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After a safe
flight to East London our friends set off to visit Inkwenkwezi Private
Game Reserve a few kilometres outside East London on the East
Coast . When booking for clients are done at this Game Reserve, a
Guide is allocated at the same time, who will accompany guests throughout their stay and take them on
guided tours e.g. Game Drives, Hiking, Bike riding, Canoeing or
Quad Biking. Guests are also booked into Bush Camp tents or
Valley Camp accommodation. The Reserve overlooks the Indian Ocean, which
also offers opportunities for Whale and Dolphin viewing. After an
adventurous visit they set off 3 days later and headed for the a
long drive to Baviaanskloof area near Port Elizabeth but far
inland. Tel: 043 734 3234 email: pgr@inkwenkwezi.co.za
 
Swimming pool at the Hotel
Their Dining
room/ Theatre
Because of the
long drive and also stopping along the way for lunch or tea, we decided to let our clients
visit Steytlerville in the Karoo for an overnight stay at the Karroo
Theatre Hotel. This being a Hotel offering a Dinner at night plus
amazing entertainment, which one will never expect in such a small
country village. Our clients thought this was really different to
the rest of their accommodation they had before and loved it.
Karroo Theatre
Hotel: Contact Jacques/Mark 049 835
0010 email: info@karroohotel.co.za
Roads
in the Baviaanskloof area. Nicole
& Philipp under the Rock formation
The next morning they set off for Willowmore before reaching the Baviaanskloof
Wilderness
area with its beautiful mountains. The Baviaanskloof road stretches from
Patensie in the east to Willowmore in the west (197 Km’s) and nature
lovers taking the untarred road find an almost pristine wilderness. Along
the way two majestic mountain passes are crossed and numerous low water
bridges are encountered. Our clients had to travel on the tar road
instead, this is why we suggested that they go via Steytlerville as
they were not travelling in a 4x4 vehicle. But, also had
amazing views of the Karoo and of course of the mountains
surrounding them. For more information on this wonderful area which needs
at least more than 3 days to experience all the caves, camping
sites, hiking trails and water falls. Contact the Baviaanskloof Tourism
Information: Mobile: 084 616 0056 or email: info@baviaanskloof.net Baviaanskloof Wilderness
 
Meiringspoort
outside De
Rust Below
the Meiringspoort Waterfall
After a wonderful visit in this pristine area our clients set off for the
Klein Karoo travelling back to Willowmore and on to De Rust. Nestled
between the Swartberg and Kammanassie Mountains, De Rust is the
gateway to the Great and Klein Karoo. De Rust is a
quaint Little
Karoo village that lies at the southern portal of the famous Meiringspoort about 35 km from Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape of South Africa. This quaint
Victorian village is a unique place for an overnight stop on route
to one of the many tourist destinations in the Klein
Karoo, De Rust has a
typical Karoo atmosphere steeped in hospitality and time. Time for well-being, time for each other and for some
time to become a human being again. De
Rust has neither rat-race nor rust and very little crime . Contact: Oudtshoorn information Centre
 
Klaarstroom
Guest House & Car
District of Klaarstroom
We however, sent our clients on to Klaarstroom as they had visited De
Rust before on a previous tour. The small hamlet of Klaarstroom
‘Clear Stream’ which was a functional stop at the foot of the Swartberg
Mountains in the Great Karoo, entrance to Meiringspoort, was established
in the mid-19th century. It presented the first opportunity to farmers
from deep in the Great Karoo, en route to the small port of Mossel Bay,
to wash their precious cargo of wool in the clear mountain water. A
wool-washing facility was soon established. With the wool-washing
facility having long since disappeared, time, technology, the railroad
and modern highways passed Klaarstroom by, totally
forgotten.
This Victorian
working farm village is little affected by time and change in South
Africa. Time stands still, Hot Days, the vastness of clear blue skies
above and tranquillity of the endless plains of the Karoo, star filled,
crisp evenings allow for a refreshing change to the hustle and bustle of
life in the 21st century. And guess what, they have the
best WiFi in South Africa. Ideal if you were writing a book!
We decided to let our couple sleep in a Victoria Guest House right in the
middle of town where they could watch the “goings-on” in town.
This they loved and would have liked to stay longer. Klaarstroom Guest House : Jeremy & Sharon klaarstroom@telkomsa.net Mobile: 082 488 8370
 
Avoova Round
Plate
Avoova Wooden Plate
After their one night visit in this hamlet, the journey
continued to Prince Alfred another small village. Prince
Albert, just 60 km east of
Klaarstroom, offers a Saturday morning market that includes fruit,
cheese, homemade delicacies, cakes, breads and vegetables. You can stock
up on Karoo lamb and enjoy an early morning cup of coffee, whilst the
town’s annual Olive Festival, which usually takes place in April/May, is
legendary. The Avoova Ostrich Egg Factory also employs the local
community to work in their business.
Beautiful products
are made,
at Avoova
and then sold here in Cape Town CBD and V & A Waterfront.
This is
really worth a visit. Prince Alfred also boasts many preserved Victorian
buildings, Cape Dutch homes and has 19 National monuments including the
Swartberg hotel and one guesthouse. The
town is also known for its sun ripened
fresh fruit and dried fruit especially figs and apricots, Karoo mutton,
preserved olives , olive oil and feta cheese. There are also various farm stays in the District plus
self-catering cottages.
Prince Albert is located 2km from the foot of
the Swartberg Pass, near Gamkaskloof (“The Hell”} which is approximately
52km from the Swartberg Pass road and they have spectacular night skies
for Star Gazing
After a short visit, our couple set off to
their next destination which was
Matjiesfontein off the N1 going towards Cape Town from Prince Alfred.
Contact: Prince Alfred Information
Centre or look at our website. www.ctcmarketing.co.za
 
Matjiesfontein late afternoon
Lord Milner Hotel
Matjiesfontein is a charming and historic hamlet – a cameo
of Victorian life originally founded in 1884 by the
British. This little village was restored in 1970 by the well know
hotelier, David Rawdon to its Victorian Splendour once again and is a
National Monument. – South Africa’s largest privately owned museum at the
old Station. In days gone by – it was a fashionable health resort,
visited by international celebrities such as Cecil John Rhodes, Lord
Randolf Churchill and the Sultan of Zanzibar.
They have two female ghosts who are live-in guests at The Lord
Milner Hotel. Lucy is a vague spectre. Rumours abound of
people having seen her floating around the passages and the stairs,
wearing a negligee. We speculate that perhaps it’s someone who died in
the building.
Whoever she is, she’s friendly, and too ethereal to be
frightening. It appears that Lucy has never checked out of her room
on the first floor!
We also wonder if Lucy could be one of the voices that can
be heard from time-to-time emanating from one of the rooms in the dead of
night. A loud quarrels erupts and shatters the Karoo tranquillity, even
more effectively than a goods’ train clattering past. That’s not all
that’s shattered: it also sounds as if hundreds of glasses and plates are
being smashed inside too. But when someone goes to investigate,
everything is quiet and there’s nothing that has been broken...
After
browsing around our couple were on their way to Sutherland where
they were going to spend a few days.
 
S
A L T
Sutherland
Guest House
Sutherland is the
most amazing small village hidden away, one would think, as everyone says
it is too far away from everywhere??? That is not true,
it is that most people think there is nothing to do but just look at the
Stars! Which they see every day wherever they live in South
Africa, because our country is so vast and has so little pollution.
So you still have not seen the true beauty of the African sky all
though you’ve lived here all your life? People fly from all over
the world to visit Sutherland just to look at our perfect night sky – and
it is truly perfect. So it is high time that you pack your bags and
set off for the surprise of your life where the Milky Way is so close you
can almost touch it with your fingertips. A visit to
SALT ( South African Large Telescope) is a state of the art
facility. If you want to see how astronomy is done in the 21 st
Century, The best time to visit is during the winter when the sky
is the clearest. Remember to take “thermal” of everything, as it gets extremely cold, plus possible snow.
Sutherland also have the most wonderful meat in the world. Their lamp
chops are the best and served in all their Restaurants in town.
There are also a number of lovely Guest houses and self-catering
facilities for your weekend visit, which are very reasonably
priced. Contact: Esther Jordaan 023 571 1257
email: trom@hamtam.co.za
We have more tours
that have happened now recently, which I will continue with in my
following newsletter. So I hope that you have all enjoyed reading
about our amazing country which has so much to offer the
locals and visitors from all over the world. This might
just want you to pack your bags and jump into your
vehicle and set off for your own experience of South Africa. If you
do, let us know what you have discovered?
Take care and we
look forward to seeing some of you at the WTM in April. Our website
has many of you
who were members before, listed once again. Please have a look and see if
you are happy with the new website and your listing. Should you
wish to have anything changed on your listing, please advise us.
If you are listed
on nights bridge please send us your Link and we will add it for you, so
that any bookings
can go directly to you. If you are not a member, please join us and
complete our application form on our new website. Our annual fee is
very reasonable and we are hoping to list at least a few Guest Houses and
Lodges in our other Provinces, as our clients are now asking to travel
inland. Activities in all areas will also be welcome.
We look forward to
receive new Members from the Eastern Cape and also the Overberg and Kwa
Zulu Natal which we have not had listed before. We apologise for the
delay in our monthly newsletter, which was due to getting our website
completed, having to write this extremely long newsletter, so not to miss
out anything, and being hectic at the office at the same time. By the
way, it was lovely meeting some of your during the WTM here in Cape Town.
Wishing you all a
wonderful winter season, which is just around the corner.
Warm Regards and
God Bless,
THOUGHT OF THE DAY:
Nothing will change until you step out in faith and take
uncomfortable,
challenging action.
John Di Lemme
Corbett
Tourism Consulting, Marketing and Tours
Cape Town, South Africa
Mobile: +27 (0) 747 092 502 / 073 1409 700
elainecorbett@ctcmarketing.co.za
www.ctcmarketing.co.za
Twitter: @ElaineCorbett7
Face Book: Elaine Corbett 9889
Registered Tourist Guide WC8172
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