We were fortunate enough to experience the sheer opulent luxury of this recently opened hotel earlier this month. The hotel is seven stories, has 91 rooms and 40 island suites making it the largest in Cape Town. The island suites which are available in one and two bed configurations are on the water edge around the pool and outdoor terrace.

The service from the valet parking to the porter and reception staff is efficient and welcoming.

The hotel does have an idyllic venue being situated in the V & A Waterfront – the tourist hub of Cape Town. This situation provided visitors with the buzz of the Waterfront and a number of renowned restaurants on their door step. The hotel itself offers two outstanding restaurants within its complex and you need to pre-book if you would like to experience outstanding food. They are Nobu for Japanese cuisine and Gordon Ramsay’s Maze which features South African seafood and game. The largest glass wine cellar I have ever seen boasts 6000 bottles of wine and forms the one wall of the Maze restaurant.

Views of Table Mountain from the hotel are captivating and on the other hand you can watch the sun rise over the harbour. There are two landscaped private islands which accommodate the island suites, swimming pool and the One & Only Spa. This area is secluded and provides an idea place to relax around the infinity-edge pool.

Furnishings of the lounge and bar area are cosmopolitan and very comfortable.

The rooms are contemporary, spacious and all boast glass door which open onto a private balcony. Furnishings are in the muted tones of Africa. The bathrooms have oversized baths, showers, a private toilet and dual basins.

For more on the One & Only with pictures see our previous post here.

Newsflash: One of our favorite lodges, The Manor at Mark and Sarah Tompkins's 28,000-hectare Samara Private Game Reserve, was just voted onto the Conde Naste Traveller UK's Hot Spots 2009 list. That's an addition to an already healthy list of accolades including: Top 101 Hotels in the World - Tatler (UK) December 2006, The Top 50 Romantic Destinations - Travel and Leisure USA February 2006, Harper’s Bazaar - The 15 greatest safari experiences in Africa, March 2008 (to name a few) .

The Manor at Samara is for the exclusive use of up to 8 guests in luxury, air- conditioned en suite rooms with views over an extraordinary Karoo mountain landscape.

Congratulations Samara!

Read about it at Conde Naste Traveller or the transcript below.

The Manor, South Africa

When you first drive onto Mark and Sarah Tompkins's 28,000-hectare Samara Private Game Reserve (once 11 farms) in the Great Karoo, your heart sinks a little. There's a lot of scrub, and seemingly little else. But once you enter this house, with four en-suite bedrooms, your spirits lift. Looking out from the cool verandahs of the former farmhouse, the mountains rise dramatically, the horizon stretches forever, the pool scattered with purple jacaranda blooms seems impossible to resist. By the end of day one you're smitten, thanks to the views from clifftops over the Camdeboo plains, the sunset skies washed with delicate oranges and streaked with violent reds, and the mountaintop grasslands dotted with Burchell's zebra. As well as the reserve's game - all sorts of antelope, giraffe, rhino and cheetah (which can be tracked using GPS and are habituated enough to walk right up to) - highlights include 500-year-old Shepherd trees, the landscape and the manor's restful, pale interiors, designed by local star John Zwiegelaar of John Jacob Interiors. Meals are prepared with obvious passion by self-taught Iris Adams (whose recipes are stored in her head), one of 70 reserve staff hired locally.

WHEN TO GO April-May; September-November.
ROOM TO BOOK One of the rooms with French doors opening onto the veranda.
The Manor: The Manor sleeps eight

Parts of southern Africa are malaria areas and you should therefore consider taking precaution on your trip. We are not medical experts at ROAR Africa so we advise you to consult your doctor. What follows (click the picture) is some advice from Getaway magazine for your consideration.

Personally I try to avoid being bitten by being vigilant with mosquito repellent, mosquito nets (provided at most lodges) and loose long clothing. As the article recommends you should remain aware after your return home. Your local doctor may not be looking for or immediately recognize the symptoms if he or she does not know you were in a Malaria area.

Note that not all areas are malaria areas. Most of South Africa, Namibia and southern Botswana are malaria free. We can therefore create a trip including a safari in malaria-free areas if you prefer. Call us if you have any concerns.

I was fortunate enough to stay at The Constantia recently and it is a small hotel which I personally feel deserves all the credit it can get. The Constantia is located in Constantia suburb which is one of Cape Town’s oldest wine valleys and is situated a mere 20 minute drive from Cape Town city center.
The Constantia is located in well maintained tranquil gardens and boasts a relaxing, comfortable pool area where guests can relax. The lounge, bar and dinning room open directly on to the gardens and give guests an idea of always being outside and space.

It has eight magnificent suites which have contemporary furnishings. Nothing has been forgotten. The one we stayed in had a lounge area furnished with 2 cosy two seat couches and a large TV. The lounge opened onto a secluded patio where one could sit outside in private.

The bedroom boasted, as all do, a very large comfortable bed, adequate cupboard space, TV and all the necessary appliances. The bathroom was open plan to the rest of the suite and apart from the large bath had a large shower.


From the minute you arrive you are pampered by gracious willing staff. On arrival we were welcomed with drinks and while we relaxed in the lounge our luggage was taken to our room. Once our drinks were finished we ventured to our room where we were amazed to find that a bubble bath had been run for us and a bottle of wine was on ice next to the bath – what a way to start your visit to the Cape!

Once relaxed we went out for dinner and on our return we were welcomed once again with cocktails and an offer of coffee (even at 11:45 PM!) Our room had been turned down, rose petals spread and chocolates placed on the bed, bottles of water next to the bed – what a way to remove any stress!

Breakfast was served in the enclosed veranda area and they provided a full self service continental breakfast and the waitresses offered a cooked ‘English’ breakfast if you so wished.

An added bonus - as you leave in the morning to tour the Cape you are given bottles of water for the car.

The Constantia has thewonderful policy that drinks from the self service bar and anything taken from the room fridge are complimentary.

This is a hotel I can certainly recommend for those who would like to be able to relax in a tranquil environment, pampered by courteous staff and be out of the bustle of town – but yet again within easy access of all the tourist spots.


Written by Sue. Photos all from Last Word Hotels.

Airline Children's Meals: Did you know that many airlines – including Qantas, United and South African Airways (known as SAA) – offer special infant and children's meals?

The SAA chefs developed a "Child Meal" for children ages 2 to 6 years but also have perks such as skycots, baby meals including pasteurized baby food for under-2s, snacks of milk, formula or fruit juice and cuddly toys on board for infants. Speaking of menus, at South African Airways, a Kosher menu has been added to other meal services. Air Chefs and National Quality Solutions, in conjunction with SAA, launched a Kosher Hotline so passengers on SAA and several other airlines may request Kosher meal.

Be sure to pre-order the child-friendly meals when you make your ticket reservations.

It's not surprising that South African Airways is amongst the premier airlines of the world and has been voted ‘Best Airline to Africa’ from the UK for 13 consecutive years.

Here are 9 more Family Travel Tips from Tracey Frost Rensky, CEO of citibabes:

2. Always bring something new that your child has not played with yet and surprise them with it for the long journey.

3. Always, always pack extra clothes for the long flight. Bring things that you can layer.

4. But don't pack too much, that will only add to the burden.

5. Don't underestimate the power of your child's favorite book! This will come in handy when you're trying to get your child to sleep in a strange place at a strange time.

6. DVDs. If you do watch DVDs, make sure to buy a portable DVD player with the longest battery life possible. Get your children excited about your destination by learning a few words of the local lingo with language videos during a long flight.

7. Travel activity kits! Fun packs come with everything you need to keep children occupied for hours: a coloring book, activity pad, crayons, bubbles and a puzzle.

8. Create a travel journal with your children. Not only do the pages allow for days of work and creativity (and some quiet time!), a travel journal makes a wonderful keepsake for both children and parents.

9. Bring some simple open-ended materials for sculpting and play. My children love using aluminum foil for sculpting animals or creating mini works of art. Another favorite is pipe cleaners. Simple and re-usable.

10. But most of all have FUN! Travel is a great way to connect as a family, enrich your children's lives, foster a lifelong love of travel and make memories that last a lifetime!

For more about kids on safari see our previous BLOG post here.

Last Friday the United States lifted its travel warning for Zimbabwe, saying conditions were improving in the troubled African nation.

The US State Department denied making any political overture to veteran President Robert Mugabe, who has been pushing for the United States and other Western nations to remove separate economic sanctions.

"The political and economic situation is still unpredictable but we lifted the restrictions because there was a return of basic medical, food and fuel services," State Department spokesman Robert Wood told reporters.

"We're obviously going to continue to monitor the situation and if we feel we need to provide another travel advisory or warning we will certainly do so," Wood said.

"There is no political dynamic. We are just gauging the situation as we see it on the ground," he added.

Travel warnings by the United States and other Western nations have contributed to a slump in Zimbabwe's tourism sector, traditionally a major money-maker for the country.

A trip to Zimbabwe has to be taken with care and caution but we hope that this may be the beginning of an upturn in Zimbabwe's fortunes. Tourism may once again provide a much-needed livelihood for thousands of impoverished Zimbabweans. We look forward to contributing to that in the years ahead.

U.S. Department of State: Zimbabwe

South African wines are stirring up a lot of excitement these days as more wine experts give rave reviews on their elegance, power, and value. Join us for an exclusive two-day private wine tour in the spectacular Western Cape conducted by Richard Hilton, Roar Africa’s wine expert. Richard has had nearly 20 years of experience in the wine world, learning the business from the ground up in France and in South Africa. He has picked grapes, trod grapes, worked in cellars and bottling lines, pruned vines and marketed wines. Today he has his own winery in Stellenbosch, producing a limited production of fine wines which he sells to top restaurants in Cape Town as well as exports to Europe and New Zealand. Fortunately for us this means he can show us behind the scenes and there is almost no question concerning wine that he cannot answer.

Day 1- Trail of the Vine: Get ready to follow the historical path of the vines themselves right from your hotel in Cape Town, the mother city. You’re first stop will be in Constantia, the oldest wine region in South Africa. There, you will visit Groot Constantia, founded by Governor van der Stel in 1685. The next stop will be Klein Constantia, producer of Vin de Constance, a favorite of Napoleon Bonaparte and Nelson Mandela, amongst others. Now following a 300+ year old grape trail you’ll head east towards Stellenbosch town and Vergenoegd (“satisfaction has been achieved”), owned by the Faure family for six generations.

Lunch at 96 Winery Road, a mecca for South African winemakers and producers, followed by a visit to the celebrated estate of Vergelegen ("remotely situated"), established in 1700. The night will be spent at luxurious Klein Genot Country Estate and Spa in Franschhoek, the French Quarter of the Cape. This five-star boutique lodge is nestled in the Franschhoek Valley.

Day 2- Stellenbosch: On the second day, we’ll wend our way over the Helshoogte Pass to Stellenbosch meaning "(van der) Stel's forest" after the founder Simon van der Stel (1679). We’ll will visit the beautifully designed Tokara Winery and Olive Grove, the Rustenberg Estate, and the Waterford Estate to be treated to a wine and chocolate pairing. Lunch will be at the Ouverture Restaurant at the Hidden Valley Winery. The architecture of this popular restaurant is inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright.

The last stop of the day will be the golfing/wine domain of Ernie Els Winery before heading back toward Franschhoek through the historic Boschendal Estate.

Destinations with Deborah Howell

Deborah Howell of NextTrip Radio interviews Deborah Calmeyer, Co-founder of Roar Africa. The two interview segments can be listened to by clicking on the mp3 players below.


First segment:
History of Roar Africa, Specialty trips, Yoga in the Bush, Londolozi safari, monkeys outside your shower, Behind the scenes Wine Tour with specialist guide and connoisseur, Stellenbosch, Cape Dutch architecture, Cape Winelands, Steenberg Winefarm, Hotel & Spa. Cape of Good Hope, Victoria Falls rafting, recession specials.

NextTrip radio Int...

Second segment:
Roar Africa's approach, exceptional Safaris, Lion Sands Safari lodges, Singita Safari lodges, Honeymoons in South Africa, Winelands, safety, malaria-free safaris and more...

NextTrip radio Int...

NextTrip Radio: Destinations with Deborah Howell

I'm not sure which was the greater thrill; cowering in front of a massive silverback appropriately named Marvel on the slopes of a Virunga volcano, or that evening- my 23rd birthday- too thrilled to be tiered, basking in the afterglow of the experience with a banana beer in my hand and staring out at the red glow from Tonga volcano erupting in the valley below... our next destination.

With one of Oscar's harem, 1992

A lot of people have seen the Mountain Gorillas in Central Africa. Many, though undoubtedly far fewer, have seen Lowland Gorillas. All that's really required today is the desire and money. This sometimes makes my moment seem less special though certainly no less treasured by me. The fact is it was pretty damn special.

I think what added to the reward was that it was a high point of many months of travel across Africa. Relatively speaking this safari (Swahili: journey) was made without money. I was 22 when my friend Oren Kaplan and I, having just finished University, set off hitchhiking in South Africa with a sign saying "Cape to Cairo". It was 1992. We were two young, white South African males headed north at the tail-end of Apartheid. We loved the fact that we were sometimes the first of our demographic to arrive at a place (even receiving "first" visas) and that we were something other than what was expected of us when we got there.

We were rewarded with generosity and growth because let's face it; nobody is who you expect when you get there. We used only local means of transport which often meant legs but always meant that we were thoroughly immersed in, no... we were part of the experience. After a few months, and years of experiences, we reached the Gorillas in central Africa.

The Fearsome Ninja: Napping and up close

The first Gorillas I saw were Eastern Lowland Gorillas in Congo (then Zaire). Very few people were visiting the country back then because most consulate websites had warnings not to due to unrest. That was intriguing in itself but that's a different tale; one about guerrillas. Perhaps it was slightly reckless but it was the most rewarding month of the journey. The Lowland Gorillas were in Kahuzi-Biéga National Park, west of lake Kivu which borders Rwanda. We spent about 2 hours tracking Ninja, his harem and "kids". It was like hiking through a giant bowl of salad after which you suddenly found out that they were all around you. What a moment that was! Ninja was unfazed by our presence. In fact Ninja the Napper would have been an appropriate name. He had mastered the art.

The first photo in this post of me with one of "Oscar's girls" was actually taken weeks later on the Zaire/Congo side of the Virunga volcanoes further north. This is my favourite safari moment captured perfectly on film by my friend and travel buddy Jim Buckley. Of course it was months before we actually saw that he did nail the picture because we had no digital camera back then. We spent a few days up at Djomba Hut on the slopes of the Virunga volcanoes and visited two Mountain Gorilla families whilst there. The entry in my diary on May 25th begins "It's so pleasant here we're having difficulty leaving...".

If I go back I will probably never be as close to the gorillas as I was then. Visits were not as controlled back then and we were not as conscious of the possibility of spreading flu or something to the gorillas. The babies actually came and crawled onto us licking our arms where they could taste the salt from our sweat. They reminded us of children as they clambered about testing things and each other. Pulling sticks, hanging on branches... learning what does and doesn't work with some amusing results usually preceded by a loud cracking sound.

Of the three families we visited only one had a silverback, the 35 year-old Marvel, who showed any aggression. We followed protocol cowering and avoiding eye-contact. It got a little intense being curled up with a 400 pound silverback leaning right over us. It worked out fine though- apparently Marvel always knew he was the boss and didn't have to prove it. (Most Intense Safari Moment for sure.)

The More Fearsome Marvel

It's no wonder that banana beer brewed in a pit tasted so good that night; dead flies and all. We had tracked down our cousins on the side of this dormant volcano in the Rift Valley. In four days time we would have completed our walk across this valley to the source of that red glow, complete with gushing lava, and we would witness and contemplate the great continent rifting live in front of us.