Friends of Zimbabwe – Travel

Welcome to South Africa.

We want your visit to South Africa to be special and filled with great memories; and we hope that you will visit again and again.

The Republic of South Africa lies at the southern end of the vast African continent, flanked by the Indian Ocean on the east and the Atlantic on the west. It is bordered by Namibia to the north-west, Botswana and Zimbabwe to the north, and by Mozambique to the north-east. South Africa’s area is one eighth the size of the United States and more than 5 times larger than Great Britain.

The various population groups of South Africa have combined to create a society of diverse historical and cultural backgrounds, which has often been described as a fascinating ethnic mosaic. Our country has a lot to offer. From wide-open spaces to a variety of modern cities. From wildlife to tribal life.

We access the situation as follows:

* Stay clear of the center of major cities at night and should you wish to go somewhere, please get the accommodation to get a taxi.

* Do not tour the Wild Coast of Transkei on your own.

* Talk to the local people before venturing into those unknown areas on your own.

* There is a great deal of goodwill to foreigner visitors.

The following hints to make your stay enjoyable and safe.

There are a few basic precautions you should take to ensure that your stay is as pleasant and safe as possible.

You could reduce the possibility of becoming a victim of crime.

Taking the following precautions:

At The Hotel:

* Never leave your luggage unattended.

* Hand the keys in at the desk whenever you depart the hotel.

* Carry a certified copy of your passport and travel documents with you at all times.

* Keep your room locked.

* Check who it is before opening the door in the hotel.

* Store all valuables in the hotel’s safety deposit box, including cash, jewellery and cameras.

* Be observant when entering parking or unlit areas.

In The Street:

* Carry your camera in a shoulder bag.

* It’s definitely not advisable to carry large amounts of money around.

* Whenever possible, do not walk alone.

* Explore our country in groups and stay in well-lit, busy streets.

* At night, steer clear of dark, isolated areas.

* A police or traffic officer will gladly direct you if you get lost.

* If you want to call a taxi, your hotel can recommend a good reliable service.

* When walking in the street be observant and guard against snatchers, pick-pockets.

* Carry your bag close to your body.

* Keep your change in your wallet, and credit cards and notes in an inside pocket.

In The Car:

* Keep the car doors locked at all times and wind the windows up.

* Plan your route in advance, and be sure of sufficient fuel.

* Make sure your vehicle is in good mechanical order.

* Use maps, and when in doubt as to the safety of specific areas, or which route to take, ask the police.

* Do not leave packages or personal items on the seats of the car.

* Park in well-lit areas at night.

* Never pick up any hitchhiker.

General:

* Keep a list of emergency numbers close at hand in case of an emergency.

* Be alert at all times.

* When using an elevator, always make sure that you are at ease with fellow users before entering.

* Avoid displays of expensive jewellery.

* Do not show large amounts of money.

* Should you possess a firearm, hand it in at your bank for safe keeping, unless you plan on carrying it on your person the whole time.

If you see any suspect activity, or experience an emergency please call the South African police emergency number: 10111

By: Gerald Crawford

About the Author:

Create a video blog…instantly.

There are only 3 main flights from Miami to Cape Town South Africa. These are The South African Airways, Delta Airlines and British Airways. There is no direct flight and all of the flights make 2 stops before getting to their destination.

Some of the cities these flights fly via include Washington, Johannesburg, New York, Baltimore and Johannesburg. With each stop you have to switch flights but this is normal for long flights.

The South Africa Airways

This flight to South Africa from Miami departs from Miami at 13:25 heading for Washington Dulles. It gets there at about 16:04. After about 90 minutes it takes off this time heading for Johannesburg where it arrives at 15:50 the following day.

It then lives Johannesburg at 17:40 and flies to its final destination, Cape Town. It gets there at 19:50. The air flight to South Africa from Miami is about 20 hours long.

Delta Airlines

Delta Airlines lives Miami at 06:00 and flies to Baltimore. It arrives there at 10:34 and takes off at 11:00 heading to New York, specifically to the JFK airport. It gets there at about 12:10 and takes off at 16:00 heading straight for Cape Town South Africa.

This flight is longer than the South African Airways i.e. it’s a 23 hour flight.

British Airways

The British Airways departs from Miami at 20:50 and heads straight for London. It gets there the following day at 10:05. There is quite a long stretch of waiting here as the new flight that you are switched to only takes off at 17:50 and flies to Johannesburg.

It gets there at 06:35 on the second day. You are then switched to another flight i.e. the SA317, which lives Johannesburg at 09:00 and gets to Cape Town at 11:10. The total flight time is about 21 hours – better than using Delta Airlines.

In terms of prices for air flights to Cape Town South Africa from Miami, the South Africa Airways is cheaper.

By: Mark Doeer

About the Author:

Create a video blog

Once upon a time a river took a journey and lost its way in the desert. Instead of drowning in despair, it luxuriated in its solitude, spread its liquid resource into a delta and created nature’s greatest kaleidoscope. It became known by the mokoro boatmen as Okavango. It became known by conservationists as the jewel of the Kalahari.

The Okavango, however, is only one facet of the wilderness we parcel up for you. For the optimum wildlife experience, we annex the other great gameviewing areas: the drylands of the Okavango in the Moremi; Chobe National Park including Savute – the kingdom of the lion; the endless stretches of the wild Kalahari and Makgadikgadi; the big tusker country of the Tuli.

This is a country of adventure, challenge and discovery: mokoro trails up secret waterways; overnight camping on islands and highlands; fighting the mighty Tiger Fish; surveying the vastness from elephant and horse back; admiring the abundant bird and wildlife; discovery of weird and wonderful plant and tree species on bush walks; sampling the Okavango bream, the sweetest eating fish of the realm.

Most of all, it’s a unique experience just being there.

Welcome Tourism Services has extensive knowledge and experience resulting in a comprehensive offering ranging from mobile safaris to tailor made fly-ins and special interest adventures. Our close association with Air Botswana, working directly with the internal charter companies, and product knowledge, affords us the flexibility to link lodges from different operators, ensuring innovative itineraries based on clients’ preferences.

Our approach to customising safaris is to give clients an intense experience of the areas visited. This means concentrating on the highlights. In Botswana there are 4 wildlife and wilderness highlight experiences. A stay in a water camp to explore the wetlands of the famed Okavango Delta by motorised craft or mokoro (dug out canoe).

A stay in a dual or land camp to view a great variety of game and bird life from an open safari vehicle. A venture into the Chobe area including Savute, a harsh land where the battle for survival is desperate and prides of African lion are dominant. On a mobile safari tracking migratory herds of game through the endless vistas of the wild Kalahari.

In addition, some of our special interest safaris will take you to lesser-known areas and add a special touch to your Botswana sojourn.

Welcome Tourism Services represents all accommodation establishments in Botswana, from hotels suitable for groups to luxury tented camps and lodges and old-style rustic safari camps. The emphasis is on personal service, comfort, convenience and good food, all within the spirit of wilderness life.

With a population of about 1.5 million people and covering almost 582 000 square kilometres, Botswana is one of the most sparsely populated countries in Africa. Having scarcely been developed under a British colonial administration between 1885 and 1966, the discovery of diamonds, a year after independence, has allowed Botswana to develop rapidly.

Sir Seretse Khama, the country’s first post-independence president, being one of the most remarkable and far future thinking leaders that any nation could wish for, laid the foundations for a free and uncompromisingly democratic society, which with continuing political stability and economic growth, truly makes Botswana a role model for success in Africa.

With the exception of the eastern part of the country, which receives slightly higher summer rainfall and hence is the most densely populated region, most of Botswana is technically desert. This makes the Okavango Delta, situated in the north-west of the country, particularly unique. At around 17 000 square kilometres the Okavango is the world’s largest inland delta and is an extraordinary wetland environment surrounded by the strikingly flat and arid Kalahari Desert, the world’s largest expanse of sand.

The northern portion of the Okavango Delta is known as the ‘panhandle’. Here, the river is mostly still confined to its banks with seemingly limitless beds of papyrus. The area is attractive to birdwatchers and those hoping to glimpse the rare and elusive Sitatunga antelope. It is also popular with sport fishermen for the renowned Tiger Fish.

The Okavango Delta is a labyrinth of islands, secret lagoons and hidden water channels. It varies in size throughout the year, being dependant largely on the rains which fall in the Angolan Highlands, 1 000 kilometres to the north. Although the flood arrives in the panhandle in March, it doesn’t reach Maun at the southerly end of the delta until August.

The Moremi Wildlife Reserve occupies a large portion of the Okavango Delta. It contains diverse habitat, ranging from permanent swamp to floodplains, islands and large areas of dry land including ‘Chiefs Island’ and the ‘Mopane Tongue’ of dry scrub and Kalahari sands, which results in prolific bird and animal life.

The Chobe National Park in the north of Botswana is noted for the superb game viewing year round along the river front and famous for the heaviest concentrations of elephant to be found anywhere in Africa today.

The Kwando, Selinda and Linyanti areas do not perhaps symbolise Botswana in the same way that the Okavango and Chobe do, yet tucked along the border with Namibia’s Caprivi Strip these areas remain Africa in its most untouched form. Those who have visited the area, speak of it with reverence and awe.

The complex of salt pans found in eastern Botswana are a striking feature and some of the largest in the world. The Makgadikgadi Pans cover nearly 12 000 square kilometres. The remains of an ancient super lake rich in archaeological evidence, undergoes a radical transformation in the rainy summer months from a landscape offering nothing but sand, salt and sky to one teeming with tens of thousands of migrating zebra and wildebeest and countless water and wading birds.

More than 17% of Botswana is set aside for national parks and a further 15% devoted to private reserves and game is prolific both inside and outside the boundaries thereof. More than 160 species of mammals and nearly 600 species of birds can be found. With its pristine wilderness and policy of exclusivity, Botswana provides an authentic safari experience for the discerning traveller.

By: Gerald Crawford

About the Author:

Website content