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DESTINATIONS AFRICA
> CONTENTS
05 TOP 5 SAFARIS
Welcome Letter
No trip to Africa is complete without a safari. Here’s the best places to do it and why
08 MARRAKECH MUST- DO’S
10 RELAXING EGYPT
14 SHOESTRING SAFARI
What you can’t afford to miss in Morocco’s capital
Need some chill time after the madness of Cairo? We go sailing down The Nile
18 BEST OF CAPE TOWN
24 ECO-MALAWI
29 GARDEN ROUTE
Whether you’re a thrillseeker or a yellow-belly, you’ll be bowled over by Cape Town
Limit your carbon footprint by kayaking and camping around a sub-Saharan Eden
Cage dive with sharks, surf and slug port on SA’s answer to Route 66
How to bike, taxi and walk with the wildlife on a budget
Welcome to TNT’s Destinations Africa supplement, in which we bring you the very best of what this mighty continent has to offer. From bungee jumping and skydiving in Cape Town, to spotting lion kills in Tanzania, we’ve got the lowdown on Africa’s biggest thrills for adventurous travellers. Fancy something a bit more relaxing? Then climb aboard a felucca with us as we slowly sail down the Nile, or take to Lake Malawi in a kayak and end your nights camping under the stars. But if there’s one thing you absolutely can’t miss in Africa, then it’s going on safari. And we’ve got loads of tips on how to make sure your safari is one to remember; whether it’s choosing the right country, or having a DIY adventure on foot or even by taxi!
Happy travelling!
Photos: Getty, Thinkstock, TNT. Cover: Thinkstock
The Destinations team
Editor Carol Driver Acting Travel Editor Laura Chubb Contributing Writers Alasdair Morton, Tom Sturrock, Frankie Mullin, Rebecca Kent, Clare Vooght, Jahn Vannisselroy, Adam Edwards, Amy Adams, Jennifer Carr, Lucy Corne Head Of Design And Production Jon Cooke Graphic Design Manager Justine Mackay Acting Picture Researcher Ruth Board Head Of Digital Marketing & Development Syed Ahmad Social Media Coordinator Dan Thorne IT Manager Stephen Dann Commercial Director David Alstin Sales Managers Jaqui Ward, Matt Syder Sales Executives Tyler Harrison, Eddie Clinton, Donovan Smith, Michael Fair TNT Multimedia Ltd CEO Kevin Ellis Chairman Ken Hurst Publisher TNT Multimedia Limited Distribution Emblem Direct Ltd Printed By Wyndeham Peterborough Limited News AAP SAPA NZPA Pictures Getty Images, TNT Images, Thinkstock TNT Magazine, 10 Greycoat Place, London, SW1P 1SB tntmagazine.com General Enquiries Phone 020 7960 6008 Fax 020 7960 6977 Email enquiries@tntmagazine.com Sales Enquiries Phone 020 7989 0567 Email sales@tntmagazine.com
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Africa With Grace Create your own Adventure Safari OR
nd ya a Ken ame ia G n a z Tan ris Safa 0US $290
Kenya Game Safaris $2100US
Zim bab Rhi we no Saf a $14 60U ris S
WHAT AN AWESOME POWER PUNCHED ADRENALIN THOUGHT: Bundu bashing in Kruger or experiencing the breath taking sights that surround our little city on a jaunt with Crazy Dave. No Budget blues here! Our budget, deluxe & private safari options are incredible value for money. We offer a variety of choices for day and overnight tours! ALL TOURS INCLUDE MEALS, ACCOMM, ENTRANCE FEES AND TRANSPORT DAY TOURS
Kruger Park Day Tours from R1450pp Byde Canyon Day Trip from R1250pp Tours to Swaziland and Mozambique 2 days with 1 night Kruger Park Great Valu e
3 COUNTRIES / 8 DAYS Kruger,Mozambique and Swaziland Bush, Beach and 3 Countries are as follows:
Visiting Kruger Park ,the famous beaches of Mozambique and kingdom of Swaziland in 8 days R10 900/12900 per person Budget /en-suite accommodation. Please e-mail us for itinery THREE DAYS
africawithgrace@live.com or +61 404 238 209
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reat Valu KRUGER/BLYDE CANYON: e R4150pp sharing. Min two people. Comfortable budget accommodation. R4350pp sharing with en-suite.
12 Impala Street, Nelspruit, South Africa Tel: +27 13 7440993 | oldvic@mweb.co.za
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Get amongst it! With the African specialists Absolute Africa 30 years overlanding in Africa
A whole range of trips incl. game drives in the Masai Mara and the Serengeti, gorilla trekking, guided game walks, rhino trekking, evening game drives and so much more.
www.absoluteafrica.com Phone: 0208 742 0226 Email: absaf@absoluteafrica.com 4
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AFRICA > BEST SAFARIS
Stare out lions in Tanzania
Africa’s best safaris If you’re desperate to see the Big Five and determined to spot all of the other wonders of Africa’s animal kingdom, these are the best places to do it WORDS LAURA CHUBB
G
oing on safari is your essential African experience, and spotting the Big Five will be high on every traveller’s agenda. A term coined by white hunters, it refers to the five most difficult animals in Africa to hunt on foot, and comprises the lion, African elephant, Cape buffalo, leopard, and rhinoceros. And there’s all manner of other African animals that you’ll thrill to see up close: zebra, giraffes, hippos, cheetahs ... the list goes on. But safari is a gamble. The beasts you get to see will vary depending on the time of year and all sorts of other
factors. However, there are some countries and parks that give you a better chance than most. Here’s our pick of the best places to go on safari in Africa.
1 Kenya STAR ATTRACTION Wildebeest Africa’s most popular safari destination, Kenya might be having some PR problems right now, but nothing can take away from the might of its Masai Mara Reserve. Go between July and October and bear witness to the >> tntmagazine.com/destinations
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DESTINATIONS AFRICA
SA for cheetahs
jaw-dropping migration of millions of wildebeest and zebra. Set in the Rift Valley with Tanzania’s Serengeti Plains running along the southern end, you are pretty much guaranteed to spy the Big Five.
2 Botswana STAR ATTRACTION Elephant The Chobe National Park is home to tens of thousands of elephants, so you’re unlikely to miss the big-eared fellows when you visit. In fact, you’re likely to see hundreds. Go between April and October – the cooler winter months – to see herds of zebra, buffalo, giraffe and wildebeest, too. Because the land dries up, the animals tend to congregate by the river banks, making them easier to spot.
The black rhino
3 South Africa STAR ATTRACTION Cheetah The Kruger National Park is renowned for boasting the most diverse range of wildlife to see on safari, from lions, rhino and leopards to hippos, crocs and cheetahs. There’s a range of accommodation, from self-catering bungalows to luxury lodges, and you can even do a self-drive safari.
A zebra herd
4 Tanzania
5 Namibia STAR ATTRACTION Black rhinoceros The Etosha National Park in northern Namibia is home to the endangered black rhinoceros – declared extinct in western Africa last year. As well as spotting this increasingly rare beast, you’ll likely see giraffes, elephants, lions and often even cheetahs and leopards. n
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Botswana is best for elephants
Photos: South Africa Tourism, Getty, Thinkstock
STAR ATTRACTION Lion Offering what many call the ‘classic safari’ experience, Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park offers great grasslands for spotting lion kills (if that’s your bag). You can also get a more exclusive-feeling view of the wildebeest and zebra migration that makes its way through Kenya, as there are fewer tourists in Tanzania.
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DESTINATIONS AFRICA
A snake charmer in Djemaa el-fna
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GETTING THERE Fly direct from London Gatwick to Marrakech with easyJet from £108 return. (easyjet.com)
Trawl the city’s souks
MARRAKECH
MOROCCO
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Morocco > Marrakech
Marvellous Marrakech Marrakech is full of colour and the potential for adventure. From losing yourself in its huge souk to unwinding in a hammam, here’s what you can’t afford to miss WORDS JAHN VANNISSELROY
T
reat yourself to a journey to Morocco this year. It’s only a short plane ride away, meaning a weekend break in Marrakech is perfectly within reach.
water thrown over you, then you’ll be left to sweat it all out in the sauna. The experience is topped off with a soothing massage, so you leave feeling rejuvenated and super-clean.
Why Marrakech? Little more than a three-hour flight from London, this imperial Moroccan city is gloriously exotic. It’s known as ‘The Red City’ to the native Berber community, but its atmosphere is hardly monochromatic. Marrakech is home to bustling street markets, or souks, relaxing spas, or hammams, and cultural museums, while just a stone’s throw from the majestic Atlas Mountains.
Don’t miss You’ll be tempted to spend all your time at the Djemaa el-Fna or ‘main square’, the liveliest town centre in Africa. By day, acrobats, snake charmers, storytellers and belly dancers entrance hordes of spectators, but come nightfall, the square transforms into an open-air dining room, as food carts selling succulent treats emerge from the plumes of smoke. Amid the mouth-watering mountains of nosh and zesty aromas that fill the air, sellers will vie for your attention, swearing that their wares are the best.
Dinner time Tagine, both the name of the stew and the dish in which it’s cooked, is a hearty blend of vegetables, fruit, nuts and meat slow-cooked over a bed of charcoal and devoured with a heap of warm bread. For lighter fare, try vegetarian couscous, sweetly enriched with dates, almonds, raisins and cinnamon. For more adventurous foodies, there’s always monkey brains, a delicacy rumoured by the locals to cure impotence.
Money shot The minaret of the famous Koutoubia Mosque stands at an underwhelming 77 metres, but towers above the rest of the city thanks to a decree that states no building can rise above it. The mosque is particularly stunning when bathed in the golden light of a sunset as the faithful are called to prayer. Get clicking.
Where to stay Photos: Getty, Thinkstock
Best of the rest Don’t expect an entirely soothing experience when visiting a hammam, which can be found in luxury hotels and riads (a traditional Moroccan house or palace). You’ll be given a thorough scrubbing with black soap, which will wipe away any trace of dirt or tan, before having a bucket of
Riad Massine is an ancient riad completely restored to its original Spanish-Berber style. It’s located in Bab Doukkala, one of Marrakech’s oldest residential districts, and provides accommodation for groups and single travellers. From £6pppn. For bookings and other accomodation options see riad-massine2.hostel.com or hostelworld.com n tntmagazine.com/destinations
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DESTINATIONS AFRICA
Felucca: essentially a floating bed
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EGYPT > THE NILE
Sail your way back to sanity You can’t knock Cairo for sheer buzz, but after negotiating the mayhem for a few days, you’ll be ready for some chill time. We find sailing the Nile is the answer WORDS LUCY CORNE
C
airo is great for many things – exquisite bakeries and superlative shopping; amazing architecture and welcoming residents – but relaxing it isn’t. The city is rammed with crazy drivers and more haggling, honking and hawking than even the most seasoned traveller can bear. However, there is another side to Egypt and if you want to relax, a sailing trip does wonders for the blood pressure.
FAST FACTS
morning to do a little essential shopping for his passengers. His list is an unusual one featuring just two items – toilet paper and camel meat (the latter perhaps necessitating an increased supply of the former ... ). As we take turns at the helm between naps and sips of Egyptian Stella beer, the river banks pass by, sometimes fringed with palm trees; other sections punctuated with whitewashed houses or the occasional mosque. After lunch we anchor to await the return of Captain Hubbly Bubbly and my eye catches the comical sight of two teenage boys attempting to bathe a cow that is clearly happier out of the water. After a 15-minute struggle to lure the animal into the river they admit defeat, leave the cow to its own devices and go for a swim. They approach our boat and wave to us >>
WHEN TO GO Spring and autumn are the best times to visit. The summer months are OK for sun lovers if you stick to the coast, but interior towns such as Aswan can get unbearably hot. IS IT SAFE? The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has said it is still safe to visit Egypt, in spite of violent protests in Cairo last year in which several people were killed. However, tourists are warned to stay away from demonstrations and crowds. (fco.gov.uk) SEE egypt.travel
The day after leaving Cairo, I find myself listening to the gentle splashing of the Nile as I lie aboard a felucca. These flat sailing boats are essentially giant floating beds, their decks almost entirely taken up by thin-yet-comfy mattresses. You can take a trip for a matter of hours or days, depending on the level of stress to be alleviated. For me, it only takes a few hours on a felucca to return my tension to pre-Cairo levels. I ponder the day we’ve had – a midday departure from the southern city of Aswan, an afternoon nap as the Nile gently carried us northward, a surprisingly delicious dinner on board and a couple of cold beers as the sun set over the river. We sleep anchored to the river bank and awake to a typical breakfast of strong, sugary tea and hard-boiled eggs. With the gloriously laid-back pace of the trip set, we then settle in for a day of utter relaxation peppered with the occasional brush with local culture. Our skipper, who calls himself ‘Captain Hubbly Bubbly’, thanks to his love of the hookah pipe, abandons ship mid-
GETTING THERE British Airways (britishairways.com) offers return flights from London to Cairo for £273. Thomson (thomson.co.uk), Monarch (monarch.co.uk) and easyJet (easyjet.com) do flights from London to Luxor from £195.
CAIRO Dahab
River Nile Luxor
EGYPT
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DESTINATIONS AFRICA
DIVE INTO DAHAB
Barbequed camel turns out to be not only bearable but tasty a pleasant place to swim. We float around until Hubbly Bubbly returns with an armful of loo roll and a bag overflowing with utterly unappetising meat. That evening, our second and last on board, we party on the river bank. Barbequed camel turns out to be not only bearable but actually tasty. To celebrate his culinary success, Captain Hubbly Bubbly breaks out his goblet drum. A fine evening caps off a wonderful day and we retreat to our floating mattress. The next morning as the felucca nears Kom Ombo, home to a stunning riverside temple and the place where we have to bid farewell to Hubbly and his boat, I feel ready for a bit of a haggle. In fact, after a few days on the felucca, I feel ready to tackle Cairo again. n » Check out egypttourinfo.com for more on cruising down the Nile on a felucca
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Photos: Thinkstock, TNT
to jump in. Eyeing the murky water and thinking of all those travel ailments I foolishly read up on before leaving home, I’m hesitant, but once my fellow passengers take the plunge I don’t want to get left out. Wading in fully clothed (a swimsuit seems wholly inappropriate in rural Egypt) I’m shocked to find the Nile
If you’re still not chilled enough after your felucca trip, get yourself to the beach resort of Dahab. Open-air restaurants line the beachfront, where you can sip cocktails or lassis and munch on the free appetisers each establishment uses to attract diners. The Red Sea laps just metres away, its waters a magnet for divers and snorkelers from around the world. Dahab is Egypt’s laidback and beautiful answer to Thailand’s Koh Samui. Oceanic pursuits take centre stage in this largely budget resort, but those who come to take their PADI course or sample the world-class snorkeling action often end up staying longer than planned. There’s more to this resort perched on the edge of the stark and striking Sinai region than diving and daiquiris, though. Day trips take in the swirling patterns and iconic rock formations of the Coloured Canyon, while overnight camel treks stop off for a little nomadic culture in a Bedouin camp. And whether you’re religious or not, taking the midnight hike to the biblical mountain’s 2285m summit in time for a desert sunrise will be a memorable experience.
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Cycle with zebra
Get up close to nature
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Spot giraffes on a walk
KENYA > SHOESTRING SAFARI
Kenya on a shoestring Planning your own Kenyan safari can benefit your budget as well getting you even closer to the Big Five. We show you how to bike, taxi and walk with the wildlife WORDS AMY ADAMS
I
FAST FACTS t really isn’t the best moment, just as we Taxi WHEN TO GO January and drive up alongside three white rhino, to With blaring hip-hop and passengers February are the most popular discover that my car window doesn’t wind hanging out the door, minibuses, known months, due to the hot, dry weather. You can go any time, down. Sensing my frustration as I peer as matatus, might not seem the sanest, but avoid the rainy season through the dusty glass, my taxi driver, most relaxed way to travel, but they (March to the end of May). Mwaka, suggests I open my door and get are cheap and cheerful, and an CURRENCY £1 = KES135 (Kenyan shilling) even closer. The only thing between me undoubtedly novel experience. After IS IT SAFE? You’re advised to and the nearest of these huge rhinos is my taking one into Naivasha town and then steer clear of all areas near the digital camera. further on to Nakuru, I disembark in a Somali border. Travellers should also be extra-vigilant in Nairobi, “That one’s getting angry now,” chaotic market place. as the capital is under a heightened Mwaka advises, prompting me to hurriedly Following some fierce haggling, I find threat of terror attacks (fco.gov.uk) shut the door. Our vehicle might not boast a taxi driver who is prepared to take me SEE magicalkenya.com all the mod cons, but this kind of up-closeon a three-hour tour of Lake Nakuru and-personal experience is the pay-off for National Park for KES3500 (£25) plus the eschewing organised tours and doing it yourself. park fee of US$60 (£38). Admittedly, it’s not peanuts, but I had budgeted to pay far more. Biking Hiring a bike at Elsa Gate for KES500 (£3.70) and paying the park entrance fee of KES2100 (about £15) is a great way to begin an alternative safari, taking in Hell’s Gate National Park by Lake Naivasha in the Rift Valley, an hour from Nairobi. The sandy terrain doesn’t make for an easy ride, but our efforts are rewarded when I round a corner and see a waterhole thronging with zebras, their black and white stripes striking against the earthy backdrop. In the other direction, a fellow cyclist spies a giraffe. As we get nearer, we spot another, and another, until a family of four becomes visible. Then they slope off into the trees, their movements so jarringly unfamiliar that it’s hard to believe they are actually real.
Walking If cycling past giraffes is a surreal experience, then GETTING THERE Kenya Airways and British Airways offer direct flights to Nairobi from £400 return. Indirect flights with Swiss Airways start at £360 return. (kenya-airways.com; britishairways.com; swiss.com)
>>
KENYA
NAIROBI
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DESTINATIONS AFRICA BEST OF NAIROBI
Safari by taxi
walking among them is yet another step into the unexpected. At Crater Lake Game Sanctuary back near Lake Naivasha, we pay an entrance fee of KES700 (£5) and the park is ours to mingle between the giraffes, zebras, impalas and gazelles. I stand and watch in awe as a group of giraffes, initially keeping a wary eye on me
The only thing between me and the nearest of the rhinos is a digital camera as they snack on the trees, startled by the noise of a car, turn and gallop away in an awkward slow-motion lope that causes the ground to shake. Later, while making my way to the jade Crater Lake, I come across the strangest bird I’ve ever seen – there he is, marching across the open grassland, his upper body like a majestic eagle and lower half like a spindly stork, seeming to lunge with each step. According to my guidebook, it’s a secretary bird, known to walk up to 20km a day. Even compared to the angry rhino, the munching giraffes and the thronging, luminous flamingos, it’s an unexpected highlight, and something I probably wouldn’t have spotted from a flash 4WD. So if your jaw drops to the floor at the price of going on safari with an organised tour, then rest assured that you can always do it yourself. Just make sure the taxi door shuts properly. n
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Among the colonial villas and tree-lined streets you’ll find unique attractions. In particular, check out the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, set up to look after orphaned black rhinos and elephants until they’re strong enough to go back into the wild and fend for themselves. You can visit this corner of the Nairobi National Park each day between 11am and noon to watch the baby elephants being fed from giant bottles of milk. See: sheldrickwildlifetrust.org Head to the Giraffe Centre, where endangered Rothschild giraffes are bred before being released into the wild. The centre is on stilts, so you get the rare chance to be at eye-level with these amazing creatures – grab a fistful of pellets and hand-feed them. At the nearby Giraffe Manor they roam the gardens. You can stay for a hefty price or just have afternoon tea, but you’ll need to book ahead. See: giraffecentre.org In Kibera, the city’s largest shanty town, a small bead factory and craft shop that is the Kazuri bead and pottery centre has been set up to create jobs for residents. A member of staff will give you a free tour around the factory, from the kilns to the intricate glazing and industrious threading. The pretty necklaces and pots made here are sent round the world, and you can find a selection of them in the shop. See: kazuri.com
Photos: Kenya Tourism, Tom Brakefield, Amy Adams, Getty, Thinkstock
Face-to-face
The city centre of Nairobi is worth a visit to experience the downtown buzz, grab a few souvenirs and have your pick of restaurants, but don’t leave without visiting Karen, a leafy suburb, south of Nairobi, which feels like it belongs to a different city.
Get amongst it!
THE SMART CHOICE FOR
A whole range of trips incl. game drives in the Masai Mara and the Serengeti, gorilla trekking, guided game walks, rhino trekking, evening game drives and so much more.
t Guaranteed spots on a gorilla trek t No waiting around thanks to secured permits t A range of tours & itineraries from 8 –79 days t English speaking local leaders
With the African specialists Absolute Africa 30 years overlanding in Africa
www.absoluteafrica.com Phone: 0208 742 0226 Email: absaf@absoluteafrica.com
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For more details or to book call 0844 7360 170 or visit www.geckosadventures.com ATOL 6076
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DESTINATIONS AFRICA Addo Elephant National Park
Skydive over Robben Island
Table Mountain
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Surf at Kommetjie
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SOUTH AFRICA > CAPE TOWN
Cape Fear The Cape is perfect for both thrillseekers in search of an adrenaline-fuelled riot, and the more timid who are looking to relax, unwind and take in the glorious scenery WORDS ADAM EDWARDS
F
FAST FACTS After that mammoth challenge, it’s or a moment it looks a little like a WHEN TO GO Summertime time for a few well-deserved drinks. Long certain Seventies blockbuster, as what is November-March. Be aware Street in the heart of the city is chosen as seems to be a fin edges above the surface that prices can double during the Christmas holidays. our destination. Bars and clubs overflow of the sea between me and my friends as ACCOMMODATION A dorm on to mezzanine verandas, as people we’re treading water offshore. My overbed at South Boutique Backpackers huddle around tables watching life pass active imagination, fuelled by Jaws, kicks (hostelworld.com) costs £6pn, while a dorm bed at The Backpack by in the street below. As I lean against into overdrive and my life flashes before & Africa Travel Centre costs £10pn the wrought-iron balustrades, with live my eyes. But then I find myself screaming (backpackers.co.za). The Tulip Hotel music and laughter ringing in my ears, it through excitement rather than fear. & Conference Centre costs £28pn for a double (hotelclub.com). could be New Orleans’ French Quarter “Look!” I yell, as a tiny pup leaps out of CURRENCY £1= ZAR12.61 (South during Mardi Gras rather than Africa on the water. “A baby sea lion.” The bugAfrican Rand) a week-night. eyed scamp swims within a whisker’s SEE capetown.travel I’m staying a short taxi-ride away in length of us, lapping up the attention. Observatory – a bohemian suburb packed with buzzing “Only in Cape Town,” I say afterwards. It’s a cheesy hole-in-the-wall bars, shabby-chic cafes, and restaurants sentiment, but the so-called ‘LA of Africa’ more than lives where you can enjoy anything from a quiet coffee over a up to its gushing reviews. book to a sumptuous three-course meal for less than a The Mediterranean climate, exhilarating mix of cultures, tenner, or a seriously rowdy night dancing Coyote Uglylaid-back pace, not to mention some of the best waves in the southern hemisphere, are just a snapshot of this city’s >> style on the bar. appeal. But for others, it’s the heart-pounding range of hair-raising activities on offer that is the draw. GETTING THERE Sitting down for lunch at one of the smart bistros lining Fly direct from London the historic V&A Waterfront, troupes of fire-breathers, to Cape Town with South African Airways (flysaa. jugglers and traditional African dancers on the quayside com) from £720 return. Fly offer ample entertainment as we plot our adventures. SOUTH indirect with Etihad, via Abu AFRICA First up? Climbing Table Mountain, the soaring flatDhabi, from £595 return. topped beauty that looms over the city. The three-hour CAPE (etihadairways.com) TOWN slog up this 3500ft (1000m) peak isn’t easy, but in the end my aching legs pale in comparison to the amazing sense of achievement. tntmagazine.com/destinations
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DESTINATIONS AFRICA View from Table Mountain
Riding giants The next morning, I wake up itching to hit the beach. From Observatory, it’s a 30-minute drive to the premier windand kite-surfing hotspots at Muizenberg, where we pound the waves for a while. It’s then on to Kalk Bay, where we grab lunch at the Brass Bell – an open-sided restaurantcum-bar offering some of the best and most reasonably priced grub in the city – as bikini-clad beauties and bronzed gods sit at rustic picnic tables. I ponder chilling out here for the rest of the day, but the promise of seeing the pint-sized Jackass penguins further down the coast at Boulders Beach proves just too alluring. The waters in this part of the Cape, known as False Bay, may be home to animals you might more readily expect to be climbing the slopes of an Antarctic iceberg, but this stretch of coast is actually the warmest in Cape Town. Still, if you don’t mind your surf bracing, the Atlantic coast has great waves. In the summer (November-March), Kommetjie’s Sunset Reef boasts some of the largest waves in the world which, on good days, can reach a giant 25ft (eight metres) in height. While the sight of the comical penguins waddling along the beach and swimming among the bathers has me in hysterics, my pals are more concerned with setting up a date with the cute penguins’ mortal enemies. The waters off Cape Town are home to one of the world’s largest populations of great white sharks and, unbeknown to me, cage-diving with these toothy predators is next on the to-do list.
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I manage to give this excursion a wide birth – I’ve seen Spielberg’s blockbuster too many times to be dangled over the side of a boat like giant bait. I value my limbs intact, just the way they are, thank you very much. But I wind up regretting my fear-dictated decision when my
It could be New Orleans’ French Quarter during Mardi Gras, not Africa on a week-night friends return, with a full complement of limbs, bragging: “They just appear out of nowhere and start circling around the boat, before swimming right up to the bars of the cage for a closer look. “It’s such a weird experience. There’s literally just a few inches of metal separating you from all those teeth.”
South African skyfall After facing death and sniggering in its face, my friends decide to raise the stakes and plan a skydive over the city (I again choose to opt out due to the aforementioned limb-fears). A private transfer zips them over to an airstrip half an hour north of the city, and while I languish, a lonely chicken-shit at the poolside, they’re climbing 9000ft above the peninsular, pointing out the landmarks beneath them. “It’s the most fantastic way to see the city,” my friend
SOUTH AFRICA > CAPE TOWN
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Observatory Festival of Arts This bohemian neighbourhood is transformed into a giant festival ground during the weekendlong music, arts and film event. Observatory’s main streets are given over to live performances, gigs and market stalls. See: obsarts.org.uk Cape Minstrels Carnival The mixed-race community – who form the racial majority in Cape Town – spend months rehearsing their dance steps and creating outlandish suits in preparation for a noisy Mardi Gras-style parade. See: capetownminstrels.co.za Claire says later. “We could see Robben Island and the ocean dotted with boats, and Table Mountain towering over the city on the other side of the bay. “And the jump itself was unforgettable. After freefalling for 30 seconds, the instructor pulled the chute and we slowly drifted back down to Earth. It was so quiet.”
The Cape Town Carnival Bollywood dancers vie with Zulu “warriors” and man-made giraffes for the crowd’s attention. This unusual festival is part Rio Carnival, part Lion King: The Musical – with a dash of Oktoberfest thrown in for good measure. See: capetowncarnival.com
Elastic fantastic From then on all sights are set on the world’s highest commercial bungee jump off Bloukrans Bridge – a gravity defying 216m drop with only a chord of elastic to protect you from a terminal ground-body interface. With this in mind, we hire a car and set out along the tourist-clogged but spectacular Garden Route, and it’s not long before I discover why South Africa’s answer to Route 66 is so popular. The sheer number of sights and activities on offer astounds: there’s dune boarding at De Hoop, black-water tubing down Storms River; zip-wiring though the forests of Tsitsikamma; and ostrich racing in Oudtshoorn. At long last, I kiss a final goodbye to my fears and pluck up the courage to go zip-wiring, and spend an unforgettable afternoon whizzing through the forest canopy like a crackSAS soldier (or, at least, I like to think).
Finding the Big Five My trip along the coast takes me as far as Addo Elephant National Park – home to the largest concentration of elephants on the planet – where I book a guided night-
Cape Minstrels Carnival
safari to witness Africa’s big game in their eerie nocturnal world. Driving through the bush, the driver scans the darkness, wisely ignoring the incandescent eye-shine of the antelope and kudu standing agape by the side of the road. After a few twists and turns, and a pride of lions that views us suspiciously, the driver slams on the brakes and cuts the engine. Out of the darkness >>
DESTINATIONS AFRICA World’s highest bungee
BEST OF THE REST South African sights you can’t miss South Africa doesn’t begin and end with Cape Town, so venture further afield and discover all that this diverse, surprising and beguiling country has to offer. Kruger National Park, located in the northeast of the country and comprising more than 7000 square miles, is Africa’s oldest established wildlife park and is the perfect place to catch a glimpse of the Big Five game animals (rhino, lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant).
appears a herd of more than 60 elephants marching trunk to tail. It is the perfect end to my jaunt up-country.
No venture to South Africa would be complete without a trip to a township. Soweto, on the outskirts of Johannesburg and home to almost a million people, is often referred to as the heartbeat of the nation.
Cape wine
See capetown.travel/country/uk » A tandem skydive is £130 skydivecapetown.za.net » Shark diving is £115 sharkcagediving.co.za » Bungee jumping is £65 faceadrenalin.com » An elephant-back safari is £85 addoelephantbacksafaris.co.za
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The Cape Winelands, to the east, are a must for anyone who fancies a drop of vino with their vacation, and has a wealth of special tours taking in a variety of vineyards, all set to a backdrop of stunning scenery. Hermanus, along the south-east coast, is a sumptuous coastal town famed for its whale watching, whether this be from the land or from the crest and troughs of ocean waves.
Sweeping vineyards
Photos: South African Tourism, Skydive Cape Town, Adam Edwards, Getty, TNT
Back in Cape Town, I spend my last few days flitting between the hubbub of the bars and restaurants of Long Street and the beach, before deciding that it’s only polite to drop by some vineyards – “when in Rome” – where I make a beeline for the Boschendal estate near the picturesque town of Franschhoek, and while away a blissful couple of hours sipping wine under the arms of an oak tree. My friends and I stock up on vino and head back into the city to watch the sunset from Lion’s Head, the sphinx-shaped hill that flanks Table Mountain. After an hour-or-so climb, we reach the top and crack open a bottle to celebrate, toasting the magnificence before us, as the setting African sun dips ever-so-slowly into the Atlantic. The others start reminiscing about their adrenalinefuelled holiday, while I slip into my own little world and start planning my next visit. I just hope next time I’ll have discovered my inner daredevil. n
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DESTINATIONS AFRICA
Ogle a hippo or three in the Shire River
Mumbo Island
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Malawi’s Rift Valley is startlingly bio-diverse
Malawi > Eco-SAFARI
How to ecosafari in Malawi Shun petrol-powered boats and electricity-guzzling hotel blocks in favour of kayaks, camping and wildlife. Here’s how to unplug in a land-locked African paradise WORDS JENNIFER CARR
F
lying 5000 miles to get to south-east Africa might not be environmentally friendly, but anyone eco-conscious making the trip might sleep sounder to find out how to do Malawi the green way. Natural splendour isn’t in short supply in the African country, so you don’t have to go the gas-guzzling route to find it.
Float my boat
FAST FACTS
Conscientious camping
WHEN TO GO The dry season is the best for spotting game and lasts from May to mid-November. ACCOMMODATION Malawi has a selection of green hotels in Lilongwe, and a good range of eco-lodges, to provide sustainable bases for exploring the country’s nature and wildlife. CURRENCY £1 = MWK250 (Malawian Kwacha) SEE malawitourism.com; lakeofstars.org; malawianstyle.com; wilderness-safaris.com
I curl my limbs into a blisteringly hot kayak, biceps ready to battle water on the mighty Lake Malawi. Kaye, the sinewy Malawian who’s accompanying me across the lake, has his eyes locked on to one of the nine impossibly perfect islands that protrude from the most southerly lake in Africa’s Rift Valley. I forget myself in the midst of a meditative, rhythmic paddle. Without warning, a whoosh of white plumage and two metres of startling wingspan flanks our starboard and almost knocks the oar from my hands. The regal African fish eagle responsible clearly mimicked the RAF’s execution of a perfect fly-by. Our first motor-free silent slink affords the kind of closeups you’d never get from a boisterous boat ride. With each dip of my paddle, a wall of shimmering vertical scales shift, disperse then rejoin; a mere fraction of the lake’s 600 indigenous species that ensure this region is one of the most bio-diverse on the planet. It’s like a Blu-Rayenhanced David Attenborough documentary with me and my kayak on centre stage.
Two hours later we run aground on the sand that fringes Mumbo Island and sink our toes into what’s best described as a sub-Saharan Eden. Shaded only by ancient fig and baobab trees, Mumbo remains uninhabited except for a community-run eco-camp of seven chic tents. Every aspect of the camp is sustainable – the main form of energy on the island is solar power, which runs our bucket showers. Torches are wind-up and the loos are compost drop. Each carefully made and set out private tent area features a locally carved bed (forget pesky rocks sticking up under ground sheets), floor mats, reed-walled showers and hand-stitched hammocks, all of which have been lovingly made with sustainable materials by local hands. Even more charmingly, the tents are >> GETTING THERE Kenya Airways flies daily from London Heathrow to Lilongwe via Nairobi from around £570 (kenya-airways.com). South African Airways also flies daily from London Heathrow to Lilongwe via Johannesburg (flysaa.com)
LILONGWE MALAWI
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DESTINATIONS AFRICA
Kayak to Mumbo
built into a second, smaller bouldered outcrop that’s joined to the main island via a twinkling walkway of solarpowered fairy lights.
Chill-out time The key to Mumbo, I quickly discover, is to unplug yourself from the everyday. I spend the first morning chasing iridescent blue crabs and fuchsia-coloured cichlid fish around the rocky shallows of Mumbo’s main beach. My submerged squeals are lost on the other guests, all thankfully too preoccupied in their own gleeful aquatic discoveries. It’s not just fish that vie for your attention either; dainty pied kingfisher perch on low-hanging branches, which are accessorised by acid-green vine snakes. Meanwhile, Cape Claw otters flop in and out of the heat while giant, 1.2m-long monitor lizards shuffle surreptitiously into the camp’s chill-out lounge.
Forest fun One afternoon we take a forest walk up to a famed sunset lookout and breathe in the fragrance of fig trees, thickening the air with top notes of fructose. As dusk beckons I speed back for freezing local beer from the camp’s stripped-back bar. Swigging the brew from the soporific comfort of my hammock, I gaze upon the hundreds of lantern-lit fishermen’s boats that wink at me through night’s blanket. I understand all too well why David Livingstone christened this place the Lake Of Stars when he first visited in the 1800s.
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Going green Malawi’s eco merits don’t end on Mumbo. After (begrudgingly) bidding adieu to my million-star hammock, I kayak back to Cape Maclear and pick the brains of a local tour guide and founder of Malawian Style, Mike Varndell, on other guilt-free delights to be enjoyed in Malawi. A specialist in small, sustainable experiences for grown-up backpackers, Varndell suggests Mt Mulanje – “an undiscovered natural wonder that offers tiered rock pools, challenging hiking and rock climbing through one of the highest isolated granite inselbergs on the planet”. The 900m hike can be completed in two days, with an overnight stop in a scenic mountain chalet.
Animal magic To see some impressive wildlife, opt for pedals on the high elevation grasslands that comprise the famed Nyika Plateau. With parts of the park crossing into northern Zambia, the plateau forms part of Malawi’s oldest national park and plays host to the largest concentration of leopards in central Africa. The region makes for a rewarding thigh-burn some 2000 metres above sea level on possibly the smoothest trails in Malawi. Besides breathtaking views of the thickly forested valley below, Nyika’s less-frequented lower region offers an additional reward: antelope, elephant, rhino and plentiful zebra are all regularly spotted grazing on the expansive grasslands. Another spot Vandell cites as essential is Liwonde National Park, where Mvuu Lodge, a sustainable nature
Malawi > Eco-SAFARI
LAKE OF STARS FESTIVAL
camp, teeters on a bend of the crocodile-infested Shire River in the Rift Valley. The camp successfully bridges the divide between Malawian communities and existing wildlife. Hundreds of locals benefit from employment at the camp and there are obvious signs of reforestation as we approach the main heart of the lodge. After a quick run-through on camp protocol – “the bongo in your room is to bang if you need escorting through the camp after
Photos: Malawi Tourism, Ian Cummings, Getty, Thinkstock
Low-hanging branches are accessorised by acid-green vine snakes dark” – we set off on a sunset cruise in one of the camp’s eco-friendly four-stroke engine boats to explore the river. We encounter umpteen hippo, waterbuck, birdlife, elephants and river crocodiles during the two-hour cruise. It’s hard to be anything but awed. As my eyes adjust to the growing twilight, the sun’s alchemy flecking the river with a burnt, blushing rose gold, I’m reminded yet again that some of the best experiences in travel need no human intervention. n
Lake Of Stars has a hell of a reputation to live up to. Dubbed by Q Magazine as the “best festival in the world”, the four-day international festival of the arts has hosted acts including The Noisettes, Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly, Beverley Knight, MistaJam, Goldierocks, Foals and Baio from the mighty Vampire Weekend. Alongside the big acts, revellers are treated to sets from local performers and DJs. The event attracts people from all around the world who are keen to party with the locals, all to a soundtrack of Malawian dub, reggae, ska, hip hop, funk and soul. The festival, which was inspired by Live Aid, WOMAD and Glastonbury, aims to use the arts to boost Malawi’s economy and get exposure for the country as a tourist destination. And over the eight years since its inception, more and more music lovers have come to join the party (last year there were 3800 attendees) at the Sunbird Nkopola Lodge on the palm-fringed shores of Mangochi, at the southern tip of Lake Malawi. The festival, which is run almost entirely by volunteers, generated more than £620,000 for Malawi’s economy in 2010. But as well as helping existing companies, £1 from every ticket goes to the MicroLoan Foundation, which helps people set up small, self-sustainable businesses. There’s also a Lake of Stars outreach programme which puts on a series of musical, educational and sporting events for the local community. Tickets cost £85 and the festival takes place every October. See: lakeofstars.org
» Jennifer Carr travelled with Malawian Style and Mvuu Camp. Malawian Style offers a range of safaris, from kayaking and sailing to hiking and biking. See the malawianstyle.com for prices
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GARDEN ROUTE > TOP 5
Get face-to-face with Jaws
Best of the Garden Route Cage dive with sharks, slug the country’s best port and explore underground, all in one whirlwind trip. There’s a reason South Africa’s Route 66 is so popular ... WORDS ALASDAIR MORTON
T
he Garden Route is an impossibly scenic and inspirational stretch of south-east Cape coastline – 200km in length and bordered on one side by the Tsitsikamma and Outeniqua mountains, and the Indian Ocean on the other. It’s so named because its vegetated state (think colour-drenched flora and fauna and lush lagoons and lakes) contrasts so dramatically with the country’s arid interior. But this is just part of the area’s appeal. For those with something of the daredevil about them, who enjoy facing
their mortality in the most adrenaline-charged of manners, the Garden Route offers many unique ways in which to counterbalance the tranquillity of the natural environment with some adventurous activities.
1 Jumping into oblivion For anyone with nerves of steel, the world’s highest, biggest, most badass bungee jump awaits – 216m off the Bloukrantz Bridge near Plettenberg Bay. If that’s not enough, then there is an alternative option – jumping out of one of >> tntmagazine.com/destinations
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DESTINATIONS AFRICA Cape Town’s cable cars high above Table Mountain. But the ultimate way to see the sights is to skydive. From the vantage point of 10,000 feet above, experience a 30-second freefall followed by a five-minute glide to the ground. The scenic Route coast to the south of Port Elizabeth is the perfect backdrop over which to take the plunge. See: gardenroute.co.za
Visit the port capital
2 Calitzdorp A small town located in the heart of the Klein Karoo region, Calitzdorp is a quaint place to visit. Apart from its quirksome charm, it also has something more tangible going for it – it’s the port capital of the country. Known as such because of the quality of the port made in this region, it is a must-visit for anyone looking to sample the local fortified produce. See: calitzdorp.co.za Go underground
3 Shark diving Coming face-to-face with the rows and rows of cerrated teeth that belong to one of this planet’s deadliest predators is what the shark diving experience is all about. The waters off the Route are home to one of the largest populations of great whites anywhere, making it the perfect place to get up close and personal with this fearsome creature. See: sharkwatchsa.com
GETTING THERE Flights from London Gatwick to Cape Town, via Istanbul, start around £505 return with Turkish Airlines. (turkishairlines.com)
SOUTH AFRICA
CAPE TOWN
Oudrtshoorn Port Elizabeth
INDIAN OCEAN
5 Surfing With some of the world’s most exquisite beaches and waves, surfing – whether you’re a seasoned pro or a wobbly kneed newcomer – is a pursuit this part of the country is particularly well suited for. The waters of the Indian Ocean boast the perfect conditions to paddle out into, so wetsuit up and grab a board (and if you’re a newcomer, an instructor too). Sea kayaking’s an alternative for the balance-challenged. See: gardenrouteadventures.com/surfing n
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Surf in the Indian Ocean
Photos: White Shark Diving Company, South Africa Tourism, Thinkstock
4 Oudtshoorn The Garden Route has scenery to die for, but the town of Oudtshoorn is known for a particular kind of ‘underground’ appeal. The subterranean limestone caverns of the Cango Caves offer a glimpse of a bewitching below-surface world, where time and water have eroded the rock into truly fantastic forms. The region is also home to no fewer than 400 ostrich farms. Equally impressive – but in a very different way. See: oudtshoorninfo.com
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