A view of Church Street in Tulbagh, Western Cape

Greetings from a Lockdown Cape Town,

No doubt everyone is upset and not happy with the situation we are all placed under at the moment. I just hope that you are all well and managing to cope under the circumstances. Here at CTC Marketing we are really housebound as being a Guide and in the Tourism Business we have no job as they say, however I will continue with my marketing. Chris will still be in contact with the Tour Operators who are still trying to work under these tough times. We feel for our Guest Houses and Lodges around the country and hope that we can perhaps be able to get some local South Africans to come and visit you or also visit our great adventure activities across the country soon!

I have connected with many new Face Book Pages advertising South Africa and have many new people joining both my personal Face book as well as Corbett Tourism Consulting Page, so they will be able to see what we have on our Website at the same time.  Chris and I have decided that we are now going to turn our overseas packages into local self-drive tours, so that should you wish to have a break from your own home, you will have somewhere else to go and see the rest of South Africa.

We have a tour from Cape Town via Paarl, Wellington to Tulbagh and then on to Inverdoorn’s new Luxury Tented Camp. Then we have another one that runs from Cape Town along the West Coast past Kwattu San Cultural Centre on the R27 to the coast at Paternoster, to Elandsbaai and then to Kotzerus in Namaqualand.  This tour can then continue up to O’Kiep area once the flower season is here. Or alternatively you can just do our Flower Tour from Cape Town with “Gerries Tours” and let him take you with a small group through all the flower areas.  To see more of what he has to offer, look at our Tour Menu on our website. Likewise we have Cape Kingfisher Tours where you also use your own 4x4 vehicle and he can take you around South Africa and further afield.  Please also have a look at his website under Tours – Western Cape. Then we have a wonderful tour from Cape Town right to Victoria Falls where you are given your own vehicle to drive, offering luxury accommodation for a 40 day experience across our amazing country and through Namibia no your own 4x4 vehicle supplied to you - see our website.

                                   
                                   Kwattu San Centre Museum                                              Elandsbaai

Of course, we always have the Winelands, which I think most people have visited already, being Stellenbosch, and Franschhoek. This can all be done in a day trip if you live in this area, if not, we have lovely accommodation in the Gardens, Tamboerskloof and Northern Suburbs, should you wish to stay there and then just do day trips to the surrounding areas. We have a lovely day trip
going from Cape Town over Bainskloof to Tulbagh, then back again via Worcester, Rawsonville over Du Toitskloof and back to Cape Town, with all the stops and places en route where you could pop-in if you wish. What about going to visit Roberson and Montagu, Swellendam, De Rust, Barrydale and of course not forgetting Bonnievale and their wonderful wine route, then stay over in Robertson, or Swellendam?  Here we will also put something together for you.

                                           
                               Getting ready for Ceres Zipline                                  The Quiver Forest in O’Kiep

Do remember that we have Ceres Zipline Adventures, which your children would also love to do, and there is Shark Cage Diving in Gansbaai, Whale watching in Hermanus, we have a Hippo tour in KwaZulu Natal with Advantage Cruises in St Lucia if you are in that area.  They will provide a Big 5 game tour and accommodation for you. Then all along the Garden Route from Albertinia, the Big 5 and other Game Reserves and Lodges to visit such as Garden Route Game Lodge & Spa at Albertinia, Indalu Game Reserve where you can have a walk with a Guide and an elephant, or just go on a Game Drive situated 30km from Mossel Bay.  A 10km drive from Mossel Bay we have Garden Route Safari Camp where you can have a morning Game Drive or a Nature Walk through their reserve or perhaps sleep over in their lovely Luxury tented accommodation or stay in their 6 pax family self-catering Lodge with your own private swimming pool. 

When visiting Mossel Bay area we have lovely family accommodation at Ruitersbosch Lodge on Robertson Pass, where the children will have fun as they can run around and play in safety and feel what it is like living out in the country with not a care in the world. On the same property Mom and Dad can visit Die Zink Stoor, where they can do wine tasting, have lovely eats and treats, ice cream for the children and also see the lovely crafts made by the local people in the area.  Visit Mossel Bay the town while staying out in the country, and the Gents can go and learn how to make Gin at Gannet’s Café GinSchool, while the ladies can have a wonderful Hi Tea at “DeJuVu” Vintage House in Marsh Street.

There are many other places to visit in Mossel Bay and we will put a package together for you should you prefer to stay in town itself, and suggest lovely restaurants.  Using Mossel Bay as a base will also give you time to visit Oudtshoorn and see the Cango Caves,  their wonderful CP Nel Museum in the centre of town or visit High Gate Ostrich Show Farm and we also have a wonderful lunch at The Pepper Tree Restaurant. Accommodation is available at De Denne Country Lodge should you prefer to stay over for a day or two. We have all these clients on our website, so will book your tour and accommodation for your adventures or relaxing breakaway. We will then suggest enticing restaurants where you can eat.

We have now given you a glimpse of the West Coast, Flower region, Northern Cape, the start of the Garden Route, and the Klein Karoo. In our next newsletter we will give you some ideas on local tours in the Eastern Cape and Kwa Zulu Natal and if we can travel a bit further, then Mpumalanga and North West and Limpopo.

Most of these places you will find on our Website, so should you wish to know of any other places where you would like to travel,  do not hesitate to contact us.  We will put a lovely holiday together which will be inexpensive for you, as you will be traveling in your own vehicle unless you would like a guided tour. We will add in your accommodation, things to see and do, and make your journey much easier for you.

Wishing you a restful time if you are still under lockdown and start thinking of which tour you would like to go on, once we are out of our houses again.  Should you have a guest house, a cottage or have self-catering and would like to be on our website so that we can add you into one of our tours, or perhaps a wonderful activity that we do not know about, do contact me. We are here to assist our local people for the rest of the year and forever if possible, seeing things are changing quickly, one thing is – we sure have a more beautiful South Africa than we have ever had before, so please enjoy it with your family or your loved ones.

Warm Regards, God Bless and do stay safe,                         .