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Mon, 30 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0200

Fun facts about Cape Town

Mon, 30 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0200

1. CAPE TOWN’S NICKNAME IS THE MOTHER CITY.

Legend has it that in the 1930s a local Cape Town newspaper claimed that Cape Town was the only city in South Africa that could justly call itself a metropolis. The public took to this description and because the word metropolis is taken from the Greek derivative of meter or metros meaning mother and polis meaning city, the nickname of “Mother City” was born. Although some people joke everything in Cape Town goes at a slower pace compared to Johannesburg – everything takes nine months.

2. ROMANCE ON TOP OF TABLE MOUNTAIN.

Table Mountain is 1,860 meters high and it is estimated that every month at least two couples get engaged on top of Table Mountain.

3. HOW THE NAME LIONS HEAD CAME ABOUT

Contrary to popular belief, the popular hiking spot was not given its name because it resembles a lion. Rather, the folklore suggests that 17th century Dutch settlers once named Signal Hill as Leeuwen Staart (Lion’s Tail). Together with what is currently known as Lion’s Head, it was thought that the space between the two peaks resembled a crouching lion. Thus, the settler’s named the top as Leeuwen Kop.

4. TWO COUPLES GET HITHED ON TABLE MOUNTAIN EVERY MONTH

Our precious flat-topped mountain began forming around 280 million years ago, and today, it’s still evolving! The cableway, on the other hand, was erected in 1929 and was originally constructed from wood and steel (sounds pretty dangerous to us, but there have been no accidents on it as of yet). Another fun fact: it’s estimated that two couples get hitched on the mountain every month. Wowzers! And did we mention that the Table Mountain National Park, which spans an area of 22 000 hectares, boasts more plant species than the British Isles or New Zealand?

5 reasons to go on safari in South Africa

Sat, 09 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0200

5 reasons to go on safari in South Africa:

South Africa is one of the most popular safari destinations in Africa. It has excellent infrastructure that makes it easy to travel from place to place. There are lots of family-friendly hotels and lodges and an array of safari offerings for all budgets. You’ll also find plenty of destinations to add to your safari, from cosmopolitan cities to beautiful beaches, creating the ultimate holiday itinerary.

1. Spot the Big Five and more

Many reserves and parks in South Africa have the full Big Five: lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos and buffalos. Though leopards are generally elusive, it is possible to see all of these iconic animals over a couple of nights on safari. At Sanbona Wildlife Reserve, three hours outside Cape Town, you can see the rare white lion. As well as the Big Five, you may also spot giraffes, cheetahs, hippos, wildebeests and springboks. Most of these you’ll be able to see on a game drive, but many places also offer walking safaris: at Inverdoorn Private Game Reserve, two hours from Cape Town, you can take a guided walk alongside giraffes.

2. Day trips

One of the most convenient things about safari in South Africa is that many of the reserves and parks allow day trips. This is ideal if you’re short on time and just want to get a taste of the safari experience. From Cape Town, there are a number of reserves that allow day trips, all within a three-hour drive of the city. Inverdoorn offers day access and so does Aquila Private Game Reserve, which is also two hours from Cape Town. Closer to the city, Fairy Glen is a small reserve with the Big Five and day access. Start early to make the most of your day and enjoy the scenic drive out from Cape Town.

3. Malaria-free and family-friendly

South Africa has a range of safari destinations that are free of malaria (so no need to take any medication) and that cater to families. All the safari reserves around Cape Town are malaria-free and many have special programmes for children. Sanbona, for example, has Gondwana Family Lodge, with interconnecting rooms and play areas. There’s an activity book that kids can fill out on their game drives (if they’re over four years old) and interpretative trails through the lodge garden that allow children to learn about plants and tracking animals. Aquila have a junior ranger programme and plenty of activities for teens over 16, such as quad bike safaris and horse riding.

4. Bush to beach

Safaris can be tiring with very early wake-up calls. A beach break is the perfect way to end a trip and South Africa has plenty of options. Cape Town itself has many beaches, but if you’re travelling in winter, you can take a short domestic flight across to the Indian Ocean beaches of KwaZulu-Natal, in and around Durban, that receive year-round sunshine. Round off your holiday with lazy mornings, swimming or kayaking in the ocean and long walks down the beach. If you’re not done with the wildlife watching, why not take a marine safari? In Cape Town, you can kayak alongside dolphins and penguins. A couple of hours outside the city, you can go shark cage diving from Gansbaai or watch southern right whales from the shore in Hermanus or De Hoop Nature Reserve. The whale watching season is from June to October.

5. City break combos

South Africa has some of the most tourism-friendly cities on the continent. Johannesburg and Durban are great cities in which to spend a couple of nights, but Cape Town is an especially popular destination and regularly wins ‘best city’ tourism awards – unsurprisingly, given Table Mountain, its white-sand beaches and surrounding vineyards. It’s also an international foodie capital, with everything from award-winning, yet affordable, fine-dining restaurants to casual cafés and cool coffee shops. With plenty of international flights coming in and out of Cape Town, it’s a convenient place to stay before or after a safari. From here you can take a daytrip to one of the nearby safari reserves or book two or three nights at a lodge.

This article was written By Heather Richardson. Heather is a freelance travel and conservation writer, based in Cape Town, South Africa. She works mostly for UK and US publications and travels regularly around sub-Saharan Africa.

It's True what they say about Truth Coffee

Pepi — Tue, 08 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0200

When I heard that a coffee house in Cape Town has been voted the BEST in the world, I had to go and see for myself. When I walked in, I was immediately blown away by the atmosphere, the punk vibe and the smell of my addiction. The Daily Telegraph and Gaurdian Newspapers were not exagerating when they voted Truth the best in the world. But I think they should totally vote it as the coolest too.

And their food!!!! So delicious, so affordable and even a local will go eat there. That is saying a lot.

They also have a night market which offers everything from vintage threads to locally produced clothing, jewellery and accessories, designer shoes and swimwear, bric and brac and vinyls.

A def must see for any Cape Town visitors.

My 10 Best Things about Table Mountain

Amy Pentland-Smith — Mon, 07 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0200

1. The View! Table Mountain is over 1000m above sea level, offering spectacular views of the city and surrounding landmarks. One of the Seven Natural Wonders of the world, this is definitely not to be missed on your stay in the Mother City. Here’s a fun panorama shot to show you what you’ll see when you go up Table Mountain.

2. Summer in the City - means long evenings drinking wine and watching the sun go down. This you can do from the top of Table Mountain before you gaze out over the city as the lights come on. The last cable car leaves to go down between 8 and 9:30 in the evening. Check times here.

3. Summer Special! – And if you need more convincing than a mere spectacular sunset, Tickets are half price after 6pm. Last Cable Car up is at 7pm and you can stay until 8pm. See ticket prices here.

4. The Table Mountain Cableway - provides easy access for all. The website is fantastic, check for weather updates, book your tickets and get lots of information about your trip. You can also call +27 (0)21 424 0015 for visitor information.

5. Getting there - Getting to Table Mountain never been easier with metered Taxis, the City Red Bus Tours, and now a MyCiti Bus stop at the base of the cable car. Remember to get your MyCiti bus card and you can catch the bus just two blocks from Sundown Manor guesthouse. See the MyCiTi website for maps and more information.

6. Locals’ Birthday Special! It’s a well-guarded secret that South Africans can get a free ticket on their birthday. Just show a South African passport and your tickets both ways are free. Warning you will also receive a friendly “Happy Birthday” from all the staff who check your ticket.

7. Table Mountain Café Restaurant - The Restaurant on top of the mountain has clean, modern spaces and breath-taking views. Whether it’s coffee and cake that you feel like or a meal and drinks, the Table Mountain Café Restaurant has is. The building also manages to be unobtrusive, blending into the natural surroundings.

8. Hiking up the Mountain - If you are up for a challenge, there are several hiking trails up the mountain. The most well-known is Platteklip. This trail is well marked, it goes up the front of the mountain and you don’t need a guide. Be warned, however, this is not for the faint of heart or the un-fit - belonging to the latter category, it took this writer 2 hours each for the climb up and the climb down.

9. Walks on the Mountain – There are well marked trails on top of the mountain with three routes available. For more information see ‘Activities for Hikers’. All hikes offer fantastic photo opportunities of the 360 degree views off the mountain.

10. Blowing bubbles off Table Mountain because it’s your birthday – priceless.

Advice from Sundown Manor:

· Remember to take your sunscreen, a hat and walking shoes and always throw in a jacket as the top of the Mountain can be cooler than the city and the weather can change quickly.

· Remember - Please don’t feed any animals you may encounter in South Africa, this creates problem behavior and such animals often have to be destroyed before they become dangerous.

· Smokers beware! Table Mountain becomes extremely dry during the summer months and a single cigarette carelessly thrown has the potential to cause terrible damage.

· The Cable Car stops running in high winds and at times a ‘table cloth’ of cloud will cover the mountain on an otherwise sunny day. The rule of thumb for planning your trip is – when you see the Mountain is clear, go and visit it, that way you won’t miss out on this, one of the 7 Wonders of the Natural World.

· When planning your trip remember to leave roughly an hour for queuing time (a little more during the peak season).

· Enjoy your trip

Aquila Private Game Reserve

Lilian Herdt — Sun, 10 Aug 2014 00:00:00 +0200

Aquila Private Game Reserve was the ultimate highlight of my African getaway experience.

The day started off perfect when the driver turned up exactly on time for the arranged pick up. The driver was very helpful and polite. He is able to answer absolutely everything about the city, the country, travel tips, everything.
The drive to the reserve was stunning beyond words. To drive through the majestic Hex River Mountains, the second highest mountain range in the Western Cape Province is something everyone should experience.

The rising sun, the mist on the lakes, the Karoo landscapes, everything seemed like a dream.
I was welcomed with a nice glass of Sparkling wine. ! The staff was friendly and the buffet breakfast was delicious. After the breakfast we got onto the vehicle for the game drive.

The first unforgettable scene I saw when I just arrived, was 2 elephants running in the middle of the wild! Too much freedom and beauty that stunning scene! It was amazing to see all the big 5 animals in Africa.

It was amazing to be in contact with all that energy. It was an unforgettable experience. I will never forget the peace, the freedom, the silence, the wildness, the quietness I had experienced at Aquila.

The rangers were very interactive and knowledgeable. Alvin was our ranger and he was great!
He had so much information and he was funny.
After the game drive and a visit to Animal Rescue Centre, I was treated to a very tasty, warm lunch. There was many options for vegetarians, that’s was really good! And been given some time to leisure, while I explored their beautiful facilities.

Our driver drove us back to Cape Town leaving me with a warm and amazed feeling.
I will surely visit Aquila again one day.
A big thumbs up to the management and team of this gem in South Africa’s Tourism industry
Arriving back home after spending the on safari with the Aquila-team, I can look back on a day that was absolute therapy and pure bliss!