WHATS NEW? - Giltedge DMC

WHATS NEW?

Hotels

XIGERA SAFARI LODGE
    NIN
OPE 2020
     E
        G
                       BOTSWANA
JU N

                               FEATURES

            A bold, new safari lodge, Xigera Safari Lodge is
            set in the heart of the Okavango Delta on the
            aptly named Paradise Island. Opening in June
            2020, it’s surrounded by deep channels and
            lush vegetation in a remote area of Botswana’s
            Moremi Game Reserve. For much of the
            year this magnificent area epitomizes the
            permanently flooded areas of the Okavango
            Delta, with islands, riverine forests, interwoven
            channels and expansive floodplains.

            The lodge, on the western side of the Moremi
            Game Reserve, will have 12 air-conditioned
            suites with bathrooms, outdoor showers,
            and decks with daybeds and views over the
            floodplains. The Xigera Family Suite will have
            two en-suite bedrooms. The lodge, which
            will be run entirely on solar power, will take
            a maximum of 24 guests and be open to
            children aged 12 and older. The lodge is
            100% solar powered, with a dedicated focus
            on sustainability and eliminating single use
            plastics.

            Facilities will include a library, a dining room
            and a traditional boma. Wellness areas include
            a gym, swimming pool, and a spa with 2
            treatment rooms and a steam room. Guests
            will be able to enjoy game drives, exploration
            by traditional mokoros and motor boats in
            the Okavango Delta. Private walking safaris,
            photographic safaris and workshops, private
            yoga sessions, helicopter excursions and bush
            lunch or picnics will also be available.

PROTEA HOTEL FIRE & ICE!
    BY MARRIOTT DURBAN
                 FEATURES

It’s always summer at Protea Hotel Fire &
Ice! by Marriott Durban uMhlanga Ridge!
This hotel joins other Fire & Ice hotels in
Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria.
The interior design style is 1960s Beach
Nostalgia – and can be felt around the
hotel. This hotel steers away from the
traditional and is edgy, experiential.

Just a short drive from uMhlanga Beach,
north of Durban – the hotel has a sun-
drenched deck, a trendy restaurant (that
serves breakfast, lunch and dinner), ultra-
modern rooms, gym and pool. There are
also venues for meetings and events
available. The hotel is just a few steps
away from the buzzing Gateway Theatre
of Shopping with its range of retail outlets
and entertainment areas.

IVY VILLA HOTEL & SPA
         JOHANNESBURG
                 FEATURES

The new inner-city retreat in Sandton
is the epitome of elegance, style
and attention to detail. The property
features superior suites and lavish villas.
Other facilities include a Camelot Spa,
conference venue, butler services and
popular Reuben’s Restaurant & Bar. The
hotel is also pet-friendly, and guests with
pets are provided with pet bedding, treats,
a walking map as well as access to a pet
sitter.
The property features Grand Luxe Rooms
and the Grand King Suite. Villa Suites will
open soon, with ground floor, first floor
and presidential suites, ranging in size from
50sqm to 108sqm –

A 238sqm conference venue has capacity
for 190 delegates, with full-day packages,
including lunch, starting at R550pp.
Other facilities include a Camelot Spa
and a butler service. The hotel is also pet-
friendly, and guests with pets are provided
with pet bedding, treats, a walking map as
well as access to a pet sitter.

REOP
                                      EN

      TINTSWALO ATLANTIC
           REOPENS
                FEATURES

Cape Town’s iconic 5-satr boutique hotel
on Chapman’s Peak Drive has been
closed since February, when a kitchen fire
destroyed the main section of the lodge.
The magical hotel opened its doors this
October!

Perched above a pebbled beach at the foot
of Chapman’s Peak, and overlooking the
Cape’s iconic Sentinel mountain, Tintswalo
Atlantic sits sheltered by the Table
Mountain National Park. As the only hotel
permitted to operate within the boundaries
of the word-renowned heritage site, the
lodge enjoys the best panoramic ocean
views. With 10 suites and 1presidential
suite, guests can enjoy sundowners on the
deck beside the heated pool and share
cooking tips with the charming Executive
Chef, venture out to the quaint Hout Bay
village, or take a drive to the nearby Cape
Winelands for an unforgettable wine-
tasting adventure.

Activities

SWIMMING UNDER VICTORIA
          FALLS
                  FEATURES

It is possible to swim in the rock pools right
underneath the Victoria Falls during low
water from July to January! This fun, new
activity is 3 hours long and accompanied
by a guide. This is an unforgettable
adventure right in the heart of one of the
most beautiful places on earth!
The activity starts with a walk down the
beautiful Batoka Gorge on the Zambian
side. To get to the swimming spot, guests
will be paddled by raft across the Boiling
Pot to a place where they’ll be able to
disembark and swim in the rock pools
below the Falls.

WATER BIKES
                 FEATURES

This guided 2-hour water bike adventure
starts in Simonstown and lets you
experience South Africa’s marine animals
including whales, dolphins, seals and the
famous African penguin colony. First time
it’s been offered in South Africa!

Our premium water bikes are silent, do not
emit any emissions, do not require fuel
and they will allow you to safely explore
without an environmental footprint. These
easy, no-hassle water bikes are very stable
and simple to steer. They do not need
balancing as with conventional bikes,
no previous experience or special skills
required. The only requirement is you must
be able to reach the peddles (generally a
minimum height of 5 ft).

Offer guided tours are available.

"KITCHEN COLLECTIVE"
COOKING CLASSES IN THE BO
          KAAP
                  FEATURES

Hosted by chef Denise Cowburn-Levy,
the cooking classes are perfect as a group
activity. Denise’s career involved lots of
international travel and this exposure to
exotic cuisines developed her own love
for cooking. Each Kitchen Collective class
is dedicated to a group of guests creating,
socializing and learning new culinary skills.

The Kitchen Collective is a collection of
food studios in and around Cape Town,
namely The Kitchen Collective Food
Studios (which has 3 kitchen studios in
one venue), Ginger & Lime (Fresnaye)
and Salt & Sage (Bantry Bay). A place to
host Interactive Cooking Experiences,
MasterChef Parties, Private Functions,
Launches and so much more. A space to
create a unique and special event for your
friends or team.

ELGIN ADVENTURE CENTRE
                 FEATURES

Offering the most exciting adventures
known to South Africa, Elgin Adventure
Centre will ensure you have the best time
while enjoying beautiful surroundings.
You can pick from rock climbing, bicycle
tours, hiking tours, Segway tours, zipline
adventure, 4x4 off-road adventures or
shark cage adventure.

Co-owned by Quintin Smith, from Bikes
'n Wines, and Ryan Larkman from Cape
Canopy Tours, Elgin Adventure Centre is a
DMC and adventure tour operator based
at the Elgin Railway Market, positioned to
offer full-service tour packages into the
beautiful and yet untapped Elgin Valley
and surrounding region. Elgin is a large,
lush area of land, circled by mountains, in
the Overberg region of South Africa.

JOHANNESBURG MICE
          ACTIVITIES
                 FEATURES

For corporates looking to arrange MICE
events in Johannesburg that offer
something different, there are a few
experiences that come recommended.

* Inner-city Johannesburg is a canvas
of local and international street art and
Past Experiences offers graffiti tours.
A 90-minute to two-hour tour gives
visitors the opportunity to discover the
city’s street art on foot. The tour can be
tailored to view areas such as Newtown,
Braamfontein and Troyeville. Tours can also
be booked with local graffiti artists who
share their art and life.

* Johannesburg Urban Adventures
offers a seven-hour Jozi delicious South
African Cookery Class. The day starts
with a 45-minute drive to Soweto, where
participants visit a popular food market to
pick up fresh ingredients. Participants then
learn how to create traditional dishes such
as potjiekos alongside a local chef, with a
beer in hand.

* The Soweto Night Tour by MoAfrika
Tours takes guests to some of the liveliest
shebeens. The tour runs from Wednesdays
to Sundays and visits four bars, each with
its own distinctive character and patrons.
The five-hour tour includes transfers from
Johannesburg and four drinks.

OLYMPUS SKY BAR
        JOHANNESBURG
                 FEATURES

Like its namesake, Olympus Sky Bar makes
you feel like you’re on top of the world!
Located above the Peermont Metcourt
Hotel in Johannesburg, this upmarket sky
bar has the perfect ambience and is the
perfect spot to enjoy sundowners with
panoramic views of the city. Indulge an
array of expertly mixed cocktails, premium
spirits, wines and the finest in local and
imported beers. Olympus Sky Bar consists
of 3 distinct entertainment areas, including
a new 108m² composite timber deck with
a pergola roof and can accommodate up
to 120 guests. The sky bar caters to light
meals, consisting of tapas style dishes,
including grilled satay skewers and mezze
boards. It's the perfect venue to unwind
and have a cocktail with top DJs playing on
weekends.

AURUM RESTAURANT
        JOHANNESBURG
                FEATURES

Aurum Restaurant is in Sandton on the
seventh floor of The Leonardo, Africa’s
tallest skyscraper. Meaning gold in
Latin, Aurum is positioned as a modern
interpretation of European cuisine. It’s
not fine dining, but it is contemporary
and clean. Inspiration is drawn from
chefs travels to Russia to Poland, Spain to
Finland with a key focus on sourcing local
ingredients, supporting local farmers. The
menu focuses on a new-world approach to
cuisine and sustainable modern-day dining.
The 140-seater restaurant is set to open
its doors at the end of September.

SYN GROUP - INCENTIVE
      DINING, CAPE TOWN
                  FEATURES

SŸN is a new Pop-up Experience in Bree
Street Cape Town. SYN meaning “vision” in
Norwegian, aims to marry innovation and
cuisine; bringing science to the kitchen,
and art to your plate. With more than 30
years combined experience between the
2 chefs who masterminded the concept of
Gåte in Stellenbosch. The pair encourage
diners to “expect the unexpected when
dinning at SYN” as they offer an immersive
dining experience, with their mastery and
quirky humor on full display. Focus is on
texture, taste and presentation. The unique
restaurant setting incorporates local artists’
sculptures and art pieces.

JAN HENDRIK'S
            CAPE TOWN
                FEATURES

Michelin star chef Jan Hendrik van der
Westhuizen has opened his Innovation
food Studio in Cape Town’s bustling
Kloof Street. The beautifully designed
space is tucked in an old heritage building
between The Mount Nelson and The
White Lotus Wellness Centre. The
experience culminates at the building’s
rooftop terrace, which does double duty
as both a sustainable garden, feeding
directly into the kitchen, and an intimate
bar. The Studio is a creative culinary and
media space consisting of a development
kitchen and a creative studio. In the
development kitchen, a team of chefs,
culinary students and food developers — in
constant collaboration with Jan Hendrik —
will explore South Africa’s unique culinary
heritage and ingredients with the aim of
developing new dishes.

Flights

KENYAN AIRWAYS TO
INTRODUCE ADDITIONAL CAPE
      TOWN FLIGHTS
                 FEATURES

Ever wanted to explore the plains of the
Serengeti? Now you can, Kenya Airways is
adding two more direct flights to its Cape
Town-Nairobi service from October 27.
Flying between Cape Town International
Airport to Jomo Kenyatta International
airport in Nairobi, making travel from
South Africa that much easier. The flights
join the three existing weekly flights on the
route. The additional two flights will result
in five non-stop flights a week operated on
a Boeing 737-800.

NEW YORK - CAPE TOWN
                 FEATURES

Planning a trip to the US, but dreading
the long flight and layovers in between?
United Airlines will be launching a much-
needed direct flight from Cape Town to
New York, starting this festive season! This
brand-new route to The Big Apple takes
flight from 16 December 2019 until 27
March 2020, with the possibility to extend.
Flights depart Cape Town International
Airport and land at Newark Liberty
International Airport (EWR) in just over 14
hours.