NYALA JUNE 2-17, 2021 Game Lodges: Dulini River Lodge Cheetah Plains Rattrays Mala Mala Makanyi Private Game Lodg NOT YOUR AVERAGE LUXURY ADVENTURE Safari Information Prepared For KEENE LUXURY TRAVEL CLIENTS South Africa is the quintessential African experience. From breath-taking scenes of nature unlike anywhere else in the world to the luxurious confines of incredible safari lodges with sumptuous cuisine; you will have memories that will last a lifetime. NYALA – ELEPHANTS LIONS LEOPARDS INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCES 2 Dulini River Lodge Dulini is located in the game rich reserve of Sabi Sands. Known as one of the best game viewing areas in South Africa. Dulini is situated in a prime location on the Sabi Sands River graced by giant leadwood trees. SAFARI ITINERARY AT-A-GLANCE Jun 2 Arrive JNB Airport - Overnight InterContinental OR Tambo Upon arrival into Johannesburg, enjoy a VIP Meet & Greet and transfer to your hotel. Spend the rest of the Cheetah Plains day and evening at your leisure. Cheetah Plains exclusive Plains Houses, home of the definitive exclusive-use luxury Jun 3 Fly: Charter Flight from JNB > Dulini River Lodge sustainable safari in South Africa’s most Transfer: Meet in InterContinental hotel lobby for you celebrated wildlife area, the Sabi Sand Game Reserve. transfer to JNB Flight: From JNB to Dulini – flight time TBA Short Transfer to Dulini Jun 3-7 On Safari @ Dulini River Lodge (4 Nights) Jun 7 Fly: 15 min Charter Flight to Cheetah Plains Transfer: Meeting time for flights to be announced at lodge Rattray’s on Mala Mala Flight: Charter Flight Departure Times – TBA MalaMala Game Reserve is the largest private Jun 7-10 On Safari @ Cheetah Plains (3 Nights) Big Five game reserve in South Africa. Comprising of 33000 acres. Mala Mala shares June 10 Transfer: Drive through game reserve to Rattray’s on Mala Mala a 12 miles unfenced border with the world Transfer: Meeting time for transfer to be announced renowned Kruger Nation Park and offers at lodge exceptional game viewing and luxury accommodations. Jun 10-14 On Safari @ Rattray’s on Mala Mala (4 Nights) Jun 14 Fly: 15 min Charter Flight from Mala Mala to Makanyi Flight: Charter Flight Departure Times – TBA Jun 14-17 On Safari @ Makanyi Private Game Lodge (4 Nights) Jun 17 Transfer from Makanyi to HDS Airport Transfer: Transfer Departure time TBA Flight: SAA Flight from HDS to JNB time – TBA Makanyi Private Game Lodge Makanyi is located in the Timbavati, which has International Flight to USA - Flight no earlier than 7:00 been dubbed as “The Place Where Something pm. Goodbye Africa! Sacred Came Down to Earth.” The Timbavati has prime game viewing, home to the “Big Five” as well as the infamous, albeit elusive, White Lions. For returning safari guests, a lot of this information you will already know from past safaris but it does not hurt to have it here again in order to refresh your memory. There is a lot of information in this booklet and we do know that it is a lot of reading, but we do suggest you read it all through once so you are more informed about your safari. Certain key information, particularly flights, baggage and clothing details are repeated in different areas of the booklet so that you can find information in more than one place. By June 2020, some of the flight times may have changed and the final itinerary from Personal Africa to be received approximately three weeks prior to departure will have the up-to-date details. Any additional questions, please contact Ngaire Keene Hutyra at [email protected] Enclosed in the binder, you will find information on the following: Cancellation Policy and Insurance Information – page 3 Air and Baggage Details – page 4 Open Seating Safari Vehicles – page 5 Packing and Clothing – pages 6-10 Usual Concerns for First-time Safari Goers – pages 11-12 Bush Bathrooms – page 13 Frequently Asked Questions – page 14 Photography Notes – pages 15-16 Shangann Language – page 17 IMPORTANT General Information About Visiting South Africa – pages 18-20 If any of your travel Suggested Reading – page 21 documentation has changed Value Added Tax (VAT) Refunds – pages 22-23 from the information that we Emergency Contacts & Placing Calls Within South Africa – pages 24-25 have on file, then please advise Lodge Information by Ngaire – page 26 us of the changes immediately. Cancellation Fees: More than 180-days prior to departure PER PERSON - $500 Personal Africa cancellation fee 179 to 90 days prior to departure – 25% of tour cost 90-61 days prior to departure – 30% of tour cost 60-31 days prior to departure – 50% of tour cost 30 days or less prior to departure – 10%% of tour cost to included handling fee and liquidated damages for Personal Africa. Additional cancellation fees may apply to air arrangements. If you cancel and someone takes your place there is NO cancel penalty. I have always been able to replace anyone who had to cancel with another couple. However, we cannot guarantee that. All cancellation fees will be waived if Keene Luxury Travel re-sells the reservation at the time of cancellation prior to the final payment due date and prior to the time that any named non-refundable or non-transferable arrangements have been made by Personal Africa Insurance: The 25% penalty goes into effect at 179 days prior to departure. If you cancel after 180 days and we are unable to sell your space you will be assessed a 25% penalty. The penalty amount will increase as it gets closer to the departure date as per the cancellation penalty noted above. We suggest purchasing your insurance prior to final payment. NYALA – ELEPHANTS LIONS LEOPARDS INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCES 4 Air and Baggage Information These are estimated flight times. Times could fluctuate slightly CHARTER FLIGHTS 6/3 - Private Charter 1 ½ hour flight from JNB to Dulini 6/7 - Private Charter 15 minute flight from Dulini to Cheetah Plains 6/14- Private Charter 15 minute flight from Mala Mala to Makanyi SOUTH AFRICAN AIR FLIGHT 6/17 - SAA 45 minute flight from HDS (Hoedspruit) to JNB Important “NEW” South African Entry & Exit Requirements depending on the flights you book you may need a yellow fever shot. Yellow Fever and Public Health South Africa’s new yellow fever law extends to travelers flying to South Africa via yellow fever designated countries. If your transit stop in a yellow fever designated country is longer than 12 hours, you MUST HAVE a yellow fever vaccination certificate. This includes unexpected deviations to yellow fever designated countries. See http://www.cdc.gov/yellowfever/maps/ This could be a particular nuisance for travelers from the United States, whose flight itineraries often include refueling stops in Accra, Ghana or Dakar, Senegal; many passengers are often unaware of these refueling stops, because they are not required to change seats, and both legs of the itinerary have the same flight number. The new provision also includes rare instances when a plane makes an unscheduled landing in a yellow fever designated country, so it may be a good idea for travelers to go ahead and obtain a yellow fever vaccination prior to travel, if only to guard against any potential flight difficulties. In addition, all travelers must carry their original yellow fever vaccination cards; immigration inspectors generally do not accept letters, scans, copies, etc. as valid documents. Yellow fever vaccinations are no longer administered at South African ports of entry for the purpose of entering the country. The policy requires travelers to obtain a yellow fever vaccination at least 10 days prior to arrival in South Africa. BAGGAGE DETAILS Your maximum combined luggage allowance is a total of 44lbs per person. This is due to the short flights between lodges. You are on SAFARI jeans and safari gear is all you need. Remember you wear your safari clothes to dinner no need to change at the safari camps. Free Laundry everywhere. It is okay to wear the same clothes again and again. You will not be the only one doing that! After you go once you realize this weight limit is easy to maintain – see the Packing and Clothing pages 6-10. What kind of bag to bring? What works best is a soft-sided bag for the game parks. We suggest the following luggage: Rules have changed at the JNB airport. All checked bags must have a hard base and no long duffle straps. It can be the rolling type as long as it is hard on one side. Personal bag: Camera, backpack, cosmetic or small bag. NYALA – ELEPHANTS LIONS LEOPARDS INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCES 5 Open Seating Safari Vehicles Just like dining with different not know each other there is more people on a Regent cruise, this is distance between the guests and the same thing on safari with the Rangers in each Land Rover. OPEN SEATING SAFARI VEHICLES. In fact, by trading vehicles and This plan usually works better for getting to know all of the Rangers our group than the normal it truly enhances the safari situation of the same people with experience. the same Ranger for the entire stay at a camp. It is better for everyone to experience the different rangers From Our Point of View since they all offer varying points of view. If there is a Ranger that is The last few safaris we have found fantastic and one that is average we want to trade around with the it is not really fair to those that end TIPPING – Tips are included in your vehicles. It is fun to go out with up with the average Ranger for safari fare and we will tip the different people in the group and the entire length of their stay.