The Motsamayi Tourism Group, responsible for managing facilities at Cape Point in the Cape of Good Hope section of Table Mountain National Park in Cape Town, has announced the resumption of the Cape Point Funicular service as of 08 January 2025. The service had been under maintenance since 18 December 2024.
The Cape Point Furnicular, also known as the Flying Dutchman Funicular, runs between the Cape Point parking area and the viewing point below the lighthouse. The track is 585m long, and rises 87m from the lower station (at 127m m a.s.l) to the upper station (at 214m m a.s.l). The Cape Point Furnicular was the first commercial funicular of its kind in Africa.
09 January 2025
Cape Town: The Cape Point Furnicular is back in operation!
Kruger National Park: Heavy rains force temporary road closures!
Recent heavy rains have impacted Kruger National Park, leading to the temporary closure of several dirt roads. According to South African National Parks (SANParks), affected areas include Satara, Kingfisherspruit, and Lower Sabie. Additionally, the S60 gravel road to Pafuri, the Crooks Corner road, and connected gravel roads are also closed until further notice.
Kruger National Park is one of Africa’s largest and most renowned wildlife reserves, located in northeastern South Africa. Covering nearly 20,000 km², it is home to an incredible diversity of wildlife, including the Big Five—lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo—along with hundreds of bird species and unique flora. Kruger National Parkoffers a mix of self-drive safaris, guided tours, and luxury accommodations, making it a must-visit destination for nature and wildlife enthusiasts.
08 January 2025
South Africa: FlySafair to introduce a new daily service between Johannesburg <> George!
South African regional low cost-carrier FlySafair is set to introduce scheduled daily flights between Lanseria International Airport (HLA) in Johannesburg and George Airport (GRJ) in George, often referred to as the "Capital of the Garden Route". Effective 14 March 2025, the airline will operate daily return flights to the second largest city in the Western Cape.
Flights will depart Lanseria International Airport at 10:00 and arrive in George at 12:20. The return flights will depart George at 12:55 and arrive at Lanseria International Airport at 14:55.
Lanseria International Airport (HLA) is a privately owned airport located north of Randburg and Sandton to the northwest of Johannesburg. It serves as a convenient alternative to the larger O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB), catering primarily to domestic flights and a few regional destinations.
South Africa: FlySafair named the most on-time airline in the Middle East and Africa region in 2024!
Aviation analytics company Cirium has announced the winner of its annual On-Time Performance Review. According to the company's set of extensive and unbiased data, derived from over 600 real-time information sources, South African regional low cost-carrier FlySafair has been named the most on-time airline in the Middle East and Africa region in 2024. According to Cirium, 93.82% of FlySafair's 57,272 scheduled flights in 2024 were arriving on schedule. Congratulations!
An on-time flight is defined as a flight that arrives within 15 minutes of the scheduled gate arrival. For an airport, it is defined as departing within 15 minutes of its scheduled departure.
03 January 2025
Kruger National Park: Heavy rain forces temporary closure of Phabeni Gate and several roads! [update]
update (05 January 2024): SANParks has announced that the S39 north of the Timbavati Picnic site is badly damaged and unaccessible. Access to the picnic site is only possible via the S127 and Satara Rest Camp at this stage.
South African National Parks (SANParks) has announced that due to the current heavy rain Phabeni Gate, located on the southwestern edge of Kruger National Park, and several gravel roads in the National Park are being temporarily closed. Phabeni Gate is closed due to the bridge overflowing. As of now, the following gravel roads are closed:
- S37 and S41
- S140, S36, S106, S146 and S147
- S33, S34, S35 and S37
More roads are currently being assessed and could be closed. Crocodile Bridge is also getting closely monitored as is could overflow.
South Africa: Seasonal rainfall & temperature outlook (January to May 2025)!
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued the Seasonal Climate Watch for January to May 2025. The outlook shows that the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) remains in a neutral state and is expected to weaken further. Forecasts suggest that a weak La Niña may develop by mid-summer, potentially impacting South Africa’s summer rainfall only in the latter part of the season. However, there is considerable uncertainty about whether a La Niña event will occur.
Predictions point to above-normal rainfall in parts of South Africa’s northeastern central and coastal areas during late summer, with this trend shifting to the eastern regions in autumn. Minimum and maximum temperatures are generally expected to be above-normal across the country during the forecast period, except for the southern coastal areas, where below-normal maximum temperatures are more likely throughout the summer.
02 January 2025
Kruger National Park Calendar - February!
Weather:
- much the same as January
- traditionally flood season
- heavy rains can cause rivers to suddenly burst their banks
Temperatures:
- between 18°C - 33°C (Fahrenheit: e.g. 33°C = [(33x9)]/5 + 32 = 91.4°F)
- visit our webcam page for live footage from Kruger National Park!
Landscape:
- plants at their most nutrtious
- large vleis (shallow seasonal or intermittent lakes) on the basalt plain
- many aloes in flower
Animal Activity:
- large herds of grazers spread across the Eastern Grasslands
- many nursery herds (protected by matriachs or alpha males)
- breading season for Waterbucks
- loads of bird activity around the flowering aloes
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