Cape Town a place of History and Beauty

Tour Guiding 

Once I have already done with my Tourist Guiding course with Tourist Guiding  Institute   https://touristguideinstitute.co.za/ it was time to go out and do the work. Julie and Scott have been very wonderful and enthusiastic to train hundreds of new Tourist Guides each year. Their energy as a team was so amazing from the onset with little time to play. Their knowledge of Tourism, the love for us to be the best was so challenging that we knew we had to do Guiding for the love of the industry other than anything else. Knowledge at this point is much more important and the people skill I didn't worry so much as I have already been working with learners all my days of teaching. Yes this industry is about expectations  and funny and holidays;  it matters all the more what people get to know and spend their savings on. Much more if they will still remember you in years to come as a guide.

Cape Town International Airport

I love Cape Town already and I have lived for a year in the Mother City. Surprising there is a lot of information that I never was interested to find about the city and yet I would claim to know my way around every street. That perception would change now thanks to TGI for that search of knowledge. Cape Town today is a hub of Tourism in Africa perhaps after the Great pyramids of Egypt and the Victoria Falls of Zambia and Zimbabwe. 

Cape Town International airport is the second biggest airport in South Africa after O.R Tambo International airport in Johannesburg. It handles flights from Africa, Europe and Asia. It has also direct flights to Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth and many more in the country. It is situated just about 12km from the city and has two terminals the domestic and the International terminal. On arrival one has a choice to take MyCity rapid transit bus which runs every hour from the arrival platforms to the Cape Town  central station (Civic center bus station). From the Civic Center one connects easily to one's place of residence using  the metered taxis. Besides there is quite a number of taxis on the Uber and Taxify platforms an app that one can download before hand or on arrival since there is free WiFi at the airport. Usually when you have a booked Tour already your guide will be waiting for you in arrival center with the name of your group. In 2019 only Cape Town Airport handled over 10 million passengers. There are banks and most importantly Bureau de change, Duty-free shops, restaurants and cafes, restrooms and prayer rooms at the airport.

Driving out of the airport there is Airport Industrial area surrounding the airport especially as would be expected courier companies and cargo industry. As you get clear of the industrial area you are already facing the lovely Table Mountain and one needs no explanation as to why its called the Table Mountain. To the left and to the right is the old Black African suburbs of Cape town, Langa and Nyanga. You are already in Cape Town depending on the time of the day you arrive the traffic to get to town can get be so slow. 

Accommodation in Cape Town

Before I even think of what to do in Cape Town I want to know about where  I would stay first. Accommodation is in abundance in central town with lodges and hotels every corner of the town. Depending on your favorite place really I wouldn't worry much about transport to get to my accommodation as the taxi industry is well organised and diverse. The Uber , Taxify and other metered taxis here operates 24 hour service at a very affordable fee around the city. For a radius of 10km the last I checked it would cost me just under £3.00 a ride. 

South Africa uses Rands as there currency and no other currency except in hotels and lodges where the industry is mainly looking after Tourists. As I write this article the rand is trading at £1=R20.00 that's it you get R20.00  for £1. Given that in many restaurants a pint of beer is about R15.00 I would think prices of goods and services is quite affordable.

I chose to stay at Ashanti Lodge Gardens just after the Company Gardens. A double bed room costs £38.00 for 2 people per night. There is free WiFi and a swimming pool and above all continental breakfast is included on the charge. It's a 10 mins walk to Long Street in town, the busiest street during the night with restaurants and bars. The streets are well lit but anyway if one decide to take a taxi for securiy reasons its only R30.00 a mere £2.00 if you want. 

Safety and security  

Should I worry about my safety and security in Cape Town? That's the most asked question I get to answer when one wants to visit Cape Town. My answer is always YES. As lovely as the City is just like New York in the USA, London in UK and Paris in France one just have to take that extra precaution that you are in a big city and of course robbery would always be a possibility. I avoid to carry cash or loads of cash with me or on me, I also avoid flashing jewelry and expensive clothing or to carelessly expose my phone or laptops. These few things would attract too much attention. I prefer to use Uber and Taxify taxis for simple reasons that I already know the details of the taxi and the driver should anything happens  I can already make a report. At night I would carry my card and a few cash just for drinks and other interesting activities. The night life here is quite vibrant and with the locals they like chilling in the city center a lot, your chance to understand the local and mingle with them and of course you can move from one end to another. From Camps Bay to Green Point, Sea Point, Three Anchor Bay, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront are all places one can get around all the night without any challenges.

There are a lot more bigger and more expensive and luxurious places around town than the Ashanti Lodge Gardens but for me it gives the average person any idea of how to get around Cape Town. Long street is the most popular night street here and everything happens here really. With a wide range of Tourists here its pretty much a good place to meet people from across the world.

( to be continued)

Botswana Safari

CHOBE EXPERIENCE.

The profusion of wildlife at Chobe National Park makes it one of Africa’s true highlights.

This brief adventure is sure to deliver many thrilling sightings of the elephants, big cats 

and 450 odd species of colorful bird life who call this park home. Between game drives

 enjoy a swim or a drink at your comfortable lodge. Witness the great herds of the world’s

 largest elephant’s close-up as they enjoy a drink and play on the edge of Chobe River. 

Stay in a lodge in a prime position overlooking the Chobe River, and escape the heat with a 

relaxing swim in the pool. Embark on game drives with the experience and expertise of the 

local lodge-based guide. Great numbers of ungulate animals are attracted by the riverfront in 

Chobe National Park- experience the large lion prides that follow in their wake. It is your turn

to experience the best trip to Chobe National Park in Botswana, this is where the magic happen.

wildlife

Situated on the periphery of the Okavango Delta, the biggest inland Delta in the World, the 

Chobe National park is Botswana's first national park and also the most biologically diverse.

It is located in the Northern part of the country on the border with Namibia, Zambia and

Zimbabwe all part of the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation area.

Chobe national park is one of the national parks with  the most concentrations of game in 

Africa. It is also within  the central Kalahari Game Reserve and the Gemsbok national park.

Chobe national park

The park has four major regions; 

1.) The Serondela area in the extreme Northeast of the Park with  lush floodplains and a 

dense woodland of mahogany, teak and acacias trees and mopane trees mostly

reduced by largely elephant presence. The Chobe river flows past  this region and

provides watering for wildlife here throughout the year.

2.) The Savuti Marsh area forms part of the western part of the park. The region is relatively

dry as there is no river to support it besides the Savuti river which is generally

also most times of the year.

3.) The Linyati Marsh is on the Northwest corner of the park adjacent also to the Linyati

river and the Kwando river on the northern bank. Around the two rivers are lagoons,

floodplains and open woodlands. There is a large concentration of lion prides, leopards,

wild dogs, roan, antelopes and hippopotamus in this region alongside crocodiles and

many species of birds.

4.) Hinterland lies between the Linyanti and Savuti Marshes, a mainly grassland area where

elands are commonly seen in the region.

Game drives

Game drives in the national are never a disappointment for safari throughout the year. The

campsites in the national park are well maintained and many times animals come just as

close to the campsite grounds. The boat cruise in the Chobe river is my favorite for

bird sightings, something you can as well  do on the campsites and surrounding areas.

Kasane and Kazungula

The national park is just as close to two small towns of Kasane and Kazungula near the

border posts of Zimbabwe and Zambia.Buffaloes , elephants, zebras, antelopes are seen roaming also the roads in this animal corridor not so worried about the noise of cars and buses along their way. It's a way of life in these areas to leave in harmony with the wild and nature. In the morning maraboo stocks are seen hovering in the air as if to catch the earliest worms as they sit high in the trees. Once in a while vultures spring to life if there is a dead animal in the region. on most nights the rolling sound of the lions is very common areas nearby and the laughter of hyenas every night reminds you that indeed you are in African Safari

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Enjoy Your Vacation in South Africa

South Africa is a country rich in culture and heritage, fast-paced, dynamic and cosmopolitan. It is renowned for its array of natural attractions - from the stretches of untouched beaches, to the rolling mountains and game reserves teeming with some of the world's most magnificent bird and wildlife species. It is also known for gold mining and cities that bustle with life and activity.

South Africa Tourism is a popular travel destination located in the southernmost tip of the African continent. The extremely diverse landmass accommodates many different terrains, from the sandy Kalahari, iconic Table Mountain and Cape Point, to the gigantic Kruger National Park. Travellers can explore the rich biodiversity and wildlife of this land with a South Africa tour.

You could spend an entire lifetime in South Africa and still not manage to experience all the wonders the country has to offer. That said, if you are embarking on a South Africa tour, be sure to add these world-famous destinations and activities to your itinerary. Bring your binoculars, your camera, an open heart and a spirit of adventure!

African safari tours can leave you with some of the best experiences of your life. In fact you may never want to go back to your home town again and if you ever manage to get back then you may be left with numerous romantic memories of South African tours.

Planning your next vacation in Africa, always consider booking a travel package in South Africa. The country has all what it takes to enjoy a vacation. It also has the best transportation means and infrastructure in the continent, the fact that would ensure travelers a magnificent vacation.

Africa is a land of nature so; visiting the land in its natural form would certainly be the best option to explore it. It has so much of hidden treasure in its womb that is simply waiting to be explored by rest of the world.

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