WELCOME to the pre-winter April 2005 edition of the Go Single Travel Newsletter. All the usual winter destinations such as the Drakensberg are starting to fill up in terms of reservations so don't leave those bookings too late - especially if you plan on travelling during the local school holidays! During the last week or two we have had numerous enquiries, especially for the Pilanesberg, for the Workers Day long weekend at the end of April but, unfortunately, most places are already fully booked - some have been so for several months already. 

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INTERNATIONAL TRAVELS

This month we have added our first holiday package (specifically aimed at single parents but open to all) to the exquisite island of Cyprus - very popular amongst Europeans travellers as well as all people that worship the sun. This is not an escorted tour but only a holiday package. More detail can be found at http://www.singletravel.co.za/chrysland_hotel_and_gardens_club.html. And for those who prefer to just lie on the beach and relax while sipping on cocktails and soaking up the sun, or special singles packages to Mauritius can be viewed at http://www.singletravel.co.za/augusta_tours_mauritius.html!  

NEW ADDITIONS

A few recent additions to our website, all offering ZERO SINGLE SUPPLEMENTS or good value for money to our clients, are:

Umoya Garden Route Golf Tours - http://www.singletravel.co.za/umoya_golf_tours.html

CTI Tours & Travel (day excursions in the Western Cape, including helicopter flights) - http://www.singletravel.co.za/chaperones_touring_international.html

Tsitsikamma Village Inn (Stormsriver) - http://www.singletravel.co.za/tsitsikamma_village_inn.html

River House Lodge (Malelane) - http://www.singletravel.co.za/river_house_lodge.html

Kwa Manzi Guest Farm (Magaliesberg) - http://www.singletravel.co.za/kwa_manzi_guest_farm.html

Sandford Park Resort (Bergville) - http://www.singletravel.co.za/sanford_park_resort.html

Umkomaas Guest House (Umkomaas) - http://www.singletravel.co.za/umkomaas_guest_house.html

Ashmead Resort (Knysna) - http://www.singletravel.co.za/ashmead.html

Whale Cottage Franschhoek (Franschhoek) - http://www.singletravel.co.za/whale_cottage_franschoek.html

Kurisa Moya Nature Lodge (Houtbosdorp area) - http://www.singletravel.co.za/kurisa_moya.html

Magoebaskloof Getaway (Magoebaskloof) - http://www.singletravel.co.za/magoebaskloof_getaway.html

Zwahili Private Game Lodge (Nylstroom) - http://www.singletravel.co.za/zwahili.html

Nullarbor Cottages (Magaliesberg) - http://www.singletravel.co.za/nullarbor_cottages.html (Still with limited availability over the Worker's Day long weekend!)

COMING SOON!

Transfrontiers Walking Safari's

White Shark Diving Projects

Bundu Safari Company

BUSHVELD TRAIN SAFARIS

Bushveld Train Safari's (http://www.singletravel.co.za/bushveld_train_safaris.html) has revised their schedule for the remainder of 2005 and they have once again added 2 train trips to Victoria Falls (via Botswana) and also a few additional and very affordable weekend getaways. The other very exciting new addition is 2 weekend-trips to Maputo - travel by train to Komatipoort en then by bus to Maputo (only 100km away) on the Saturday for a full Portuguese filled day. At only R1,900 per person these trips are highly recommended! There are also 8 remaining day-trips to various festivals and special events - a perfect day away.

There are NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENTS on their train safari's (except for the 2 nights at the Kingdom Hotel on the Vic Falls Safari) and no sharing of compartments or accommodation is required. Since their trips from Port Elizabeth have been very successful lately they have added some extra trips from there. The demand for trips from Cape Town has subsided and these trips have been reduced (even though a Namibia Safari might still be added to the existing schedule if the demand is high enough). These safari's are a very relaxing way of touring and seeing some sights that are only possible from a rail track! Why not browse through their schedule and who knows, you might also become one of their many regular passengers!

INTERESTING PLACES, TOWNS & AREAS IN SOUTH AFRICA

Groot Marico/Zeerust, North West

Groot Marico

Although many of the citizens of Groot Marico are descendants of the Voortrekkers who started arriving in the district in 1845, the sleepy, one-street village, with many a character who could have inspired a Bosman tale, was laid out as recently as 1948 by AJM van Aardt and others on the farm Wonderfontein. The town has an intriguing Wild West atmosphere. Considerable quantities of air-dried Virginia tobacco are handled at Groot Marico by a branch of the Magaliesberg Tobacco Planters' Association. The fertile valley of the Groot Marico River is also densely cultivated with maize and citrus fruits. This valley is the setting for many of the tales of Herman Charles Bosman, the South African author who evolved a unique style of Afrikaans flavoured English in books such as Mafeking Road. Marble, slate and andalusite are mined in the district, which is also famous for some remarkable dolomite caves containing animal fossils. The town's most famous export is, of course, mampoer.

Zeerust

Zeerust is the major town of the Marico area and was laid out by Diederik Coetzee in 1867 on the farm Hazenjacht, originally called Sebatlani, which means 'dusty place'. The founder named the new settlement Coetzee-Rust, which was subsequently shortened to its present form The church of St John the Baptist was the third Anglican church to be built and the oldest still standing in the former Transvaal. A thorn-bush wilderness dotted with large sheep and cattle farms surrounds the town, and it is often thronged with ranchers. Lead is mined in the area, which also produces wheat, tobacco and citrus fruits. There is a museum with relics of the town's early days. The Marico Bushveld Nature Reserve is 30 kilometres away. Zeerust is also en-route to the Madikwe National Park.

TRAVEL NEWS

SA bids to host Rugby world cup 2011
South Africa is once again bidding to host the Rugby World Cup, this time in 2011. The country successfully hosted the games in 1995. It was announced on April 12 that Southern Sun Hotels has been appointed the official hotel supplier for South Africa’s bid to host the Rugby World Cup in 2011. In this capacity, the hotel group will provide accommodation for the bid committee, administrators and all officials in the run-up to the bid submission and subsequent evaluation. “We are very proud to be entrusted with the privilege of being the official hotel partner. We are confident that Southern Sun Hotels has the resources, infrastructure, and experience to support the bid,” said Helder Pereira, md of Southern Sun Hotels. Francois Pienaar, bid committee ceo, touched on the possible impact the games could have on the country’s economy and tourism. He said an independent economic impact study predicted a possible R8bn income from the games, R3,6bn of which would come from tourism spend. “The importance of the world cup is to get backpackers to the country to travel around. So we must have accommodation for them and also make the games affordable,” said Pienaar. Pereira stressed the greater tourism industry’s support. “The bid committee has the (tourism) industry’s experience at its disposal,” he said.
In addition to Southern Sun Hotels, South African Airways has also pledged its support for the bid. South Africa is competing against New Zealand and Japan to host the games. The winning bid will be announced in November.

Lanseria lands more international flights
Air Botswana has said it will introduce a new service from Lanseria International Airport to Gaborone on June 1. The flight will be operated on an ATR 47 seating 47 passengers and will depart from Lanseria every Tuesday and Thursday. Kago Mmopi, Air Botswana’s brand manager, said: “We have chosen Lanseria for this service because it is the ideal location for business travellers. Furthermore, it gives us a second entry point in South Africa, since we are already operating flights from JIA.” 

Wild animals return to Dinokeng
Gauteng's Dinokeng region is reporting increasing numbers of wild animals, such as leopards, genet and mongoose, returning to the area. This follows efforts to establish an integrated conservation and tourism development programme, comprising 28 000 hectares of game farms, conservancies, cultural villages and unspoilt bushveld north east of Tshwane. Says local game rancher, Alan Roxton-Wiggill: “In the past few months we’ve seen genets, African wild cats and caracal in much bigger numbers as well as many birds of prey including various types of eagle, harriers, falcons and hawks.” The reason for the growth in biodiversity is the increasing number of conservation-oriented investors who are buying up farms in the area for conservation and tourism purposes, as well as existing farmers who are converting from cattle to game ranching.
 
Makuleke welcomes first giraffe in years
Three giraffe were introduced into the Makuleke region of the Kruger National Park on April 7. It is the first time that giraffe have been introduced into this part of the KNP for some years. Giraffe numbers have been low in the Makuleke, the far northern region of the KNP, for various reasons, among these the presence of the Makuleke community pre-1969 and the political situation in South Africa during apartheid. The Makuleke region was used as a buffer zone between Zimbabwe and Mozambique at that time and as a result wild animal numbers dwindled, particularly those of high profile species. Wilderness Safaris, in collaboration with South African National Parks (SANParks), are in the process of relocating various giraffe to ‘restock’ the region. SANParks is using its expertise to administer the relocations, while Wilderness Safaris is paying for it. It costs about R9 000 to relocate one giraffe and between three and five are usually relocated at one time.
Currently the region boasts an incredible amount of fauna, including the highest density of nyala in the KNP, lion, buffalo, elephant, hippo, baboon, and now giraffe. The flora is remarkably different to that of more southern parts of the KNP, having denser, forest-like vegetation. Wilderness Safaris is also completing construction of its newest property, Pafuri Camp, scheduled to open in July this year. The camp will have 20 thatched rooms built along the Luvuvhu River. Wilderness has signed a 45-year mutually beneficial lease with the Makuleke community, who were removed from their homeland in 1969 but reclaimed it following land restitution in 1997. The lease allows Wilderness to develop and run the camp in one of the most remote and untouched areas of the KNP, while the Makuleke benefit from skills development, job creation, training, and 8% of all lodge revenue. 

New website for Oyster Festival
The Pick ‘n Pay Knysna Oyster Festival has launched a dedicated website at www.oysterfestival.co.za. Sponsored by a Knysna company, Global Wave Internet Marketing (Gwim), the website gives all the information needed about the festival including its history, the full programme, information about sponsors, press releases and a gallery of photographs which can be downloaded.
 
North West’s Heritage Park launched
North West has today launched its long anticipated Heritage Park. The formation of this park links the Pilanesberg National Park and Madikwe Game Reserves over the next 15 years to form one of the biggest conservation corridors. The initiative is aimed at achieving one large “Big Five” game reserve, offering free movement of game throughout the entire fenced area.
This, the province believes, will capitalise on the tourism success of both game parks. It is also unique, it says, because it has been developed with and for the benefit of current land owners. Visit the North West province section on the accommodation page (http://www.singletravel.co.za/accommodation.html) of our website for accommodation in the Pilanesberg and Madikwe National Parks.

More fences to be removed between SA, Mozambique
This year will see an additional 50km of fence removed between the Kruger National Park in South African and Mozambique’s Limpopo National Park, reports BuaNews. This will allow for more free movement of animals between the parks as part of the expanding Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park. Plans are that the park will grow to around 35 000sqkm, expanding to 100 000sqkm once additional private and community-owned reserves and conservancies merge with the park. Wildlife will be able to roam freely where before fences restricted natural movement. Once opened, tourists will also be able to move freely across international borders within the park. “This is an on-going project to remove all fences that limit the free-flow of animals, and to create one of the world’s richest animal kingdoms,” said Raymond Travers, spokesperson for the KNP. A date has not been given for the removal of the fences between Limpopo National Park and Zimbabwe’s Gonarezhou National Park. Fence removal has been slow in the part of that transfrontier park as a result of financial problems. Visit the Mpumalanga & Limpopo province sections on the accommodation page (http://www.singletravel.co.za/accommodation.html) of our website for accommodation in the Kruger National Park.

Tsitsikamma forest transferred to SANParks
The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism has transferred the state-owned and run Tsitsikamma state forest to South African National Parks (SANParks), reports BuaNews. The 97 000 hectare piece of land in the southern Cape includes 38 000 hectares of indigenous forest and 37 000 hectares of mountain catchment area. Another 26 000 hectares, currently under pine plantations, will be felled, rehabilitated and transferred to SANParks over the next 15 years. This will bring the total land to around 100 000 hectares. “What we are doing today (April 3) may well reshape the future of eco-tourism and lay the foundation of future investment of the garden road mega reserve and encompassing Tsitsikamma with the national park of Knysna,” said Marthinus van Schalkwyk, minister of environmental affairs and tourism. He said his department is in a process of handing over the administration of the parks to the best possible people. SANParks was also given the budget for the management of the forests, as well as 124 staff including qualified foresters and specialists in harvesting indigenous forests. Visit the Eastern Cape province section on the accommodation page (http://www.singletravel.co.za/accommodation.html) of our website for accommodation in the Tsitsikamma National Park.

Stellenbosch top for wine tourism
Stellenbosch is the most visited wine route in the Cape Winelands. This is one of the main findings that came out of an Australian study of the SA winelands conducted in December 2004 and January 2005. The study was commissioned by Stellenbosch American Express Wine Routes and conducted by Dr Johan Bruwer from the University of Adelaide’s Wine Business School. The purpose of the study was to establish a wine tourism visitor profile base and consumption for the Stellenbosch Wine Routes. The study found that the top five South African wine regions are Stellenbosch (89%); Paarl (54%); Robertson (38%); Franschhoek (32%); and Constantia (17%). These were rated by Stellenbosch Wine Route visitors and there was therefore a bias towards Stellenbosch.
Other findings include:
* Overseas visitors constitute 28% of all cellar door visits. They come primarily from SA’s main wine export markets: the UK, Germany, and the US, with Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands also featuring prominently.
* Domestic wine tourists are mainly from the Western Cape (38%) and Gauteng (24%).
* Thirty-six per cent of all visitors state that wine tourism is the main purpose of their visit.
* ‘To taste wine’ and ‘to buy wine’ were the main motivating factors for visiting the cellar doors. Visitors tasted on average five different wines at each cellar door.
* The average visitor visited 3,5 cellar doors on average – a figure slightly lower than in comparable wine regions in other New World wine countries.
 
Minister creates ‘Big 7’ conservation area
Minister of environmental affairs and tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, proclaimed a new marine area for the Addo Elephant National Park in the Eastern Cape on April 3, as well as launching a new camp in that park. St Croix and Bird Islands were added to the park, making it the first in South Africa to offer the Big 7 in one conservation area. “The allure of the traditional Big 5 will be bolstered by the extra attraction of Southern Right Whales and Great White sharks, creating a uniquely marketable environmental experience,” said Van Schalkwyk. Speaking about future tourism and conservation strategies for the region, the minister added: “The proclamation of these islands is a key step in our plan to proclaim a larger Marine Protected Area in Algoa Bay, which will link the islands to the mainland in a single continuous conservation area through the Darlington Dam in the western extension of the park.”  Meanwhile, the newly opened Matyholweni Rest Camp aims to benefit the local communities through the revenue they aim to generate as well as the increase in tourism numbers. The rest camp, a 12-unit facility situated in the new southern block of the Addo park, cost R6,5m to build, money that was given by Deat as a poverty relief grant. The Mayibuye Ndlovu Development Trust, a community forum representing eight communities surrounding the park, will receive between 6% and 12% of the gross revenue generated by the camp. This money will go to finance community development projects. Visit the Eastern Cape province section on the accommodation page (http://www.singletravel.co.za/accommodation.html) of our website for accommodation in the Addo Elephant National Park.

SAA adjusts fuel levies
In response to the fluctuating oil price, South African Airways has adjusted its fuel levies for international tickets. Vice president of communication for SAA, Onkgopotse JJ Tabane, said the changes to SAA’s levies are in line with international trends amongst major airlines. The new levies are: for all domestic sectors per sector US$15 (R93), as well as to and from Hong Kong. To and from Tel Aviv and Dubai the levy is US$5 (R31) per sector. To and from Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe the levy is US$25 (R155) per sector.
The levies apply to all tickets issued on or before March 30, 2005.

New wagon rides at Voortrekker Monument
The Voortrekker Monument Restaurant, which closed a year and a half ago following a fire, is now open for business. Also on offer are 30-45 minute wagon rides in the Voortrekker Monument Nature Reserve, where visitors will see springbuck, black wildebeest, impala, blesbok, zebra, mountain reedbuck, red hartebeest and other species. The cost is R35 per adult and R10 per child with a maximum group of 20 persons allowed. 

No more visas for Mozambique
According to recent news reports, South Africa will sign a visa waiver agreement with Mozambique on April 15. The waiver will reportedly allow citizens of both countries to stay in South Africa or Mozambique for 30 days without a visa.