Recommend September 2011 - (Page 71)

southern escapes Terry von Guilleaume, president of SAA Vacations, explains that family options are very popular, “...as many of the properties/lodges used in all of the vacation packages afford under-18 child discounts. We have also been careful to try and include activities that appeal to both children and adults.” One of the biggest standouts for families is a collection of safaris that bear the name of one of the world’s most famous animal experts. “Jack Hanna, SAA and The Mantis Collection had looked at creating a relationship together, purely out of Jack’s love for Southern Africa.... SAA Vacations jumped at the opportunity and launched these exclusive safaris early in the year,” explains von Guilleaume. “Being in malariafree game reserves, they have naturally been appealing to families with younger children, especially families who wish to take their children on a more exclusive game and bush experience, as the safaris themselves allow for tracking, an activity rarely offered to the public.” The Jack Hanna Shamwari Safari to South Africa lets clients choose between five lodges in the private Shamwari Game Reserve for a 3night stay. Here they can participate in wildlife presentations and the Ranger Training Program, go on photo and night safaris, have a bush dinner under the stars and view white rhino, cheetah and more. It starts at $2,699 pp for adults and $1,799 pp for children, domestic and international flights from JFK or IAD also included. With the “highly inclusive” Ultimate Family Safari to South Africa, families enjoy a 2-night stay in Sun City’s grand Palace of the Lost City, which has its own water park. They can go wake boarding, jet skiing, take a cruise in a private lake, play around on bumper boats and more. They’ll also spend two nights at Jaci’s Safari Lodge in the Madikwe Game Reserve, where adults go on a game drive while those 4 and under get their own kid-friendly jungle drives. Then it’s off to Cape Town for three nights at Table Bay Hotel in the convenient Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. They can take a boat ride to Robben Island or a cable car to Table Mountain on their day at leisure after a full day of exploring the Cape Peninsula and Cape Point, spotting penguins at Boulders Beach and visiting the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Rates for October are $5,699 pp dbl for adults and $1,499 pp dbl for kids 12 and under; May 2012 rates drop down to $4,999 pp dbl for adults. The rates include international flights from JFK or IAD as well as domestic flights. South Africa, says South African Tourism President Sthu Zungu, is an ideal family destination, combining both educational enlightenment and discovery for parents and children alike. “Museums are filled with culturally rich stories and ancient fossils that date back to the dawn of mankind, while safaris offer an intimate look at wildlife in its natural habitat,” she explains. “It’s a place where learning occurs through experience and travelers return home with an expanded outlook on the world.” Every SAA Vacations package, says von Guilleaume, can be customized by changing hotels or day tours to better meet the needs of each family. “My advice to families with school-going children is to look at adding KwaZulu-Natal, especially if they are traveling in June, July or August,” he states. “KwaZulu-Natal has the best weather at that time of the year and the family-friendly activities are bountiful, whether it is uShaka Marine World, riding the sky car over the WC Stadium, swimming at the beaches, exploring the Drakensberg mountains, exploring Lake St. Lucia, or visiting the battlefields [of the 19th-century Zulu-BoerBritish wars]—all of the aforementioned activities are great for families. You can take it from me—I was just in South Africa and dragged my family all over the country for a month. Our stop in KwaZulu-Natal was rated as one of the best times of the trip by my wife and three kids.” continental holidays Backpackers and outdoor types with little ones as young as 6 might want to consider Kumuka Worldwide’s Cheetahs, Dunes & Waterfalls from the company’s Family Adventure Tours, which visits Namibia, Botswana and Zambia. This is not for pampered souls, though, who can’t live without their poolside chaise longues and spa treatments. In fact, this 14-night tour features 11 nights of camping—a true adventure the kids will be all giddy about—with help from a camp assistant/cook and a tour guide. It’s wise to let clients know that their tents will not be of the luxurious variety—although they are outfitted with mosquito nets—and that they need to pack a sleeping bag. Also, the modes of transportation are truly exhilarating: 4x4 safari vehicle, boat, on foot and mokoro (a type of canoe). The tour company stresses that, “Children and adults alike can gain so much more outside the world of stay-put, package holidays with their kiddie clubs that isolate children from the local culture and people.” Starting in Namibia, visitors explore the sand dunes of Sesriem National Park and Sesriem Canyon, visit with cheetahs and seals and greet elephants and other wildlife in Etosha National Park. They’ll also spend time in the town of Swakopmund, a seaside resort area with lots of German colonial architecture. Here, clients can participate in optional excursions such as sand boarding or quad biking in the desert, game fishing, skydiving or taking a cultural tour of the township. In Botswana, they’ll stop by the famous Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park—going on a game drive and cruising down the Chobe River—before hopping on a ferry to end their trip at Zambia’s imposing Victoria Falls. Should they choose to extend their stay here, they’ll find many action-packed activities centered around the falls, including helicopter tours, canoe drifts and white-water rafting. Rates start at $2,475 pp dbl. n Archived related articles (available on recommend.com): Africa Travel Options Mix the Classic with the New (August 2011) contact information Collette Vacations: (800) 340-5158; collettevacations.com Kumuka Worldwide: (800) 517-0867; kumuka.com SAA Vacations: (855) 359-7228; flysaavacations.com september 2011 71 http://www.recommend.com http://www.collettevacations.com http://www.kumuka.com http://www.flysaavacations.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend September 2011

Editor's Notes/Agent Speak
Hotel Desk: Hilton Hotels & Resorts
Tour Talk: Abercrombie & Kent
Sunset Key Guest Cottages, Key West
Can't Get Enough of Jupiter Beach, Florida
Hanging Out in the Outer Banks
Aloha to Families in Hawaii's Resorts
Cruise Stockholm
Galapagos Islands- Cruising 101: Back to Basics
The Ultimate Family Adventure in Costa Rica
Flanders Travel Planner
Fabulous Family Voyages
China: A Wonderland for Kids
India: Pure Wonderment
An African Adventure
Dreams Punta Cana Resort & Spa, D.R.
The Bahamas: Islands of Adventure
Cayman Islands: A Home Away from Home
Mazatlan Reinvigorated
CasaMagna Marriott Cancun Resort

Recommend September 2011