Dear Traveler

It has been a hot February. Bone crunching, breath evaporating, swelteringly hot. Especially in the Kalahari, one of South Africa's best kept secrets and still relatively new to the concept of international tourism. We spent a wonderful evening here at the oasis of Vergelegen Guest House, an absolute gem of a place. The cool sophistication and attention to detail there is oddly in harmony with its starkly contrasted location in the desert. The food is simply spectacular and the place will leave you with very fond memories.

Another kind of sophistication is found at a place very far from the desert in the center of Johannesburg. Gold Reef City aims to recreate an entire mining town of yore and the 4-star Tsogo Sun casino hotel fits into this theme perfectly, relaying the ambience of the time very well. Steeped in the grandeur of a bygone era, we were almost transported back to a time when service and hospitality were paramount and elegance was the order of the day. 
Huge four-poster beds, Victorian baths, elaborate and opulent marble, dark, ornate wooden furniture, striped wall paper and chandeliers - no effort has been spared to welcome you in plush, authentic surroundings. And what theme park doesn't have death-defying rides? With names like The Anaconda, Tower of Terror and  Miner's Revenge, thrill seekers are sure to find what they're after.

And then for something different entirely… In the tiny town of Malongane in Mozambique (one of South Africa's neighboring countries) lies the sanctuary of Trataruga luxury self-catering camp. The wooden houses are built on stilts with decks and consist of eight suites (five double tents, two three-bed tents and one three-bed log cabin, the latter two for families with an additional bed or cot added on request). Wooden walkways connect them in the stunning milkwood forest on the edge of the beach. The interiors are sheer luxury and the furnishings and decor are all wooden and reed, painted in a white wash throughout to give it a beautiful, contemporary and natural summer feel.

I hope you enjoy this issue of Africa Travel and until next time, bon voyage!

Jo Kromberg,

Editor