JOURNEY
When traveling with a purpose, there are few places that can offer more meaning than Africa, the place where human civilization began. South Africa, specifically is a diverse country that’s home to some of the last remaining populations of Africa’s wildlife, the archaeological findings of the oldest people in the world, and a rich history that mirrors our own. The view from the top of Cape Town’s Table Mountain and glimpses of the magnificent lions, elephants, and giraffes will stay with you for a lifetime. So if you’re wondering “What’s Next?” to satisfy your need for soul searching, WNWN suggests a trip to South Africa. Here are some tips that will help you plan your journey.
JOHANNESBURG
Lodging: Park Hyatt Johannesburg
The Park Hyatt delivers the finest in accommodation in the heart of the city. The perfect choice for the business traveler or vacationer, you can relax in the jacuzzi and sauna or meet associates in the lobby’s bar – a hotspot for the Joberg business elite. It’s walking distance from Rosebank’s restaurants and shops. The concierge is excellent in helping you to plan any excursion with reliable guides and transportation in a city that has a reputation for being dangerous to the naïve traveler.
www.johannesburg.park.hyatt.com
TEN BOMPAS
If you prefer lodging with more of a local flare and rooms that feel like home, then Ten Bompas is your place. This quaint yet stylish boutique hotel is actually a refurbished mansion with ten large suites each decorated by different interior designers who created their own African influenced vision. Though Ten Bompas is small, it also caters to its guest’s leisure needs. With a gorgeous swimming pool and Sides, its restaurant, you will enjoy your accommodation while feeling like you’ve got the whole house to yourself.
www.tenbompas.com
Sights
Apartheid Museum & Gold Reef City – historical museum and amusement park
Soweto – Nelson Mandela & Desmond Tutu’s house and historical apartheid sites
The Cradle of Humankind – A World Heritage Site
Sandton City – Shopping
KWA-ZULU NATAL
Lodging: Zulu Nyala
You can’t go to Africa without a wildlife safari experience and a taste of the traditional culture. At Zulu Nyala Safari Lodge, there are four different lodge style accommodations to choose from, offering more traditional style rooms at the main lodge and safari tent style rooms for the more adventurous. With your own guide, you have the opportunity to go on game drives in the surrounding wildlife reserves. There’s no better way to see wildlife then from an open land rover. During the buffet style dinners, you’ll meet new friends and try traditional cuisine. And Zulu Nyala brings traditional Zulu dancers to the lodge for entertainment. Your guide will help you to plan day excursions like:
www.zulunyala.com
Sights
St Lucia Wetlands Park – untouched beaches and alligator tours
Local African Markets – shopping
Nompondo – traditional Zulu village tour
CAPE TOWN
Lodging: Arabella Sheraton
The Arabella Sheraton is the ultra contemporary and chic hotel for the trendy traveler or business professional. If you want accessibility to the city but need to keep up with world news and your daily e-mails, then the Sheraton is the hotel for you. It’s wireless equipped, features sliding glass, key activated doors on every floor, and the news constantly plays on flat screens in the elevators. It doesn’t fail to deliver luxury and comfort either though, and the restaurant’s breakfast buffet could be South Africa’s best.
www.Sheraton.com/capetown
WESTIN GRAND CAPE TOWN
The Westin Grand is the perfect destination escape for any couple. The hotel has a nautical theme that invokes the sensuality of the city that’s nestled between the Indian and Atlantic oceans. Located on the waterfront, it offers beautiful ocean views, and you can enjoy a romantic sunset outside on the pier. It’s walking distance from the historic Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, where you can delve into fine dining and shopping or just take a walk by the water.
www.starwoodhotels.com
CAPE GRACE
The Cape Grace Hotel prides itself on maintaining the highest standard of service and accommodation influenced by the traditional South Africa. From the moment you arrive, you will pampered by the staff. Whether it’s in the hotel’s superb OneWaterfront restaurant where the manager greets you at your table, in your room where the exercise equipment of your choice is delivered, or at the spa where you’re given a “menu” of services to order, you’re constantly reminded of what they mean by “The Cape Grace experience."
www.capegrace.com
Sights
V&A Waterfront – shopping and dining
Table Mountain – breathtaking city view
Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens - exotic plants and flowers from the Western Cape
Robben Island – Mandela’s prison is here
Wine Country – Every vineyard has something to offer
Cape Point and Simon’s Town – historic part of town is home to S. Africa’s penguins.
