My First Visit to Africa

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The South Africa tour 2008
Land of Nelson Mandela

It's always been a dream of mine to go to Africa. And this summer my dream will come through i will be traceling to South Africa from July 4th to the 18th.

This blog will be used to chronicle my preparations and the trip itself.

Here's the itinerary so far:


July 04, 2008, SAINT MARTIN/ PARIS
•Registration at the Air France counter at Princess Juliana Airport,
St. Martin in preparation for departure for PARIS, France
July 5, 2008, Arrive in PARIS
•Breakfast on board aircraft (Air France)
•Transfer to the IBIS hotel in Paris
•Meals on participants account
•Night at the hotel

July 6, 2008, FRANCE - JOHANNESBURG
•Breakfast at the hotel
•Free day in Paris
•Gathering at IBIS hotel at 18H30
•Departure to airport at 20h30
•Diner on participants account
•Registration at the Air France counter Paris France in preparation for departure to Johannesburg South
Africa

July 7, 2008, Tour of JOHANNESBURG -SOWETO - PRETORIA
•Breakfast on board aircraft (Air France), Arrival in Johannesburg, Reception by your English and
French speaking tour guides.
•Departure for tour of SOWETO. This black district of more than 3 million inhabitants extends on more
than 100 km². You will discover the small traditional markets with the house of Nelson Mandela as well
as the villas of Beverly Hills.
•Lunch will be serve at traditional restaurant, followed by a visit of Nelson Mandela HOUSE (museum).
•Arrival at the hotel Holiday Inn Express.
•Dinner at the restaurant La Madeleine and lodging at the hotel Holiday Inn Express

July 8, 2008, Tour of PRETORIA -PREMIER MINE DIAMOND -BOTSHABELLO - GRASKOP
•Southern African Breakfast buffet style will be served.
•Tour of Pretoria: administrative Capital of the country, which is known for its flora, especially its
colourful Jacaranda trees and over 100 parks. It has the largest residential university in South Africa,
and also possibly the largest correspondence university in the world. Pretoria is a small peaceful city
where you will discover the Union Building, which houses the seat of the government and the public
records, then Voortrekker Monument which symbolizes Large Trek, and from where you will travel the
Route for First Diamond Mine, continuation for the village Ndebele de Botshabello of the tribe
Ndzundza, famous for the practice of the traditional painting of its people.
•LUNCH
•The afternoon, a tour through the flat landscape of the plains of Highveld, will lead through the
crystalline fish rivers of Dullstroom, with the majestic processions of the Elands river before then
Graskop, a small village climatic calms and picturesque. You will also visit Blyde River which is one of
the geological wonders of South Africa.
•Visit of Pilgrim’s Rest, small mining village registered as a historic land mark.
•Visit of the village of Pilgrim’s Rest which was constructed in1870, by first colonists, at the time of the
gold rush.
•Arrival at the Graskop hotel, where dinner will be served and lodging for the night.

July 9, 2008, GRASKOP -PILGRIM’S REST -BLYDE RIVER CANYON -SWADINI
•Southern African Breakfast buffet style will be served.
•Departure to Bourkes along the steep sided valley of the Blyde River, where you will discover the
Bourkes' Luck Potholes, one of the most beautiful examples of rocks dug by the force of water.
•A stop at the view point entitled God's window, breath taking view overlooking the artificial lake
•Lunch will be served at the Blyde River Poort.
•Visit of the private reserve of Kapama and departure by 4 X 4 jeeps with a tour guide the safari at night
fall when the animals return to their resting place
•Arrival at Boma where dinner will be served around a campfire.
•Arrival at Swadini on the border of Kruger Park, where we spend the night at the hotel.

July 10, 2008, KRUGER NATIONAL PARK -SWAZILAND
•Morning Departure at 9 am in the bus, for Kruger Park. Kruger Park
bordering with Mozambique, is where the animals are kings.
•Stop for breakfast at the park,
•Continue visit of the park until Malelane Gate where lunch will be
serve.
•Departure in evening for the kingdom of Swaziland, small independent state in southern African. To
enter the clearing of immigrations is necessary.
•Dinner and lodging at the hotel in Swaziland.

July 11, 2008, SWAZILAND -EZULWINI VALLEY -HLUHLUWE
•Breakfast buffet style will be served.
•Visit of Mbabane the capital of Swaziland, a town of 50.000
inhabitants. The kingdom of Swazilandis a small, country in South Africa
(one of the smallest on the continent), embedded, between the west,
north and south and Mozambique in the east.
•visit of the glass and candle factories.
•Lunch will be served in Swaziland
•Return to South Africa, arrival at Hluhluwe in Zulu Country
•The evening diner will be served around the swimming pool followed on a Zulu traditional cultural
performance. You will be plunge in the Zulu universe. They appear without hesitation among the most
combative warriors, most coloured and most impressive of all the Southern Africa. They will dance
and sing for you
•Lodging at the Hluhluwe hotel.

July 12, 2008, RESERVE DE HLUHLUWE -ESHOWE -DURBAN
•Breakfast at hotel
•Departure for a panoramic tour of the Cosmopolitan city and seaside resort, it is also the second
port of the country after the Cape. 230 days of sun per annum and a beach which proceeds as
far as the eye can see. The very broad sea front extends on 8 km all with the length of which
large hotels and international restaurants alternate.
•Lunch in Durban
•Dinner and lodging at Durban.

July 13, 2008, --DURBAN CAPE TOWN -PENINSULE DU -CAP -MEETING WITH THE A.N.C
•Breakfast
•Free morning in Durban, lunch on participants account
•Transfer to the airport. Arrival with 16h then turn panorama of the
Cape
•dinner and lodging at the hotel.

July 14, 2008, -- CAPE TOWN -VISITE OF THE WINE FACTOTORY
•Breakfast
•9AM Departure for ROBEN ISLAND (the island where MANDELA was imprisoned)
•13H00 Departure for the area of African southern the wine gold triangle Dégustation of wines.
•Lunch in a property of STYLE WRAPS DUTCH with the members of the A.N.C. • Visit of the
historical city of STELLENBOSH • Return on CAPE TOWN. • To dinner environment African
jazz • Housing at the hotel.

July 15, 2008, -CAPE TOWN -JOHANNESBURG
•Breakfast
•Departure for an Excursion at the PENINSULE OF the CAPE You will leave towards the
districts Sea Point, Clifton before arriving at Houtbay, small fishing port dominated by
impressive Chapman' Peak. • Loading for discovered the Island of the Seals, where you will
have the leisure to look at very close a whole colony of seals.
•lunch of fish in edge of sea in a restaurant located in edge of sea near the entry of the reserve of
the Cape • TRANSFER A the airport and take-off for JOHANNESBURG FLIGHT at 14h00 •
•dinner and housing at Johannesburg.

July 16, 2008, JOHANNESBURG - FRANCE
•Breakfast
•Visit of the apartheid museum Johannesburg.
•Lunch on participant account
•Departure for the airport and take-off for Paris with 19h45. • NIGHT FLIGHT

July 17, 2008, PARIS St. Martin
•Breakfast on board Air France
•Lodging in PARIS at the hotel IBIS

July 18, 2008, PARIS St. Martin
•Departure for St. Martin

I'm so exited i can hardly sit still. I can't wait!!!

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