
sure also to note down in your holiday diary some of the fun
events and best places to wait in the New Year that we have
listed in this edition.
Also in this edition, we take our readers on a tour of South
Africa’s vibrant and sophisticated nightlife offerings – places
where you can relax or go wild and let you hair down after a
long day on the beach. But remember, if you are going to invite
Bacchus along, for the safety of yourselves, your friends, family
and others, please don’t drink and drive. Have a designated
driver for the evening or use Uber, a taxi or public transport.
In our regular regional feature, we take you to the fabulous
Wild Coast of the Eastern Cape – a place of great and unspoilt
beauty, and one of the truly natural wonders of this planet. If
you have never visited those parts, it’s time to do so, or put it
high up on your bucket list. Our country feature takes you to
Mozambique, truly the tropical pearl of Africa. As so many of
us love the great outdoors and camping, we listed some of the
best camping sites and give some advice on buying a tent for
those camping holidays. And then finally, as always, we take
our readers to some truly amazing, out-of-the-way places in
our regular Hidden Gems section.
I hope you will have as much fun reading this edition as we
had in putting it all together. Have a great summer and an
unforgettable festive season!
Stef
Mzanzitravel.co.za
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http://mzanzitravel.co.za/hidden_gems/
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EDITOR
Stef Terblanche
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News & Information
South Africa
Eco Tourism - Credit Alain Proust
Tourism Month puts
spotlight on ecotourism
With ecotourism having become a major driver
of tourism growth in South Africa, Tourism Month
(September) in South Africa has put the spotlight
on this sector. “The greatest opportunity for South
Africa is capitalising on ecotourism to ensure
that the people living in the areas being visited,
are benefiting from the economic growth,” says
Charnel Kara, tourism expert at FNB Business. It
is generally known that for every 8 to 10 tourists in
South Africa one job is created. As a sub sector,
ecotourism is one of the fastest growing sub
sectors worldwide, reporting growth of between
10 – 15% annually.
Unlocking domestic
travel potential among
young South Africans
The key to unlocking domestic tourism and
travel potential in South Africa is to create
and nurture a travel culture among all its
peoples, and especially among its young,
increasingly mobile and highly aspirational
Afrilennials – young black South Africans.
This is the strategic intent driving all local
communications coming out of South African
Tourism’s marketing partner, FCB Joburg.
According to FCB President Ramaphosa has
acknowledged that travel and tourism will
play a critical role when it comes to growing
South Africa’s GDP, creating employment
and sharing the country’s wealth.
Source: BizCommunity.com
SANParks’ new gate
technology for Table
Mountain & West Coast
South African National Parks is introducing new
gate access technology at Table Mountain and
West Coast National Parks on November 1,
2018. The new gate technology is expected to
streamline ticket purchase and quick access for
visitors to these parks. The roll-out of the new
gate system coincides with the introduction of
differential conservation fees at Table Mountain
National Park which offers South African
residents and Southern African Development
Community (SADC) national reduced rates.
Visitors to these parks will now be able to buy
digital tickets on-line prior to their arrival at the
gate; these digital tickets will then be scanned at
the gate for quick access. The system also caters
for tour operators who in the past had to purchase
group tickets from SANParks offices.
Source: IOL
Source: R News
Table Mountain - Credit Heinrich Knoetze

Hop On - Hop Off
South Africa
The BEST way to see Joburg & Soweto!
Chinese tourism - Credit Kom_ Pornnarong
Chinese tourists charmed by natural
beauty
In recent years, African countries have taken a top spot as popular
destinations among Chinese tourists. There was a 40 percent yearon-year
increase of tourists purchasing travel packages to Africa via
Ctrip, according to statistics by the online travel agency. The post-80s
generation stands as the main demographic, accounting for 30 percent
of the purchasers. Egypt, Mauritius, Kenya, Morocco, Tanzania, Tunisia
and Ethiopia are among the most popular destinations. In 2017, about
69,000 Chinese tourists visited Kenya, while South Africa received
97,000 Chinese tourists during the same year.
Source: Xinhuanet.com
Township tourism offers massive
opportunity for female entrepreneurs
Last year, travel and tourism sustained 1.5 million jobs in South Africa
and contributred 9% of the total GDP. The World Travel & Tourism
Council (WTTC) forecasts that the sector will contribute R424.5bn to
the overall South African economy in 2018, yet female, especially black
women, representation in the sector remains extremely low. Tim Smith,
Managing Director of HVS Africa believes that developing township
tourism is a key enabler to set this right.
The BEST way to see Cape Town
and Table Mountain!
Source: All4Women.com
Tintswalo Safari Lodge 3
Tintswalo Safari Lodge introduces
specialist photographic safaris
Tintswalo Safari Lodge has introduced specialist photographic safaris
which includes a fully equipped, private game drive vehicle with an
experienced guide and a wildlife tracker. Situated within the Manyeleti
Game Reserve that borders the Kruger National Park, the Timbavati
and Sabi Sand game reserves, the area is known for excellent game
viewing and presents once-in-a-lifetime photographic opportunities.
The rangers leading Tintswalo’s photographic safaris are wildlife
Look out for our
NEW
Franschhoek Wine Tram
Day Tour

News & Information
photography experts. The on-site Photo Hub at Tintswalo Safari Lodge
caters for the needs of photographers and a selection of cameras and
lenses are available for rental.
Source: Tintswalo Lodges
Elgin Railway Market -credit Heinrich Knoetze
New Elgin Railway Market launched
Hoedspruit - Shutterstock
New Tourist Info Centre at Hoedspruit
Endangered Species Centre
The Greater Kruger Information Centre, a new initiative to provide tourist
information on the area, was launched on Wednesday 15 August 2018 at
the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre (HESC), located just off the
R40 between Hoedspruit and Hazyview. The information centre is located
on the premises of and at the entrance to HESC, the African wildlife facility
that focuses on the conservation of rare, vulnerable and endangered
animal species. The information centre is aimed at promoting the tourism
potential of the Greater Kruger area to tourists and business travellers.
FCB Joburg launches a new TVC for
South African Tourism
FCB Joburg has launched a new television commercial (TVC) for South
African Tourism’s ‘Sho’t Left’ initiative. The 60-second TVC, titled It’s your
country, enjoy it, is currently flighting on all major TV stations and online.
The overriding consumer insight guiding this intitative is that the majority
of South Africans, mostly black South Africans, believe that they are
excluded from travel and tourism experiences in their own country.
Source: mediaupdate.co.za
South Africa’s visa system to be
overhauled
Communications minister Nomvula Mokonyane has confirmed that
government is looking at a complete overhaul of the country’s visa system.
Speaking at a post-cabinet media briefing on 6 September, Mokonyane
said that this would include the visa rules governing children, scarce skills
and turnaround times. She added that the package is currently being
formulated by government and would be revealed shortly.
The new Elgin Railway Market was launched on Saturday 16 June as the
steam train, Josephine, made her way into Elgin Station. It’s the brainchild
of businessman Roger Orpen, who converted the old apple warehouse
into a bustling steampunk station market boasting local vendors, live
music and a gateway to the beautiful Overberg town. Creating a beautiful
space where art deco meets Victorian, visitors to the market can greet the
train on the station platform or view its arrival from the Market’s leisure
deck overlooking the railway. Once in the venue, market visitors can
choose from food vendors purveying everything from fragrant curries, to
shawarmas, pizza and ribs and burgers.
Source: Rabbit in a Hat Communications
Africa
Zanzibar island set for first major
tourism exhibition
Targeting to attract more tourists, the island of Zanzibar is organizing its
first international tourism exhibition in October this year from October 17-
20 and hopes to attract over 150 travel and tourism business companies
across the world. The 4-day exhibition, to be held in the historic Stone
Town, will be an ultimate business event for the domestic and international
tourism industry.
Source: eturbonews.com
Zimbabwe’s tourism booming after
Mugabe exit
The departure of Robert Mugabe has brought about a tourism boom in
Zimbabwe. Mugabe was removed from power in November. Zimbabwe
Tourism Authority CEO Karikoga Kaseke revealed the tourism boom at the
Sanganai World Tourism Expo in Bulawayo. Vice-President Constantino
Chiwenga said the tourism expo is giving his government a platform to reengage
with the world after decades of isolation. More than 600 exhibitors
and buyers are part at the Sanganai World Tourism Expo.
Source: ENCA
Source: BusinessTech
10 |ISSUE 11|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZITRAVEL

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It will soon be that time of the year again when we pack the car, strap the
kids in, drop Rex at the kennels and head for our annual holiday destination.
Inevitably this will mean a stop or two along the way…either to fill up the
car, drink some wake-up coffee, have an energy snack, let the kids go to
the bathroom, or your wife spotted an inviting farm stall where she can
spend all your holiday savings and take away boxes filled with homemade
jams, cookies and funny wrapped-up little things.
Those of us who regularly travel long distance on the highways and byways of
our beautiful country probably all have our favourite pitstops where we freshen
up. In such a vast country with so many places to go, there really are literally
thousands of interesting pitstops, farmstalls and delightful diners along our roads
selling the most delicious treats straight from delicatessen heaven. In winter most
of them have a crackling fire where you can warm your weary driver’s bones; but
it’s summer now, so it’s more like shorts, sloffies (sandals) and sunscreen.
Of course, pitstops are most important from a safety point of view too. It allows
everyone to stretch their legs and freshen up, especially those doing the driving.
You’re on holiday, so there’s no need to rush! And it’s always a good idea to
regularly check your car – tyre pressures, oil, water, clean the windscreen and
most importantly, that you still have enough fuel. If you have any luggage or other
items strapped onto a roof carrier, check that too. Wouldn’t be nice if the driver
behind you suddenly sees a suitcase or a surfboard flying towards his windscreen,
now would it?
Anyway, for this summer holiday season, we thought we’d whet your appetite
with a list of some of the most fabulous and inviting stops around the country. Of
course, this list is far from complete, so when you hit the road this summer, keep
your eyes open for a new treat or two. There are so many to be sampled! Here’s
our list for this summer.
Diesel & Crème, Barrydale,
Route 62
If you are travelling along the iconic and very scenic Route 62 between Cape Town
and Oudtshoorn this summer, be sure to stop at Diesel & Crème in the town of
Barrydale. Your kids, and probably you too, will love their legendary milkshakes.
This rustic and interesting roadside diner boasts some really excellent gourmet
burgers – try the Gas Monkey Burger – homemade buns, great breakfasts,
delicious lunches, fine selection of craft beers, hot dogs, old-school chicken pies,
waffles and much more. The service is snappy and friendly, the décor is something
else and there is also an impressive collection of vintage cars, motorbikes and
old petrol pumps. With all these toys for dad and the boys, its excellent menu,
friendly hosts, easily accessible location and the scenic surrounds, you won’t want
to leave. That’s no problem…you can overnight in the Karoo Moon Hotel, which is
also right there on the premises. And you can fill up the car at the service station
next doors.
Popular pitstops, fabulous
farmstalls & treats
from heaven
By Stef Terblanche
Super fuel stops - Marek Slusarczyk, iStock

HOLIDAY TRAVEL
Diesel & Creme, Barrydale - Grobler du Preez, iStock
Milly’s Restaurant &
Accommodation, N4 between
Belfast & Entokozweni
(Machadodorp)
It started with the Milly’s Country Stall way back in 1974 when Milly and Wimcar
started selling freshly-caught rainbow trout out of a cooler box at a local fuel station
when the town was still called Machadodorp. It took off and the business grew into
the Milly’s Caltex complex which now boasts a restaurant, accommodation, filling
station and farm stall. The family-owned business is a true tribute to Milly’s legacy. If
you are travelling along the N4 between Gauteng and the southern Kruger National
Park this summer and feel like a bite to eat or a break from driving, this is the place to
stop. From Milly’s menu and the farm stall you can choose from a wide selection of
their flagship trout pie, sweets, other trout products, freshly baked bread and rusks
from their own bakery, jams, jellies, Mediterranean chutney, fresh produce from their
vegetable garden, a selection of premium coffees or tea, branded products including
handbags and scarves, as well as a variety of gifts. Milly’s is a popular stopover
for tourists and other travellers, and if you are too tired to drive you can book a
comfortable room.
Boerqi Bistro & Ruiterbos
Farm Stall, R328 near Mossel
Bay
On the R328 between Oudtshoorn and Mossel Bay, high up in the fresh mountain
air of the Outeniqua range foothills, you’ll come upon the Boerqi Bistro & Ruiterbos
Farm Stall…something of a legend among locals and travellers alike. You cannot
miss it, sitting beside the road in the middle of farm country with its brightly painted
zebra stripes, pink and yellow plant pots and old petrol and diesel pumps proclaiming
“fokkol petrol” (no petrol). It’s exterior all dolled-up kitsch; it’s interior a cavern of
delight…comfortable lounge areas, fine and rustic dining thrown together, jars of
everything homemade, woodfire oven pizzas, koeksisters, hertzoggies, dry wors
and biltong, farm-style bread, creamy butternut soup, strong coffee, jars filled with
sweets you didn’t think still existed, fudge, roosterkoek, bric-a-brac, hats, shoes,
clothes, pottery, glassware, pots, pans and kettles, and plenty more. It’s the epitome
of that old-worldly plaaswinkel (farm shop) of a bygone era, mixed in with a bit of
Paris bistro and a family restaurant. There’s plenty of safe space and things to do
outside on the werf (farm yard) for the kids while mom gets lost in the browsing in
the katoeterwinkel (goodies shop) and dad samples the biltong and sweets. You will
be leaving with bags and boxes full of katoeter stuff and delicious delights. I know,
because I could hardly drag my sister, visiting from China, out of the place when we
stopped there recently!
Potluck Boskombuis, Graskop
Most people know that one of the most beautiful parts of our country is in Mpumalanga
near the Blyde River Canyon and Kruger National Park. It is home to wonderful little
towns and attractions like Pilgrimsrest, Graskop, Hazyview, the Blyde River Canyon,
God’s Window, the Mac Mac Falls and much more. But perhaps one of its bestkept
secrets however, is the Potluck Boskombuis (Bush Kitchen) near Graskop, just
the place to take a break from driving and enjoy a magnificent meal. You’ll find this
unique gem just off the R533 from Graskop to Bourke’s Luck Potholes. Look for a
sign that says ‘Real South African Food’ about 26km out of town. Apart from the
restaurant you will also find the spectacular Farm Falls here, with a wonderful deep
pool at the bottom in which you can take a swim. There’s plenty else to do on the
surrounding land. At the restaurant you’ll find some rustic outside wooden tables
and tree stumps to sit on. You’ll be served some really good traditional food cooked
on open fires and brought to your table in tin plates and mugs. Just the way they did
back when this corner of the world was South Africa’s own Wild West (except it’s in
the east). They keep the menu simple and traditional, with boerewors, T-bone steak,
Boerqi Bistro
MZANZI TRAVEL| www.mzanzitravel.co.za|ISSUE 11| 13

Holiday Travel
potjiekos, mieliepap, chicken kebabs, fresh vegetables, a vegetarian offering,
craft beer, coffee and dessert. Of course, if you are in this part of the world, there
are literally dozens of other fine eateries and pitstops you could also choose from.
Orchard, Peregrine & Houw
Hoek Farm Stalls, N2 / How
Hoek Pass, Grabouw
These three iconic farm stalls situated along the Houw Hoek Pass and N2 that
cuts through Grabouw apple country and the Hottentots-Holland Mountains, are
traditional favourite stops for Capetonians escaping for a weekend to Hermanus
and environs. But they have also become hugely popular over the years with
tourists from other parts of the country as well as foreign visitors. Coming from
Cape Town, the Orchard Farm Stall – delicatessen, restaurant and coffee shop
– is situated on the left at the R321 turn-off to Grabouw and Elgin. A little further
on, where the R321 again joins the N2, you’ll find Peregrine Farm Stall on the
right of the road, where it has been since 1964. Continue going east along the N2
and you’ll soon come to the Houw Hoek Farm Stall sitting on a little rise against
the hill on the left of the road. All three have been favourites with generations of
travellers who stop at them for coffee or tea, delicious hot meals, local apples,
fresh produce, pastries, traditional bread, jams, pies, fynbos honey, cold-pressed
juices, apple cider, local wines, cheesecake, nuts, chutney, delicious sandwiches,
breakfasts, and just about any other delicious treat you can think of.
Houw Hoek Hotel, Houw
Hoek Pass N2
If you are still on the N2 near Grabouw and it’s something a little more formal
and a lot more historic you are looking for as a place to recharge your batteries,
the Houw Hoek Hotel is just the place. Coming from Cape Town, just before the
Houw Hoek Farm Stall, there’s a steep road turning off to the left – but look out for
it or you may easily miss it. Follow the short road down to the valley below, park
your car in the shade of the trees, and enter South Africa’s oldest licenced hotel
still operating to this day. Built in 1799, its cosy hospitality has been enjoyed by
travellers since the days of horses, wagons and stage coaches…and it has hardly
changed. Sit on the stoep overlooking green lawns, ponds and the Jakkals River
against a backdrop of mountains, and enjoy a meal, or a pot of tea or coffee, while
the kids can run around in safety on the vast grounds. Their freshly baked scones
with cream and jam are something to die for. It is also a popular wedding venue
where all the rooms have stunning mountain views. On cold days there’s a lovely
fire going in the lounge. And in the ladies, guests get to sit on a majestic Victorian
toilet throne (yes, I heard about it so I had to take a peek when no-one was there!).
Springbok Lodge, Springbok,
N7 to Namibia
If your travels are taking you north from Cape Town towards Namibia along
the N7, after the town of Vanrhynsdorp the distances between the small towns
start feeling endless. By the time you get to Springbok you will feel the need for
a refreshing stop. It is also the last major town before you reach the Namibian
border at Vioolsdrif on the Orange River. And it’s a good place to sleep over before
taking on the long and lonely roads of Namibia. The Springbok Lodge has been a
popular spot for travellers since the 1940s. Here you can enjoy a hearty pub lunch
of steak and chips, fish and chips, a range of other meals and cold beer. There is
a fuel station nearby where you can fill up the car and check the tyres. And if you
wish to sleep over, there are a number of hotels and self-catering establishments.
Ronnie’s Sex Shop, R62
between Barrydale and
Ladismith
Who hasn’t heard of Ronnie’s Sex Shop? Some 20km out of Barrydale a most
unexpected sight greets you - a square white building in the parched veld on the
right-hand side of the road, with large red letters proclaiming: Ronnies Sex Shop.
This is where international travellers, local townspeople, bikers, weekend trippers,
people on their way to the Klein Karoo National Arts Festival, local farmers, and
14 |ISSUE 11|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZI TRAVEL
Ronnie’s Sex Shop - wallix, iStock
Grobler du Preez, Shutterstock

just about any other body passing by, stop to come together over an ice-cold beer, some good food, loud rock music,
and even louder conversation. You will also find an impressive collection of women’s bras and undies hanging from
the rafters, left behind by female visitors…the closest the place comes to doing justice to its name. The charismatic,
and now legendary, Ronnie Price bought a small cottage here some years ago with the idea of turning it into a farm
stall. He painted the name ‘Ronnies Shop’ on one whitewashed wall, to which his prankster friends added the word
“sex” while he was sleeping. At first annoyed by the prank, Ronnie soon started smiling again as curious visitors
started pulling up. He created the pub and later added the Roadkill Café. Thus, a legend was born, known around the
world, as is attested by the hundreds of graffiti-like messages scrawled on the walls inside by the legions of curious
visitors from around the globe who have stopped here at one of South Africa’s most iconic and favourite pit stops.
Mega fuel and convenience centres
Going to other parts of the country, you’re humming along on an endless road with many kilometres ahead of you
through the vast open countryside under big, big summer skies. The fuel gage is edging ever closer to empty, your
throat is dry and in desperate need of refreshment, and there’s a hungry hollow in your stomach. The kids are driving
you insane with their nagging for a bathroom and your body is aching after hours of driving. It’s at times like this that
few sights are as beautiful as the modern roadside oasis: those super large petrol stations with their restaurants,
convenience stores and sparkling clean restrooms, usually duplicated or partnered conveniently on either side of the
highway. Strategically located, they have become a familiar and very welcome sight along our roads. All the major oil
companies in South Africa – BP, Shell, Caltex, Engen, Total, Sasol and Puma – have partnered with food-store and
restaurant chains to bring travellers these convenient pit stops. During peak holiday periods they bustle with people
and traffic, like little roadside cities. You’ll find one on any major route in the country, near big towns and cities and
even on some lesser routes.
Ultra City Pitstop, N1 south, Bloemfontein
Those who travelled on the N1 south between Johannesburg and Cape Town a few decades ago, will remember that
one of the pioneering predecessors of today’s modern fuel stop centres, was found just before Bloemfontein, aptly
called Pitstop. It’s still there, just bigger and better now. Apart from all the conveniences associated with these mega
fuel centres, the Shell Ultra City Pitstop has become something of a hub for sporting, entertainment and community
events as well.
FRANSCHHOEK
MOTOR MUSEUM
Visit the Franschhoek Motor
Museum and experience
the breathtaking design of
automobile where purpose
meets panache in impeccable
accord.
Open daily, by appointment
only.
Please phone 021 874 9002
for a booking or e-mail
fmm@fmm.co.za
L’Ormarins Wine Estate, R45
(33°52’18.79”S
18°59’54.64”E)
www.fmm.co.za
Roadside fruit stall - Rich Townsend, iStock

Marilyn’s 60s Diner Deli refreshment - Richard Swemmer, iStock Garden Route coffee shop - Grobler du Preez, iStock
Ultra City Jacaranda &
Golden City, N1 between
Johannesburg and Pretoria
One of the busiest of the mega fuel station centres in the country is the
Shell Ultra City Jacaranda in Midrand, along the N1 going north between
Johannesburg and Pretoria. On the southbound side of the freeway you’ll find
its partner site, the Shell Ultra City Golden City. Research has shown that more
cars – fitted with tracker devices – stop here than at any other fuel station in
the country. This is a convenient place to stop, freshen up and fill up if you are
travelling north or south on the N1 and don’t want to exit the freeway and go into
either Johannesburg or Pretoria with their traffic congestion.
Petroport Panorama with
Bridge Restaurant, N1
Pretoria
Total’s iconic Petroport Panorama boasted the first roadside restaurant in South
Africa to be built on a bridge across a freeway. You can sit in the 300-seater
Bridge Restaurant above the N1 freeway and watch the traffic flowing by
underneath it while sipping a coffee or tucking into a hamburger or pizza from
Steers or Debonairs. And there’s free wi-fi connection too. The complex also has
Bonjour convenience stores, biltong shops, clean restrooms, 24-hour secure
shaded parking, an animal yard for the kids, and more.
It also serves as a public transport transit point.
Thanda Tau, N3 between
Johannesburg and Harrismith
If you’re driving between Gauteng and Durban this summer, the Puma Thanda
Tau fuel stop 90km from Harrismith is just the place to take a break and fill up.
Apart from the usual services that include a fuel station, OK Express Store, Spur
restaurant, coffee shop, bakery and even accommodation, you’ll also find an art
gallery and an animal farm here, complete with lions, a rhino and a cheetah. Off
to one side are chalets where travellers can sleep over.
The Old Jail Coffee Shop, N2
Riversdale
If you are travelling between Cape Town and Mossel Bay on the N2 and passing
through the town of Riversdale, you could stop at one of the petrol service
stations with their fast-food chain outlets on either side of the road. Or you
could take a little more time, turn off into the town that is hidden from sight from
the national road, and discover an old-world gem. Nothing much has changed
here during the past two centuries. Drive straight down Heidelberg Road, which
becomes Main Street, and at the end of the town, just before the road crosses
the river, you’ll discover the Old Jail Coffee Shop. This authentic old building built
in 1838 is still exactly as it was when still a working jail, complete with cells and
even gallows where only one man, who murdered his mother, was ever hanged.
In the courtyard where prisoners once exercised, you can sit under shady trees
and enjoy something to drink or eat. There are plenty of picture displays around
on the walls, depicting the history of the jail, the town and from the Anglo-Boer
War. Or you can browse around in the interesting little shops housed in the prison
cells offering arts, crafts, furniture, antiques and gifts. On Saturday mornings a
weekly farmers market is held here.
Marilyn’s 60’s Diner, N2
Storms River Village,
Tsitsikamma
In the heart of South Africa’s famous Garden Route, hidden from view from the
passing N2 freeway between George and Port Elizabeth, is a tiny village where
you will find, of all things, something of a shrine to Elvis Presley and Marilyn
Monroe and to various relics from the American 1950s and 1960s. But if you
don’t keep a sharp eye open for the turn-off sign on the N2, you’ll miss it, as the
village is completely hidden from view by the forest. In Storms River Village there
are a variety of wonderful restaurants, B&Bs, backpackers, little shops, tree-top
canopy tours, the nature reserve and of course the famous Marilyn’s 60’s Diner
where both Marilyn and Elvis live on. Here you will find all sorts of Elvis and
Marilyn memorabilia and photographs, old 1950s chrome-bumpered Chevvies
and Cadillacs, a juke box, and much more, and every now and then a festival in
memory of these icons. In true American diner style, Marilyn’s serves everything
from steaks, cakes and shakes, to breakfasts, fries, American cocktails, hotdogs
and burgers, and creamy desserts. The portions are big, and the food is tasty.
There is both indoor and outdoor seating and children are welcome. And it’s just
a short hop off the freeway, so you won’t lose much time.
Friesland Dairy Bar, East
London
Finally, if you are anywhere near East London this summer and you want the
best milkshake in the world, you have to pay a visit to the Friesland Dairy Bar
situated in The Quigney just behind the main beach area. It may look like just an
ordinary corner café, but boy, those milkshakes served in milk bottles are out
of this world! And there’s a wide range of flavours to choose from, although my
favourite is the plain old vanilla. This famous shop established and still run by
the Cassiram family, has served their devoted customers for 40 delicious years.
Happy travels…and enjoy the stop.
16 |ISSUE 11|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZI TRAVEL

BIG 5 SAFARI & SPA
Real Africa. Real Close To Cape Town.
Over 10 000-hectares of Big 5 conservancy.
4-STAR ACCOMMODATION | SPA | GAME DRIVE | HORSEBACK & QUAD BIKE SAFARI
At the award-winning Aquila Private Game Reserve and Spa, guests will get the opportunity to experience a Big 5 safari, together with
outstanding service; it just does not get any better than this. With game drives, quad bike and horseback safaris situated just 2 hours’ drive
from Cape Town, it’s the closest you will get to real Africa, in the lap of luxury.
The world-class spa at Aquila adds to the already exceptional facilities and services on offer. It is a masterpiece of luxury, defined by its
serenity and creative use of natural elements.
FACILITIES & ACTIVITIES
4-STAR ESTABLISHMENT | PREMIER, FAMILY & LUXURY COTTAGES | LODGE ROOMS | DAY TRIP SAFARI | HORSEBACK SAFARI | QUAD BIKE SAFARI
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LOUNGE | CONFERENCE CENTRE | SPA | CURIO SHOP | CHILDREN’S FACILITIES & JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAMME
www.aquilasafari.com
Aquilasafari
AquilaSafaris
RESERVATIONS: +27 (0)21 430 7260 or RES@AQUILASAFARI.COM

There are many ways of contributing to wildlife conservation.
Our way is to educate our guests in the greatness of this unique animal.
Offering more than the usual 'Touch and Feed' elephant experience; Adventures with Elephants provides unique hands-on
elephant interactions. Our aim is to create lasting connections between Humans and Elephants.
Located on a beautiful wildlife reserve situated just an hour and a half's drive North from Pretoria, adjacent to Zebula Golf
Estate, Adventures with Elephants is managed by the Hensman family, who have been extremely privileged to live and
work with elephants since 1988. We invite you into the elephant’s world with Chova and his herd, where you can learn
more about elephants in this unique manner, whilst witnessing their intelligence, compassionate nature and sheer delight in
interacting with their human companions. The friendly, experienced and qualified elephant handlers will share their indepth
knowledge and passion with you, our guest, in this unrivalled and extraordinary experience.
Tripadvisor -
Certificate of
excellence since
2014
Educational interactions, elephant spa, romance in the bush,
customised events, filming and photography, conservation
and research. Visit www.adventureswithelephants.com for
more information. Bookings on 014-7347730, 079 4317655 or
Email adventures@zebula.co.za

A World of Endless Beauty Awaits
Break away to breathtaking views of the
Northern Drakensberg when you visit aha
Alpine Heath Resort in Kwa-Zulu Natal.
Situated mid-way between Johannesburg
and Durban, this four-star village is home to
100 luxurious three-bedroom sixsleeper
chalets, all fully fitted with a patio,
comfortable lounge, self-catering kitchen,
dining area, elevision, fireplaceand
telephone. Our spa, restaurant, coffee shop
and gym facilities ensure that you enjoy
some much needed downtime, while activities such as hiking, horse riding,
wimming, putt-putt, tennis and volleyball promise fun and adventure for the whole
family. We've recently refurbished our eight conference rooms to create the perfect
setting for conferences and private functions. so whether you're looking for a family
getaway or a place to do business differently, aha Alpine Heath Resort is the perfect
home away from home this summer.
The mountains are calling!
Phone: 036 438 8500 | Email: hotel@alpineheath.co.za

The festive season during
December and January is
holiday time in South Africa,
with loads of fun events
taking place all over the country. We
have selected some of the highlights –
be sure not to miss the ones where you
are this summer. While we have taken
every care to provide accurate details
of all events, these may be subject to
change or cancellation. At the time
of writing a few organisers had yet to
announce details of their events and
whether they would again take place
this year at the same venues. Have
great fun this summer!
19 November 2018 –
1 April 2019
Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts Cape Town
This hugely popular outdoor concert series takes place annually each Sunday afternoon/early evening
during the summer months in Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens on the eastern slopes of
Table Mountain. To be enjoyed by the whole family. Bring your blankets and picnic basket for some
great entertainment with some of the best South African and international acts, while taking in the
splendour of the mountain and gardens. Watch their website for the full programme to be announced.
20 |ISSUE 11|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZITRAVEL

…what’s on, when and where
SUMMER
Calendar
3-21 December
Simply South Gift & Craft Fair
Bergvliet, Cape Town
Fun for the whole family, with many amazing gifts
and crafts to browse and buy. This three-week
long fair takes place indoors at the NG Kerk (Dutch
Reformed Church) in Bergvliet.
1-2 December
Cap Classique & Champagne
Festival Franschhoek
Enjoy the best of South Africa’s bubbly at this
fun event for champagne aficionados and the
entire family. There’s also plenty of good food,
entertainment and other things to do, all within
the fabulous Franschhoek valley and village.
Make a note of this one, although final dates and
programme are still to be announced.
3 December
Adderley Street Festive Lights Switchon
Cape Town
Being one of the premier holiday destinations in
the world, this is another unique fun tradition in the
Mother City with a carnival-like atmosphere. At this
event each year the Mayor of Cape Town switches
on the festive season street lights in Adderley Street.
Lots of entertainment and food stalls. The event also
signals the start of the night street market when the
city centre is closed to traffic, and dozens of stalls sell
food, beverages and all sorts of other things.
4 December
Community Chest Twilight Run
Cape Town Central
Each December the Cape Town city centre is filled
to capacity for a run at which no winner is declared
and no medals are awarded, and there isn’t even a
timekeeper! It’s just for the fun! And to raise money
for a good cause. The race attracts more than
8,000 participants and spectators each year, many
of them dressed up in ridiculous costumes for the
event.
MZANZITRAVEL| www.mzanzitravel.co.za|Issue 11| 21

6-9 December
The Abantu Book Festival
Soweto
Abantu Book Festival has become an annual
pilgrimage for black writers and readers from all over
Africa, held annually in Soweto to celebrate the rich
and diverse African literary heritage. Over four days,
the best poets, novelists, playwrights, biographers,
children’s writers, literary scholars, musicians,
actors, activists, thinkers, amapantsula and avid book
readers transform the venue into a literary village.
The day events are held at the Eyethu Lifestyle
Centre in Mofolo, where entry is free, and the night
sessions at the Soweto Theatre in Jabulani with
tickets costing a mere R20.00 only.
13-16 December
Christmas Carols by Candlelight
Cape Town
from all over the world for this five-day music and
dance experience spread over three arenas. The
party takes place at Jongenskloof Country Retreat,
Riviersonderend/Overberg in the Western Cape.
14 December - 2
January
Litchi Festival
Salt Rock, KZN
The annual Litchi Festival (dates to be confirmed)
takes place each year on a Litchi farm at Salt Rock
just north of Ballito on the fabulous Dolphin Coast.
Bring the family for lots of fun, litchi picking and
tasting, great food, and plenty else. Refreshments
are sold on site (including Halal food). Two weeks
earlier the summer season kicks off with the Litchi
Party at Ballito.
16 December
Darling Summer Beer Festival
Darling, Western Cape
16 December
Day of Reconciliation
South Africa
This public holiday is an annual reminder of South
Africa’s divided past and its reconciliation as the
rainbow nation since 1994. Major gatherings take
place in different parts of the country, with different
keynote speakers. Watch the media for details.
16 December
Summer Beach Festival
Jeffreys Bay
Like every summer before, the Jeffreys Bay Summer
Beach Festival will kick off on the 16th of December
with a parade. Beach activities take place throughout
the holidays.
17 December
Mother City Queer Project
Cape Town
This Queer Art Party Project has a different theme
each year for revellers where many dress up in the
most outlandish costumes and everybody parties
through the night. Top DJs, master of ceremonies and
plenty of food and beverages on sale will keep you
going through the night – the mother of all Cape Town
parties. It takes place in the area around the Cape
Town City Hall, Grand Parade and Castle.
The annual Carols by Candlelight has been held each
year at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens for more
than 20 years. Sing along to popular Christmas songs
at Cape Town’s historic botanical gardens.
13-17 December
Vortex Open Source Trance Party
Riviersonderend
Over the years Vortex trance parties have become
legendary. Its Open Source party this December
is one not to be missed if, as they bill it, you are
into “a musical journey that you don’t just hear but
become part of”. There will be 120 electronic artists
On 16 December – date to be confirmed - the little
Western Cape town of Darling, put on the map by
its most famous resident, the satirist, performer and
activist Pieter-Dirk Uys, will be hosting beer-lovers
from all over the world.
16 December
Festival of Chariots
Sea Point, Cape Town
Don’t miss this East-meets-West cultural experience
with its lively procession of bright colours, intoxicating
aromas and rhythmic chanting. This ancient Hindu
festival, celebrated by all major cities around the
world, is brought to Cape Town by the International
Society for Krishna Consciousness. Devoted festivalgoers,
food, music, dance, colourful processions, and
culturally so much more, make this an unforgettable
experience.
21-22 December
Falke Full Moon Hike at Delvera
Stellenbosch
A full-moon hike with a difference…Starting at the
Dirtopia Trail Centre, Delvera Farm, Stellenbosch,
the hike takes you along the Delvera Trail, from
which you can enjoy the sunset over Table
Mountain in the distance, or the stunning views
of the Winelands. Enjoy a picnic as the full moon
rises over Klapmutskop and then join others on the
9.75km circle route Falke Full Moon Hike through the
vineyards.
21 December
PSL Soccer
Johannesburg
Bidvest Wits play Chippa United at the Bidvest
Stadium, Braamfotein.
22 |ISSUE 11|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZITRAVEL

22 December
PSL Soccer
Durban, Cape Town & Pietermaritzburg
AmaZulu FC play Golden Arrows at the King
Zwelithini Stadium in Umlazi, Durban; Cape Town
City FC play Bloemfontein Celtic at the Cape Town
Stadium; and Maritzburg United play Baroka FC at
the Harry Gwala Stadium, Pitermaritzburg.
23 December
PSL Soccer
Tembisa, Gauteng
Highlands Park play SuperSport United at the
Makhulong Stadium, Tembisa.
26-30 December
1st Sunfoil Cricket Test Match, South
Africa v. Pakistan, Centurion
over 40 boats. The first stage ends at Mossel Bay,
with subsequent stages each ending at Stilbaai,
Struisbaai, and Uilkraalsmond respectively, before
the race ends in Strand on New Year’s Day. The
exciting starts and finishes can be watched up close
from the various beaches along the route. There are
always plenty of spills and thrills.
29-30 December
Unplugged62 Festival
Barrydale
Billed as a New Year’s Festival weekend in the Klein
Karoo, this little town on the iconic and scenic Route
62, comes very much alive for this event. There’s
plenty of other things also to do and see in and
around Barrydale. The date has yet to be confirmed.
30 December – 2
January
Kaapse Klopse (Cape Minstrel)
Carnival, Cape Town
CPT
Kirstenbosch Gardens
JHB
City Sightseeing Bus
C
M
Y
CM
MY
The first test of the Pakistan side’s summer tour
to South Africa, to be held at SuperSport Park in
Centurion. Spend the day watching the big hitters and
tricky bowlers while braaiing under the trees.
28 December – 1
January
Plettenburg Bay, Mossel Bay, Stilbaai,
Struisbaai, Uilkraalsmond to Strand
This annual Cape Town showcase event is a tradition
going back 200 years when slaves and workers
were given time off on the second day of the year to
celebrate. Traditionally it takes place on 2 January,
known as Tweede Nuwejaar (Second New Year)
in Cape Town. However, the Nagtroepe (night
marchers) start strutting their stuff through the city
streets on the last nights of the year, usually a route
along Wale Street. Then on 2 January the big march
takes place through Cape Town in the day when
the streets are lined with spectators cramming into
the Mother City. After the main march two weeks of
competitions among the different bands, choirs and
marching troupes take place at a city stadium. These
extravagant parades with the colourful participants
and lively music are not to be missed.
CY
CMY
K
CPT
Table Mountain Cableway
CPT
Robben Island Museum
The Trans Agulhas Challenge
Every year on 28 December the Trans-Agulhas
Challenge, known as the ‘world’s toughest inflatable
boat race’, gets underway in Plettenberg Bay.
This year’s race will be the 31st one with a field of
SOUTHERN CAPE
Stoked School of Surf
GET YOUR TICKETS AT
WWW.WEBTICKETS.CO.ZA
OR AT ANY PICK N PAY
STORE NATIONWIDE

30 December
The Marina Mile
Jeffreys Bay
Resurrected in 2002, the Marina Mile open water
challenge is one of South Africa’s bigger open water
swimming events held each year at Marina Martinique
in Jeffreys Bay, home to the SA National Open-water
Swimming Championships. There are four events: The
Marina Mile, Marina Double Mile, Marina Half-Mile and
the Marina Bank-to-Bank (for kids). There are plenty
of vantage points from which to watch the race. The
Marina Wharf Restaurant will have food and drinks
available and Whacky Water Park is right next doors
offering fantastic activities for the whole family. A small
race entry fee is charged.
31 December
Joburg Carnival & New Year’s
Countdown, Johannesburg
Billed as the biggest New Year’s Eve party in South
Africa, this is an annual tradition with a spectacular
fireworks display. Entry is free to all areas of the V&A
Waterfront, except for those Waterfront establishments
that will be hosting their own parties, such as
restaurants. A good event for the whole family. There
are plenty of pubs, kiosks and restaurants, while food
trucks and caterers will also provide all you need.
Consider using the MyCiti bus service to get there as
traffic congestion can be hectic.
31 December
Shark Rock Pier New Year’s Eve
Fireworks,Port Elizabeth
The beachfront area is where it’s all happening
– Humewood, Summerstrand, Hobie Beach and
especially the area around Shark Rock Pier opposite
the Boardwalk casino complex. Usually a fireworks
display is part of the fun.
31 December
Connexion New Year’s Eve Trance Party
Durban
31 December
Unyaka Festival, Giba Gorge Mountain
Bike Park , Pinetown
Projecting a strong tribal vibe, the Unyaka outdoor
festival with music stages, dance floors, art and crafts
and much more, has become hugely popular. It takes
place in a forest near Weighbridge off the N3 just
outside Pinetown.
31 December
Kings Park & Moses Mabhida Stadium
Concerts, Durban
Big parties with international music acts are hosted
here around these international sports stadiums each
year, either on some of the outer sports fields or in
adjacent public areas. The Fact Durban Rocks NYE
concert – staged for the past 6 years - was held in
the Moses Mabhida Stadium last New Year’s Eve.
The headlining acts were Cassper Nyovest and Black
Coffee. At the same time Durban Vibes held a concert
at the adjacent Kings Park outer fields with international
singer Jay Sean headlining. Watch the local media for
details of this year’s events.
Make your way to Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown
– downtown Johannesburg – where you can join
thousands of people from midday on 31 December
as they wait for midnight. Food stalls and live music
will take care of all your needs. Surrounding roads are
closed off to traffic and no alcohol is allowed. Entrance
is free.
31December
V&A Waterfront New Year’s Eve
Celebration, Cape Town
If dressing up according to your fantasy and hopping
and humming on an open-air dance floors for three days
long to the beat of some of the best psytrance music is
your thing, this is the place to go between December
30 and January 1. Connexion parties are held around
the world.
31 December-2 January
Smoking Dragon Festival
Bergville, Northern Drakensberg
This three-day music festival ushering in the New Year
takes place at the Amphitheatre Backpackers Lodge
near Bergville just off the R74. The festival brings
together musicians, performance artists and storytellers
to celebrate New Year. It is situated in the foothills of
the beautiful Drakensberg Mountains range, overlooking
the Tugela Falls. It has grown in popularity, turning into a
monster of a party, as its name suggests.

3-7 January
New Year’s Cricket Test, South Africa v.
Pakistan, Cape Town
If you survived the New Year’s Eve parties and the
Kaapse Klopse (Cape Minstrels) extravaganza, the
place to come and recover is Newlands cricket oval
for the 2nd Test between South Africa and Pakistan.
The New Year’s Test is another great Cape Town
tradition. This is great fun for the whole family, either
in the stands or on the lawns under the trees at Castle
Corner, where you will be entertained not only be
the cricket players but also by the silly antics of the
spectators.
4 January
PSL Soccer
Mdantsane, East London
Chippa United play Bloemfontein Celtic at the Sisa
Dukashe Stadium, Mdantsane.
5 January
PSL Soccer
Soweto, Polokwane, Bethlehem,
Tembisa, Pretoria
Kaizer Chiefs play Mamelodi Sundowns at the FNB
Stadium, Soweto; Polokwane City play AmaZulu
FC at the Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane;
Free State Stars play Bidvest Wits at Goble Park,
Bethlehem; Highlands Park play Orlando Pirates at
the Makhulong Stadium, Tembisa; and SuperSport
United play Cape Town City FC at the Lucas Moripe
Stadium, Atteridgeville, Pretoria.
5 January
L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate
Kenilworth, Cape Town
Lovers of horse racing, the who’s who and the social
glitterati will descend on Kenilworth Racecourse,
Cape Town for the running of the 158th L’Ormarins
Queen’s Plate. The race has become known as the
most prestigious weight-for-age race in South Africa
and was first run in 1861 in honour of Queen Victoria.
It’s the first major horse race on the calendar for 2019.
11-15 January
3rd Sunfoil Cricket Test Match, South
Africa v. Pakistan, Johannesburg
The third test of the Pakistan side’s summer tour to
South Africa, to be played at the Bidvest Wanderers
Stadium in Johannesburg.
19 January
One Day International Cricket, South
Africa v. Pakistan, Port Elizabeth
This is the first ODI of the Pakistan side’s summer tour
to South Africa, to be held at St George’s Park in the
Windy City.
19-20 January
Drak Challenge
Drakensberg, KZN
The 25th N3TC Drak Challenge Canoe Marathon
takes place in January, an event that both the athletes
and spectators look forward to each year.
22 January
One Day International Cricket, South
Africa v. Pakistan, Durban
The 2nd Momentum ODI of the Pakistan tour at
Kingsmead, Durban to be played as a day-night match.
25 January
One Day International Cricket, South
Africa v. Pakistan
Centurion
The 3rd Momentum ODI of the Pakistan tour at
SuperSport Park, Centurion, to be played as a daynight
match.
26 January – 3
February
International Mozart Festival
Johannesburg
The Johannesburg International Mozart Festival,
or JIMF, has been a huge success over the years,
with the 10th one scheduled for 26 January to 3
February 2019. Music-lovers of all ages, languages
and cultures can enjoy one whole week of amazing
concerts and cultural events that combine worldclass
classical performances with an innovative and
creative approach to programming, also featuring
outreach projects for children, students and other
audiences. For details of dates, artists and venues
– to be released closer to the time - go to www.joinmozart-festival.org/home.
26 January
Sun Met Horse Race
Kenilworth
The second big Cape horse racing event of the year,
that along with the Durban July make up the two
biggest horse racing events in South Africa, will be
run at Kenilworth Racecourse in Cape Town. The day
will be marked by superb horse racing, fashionistas
showing off their designs, social gatherings in the
marquee tents, and the winner of the Met being
introduced to the crowds.
27 January
One Day International Cricket, South
Africa v. Pakistan, Johannesburg
The 4th Momentum ODI of the Pakistan tour to be
played as a day match at the Bidvest Wanderers
Stadium in Johannesburg.
30 January
One Day International Cricket, South
Africa v. Pakistan
Cape Town
The 5th Momentum ODI of the Pakistan tour at PPC
Newlands, Cape Town, to be played as a day-night
match.
MZANZITRAVEL| www.mzanzitravel.co.za|Issue 11| 25

LESOTHO
Discover Mzanzi
LIMPOPO
NORTH WEST
GAUTENG
MPUMA-
LANGA
NORTHERN CAPE
FREE STATE
KWAZULU
NATAL
EASTERN CAPE
WESTERN CAPE
A walk on the
wild side….
The Magnificent Wild Coast
By Stef Terblanche
If you have never walked on the wild side of South Africa’s Eastern Cape
coast known as the Wild Coast, you are missing out on one of the most
breath-taking experiences in one of the most beautiful, unspoiled places
on earth.
The title, “A walk on the wild side”, may refer to the book, movie and song
about some rather wild experiences in New Orleans and New York, but in
this context, I am referring to a place that is sheer natural magic and human
hospitality. And it is definitely worth a walk, as this stretch of coast offers
some of the most enjoyable hiking trails you will find anywhere. And there
are many of them.
The Wild Coast is situated primarily in what was once referred to as
Transkei, now a part of the Eastern Cape Province. It stretches roughly
over 250 kilometres between the Kei River north of East London, and the
Mtamvuna River just south of Port Edward.
This coastal region is like no other in South Africa, constantly interchanging
between tall sand dunes, coastal forests, rolling green hills, sheer cliff faces,
endless beaches, hidden bays, the odd little island, river mouths, lagoons,
gorges, waterfalls, various natural phenomena, quaint villages, clusters of
traditional Xhosa homes, cattle lazing on the beaches and quite a few old
shipwrecks. It is an iconic destination for backpackers and surfers seeking
adventure at the end of the known world, and also sheer paradise for hikers,
kayakers, anglers and those who seek uninterrupted tranquillity. It is sheer
heaven on earth for anyone from adventurous youngsters, to families and
retirees alike.
PhotoSky - shutterstock

The weather is mostly pleasant and sunny all-year
round, with rainfall along the coast nonetheless
high. With approximately 1,000mm rain per year,
it can rain at any time, but mostly so in spring and
autumn. Summer temperatures along the coast
average about 28 degrees C – from mid-October
to mid-February. Winter lasts from May to July
and is characterized by good weather, with mild
sunny days and no wind or rain.
The forested areas along the Wild Coast
include exotic prehistoric cycads, sneeze
wood, yellowwood and other indigenous trees,
while most of the region is covered with dense
vegetation. Bird life flourishes here, and a great
treat is spotting the fish eagles gliding down from
their clifftop perches to the rivers below.
The Wild Coast is one of the most unspoiled
regions of the country, although miners and
developers have in recent years constantly tried
to change that. So far, thankfully they have mostly
been unsuccessful.
Perhaps the coastal region’s relative remoteness
has helped with that. To get to the Wild Coast
seaside from the N2 highway that runs inland
from East London through Mthatha to KwaZulu-
Natal, often requires travelling down some very
poor dirt roads. But that only adds to the charm.
Some parts are completely inaccessible by motor
vehicle, except with 4WD ones if and where
permitted, otherwise on foot, horseback or by
mountain bike, with the odd landing strip for light
aircraft found here and there.
Follow the N2 out of East London and turn off
to the R349 to Morgans Bay and Kei Mouth.
There are excellent hotels and other forms of
accommodation in both villages, places where
time has stood still. At Kei Mouth the only way
across the river to the rest of the Wild Coast is
by an old-worldly pontoon. This trip across the
river several times a day is quite an experience.
Cars are pulled up and secured, tourists mingle
with villagers carrying bags from shopping trips,
bicycles, animals and everything else are brought
on board, and off you go across the wide river
mouth.
By pontoon across the
river
On the other side a gravel road cuts through the
Kei Mouth State Reserve and then doubles back
down to the coast and a sprinkling of seaside
hotels, such as the well-known Trennery’s and
Seagull’s, favourite holiday destinations for
many generations of families. Both are secluded,
hidden by forest-covered dunes. Challenging little
tracks – quite muddy when it rains – also crisscross
the hills. If you want to take a shortcut and
get lost, friendly villagers along the way will gladly
direct you to your destination.
The hotels here have bars, restaurants, pools,
lawns in beautiful gardens, tennis courts,
stunning sea views, and are very secure with
great hospitality. You can go on river or lagoon
cruises, hike along the beach or one of the many
trails, join Trevor’s Trails for a very educational
and beautiful hike, visit villages, watch a real
sangoma casting bones, go fishing or surfing, or
just soak up the sun and listen to the millions of
birds.
Within the Kei Mouth State Reserve is the Gxara
River mouth, the place where a huge human
tragedy originated in April 1856. A young girl,
Nongqawuse, said she had met the spirits of
three ancestors and, according to what they
had told her, prophesied that the English settlers
would be driven into the sea if the Xhosa people
destroyed all their cattle and crops. The people
obeyed, leading to the great famine of 1856-57
that killed around 80,000 people and destroyed
more than 300,000 herd of cattle.
Fortunately, since then the cattle herds, like the
people, have recovered, and today a unique sight
along the Wild Coast is finding groups of Nguni
cattle with their red, white and black speckled
hides lazing on the beaches, in the shallow
seawater and at river mouths.
While venturing along the beach from Kei Mouth
to Trennery’s, we came across another unique
Wild Coast scene. Sitting on the rocks were a
group of mostly elderly Xhosa men from a nearby
village, dressed impeccably in suits and worker’s
overalls, and drinking beer in the morning sun.
A short distance away four small boys were
struggling to push a wheelbarrow through the
soft sand, fully loaded with crates of more beer
for the men. And yet another short distance away
the village women were hard at work collecting
mounds of shells from which they would make
lime. In some places it certainly still seems to be
a man’s world!

Michael Potter11 - shutterstock
Chris Troch - shutterstock
Further up along the entire coast you will find more
hidden little hotels dating back to a bygone era,
like Wavecrest, Transkei Beach Cottages, Kobb
Inn, Mazeppa Bay Hotel, Hole in the Wall Hotel,
Umngazi River Bungalows, among many more, as
well as numerous guest and backpackers’ lodges.
Going inland some of the larger villages and towns
include Kentani, Canzibe, Mqanduli, Lusikisiki
and Flagstaff, while along the N2 you will pass
through Butterworth, Idutywa (birthplace of former
President Thabo Mbeki), Qunu (ancestral home of
Nelson Mandela where he is buried and the Nelson
Mandela Museum is located), and the regional
capital of Mthatha.
Backpackers’ paradise
The Wild Coast has become internationally
renowned as something of a backpackers’ mecca
and cheap backpackers’ accommodation is found
all along the coast in exotic settings. In many places
locals offer their traditional homes in the villages as
accommodation for backpackers and other tourists
– a unique way to experience the local Xhosa
culture.
Popular spots, with lodges that have become
legendary among the global backpacking
community, are located at Mazeppa Bay, around
the Kobb Inn Hotel, at the Mbashe River Mouth,
Xhora River Mouth, Bulungula, Wild Lubanzi, Hole
in the Wall, Coffee Bay, Mdumbi, Mtakatyi, Hluleka,
Mngazi River Mouth, Port St Johns, Ntafufu,
Manteko, Mbotyi, Waterfall Bluff, and all the way
up to KwaZulu-Natal where the coast, by contrast,
is much more commercially and residentially
developed and crowded.
Travelling further north along the Wild Coast
you will find many more picturesque locations,
breath-takingly beautiful natural scenery and
villages. These include the river mouth lagoon at
the confluence of the Ngqusi and Inxaxo Rivers,
Ngqwara River mouth, Mazeppa Bay where a
bridge leads to a little island, the Qwaninga River
mouth where Kob Inn and Dolphin View are
located, or the Tribal Retreat near Jujura River.
Hiking trails abound across the entire coastal strip,
or you can discover the delights of the Wild Coast
on horseback in organised groups, or do so on your
trustworthy old mountain bike.
Past the Nqabara River you get to the beautiful
Dwesa Nature Reserve with its forests, lagoons,
wildlife and marine reserve, and which has
both chalets and camping sites for tourist
accommodation. Also, within the reserve are The
Haven Hotel and Dwesa River Mouth Lodge. The
reserve lies along the Mbashe River, which further
inland passes the village of Mvezo, birthplace of
Nelson Mandela.
There are a number of other nature reserves in
these parts, such as Mkambati Nature Reserve
on the coast of north-eastern Pondoland, between
Port Edward and Port St Johns; Silaka Nature
Reserve at Port St Johns; Hluleka Nature Reserve
30 kilometres south of Port St Johns; Cwebe Nature
Reserve Adjacent to the Dwesa reserve, separated
by the Mbashe River; and the Inkwenkwezi Private
Game Reserve at Cintsa.
The 3,500ha Dwesa Nature Reserve has a unique
blend of coastal forest, winding rivers, open
grassland and a diverse coastline with a range of
trails through lush forests with magnificent ocean
views. The reserve is a paradise for avid birdwatchers
with 290 species recorded, including
the Narina Togon and Mangrove Kingfisher. The
primary purpose of the Dwesa Nature Reserve is
to conserve the unique biodiversity of the coastal
forests, the southern sourveld grassland type and
the Marine Protected Area. It also provides a critical
habitat for the survival of a number of collapsed fish
stocks.
Still going north-east along the coast, many more
rivers and lagoons further, you get to Hole in the
Wall, an incredible natural phenomenon made up
of a tall, grass-covered island with a huge hole
through its centre, through which the sea surges
and crashes. At low tide you can easily walk onto
the uninhabited island.
Capital of the Wild Coast
And then you get to Port St Johns, the ‘capital’ of
the Wild Coast. By car it can only be reached along
the tarred R61 from either Mthatha or Lusikisiki, but
the town also has a small airport. And of course, if
you are hiking, you can reach it from any direction.
In this laid-back, sleepy town you can surf with
30 |ISSUE 11|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZITRAVEL

UPLANDS
Est. 1928
Uplands is an independent, English-speaking
school situated on a large country estate
in White River, Mpumalanga. We nurture
boys and girls from Grade 0000 to 12, with
boarding from Grade 4 upwards. We provide
a dynamic, caring, well-rounded, valuesbased
education delivered by a quality
team. Academics, Co-curricular, Boarding,
Outreach, Community and an Anglican-based
ethos are essential to our success, as we
grow a world-class, forward-thinking school.
Prep: +27 13 7513806
College: +27 13 7513141
admissions@uplands.co.za
www.uplands.co.za

Discover Mzanzi
sharks and swim with cattle, wander through the
unspoilt forests, mingle with the locals in the village
and dance to some pumping kwaito music over
a beer or two, lounge in a hammock under the
trees sipping long cocktails, or chat to travellers
from all over the world in rustic beach and hillside
backpackers’ lodges.
The town is built on the southern bank of the
Mzimvubu River. In earlier days one could only
cross the river by pontoon, but now a bridge spans
the river higher up inland. There are many camping
sites, lodges, hotels and guest houses in the area.
Ferry trips, other boat cruises and kayaking can all
be undertaken on the river.
Drive out of the village and you enter another world
of traditional Xhosa villages and rondavel huts
clinging precariously to the sides of forested hills.
When you get to the popular Second Beach don’t
be surprised if you have to share your place in the
sun with a herd of African Nguni cattle with their
typical patchwork white and red hides and large,
menacing horns. But don’t worry, they are quite
lazy and harmless, just passing the sunshine hours
on the beach and taking the occasional knee-deep
dip before being herded back to their kraals in the
surrounding villages at sunset. It must be the most
popular beach hangout for cattle in the world.
Far more dangerous here are the sharks. While
Second Beach is very popular with backpackers,
swimmers, surfers and locals, several shark attacks
on surfers have unfortunately taken place here in
the last few years, so be careful when swimming
in the sea. But what this beach may lack in safety
and amenities, it certainly makes up for with some
of the most spectacular scenery. Powerful Wild
Coast waves and a river mouth are set off against
a backdrop of forests, green hills and a wide beach
where time stands still.
The town has about 6,500 permanent residents and
is situated some 70km from Mthatha along a good
tarred road. In former years the river mouth estuary
was used as a port for shipping and, in colonial
times, the local tribe and its chief were heavily
embroiled in the politics of the region and fights with
other royals. But that’s all in the past now.
The area truly boasts some of the most dramatic
and beautiful coastline and natural scenery
imaginable. You can paddle up the river, while
further up are some lovely rock pools in which to
swim. The area is also great for bird-watching, with
over 40 species having been identified. Or visit the
Cape Hermes lighthouse, do a forest hike, or the
Cultural Experience Hike through the Silaka Nature
Reserve, watch whales and dolphins cruising by in
the sea, visit a sangoma for some medicinal advice,
take the ferry across the wide river, go fishing along
the sea or the river, visit the awesome nearby Hole
in the Wall, or climb up to Eagles Nest behind the
town.
There are several other lovely beaches in and
around Port St Johns. And if it’s peace and quiet
in more luxurious settings you are after, you can
stay at the Umngazi River Bungalows and Spa at
the mouth of the Mngazi River a mere 18km away.
Magical Magwa Falls
From Port St Johns take the R61 to Lusikisiki, then
turn off east onto the road leading to the 1,800
hectare Magwa tea plantation, the oldest, largest
and, some say, last remaining working tea plantation
in South Africa. It lies within a beautiful forested area
interspersed by deep ravines and rivers, but its real
treasure is the spectacular Magwa Falls.
The falls are at one end of a deep ravine covered
in dense forest, with a clear river running through it,
plunging down 144 metres over the edge of a cliff
into the narrow canyon below that was formed by
ancient seismic movement of the earth’s crust along
a geological fault, or volcanic activity. Not in scale,
but in sheer beauty, the falls are often compared to
the Victoria Falls. Local lore holds that the villagers
at the seaside end of the ravine collect their wood
only at the edge of the canyon and its forest, not
entering any deeper as they believe it to be haunted
and the dwelling place of ancestral spirits.
Close to the falls is Magwa Volunteers, a small
permaculture project where volunteers can spend
time learning about local sustainable living. There
are also traditional local villages dotted throughout
the area. You can hike along the nearby Sangoma
Trail, or visit the Mkambati Nature Reserve,
Ntsubane Forest and Lupatana Nature Reserve.
This article has really covered only a fraction of all
the wonderful things to see and do along the Wild
Coast. The only way to discover it all, is to go there.
So, if you haven’t been to the Wild Coast before, it’s
time to get out those hiking boots and discover one
of the last truly unspoiled and wild coastal regions
on earth.
sarievanrooyen -iStock
Henrique NDR Martins - iStock
Nathan Chor - shutterstock
Useful Contact Information
Eastern Cape Parks & Tourism Agency:
Tel +27 (0)43 705 4400 or email info@ecpta.co.za.
Port St Johns Tourist Information Office:
Tel/Fax +27(0)47 564-1187.
Magwa Falls Day Tour - Amapondo
Backpacker Lodge:
Tel +27 (0)83 315 3103 or email info@amapondo.co.za.
The Wild Coast online travel guide:
www.wildcoastholidays.com
Kei Mouth: tourism@keimouth.co.za
Coffee Bay Tourism Info:
Tel +27(0)43 701 9600, or email info@ectourism.co.za.
32 |ISSUE 11|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZITRAVEL

OUR TOURS
Safari tours
Adventures tours
Golf tours
Event tours
Arts & culture tours
Food and wine tours
Cruise tours
Away tours
Boyang Gape Tours and Travel
Boyanggapett
@boyanggapetours
Boyang gape tours and travel
Tel: +27 (0) 11 465 5053/59
Fax: +27 (0) 11 467 0072
www.boyanggape.co.za

Discover
Our regular feature in which we visit some
unique, hidden-away and off-the-beatentrack
places and experiences you probably
didn’t know existed…but which are truly
worth a visit.
By Stef Terblanche
Beautiful beaches - Sara Winter, iStock

Elim’s old Moravian Church - Sam J Basch
Elim’s thatched, whitewashed homes and the old chuch - Hannes Thirion, iStock
Elim’s wooden watermill wheel - Sam J Basch, iStock
Elim … a place of God and freed
slaves where time stood still
Travelling along the R43 in the heart of the Southern Cape’s Overberg region
between the towns of Bredasdorp and Gansbaai you’ll unexpectedly come across
a small village dominated by a church… frozen in time for almost 200 years. The
village of Elim was founded as a Moravian mission station in 1824 and became
a haven of refuge for freed slaves. Walking through the charming village with its
fascinating history, you’ll find that the whitewashed, thatched houses lining the
streets have not changed in all the years…and you can almost feel the presence
still of those former slaves and old-world missionaries who once walked these very
same streets. They left their indelible mark not only here, but across the country.
That this village has been so charmingly preserved can in part be attributed to the
fact that until just more than a decade ago it was linked to the outside world by dirt
roads mainly; but also because of a sense of their origins and history that has been
guarded jealously by those who have lived here for generations. And the Moravian
Church still to this day exercises tight control over the village, not allowing the
sale of properties to outsiders and developers and frowning heavily on any kind of
conduct unbecoming. The village’s historical and national monument status has
also protected it.
However, the tarring of roads leading to the village has placed it firmly on the
wine route map of the Cape Agulhas Wine Region. The village started life as
a completely self-sustaining one, producing all its own food, building materials
and its own wine for communion. Now there are several wine farms around it,
producing some very excellent wines. The Elim Tourism Office and surrounding
regional tourism organisations have also actively promoted this picturesque
village steeped in so much history to the outside world.
Despite its sleepy appearance at first glance, the village bustles with life. As you
walk along the streets you’ll be greeted by smiling, brightly dressed teenagers and
children, smaller siblings on their hips. Old women lean over doors chatting to their
neighbours, and old men sit out in the sun on their chairs. On every block you’ll find
a craftsman, practising trades like thatching or carpentry, with skills passed down
through the generations. Many of the villagers are directly descended from freed
slaves. There aren’t too many cars here, so children and pets own the streets.
The town claims the biggest wooden watermill wheel in the country, the only
monument to the emancipation of slaves in the country, and ‘twelve fountains and
seventy palm trees’ as part of its historical heritage. Taken from Exodus 15:27 in
the Bible, the name Elim refers to the Israelites, who after having crossed the Red
Sea, “came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten
palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.” The founders of the village
did the same, building it on the banks of the Nuwejaarsrivier (New Year’s river) that
provided water, and many palm trees are still found around the village.
Dominating the village and guarding over it at the southern entrance on Church
Street, is the large old Moravian church, set in a tranquil garden of lawns and trees,
and surrounded by a sprinkling of historical buildings. The inside of the church is
painted completely and blindingly white, and on Sundays the aisle still separates
the men from the women. That too hasn’t changed. The church clock has been
working since 1764 when it was built in Germany for a church in Herrenhut,
and later brought to Elim. The surrounding buildings include the original school
building, now a library, the oldest house in the village, a museum telling the story
of Elim and housed in the original mission store, a little coffee shop serving the
milk tart you last had as a kid, a guest house and the old watermill. And there’s
plenty more.
Here and there are signs that time has caught up with the village. A few cottages
are in a dilapidated state, while others have been brightly painted over in different
colours and given a new cover of thatched or corrugated iron roofs. But the
majority look pretty much the same as when they were built. Younger villagers
are also moving away to larger towns and cities or are embracing more of the
modern-world culture and technology. But overall, the impression one gets is of a
village that has never changed. The 19th century cottages are built of mud-brick,
their walls plastered with lime boiled from sea shells, and their roofs thatched with
local thatching grass.
For more information: Elim Tourism Office Tel +27 (0)86 123 4777 or
email webmaster@maxitec.co.za; Moravian Church Tel +27 (028) 482
1806/482 1750 or email elimor@brd.dorea.co.za; Cape Agulhas Tourism
Tel +27 (0)28 424 2584 or +27 (0)28 424 2883 or email bredasdorp@
discovercapeagulhas.co.za.
36 |ISSUE 11|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZITRAVEL

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Discover
Birkenhead Peninsula… resorts,
caves, shipwrecks, fynbos and sharks
On the southwestern coast of the Western Cape, about half way between False
Bay and the southernmost tip of Africa, a peninsula juts out to sea, ending at a
lighthouse and a spot called Danger Point. It is a spot famous for the demise of
the HMS Birkenhead in which 450 souls perished, a tragedy that gave birth to the
maritime tradition of “women and children first”, one that has been honoured ever
since and found a place in a famous poem by Rudyard Kipling. But the Birkenhead
Peninsula stretching from De Kelders to Uilenkraalsmond is also a true coastal
gem for holidays, day trips, adventure, discoveries and many other wonderful
things.
To get there, follow the N2 between Cape Town and Swellendam and turn of either
at Bot River, Caledon or Riviersonderend, then follow the signposts to Gansbaai.
A favourite holiday destination for farmers and townsfolk from the surrounding
inland districts or city folk from Cape Town and upcountry, this coastal paradise
includes the resort towns of De Kelders, Gansbaai, Birkenhead, Van Dyks Bay,
Kleinbaai, Franskraal and Uilenkraalsmond. Just a little inland lie some other
charming little hamlets like Baardskeerdersbos and Wolvengat, while further
south-eastward along the coast are more hidden-away little settlements, all the
way to Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point of Africa, some 70km by road from
Uilenkraalsmond.
The region, once the habitat of Khoisan, was settled since the 1700s by farmers
and fishermen, with little fishing and holiday settlements soon established around
the peninsula. These are still the mainstay of the area’s economic activity, since
bolstered by tourism. The area is also famous for whale watching and shark cage
diving.
Arriving from Hermanus, the first settlement is De Kelders, named after the Drup
Kelders (dripping cellars or chambers), a series of caves filled with stalagmites
and stalactites found here by a farmer in 1776. It has been a tourist attraction ever
since and tours are available. The village itself sits high upon cliffs, a favourite
whale-watching spot, and sought-after angling grounds. One of the series of
caves is De Kelders cave, the only freshwater cave next to the coast of Africa. It
is a popular swimming place with natural mineral water and was first enjoyed in
1798 by Lady Anne Barnard, a famous Scottish travel writer, artist, socialite and
author of the ballad Auld Robin Gray, who lived at the Cape for 5 years. Nearby
Klipgat Cave is an archaeological site where artefacts, tools and other evidence
was found of the Middle Stone Age people who once lived here.
From De Kelders you can walk to Gansbaai, the largest town and ‘capital’ of this
peninsular region. The town remains a bustling fishing centre dominated by its
harbour. It is also the home of abalone and great white sharks, both contributing
in their own unique ways to the economy of the area. The village has many little
B&Bs, guesthouses and holiday homes you can rent, and very cheaply so out
of season. Pubs and eateries abound. From Gansbaai you can follow the road
down the Birkenhead Peninsula to Danger Point. Here you can visit the lighthouse,
surrounded by fynbos and the sea, for a guided tour or stay in its self-catering
cottages. There’s also a memorial to the brave soldiers of the Birkenhead – one
of seven shipwrecks here - who stood to attention on her deck as she went down,
because there were not enough lifeboats on board after the women and children
were sent to safety.
Double back on the road or follow the 4X4 track all along the beach to Van Dyks
Bay and Kleinbaai, launching pad of the boats that will take you on a shark cage
diving adventure at Geyser Rock, the great white shark capital of the world. It
sits adjacent to Dyer Island with its penguin colony. Next, you’ll get to Franskraal
where farmers’ holiday homes line the beach front. At the end is a caravan park
where over many years caravans have evolved into full-fledged holiday homes.
Lovely beaches and diving spots are found along here, until you reach the white
sandy beaches of the river mouth and lagoon at Uilenkraalsmond.
The area offers visitors more activities than can be fitted into a month: from
whale watching, to cave exploration, shark cage diving, snorkelling, spearfishing,
angling, horse-riding on the beaches, pubs and restaurants, quaint little shops,
the Danger Point Lighthouse, nature reserves, mountains, fynbos, hiking trails,
mountain bike routes, 4X4 routes, wine tasting, the Funky Fynbos Festival, and
so much more.
For more information: Gansbaai Tourism at Tel +27 (0)28 384 1439 or Email info@
gansbaaitourism.co.za or Website www.gansbaaiinfo.com.
Great white capital of the world - demarfa, iStock Danger Point Lighthouse - Karl Andre Terblanche Kleinbaai - Anna Phillips, iStock

Yachts at Gariepdam village - iStock
Gariep Dam… a tranquil Karoo oasis
alongside SA’s biggest dam
Driving through the vast, arid and harsh semidesert Karoo region, you’d hardly
expect to find a great body of placid water curving its way in and among flat desert
veld, hills and mountains, with yachts bobbing at anchor in one of its many bays.
To be exact: South Africa’s biggest dam, and the second biggest on the African
continent. At its western edge lie the villages of Gariepdam and Norvalspont, with
two nature reserves stretching along its shores to its eastern point and the town of
Bethulie. Some 4km from its southern shore is the town of Venterstad. The dam is
a mere 4km from the north-south N1 highway, 200km south of Bloemfontein and
48km from Colesberg.
The Gariep Dam lies on the Orange River within the Free State and Eastern
Cape provinces. It is more than 100km long and 24km wide, covering more than
370 square kilometres and holds 5.34-million megalitres of water when full. Its
awesome dam wall, just 3km from another province, the Northern Cape, is 88m
high, has a crest length of 914m and contains approximately 1.73-million cubic
metres of concrete. You can drive and walk along the top of the wall for stunning
views of the dam and the river downstream, while its hydro-electrical power station
houses four 90 MW generators. Visitors can take one of the dam-wall tours inside
the wall, where you can walk more than 13km without ever using the same tunnel
or steps twice. Four kilometres downstream, at Norvalspont, is the exact spot
where three provinces meet.
The dam is popular with holidaymakers and visitors from far afield and is a soughtafter
destination for water sports enthusiasts, with every imaginable floating
device plying its waters on a busy summer’s holiday. Yet, it’s so vast with so many
bays, channels and islands that it never gets too crowded and you can sail or
paddle along for hours without seeing another soul. The dam was started in 1928
and is part of the Orange River Development Scheme.
The village of Gariepdam was originally called Oranjekrag, built as a compound
for over 3,000 dam construction workers. Today some 600 permanent residents
live here, but holidaymakers regularly fill it up. Despite its small size, the town
has several excellent hotels, lodges, guesthouses and a popular resort. Things to
do include long hikes, bird-watching, boat cruises, walks in the surrounding veld,
visiting the dam wall, angling, skiing, farm tractor trips, rafting, kayaking, quad
biking, horse-riding, hang-gliding, visiting one of two nature reserves, and gazing
at night at the magnificent star-filled skies.
Two nature reserves, the Oviston and the Gariep Dam nature reserves, hug the
shores of the dam, offering unspoilt Karoo nature and wildlife with many smaller
Karoo predators such as aardwolf, the bat-eared fox, the black-backed jackal,
brown hyena, caracal and the African wild cat. Right next to Gariepdam, across
the river, lies Norvalspont, scene of one of the biggest and harshest British
concentration camps where Boer women and children were held during the Anglo
Boer War. There’s a large cemetery there where many of them are buried.
At the other (eastern) end of the dam, lies Bethulie, a town that started out as
a mission station in 1829 and during the Anglo Boer War was the scene of yet
another very large concentration camp. Another historical site is the sandstone
bridge just outside town that spans the Orange River, connecting the Free State
with the Eastern Cape, while a visit to the Pellisier House Museum, the oldest
settler-built building in the Free State and the original mission building, is
absolutely worth a visit. All of the towns and villages around the dam have ample
and good accommodation and lovely places to eat.
For more information: Gariep Dam Tourism Office Information Website www.
gariepdam.com or Tel +27(0)51 713 9300; Bethulie Information Tel +27 (0)83 251
3555 or Website www.bethulie.info; Gariep Dam Forever Resort Tel +27 (0)51-754
0045; Oviston Nature Reserve Venterstad Tel +27 (0)51 655 0000; Gariep Dam
Nature Reserve Tel +27 (0)51-754 0026/48.
MZANZITRAVEL| www.mzanzitravel.co.za|Issue 11| 39

Discover
Fisherman’s boats and cottages - vwPix, iStock
Paternoster… turquoise sea, seafood
heaven, sailor’s prayers & fisherman’s
cottages
Across South Africa one finds towns and villages named for biblical events and
places. On the rugged West Coast, about 145km from Cape Town, along a part
reminiscent of the Greek Isles, lies the charming fishing village of Paternoster -
the Latin name used by the Catholic Church for the Lord’s Prayer. Legend has
it the name came from the prayers of Portuguese sailors when their ship was
sinking here; other say it is a reference to the beads used by the original Khoisan
inhabitants. But no-one knows for sure.
For anyone who has spent time here, the enduring postcard picture of Paternoster
that will remain with them, is one of a tranquil turquoise sea, large granite
boulders, swarms of seagulls, brightly painted fishing boats lined up on snowwhite
beaches, whitewashed and thatched fisherman’s cottages, fynbos on the
dunes, bokkoms (a type of fish) drying on racks in the gentle breeze, and a lazy
timelessness under bright sunny skies. A favourite, all-year weekend getaway
destination for Capetonians, Paternoster is one of the oldest towns along the West
Coast. It’s famous also for its abundance of crayfish as much as for its traditional
fisherman’s cottages.
Its other delights include watching whales and dolphins frolicking in the ocean (ten
months of the year). After the first spring rains have fallen the area, forming part of
the Namaqualand wildflower region, is transformed by the millions of indigenous
flowers which open and densely carpet the earth in bright bursts of colour (usually
between late July and September). Bird lovers can also indulge their fancy here
with over 250 bird species.
Stroll along the beach, dive some crayfish out of the ocean, go on dune hikes,
saddle a mountain bike, go kayaking, take a tour of the well-preserved traditional
fishermen’s cottages, or marvel at the Southern Right, Bryde’s and Humpback
whales, killer whales and dolphins playing in the sea. You can also visit the nearby
West Coast Fossil Park, Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserve, or visit the Cape
Columbine lighthouse and the surrounding Cape Columbine Nature Reserve.
Enjoy traditional ‘fish and chips’, freshly caught snoek or crayfish in a cosy seaside
restaurant. Stop for breakfast, lunch or sundowners at the Paternoster Hotel,
where you might find a regular patron’s tractor parked in the street out front. Or
enjoy a snoek braai at nearby Tietiesbaai…a beautiful bay on the coast, the name
of which naughtily refers to women’s breasts.
The Cape Columbine Lighthouse commissioned in 1936, was the last manned
lighthouse to be designed by the famous Harry Claude Cooper, Lighthouse
Engineer for the Cape Colonial Government. It is probably the only South African
lighthouse built in something of an art deco style, breaking with tradition as it
resembles a square, buttressed castle instead of the usual round, tapered shape,
aptly being built on what is known locally as Castle Rock. It is usually the first
lighthouse along the western shores of Africa to be sighted by ships coming from
South America and Europe, like answering a seaman’s prayer.
The lighthouse was named after the barque Columbine which ran aground here on
31 Mary 1829. Columbine is one of the few lighthouses that still has a dedicated
lighthouse keeper. It is open to the public daily between 10h00 and 15h00. The
lighthouse has 3 self-catering cottages, all former lighthouse keepers’ cottages.
For more information: Paternoster Tourism Office Tel +27 (0)22 752 2323, Email
paternoster@sbto.co.za, Website www.capewestcoastpeninsula.co.za/towns/
paternoster; West Coast Tourism Tel +27 (0)22 433 8505, Email tourism@wcdm.
co.za, Web www.capewestcoast.org; Cape Columbine Lighthouse Tel +27 (0)21
449 2400 or lighthouse.tourism@transnet.net.
Cape Columbine Lighthouse on Castle Rock - Dr Awie
Badenhorst, iStock Clear water, granite boulders - iStock Fisherman’s boat - simonstravels, iStock Paternoster - Dr Awie Badenhorst, iStock

Family fun
& adventure
are ALL YEAR
ROUND...
www.tourismnorthwest.co.za

tourismnorthwest
@TourismNW
IT’S
NORTH WEST
ENJOY IT

Jovana Milanko, iStock
Hiking

under-
A season for
water
sea adventures
By Stef Terblanche

Summer
The feeling is one of weightlessness as you slowly glide through a
magical water world, cleaving your way through a kelp forest, propelling
yourself with your flippers. You listen to the rhythmic sound of your
breathing through the snorkel and hear the hollow, sucking sound as the
tide heaves and pulls the ocean between giant boulders.
Unexpected movement catches the corner of your eye. Like a submarine on patrol
a shark comes into view, ambles by below you, and graciously slips off into a
plant-filled gully and out of sight. It feels like he never even saw you. But you know
better, and you’re a little relieved that this was a small one, about your own length.
A school of tiny fish dart by inches from your face. One fellow comes right up to
the glass of your mask to have a better look. You dive down to pick up an orange
star fish on the bottom. The rocks around you are covered with brightly coloured
marine plants, molluscs, sponges and all kinds of other life.
Dudarev Mikhail, iStock
Then all is quiet. It’s just you and the ocean. You round the edge of a huge granite
boulder wondering what waits on the other side. And suddenly you see them:
six or eight of them, diving, darting this way and that way, chasing each other
at incredible speed, doing barrel rolls, shooting up from the sandy bottom to the
sparkling surface where the sun breaks through. And then they are gone again.
You marvel at these black and white birds that can waddle on land, can swim like
crazy, but cannot fly.
You swim on to the area where they are most concentrated onshore and watch
from underneath the water as they enter and leave the sea, a hive of activity.
Playfulness mixed with the serious business of looking for food. What better way
could there be to see the famous penguins at Boulders Beach in Simons Town?
Grafner, iStock
Give me a pair of flippers, diving mask and snorkel any day, and leave the
overcrowded viewing beach and platforms to the hundreds of bussed-in tourists.
Nothing beats seeing those beautiful penguins in their natural water habitat,
putting on a show just for you. With no-one else around. You can have this too.
Summer is here again. It is a time when the sea beckons, where there are many
adventures to be had. With a coastline of 2,800km, South Africa offers almost
limitless opportunities and options to enjoy water-bound adventures ranging from
snorkelling to scuba diving, kayaking, surfing, sea-paragliding, kitesurfing, sailing
and plenty more. And you don’t have to miss out if you can’t swim or are afraid of
water: there are plenty of superb coastal hikes to be enjoyed that will bring you in
close touch with the ocean, or you can simply explore the rock pools and gullies at
low tide as they reveal all their fabulous sea life for a few hours each day.
South Africa is rated a world-class diving destination for everything from a shallowwater
snorkelling excursion, to scuba diving on the deeper reefs, playing around
in beautiful multi-coloured coral gardens, diving with the sharks, spearfishing for
your supper, or exploring one of the many submerged wrecks along the coast.
There are also plenty of diving operators all along the coast who provide guided
tours for every type of diving, will instruct novices, offer scuba certification
courses, and provide equipment as well.
Uriadnikov Sergei, iStock
To help you decide and enjoy the best sea adventures this summer, I have compiled
a list of just a few favourite places and things you can do. Anyone, from novices to
the very experienced, can enjoy these wonderful experiences. But always know
your limits and follow the safety rules, for the sea does not suffer fools gladly.
46 |ISSUE 11|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZI TRAVEL
Paul Cowell, iStock

HOOKED ON
SUMMER
FASHION
R43 Main Road, Sandbaai, Hermanus
www.shopwhalecoastmall.co.za

Summer
Snorkelling
For snorkelling expeditions my personal favourite diving spots range from the icy
Atlantic Ocean at Tietiesbaai on the West Coast, all around the coast to the much
warmer waters of Nelson Mandela Bay. This includes places like the kelp forests
of the rock lobster closed area off Melkbosstrand, anywhere in the marine reserve
that runs from Cape Town around Cape Point into False Bay, Boulders Beach and
its penguins of course, the home of big fish and even bigger sharks at Rooi Els and
Pringle Bay, all of the Betty’s Bay Marine Protected Area, the shallow reefs in front
of Kleinbaai and Franskraal (but remember this is great white shark country), and
on to the wild waters in front of the Cape Agulhas lighthouse.
by stingrays and black tails. The temperate waters of Algoa Bay allow for yearround
snorkelling. Pro Dive Snorkelling offers guided diving excursions around
Port Elizabeth, the Eastern Cape coast and Wild Coast, with all equipment
supplied.
Travelling further northeast you’ll come upon many more fabulous diving spots –
ask the locals for directions – all along the coast, until you get to St Lucia and the
iSimangaliso Wetland Park. In this sub-tropical region some of the most beautiful
tropical reefs are located. Operators like Extreme Nature Tours & Travel offer
guided snorkelling excursions at Cape Vidal, Sodwana Bay, Mabibi and Kosi Bay,
where you can marvel at the huge variety of colourful tropical fish, rays, lobsters,
sea turtles, dolphins and more.
On days when the sea is calm, you’ll find some lovely deep, protected gullies to
explore at Agulhas. The flashes of sunlight occasionally bouncing of objects on
the bottom or in cracks among the rocks, are the countless sinkers lost here by
unhappy shoreside anglers. Feel free to take them home.
Around Agulhas and neighbouring Struisbaai you might, if you’re lucky, come
across the remains of some shipwrecks, or even see a canon or two embedded
in the sand. But that’s rare, and perhaps they have all been taken out of the sea
by now. If you don’t find any while diving, you can always go see them at the
lighthouse museum or the Shipwreck Museum in Bredasdorp. The latter houses
a fascinating display.
A little further east the marine protected areas around the Breede River mouth
and Stilbaai are not to be missed. The Mossel Bay coast also offers some
lovely snorkelling spots at The Point, and the reefs that run along from Santos
Beach to De Bakke. You’ll see plenty of red bait clusters covering rocks, black
mussels, the occasional octopus, crabs, and many smaller fish like harders,
steentjies, janbruintjies and red roman. If you’re travelling along the Garden Route
there are literally hundreds of superb snorkelling spots at places like Victoria
Bay, Sedgefield, Buffels Bay, Brenton-on-Sea, Plettenberg Bay, Oyster Bay,
Keurboomstrand, Cape St Francis and Jeffreys Bay.
Snorkelling can be enjoyed by old and young, novices and experts, by people of
various fitness levels and by the whole family. But be aware of where you dive,
how deep it is, the movement of the tides, any currents, the presence of sharks,
weather conditions, the presence of bluebottles (Portuguese man o’ war), and all
other safety-related factors. Make sure you get the correct equipment that fits you
– there’s nothing like a leaking mask or too tight flippers to spoil your day. It’s best
to always wear a wetsuit, even in warmer waters, and never dive alone. And don’t
unduly disturb the permanent underwater residents in the marine reserves and
protected areas – remember you are just a visitor.
Scuba diving
To be able to participate in scuba diving in South Africa, you need to have
completed at least the minimum entry-level Open Water Diver Course certified
internationally by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI). This
certificate will allow you to scuba dive independently with a certified diving buddy,
to depths of up to 18 meters. From this point on you can advance up through a
range of courses all the way to Divemaster, Instructor or Rescue Diver. But for
those who are just seeking some occasional fun in the sea the entry-level course
is more than enough.
Devil’s Reef, just 100m offshore at Humewood Beach in Port Elizabeth is another
great spot with many colourful reefs covered with sponges, soft corals and visited
The South African coast offers scuba divers a vast number of some of the most
exquisite diving experiences in the world. You can dive on your own with your
certified diving buddies, or you can join any number of diving operators all long
iStock

Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre
● Daily tours ● Successful breeding programmes
● Management course for game farming
Ya Mati
● 5x luxurious chalets on the bank of the Blyde River
● Self-catering or full catering
● Wedding facilities for up to 120 people
Forest Camp
● Accomodation and full catering for 22 people at the
foot of the Drakensberg
● Birding and guided game walks
Mountain View
● Accomodation for 28-plus people
● B&B, full catering
● Guided bird and wildlife bush walks, night drives
For more info and bookings:
Forest Camp & Rehabilitation Centre: Tel: +27 (0)15 795-5236
Fax: +27 (0)15 795-5333
Mountain view: Cell: 082 907 5983
Ya Mati: Cell: 072 191 2024 / 084 511 3000
Fax: +27 (0)12 348 4926
E-mail: moholo@worldonline.co.za
www.moholoholo.co.za
Forest Camp
● Accomodation and full catering for 22
people at the foot of the Drakensberg
● Birding and guided game walks
Wildlife Rehabilitation
Centre
● Daily tours
● Successful breeding programmes
● Management course for game farming
Mountain View
● Accomodation for 28-plus peopl
● B&B, full catering ● Guided bird and
wildlife bush walks, night drives
Ya Mati
● 5x luxurious chalets on the bank of
the Blyde River.
● Self-catering or full catering
● Wedding facilities for up to 120 people
For more info and bookings:
Forest Camp & Rehabilitation Centre: Tel: +27 (0)15 795-5236
Fax: +27 (0)15 795-5333
Mountain view: Cell: 082 907 5983
Ya Mati: Cell: 072 191 2024 / 084 511 3000
Fax: +27 (0)12 348 4926
E-mail: moholo@worldonline.co.za
www.moholoholo.co.za

Summer
Wojciech Podhorski, iStock
the coast who offer anything from guided fun dives to diving holidays. But be
warned, once you immerse yourself into the wonders of the deep blue yonder,
you’ll become addicted, and as with surfing it will quickly become not just a sport,
but a way of life.
The coast along KwaZulu-Natal, from the Mozambique border right down to the
Eastern Cape Wild Coast, is probably recognised by most divers as the top scuba
diving destination in South Africa and known as one of the top five diving locations
in the world. It is home to more than 80% of marine fish families and pelagic
species, with a great number of several kinds of sharks, whales, whale sharks and
more. There are also plenty of shipwrecks to be dived along this coast
Top spots include the magical coral gardens of Seven Mile Reef at Sodwana
Bay in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. Diving at average depths of 16m you will
encounter spectacular, multi-coloured coral formations and breath-taking dropoffs,
underwater cliffs so sheer and deep sometimes that the water turns black
towards the bottom. Here you can dive with black tip reef sharks, Zambezi sharks,
tiger sharks, tiger angelfish, butterfly fish, longnose hawk fish, dense schools of
pelagic fish, huge moray eels, sea turtles and even spot dolphins, whales and
whale sharks.
Further south along this beautiful coast you’ll find the Aliwal Shoal, another firm
favourite with divers and recognised as one of the world’s top diving locations.
Here too you’ll sight sharks ranging from hammerheads to ragged tooth and tiger
sharks, as well as moray eels and cuttlefish. An Aliwal Shoal favourite is a spot
called Cathedral, a fascinating rock formation where the ancient sandstone reef
forms a large crater-like chamber that can be entered and swam through via the
front archway or through the roof. It is also home to many ragged tooth sharks
during the mating season. Aliwal Shoal is some 50km south of Durban near
Umkomaas. Several diving operators are located in the area.
Still in KwaZulu-Natal, another big diving attraction is the annual ‘sardine run’ on
Protea Banks, when hundreds of thousands of sardines migrate eastward along
the coast from the cold waters near Cape Town to the warmer Indian Ocean
waters. The Protea Banks some 160km south of Durban and just under 8km out
to sea off Shelly Beach, is a fossilised sand dune in the ocean where you can dive
among the massive sardine schools in water as shallow as 5m, although average
depths are upwards of 20m. Also on Protea Banks, the spot known as Southern
Pinnacles, with depths between 20 and 40m, is another shark sighting haven,
with black tip, Zambezi, hammerhead, tiger dusky sharks frequenting this part of
the banks.
Moving further south-westwards, Riy Banks at Port Elizabeth is a reef system
some 20km off Hobie Beach that allows, weather permitting, for some excellent
sightings of dolphin, whales and penguins, as well as large schools of game fish.
Depths range between 16 and 28m. Other dives in this area include Avalanche
Reef, and a superb wreck dive at Haerlem Wreck, a navy frigate which lies at 20
meters and is now home to abundant sea life. Another great diving spot is at Groot
Bank off Plettenberg Bay.
All along the Garden Route you’ll find excellent scuba diving spots with awesome
50 |ISSUE 11|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZI TRAVEL

A UNIQUE APPROACH…..
THE ROBIN HOOD
LEGENDARY
WINE SERIES
made up of our informal wines, and they are:
“The Robin Hood”, “The Maid Marian”, “The
Lile John”, and “The Friar Tuck”. Adventurous
and matched for a FULL MEAL! Hors d’oeuvres
through to cheeses aer dinner!
EXTREMELY SMOOTH, FORMAL AND FINE…..
THE ARUMDALE
COOL-CLIMATE WINES,
made up of the mouth-watering ”Pink Shiraz” for
the finest Salmon and Sushi, fine cuisine, the
“Special Long-Yeast Contact Sauvignon
Blanc” (L.Y.C.) for grilled or steamed Fish, white
meat, and calamari. The depth of the great African
night sky, is the stellar “Arumdale St Andrew”.
Our fabulous Bordeaux styled three-way blend,
palate-warming and memorably lingering depth of
flavour.
ORDERS: contact 021 8593430. Our Staff are there 9am-1pm, and 2pm-4pm weekdays, or by special arrangement.
LOADING UP IN ELGIN Our depot is at the R321 turnoff towards Villiersdorp, off the Oudebrug Road
(The road from N2, back to the N2), grid reference: 34 deg. 09’14.69” S and 19 deg. 01’ 4828” E
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arumdalecoolclimate.wines/ or https://www.facebook.com/Robin-Hood-Legendary-Wine-Series
Whale watching with whale watchers gives one the
opportunity to experience the southern right whale up
close. A trip on the registered whale watching boat almost
guarantees an unforgettable encounter with these
awesome creatures.
Hermanus is less than a 2-hour drive from
Cape Town.
Over 120 Southern Right Whales come to
Hermanus in South Africa each year
between June and December to breed,
calf, mate and frolic.
The vessel used, UNATHI, takes 36
passengers, ensuring good viewing from
both the lower and the upper deck.
The vessel is equipped with bathroom
facilities.
BOAT-BASED WHALE WATCHING
Hermanus New Harbour, Westcliff road, Hermanus
Tel: +27 (0) 28 312 4957 | Cell: +27 (0 ) 82 931 806 4
e-mail: bookings@whalewatchers.biz | www.hermanuswhalewatchers.co.za

marinescapes and aquatic life. Some of the best are located off Mossel Bay,
whether close to the coast around Seal Island, around The Point along the many
sea-cliff caves, or out on the banks. There are plenty of corals, drop-offs, a great
variety of fish as well as great white sharks.
COME PARK
WITH US
Some of the most popular diving spots around Cape Town are found at Smitswinkel
Bay and Partridge Point near Miller Point on the False Bay side of the Peninsula,
and at Oudekraal and Duiker Island near Hout Bay along the Atlantic seaboard.
You are likely to encounter great white sharks, penguins, seals, kelp forests and
plenty other marine life, while these sites also have a number of wrecks that can
be dived.
Shipwreck diving
With some 2,500 shipwrecks along South Africa’s coast – almost one wreck
for every kilometre of coastline – shipwreck diving opportunities abound. It has
become an extremely popular part of the diving experience.
Airport Valet Parking
offers a service that makes flying out
of Cape Town International Airport
convenient and hassle free. We are
conveniently located on the ground
floor of Parkade 2, clearly sign
posted “Valet Parking”.
Simply drive into Parkade 2 where
one of our drivers will show you to
our dedicated, reserved bays. Whilst
you are away your vehicle is stored
with us and given a valet. You will
find your sparkling clean car
waiting for you on your
return. Talk about
convenience!
Make your travel
experience a lot less
stressful by allowing us
to take care of your car
while you’re away.
park business class
Imagine being suspended in clear blue waters under a bright summer’ sky. Below
you is some 15m of clear water, teeming with marine life, and turning to a dark blue
deeper down. You start your descent, slowly paddling with your flippers. And then,
looming hauntingly up out of the depths you see a large structure, its rails and
decks and superstructures covered with all sorts of colourful marine life and shells.
Crabs slip into crevices. A variety of fish swim around and over the wreck, some
popping inside through glassless portholes. A shark swims lazily around a funnel
lying at an angle across the deck. You find a large gap in the side of the hull,
torn open by the violence of striking rock. You signal to your diving buddies and
swim through the gap into the bowels of the ship. You’re now in what was once
the engine room, a place where apart from divers, no humans have been in the
seventy years since the ship went down in a black stormy night.
Many sunken ships remain in remarkably good condition on the ocean floor. Some
that rest on sand may be half buried, storms and currents from time to burying
them completely, only to wash them open again. Others have been reduced to a
few steel plates or wooden ribs. Inside or scattered around the outside of some you
may find objects like pieces of broken porcelain, little medicine bottles, a piece of
a chair, some coins if you’re lucky. The sea buries and the sea exposes…so you
never know what you might find. A number of ships – some never found – along our
coast are said to still hold vast treasures.
Cape Town having been the earliest port of call at the southern tip of Africa, the
coast around the Peninsula has more than its fair share of shipwrecks, many
that can still be dived. They include ships from almost 40 different countries that
floundered here over a period of 400 years. With so many shipwrecks along our
coast, it’s impossible to list all the shipwreck diving sites.
Different levels of PADI certification is required for shipwreck dives depending on
location, depth and difficulty. Most shipwrecks are suitable only to scuba diving
and sites mostly have to be reached by boat. In a few instances shipwrecks lie very
close to the shore and can be explored also by snorkel divers.

3 Day Package A
BIG 5 GAME DRIVES
Be treated to an exciting night drive,
WETLANDS PARK TOUR
Big 5 Safari and scenic Lake Cruise.
SNORKELLING AT CAPE VIDAL
Two Nights at Umlilo Lodge
HIPPO AND CROC CRUISE
TURTLE TOURS (SEASONAL, NOV
including a Traditional Dinner one
– MARCH)
evening.
WHALE WATCHING (SEASONAL,
JUNE – NOV)
DEEP SEA FISHING
HORSE RIDING
NIGHT DRIVES
4 Day Package C
BIRDING WALKS
This package has it all: a night drive,
BICYCLE TOURS
Lake Cruise, Big 5 Safari & a visit to (SEASONAL, NOV – MARCH)
iSimangaliso Park.
WHALE WATCHING (SEASONAL,
3 Day Package B
Three Nights at Umlilo Lodge including JUNE – NOV)
Enjoy a night drive and Lake Cruise,
a Traditional Dinner one evening. DEEP SEA FISHING
and a visit to the famous
HORSE RIDING
iSimangaliso Wetlands Park.
Two Nights at Umlilo Lodge
NIGHT DRIVES
including a Traditional Dinner one
BIRDING WALKS
evening.
BICYCLE TOURS
ETLANDS PARK TOUR
SNORKELLING AT CAPE VIDALBIG
5 GAME DRIVES
WETLANDS PARK TOUR
SNORKELLING AT CAPE VIDAL
HIPPO AND CROC CRUISE
TURTLE TOURS (SEASONAL, NOV –
Umlilo Lodge is a 4 star guest house situated in the small village
MARCH)
of St Lucia,
WHALE WATCHING (SEASONAL,
the only private village in the world to be completely surrounded by a World Heritage Site.
JUNE – NOV)
We offer 13 comfortable en-suite guests rooms in our tropical treehouse like lodge.
DEEP SEA FISHING
Guests can choose to laze on the wooden deck by the pool, make use of our free WiFi or relax in our bar lounge
HORSE RIDING
with an honesty bar and full Digital Satellite Television (DSTV) which is surrounded by a fishpond. In the
NIGHT DRIVES
evenings guests can choose to enjoy a Braai sitting in the Boma around a fire and exchange travel stories
BIRDING WALKS
or wander into town to sample our local restaurants.
BICYCLE TOURS
You are spoiled for choice from 07:30 until 09:30 when we serve a healthy and delicious English and continental
breakfast, which also includes fresh fruit, assorted yoghurt, cold meats, cheeses, cereal and much more. If you have
HIPPO AND CROC CRUISE
an early morning, we are happy to pack your breakfast the evening before
TURTLE
for you to
TOURS
take on
(SEASONAL,
your trip.
NOV –
MARCH)
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Get more night
in your life…
Your guide to SA’s best night-time fun this summer
By Stef Terblanche
It’s summer and you’re destressing at your favourite holiday destination…
swimming, surfing, lazing on the beach, lying about with a book, just relaxing.
As the sun goes down you’re out on the veranda having sundowners or an early
evening braai. Then someone says, “Let’s go out, go have some fun!”
Yes, that’s right. Go out; have fun. Get some more night in your life! So where do
you go?
South Africa, with its world-class modern cities and its multiple, fabulous inland
and coastal holiday destinations and resorts, is also blessed with a pulsating
nightlife scene. Whatever your fancy, there’s something for you to enjoy, be it a
laidback evening out with friends in a great restaurant or ripping up the dance floor
in a pumping nightclub. We looked at what’s on offer, where to go and what to do
this summer.
Gauteng… all that glitters is gold
The epicentre of Gauteng – Johannesburg, the City of Gold – started life as a
boisterous mining town. Days were for toiling in the soil looking for gold. Nights
were for fun when gold diggers enjoyed the bars, saloons, speakeasies, shebeens,
gambling dens, brothels, eateries, dancing girls and theatres on every corner. Not
much has changed – it’s just a lot more legal, upscale and sophisticated now.
cities having fused into one mega metropolis. In various parts of Gauteng, you’ll
find pockets of concentrated action, each covering a street block or two. Places
like arty Maboneng Precinct in downtown Joburg, the Gold Reef City complex,
trendy Rosebank, different parts of Soweto, the student district of Braamfontein,
Midrand, the 7th Street area of Melville, and central Sandton, the wealthiest
square mile in Africa.
On the East Rand, in the Ekurhuleni Metro, night-time entertainment is found
mostly around the business districts of Benoni, Brakpan, Alberton, Germiston and
Kempton Park. Moving north to the capital, Pretoria, within the Tshwane Metro, all
the buzz is in places like Centurion, downtown Pretoria, Hatfield, Sunnyside and
the eastern suburbs of Pretoria. Gauteng is also shopping mall country, with some
of the best and biggest malls in Africa. So, you’ll also find quite a bit happening in
and around many of the malls, like Sandton City, Mall of Africa, Centurion Mall,
Rosebank Mall and Menlyn Shopping Mall.
The choice of entertainment is wide-ranging. At Gold Reef City you can choose
among going to the movies, one of several theatre productions, dining, or gambling
in the casino. There are several more casino complexes around Gauteng, including
Emperor’s Palace in Kempton Park, Carnival City in Brakpan, Montecasino in
Fourways (Sandton), and Morula Casino in Mabopane, all offering a variety of
entertainment options from gambling to restaurants, pubs, live shows and movie
theatres.
In the 1960s and 1970s nightlife in Johannesburg (Joburg or Jozi as locals call
it), was largely centred in pulsating, cosmopolitan Hillbrow. But that’s gone now.
These days entertainment and nightlife is spread all over Gauteng, its three metro
Comparisons are hard to make because nightlife in Gauteng, where the pace is
much faster and energised, has such a different vibe and dynamic compared to
other South African cities. But the 7th Street area of Melville, a trendy suburb
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Summer fun
Geoff Goldswain, iStock
northeast of downtown Joburg, is perhaps the closest thing in Gauteng to Cape
Town’s popular Long Street and Durban’s Florida Road. Here you’ll find lively
joints like the Mozambican-themed Xai Xai bar, the Six Cocktail Bar, the friendly
little Ratz gay bar, the modern Africa-themed Mootee bar, and the Americanstyled
whisky and rock bar Hell’s Kitchen.
For a jazz experience, few can beat the Orbit Jazz Club & Bistro in Braamforntein
where the legacies of Hugh Masikela and Miriam Makeba are alive and swinging.
For sundowners go to the Living Room in Maboneng Precinct and watch the City
of Gold really turn gold as the sun goes down. Maboneng is also number one for
pub-crawling connoisseurs, with more trendy bars like The Hideout, Lenin’s Vodka
Bar, the Zebra Inn, Chalkboard Café, SoMa, and The Cosmopolitan.
major tourist attraction, Soweto boasts a lively and growing nightlife scene. Here a
casual gathering of strangers coming to have a quiet, relaxing drink, quickly turns
into a pumping party that will have you seeking recovery refuge for a week.
Heading out to the eastern suburbs of Pretoria, you’ll find a place called Weiveld,
hugely popular with younger Afrikaans patrons. It is renowned for its lively
atmosphere, the traditional lang-arm dans, the best in Afrikaans popular music,
some of the prettiest girls in town and top shows that are regularly hosted here,
with big names like Arno Carstens, Heuwels Fantasties and Bok van Blerk on the
bill. Right next doors is the equally popular @ The Beach bar where you can while
away the time lazing on genuine beach sand under genuine palm trees sipping
long cocktails before you head over next doors to Weiveld when the sun sets.
Oxford Road to Soweto
Along Oxford Road, driving from Joburg central to Sandton, you’ll find many trendy
spots from restaurants to bars and nightclubs, especially around the ever-buzzing
Park Corner area. There’s Streetcar Named Desire, the trance club Babylon, the
topless male bar Beefcakes, upmarket Churchill’s, the jazz club Katzy’s, and the
very popular nightclub Harem. At Melrose Arch you’ll find the wine bar Winesense,
Goliath Comedy Club & Roast Café as well as The Library, an upmarket lounge
and pool club popular with young business execs, the spin fraternity and politicos.
For the Soweto shisa nyama experience, head out to Chaf Pozi in Orlando East;
or hang out at the ever-popular Ubuntu Kraal Kasi Beer Garden, the Sedibeng
Pub & Restaurant, or 707 Panyaza Pub & Braai in White City. Having become a
This is truly just a very limited sampling of what Gauteng has to offer, and there’s
much, much more to keep you on your feet until the wee hours of the morning.
Cape Town… the mother of all party cities
Cape Town has an international nightlife scene second to none, making the
Mother City the party capital of Africa. There’s not just one, but a dozen or more
entertainment precincts spread around the city. Adding to the spicy entertainment
menu is its pulsating gay entertainment scene, its beachside pubs and clubs,
the V&A Waterfront, its renowned trance party scene, pulsating clubs, ritzy
restaurants and burger bars, world-class theatres, stylish lounge bars, coffee
shops, wine bars and bistros.
MZANZI TRAVEL| www.mzanzitravel.co.za|ISSUE 11 | 55

Wavebreakmedia, iStock
The focal point of Cape Town’s entertainment scene is its iconic Long Street in
the city centre. It is a strip of several city street blocks long where all the Victorian
colonial buildings, maintained in their original style and many with wide firstfloor
balconies and elaborate ironwork, have been converted into clubs, pubs,
restaurants, lounge bars, fast-food outlets, trendy little boutiques, antique shops,
backpackers’ lodges and upmarket boutique hotels. The nights here are filled
with the sound and beats of house, electro, techno, hip hop, trance, jazz, R&B
and every other dance and music style. It is a never-sleeping passing parade of
thrills and excitement, of patrons packing the club balconies drinks in hand for a
grandstand view of the constant throng of people, taxis and fast-food stands in
the street below. The area is also popular with a young pan-African crowd and
travelling backpackers.
The only other place on earth that comes close to Long Street, would be the French
Quarter of New Orleans. But be warned, because of all the action, some parts of
the area also attract seedier elements: you may be accosted by prostitutes and
drug dealers, while pickpockets are active. Also, don’t wander off in the dark side
streets or alleys. But don’t be too alarmed: a heavy police presence and CCTV
cameras have your back.
Travel up Long Street towards the mountain past the intersection at the Public
Baths and Lutheran Church, and the street becomes Kloof Street, yet another
of Cape Town’s funky entertainment areas. Again, there’s a wide choice of good
eating and drinking places, outside lounge areas, and coffee shops. It is also home
to the iconic Labia Theatre, on nearby Orange Street, an old-world independent
art movie house with its original seating and foyer area in true 1940s art deco
style. And it’s licenced too so you can have that whisky while watching your movie.
De Waterkant & Waterfront
From the downtown harbour end of Long Street, turn left and head a short distance
west on Somerset Road, till you come to the De Waterkant entertainment precinct,
which is more upmarket than Long Street. Here you will also find a vast array
of pubs, restaurants, clubs, coffee shops, bistros, hotels and art and jewellery
galleries. And just down the road is the entrance to the V&A Waterfront with its
own superb choice of late-night shopping, excellent restaurants, coffee shops,
live shows, buskers, bars and hotels, as well as some excellent dinner cruises
around the harbour.
Right next to the Waterfront you’ll find Shimmy Beach Club (on the main harbour
side) and, on the opposite side at Granger Bay, the Grand Africa Café & Beach,
two very popular spots where you can combine a daytime or sundowner outdoors
beach experience with stylish bars, restaurants and nightclubbing in the evening.
All along Somerset Road, which becomes Main Road going west, you’ll find many
more spots offering all kinds of entrainment, drinking and eating, all the way
through Green Point and Sea Point. There are also a number of fine establishments
along the beachfront in this area. Main Road later becomes Victoria Road, and
eventually you’ll get to Clifton and Camps Bay. At Clifton a popular spot is The
Bungalow, with a beautiful view of the mountains and sea.
Camps Bay’s Sunset Strip
Next stop along Victoria Road is Camps Bay, or what is known as the Camps Bay
Sunset Strip. On one side of the street is the palm tree-lined beach and on the
56 |ISSUE 11|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZI TRAVEL

Summer Fun
other side one popular chic restaurant and cocktail bar after the other, Africa’s
answer to Rio’s Copacabana. The vibe is a mixture of lively and laidback, beachy
and stylish. People fill these establishments from early in the morning till late at
night. Some of the well-known places include Café Caprice, Dizzy’s, La Belle
Bistro, Del Mar, Ocean Blue, Paranga, Chinchilla, Bilboa and many more.
Then of course there are also a number of wine estates close to the city within
the Durbanville district of the metro, most of which have restaurants and some
of which lay on various outdoor functions and entertainment in the summer. They
include Durbanville Hills, Nitida, De Grendel (right next to Bothasig), Meerendal
and Diemersdal.
Cape Town also boasts a stunning array of hidden, rooftop restaurants and
cocktail bars. They not only offer stylish surroundings, exotic cocktails, excellent
cuisine, some with DJs and dancing too, but also have absolutely stunning views
of the mountains, city, harbour and beachfront areas.
Among these are the Ghibli Pool Bar at Radisson Blu Hotel in the city; Skybar at
the Grey Hotel in De Waterkant; the rooftop bar at the Radisson Red in the trendy
new Waterfront Silo District where the Zeitz MOCAA art gallery is located; Cloud
9 rooftop bar in Tamboerskloof in the City Bowl; Cartel House Rooftop on Loop
Street; Chinchilla’s rooftop café and bar on the Camps Bay beachfront; the Zenith
Sky Bar and Pool Deck at the Cape Royale Hotel along Main Road, Green Point;
One Up Bar above the electro club Fiction on Long Street; the Deck on top of the
Cape Quarter in De Waterkant; and the rooftop deck at Ricks Café Americain in
Gardens in the City Bowl, among quite a few more.
On the eastern side of the city lies District Six and another small entertainment
hub, popular throughout the year with students from the nearby Cape Peninsula
University of Technology, the arty crowd and just ordinary revellers from all over.
Here you will find a number of bars and nightclubs. Some other top nightclubs
around the city include Cocoon on the 31st floor of the Absa Building, Reset on
Loop Street, The District on Harrington Street, Bob’s Bar District Six (with a twin
on Long Street), Jade Lounge in Green Point, the continental African club Chez
Ntemba just off Long Street, Decodance in Sea Point and Fiction on Long Street,
among many more.
The suburbs
In the suburbs east of the city another option is Lower Main Road in Observatory, or
Obz as its commonly known, a favourite with students from the nearby University
of Cape Town. It is a smaller replica of Long Street with at the heart of its cafés,
music bars, pool bars and restaurants, the landmark Obz Café. In the southern
suburbs at Claremont, in and around Cavendish Square, you’ll also find many fine
restaurants, pubs, bistros, coffee shops and a nightclub or two.
Further away from the city but still within the metro, there’s much more to be enjoyed.
The Table View and Blouberg beach front is popular with many restaurants and
pubs, as well as the iconic Blue Peter Hotel where you can enjoy live music, a
pizza and beer in a garden overlooking the beach from early morning till late night.
Close by is Big Bay and the Eden on the Bay development with a number of fine
restaurants and bars. Further north along the West Coast is Melkbosstrand where
the beachfront is also lined with a number of very good options.
In the northern suburbs the action is along Durban Road, Bellville and Durbanville.
The central area of Stellenbosch is also alive with pubs and restaurants and
can be very crowded when the University of Stellenbosch students are in town.
Heading back down to the coast from here, you’ll also find plenty of action along
the Strand, Harbour Island and Gordon’s Bay beachfronts.
It’s true, in Cape Town the party never ends, whether its dining, wining or dancing;
the nights are endless, and the fun never stops.
Durban and Coast… sub-tropical pulse
If you’re going to be in balmy, sub-tropical Durban this summer – a city that actually
enjoys summer all year round – don’t let its laid-back appearance fool you. The
city and surrounding areas like Umhlanga, Amanzimtoti and Pinetown, cater
for all tastes, from fine dining and theatres to chilled cocktail lounges, pumping
nightclubs, and lively bars.
If you are staying down in the beachfront area, you have a wide choice of options in
any of the high-rise hotels that line the Marine Parade, as well as in the vicinity of
the yacht club and the city centre itself. In and around the Moses Mabhida Stadium
you’ll also find quite a bit to do. Between the stadium and the Marine Parade area,
is the Suncoast Casino with plenty of restaurants, pubs and cinemas to choose
from.
Or you can head up to Florida Road in Morningside after a long day on one of the
many splendid beaches. This is Durban’s answer to Cape Town’s Long Street and
Waterkant. The choice of restaurants and bars in the area is almost unlimited, from
the usual fast-food outlets to Cubana, Butcher Boys, Next Chapter, Mozambik,
Capello, Dropkick Murphy’s, Taco Zulu, House of Curries, Marco’s Italian, Mamma
Luciana’s, Piato, L’Ambiance Café, Primi Piatti, The Green Mango, Velvet Lounge,
Tong Lok, Roti & Chai, Connor’s Public House, Mali’s Indian, Little India, Café St
Germain, Bus Stop Bar & Grill, and many more. Nightclubs in the Florida Road
precinct that will keep you on your feet till you drop from sheer exhaustion, include
Absolute Florida, Cubana, Sindirella, Vacca Matta, Casa Nostra, and Azar,
among others.
Many other viby, ever-pumping clubs are spread around the city, like Origin, one of
Durban’s biggest clubs with 5 dancefloors and 9 bars, located inside the Winston
Hotel along Clarke Road, Berea; Cape To Cairo Nightclub in a converted historical
harbour building with 8 dancefloors on Mahatma Gandhi Road in the Point area;
Joe Cool’s, a beach bar and restaurant that transforms into a lively party late into
the night, located along Marine Parade in the lower North Beach area; and Tiger
Tiger on Isaiah Ntshangase Road, with seven bars, two dance floors and music
till 4am.
For some spectacular views while sipping bottomless cocktails, go to the poolside
Panorama Bar at the beachfront Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani Hotel. If
your fancy is craft beer, don’t miss out on visiting the Unity Bar & Brasserie at
Silvervause Centre in the city. For a sophisticated jazz treat try The Chairman
on Mahatma Gandhi Road. For a very laid-back and romantic setting, go to Moyo
Pier opposite uShaka Marine World – the perfect place for a sundowner and good
meals. There are also a number of other restaurants and options in the area.
Zack’s at Wilsons Wharf is a lively café with live music, afternoon jazz, rock music
and open mic evenings if you want to try your hand at performing. It’s located along
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Summer fun
Boatman’s Road next to the Royal Natal Yacht Club. There are a number of other
pubs and restaurants in this area.
The Durban shisanyama experience
The Durban townships are also renowned for their shisanyama offerings –
upmarket shebeen-style saloons, with lounges, decks or outdoor areas. At most
of them you select a fine cut of meat and have it braaied for you and brought to
your table, while enjoying a thirst-quenching draft beer or two. South of the city in
Umlazi you can try Max’s Lifestyle, Montania Lounge, Busy Corner Shisanyama,
Mkhungo’s Tavern, Gamba’s Byte, Nuz Vegas Lounge or Eyadini Lounge, among
more.
North of the city in KwaMashu you can try the Luncheon Pap & Vleis Grill, Ekasi
Drive Thru, Ekhaya Eating House on Malendela Road, Fashio Café @36 on Inque
Grove, Meat Café on Zazi Road, or Nsimbini Shishanyama on Umbumbulo Road.
There are many more of these fine shisanyama lounges all over Durban, including
the beachfront area, where you can eat, drink, dance, relax, be entertained by
visiting street buskers, or even have your car washed. They range from rustic to
very classy establishments.
If you are going to be north or south of Durban along the coast, you’ll also be able
to choose from many excellent nightlife and entertainment options. In Umhlanga
Rocks you can try the Lighthouse Bar in the Oyster Box Hotel for an excellent
menu, live music and wonderful views. Other Umhlanga options include Raffles
Night Club, the Gin Bar, Cocos, Lucky Shaker, Little Havana, Bamboo Sushi
Lounge, Hooters, The George, Cuba Lounge, Greedy Buddha, Dros, Van Loveren,
and Get Lost Poolbar among many more. Down south in Amanzimtoti, for anything
from restaurants to sports bars and clubs, you can try out Lords & Legends Sports
Café, The Rock Café, Two Vikings, Memphis Nightclub, Kasi Vibe Tavern, Thirsty
Whale, Circus Circus, or Olmeca Style Bar among others.
Eastern Cape… on the wild side
The Eastern Cape has two large cities and many coastal towns with a great variety
of nightlife, dining and other entertainment on offer. And then there is the Wild
Coast…a true walk on the wild side. Just south of KwaZulu-Natal, as you cross
into the Eastern Cape and the Wild Coast, the Wild Coast Sun has it all: casino,
cinemas, restaurants, pubs and shops. Further south in Port St Johns there are a
number of fine restaurant and pubs. There are also numerous backpackers’ lodges
in the area where a good party is always to be had. But don’t expect anything like
the nightlife in the cities: the Wild Coast is far more tuned in to being laid back,
nature, beautiful hikes and a stunning coastline.
Travelling south, your options start increasing from Kei Mouth onwards, until you
get to East London. As can be expected, much of the nightlife entertainment is
concentrated in the downtown city and beachfront areas. You can try Buccaneers
for great cocktails, Monty’s Night Club, Hamilton Sport Club which has dancing as
well, the Naughty Lizard, Guido’s, Abbortsford Arms, Fana’s Pub & Braai, Cocktail
Bistro, Thirsties Sports Bar, Cindy’s Wine & Dine, DancEnigma, Castle Buy &
Braai Lounge, or the Velvet Jazz Lounge.
In Port Elizabeth much of the action is concentrated around the main beach
areas like Humewood and Summerstrand. Most of the beachfront hotels offer
entertainment such as restaurants, pubs, lounges and some have dancing or
nightclubs. Much of the nightlife is found in and around the Boardwalk Casino.
Nightclubs include Heat Club, Aqua Nightclub, Café Loxion, and Cheers Review
Bar in the central city area. There are also many fine restaurants and pubs around
the city and beach areas.
Garden Route… funky beach buzz
In the coastal resort towns like Jeffreys Bay, Plettenberg Bay, Knysna, George
and Mossel Bay entertainment is pretty much attuned to the summer beach vibe.
Places to consider in Jeffreys Bay include Work Rockin’ Sports Bar, JBay Craft
Brewery, The Jolly Dolphin club, the Lounge Bar, Sovereign nightclub and the
summer parties held at Wacky Woods. There are a number of fine dining options
including De Viswijf, Kitchen Windows, Tasty Table, Die Kospot and Nina’s Real
Food. At Marina Martinique, Aston Bay and Cape St Francis there are also a
number of fine dining options.
At Plettenberg Bay you might want to tray out Flashbacks Bar, VIP Nightclub,
Albergo Backpackers, Zanzibar, the Surf Café and Sportlight Nightclub. In Knysna
you will find plenty to do in the village and at the Waterfront-Knysna Quays. In
Wilderness you can choose from among a number of restaurants and bars, such
as the Blind Pig, Cocomo, Royal Siam Thai, and Pomodoro. George has the longtime
favourite, Zanzibar night club, Shenanigans Irish Pub, Juus Cocktail Bar, as
well as a large number of excellent restaurants and bars.
In Mossel Bay you can enjoy an entertaining evening of dancing, drinking and
eating at Friends Pub & Grill, Zeppelins, Patrick’s Restaurant & Pub, and Oasis
Café, all on or near Marsh Street, Kingfisher and Delfino’s restaurants at the
Paddling Pool in The Point, and Blu’s Bar & Restaurant and Big Blu on the rocks
at Die Poort. Just outside town, on the road to Cape Town is the Garden Route
Casino with gambling, restaurants, pubs, lounges and live entertainment.
Wherever you are in South Africa this summer, you certainly won’t be lacking for
entertainment, whether dancing, eating, drinking, shows or music…or to put some
night back in your life!
Wavebreakmedia, iStock iStock NeelsKleynhans, iStock

AT NAMIBIA’S BORDER
All foreign-registered vehicles entering Namibia must pay a Cross Border Charge (CBC) or entry
fee at the Road Fund Administration (RFA) offices at Namibia’s border posts and obtain the
corresponding permit and invoice. Mass Distance Charges (MDC’s) are additionally payable by
heavy vehicles weighing above 3,500kg.
KEEP CBC AND MDC PERMITS IN
VEHICLES AT ALL TIMES
Operators of foreign-registered vehicles
must ensure that they have their CBC and
MDC permits in their vehicles when travelling
in Namibia. Foreign-registered vehicles
will strictly be checked for compliance
regarding CBC/MDC permits at roadblocks
or weigh bridge stations by the Namibian
Police, Traffic Police or Transport Inspectorate
officers.
FINES FOR NON-COMPLIANCE
In the event that operators of foreign-registered
vehicles are found without the
required CBC and MDC permits, or if these
permits do not comply with their specific
purpose, entry date or any other requirement,
such operators may be fined on the
spot or face prosecution. A person who
commits an offence is liable to be fined an
amount not exceeding N$4,000 or to be
imprisoned for a period not exceeding one
year.
WHEN EXITING NAMIBIA
When foreign-registered vehicles leave
Namibia, the operators must return the CBC
and MDC permits to the RFA office at the
border post. CBC/MDC officials are authorised
to inspect heavy vehicles and verify
their odometer readings according to the
issued MDC permit and distance travelled.
ASSISTANCE AT BORDER POSTS
The RFA’s CBC/MDC officials at the Namibian
border posts will assist with CBC/MDC
payments, permits and documentation.
Additional information can also be obtained
from the CBC/MDC office in Windhoek.
Cross-Border Charges (Entry Fees) for foreign-registered
vehicles (From 1 May 2018)
TYPE
DESCRIPTION
(PETROL & DIESEL DRIVEN)
1 Motor cycles, motor tricycle, motor
quadru-cycle, caravans, & light trailers
drawn by Type 2 vehicles.
2 Motor cars, single and double cab
goods vehicles (bakkies), 2x4 and 4x4
goods vehicles (bakkies), minibusses
(less than 25 passengers).
3 Light goods vehicles/delivery vehicles
(GVM

RFA GEOGRAPHIC FOOTPRINT
Ruacana
Opuwo
1
2
3
4
19
Oshikango
5
Oshakati
Ondangwa
Rundu
Namutoni
Halali
Tsumeb
Okaukuejo
Otavi
Grootfontein
Outjo
Khorixas
Otjiwarongo
8
Katima Mulilo
6
7
Ngoma
7
Uis
Omaruru
Okahandja
Henties Bay
Usakos
18
Gobabis
9
Swakopmund
17
Windhoek
Walvis Bay
Rehoboth
Solitaire
Aranos
Maltahöhe
Mariental
10
Helmeringhausen
11
Bethanie
20
SOUTH
Lüderitz
Aroab
ATLANTIC
Aus
Keetmanshoop
OCEAN
N
Rosh
Pinah
16
Oranjemund
05 0 100 150 200 km
Grünau
Ariamsvlei
12
15
Karasburg
14
13
Noordoewer
RFA Offices
Location
1 Omahenene Namibia and Angola Border
2 Kashamane Namibia and Angola Border
3 Oshikango Namibia and Angola Border
4 Katwitwi Namibia and Angola Border
5 Sarasungu Namibia and Angola Border
6 Wenela Namibia and Zambia Border
7 Ngoma Namibia and Botswana Border
8 Muhembo Namibia and Botswana Border
9 Trans-Kalahari Namibia and Botswana Border
10 Mata-Mata Namibia and South Africa Border
11 Klein Menasse Namibia and South Africa Border
12 Ariamsvlei Namibia and South Africa Border
13 Velloorsdrift Namibia and South Africa Border
14 Noordoewer Namibia and South Africa Border
15 Sendelingsdrift Namibia and South Africa Border
16 Swartkop Namibia and South Africa Border
17 Walvis Bay NaTIS Office, c/o Theo-Ben Gurirab
and Rooikop Streets, Industrial Area
18 Windhoek 21 Feld Street, Head Office
19 Oshakati NaTIS
20 Keetmanshoop Roads Authority Building, Mittel Street
CONTACT DETAILS:
Road Fund Administration, 21 Feld Street, Windhoek, Namibia Tel: +264 - 61 - 433 3000 / 3018
Email: info@rfanam.com.na | Web: www.rfanam.com.na

Discover Mzanzi
Gone camping!
10 of the best camping sites in SA
By Stef Terblanche
Camping is bonding time - Soloviova, iStock
Holiday fun forever - Wavebreakmedia, iStock
Camping at Champagne Castle, Drakensberg - Grobler du Preez, iStock

Summer Holidays
With so much natural beauty around us – mountains, nature
reserves, rivers, 2,800km of coastline, ancient forests, huge
dams and an ever-changing topography – it is no wonder that
most South Africans passionately love the great outdoors. And
so, it is natural too that many of us just love camping.
Pitching your tent in a forest clearing high up in the mountains. Or parking your
caravan just meters away from the sea. Coming back from a mountain hike or a
day’s snorkelling in the tidal pools, you chuck a few logs together and light up a fire.
Friends and family draw up their camping chairs. With steaming hot mugs of coffee
in hand or with some super-grade lamb chops and boerewors sizzling on the coals,
you swap stories under starry skies. Few things can beat that.
South Africa is blessed with an abundance of really cool camping sites and
caravan parks. Due to their popularity, if you haven’t booked a year in advance, you
will struggle to still find a vacancy for these coming summer holidays, especially
along the coast and at the popular inland resorts. But don’t give up: there might
still be an opening here and there. Otherwise, start planning for Easter, or the
winter holidays, or for next summer. To give you a taste of what’s on offer, we
have put together a list of ten of our favourite camping sites around the country.
But remember, there are many, many more to choose from, all just as good as any
on our list.
Most camping sites and caravan parks will require an upfront holding deposit when
booking for the high season. In the low season periods you seldom need to book.
But phone and make sure anyway. Prices charged vary significantly from place to
place; some charge per person, others per camping site. Others charge a site fee
with a fixed number of people covered, plus a per-person fee for additional people.
Along the coast and at dam resorts you’ll probably pay more to be close to the
water, than if you took a stand in one of the back rows. Camping fees can range on
average from as little as R50 per person per day to R180, while stands can cost
on average between R120 to R400 per day, usually allowing 2 to 4 people with an
additional small charge per additional person. In nature reserves you may have to
also pay a park fee, while some places charge a fee per vehicle brought in – but
these are usually quite low and very affordable.
These days, unless you’re really roughing it out in the wilderness like on a hike,
most camping sites and caravan parks come with plug-in electricity and clean,
well-maintained ablution blocks and dishwashing facilities. Many have an on-site
shop and laundry facilities. Whatever your choice, you’ll still find a camping holiday
to be one of the best you’ll ever have at the lowest cost possible. The scenery,
relaxation, healthy outdoor environment, outdoor activities and good friendship
come free. And moms and dads will hardly know the kids are there!
So, let’s go visit our top 10
favourite camping sites.
Storms River Mouth Rest Camp, Garden Route National Park
1.
One of the best-kept secrets in South Africa, is the absolutely stunning camping
sites and chalets at Storms River Mouth within the Garden Route National Park,
operated by SANParks. Park your caravan or pitch your tent just meters away from
where the Indian Ocean waves pound the rocky shores, or opt for a spot closer to
temperate, indigenous forests and fynbos just behind the caravan park. Here you
can kayak up the river, dwarfed by the cliffs of the gorge on either side. Or go on
long and unforgettable coastal hikes. The Tsitsikamma Section of the national park
– the name means “the place of much water” is a paradise of forest, mountains,
cliffs, wild coastline, rivers and inter-tidal life, reef and deep-sea fish. Some of the
local inhabitants include dolphins and porpoises, southern right whales, African
black oystercatchers, Knysna louries, the Cape clawless otter – the source of the
name of the nearby famous Otter Trail - and blue duikers. Camping stands are on
lush green grass, some in the shade of trees, some with electricity. There’s an
onsite restaurant and shop, while the nearby Storms River Village also offers fine
restaurants, a few shops, canopy tours and other things to do. And all of this is a
stone’s throw away from Plettenberg Bay and Jeffreys Bay.
• Contact: SANParks Tel +27 (0)42 281 1607 or Tel +27 (0)42 281 1607; Fax
+27 (0)42 281 1843; or go to Web www.sanparks.org/parks/garden_route/
camps/storms_river/.
Augrabies Rest Camp, Augrabies Falls National Park,
2. Kakamas
If you’ve never been to the awesome Augrabies Falls, called the Aukoeribis or
“Place of mighty noise” by the original Khoi inhabitants of the area, or explored
the vast veld of the surrounding Kalahari region, this is you chance. The caravan
and camping sites are in a shaded area, with an onsite shop and restaurant,
communal camp kitchen with two-plated stoves, and sinks, communal ablution
facilities, laundry and ironing room – excellent facilities in the best tradition for
which SANParks is known. Go view the falls from the various viewing platforms,
go on hikes along the river, do a game drive, enjoy some mountain biking, do the
3-day Klipspringer Hiking Trail or 5km Dassie Nature Trail, or just laze away the
time with a book or beer in hand. Advance booking is essential, and the site is
closed October to March due to extreme heat. All camping site have power points.
• Contact: Tel +27 (0) 54 452 9200; Fax +27 (0) 54 451 5003; Web www.
sanparks.org/parks/augrabies.
The Point, De Bakke & Santos, Mossel Bay
3.
For more than a century the town of Mossel Bay has been a favourite, traditional
camping choice for farmers from surrounding districts and people who live further
inland. Today the town’s three prime caravan parks attract people from all over
the country, as well as from neighbouring countries. All three are situated almost
at water’s edge and have excellent security and facilities. At De Bakke you can
also hire thatched chalets. Santos is the largest of the three and stretches from
De Bakke to Santos Beach, two of the safest and most popular Southern Cape
beaches. At The Point small kids can swim in the Paddling Pool, while older kids
between 10 and 100 can swim in The Poort tidal pool. The area is also popular
with surfers, divers and anglers. The town centre with malls, shops, restaurants
and bars is walking distance away, while there are a number of fine restaurants
right there at The Point. All camping sites have electricity, communal drinkable
water taps and braai facilities.
• Contact: Mossel Bay Municipality Tel & Fax at +27 (0)44-690 3501;
Website Booking & Rates www.mosselbay.gov.za/book-caravan-sitepoint-caravan-park.
MZANZI TRAVEL| www.mzanzitravel.co.za|ISSUE 11 | 63

Enjoying the outdoors - Wavebreakmedia, iStock An elephant in my lounge... - jacobeukman, iStock
Island Lake Holiday Resort, Wilderness
4.
This highly popular resort is situated in the heart of the Wilderness lakes district
and Wilderness National Park along the Garden Route, between Wilderness and
Sedgefield. There are a number of rondavels as well as 55 well-grassed, shaded
and level camping stands, all with electricity and nearby taps. The resort also has
launching facilities for your kayak, canoe or speedboat within sight of your stand
or rondavel. Situated on the shores of the beautiful lake, this is the ultimate holiday
getaway. And the charming towns of George, Victoria Bay, Wilderness, Sedgefield
and Knysna are all close.
• Contact: Johan Cooper on Tel +27 (0)44 877 1194; Fax +27(0)86 510
7221; or Web www.islandlake.co.za/8.Contact-Island-Lake.htm.
Richards Bay Caravan Park, Richards Bay
5.
This excellent camping facility next to the Indian Ocean is popular with campers
from all over KwaZulu-Natal, the Free State, Mpumalanga and Gauteng. Drive
through the town towards the coast - ignore the industrial areas and harbour - until
you get to the idyllic little village tucked away from it all. The caravan park is a
few minutes’ walk from a beautiful beach, and the surrounding natural scenery
is lovely. The town itself has everything you need - there are laundromats,
restaurants, brand name supermarkets in shopping malls, public beaches with
shark nets, and a dolphin viewing platform close by. Golf, tennis, bowls, harbour
trips, game viewing, nature trails are all within easy reach, as well as day trips
down the North Coast, to Hluhluwe Umfolozi Game Reserve or to the magnificent
iSimangaliso Wetland Park. Activities here include scuba diving, surfing, deepsea
fishing and coastal hikes. There are 260 stands, most offering shade under
the trees and all being nice and private. All have electricity.
• Contact: Tel +27 (0)357531971, or Web www.richardsbaycaravanpark.
co.za.
De Hoop Campsite, |Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Park
6.
For a very rare and unique camping experience, few places can beat the De Hoop
Campsite in the Richtersveld National Park. The area includes the national park,
the Orange River, a protected Cultural and Botanical Landscape, a World Heritage
Site and the Richtersveld Community Conservancy. The soft sand on the banks of
the Orange River at De Hoop makes a delightful beach and campsite, if somewhat
basic. But you don’t come here for luxury or convenience – you come here for the
sheer spectacular natural surroundings. You can go on long hikes, or swim, kayak
and fish in the river. To get there you drive along a spectacular route full of twists
and steep mountain vistas – but only 4X4 vehicles are allowed. The camp site is
spectacularly situated on the river, with grass patches underneath big acacia trees.
Conjure up a desolate and forbidding landscape, seemingly devoid of life, except
for some ‘people’ on the horizon – except they are the human-like halfmensboom
(half-human tree). This is one of the most popular spots in the entire park and
ablutions with cold showers have been built to service 12 campsites. There is no
power and you need to bring everything you need with you.
• Contact: SANParks Tel +27 (0)27 831 1506 or Tel +27 (0)12 428 9111; Fax
+27 (0)12 426 5500; Web www.sanparks.org/parks/richtersveld.
Gariep, A Forever Resort, Gariep Dam
7.
For water-sports enthusiasts the massive Gariep Dam, South Africa’s largest dam
on the border of the Free State, Eastern Cape and Northern Cape, is absolute
paradise. (Also read our Hidden Gems section.)
At its western edge are the villages of Gariepdam and Norvalspont, with two
nature reserves stretching along its shores to its eastern point and the town of
Bethulie. The dam, on the Orange River, is a mere 4km from the north-south N1
highway, 48km from Colesberg and is more than 100km long and 24km wide. The
award-winning Gariep, A Forever Resort, at the edge of the dam in the Gariepdam
village, is the perfect holiday location or stopover between Gauteng and the Cape.
64 |ISSUE 11|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZI TRAVEL

Family camping fun - monkeybusinessimages, iStock
It offers a caravan park consisting of 106 powered sites which are serviced by two
communal ablutions and a laundry. There are also 16 private caravan sites which
have their own ablution facilities as well as a large number of chalets. The Quenna
Bistro is situated at the Reception building, seating up to 150 people, while the
Outside Deck has a splendid view and kiddies play area.
• Contact: Tel +27 (0)51-754 0045; Web www.forevergariep.co.za/
accommodation.php.
Miller’s Point Caravan Park, Simons Town
8.
Cape Point, hiking trails, a coastal national park, excellent swimming beaches, the
penguin colony at Boulders, diving and surfing, boat trips, a golf course on your
doorstep, historic Simons Town with its naval harbour and restaurants, nearby
bustling Kalk Bay with its fishing harbour, and Cape Town. You get all of this if you
pitch your tent in this popular caravan park on the False Bay coast where the water
is warm enough to swim. There are good facilities and all stands have electricity.
And the views across the bay to Hangklip are stunning. But booking is essential as
this is a relatively small caravan park.
• Contact: Tel +27 (0)217861142.
Kei Mouth Caravan Park, Kei River Mouth
9.
Set in the spectacular natural scenery of the Wild Coast, at the mouth of the Kei
River, which you still cross on an old pontoon, lies the village of Kei Mouth with
its municipal caravan park. Here you will find some remarkably unspoilt beaches,
go on exhilarating hikes, kayak on or fish in the river, and enjoy local hospitality
at the various hotels, restaurants and bars. The village is less than 100km from
East London. Tucked in behind a densely forested, huge sand dune, the caravan
park offers all facilities. Just a few kilometres south – about 15km by a roundabout
road you have a choice of two more camping sites at the hamlet of Morgan’s
Bay, namely the Double Mouth Campsite and Yellowwood Forest Camp Site,
both with good facilities and electricity at most camping stands. Make this your
headquarters from which you can explore the Wild Coast, one of South Africa’s
most unspoilt regions with some of the most stunning coastal scenery in the world.
• Contact: Kei Mouth Caravan Municipal Caravan Park Tel +27(0)43
8315756 (Office Hours); Double Mouth Campsite Tel +27 (0)43 705 4400
or (0)43 492 0881; Yellowwood Forest Campsite Tel +27 (0)84 852 2601.
Mountain Splendour Eco-Resort, Drakensberg
10.
For that truly awesome Drakensberg experience, this eco-resort at the foot of
the mountain, is just the place to camp. It is all about the mountain, conservation
and the beauty of nature. The camping site accommodates tents, caravans and
camper vans, with all amenities and facilities. To allow everyone their space and
to preserve the natural beauty, people and camping sites are limited. The camping
site offers guests two large communal freezers, and a laundry at the main ablution.
Safari tents with optional extra beds are available, while dome tents can also be
hired. Every morning you can wake up in the crisp mountain air and choose from
swimming, tennis, volley ball, mountain hikes, pony rides, mountain biking and
much more. The resort is close to Cathedral Peak and Champagne Castle in the
Central Drakensberg.
• Contact: Tel +27 (0)36 468 1172; Fax +27 (0)866 11 22 81; Email info@
mountainsplendour.co.za.
MZANZI TRAVEL| www.mzanzitravel.co.za|ISSUE 11 | 65

The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art
Museum is home to a comprehensive
collection of South African art and craft and
specialises in the art of the Eastern Cape
Province. Through a dynamic schedule
of temporary exhibitions, the Art Museum
aims to educate and entertain visitors. Fun
interactive activities are also on offer for the
entire family, such as guided tours, holiday
workshops, lectures, music and other
entertainments. View current exhibitions
and events and browse the Art Museum’s
collection of over 8000 artefacts online
through the Museum’s website.
The Art Museum is one of Nelson Mandela
Bay’s cultural treasures and provides the
community of Nelson Mandela Bay with
an excellent range of services for schools
and community groups. Guided tours and
workshops may be booked. The Museum
also offers the service of an art reference
library.
OPENING TIMES:
Weekdays from 09h00 – 17h00
Entrance free, except for events
with advertised fees
CONTACT DETAILS:
1 Park Drive, Port Elizabeth 6001
T: +27 (0)41 506 2000
F: +27 (0)41 586 3234
Website: www.artmuseum.co.za
Email: artmuseum@mandelametro.gov.za
Visit our facebook page

Luxury Accommodation • Five Star Conference Facilities
Eco-Education & Spa Facilities
Community Development
Central Reservations for
Convention & Individual bookings:
Tel: +27 (0) 11 466 8715
Fax: +27 (0) 86 685 8816
E-mail: taugame@mweb.co.za
www.taugamelodge.com
A dose of relaxation
& excitement...

Get camp smart…
The essentials of buying your tent
By Fikile Tikana
iStock-646071780
Buying your camping equipment and gearing up for that outdoor holiday
or weekend getaway, is pretty much a personal choice. But what you
purchase for your camping experience also depends much on the purpose
– where you are going, how many people, the terrain, transport, weather factors,
and so forth. With such a wide range of camping products available, it can become
quite a confusing exercise to decide what you want.
The best way to go about it is to decide what kind of camping trips you will mostly be
doing, e.g. camping in a well-equipped caravan park, camping in game reserves,
or camping overnight while hiking along the coast or in the mountains, or a
combination of these. All require different kinds of equipment – the choice is wide,
with many different options. Price and quality are also of course key determinants.
Purpose, weather and climate
Anticipated weather, seasonal or climatic conditions of the places where you will
mostly be camping will be an important factor to consider. If you will be camping
in places that are cold and get a lot of rain, or in areas where snow falls, or where
it gets very windy and stability matters, you need to plan for that. Similarly, if you
will be camping in hot, arid places and your tent will offer the only shade around,
you need something well-ventilated with an additional flysheet canopy cover to
prevent you from boiling. Of course, if you are camping in a caravan, that’s another
story again. Equally, if you camp in game and nature reserves, you probably want
a rooftop tent on top of a 4X4 vehicle.
Once you have made these decisions, you can start making your list: type and
size of tent, sleeping bags, mattresses or stretchers, camp chairs, fold-up tables,
camping cutlery and plates, cooler boxes, barbecue grill, utensils, coffee pot,
lamps, rucksacks and backpacks, hiking gear to wear (if that’s what you will be
doing), firelighters, torch, water containers, wood axe, and so forth.
The most important item on your shopping list will of course be your tent. So, that
is what we will be covering in this article. All the other accessories – like chairs,
inflatable or fold-up mattresses, sleeping bags, and utensils are really a matter of
personal choice. You can try them out at your local camping gear store and see
what suits your needs and pocket best.
Factors to consider when buying a tent
When it comes to selecting your tent, more technical details need to be
considered. The choice range is very wide and will depend on your exact needs
and preferences. You also have a choice of tent types: from self-erecting pop-up
tents; to the traditional A-frame tent that requires poles, guy ropes and pegs; the
more popular and common dome tents used these days with flexible linked poles
that slip through guides and are anchored at the corners; tunnel tents; or large
family cabin tents, often allowing for additional cabins to be added on.
Nylon/polyester versus canvas
Both have pros and cons, but in the end your specific requirements and budget will
probably decide the choice between a nylon or canvas tent.
Pros and cons of canvas
Ripstop canvas tents are considerably stronger than nylon tents and will last longer
but cost more. However, if you need a pop-up tent, hiking tent or hammock tent for
mountaineering, these are made from nylon to keep the weight down and won’t be
available in canvas. All other varieties can be obtained either in nylon or ripstop
canvas. ‘Ripstop’ simply means the fabric is woven in such a manner that should
a hole or tear occur, it won’t spread easily. Some nylon tents also come in ripstop.
Canvas tents moderate extreme heat and cold better than the average nylon tent,
so you will be cooler inside on a hot day, and warmer on a cold or rainy night. But
regardless of whether your tent is nylon or canvas, know that all tents in hot regions
that are not pitched in shade will become uncomfortably hot inside. Canvas tents
also dry quickly, clean easily and tears don’t mean you have to throw it away. They
also provide very good protection against rain.
On the negative side, canvas tents are heavy, are bulkier and take up more space
when packed, and they mostly won’t be suitable for hiking and carrying them on
your back. Even those that are small enough will still put some unwelcome weight
68 |ISSUE 11|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZI TRAVEL

Hiking
iStock-86759427
on your back. Depending on the design and size of the canvas tent, they generally
are harder and take longer to erect. Bigger ones will require more than one person
to help pitch.
Pros and cons of nylon / polyester
Nylon or polyester tents are extremely light in weight and take up far less space.
Generally, they are quick and easy to pitch and therefore far handier if you are
travelling from place to place and have to set up tent every couple of days or
are hiking with your tent on your back. They are also considerably cheaper than
canvas tents. With new technology and designs, nylon tents are also being made
stronger than the early ones.
However, nylon tents don’t protect as well against heat, cold, water or wind. A
strong wind can easily uproot your tent and blow it away. In windy places you may
need extra guy ropes and pegs to help keep it anchored. Most nylon tents also
are only water-resistant and not waterproof, meaning water can seep through.
To help keep the water out you’ll need a flysheet over the tent – most nylon tents
come with this
and the intensity of the rain, will resist the penetration of water to a certain extent,
but some products offer scant protection. If the downpour is heavy, water will start
seeping through in small amounts, through the top, walls and groundsheet. Nylon
tents are also more prone to collapse if water dams up on top. With many waterresistant
tents, if moisture builds up on the walls on the outside during the night
and you scrape the inside of the tent, moisture will seep through making your hand
wet, or any other part of your body touching the walls.
Other important aspects to check for when buying a tent is whether it is UV treated,
what its water column rating is (shown in millimeters, the higher the better),
whether it has good ventilation, the fabric used for the groundsheet, the material
used for the poles and zippers, the stitching, and the weight and packaging for
transport purposes. Also note that retailers often advertise a tent as, for example,
sleeping 4, when it is actually more suitable for 2 to 3 people, and 4 will be a very
tight squeeze.
The nylon and polyester groundsheets that come with them are also far more
vulnerable to puncturing or tearing that the groundsheets of canvas tents. In most
cases, heavy rain seeping underneath your tent will penetrate the nylon and enter
your tent, so you won’t be able to keep your mattress or sleeping bag dry. The trick
here is to shop around for a nylon tent with a high water-column value that will be
more rainproof. For added safety, also check the tent’s fire-retardant rating: nylon
tents can burn easily if the rating is low, while coals from your barbecue fire blown
about by wind will easily burn a hole in your nylon tent.
Waterproof versus water resistant
A fully waterproof tent will cost you more than a water resistant one, but it’s always
worth it. Nothing spoils a camping trip as much as being cooped up inside a cold,
wet and soggy tent. Water proof means the tent is virtually impenetrable to water –
whether through the material, the groundsheet, the stitching or the zippers.
Water repellant or water-resistant nylon / polyester tents, depending on quality
iStock-95791439
Types of tents
• Please note that all prices provided below serve as a guide only and are not
actual prices – you need to shop around as prices vary greatly.
Pop-up tents
These tents are very popular with people going to music and other festivals. They
are light, cheap and erect themselves in an instant. The downside is, they are
MZANZI TRAVEL| www.mzanzitravel.co.za|ISSUE 11 | 69

Camping
usually not of very good quality, they don’t stand up to wind and rain, and the
larger they are, the more unstable they are. They also don’t always fit easily into a
backpack due to the self-erecting construction. Your options are limited to nylon.
Nonetheless, if you only occasionally need a tent for a day or two while travelling
or attending festivals or other outdoors events, this may be the tent for you. They
come in variants of sleeping 1 to 6 people.
Price Guide:
Prices start at around R450 for a 1-person tent; around R699 to R999 for a
2-person tent; over R1,000 for a 3-person and larger tent.
A-frame tents (also known as ridge tents)
This is the original, traditional tent of which we see very few around these days.
But still a good choice. They come in nylon or canvas and require poles (aluminum
these days), guy ropes and pegs, so they take a bit longer to erect than the
more popular dome tent. Because of the A-shape, but depending on size, they
allow limited head room when standing up. These days the also usually have a
waterproof outer fly sheet for extra protection. Their advantages include good
protection against rain – no damming up on top - and they are usually able to
handle strong wind, providing they are well tied and pegged down. Disadvantages
include their heavy weight, bulkiness and being not that easy to set up.
Price Guide:
A 2-person military style polyester or nylon tent sells for around R780 if you can
find them – best options are military surplus suppliers and manufacturers of
military and disaster tents.
Because they have more poles and guidelines, some also with guy ropes, they are
more stable than large dome tents.
Price Guide:
A polyester bungalow tent sleeping 7 to 9 people retails for around R3,300 to
R4,500.
Geodesic & octagon tents
Geodesic and octagon tents are a technical design improvement on domes tents
but look somewhat similar. These are essentially a dome tent but with more poles,
crossing each other for greater stability. They often come as a series of 2 or more
dome tents attached to each other. They are generally higher quality and higher
priced.
Price Guide:
A polyester octagon tent sleeping 6 to 8 people retails for around R4,000.
Cabin & multi-room tents
Cabin and multi-room tents come in canvas or nylon/polyester, are divided into
rooms with internal dividers, making them ideal for family camping. They provide
ample space – you can move around upright - and a measure of privacy. They
usually have more than one entrance, a porch section, and ample storage pockets.
Their ability to withstand adverse weather condition is not always good, but that
will depend on the design, material, number of poles, guy ropes and pegs. They
are complicated to erect and require helping hands.
Dome tents
Nylon dome tents in all shapes and sizes have become the most commonly used
tents these days. They are also available in canvas. They are quick and easy
to erect with their construction of two flexible, linked poles sets that slip through
guides and are pegged down at the corners. They are compact when packed
in their bags and the nylon ones are lightweight. Most come with a loose outer
flysheet for extra weather protection and they are well ventilated. Some have porch
flaps in various sizes attached to the front. Some are supplied as two tents linked
by zipper-locked tunnels. They usually allow for ample head space. Although they
come in all sizes, they are best suited for no more than 4 people as the bigger
they are, the more unstable they are in bad weather. The nylon ones are relatively
cheap, but prices differ vastly depending on fabric, design, size and quality.
Price Guide:
For nylon or polyester tents, prices start at R299 for a ‘junior’ (kids’) tent; R379
to R499 for a 2-person tent; around R599 to R1,300 for a 3-person tent; R799 to
R1,500 for a 4-person tent; up to around R2,700 to R3,600 or more for a good 5
to 7-person dome tent.
Canvas dome tents sell for around R3,200 to R4,500 for 2 to 4-person tent;
R5,000 to R6,000 for a good 4 to 5-person tent; R5,500 to R6,500 for a larger
dome tent suitable for 5 to 9 people (some are attached to a cabin tent that
provides additional space).
Tunnel & bungalow tents
Tunnel and bungalow tents are great for larger groups and families. They provide
plenty of headroom and moving space and are easy to pitch. They come with
a series of flexible poles that loop from one side of the tent to the other to form
a tunnel shape for the flysheet to attach to and require guidelines for stability.
Price Guide:
A good small polyester cabin tent sleeping around 4 people, sells for about R2,200;
good 6 to 8-person polyester cabin tent retails for around R4,000 to R5,000; a
good canvas cabin tent sleeping around 8 people retails for about R12,000; a
canvas cabin-dome combo tent sleeping around 6 to 8 people retails for R14,000
to R15,000.
Other special-purpose tents
Tent suppliers offer a large variety of specialty tents for backpackers, hikers and
mountaineers, ranging from small dome tents, to pyramid tents, bivvy tents and
hammock tents. There is also a large variety of rooftop tents available, suitable for
use on top of vehicles (not only 4X4) and on trailers. In addition, there are safari
tents available that fit to the side or back of your vehicle or trailer. These come in
different materials, designs and sizes. Prices vary substantially.
Websites for tent manufacturers and suppliers
Campmaster: www.campmaster.co.za/productRange/Tents/1/
Outdoor Warehouse: www.outdoorwarehouse.co.za/category/tents
Makro: www.makro.co.za/sports-and-outdoor/camping-SE/pg1
Canvas & Tent: http://www.canvasandtent.co.za/
National Tents & Sails SA: http://www.ntstents.co.za/
Camp & Climb: https://www.campandclimb.co.za/
Go Outdoorz: http://www.gooutdoorz.co.za/
South African Military Surplus: https://www.southafricanmilitarysurplus.
co.za/products/tents/
Tents Direct: https://www.tentdirect.co.za/tents
Tentco: https://www.tentco.co.za/
Cape Union Mart: https://www.capeunionmart.co.za/
Sportsmans Warehouse: https://www.sportsmanswarehouse.co.za/
category/sub/outdoors-camping
70 |ISSUE 11|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZI TRAVEL

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The South African National Biodiversity Institute
(SANBI) is an autonomous, state-aided organisation
whose mission is to champion the exploration,
conservation, sustainable use, appreciation and
enjoyment of South Africa’s exceptionally rich
biodiversity for all people. SANBI has been mandated to
monitor and report on the status of the Republic’s
biodiversity.
Its activities include undertaking and promoting
research on indigenous biodiversity and its sustainable
use; establishing and managing collections of plant and
animal specimens; managing and maintaining all
National Botanical Gardens as well as the National
Zoological Garden; with their facilities for horticultural
display, environmental education, visitor amenities and
research; collecting and disseminating information
about biodiversity; assisting in the development of a
national biodiversity framework, including bioregional
plans and strategies; and coordinating programmes in
conservation and sustainable use of indigenous
biological resources and the rehabilitation of
ecosystems.
Pretoria
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Observe National Marine Week 9 -15 October
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Winelands
Assegaaibosch Nature Reserve
Jonkershoek Nature Reserve
Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve
Limietberg Nature Reserve
Marloth Nature Reserve
Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve
West Coast
Rocherpan Nature Reserve
Cederberg Wilderness Area
Matjiesrivier Nature Reserve
Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area
Lambert's Bay Bird Island Nature Reserve
Overberg
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De Mond Nature Reserve
Kogelberg Nature Reserve
Stony Point Nature Reserve
Walker Bay Nature Reserve
Cape Karoo
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Gamkaberg Nature Reserve
Swartberg Nature Reserve
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Discover Mzanzi
Partying in the New Year - G Stock Studio, Shutterstock
WHERE TO CELEBRATE THE
NEW YEAR
Most popular parties, gatherings and events
Staff Writer
New Year’s Eve…that one day in the year when the entire world engages in
a crazy party to usher in the New Year…always as if this might be the last
one. At the stroke of midnight, champagne corks pop, strangers hug and
kiss each other, shouts of ‘happy new year’ fill the air, canons go off, sirens wail,
fireworks light up the skies, cars and ships sound their hooters, and bands strike
up with Auld Lang Syne.
Aliens watching from outer space must think the earthlings have gone crazy.
Some prefer to celebrate it more sedately with family or close friends; others pay
lots of money to attend one of the big private parties; but most flock to public
spaces where huge crowds gather – think of London’s Piccadilly Square, Sydney’s
Harbour Bridge, or New York’s Time Square.
In South Africa the major public celebratory gatherings take place at Cape Town’s
V&A Waterfront, Durban’s Marine Parade and Johannesburg’s central downtown
area. But there’s much happening elsewhere too, especially in the coastal towns
and resorts.
Below we provide a guide to some of these New Year’s Eve gatherings around the
country – most of them free of charge in public spaces. Unless stated otherwise,
all listed events take place on the night of Monday 31 December 2018 into Tuesday
1 January 2019.
WESTERN CAPE
Cape Town: V&A Waterfront New Year’s Eve Celebration
Billed as the biggest New Year’s Eve party in South Africa, this is an annual
tradition with a spectacular fireworks display. Entry is free to all areas of the V&A
Waterfront, except for those Waterfront establishments that will be hosting their
own parties, such as restaurants. A good event for the whole family.
Cape Town: Kirstenbosch Summer Concerts – New Year’s Eve
Concert
This forms part of the annual Kirstenbosch Summer Concerts series. And open-air
setting in the beautiful Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, with a mountain
backdrop. An entrance fee is charged. Bring you rugs and picnic basket and come
early to find a good spot on the sloping lawns close to the stage.
Cape Town: Table View Beachfront Fireworks
Join the crowds along the Table View beachfront for some dazzling fireworks
action. There’s plenty of space on the beach with numerous restaurants and pubs
in the area. You will also be able to see the V&A Waterfront’s fireworks display
across the bay from here.
Cape Town: Camps Bay and Clifton beaches
Clifton offers families a quieter New Year’s Eve experience. Bring blankets,
candles and picnic baskets. You might be able to see some of Cape Town’s
fireworks displays from here. You can have a similar experience on Camps Bay
beach, but here the beachfront area with its many bars and restaurants draws a
bigger, noisier crowd.
Cape Town: Table Mountain & Signal Hill
The last cable car comes down at 9.30pm, so waiting for the New Year on top of the
mountain is a no-no. But there are many good vantage points where you can park
along Tafelberg Road (after the lower cable station) and along Signal Hill Road.
From here you will have a spectacular bird’s-eye view of the city lights below and
the fireworks displays in the V&A Waterfront and across the bay at Table View.
Take a picnic basket and blankets along. But don’t park alone in any isolated spots
– stay with the crowds.
Cape Town: Long Street
The street that never sleeps, Long Street in Cape Town, is the epicentre of the
city’s clubbing, bars and entertainment scene. The street gets extra crowded
76 |ISSUE 11|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZI TRAVEL

Summer Fun
and busy on New Year’s Eve with its many establishments filled to capacity with
revellers, many of whom line the first-floor balconies to watch the street action
below. When midnight approaches, the street is brought to a complete standstill
by crowds and it becomes a massive street party.
Paarl: Nederburg Wine Estate
Traditionally the New Year’s Eve concert on this historic and famous wine estate
starts at 9.30pm with laidback classics being played in a relaxed atmosphere far
from the crowds. Ideal for bringing your picnic basket and the whole family. The
estate offers a range of some of the best wines.
Franschhoek: Winelands celebrations
Many of the restaurants lining the main street of Franschhoek, as well as the
surrounding wine estates, lay on superb New Year’s Eve events, which turns the
entire village and valley into one big celebration. Special outdoor music and dance
events also take place here.
EASTERN CAPE
Port Elizabeth: Shark Rock Pier
The beachfront area is where it’s all happening – Humewood, Summerstrand,
Hobie Beach and especially the area around Shark Rock Pier opposite the
Boardwalk casino complex. Usually a fireworks display is part of the fun.
East London: Countdown Music Festival
This annual musical celebration of the New Year showcasing young and upcoming
talent of the Eastern Cape, is hosted annually on 31 December by the Buffalo City
Metro municipality at the Buffalo City Stadium in East London. An entrance fee
is charged.
East London: Beachfront
While no information was available about any formally planned celebratory
gatherings for 31 December, crowds of differing sizes are normally drawn to the
city’s many beach areas: the area around Orient Beach, the Esplanade, Quigney
Beach and Beacon Bay, as well as further out of the city at Nahoon Beach and
Nahoon River mouth.
Nieu-Bethesda: New Year’s Eve Festival of Lights
This inland town north of Graaf-Reinet, famous for its Owl House that draws
visitors from around the world, each New Year’s Eve stages the Festival of Lights
and lantern parade. It is a wonderful community event across cultural and religious
barriers in a joyous celebration organised by the Bethesda Arts Centre.
Wild Coast: Coffee Bay NYE Party
Tranquillity usually marks the green hills of the Transkei and the pristine coastline
of the Wild Coast. But for one day of the year on New Year’s Eve the annual New
Year’s Bash at the Sugarloaf Backpackers Lodge brings the entire area around
Coffee Bay alive.
KWAZULU-NATAL
Durban: Kings Park & Moses Mabhida Stadium Concerts
Big parties with international music acts are hosted here around these international
sports stadiums each year, either on some of the outer sports fields or in adjacent
public areas. The Fact Durban Rocks NYE concert – staged for the past 6 years
- was held in the Moses Mabhida Stadium last New Year’s Eve. At the same time
Durban Vibes held a concert at the adjacent Kings Park outer fields. Watch the
local media for details of this year’s events.
Durban: Marine Parade
Traditionally the entire beachfront area along Marine Parade teems with revellers
on New Year’s Eve. It is also the scene of the following day’s big come-down
and ocean splash when tens of thousands of people pack the beaches after the
partying of the night before. From here you will also have a good view of any
fireworks displays that may take place on New Year’s Eve in the city, while the
restaurants, clubs and hotels in this area all lay on their own parties.
Ballito: North Coast street party
The New Year’s Eve Ballito Street Party has been hailed as the most famous street
party in South Africa. With several dance floors and international DJs, the party
has become a big hit and by 8pm on the 31st there’s no more space for a mouse.
GAUTENG
Soweto: Popular parties
A mass gathering of revellers held at the Soweto Cricket Oval is billed as
Johannesburg’s answer to New York’s Time Square party. This party is all about
a countdown to the new year where family, colleagues and friends meet in an
electrifying atmosphere with live performances by some of South Africa’s best
artists. Another favourite venue for the same kind of action is the famous Vilikazi
Street in Orlando West, Soweto. Both Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond
Tutu once lived in this street.
Johannesburg: Joburg Carnival & New Year’s Countdown
Make your way to Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown – downtown Johannesburg
– where you can join thousands of people from midday on 31 December as they
wait for midnight. Food stalls and live music will take care of all your needs.
Surrounding roads are closed off to traffic and no alcohol is allowed. Entrance
is free.
Pretoria: Time Square Casino’s Block Party
Time Square in Pretoria last year staged one of the biggest New Year’s Eve parties
the city has ever seen, with no less than 13 local and international DJs that kept
people dancing for 15 hours straight.
The party was designed to emulate one of the world’s biggest New Year’s parties
at Time Square, New York. The Sun Arena, where it was held, is the first venue of
its kind in Pretoria and also the largest purpose-built indoor seated arena in South
Africa holding up to 8,500 guests.
Have fun…and Happy New Year!
At the Waterfront - Diriye Amey, Shutterstock Partying into the New Year - Hybrid Images - iStock Fireworks, Port Elizabeth - Leonard DS Hugo - iStock New Year’s Eve on Clifton Beach - Quality Master,
Shutterstock

By Fikile Tikana
When summer’s festive season comes along, we all tend to
let our hair down for some fun. So how about a bit of tattoo
craziness this summer? You’ve probably noticed how, in
the past decade or more, tattoos have become a really big
thing. Why not join in the fun? So, this year, when you take
your shirt off on the beach, knock ‘em out with your living, breathing, walking art
display! Make a statement bro. You too sis!
And if you think you’re going to be stereotyped for having ink on your skin, wrong.
This is according to Sam Cluer, owner of The Tattoo Lounge in Lakeside, Cape
Town. He and his team have tattooed literally thousands of people over some
five odd years, and they have never found a specific “tattoo type” – they come
in all shapes and sizes, from every walk of life. If you’re going to be holidaying
around Cape Town this summer, pop in at Sam’s Tattoo Lounge and find out for
yourself. He’s located conveniently on Main Road, Lakeside, close to the beaches
of Muizenberg, Kalk Bay, Fish Hoek and all those other lekka places along the
False Bay coast.
“We cater for everyone over 18. Our oldest client was 76,” says Sam. How’s that
for cool? “We have done plenty of first-timers of all ages. Generally, the guys tend
to opt for tattoo sleeves or on the legs, while females tend to go more for the
meaningful tattoo placed strategically here or there on the body.” But again, he
says, this is not necessarily the norm. For the uninitiated, a “tattoo sleeve” is when
you have most, or all of your arm tattooed. The “meaningful” tattoo is a single
tattoo, say on the shoulder or lower back, with a specific message.
“And we have tattooed probably nearly every personality type from shy introverts
to way-out-there extroverts. Everyone seems to have their own reason for getting
their tattoo,” says Sam.
The art of tattooing has been around for centuries. In the past they have
symbolized royalty or leadership in some societies before becoming decorative
statements in modern society. Reasons for getting tattoos differ widely, from
simply being a fashion fad, to being in memory of an event or person, as a sign of
confidence, making some or other statement, or just being a fun thing where no
reason is needed. Tattoos can be removed by laser technology these days, if you
later change your mind, like when you had an old girlfriend’s name tattooed on your
arm and the new girlfriend is not happy with that! Having the tattoo done can range
from uncomfortable to a little painful, depending on where on the body it is placed
or the experience and touch of the artist.
Sam says there’s no dominant trend in what his customers want. Fashion style
tattoos come and go with fashion trends and the buzz on social media platforms.
But script tattoos – from a single word to a phrase or quote – are popular at
present, so are 3D tattoos that produce a sense of realism, as well as watercolour
and minimalistic linear tattoos. Costs vary according to the studio and the design.
Sam says for many – including himself – getting that tattoo was a positive lifechanging
event.
He says in South Africa tattooing is a very seasonal thing, with summer being the
peak time, so if you want that tattoo for this summer, don’t put it off too long.
78 |ISSUE 11|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZI TRAVEL

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TROPICAL PEARL OF AFRICA
MOZAMBIQUE
With its 2,500km palm tree-fringed coastline, islands and
archipelagos, sheltered bays and lagoons, sparkling
white beaches, crystal clear waters, ancient history and
ruins, nature reserves and wildlife, superb hotels and
lodges, and bustling cities and markets, Mozambique is
truly Africa’s tropical paradise. Safe, beautiful and affordable, Mozambique
has rapidly become the favourite destination for those seeking a real tropical
holiday experience. And its proximity to both South Africa and Tanzania is
an added attraction and also makes it even more accessible.
Widely viewed as Africa’s Indian Ocean jewel, this south-east African
country boasts a truly exotic, palm-fringed and coral-reefed coastline full
of delightful surprises. The only interruption to be found in the sparkling
turquoise expanse of the Indian Ocean is the string of tropical islands
and archipelagos dotted along its coast, or perhaps a frolicking school of
dolphins, or a white-sailed Arab dhow lazily ambling past under a clear blue
African sky.
This is a world of lazy beach days, soaking up the sun, scuba diving,
snorkelling, browsing in the busy markets, exploring centuries-old ruins,
sipping sundowners, dining under palm trees and the stars, dancing to the
exotic sounds of marrabenta music, and some of the best game fishing in
Africa. That is, if you are not out tracking game in one of the most unspoilt
…A world of lazy beach days, soaking
up the sun, scuba diving, snorkelling,
browsing in the busy markets,
exploring centuries-old ruins, sipping
sundowners, dining under palm trees …

Explore Africa
wilderness areas on earth or exploring one of Mozambique’s ancient,
historic cities with their markets, old Portuguese and Arab forts, and other
attractions.
For a country that for many decades suffered first a war of liberation from
colonial rule and then a civil war, Mozambique has recovered and reinvented
itself magnificently. The discovery of major gas reserves along the coast
have played no small part in establishing a new economic flourish here.
A cultural melting pot
The Portuguese navigator and explorer Vasco da Gama arrived here in
1498, with Portuguese colonisation and settlement starting soon after
in 1505, making it one the earliest sub-Saharan African countries to be
colonised. After over four centuries of Portuguese rule, Mozambique
gained independence in 1975. But its history goes much further back, when
Bantu-speaking people arrived here from the north between the first and
fifth centuries AD. By the 11th century Somali, Arab and Persian traders
started settling along the coast and established ports and markets, with the
Portuguese following in the 16th century.
These migrations have given the country a rich, multi-cultured character and
legacy, with distinct and still very visible influences ranging from Swahili
to Portuguese and Arab. Walking in the markets of the ancient port cities,
you can still feel the presence of the old Arab traders. Their dominance
was soon replaced by Portuguese traders and gold-miners who established
their forts along the coast and on the islands and set up inland garrisons
at Villa de Senna and Tete on the Zambezi River. Later the Arabs regained
dominance in some parts.
Much of the architecture, including old military forts, of the Arab and
Portuguese eras has survived, especially in the coastal areas and islands.
Many old Portuguese mission churches have also survived.
Rivers, lakes and parks
The partially navigable Zambezi River divides the country into two
topographical regions with the north dominated by inland hills, low plateaus,
rugged highlands, and woodlands and the south dominated by lowlands
and the Mashonaland plateau. In the deep south the Lebombo Mountains
dominate. Five major rivers cross the country from west to east, filling up
lakes such as Lake Niassa (also known as Lake Malawi), Lake Chiuta, Lake
Cahora Bassa and Lake Shirwa. The country is administratively divided into
ten provinces, from Niassa in the north, to Inhambane and Maputo provinces
in the south, and Zambezia and Sofala in the centre.
The country has six national parks and six national reserves, together
covering about 12.6% of the country’s surface area. Among the more popular
ones are Niassa Game Reserve in the far north along the Tanzanian border, the
Limpopo National Park in the west, the Bazaruto Archipelago National Marine Park,
Gorongosa National Park in central Mozambique, Gile Game Reserve along the
north-eastern coastal area, Maputo Nature Reserve in the south along the South
African border, and Quirimbas National Park along the northern coast. A number
of them are home to the Big Five, while all have a large variety of game, birds and
flora species. Most have good lodges and holiday camps, but some are not that
easily accessible by road. Because of their relative inaccessibility for many years,
Mozambique’s wilderness areas have been preserved as some of the most unspoilt
in all of Africa. The 40,000km2 Niassa Reserve is one of the last truly wild places
on earth.
The capital Maputo
The capital Maputo, nicknamed the Pearl of Africa, lies just 80km from the South
African border post at Komatipoort, and 150km from the resort town of Ponto do
Ouro at the border with South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province. From Komatipoort
it’s another 400km to Pretoria and Gauteng, and from Ponto do Ouro another
255km to Richards Bay and 425km to Durban. And it is an hour’s drive away from
Swaziland.
The city is located on Maputo Bay between the Incomati and Rio Matola Rivers.
The first known settlement here was a fishing village in the 1500s. In 1781 the
Portuguese built a fort here, leading to the establishment of what became the
modern city of Maputo. It was named Lourenço Marques, after the navigator of the
same name who first explored the area in 1544, but after independence in 1975
the name was changed to Maputo. In 1898, the colony of Portuguese Mozambique
relocated its capital here.

Fishermen’s cottages under the palms - nicoalsdecorte, iStock Game reserves - CORREIA Patrice, iStock Freindly locals - gaborbasch,iStock
The city is an exciting blend of old colonial and modern
architecture, with broad avenues, purple-flowered
Jacaranda trees, Portuguese colonial edifices,
mosaic-paved sidewalks bustling with cosmopolitan
crowds, grand old hotels, coffee shops, bars and
restaurants, pulsating nightlife, a bustling harbour,
high-rise modern buildings, modern shopping malls
and beautiful palm-fringed beaches.
In recent years Maputo and its neighbouring city of
Matola, have merged into one large metropolitan area
with a combined population of around 3-million people.
Across the bay lies Inhaca Island, a beautiful sparsely
populated island with a hotel and marine biology
museum, just off the tip of Ponta Mucombo and the
Maputo Special Reserve. At low tide elephants cross
over to the island by walking through the sea.
Culturally the city is a mix of Bantu, Portuguese, Arab,
Chinese, Indian and South African influences.
Some of the beautiful old colonial-era buildings
found throughout the city, include the City
Hall, Our Lady of the Immaculate
Conception Cathedral, the
Museum of Natural History,
the Mozambique
National Library,
and the exceptionally beautiful Maputo Railway
Station. Other landmark areas popular with tourists
include Independence Square with its giant statue
of the late President Samora Machel, the bustling
central market, and Tunduru Gardens. The typical
architectural styles of the city include Portuguese
colonial Neoclassical and Manueline styles alongside
modern Art Deco, Bauhaus, and Brutalist buildings.
Recent additions are the glass and chrome high-rise
towers that have changed the city’s skyline from that
of a sleepy colonial port city to a modern metropolis.
The downtown area of the city is the historic Baixa de
Maputo district. Maputo has a vibrant cultural scene,
with many restaurants, music and performance
venues, and a local film industry. Just a short drive
from downtown Maputo along the coastal Avenue da
Marginal and just past the Clube da Naval Maputo
(yacht club), is the Polana Serena Hotel, one of
Africa’s grandest old hotels. There are many other
excellent hotels in and around the city, representing
some of the finest global brands. Continue north
along the coast and you’ll come to the Costa do Sol
(sun coast) with its ever-popular Restaurant Costa
do Sol, these days surrounded by smart villas, fancy
apartment blocks and shopping malls.
The coast, beaches
and islands
Driving north along the 2,500km coastline brings
one to some of the most beautiful seaside locations,
resorts, river mouths, lagoons, islands and coastal
towns and cities…too many to name or describe here.
While a slow road trip up the coast is an unforgettable
experience, for those who don’t have the time, there
are good connections by air from Maputo to most of
these locations
Among the better-known and more popular
destinations, starting in the south, is Ponta de Ouro
with its rustic resort and camping accommodation.
It is popular for scuba-diving with a rich marine life,
including schools of dolphins.
Driving north from Maputo will bring you to Xai-Xai,
across the Limpopo River. The coast around here
and further north is home to a number of lodges and
resorts, and some truly unspoilt beaches and massive
lagoons. It is a popular area for sailing, canoeing,
windsurfing, paragliding and kite-surfing. Continuing
north, the road takes you to Inhambane, also known
as Terra de Boa Gente. The city lies on the inland side
of a peninsula that forms the Baia de Inhambane, a
bay that cuts deep into the mainland. Across the bay is
the town of Maxixe. On the seaside of the peninsula is
the very popular Tofo Beach which has a large number
of tropical beach resorts, lodges, self-catering villas,
backpacker’s and camping sites, restaurants, bars
and diving centres
Some 240km north of Inhambane is the Vilankulos,
again a place of exquisite beach and sea offerings
with plenty of lodges, backpackers, cafés, bars and
restaurants. It is also the gateway to the Bazaruto
Archipelago consisting of six islands and truly a
place of unparalleled beauty. The area is popular with
surfers, divers, kayakers, wind and kite surfers, and
game fishermen. Magaruque, Buengerra, Bazaruto
and the other islands can be reached by air or ferry,
and many superb lodges are found along the beaches
of the islands.
Next, about 400km north of Vilankulos is the city
commonly regarded as Mozambique’s second city,
the port city of Beira. It lies on a peninsula between
the ocean and the mouth of the Pungwe River. The
city is famous for its beautiful cathedral and is a short
distance from the Gorongosa National Park, a serene
wilderness area with a wide variety of wild animals,
birds, beautiful natural scenery and lovely waterfalls.
In and around the city are beautiful beaches, river
banks, many splendid lodges, restaurants, bars and
nightlife venues.
86 |ISSUE 11|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZITRAVEL

Planning
your next
holiday?
Downtown Maputo and harbour - iStock
It just never ends. Continue north and you come to Ilha
de Mozambique with its historic, early 17th century
Stone Town. The island is connected by bridge to the
mainland. Portuguese colonial structures in Stone
Town, which covers the northern half of the island,
include the Chapel of Nossa Senhora de Baluarte,
the 16th-century Fort of São Sebastião on a nearby
headland and the Palace of São Paulo, a former
governor’s home with a museum. Thatched-roof local
Macuti cottages are found across the south of the
island.
And the list still goes on. Mozambique simply has so
much and so many delightful experiences to offer. It
promises to be the holiday of a lifetime.
Book domestic flight tickets
to your summer holiday
destination at Pick n Pay.
For more information, go to
www.picknpay.co.za/ticketing.
Useful Information
Languages:
Various indigenous, Portuguese & English.
Climate:
Predominantly tropical to sub-tropical climate with wet
season November to March and dry season April to
October – best time to visit is May to July.
Time Zone: UTC/GMT +2 hours.
Currency:
Metical (MTn) - US Dollar and South African Rand also
widely accepted.
Connectivity:
Internet and cellphone networks in most major cities/
towns and resorts.
Airlines:
Several international airlines including South African
Airways and other African carriers fly to Maputo -
connecting flights from South Africa and other African
countries. Domestic air services operate between
Beira, Maputo, Nampula, Pemba, Quelimane, Tete and
Vilanculos.
Major Airports:
Maputo International Airport 5km northwest of Maputo.
Additional international airports at Vilanculos, Pemba
and Beira.
Entry Requirements:
All foreigners except South Africans, Zimbabweans
and Mauritians staying less than 30 days, and
Malawians staying less than 90 days need visas prior
to their arrival.
Contact Information
Mozambique Tourism:
Tel +258 (0)21 30 73 20 /1;
Fax +258 (0)21 30 73 22 /3;
Email info@inatur.org.mz or mtb@moztour.com;
Web www.inatur.org.mz/.
Visit Mozambique Tourist Portal:
Web www.visitmozambique.net.
Mozambique Accommodation:
Bookings +27 (0)11 791 0519; Email info@
mozambiqueaccommodation.co.za.
Mozambique Embassy in South Africa:
Tel +27 (0)12 401 0300 / 4; Fax +27 (0)12 326 6388
Mozambique LAM Airline –
Web www.lam.co.mz.

EASY TO FIND,
DIFFICULT TO LEAVE
Eastern Cape | Garden Route | Tsitsikamma | Storms River

Surrounded by mountains and tucked away in the
forest, the tsitsikamma lodge & spa is a haven of
peace, where a warm welcome and friendly service
combed with nature provides a perfect break.
Set in beautiful gardens, and built entirely of logs,
the lodge has 34 cosy cabins, each with its own
spa-bath, private deck and barbecue area.
Tsitsikamma is home to a variety of activities.
Several excursions available:
Our licensed restaurant offers delicious
home-cooked meals!
Tsitsikamma Lodge & Spa boast
a spectrum of awards.
Contact us for some of our amazing Specials.
•Family Madness Package,
•School Holiday Special, Couples
•Getaway Special &
to mention just a few these are great
value for money…
LIKE US
FOLLOW US
facebook.com/riverhotels
twitter.com/riverhotels
CENTRAL RESERVATIONS
Tel: 0861 RIVERH (748374)
reservations@riverhotels.com
riverhotels.com
Tsitsikamma Office: +27(0)42 280 3802

great
escapes
Summer holidays are approaching, and as always, we
bring you a number of great escapes…fabulous, affordable
destinations for the whole family, be it for a quick rejuvenating
getaway or a proper relaxing holiday.
Five Acres Guest House, Kimberley
Set in large peaceful and lush gardens and lawns, surrounded by large shady trees,
Five Acres offers comfortable, affordable luxury accommodation, with secure off
-street parking close to the rooms, located on the south side of Kimberley.
All garden rooms have en suite bathrooms, with complimentary toiletries. They
also have DSTV, air conditioning, heating and electric blankets, tea/coffee making
facilities, comfortable arm chairs or sofas and desk/dressing tables. There are also
some semi-self-catering double rooms and a family room, each having their own
separate entrance and a veranda, leading out into the garden. After a day taking
in the sites and scenery in and around Kimberley, like visiting the Big Hole and its
museum, you can cool off in the pool, or laze in the shade or on your veranda. Enjoy
the magnificent Northern Cape sunset, while the birds (some 42 species) begin to
settle down for the night. Braai facilities available exclusively for guests are also
available, close to the rooms.
Morning Sun Nature Reserve,
Limpopo
Situated only 1km off the N12 on the south side of Kimberley, this is a popular stopover
for travellers. The guest house is also only 1km from the Gariep Medi-Clinic
and 2km from LenMed Hospital, which makes it easy for family members of hospital
patients to stay over here. Small pets are also allowed (under supervision and on
leashes) and the guest house is close to all main tourist attractions, with direct routes
to the Big Hole, Art Gallery, museums and some Anglo-Boer War sites, as well as the
Kimberley Airport (5km). There are two shopping malls within easy distance of the
guest house should you need to do some shopping. Tour guides can be arranged as
well as helicopter game viewing and bird watching. A full English breakfast is served
every morning.
• For more information: Call Tell +27 (0)53 961-1176 or Cell +27 (0)82 465 1176,
or email info@fiveacre.co.za, or visit their website at www.fiveacres.co.za.
It is said that “a change is as good as a holiday” and whether it be for business or
pleasure, Morning Sun Nature Reserve in northern Limpopo offers wonderful new
experiences in a tranquil atmosphere at their unique Mashovhela Bush Lodge, as
well as at their new self-catering Lokovhela Mountain Cottages.
Their family friendly camps and lodges are Fair Trade accredited and lie sheltered
in the magnificent Soutpansberg Mountains on the Morning Sun Nature Reserve,
a Natural Heritage Site only 20km from Louis Trichardt/Makhado. Due to its
convenient central location, easily accessible just off the N1, it is an ideal relaxing
stopover enroute to and from Botswana, Zimbabwe, northern Kruger National
Park and the Mapungubwe World Heritage Site. The reserve lies in a malaria-free
area which is a biodiversity hotspot for plants, birds, butterflies and rare wildlife,
making it a truly magical place to relax and get reacquainted with nature. Guests
can explore and investigate the abundant and diverse fauna and flora of this
90 |ISSUE 11|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZITRAVEL

eautiful Natural Heritage Site on foot. Marked walking trails take you through
scenic valleys, along sparkling streams and through various indigenous forests.
Mashovhela Bush Lodge is three-star graded, with 10 ethnically decorated en
suite chalets and one annex safari tent which evoke a special Venda village
atmosphere. It is truly a value-for-money breakaway filled with tours to the mystical
forests, sacred lakes, water spirits, and stunning scenery. You can also enjoy the
famous Venda culture with its arts and crafts. This is a perfect combination of
authentic culture close to nature with other Big 5 destinations within easy reach.
The Drumbeat Restaurant venue offers the option of indoor or outside functions,
which can cater for any special function from a spectacular and unforgettable bush
wedding to a 60-delegate conference at Mashovhela Bush Lodge.
Lokovhela Mountain Cottages is an ideal stopover for young or old travellers to the
north. They have one superior family Valley View Cottage and 4 en suite chalets
as self-catering accommodation for backpackers and students under 30 years of
age at a communal-sharing discounted rate. The 4 chalets are also ideal for small
groups or families, who want to enjoy the tranquil hiking trails next to the mountain
river or just relax at the swimming pool.
Blessed with great weather all year round, Morning Sun Bush Camp is nestled
next to a serene little waterfall within a tranquil green environment teeming with
nocturnal animal life. At the unique Waterfall Hammock Camp, guests will be
supplied with a sleeping bag, torch and a comfortable hammock under starry
skies. This experience will provide fond memories for years to come. At the
Exclusive 4x4 Mountain Camp you can book to sleep on the Safari Mountain Truck
– mobile 4x4 Unimog accommodation for guests to “feel on top of the world” while
enjoying the panoramic views of the Soutpansberg mountains.
• For more information: Call +27(0)12 991 6930 or +27(0) 79 427 6333;
email them at marketing@morningsun.co.za; or visit their website at www.
morningsun.co.za.
Walkersons Hotel and Spa,
Mpumalanga
Located just outside Dullstroom in Mpumalanga, Walkersons Hotel and Spa with
its shimmering blue dams and charming stone cottages is a place where you and
the whole family can breathe in the rejuvenatingly fresh mountain air as you take in
the surrounding natural scenery along a superb mountain trail. Don’t be surprised
if you come upon a herd of zebras and red hartebeests in this idyllic setting.
Round off a day of hiking and fishing alongside a roaring log fire (in winter) and a
hearty meal at the hotel’s signature restaurant, The Flying Scotsman. Or enjoy a
relaxing hot stone massage and drift off into la-la land as the masseuse cajoles all
the city stress out of you.
Walkersons is a five-star hotel a leisurely drive away from Johannesburg, located
in the rolling green hills of Mpumalanga on the 800-hectare Walkerson Estate. It is
built in the style of a Scottish Country Manor with natural wood and stone. Tasteful
antiques, tapestries, and artworks adorn the lodge, and comfortable verandas
overlook the dams. There are 27 suites including a honeymoon suite, and six selfcatering
cottages accommodating different sized groups. The luxurious cottages
consist of two huge en-suite rooms, a loft with two beds, a fully-equipped kitchen,
and a lounge cum dining area. Logwood fireplaces, electric blankets, underfloor
heating and heated towel rails are all provided to combat the cold in winter. In
summer, however, you won’t need those of course.
Dullstroom is renowned for its fly fishing and this is a must-do at Walkersons.
The estate boasts 14 well-stocked rainbow trout dams, making it a fly-fisherman’s
paradise. Even if you’ve never done it before, the friendly guides will show you the
ropes. The scenic surroundings beg to be explored. Well-paved footpaths make it
easy to explore and thoughtfully placed benches allow one to sit and relax while
exploring. Activities include horse-riding, bird-watching and leisurely picnics. You
can also work out at the gym, swim in the pool, or go hiking.
With award-winning chefs cooking up delicious dishes, friendly staff who take care
of your every need, the serene beauty of the countryside, combined with old-world
exclusivity and charm, are just what the doctor will order for a totally destressing
getaway. Great for a weekend getaway from Gauteng, Walkersons is also an
excellent stopover en route to the Kruger National Park, the Blyde River Canyon,
the many other attractions of these parts, or when en route to Mozambique. It is
also a superb place for a wedding, honeymoon or conference.
• For more information: Call Reservations at Tel +27 (13) 253 7000 or +27 (86)
192 5537, or Email book@walkersons.co.za. Contributed by Sara Essop,
Travel Blogger & Writer at www.inafricaandbeyond.com.
MZANZITRAVEL| www.mzanzitravel.co.za|Issue 11| 91

Luxurious lodging now available at the New Rush Guesthouse situated
within the Big Hole Complex, Tucker Street, Kimberley.
Stay over in the old town and experience the Diamond City as it was 100 years ago!
All rooms are air-conditioned and fitted with free wi-fi, towels,
bedding and a kettle with complimentary tea and coffee
For reservations, call Cindy at 053 839 4455
or email us on reservations@debeersgroup.com
www.newrushguesthouse.co.za

JB Train Tours, South Africa
Traveling on a long-distance overnight train in South Africa is like eating soup with a fork. It takes time, but
you can’t get enough!
Why go on a holiday train? Because it is nostalgic, affordable, comfortable, fun, safe and ‘lekker’. You
don’t have to drive, won’t get lost, don’t pay toll and don’t experience punctures or speed fines. You arrive
well-rested and you have time to meet other people, play cards and domino’s, and talk again to other
people. JB Train Tours are a combination of traveling, sleeping, dining and socialising on the train; staying
in good upmarket hotels and lodges; enjoying good food; being transported by bus or taxi to and from your
destinations and fly back home. A 3-in-1 experience.
These tours are for any person from anywhere. All ages and genders. People from all walks of life enjoy
them. Included in JB Train Tours’ various itineraries are the budget Tourist Class trains, upmarket Premier
Classe train as well as the super luxury and iconic Blue Train – the latter at South African rates! When flying
they use Kulula.com & Mango.
Different categories of tours are offered, such as their Holiday Train & Flight Tour from Johannesburg
to, among others, Cape Town, the Boland, Garden Route, Port Elizabeth, Durban and KwaZulu-Natal,
Mozambique, Swaziland, and Kruger National Park; the Sport Train Tours from Johannesburg to the Two
Oceans Marathon, Comrades Marathon, Cape Town Cycle Race and Rugby test matches; the Festival
Train & Flight Tours from Johannesburg to the Grahamstown National Art Festival, Cape Town Jazz
Festival, Klein Karoo National Arts Festival in Oudtshoorn, the Oppiwater Kunstefees, Cherry Festival,
Oyster Festival in Knysna or the Wacky Wine Weekend in Robertson; and the Motorbike-on-Train Tours
from Johannesburg to the Western Cape and Boland, Namaqualand Flowers, Garden Route, Route 62,
Buffalo Rally, BMW GS Trophy, Stofpad in the Karoo, and Bike Week in East London. There are a number
of other tours to various destinations also on offer to Namibia, Sun City, Kruger National Park, and more.
Book your
local bus
tickets
in-store.
Book domestic bus tickets
to your next local holiday
destination at Pick n Pay.
For more information, go to
www.picknpay.co.za/ticketing.
• For more information: Tel +27 (0)11 913 2442; Fax +27 (0)86 687 7344 or +27 (0)11 913 0552; or go
to their website at www.jbtours.co.za/contact/.
Eldo Coaches

Anew Hotel Ingeli Forest & Spa
www. anewhotels.com/hotels/ingeli-forest-spa
Blue Marlin Hotel
www.bluemarlinhotel.co.za
The Coral Tree Colony guest house
www.thecoraltree.com
The Estuary Hotel & spa
www.estuaryhotel.co.za
The Gorge Private Game Lodge
www.thegorge.co.za
iZotsha Creek estate
www.izotshacreek.co.za
Ocean Gaze B&B
www.oceangazebnb.com
Pumula Beach Hotel
www.pumulabeachhotel.co.za

San Lameer Resort HOTEL & SPA
www.sanlameerhotel.com
Selborne Golf Estate Hotel & Spa
www.selbornehotel.com
Tuscany by the Sea
www.tuscanybythesea.co.za
Umtamvuna River Lodge
www.theriverlodge.co.za
Umthunzi Hotel & conference
www.umthunzi.co.za
days at sea beach lodge
www.daysatsea.co.za
Home to more than 500 accommodation establishments,
from camping & caravanning to B&Bs, holiday flats and
houses; eco resorts and tree lodges; timeshare to 5-star
hotels; as well as homestays on the coast and in the rural
hinterland. It’s your choice and it’s always affordable.
OR Tambo
to Margate
Direct Daily

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