With the uncertainty created by COVID-19, South Africans are satisfying their wanderlust by exploring their own country with friends and family.
Now, Trafalgar has devised three ‘local is lekker’ trips for locals, under the name ‘Near not Far’. These tours are filled with all Trafalgar’s essentials such as accommodation with breakfast daily, some dinners and lunches as per the individual itineraries, all transport in luxury coaches, incredible sightseeing and a well-versed travel director and qualified driver with local knowledge, who will bring the destinations to life.
The tours start from R20 800 pps, and each is individually priced.
Kelly Jackson, md of the Travel Corporation in SA told Travel News that due to pandemic conditions, there was a maximum of 20 pax per vehicle. “This ensures we adhere to social distancing and safety protocols. As far as accommodation is concerned, we have a range of handpicked, gorgeous guest houses such as the La Plume Boutique Guest House (four-plus stars) in Oudtshoorn, the Battlefields Country Lodge (four stars) in Dundee and the Mdluli Safari Lodge (four-plus stars) near Hazyview. We have a 24/7 support team who have all completed the South African Government Department of Health COVID-19 training. Trafalgar has very high on-trip standards that meet guidelines from local authorities and the World Health Organisation, this means physical distancing throughout the journey, constant sanitisation and cleaning plus numerous additional measures to give our guests peace of mind.“
Children over five years are permitted.
Pride of the North
For clients who want six days of the bush, wildlife, great coffee, superb natural wonders plus a solid slice of history, then Trafalgar’s Pride of the North is a good choice. A walk through the Union Buildings, then onward to Dullstroom with its superb food, and a whisky tasting before an overnight at Hazyview. The incredible views from God’s Window, Blyde River Canyon, and Bourke’s Luck Potholes come next, and then on to Pilgrim’s Rest, a living monument to South Africa’s own gold rush peopled by colourful characters, Kruger National Park (the Big Five)… this is a must-see bucket-list trip for any proud South African.
Next stop is Dullstroom, with its craft beer, superb food, fly fishing and a whisky-tasting experience unlike any other. Be sure to enjoy a ‘wee dram’ before the overnight stay in Hazyview.
The incredible views from God’s Window (on a clear day you can see all the way to the Kruger National Park and the Lebombo mountains bordering Mozambique), the beauty of the Blyde River Canyon and the mysterious Bourke’s Luck Potholes are next in line. Then it’s onwards to Pilgrim’s Rest, a living monument to our very own Gold Rush. Visit the Robber’s Grave and soak up the tales of some of the town’s more colourful inhabitants. Next is the Kruger Park, with its open-vehicle game drives, bushveld sundowners and thrilling sightings of Africa’s wild game. The Pride of the North ends with a breakfast bush walk on day six and a visit to Sabie Valley Coffee, a family-owned roastery in White River
Garden Route Explorer with Cape Town
This seven-day tour sees guests traversing the Western Cape from the Mother City to Route 62, Oudtshoorn, Knysna and Hermanus over seven days, and it’s chock-a-block with all things local. Some highlights are: joining farm owners Bartel and Karin du Toit for dinner to learn a little bit about life on a working ostrich farm, stopping for coffee and cake at the Montagu Country House, meeting the shy penguins of Stony Point Nature Reserve in Betty’s Bay. Guests have a really good chance of spotting Southern Right Whales, which visit Hermanus between July and November every year. Hermanus is recognised by the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) as one of the 12 best whale-watching destinations in the world. There is a boat trip across the Knysna Lagoon to the Featherbed Nature Reserve where guests learn how, after the devastating fires of 2018, the dedication and hard work of locals is restoring the natural environment. Guests can even play a part in this rehabilitation by distributing seed balls on to the forest areas of the reserve using a ‘kattie’ (catapult).
No trip to the Cape would be complete without a bit of wine tasting, and clients can expect to enjoy the fruits of the vine at the top-rated estates of Babylonstoren, Fairview and Neethlingshof. Ayoba!
Battlefields, Berg and a bit of craft beer
This nine-day trip unveils KwaZulu Natal as many South Africans have never experienced it.
It kicks off with a visit to Unesco World Heritage site, the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park. Sailing this estuary, guest should be on the lookout for crocs, hippos and abundant birdlife. A safari into the big-five Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve takes pax into the oldest reserve in South Africa, which has always been a pioneering force in anti-rhino poaching initiatives.
This journey will connect guests to the historic Battlefields, where the Zulus, Boers and Brits shaped the country we know today, and where they will hear heroic, poignant and compelling battlefield stories from a uniquely South African perspective, from the epic Anglo-Zulu battle sites of Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift to the Second Boer War’s 118-day Siege of Ladysmith.
An adventurous 4x4 drive up the Sani Pass to 2 876 metres above sea level ends with a ‘cold one’ at the highest pub in Africa.
