North-West Province

Take the Kids to Tuningi Safari Lodge where All, Young & Old, have a Bumper Safari

So the whole family sets off on a bumper safari and arrives at family-friendly Tuningi Safari Lodge, a five-star hideaway deep in the wilderness of the North-West’s Madikwe Game Reserve, with over 75 000 hectares of wild adventure-territory at your feet. But let’s not jump the gun – getting there comes first: that’s a 4-hour drive from Johannesburg or a 50-minute scheduled flight from Joburg to the reserve. … Read More

Patchwork Travel Made Perfect: Mix-and-Match Itineraries for your South African Holiday

South Africa is wide and vast, and abundantly gifted with gorgeous landscapes and fascinating wildlife. From safari hideouts deep in the wilderness to trendy urban playgrounds, from secret mountain getaways to vine-combed valleys and pearl-white beaches, the holiday options in South Africa are almost endless. … Read More

South African Safari Ideas and Specials

South Africa offers a fantastic choice of safari tours in a wide range of landscapes, each with its own variety of wildlife and experiences. Speaking to an experienced South African travel consultant is often the best way to match your particular expectations and budget with the right itinerary and wilderness accommodation. Here we bring you some current safari specials that reflect some of the wonderful diversity South Africa has to offer, at a good price. … Read More

Madikwe Photographic Safari: Your Chance to Catch the Beautiful Wild Dog on Camera

The rare wild dog – aptly called the painted dog – is a prized sighting for wildlife-lovers, and it’s in the Madikwe Game Reserve where such sightings are most likely to happen. For photographers, capturing the swift, super-charged antics of the wild dog make for an interesting challenge, and the rewards of catching the action on film are considerable. Tuningi Safari Lodge invites aspiring wildlife photographers to join an exciting photographic workshop. … Read More

Reduced Rates, and Other Cool Things about Winter Safaris

Cost-saving is one of the best things about going on a winter safari. Lodges usually drop their rates substantially in winter, and some also offer excellent deals to South African residents, bringing luxury safaris within the means of locals who might imagine that these are only for international guests whose currency has much more stretch. … Read More

Jac of the Bushveld: Why Kids Love Jaci’s Lodges

Jaci’s Lodges are the fabulous inspiration of owners Jaci and Jan Van Heteren. Now these are real bush people, Jaci and Jan - they’ve lived in the Madikwe for close on two decades now. … Read More

A Quintet of Crocs Comes to Tau

Tau Game Lodge in the Madikwe has ushered in five crocs to the waterhole in front of the lodge. The new quintet hails from a crocodile farm in Groot Marico, and what happy landings to have arrived at Tau. So do look out for them on your next visit to this wonderful lodge. Incidentally, there’s a special at Tau until the end of September 2012. … Read More

Not Kidding, Safaris can be Childsplay: Which are the Kid-Friendly Safari Lodges in South Africa?

Safaris are the kind of stuff dream holidays are made of, and increasingly people are travelling to South Africa as families.  In fact, a Skyscanner survey revealed that South Africa is the fourth most popular holiday choice for children. And of course a safari usually has top place on every agenda.

South Africa’s safari lodges have reviewed their children policies large-scale, and many foremost safari lodges now welcome children. … Read More

Planning Your South African Holiday Optimally

Summer Beside the Sea: The Sands @ St Francis Bay

A trip to South Africa can be a holiday of a lifetime, so you really want to plan it well and get the most of our diverse and spectacular country – surely one of the best holiday destinations on the planet! 

 The first rule of thumb is to work with a travel specialist who knows the country well and has first-hand knowledge of its climate, attractions and best getaways. It’s also crucial that you choose a specialist who will prioritise your particular needs and expectations and custom-build an itininerary around these.  A good place to start is to view a few different itinerary options, bearing in mind that any suggested holiday plan can be enlarged, scaled down, or for that matter, redesigned from scatch to suit your fancy and pocket.

 Choose a time to visit that optimizes your experience of whichever areas it is that you want to visit. South Africa has many different holiday regions with varying climates, so let’s take a brief climate tour:

 For a beach holiday in South Africa, you’ll want to come in summer, between November and March. Make use of a special offer at a coastal getaway in the Western Cape or Eastern Cape. And of course, you won’t want to visit these areas without spending some time on the acclaimed Garden Route - a particularly scenic stretch of coastline with vast indigenous forests.

 Our spectacular safari regions are year-round destinations, but best to visit between May and September, when skies are clear, temperatures are comfy and the bush is not too dense. Animals are easier to spot and appreciate at this time of year. It’s fine to go on safari during the summer months too, just means you have to get up a wee bit earlier in the morning to beat the heat and see game before they sneak away in search of shade and rest. Mpumalanga, North-West and Limpopo are prime safari areas, each with its own unique appeal and multitude of offerings. Once again, it’s best to get advice from a professional to ensure that you make the best choice – and choice there most certainly is!

 If June/July – South Africa’s mid-winter – is when you need to come, don’t despair. KwaZulu-Natal is a diverse region with a generally very temperate climate, and offers safari destinations, beach holidays, eco-breaks, mountain getaways, cultural attractions and plenty more. Some people regard it as a world-in-one-province because of the diversity of its tourist offerings.

 Feel free to chat to our Getaway Consultants about when to visit, where to stay, what to see and where to play.

Help Combat Rhino Poaching

Rhino pictured at Tuningi Safari Lodge in the Madikwe Game Reserve

September is Rhino Month and a great opportunity to make a difference to rhino conservation.

Rhino poaching is sadly on the increase, propelled by the demand for rhino horn in the Asian market. South Africa, proudly home to the African black and white rhino – with more than 80% of the world’s population, has been losing 20 animals a month. In the last five years, about 600 rhinos have been poached across the African continent. Today, about 4000 black rhino and 20 000 white rhino are all that stand between Africa’s rhino population becoming extinct.

You can HELP by making a donation to the WWF towards rhino conservation projects. Funds are used to procure anti-poaching equipment, to provide essential training for anti-poaching units, and for emergency veterinary treatments for injured rhino. More about donations.

ANOTHER WAY YOU COULD HELP, is to buy a two-night stay at a lodge in the Madikwe Collection, and enjoy a classical music recital by the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra under the African sky as part of the anti-poaching fundraiser. You two-night package will include luxury safari lodge accommodation, meals, game drives and the musical event. Stay at either Tuningi Safari Lodge or Thakadu River Camp. Mail our Getaway Consultants to find out more.

Also, 22 September is RHINO DAY, and WWF calls on all concerned citizens of the world to dust off their vuvuzelas and toot their horns at 1pm, to send a message out about the need for decisive action against rhino poaching.