GO...UP & AWAY - JAXFAX Travel Marketing Magazine

Mother and child in Kruger National Park
operators such as SA-Venues (www.sa-venues.com).
Aside from its historical aspect, Johannesburg offers great
dining, art galleries and ballet. Accommodations range from the
ultra exclusive Saxon Hotel (www.thesaxon.com), with a
13,000 square-foot spa and newly constructed suites, to the
more affordable Michelangelo Hotel (www.lhw.com) centrally
located in the Nelson Mandela Square, and the Intercontinental
Sandton Sun & Towers (www.ichotelsgroup.com) located
in a residential and business district of Johannesburg.
Exotic Cape Town
Cape Town, one of the most picturesque cities on our planet,
is a mish-mash of outdoor adventure and exotic dining. In contrast
to the Apartheid Museum, the District Six Museum here
is a personal and moving account of the struggles this District endured
during Apartheid. Just as moving is a visit to the Robben
Island Museum, which served as a prison from the 17th to 20th
centuries and declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1999.
Tours are given by former political inmates of Robben Island
where Mandela was incarcerated from 1964 to 1982.
A cable car ride up the city’s landmark, Table Mountain, is
not to be missed, as the view from the summit is stunning.
Cape Town itself is a playground for the thrill-seeker. Biking,
surfing, and rappelling are all easily arranged at Downhill Adventures
(www.downhilladventures.com) and for day tours
around Cape Town, along with Safari excursions and Cape
Wineland tours, Gilt-Edge (www.gilt-edge.com), a luxury tour
operator based in Cape Town can handle it all.
When my waiter asked, “How would you like your wildebeest
cooked?” I confidently replied “Why, medium rare of course!” Culinary
surprises will pop up everywhere in Cape Town! The cuisine
runs the gamut including local game meats; Eland, Kudu, Impala
and Wildebeest…all delicious and sampling should be encouraged.
The Roundhouse (theroundhouserestaurant.com), set up on a
hill in the Camps Bay section, is a historic landmark dating back to
the 1700s. Today it’s a premier dining facility with contemporary
French cuisine and breathtaking views of the coastline. For the best
gnocchi in town (yes, I said gnocchi) send your clients to 95
Keerom, favorite of all the locals. Afternoon High Tea will make anyone
feel special at the Mount Nelson (www.mountnelson.co.za).
Accommodations vary from the exclusive Ellerman House
(www.ellerman.com) in the swanky section of Bantry Bay, to
the larger One and Only Cape Town (www.oneandonlyresorts.com),
The Cape Grace (www.capegrace.com) and
Table Bay Resorts (www.suninternational.com/Destinations),
all located by the V&A Waterfront. The Twelve Apostles
(www.12apostleshotel.com) has a beautiful spa but is a
bit removed on a secluded stretch of highway.
The Thrill of the Falls
Victoria Falls is without a doubt one of the most spectacular
natural sights in the world. The mighty Zambezi River plummets
108 meters in a roar of spray and mist to create a visual
feast for the eyes. Victoria Falls Adventures (www.victoriafallsadventures.com)
has got you covered with everything
from white water rafting and helicopter tours to skydiving!
World Cup Envy
South Africa will be on everyone’s radar beginning June of
2010 when the FIFA World Cup descends upon the country.
While tickets are at a premium and hotels are filling up fast, its
likely rates will be at an all-time high during this period. Gilt-
Edge has a dedicated website for the World Cup, as they have
charter flights and blocks of rooms set aside for the event. All
information can be and accessed by visiting www.gilt-
FEBRUARY 2010 WWW.JAXFAX.COM AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST 23