South Africa: Seasonal rainfall & temperature outlook (September 2023 - January 2024)!

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has released the Seasonal Climate Watch for the period September 2023 to January 2024. According to the seasonal outlook, the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is currently in an El Niño state and will persist through most of the summer months. ENSO’s typical impact on Southern Africa is in favour for generally drier and warmer conditions during the summer seasons from October to March. Current global forecasts indicate a great deal of uncertainty for the typical drier conditions that South Africa experiences during an El Niño.

SAWS' multi-model rainfall forecast indicates above-normal rainfall for most South Africa during mid-spring (Sepember 2023 to November 2023) and late-spring (October 2023 - December 2023). During early-summer (November 2023 to January 2024) below-normal rainfall is expected over the central parts of South Africa and above-normal rainfall for the north-east.
Minimum and maximum temperatures in South Africa are expected to be mostly above-normal countrywide for the forecast period (September 2023 to January 2024).

Durban: Construction works underway at King Shaka International Airport (DUR)!

Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has announced that construction works are underway at King Shaka International Airport (DUR) in Durban. The project started on Monday, 28 August 2023, and it will continue until further notice. The corridor alongside the Spur restaurant and the Mugg and Bean restaurant is affected. Passengers are advised that all entrances and exits will remain operational.

Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) is a partially state owned South African airport management company, which operates nine of South Africa's major airports including O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg, Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in Cape Town and King Shaka International Airport (DUR) in Durban. 

South Africa: NSRI releases a "Super Blue Moon Spring Tide" alert!

South Africa's National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), a voluntary non-profit organization tasked with saving lives through drowning prevention in South Africa, is appealing to the public to be cautious around the coastline during this Super Blue Moon Spring Tide that has already begun and will peak during the full Moon period from 30 to 31 August 2023. The spring tide will then gradually begin to decline over the next few days into the new week.
Spring tides, which occur at full moon and at new moon every month, can have an increased affect on the strength of rip currents and caution is advised. However, the current spring tide coincides with winter rough sea conditions that are prevailing around South Africa's coastline with cold fronts that have past in recent days and weeks and with storms prevailing deep sea off the coastline, so that the NSRI is appealing to to bathers, coastal hikers, shoreline anglers, boaters, sailors, paddlers and the maritime community to be extra cautious.

(c) https://www.nsri.org.za/

The current spring tide is called a Super Blue Moon Spring Tide, because the upcoming full Moon will be the second full Moon of the month, making it a so-called "Blue Moon". This "Blue Moon" will also be a "Super Moon", because the Moon’s orbit is closest (perigee) to Earth at the same time the Moon is full. It will also be the closest full moon of the year, just 357,344 kilometers or so away.
According to NASA, Saturn will be visible as a bright point five degrees to the upper right of the Moon at sunset in the east-southeastern sky. The ringed planet will appear to circle clockwise around the moon as the night wears on.

Kruger National Park Calendar - October!

Weather:

• daytime temperatures soar
• first hard rains
• it can get extremely hot & humid if the rains are late

Temperatures:

• between 16°C - 32°C (Fahrenheit: e.g. 28°C = [(28x9)]/5 + 32 = 82.4°F)
• visit our webcam page for live footage from Kruger National Park!

Landscape:

• grassland beginns turning green
• many trees in flower
• lush vegetation
• river levels start rising

Animal Activity:

• breeding season begins for many antelopes
• game begins dispersing through the Park
• most of the northern migrant raptors arrive

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Short film: "SEE US" - South Africa's secret sanctuaries that sharks and rays embrace as their refuge!

On the Brink, a South African campaign aimed at highlighting the importance and value of new shark and ray sanctuary, has released a stunning (free!) short film titled "SEE US". The film follows a team of marine conservationists, divemaster, Thandeka Hlongwa, and marine cinematographer, Steve Benjamin, as they explore South Africa's untamed coastline revealing the secret sanctuaries that sharks and rays embrace as their refuge. The film, which was shot in the Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area in Cape Town and the Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area in Durban, aims to raise awareness around the vulnerability of sharks and rays and to shed light on the advantages of increasing marine protection and sanctuary spaces for both species within South Africa's oceans. Put your headphones on, switch the film to fullscreen and enjoy!

 click here to watch "SEE US" >>

South Africa: Flysafair relaunches a key route in the Western Cape in time for summer!

South African low-cost airline FlySafair has announced the relaunch of a key local route in South Africa's Western Cape. Starting from early September 2023, the airline will once again be opening a route connecting Cape Town and George. FlySafair will operate three weekly flights on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays between the two destinations. The inaugural flight is set to take off on 08 September 2023. 

George is the second largest city in the Western Cape and the capital of South Africa's popular Garden Route, a 300 km stretch of the south-eastern coast which extends from Witsand in the Western Cape to the border of Tsitsikamma Storms River in the Eastern Cape. George is situated roughly halfway between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.

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Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA): All nature reserves in Mpumalanga will go cashless!

The Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) has announced that all of its nature reserves in Mpumalanga, including the popular Blyde River Canyon, as well as its Visitor Information Centre are set to implement a cashless service system. Effective 01 September 2023, payments in cash will longer be accepted as means of payment. Visitors to the nature reserves and the Visitor Information Centre will instead be able to make all payments by using card or cell phone payment services. 

"In responding to the safety measures put in place to safeguard our patrons from being targeted by criminals, the MTPA introduces a cashless system in all our parks with effect from the 1st of September 2023. Visitors to our nature reserves do not have to carry cash when visiting our facilities but would rather use card or cell phone payment services. We want to ensure that our patrons enjoy a memorable experience when visiting our facilities. This cashless service will ease their frustration about being robbed carrying large sums of cash with them" said Mr. Mduduzi Vilakazi, MTPA’s Chief Executive Officer.

The Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) is custodian of 15 protected areas spread across three district municipalities in Mpumalanga, namely:
 
Ehlanzeni District:

• Andover Nature Reserve
• Barberton Nature Reserve
• Blyde River Canyon
• Mahushe Shongwe Nature Reserve         
• Manyeleti Nature Reserve
• Mthethomusha Nature Reserve

Gert Sibande District:

• Nooitgedacht Dam Nature Reserve         
• Songimvelo Nature Reserve

Nkangala District:

• Loskop Dam Nature Reserve
• Mabusa Nature Reserve
• Mkhombo Nature Reserve
• Ohrigstad Dam Nature Reserve
• S.S Skosana Nature Reserve

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Ein Beitrag geteilt von Mpumalanga Tourism (@mpumalangatourism)

Zimbabwe: Fastjet to increase flights between Bulawayo <> Johannesburg!

Low-cost carrier Fastjet Zimbabwe has announced the introduction of additional flight frequencies from Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport (BUQ) in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, and OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg, South Africa. Effective 30 October 2023, flights from Bulawayo to Johannesburg will increase from a daily service to 12 weekly flights with the re-introduction of a morning service. Every weekday, there will be a 06:50 departure from Johannesburg, arriving at Bulawayo at 08:10. Departures from Bulawayo will be at 08:50, arriving into Johannesburg at 10:10. These flights are in addition to the daily evening return rotation between Bulawayo and Johannesburg.

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Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: No power supply at two rest camps for three days at the end of August 2023!

South African National Parks (SANParks) has announced that Twee Rivieren Rest Camp and Nossob Rest Camp in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park will be without power for some time at the end of August 2023. This is due to the yearly maintenance of the transformers at Twee Rivieren Rest Camp and the mini substations ("minisubs") at Nossob Rest Camp. The maintenance will take place from 28 August 2023 to 31 August 2023 between 07:30 and 17:00. All related services will be affected as follows:

• 29 August 2023: Power Shut down at Nossob Rest Camp
• 30 August 2023: Power Shut down at Twee Rivieren Rest Camp
• 31 August 2023: Reception at Twee Rivieren Rest Camp will be affected

Kruger National Park: Temporary closure of Shingwedzi Rest Camp in September 2023!

The Shingwedzi Rest Camp, located in the northern part of Kruger National Park, is hosting the the annual "Baroque in the Bush" concert event from 11 September 2023 to 20 September 2023. This is during the same time as the annual SA National Parks Week (16 September 2023 - 24 September 2023) is taking place. Shingwedzi Rest Camp is fully booked during that period and will not be accessible to day visitors. According to SANParks, this is a long standing arrangement with the organisers of the "Baroque in the Bush" concert event as they have exclusivity to the camp for the duration of their stay.

Namibia to upgrade gravel roads in Etosha National Park! [update #2]

update (06 August 2024): The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) reports, that the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism is satisfied with road upgrades in Etosha National Park ahead of the peak tourism season. The ministry's Executive Director, Teofilus Nghitila, assessed the progress of the road upgrade.

update (30 September 2023): According to the Namibian Road Fund Administration (RFA), it has been mandated in 2020 by a special cabinet resolution to financially support the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism in regravelling roads in hotspot tourist areas in Etosha National Park covering 270 kilometres valued at over N$200 million, with RFA contributing 79%. The solution for RFA to support the upgrading of the road section from Okakuekujo, Halali, Namutoni and King Nehale gate to low-volume seal roads valued at N$700 million was further re-confirmed in 2022. The construction is expected to commence in 2024.

The Executive Director of the Namibian Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT), Teofilus Nghitila, announced at the launch of the annual tourism statistical report for 2022 that the Government of Namibia took a decision to tar some gravel roads at hotspot tourist attractions in Etosha National Park covering 229 km. According to Mr. Nghitila, the road construction project includes a low-volume seal road with financial assistance of N$160 249 317 funded by the Road Fund Administration.

"We are already working on a big project to upgrade especially the road between Okaukuejo and the King Nehale gate to an asphalt standard. This means we have to get it tarred and from there we will see to it that other major roads in Etosha are all upgraded", said the Executive Director of the Namibian Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT), Teofilus Nghitila.

The state of the gravel roads in Etosha National Park has consistently been criticized by Namibia's key tourism players as rapidly deteriorating. 

Namibia received an increase of 461 027 tourist arrivals in 2022, compared to 232 756 tourists received in 2021. The increase of 98.1 per cent indicates a 28.9 per cent recovery level towards the 2019 arrival statistics. South Africa, Angola, Germany, Zambia, Botswana, France, UK, United States, Italy and Switzerland makes up the top ten tourist source markets for Namibia  in 2022. The majority of visitors, representing 53.1% of the total tourist arrivals came to Namibia  between September to December of 2022, 36.1% of the tourist travelled between May to August and 10.8% travelled between the months of January to April.

North West Parks and Tourism Board (NWPTB) has announced the dates for the "Park Mahala Week 2023"!

The North West Parks and Tourism Board, mandated to, among other things, manage the 14 protected areas (known as nature/game reserves) in South Africa's North West Province, has released the dates of the Park Mahala Week 2023. From 10 September 2023 until 17 September 2023 the NWPTB is offering free access for South Africans to all (!) its Parks and Reserves in the North West Province excluding Madikwe Game Reserve. In order to be allowed free access, visitors will be required to present a valid South African ID or passport.

The following protected areas are taking part in the Park Mahala Week 2023:

1. Bakerspan Bird Sanctuary
2. Bloemhof Dam Nature Reserve
3. Borakalalo Nature Reserve
4. Boskop Dam Nature Reserve
5. Botsalano Nature Reserve
6. Kqaswane Mountain Nature Reserve
7. Mafikeng Game Reserve
8. Molemane Ey Nature Reserve
9. Molope Nature Reserve
10. Pilanesberg Nature Reserve
11. S.A. Lombard Nature Reserve
12. Vaalkop Dam Nature Reserve
13. Wolwespruit Nature Reserve

Namibia: Chaos at Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH) due to ground handling crisis! [update #4]

update (24 August 2023): According to a press release (23 August 2023) by the Namibia Airports Company (NAC), operations at Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH) in Windhoek are now back to normal. 

update (22 August 2023): According to the Namibia Airports Company (NAC), Eurowings Discover's first daily flight came in at 08:05 with the second one expected to land at 09:00 at Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH) in Windhoek.

update (21 August 2023): According to news sources from Namibia, Eurowings Discover has announced that two of its aircraft will depart from Frankfurt Airport (FRA) in Frankfurt, Germany, this evening (21 August 2023) and will arrive at Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH) in Windhoek early tomorrow morning. Both aircraft will be handled by Paragon Aviation Services.

update (21 August 2023): According to news sources from Namibia, Eurowings Discover and Qatar Airways had to redirect flights to OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg due to insurance issues in connection with the overnight replacement of the ground handling service provider at Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH) in Windhoek. However, Qatar Airways flights landed without any disruption or delay in Windhoek on 20 August 2023 as some of the issues were resolved. Eurowings Discover has canceled all flights to Windhoek until today (21 August 2023). Flights to Windhoek from tomorrow are open for bookings on the airline's website. Eurowings Discover chartered a special aircraft owned by South African regional carrier Airlink to pick up passengers stranded in Windhoek on 20 August 2023 and today, 21 August 2023. Angola's flag carrier TAAG Angola also canceled a flight between Luanda and Windhoek on Sunday due technical problems and not due to the ground handling chaos.
According to Paragon Investment Holdings (Paragon Aviation Services), more than 1 000 passengers and 15 flights were handled adn went through osea Kutako International Airport (WDH) on 20 August 2023. No major delays were reported. We'll keep you posted!

The Namibia Airports Company (NAC), the state-owned operator of eight of Namibia's largest airports, announced on 19 August 2023 that Menzies Aviation, the provider of ground handling services at Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH) in Windhoek since 2014, has been evicted from the airport on the same day, so that its successor, Paragon Investment Holdings, could take over. Menzies Aviation ceased providing its services at the airport on 18 August 2023. The eviction follows months of legal wrangling in which Menzies Aviation contested a High Court judgment authorising its eviction from Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH). However, the overnight replacement by Paragon Investment Holdings resulted in chaos at the airport. For instance, a total of eight Eurowings Discover flights had to be cancelled. Two more flights had to be diverted to OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg on the morning of 19 August 2023. Qatar Airways was also forced to cancel operations between Doha and Windhoek and redirected some flights to Johannesburg. Qatar Airways postponed one flight from Saturday to Sunday
South African regional carrier Airlink, which operates up to four flights a day between Johannesburg and Windhoek and up to three a day between Cape Town and Windhoek, pulled together a team from South Africa to assist the Windhoek sales team to maintain its services and to process passenger check-in and supervise the new ground handler with its ramp services. We'll keep you posted!

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Lufthansa signs codeshare agreements with South African Airways and Airlink!

Germany's flag carrier airline, Lufthansa, and South Africa's national airline, South African Airways (SAA), have re-established their codeshare agreement with immediate effect.  The restored agreement applies to Lufthansa's Frankfurt <> Johannesburg service and enables SAA passengers to book connecting flights to various destinations in Europa serviced by Lufthansa and Lufthansa passengers to add connecting flights from Johannesburg to Cape Town or Durban within the same booking.
Prior to SAA's collapse into business rescue before the corona virus pandemic, the two airlines already had a codeshare.

SWISS, the flag carrier of Switzerland and a subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group, and South African Airways (SAA) are also planning to sign a codeshare agreement. Once approved by the authorities, passengers will similarly be able to book connecting flights to various destinations in Europa serviced by SWISS and SWISS passengers to add connecting flights from Johannesburg to Cape Town or Durban within the same booking

Lufthansa's interline agreement with South African regional carrier Airlink has been changed into an codeshare agreement. [More info to follow shortly]

A codeshare agreement differs to an interline agreement because a codeshare flight is the whole flight, whereas an interline is one flight within a wider itinerary. 

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LAM-Mozambique Airlines resumed flights between two popular tourist destinations in Mozambique and Johannesburg!

The flag carrier of Mozambique, LAM - Mozambique Airlines, has resumed flights between Johannesburg and two popular tourist destinations in Mozambique. The airline now operates three weekly direct flights on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between Beira Airport (BEW) in Beira and OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg and three weekly direct flights on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays between Vilankulo Airport (VNX) in the city of Vilankulo and Johannesburg. LAM resumed both routes on 06 August 2023.

• Beira 08:30 > 10:10 Johannesburg
• Johannesburg 17:35 > 19:15 Beira
  
• Johannesburg 11:10 > 13:05 Vilankulo
• Vilankulo 14:15 > 16:10 Johannesburg

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Air Algérie to launch flights between Algeria <> South Africa!

The flag carrier of Algeria, Air Algérie, is set to launch direct flights to South Africa. The airline has announced that it will be operating flights between Houari Boumediene International Airport (ALG) in Algiers, Algeria, and OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg. Effective 21 September 2023, Air Algérie will be offering two weekly return flights to South Africa on board an Airbus A330. Flights from Algiers to Johannesburg will be operated on Sundays and Thursdays, while the return connection will be operated on Mondays and Thursdays

Air Algérie's service to Johannesburg, South Africa, was initially scheduled to start on 26 March 2023 with the same schedule but was delayed.

• Algiers 20:00 > 06:25+1 Johannesburg (Sundays)
• Algiers 11:05 > 21:30 Johannesburg (Thursdays)
• Johannesburg 07:55 > 16:05 Algiers (Mondays)
• Johannesburg 23:00 > 07:10+1 Algiers (Thursdays)

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eSwatini: The dates of the Umhlanga Reed Dance 2023 have been announced!

eSwatini Tourism has confirmed the dates of the 2023 Umhlanga Reed Dance. The biggest cultural event in eSwatini is set to start on the 29 August 2023, with the main day (Day 7) set to take place on Monday (04 September 2023). It will be on this day when the main ceremony occurs, with the dancing attended by His Majesty King Mswati III. 04 September 2023 will be a public holiday in eSwatini.
Visitors are welcome to visit the annual Umhlanga Reed Dance, but are vastly outnumbered by the participants! This is a traditional event that allows spectators, not one that exists for spectators.

The Reed Dance ceremony, also known as "umhlanga", is a centuries old tradition where the eSwatini's unmarried and childless females present their newly cut reed to the Queen Mother to protect her residence. The highlight of the event is the reed-giving ceremony. Tens of thousands of maidens from eSwatini, led by Swazi princesses, gather at the Queen Mother's royal village, the Ludzidzini Royal Residence in Lobamba, dressed in traditional attire; bright short beaded skirts with colourful sashes revealing their bare breasts to dance and sing and celebrate the unification of the Kingdom’s women. King Mswati lll, who sometimes makes use of the occasion to publicly court a prospective fiancée, joins the celebrations to pay tribute to the maidens. 

West Coast National Park: Annual flower season kicks off!

South African National Parks (SANParks) has announced that the annual West Coast National Park (WCNP) flower season is set to kick off. Thanks to the substantial rainfall received during the winter season, the flowers, which can be viewed in the Seeberg, Mooimaak, and the Posberg sections of the national park, are set to burst into full bloom within the next week.

"We are excited about this year's flower season and the vibrant blooms are bound to mesmerize every visitor. The abundance of rainfall has worked wonders and we can't wait to showcase the beauty of our park during the months of August and September", said Charlene Adams, West Coast National Park (WCNP) Park Manager.

To make the most of this experience, SANParks is encouraging visitors to plan their trips on sunny weekdays. Weekends tend to be exceptionally busy, often leading to queues at the entrance and congestion in the flower viewing areas. By choosing to visit on weekdays, visitors can savour a more peaceful and immersive encounter with nature's magnificent display.

Please note the following information:

• The Geelbek Restaurant is operational within West Coast National Park during the Flower Season duration
• Gate times for Posberg are as follows:
• 09:00 to 17:00 with last entry at 16:30
• Gate times for the general park area are as follows:
• August: 07:00 to 18:00 with last entry at 17:30
• September: 07:00 to 19:00 with last entry at 18:30
• Conservation fees for August and September are as follows (child < 12 years old):
• South African adult (with ID) – R104 per person
• South African child  – R52 per person
• SADC National adult (with passport) – R160 per person
• SADC National child – R80 per person
• Standard Conservation Fee/International Visitors
• Adult – R234 per person
• Child – R117 per person

South African National Parks (SANParks) announced the dates for the South African National Parks Week 2023! [update #3]

update (23 August 2023): Please note: Free day visitor entry only for South African citizens with a valid ID!

update (21 August 2023): Please not that the free entry is not applicable to Boulders Penguin Colony within Table Mountain National Park, the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway, and the Cape Agulhas Lighthouse in Agulhas National Park.

South African National Parks (SANParks), the body responsible for managing South Africa's national parks, has announced the dates of the SA National Parks Week 2023. The 18th edition of the annual event will take place from 16 to 24 September 2023. The week grants free access to most of the 21 (19?) national parks for day visitors, especially people from the local communities. It should be noted that free access to parks does not include free access to accommodation facilities and other tourist activities. Some of the parks will be extending the week to include the two weekends.

1. Addo Elephant National Park
   Dates: 18 to 22 September 2023
2. Agulhas National Park
   Dates: 16 to 24 September 2023
   
3. Augrabies Falls National Park
   Dates: 18 to 22 September 2023
   
4. Bontebok National Park
   Dates: 16 to 24 September 2023
   
5. Camdeboo National Park
   Dates: 16 to 24 September 2023
6. Garden Route National Park
   Wilderness section: 16 to 24 September 2023
   Tsitsikamma section: 16 to 24 September 2023
   Knysna section: 16 to 24 September 2023
   
7. Golden Gate Highlands National Park
   Dates: 16 to 24 September 2023
   
8. Karoo National Park
   Dates: 16 to 24 September 2023
9. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
   Dates: 16 to 24 September 2023
   
10. Kruger National ParkDates:
    18 to 22 September 2023
11. Mapungubwe National Park
    Dates: 16 to 23 September 2023
    
12. Marakele National Park
    Dates: 16 to 24 September 2023
13. Mokala National Park
    Dates: 16 to 22 September 2023
    
14. Mountain Zebra National Park
    Dates: 16 to 24 September 2023
15. Namaqua National Park
    ***Excluded from SA National Parks Week.
16. Table Mountain National Park
    Dates: 16 to 22 September 2023
    
17. Tankwa Karoo National Park
    Dates: 16 to 24 September 2023
    
18. West Coast National Park
    Dates: 16 to 22 September 2023
19. |Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park
    Dates: 16 to 24 September 2023

Since its inception in 2006, the SA National Parks Week has seen an influx of over 691 418 day visitors in all participating parks in South Africa. SANParks has not mentioned it in its first announcement regarding the SA National Parks Week, but in the previous years, only South African citizens were granted free access to the national parks during the South African National Parks Week. We presume this will also apply this year.

South Africa: FlyCemAir to launch a new service to Botswana! [update]

update (05 September 2023): FlyCemAir has slightly changed plans. The airline will operate two weekly flights between Johannesburg and Kasane on Wednesdays and Saturdays instead of just one weekly flight from 30 September 2023 and not from 16 September 2023. The route is now open for bookings!

South African domestic and regional carrier FlyCemAir has announced the launch of a new service to Botswana. The airline is set to introduce one weekly non-stop flight between OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg and Kasane International Airport (BBK) in Kasane. Flights will depart Johannesburg at 11:40 and arrive in Kasane at 13:20. The return flight will depart Kasane at 14:05 and arrive in Johannesburg at 15:50. Flights will commence on 16 September 2023.

Kasane International Airport (BBK) is located about 4km south of Kasane in Botswana's Chobe District. It provides access to Chobe National Park and serves as the second alternate airport for tourists travelling to the Victoria Falls (both on the Zambian and Zimbabwean sides) and to Katima Mulilo town in Namibia.

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Namibia: Qatar Airways suspends non-stop flights to Windhoek! [update]

update (20 August 2023): Qatar Airways will suspend operations between Hamad International Airport (DOH) in Doha and Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH) in Windhoek between 23 November 2023 and 30 March 2024.

The flag carrier of Qatar, Qatar Airways, will (temporarily) suspend its non-stop services to Namibia due to operational reasons. The last flight between Hamad International Airport (DOH) in Doha and Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH) in Windhoek will take place on 23 (21?) November 2023. Qatar Airways currently operates three weekly non-stop return flights to Namibia on board a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.
The airline resumed flights between Doha and Windhoek in June 2022. Qatar Airways, in cooperation with its partner airline Airlink, will continue to offer flights between Doha and Windhoek via OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg. 

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Namibia: Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) offers up to 50% discount for Namibians & SADC tourists!

Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR), the state-owned enterprise mandated to run the tourism facilities within the protected areas of Namibia, has announced that it has introduced a limited time special offer for residents of Namibia and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Between 01 August 2023 and 31 October 2023, NWR is offering up to 50% off at select resorts in Namibia, inlcuding Ai-Ais Hotsprings and Spa, Hardap Dam Resort, Gross Barmen, Popa Falls, Namib Naukluft and Waterberg.

"We are delighted to present this exclusive offer to our fellow Namibians. Our resorts are not just places to stay; they serve as gateways to explore and connect with the natural wonders of our beautiful country. Through this special offer, we aim to make it more accessible for Namibians to indulge in their favorite pastimes and create unforgettable memories," said NWR's spokesperson, Nelson Ashipala.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is an inter-governmental organization whose goal it is to further regional socio-economic cooperation and integration as well as political and security cooperation among 16 countries in southern Africa. The 16 countries are: Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, eSwatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Study: Victoria Falls named third best natural wonder in the world!

UK travel site Titan Travel recently conducted a study to find out which natural wonders are guaranteed to take your breath away, and which are severely overrated. To set up the two rankings, the company gathered data from Instagram, TikTok, Google search volumes and Tripadvisor reviews. According to the findings of the study, the Victoria Falls in Zambia/Zimbabwe are the third best natural wonder in the world with an overall "Wonder score" of 8.14, while Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa, is the fifth best natural wonder with a "Wonder score" of 7,67. Unfortunately, the Blyde River Canyon in Mpumalanga was named eighth (wonder score: 3.29) in the list of the world's most overrated natural wonders. 

Photo by Datingjungle on Unsplash

Victoria Falls - Wonder score: 8.4

• Google serches: 2.6m
• TikTok views: 63.9m
• Instagram posts: 318.5K
• Percentage of excellent reviews: 86.57%
• Percentage of terrible reviews: 0.22%

Table Mountain - Wonder score: 7.67

• Google serches: 1.4m
• TikTok views: 44.5m
• Instagram posts: 1.3m
• Percentage of excellent reviews: 81.83%
• Percentage of terrible reviews: 0.26%

Blyde River Canyon - Wonder score: 3.29

• Google serches: 5.4k
• TikTok views: 4.1m
• Instagram posts: 55.4K
• Percentage of excellent reviews: 71.77%
• Percentage of terrible reviews: 0.33% 

However, the Arches National Park in the US is the overall winner of the ranking, followed by the Iguazu Falls in Argentina/Brazil. Lake Nakuru in Kenya was named world's most overrated natural wonder, followed by Cascate del Mulino in Italy and Tsingy de Bemaraha on Madagascar.

Methology:

Titan Travel gave each of the selected natural wonder a normalised score out of ten for each of the factors, before taking an average across each of these scores to reach the final overall score (Wonder score) out of ten.

• Instagram posts: The total number of Instagram posts using the hashtag #[natural wonder].
• TikTok views: The total number of views for TikTok posts using the hashtag #[natural wonder].
• Google searches: The total global number of Google searches for each natural wonder from May 2022 to April 2023.
• Proportion of “excellent” Tripadvisor reviews: The total number of reviews for each natural wonder divided by the number of reviews with an “excellent” rating.
• Proportion of “terrible” Tripadvisor reviews: The total number of reviews for each natural wonder divided by the number of reviews with a “terrible” rating.

Data was collected on 19 May 2023.

South Africa: Flysafair introduces four new regional routes!

South African low-cost airline FlySafair has announced the launch of four additional regional routes. The airline is set to introduce flights to Harare and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, Livingstone im Zambia and Maputo im Mozambique.
The first batch of new routes will be launched on 02 of October 2023 and are between OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg and Robert G. Mugabe International Airport (HRE) in Harare and Johannesburg and Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport (LVI) in Livingstone. The Harare flights will operate daily while flights between Johannesburg and Livingstone are scheduled for four times weekly on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.
The next batch of routes will take off on 03 and 05 October 2023. Respectively, these include Johannesburg to Victoria Falls International Airport (VFA) in Victoria Falls which will operate three times per week, and Johannesburg to Maputo International Airport (MPM) in Maputo which will operate four times per week. Bookings for all new routes opened on 03 August 2023.

FlySafair has undergone a period of rapid growth, increasing the number of flights they operate by 47% between 2019 and 2022. This number is set to increase even further as the airline continues to add new aircraft, routes, and frequencies throughout 2023. 

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Plettenberg Bay named South Africa’s third Whale Heritage Site!

The World Cetacean Alliance (WCA) has announced in May 2023 that Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape has been awarded Whale Heritage Site status. The town on South Africa's Garden Route joins The Bluff in Durban and Algoa Bay, a maritime bay in the Eastern Cape, as the third Whale Heritage Site in South Africa, and one of only seven fully accredited Whale Heritage Sites worldwide.
The Whale Heritage Site programme is an initiative created by the WCA and supported by World Animal Protection, which recognises destinations around the world where coastal communities work together to protect, respect and celebrate cetaceans and their habitats.

Plettenberg Bay, situated between the Tsitsikamma Marine Protected Area and the Robberg Marine Protected Area, supports a wide diversity of ocean wildlife, including iconic species like Humpback Whales, Southern Right Whales, Bryde’s Whales, Killer Whales (Orcas) and Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins. The area is well known for its terrestrial and marine diversity surrounded by the Tsitsikamma Mountains, Indian Ocean coastline, indigenous forests and endemic fynbos vegetation.

Mbombela: A new restaurant opens in the Lowveld National Botanical Garden!

The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), which manages South Africa's National Botanical and Zoological Gardens, has announced that a restaurant has been opened in the Lowveld National Botanical Garden in Mbombela on 03 August 2023. The Botanical Garden Restaurant Mbombela is a fully licensed restaurant that offers a top-tier a la carte menu. It is open daily from 11:00 - 21:00. 

The Lowveld National Botanical Garden is located just outside Mbombela at the confluence of the Crocodile River and Nels River. The Botanical Garden covers 160ha and is home to about 600 native and 2,000 imported plant species as well as almost 650 native tree species.

South Africa: Seasonal rainfall & temperature outlook (August - December 2023)!

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has released the Seasonal Climate Watch for the period August 2023 to December 2023. According to the seasonal outlook, the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is currently in an El Niño state and is expected to persist through most of the summer months. ENSO’s impact is still limited for the initial forecast period, with early summer forecasts indicating to manifest its impact during the summer period.
SAWS' multi-model rainfall forecast indicates above-normal rainfall for most of South Africa during early-spring (August to October) with below-normal rainfall predicted over the western parts during mid-spring (September to November) and late-spring (October to December).

Minimum and maximum temperatures are expected to be mostly above-normal in the whole of South Africa for the forecast period (August 2023 to December 2023)

South Africa: New rhino poaching figures!

South Africa's Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) has released the rhino poaching figures for the first six month of 2023. A total of 231 rhino have been poached for their horn in South Africa between 01 January 2023 and 30 June 2023. Forty-two rhinos were poached in the Kruger National Park and 143 in KwaZulu-Natal Province. Forty-six of the rhinos killed were in privately-owned nature reserves and 143 in provincially owned reserves.

The provincial and national breakdown for January to June 2023 is as follows:

• SANParks - 42 rhinos killed by poachers
• Gauteng - 0 rhino killed by poachers
• Limpopo - 20 rhinos killed by poachers
• Mpumalanga - 5 rhinos killed by poachers
• North West - 5 rhinos killed by poachers
• Eastern Cape - 15 rhinos killed by poachers
• Free State - 0 rhino killed by poachers
• Northern Cape - 0 rhino killed by poachers
• Kwa-Zulu Natal - 143 rhinos killed by poachers
• Western Cape - 1 rhino killed by poachers

Zambia/Zimbabwe: The Victoria Falls Bridge is structurally sound and safe!

Emerged Railways Properties (Pvt) Limited (ERP), a company jointly owned by National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) and Zambia Railways Limited (ZRL), has announced that the Victoria Falls Bridge is structurally sound, safe and thus also economically viable. The ERP manages the bridge, which links the town of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe with Livingstone in Zambia, and one of key mandates of the company is to ensure that the facility is maintained in such a way that its structural integrity is maintained so that its safe usage and economic viability are also assured.

A principal Inspection is undertaken every five years and is deliberately undertaken by an international independent consultant. The latest principal Inspection was undertaken by Rambøll, a Denmark based structural engineering firm and their inspection report states in part:

"As documented in the present report, the Victoria Falls Bridge is generally very healthy, and the current maintenance schedule is sufficient for securing the durability. When the items listed in the summary above are taken care of, and the good maintenance practice continued, we assume a service life of the main structures of 200 years from the original construction, i.e. until 2105."

The Victoria Falls Bridge, which was the brainchild of Cecil Rhodes, was prefabricated in England and then shipped to the port city of Beira in Mozambique before the bridge got transported on the newly constructed railway to the Victoria Falls. It took just 14 months to construct and was completed in 1905. The official opening of the Victoria Falls Bridge took place on 12 September 1905.
Constructed from steel, the Victoria Falls Bridge is 198 metres long, with a main arch spanning 156.50 metres, at a height of 128 metres above the lower water mark of the Zambezi River in the gorge below. It carries a road, railway and footway. The bridge is the only rail link between Zambia and Zimbabwe and one of only three road links between the two countries