Accommodation In South-Africa

Cape Town and Winelands

The "Mother City" of Cape Town with the famous iconic Table Mountain and the tourist friendly V&A Waterfront, has lots to offer both the African and International Tourist visiting South Africa.  The peak holidayseason to visit Cape Town and the winelands of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek is during the summer months from November to March, where you should experience hot, sunny days and minimal rain (if any!)  The migratory whales that calve in the southern Cape waters near Hermanus arrive towards the end of winter (August) and remain in Walker Bay until about November.  The climate of Cape Town and the surrounding winelands is a hot, dry summer (Nov to Mar) and a cool, wet winter (June - Aug).  Our Tour Guides in Cape Town will ensure you experience and enjoy a professional and friendly service, as you go sightseeing to Cape of Good Hope, Cape Point Nature Reserve, Boulders Penguin colony, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Robben Island - the ex-maximum security prison and to Franschhoek - the best winelands area.  After your experience here, venture off along the Garden Route.

2012 - WE ARE STILL UPLOADING A FEW OF THE LODGES DETAILS AND RATES ONTO THIS NEW WEBSITE.  PLEASE CONTACT US VIA OUR "CONTACT US" FORM SHOULD YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION ON ANY ESTABLISHMENTS.  SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE.

Garden Route & Eastern Cape

The Garden Route is a popular stretch of the south-eastern coast of South Africa. It stretches from Heidelberg in the Western Cape to the Storms River. The name comes from the verdant and ecologically diverse vegetation encountered here and the numerous lagoons and lakes dotted along the coast. It includes towns such as Mossel Bay, Knysna, Oudtshoorn, Plettenberg Bay and Nature's Valley; with George, the Garden Route's largest city. It has an oceanic climate, with mild to warm summers, and mild to cool winters. It has the mildest climate in South Africa and the second mildest climate in the world, after Hawaii, according to the Guinness Book of Records. Temperatures rarely fall below 10°C in winter and rarely climb beyond 28° C in summer. Rain occurs year-round.

The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bisho, but its two largest cities are Port Elizabeth and East London. The landscape is extremely diverse. The western interior is largely arid Karoo, while the east is well-watered and green. The Eastern Cape offers a wide array of attractions, including 800 km of untouched and pristine coastline along with some particularly splendid beaches, and "big-five" viewing in a malaria-free environment. The famous Addo Elephant Park and also Shamwari Game Reserves are in the Eastern Cape.

 

Drakensberg & Clarens

The Drakensberg ("the Dragon Mountains") is the highest mountain range in Southern Africa, rising to 3,482 metres (11,424 ft) in height. In Zulu, it is referred to as uKhahlamba ("barrier of spears"), Another popular area for hikers is Cathedral Peak. These mountains also have the world's second-highest waterfall, the Tugela Falls (Thukela Falls), which has a total drop of 947 metres. The climate is wet and cool at the high altitudes, which experience snowfall in winter. The Drakensberg is not only about its famous mountain peaks - Giants Castle, Cathedral Peak, Mont-Aux-Sources - it is also graced with a number of lower peaks known as the foothills of the Drakensberg. The entire Drakensberg is riddled with incredible waterfalls, rock pools, mountain streams, caves, crisp mountain air, and special spaces that raw both visitors to South Africa and locals alike. Not only does it boast some of the most incredible scenic beauty, but it also has over 600 examples of San rock paintings in caves around the park.

Clarens is a small town situated in the foothills of the Maluti Mountains in the Free State province of South Africa and nicknamed the "Jewel of the Eastern Free State". It was established in 1912 and named after the town of Clarens in Switzerland where exiled Paul Kruger spent his last days. Clarens is an artists' haven with many well-known artists either living in or frequenting the village, with many art galleries scattered around the village square and the town. The tranquil village ambience combined with scenic views and a mild climate makes has made Clarens a popular getaway for city dwellers from Johannesburg, Bloemfontein and Durban, among other places. Clarens is known for its spectacular sandstone mountains and wonderful climate; it is one of the most picturesque spots in South Africa and has recently been acclaimed as the best Trout Fishing waters in South Africa. The Golden Gate Highlands National Park with its sandstone formations and cliffs is 16.9 km from Clarens.

Durban & Zululand

Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in the country. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism because of the city's warm subtropical climate and extensive beaches. The municipality, which includes neighbouring towns, has a population of almost 4.5 million, making the combined municipality the biggest city on the east coast of the African continent. The most popular  holiday destination for Durban is Umhlanga Rocks and Ballito - with the King Shaka International Airport located in this area. Little is known of the history of the first residents, as there is no written history of the area until it was sighted by Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama, who sailed parallel to the KwaZulu-Natal coast at Christmastide in 1497 while searching for a route from Europe to India. The modern city of Durban dates from 1824, when a party of 25 men under British Lieutenant F. G. Farewell arrived from the Cape Colony and established a settlement on the northern shore of the Bay of Natal, near today's Farewell Square.

The Zulu Kingdom, sometimes referred to as the Zulu Empire or, rather imprecisely, Zululand, was a monarchy in Southern Africa that extended along the coast of the Indian Ocean from the Tugela River in the south to Pongola River in the north. A large portion of the territory is made up of wildlife reserves (such as Hluhluwe-Imfolosi, Phinda & Mkuze Falls) and a major contributing source of  income is derived from tourism – the area is known for its beautiful savanna covered hills and stunning  views. It is home to a WWF Black Rhinoceros reintroduction project known as "The Black Rhino Range Expansion Project" within the Zululand Rhino Reserve (ZRR). The ZRR is a 20,000 hectare reserve consisting of 15 individually owned farms that have lowered their fences in order to further conservation.

Kruger Park & Private Lodges

Greater Kruger National Park, is joint venture between the Kruger National Park and the Associated Private Nature Reserves. Together they have an area of more than 20.000.000 Ha (or more than 20.000 Km²), under their joint conservation. Associated Private Nature Reserves, (APNR), is an association of privately owned nature reserves bordering on the Kruger National Park. Collectively they represent 1,800 square kilometres (180,000 ha) of land dedicated to conservation. In June 1993 the fences between Kruger National Park and the APNR were removed. The following reserves are members of the APNR: Balule Private Game Reserve, Kapama Private Game Reserve, Klaserie Private Game Reserve, Timbavati Private Game Reserve, Thornybush Private Game Reserve, Sabi Sands Game Reserve and Umbabat Private Game Reserve.

Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers 19,485 square kilometres (7,523 sq mi) and extends 360 kilometres (220 mi) from north to south and 65 kilometres (40 mi) from east to west. In 2002, Kruger National Park, Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and Limpopo National Park in Mozambique were incorporated into the a peace park, the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park. The Kruger Park varies in altitude between 200 m in the east and 840 m in the south-west near Berg-en-Dal. The climate of the Kruger National Park and Lowveld is subtropical. Summer days are humid and hot with temperatures often soaring to above 38 °C (100 °F). The rainy season is from September until May. The dry winter season is the ideal time to visit this region for various reasons. There is less chance of contracting malaria and the days are milder. Viewing wildlife is more rewarding as the vegetation is sparser and animals are drawn to the waterholes to drink every morning and evening. African Bundu Safaris will always highly recommend you spend your hard-earned money in the superior private lodges rather than the cheap and budget public rest camps inside the fenced Kruger Park.  Private wildlife safari lodges offer a superior safari experience - superior accommodation, superior food/cuisine, superior wildlife Rangers and Guides, superior safari drives where the Rangers can drive off the road to get you closer with better photos and FAR less crowded and better-behaved drivers and guests.

Pilanesberg & Madikwe Reserves

The Pilanesberg Game Reserve is located in North West Province in South Africa, west of Pretoria. The park borders with the entertainment complex Sun City. The park was originally owned by three local tribes. It is one of the largest volcanic complexes of its type in the world, the rare rock types and formations make it a unique geological feature. A number of rare minerals occur in the park. Pilanesberg Game Reserve rates high amongst the world's outstanding geological phenomena. The park has an area of 572 km²(220 sq mi). One can travel through in a standard road vehicle as although most of the 188 kilometres of track are not surfaced, they are well maintained. The park has a rich array of southern African wildlife including the Big Five and the Bird life diversity is excellent with over 360 species having been recorded.

The Madikwe Game Reserve is a part of the latest park developments in South Africa. It was opened in 1991 and comprises 750 km² of bushland north of the small town Groot-Marico up to the Botswana border. Madikwe lies on what used to be farm land, but owing to the poor soil type, farming was not that successful. There are 30 lodges on the property, and six lodges in the private farms outside the main reserve. Madikwe has started Community Lodges, which the local villages own and run. It is currently the fifth largest game reserve in South Africa and yet not widely known. The climate is generally mild to hot, but winter nights can be cold. Over 350 species of birds have been recorded at Madikwe. It is the only place in Africa where Springbok and Impala antelopes meet naturally. It is very close to Pilanesberg National Park and there is currently, (2011), a two year scheme between the two parks that will eventually lead to there being a corridor between the two parks. Madikwe is in a malaria free area.

To the north of Cape Town, near Upington in the Kalahari Desert is the fabulous Tswalu Kalahari Game Reserve. Tswalu Kalahari, owned by the Oppenheimer family, is South Africa’s largest private game reserve, covering an area of over 100,000 hectares (1,000sqkm or almost a quarter of a million acres). For comparison, this is twice the size of Pilanesberg National Park and bigger than the entire Madikwe reserve. At maximum capacity Tswalu will take only 30 guests in total. This represents the lowest imaginable density of visitors. The emphasis here is on privacy and exclusivity – your own private Kalahari. Tswalu is located in a malaria-free area, welcomes families and actively encourages children to participate fully in the safari experience. The Kalahari is the ancestral home of the San people (Bushman). Tswalu has superlative game and offers sightings of some of South Africa’s rarest and most extraordinary wildlife,

Johannesburg & Pretoria

Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa. The city is one of the 40 largest metropolitan areas in the world, and is also the world's largest city not situated on a river, lake, or coastline. It claims to be the lightning capital of the world, though this title is also claimed by others. The city is the source of a large-scale gold and diamond trade, due to its location on the mineral-rich Witwatersrand range of hills. Johannesburg is served by O.R. Tambo International Airport, the largest and busiest airport in Africa and a gateway for international air travel to and from the rest of Southern Africa. The city enjoys a dry, sunny climate with late afternoon thundershowers in the summer months of October to April. Winter is the sunniest time of the year, with mild days and cool nights, dropping to 4.1 °C (39.4 °F) in June and July. The temperature occasionally drops to below freezing at night, causing frost. Johannesburg has over ten million trees, and it is now the biggest man-made forest in the world. Johannesburg's residential areas range from luxurious, wooded suburbs, to shanty towns and squatter settlements. The population of Johannesburg is around 7 million.

Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, approximately 50 km (31 mi) north of Johannesburg. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive (administrative) and de facto national capital, it also hosts the foreign embassies and diplomatic missions. Pretoria in South Africa is popularly known as "The Jacaranda City" due to the thousands of Jacaranda trees planted in its streets, parks and gardens. It lies at an altitude of about 1,350 m (4,500 ft) above sea level, in a warm, sheltered, fertile valley, surrounded by the hills of the Magaliesberg range.