Recommend March 2014 - (Page 40)

The operator's Apartheid Museum Tour in Johannesburg is a must-see for ﬁrst-time visitors. The museum describes the political upheavals beginning in the last century and the country's segregation and oppression through ﬁlm, photos, text, audio and live accounts. It also documents South Africa's struggle toward freedom and democracy. The 2.5-hour tour is $66 pp and includes pick-up and drop-off at hotels around Johannesburg, guides and admission fees. Your clients can also view a pre-human skull, "Mrs. Ples," dating back more than 2 million years, at the Sterkfontein Caves at the Cradle of Humankind. Guests can tour the caves and the museum. On the lower level of the museum, a boat ride takes visitors back in time through the various stages of Earth's creation, and a restaurant on the top level has great views and excellent local cuisine. The cost of the 5-hour tour is $94 pp and includes pick-up and drop-off in Johannesburg, guide and entrance fees. JMT Tours also offers a $66 pp, 3-hour tour to the nearby township of Soweto providing an interesting glimpse into everyday life in South Africa. Soweto has several attractions, including the Hector Pieterson Museum and former home of Nelson Mandela, now a museum. There's also a 5-hour hot air balloon tour option that includes a buffet breakfast with champagne ($300 pp); all tours have a 2-person minimum. cape town The stunning city of Cape Town, voted the No.1 place to visit in The New York Times' "52 Places to Go in 2014," is a city that lies at the southwestern tip of Africa situated between Robben Island and Table Mountain. Visitors can take the revolving cable car ride to the top of the mountain for magniﬁcent views of the city and be awestruck by the experience of walking among the cloud formations at the summit. The waterfront area, meanwhile, is a bustling spot with boats, shops, restaurants and bars; it's also the gateway to Robben Island, setting of the former prison where Nelson Mandela spent 27 years imprisoned. The prison, now a tourist venue, is accessible by a 30-minute picturesque boat ride and includes a 45-minute bus ride with commentary and a docent prison tour led by a former political prisoner. package it According to Lucille Sive, president of Lion World Travel (lionworldtravel.com), the country appeals to visitors of all ages and income brackets. "We've made South Africa more affordable," says Sive. "People can visit the area for less than $3,000 including airfare, or up to $30,000. Our demographics are changing. We're ﬁnding that more young people and a lot of singles are traveling to South Africa." Lion World Travel has waived the extra charge for sgl supplements on some of its tours. Its 9-day Classic South Africa Tour ($2,999 dbl, including airfare for sgl) features four nights in Cape Town at The Commodore Hotel and three nights at the Ivory Tree Game Lodge near Sun City. 40 march 2014 39-41 AF SouthAfrica.indd 40 STAY: Cape Grace, a ﬁve-star property, located in the waterfront area, is ﬂanked by luxury yachts with views of Table Mountain. Service is exceptional and the staff is eager to arrange the smallest request. Rooms are spacious and have separate bath and shower, dressing area, ﬂat-screen TV and WiFi. There's also an onsite spa and a gourmet dining room with an extensive wine list. Rates range from $515 to $700 per night dbl. GETTING AROUND: "Cape Town is fast becoming a city known for its warmth and people in addition to the picturesque landscape," says Shaheed Ebrahim, director of Escape to the Cape. "Our luxury segment has also improved tremendously with many ﬁve-star hotels opening up in the city in the last few years." Escape to the Cape offers an excellent 8-hour Cape of Good Hope Tour that includes visits to the Atlantic seaboard, Cape Point, the Boulders Beach penguin colony and an ostrich farm. The tour is designed for a maximum of three persons in a sedan ($300 plus $20 pp entrance fees), or a minivan for up to six persons ($400 plus $20 pp entrance fees). Miles of rolling hills and lush greenery are seen along the drive to the wine region, less than an hour from Cape Town. Stellenbosch, a charming city in the wine region, is worth a visit. Check out the Village Museum, period houses from the early-1700s, local shops, an art museum and wine shops. There are numerous wineries in the area including the picturesque Waterford Wine estate that offers a unique wine and chocolate pairing. An 8-hour tour of the wine region is offered by Escape to the Cape for $267 for a sedan (up to three persons) and $305 for a minivan (up to six persons). Wine tastings and meals are additional. getting there South African Airways provides excellent service between the U.S. and South Africa. Passengers in business class, for example, receive plush comforters, pillows, amenity kit with toothbrush, visors, socks, lip balm, moisturizer and earplugs. Seats recline into a bed-absolutely ﬂat. Unlimited drinks, superb service and delicious meals complement the ﬂight along with in-ﬂight entertainment, music and movies. SAA offers daily direct ﬂights from Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and JFK to Johannesburg. In its domestic market, SAA has an extensive schedule operating 660 ﬂights per week between Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth. Regionally, it offers 26 destinations across the African continent. The airline is a member of Star Alliance, giving patrons a chance to rack up additional frequent ﬂyer miles. ● Archived related articles (available on recommend.com/magazine/ issue-archive): South Africa: Bicycles, Horses & Wonderful Experiences (August 2013) contact information Cape Grace Hotel: capegrace.com DaVinci Hotel: egacyhotels.co.za/en/hotels/davincihotel Escape to the Cape: escapetothecape.co.za JMT Tours: jmttours.co.za South African Airways: ﬂysaa.com South African Tourism: southafrica.net recommend.com 2/20/14 8:48 AM http://www.lionworldtravel.com http://www.recommend.com/magazine/ http://www.capegrace.com http://egacyhotels.co.za/en/hotels/davincihotel http://escapetothecape.co.za http://jmttours.co.za http://www.flysaa.com http://www.southafrica.net http://www.recommend.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend March 2014

Editor's Notes
Hotel Desk: ME by Melia
Tour Talk: MLT Vacations
The All-Inclusive Rundown
Iberostar's Rose Hall Resorts, Jamaica
RIU Palace Mexico
What's New in Cancun & Riviera Maya
Great Britain Travel Planner
Turkish Delights
Cosmopolitan South Africa
Riveting Rhode Island
Okinawa: To Visit is to Love It
Un-Cruise Adventures' S.S. Legacy
Alaska

Recommend March 2014