Johannesburg the City of Gold!

With the multitude of places to see and fun things to do in Johannesburg, everyone is bound to find entertainment to suit their taste and their pocket. This is one of the reasons so many visitors keep coming back to the City of Gold!Visitors can also learn more about the traditional cultures in Johannesburg at the cultural villages or centres in the city.

1.Attractions 

African Flea Market
See and buy beautiful craftwork from all over Africa including pieces from Zimbabwe, Namibia and the Congo.

Absa Gallery
Situated in the heart of downtown Joburg in the award winning Absa Towers, The Absa gallery is attached to a prominent bank and hosts artists who have entered its prestigious, annual fine art competition.

Shopping
Johannesburg offers shoppers a varied shopping experience ranging from locally produced items to designer label pieces.

2.Entertainment

Lyric Theatre
This luxuriously styled 1100-seat theatre is reminiscent of the opulence of the world's great opera houses with its plush fittings and rich atmosphere. The Lyric has already established itself as one of Jozi's top entertainment venues, presenting world class Broadway and West End productions, local and international musicians, ballet, comedy and much more.

3.The Night Life

The nightlife in Johannesburg is vibrant and varied with many fabulous venues that allow you to let your hair down after a long day.

4.Health & Leisure
If you need to take time out and relax, Johannesburg offers a number of health centres, gyms, salons and spas.
 

Amani African Spas
Amani Spas is a unique Spa Group that specialises in luxury spas in exclusive Hotels (Johannesburg, Cape Town & Knysna) and Lodges. Each Amani Spa embraces the spirit of Africa with its enchanting ambience and the use of natural elements.

5.Arts & Culture
Johannesburg is host to many institutes and organisations that promote and grow arts and culture in the city.

           

  For more information please contact us at 

info@southern-africa-travel.com

www.southern-africa-travel.com

Maboneng Precinct, Johannesburg

Located in the eastern part of Johannesburg’s former CBD, this brand new artsy area is one of several being created to uplift the industrialized city centre.Maboneng means “Place of Light” in Sotho, and it has become just that, a creative hub for artists and designers that includes a cultural entertainment centre called Arts on Main, where residents and visitors come to eat, play and shop.

Its home to numerous art galleries, advertising agencies, shops and private studios.

 

 

Accomodation:

Stay in the heart of Johannesburg
This design hotel offers rooms decorated by some of famous South African artists and designers, and a gym offering massages.

 

Dining:

 Eating out in the Precinct provides a wonderful culinary experience from contemporary Mediterranean to Ethiopian – African Sushi to Modern African township food, coffee shops and street food.

 

Restaurants along the Maboneng Precinct are sure to spoil you with some of the finest cuisine in town

For more information please contact us at 

info@southern-africa-travel.com

www.southern-africa-travel.com

The safari lodge on the rocks

Big Cave Camp

Big Cave Camp reposes atop an enormous granite whaleback, commanding inspirational views across the famous Matobo National Park. Sophisticated African architecture incorporates colossal boulders into a luxuriously appointed thatched lodge positioned amidst ancient Khoisan rock art.

Accommodation

Set on top of a huge granite ridge (kopje) and accessible only by 4x4, Big Cave Camp is the ideal getaway suitable for all travellers. From families to adventure seekers to honeymooners

 Facilities

 natural rock pool and sundeck is a cool contrast to the warm granites that surround the pool. Refuge can also be taken at midday in the nearby pool boma area where ice cold drinks are served.

 At sundown the cave-style boma is illuminated by lanterns as guests sit around a traditional fire while recounting stories of the days activities.

 Activities

 From history, culture in the Matobo Hills, guests have a wide variety of activities to choose from, all accompanied by a qualified guide.

Game Viewing & Rhino Tracking

 Rhodes Grave/World's View
Mountain Biking & Adventure Races

Yoga & Wellness

Cultural Activities

 Bird Watching 

  

Find solitude within an intimate retreat as secluded as the original Kalanga grain bins that nestle amongst the rocks. 

For more information please contact as at:

 zimbabwe-reservations.com

www.zimbabwe-reservations.com

The Great Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in southern Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. The capital is Harare.

Straddling its own grounds and the World Heritage Site is the Great Zimbabwe Hotel and Lodges.
Rooms
The Great Zimbabwe Hotel is made up of 38 neat rooms all with wall to wall carpeting. One significant feature of all the rooms at Great Zimbabwe Hotel is their spacious and roomy layout.

Dining
The Great Zimbabwe Hotel has one bar and one restaurant and both carry the homely and welcoming feel that resonates throughout the hotel. Staff at both outlets are genuinely passionate about their service and because of the small size of the hotel, can afford to give you a truly personalized service offering.

Activities:

• Great Zimbabwe Monument (guided tours)

• Boating 

• Fishing
• Sunset cruises
• Kyle Game park
• Traditional dancers on request  

For more information please contact us at:
res@zimbabwe-reservations.com

  www.zimbabwe-reservations.com

Top 7 Travel Trends

The Top 7 Travel Trends to Follow:

1. Catering to the Individual TravelerAs travel companies continue to perfect and enhance their offerings, this leaves travelers more discerning than ever – expecting and wanting more.  No longer is it enough to merely travel to the latest, off-the-beaten path destinations; personalized travel is the new “luxury.”  Experiences have to go deeper and appeal to personal interests. Tailor-made excursions continue to become de rigueur.  Travel must also address certain desires and needs whether health allergies or food preferences.  Companies are even changing their entire brand proposition to better support this trend.   
           
2. Special Interest TravelTravel is deeply personal.  Travelers more than ever can connect to a given destination by exploring their passions and interests.

• Isramworld, one of America’s leading tour operators, enables travelers to experience the people and unique attributes of a destination.  The company unveiled new Jewish heritage and GLBT tours to Cuba – the #1 Emerging Destination from Virtuoso’s 2013 Luxe Report – to experience previously unexplored sides of the destination.
• andBeyond Phinda Private Game Reserve launched a new safari concept: it now offers a four-day yoga safari program in South Africa; guests are able to spiritually connect with the magnificent landscape through the open-air yoga.
• For stargazers, Six Senses Ninh Van Bay offers an astronomy discovery with Parag Mahajani, one of the most respected field experts in astronomy, for nightly discussions and solar flare sightings by day.

3. Health and Wellness TravelInterest in improving health and remaining physically active while on holiday has only continued to increase.

• In an industry first, Crystal Cruises broke the news that it is introducing hypoallergenic cabins for guests –Deluxe PURE Staterooms. Crystal is partnering with PURE Marine Solutions, sister company of leading allergy-friendly hospitality innovator PURE Global, for a comprehensive transformation utilizing the only hypoallergenic process patented and proven to deliver a safe and healthy environment.
• In addition to rolling out a series of new spa offerings with ESPA, Hotel Metropole Monte-Carlo is partnering with the spa company and celebrity chef Joel Robuchon to introduce a new spa culinary experience at Odyssey, his 3rd restaurant within the hotel, designed by Karl Lagerfeld.
• COMO Shambhala Estate in Bali has created a new Traditional Oriental Medicine Program in which expert practitioners create a comprehensive and bespoke healing plan based on classical systems of health and longevity, such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, and meditation.

4. “Culture Brought to Life” ExperiencesArt, television, music and books have influenced travel for years, but never before like this. Travelers can now experience the place or time of their favorite artists or characters through exclusive access and unforgettable events.

• NoteWorthy Events, the United Kingdom’s leading personal travel specialists, announced its ability to gain private access to the sold-out Highclere Castle, Hampshire, England – home to the real ‘Downton Abbey’ – where guests can walk in the shadows of the Crawley family.  The company also can provide access ‘Behind the Getty Gates’ of Buckinghamshire, England, to view John Paul Getty II’s famed library with literary treasures such as a first edition of William Caxton’s printing of “The Canterbury Tales;” Anne Boleyn’s Psalter or Book of Psalms and the first folio of William Shakespeare’s “Comedies, Histories and Tragedies.”
• Ballyfin has opened its famed costume department to transport guests through time and allow them to live out their favorite Jane Austen novel against the backdrop of this fully restored manor home.
• GoldenEye Hotel and Resort in Jamaica, once the home of Ian Fleming and where he penned all 14 James Bond novels, allows guests to embrace the rich history of his storytelling by staying in his original villa, complete with his writing desk.

5. Living Like a Local … Only BetterNo one knows how to navigate the places of the world better than a local. City hotels are catering to guests’ adventurous sides and providing them with authentic and localized experiences.

• The highly anticipated Park Hyatt New York‘s savvy concierge team will direct guests to all of Manhattan’sbest kept secrets, such as the hottest boutiques for one-of-a-kind pieces.
• In London, Rocco Forte Brown’s Hotel is introducing the exclusive “Virtuoso Dream Teen Team” program, a concierge-designed experience exclusively for young adults. Rooms are outfitted with games and snacks, and each teen gets an Oyster Card to go off and explore the city as they please.
• Anantara Phuket Villas can arrange visits to the heart of the island’s historic district for guests to discover local markets, temples, and interact with descendants of the Koh Sireh people, Phuket’s first inhabitants.

6. Private ResidencesIn the spirit of living like a local, private residences and villas continue to increase in popularity, with top travelcompanies enhancing the design, amenities, and services of these offerings.

• The K Club announced the opening of Straffan House, a private residence on the grounds of the Club owned by founder Sir Michael Smurfit available for exclusive hire.  The new building took inspiration from the original “Staffran House,” now the hotel at the Club.
• In South Africa, Singita Castleton will reopen in October. Reminiscent of an African farmhouse, it comprises six individual cottages that are privately staffed with a guide, tracker, and chef.
• Villas of Distinction now offers exclusive tours and experiences that can be customized to complement guests’ stays in its private residences; travelers no longer have to choose between tours and a villa stay – they can have both.

7. Destinations Making News … and Why the Time to Go is NOW

• Brazil – home of the 2014 World Cup – is the destination on everyone’s lips according to Embratur, the country’s tourism board.  Not only was Rio de Janeiro voted #6 in the “Cities That Excite” list from Virtuoso’s “2013 Travel Dreams Survey,” but LATAM Airlines Group is announcing new routes to JFK and Miami by November.
• Travel to Turkey has increased by more than 18 percent since last year. Turkish Airlines, recently votedEurope’s Best Airline at the 2013 Skytrax Passengers Choice Awards for the third consecutive year, saw a 26 percent increase in global ticket sales from the same time period in 2012 – a total of more than 22.4 million passengers. Consumer interest and tourism is also driven by the May 2013 opening of the country’s newest luxury hotel, the Shangri-La Bosphorus, Istanbul.