Soul Safari to Africa with Ainslie MacLeod: The Itinerary

Are you ready to take a once in this lifetime journey to South Africa where you will uncover the innermost secrets of your life's purpose and discover the spiritual pathway to Living the Life your Soul Intended?

Then, join author and psychic Ainslie MacLeod on an expedition to uncover your soul’s unique purpose in this life. On this 9-day Soul Safari, you’ll explore the mysteries of the life plan your soul created before you were even born, and learn to harness your own spirituality to create a happier and more fulfilling future—one of total self-acceptance and endless potential.


THE ITINERARY
Dates: October 19–27, 2009
9 days/8 nights
We carefully crafted the itinerary for our “Soul Safari with Ainslie MacLeod.” It consists of only 2 destinations; Madikwe and Cape Town, but don’t let its simplicity fool you. It is one powerful journey!

October 19 – 23 (1st 4 nights)
Destination: Madikwe
Accommodation: Madikwe Safari Lodge

Madikwe Game Reserve

Madikwe Game Reserve marks the ecological transition point from the Savannah to the Kalahari Desert. This diversity of ecological habitat results in a very broad base of animals. Home to the Big Five (lion, leopard, rhino, buffalo, and elephant) game viewing is excellent. Professional and skilled rangers will deliver a world-class interpretive experience of the bush in 4X4 safari vehicles. Photographic opportunities of the reserve’s fauna, flora and topography are excellent.

The reserve was proclaimed in August 1991 and is currently one of South Africa's largest game reserves and best-kept secrets. This reserve has the distinction of being one of the few game reserves in the world to be established purely because it was the most appropriate and sustainable land use for the area. The reserve consists of vast plains of open woodlands and grasslands, dissected and bordered by rugged mountain ranges and rocky hills. The re-stocking of Madikwe with animals indigenous to the area began in mid-1991. Since then, more than 8,000 animals of 28 species have been introduced in the largest game translocation exercise in the world at that time.

Madikwe Safari Lodge
Madikwe Safari Lodge offers nothing short of luxurious hospitality and spectacular wildlife encounters in a malaria-free environment. The camp has a total of 20 suites with no luxury forgotten. Guests will enjoy the large bedroom area, their own private plunge pool, circular fireplace, spacious dressing area, personal bar, and private bathroom with a choice of indoor or outdoor shower.



October 23– 27 (2nd 4 nights)

Destination: Cape Town
Accommodation: 12 Apostles

Cape Town

The "Mother City" was the first South African port established by European settlers in the 16th century. Cape Town is the cultural and creative epicenter of South Africa, with more artists, designers and poets choosing the melting-pot palette of people and natural beauty of Cape Town as their inspirational home.

Visitors to Cape Town can explore the dichotomy of a less-than-perfect past with a present and future full of possibility – a discourse that many creative people can fully engage with and which visitors will instinctively relate to.

From the curated exploration of cultural, historical and social issues by Iziko Museums to the exhibition of musical street life in the Mother City’s townships, Cape Town has a strong creative economy and a treasure chest of talent of music, dance, theatre, poetry, fashion, art, culinary skill and design.

Cape Point and Boulders Beach
One of the most popular tours which offers a spectacular coastal journey through to Cape Point – the romantic meeting point of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. This area along the Peninsula boasts some of the most breathtaking and unique scenery in the world. It combines a fascinating collage of beaches, mountain ranges and wildlife.

Boulders Beach and the Penguin Colony
Boulders beach is an idyllic beach located close to Simonstown heading towards Cape Point. This unique beach is perhaps more popular due to its inhabitants, a colony of some 3000 African Jackass penguins. It is said a pair of the penguins first settled in 1982 and the colony has steadily grown ever since.

Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens is well known around the world for the diversity of indigenous plants cultivated there and the scenic mountain setting. Half of South Africa's species of flowering plants are cultivated, including about 9000 varieties of indigenous plants unique to the Cape South Africa - locally known as Cape 'fynbos'. There are also many specimens of rare and endangered plants on display.

Cape Town City and Table Mountain

Take a step back in time and join us on an exploration of the “Mother City” – its views, its history and its people.

Table Mountain
The ancient Table Mountain often draped in swirling cloud and flanked by its attendants Devil's Peak and Lion's Head, forms an impressive backdrop to the sprawling city of Cape Town and is a well known subject for many postcards and photographs. It stands at the head of a chain of mountains forming the Cape Peninsula National Park which follow the line of the Peninsula to Cape Point.

Daily Activities
Table Mountain October 19 – arrival, afternoon game drive, lunch and dinner at Madikwe Safari Lodge, evening workshop with Ainslie MacLeod

October 20, 21 and 22 - morning game drive, full English breakfast, mid-day, 3 hour workshop with Ainslie MacLeod, tea, afternoon game drive, lunch and dinner at Madikwe Safari Lodge

October 23 – breakfast, morning game drive, check out of Madikwe, charter flight to Johannesburg (50 min), domestic flight to Cape Town (90 min) transfer to 12 Apostles Hotel in Cape Town, assignment of new rooms, Dinner with Ainslie MacLeod at 12 Apostles

October 24 – breakfast, full day, private guide wine tasting tour with lunch at Grande Provence and dinner at Africa Café. Evening workshop with Ainslie MacLeod.

October 25 – breakfast, full day, private guide tour of Cape Point, Hout Bay, Simons Town, Cape of Good Hope and Boulders Beach with lunch at Black Marlin and dinner at Five Flies.

October 26 - Cape Town City Tour and Table Mountain, lunch will be at a restaurant of your choosing, dinner will be an Andulela cooking experience.

October 27 –breakfast, transfer to airport.

THE COST:
ITINERARY COST: $7,497pp
(Per Person Cost is based upon 2 people sharing – we will assign room mates for those traveling alone)

Includes: -
• Airport Meet & Greet upon arrival at JNB
• Charter flight from Johannesburg Airport to Madikwe Game Reserve
• 4 nights all inclusive accommodation at Madikwe Safari Lodge, South Africa
• Charter flight from Madikwe Game Reserve to Johannesburg
• Airport Meet & Greet upon arrival at Cape Town and transfer to hotel
• 4 nights B&B accommodation at 12 Apostles Hotel & Spa, Cape Town, South Africa
• Lunch and Dinner at Select restaurants per the itinerary on Oct 24 and 25
• Full day, private guided tour of Cape Winelands on Oct 24
• Full day, private guided tour of Cape Point on Oct 25
• Half day, private guided tour of Cape Town city on Oct 26
• Andulela Cooking experience on Oct 26
• Road transfer from 12 Apostles to Cape Town Airport for return flight

Excludes: -
• International Flights: USA to JNB, round-trip, to arrive JNB by 10AM on October 19, 2009 and depart Cape Town on October 27, 2009
• Domestic Flight: JOHANNESBURG to CAPE TOWN, to depart JNB no earlier than 3PM on October 23
• The following meals are not included: Dinner on Oct 23, Lunch on Oct 26, Lunch on Oct 27
• Gratuities
• Items of a Personal Nature

What are you waiting for? We can't wait to show you the Magic of Africa and help you Live the Life Your Soul Intended.

Click here to book your Soul Safari to Africa with Ainslie MacLeod.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

We would like to wish all of our clients, friends, family and travelers to Africa a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Here are some translations for "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year" in the African languages:

Afrikaans: Geseënde Kersfees en 'n gelukkige nuwe jaar
Somali: Ciid wanaagsan iyo sanad cusub oo fiican
Swahili: Krismasi Njema / Heri ya krismas
Xhosa: Siniqwenelela Ikrisimesi Emnandi Nonyaka Omtsha Ozele Iintsikelelo
Zulu: Sinifesela uKhisimusi oMuhle noNyaka oMusha oNempumelelo

Hills of Africa Travel offers customized itinerary planning and guidance on travel to Southern Africa. To book your trip of a lifetime, contact us.

Animal Spotlight: The Cheetah

Known as the world's fastest land animal, the cheetah falls at the bottom of the hierarchy of big cats, with the lion first and the leopard second. The cheetah is mostly a solitary animal and does not benefit from pooling of resources when it comes to kills, like the lion prides.

The secret to a cheetah's speed is its supple spine, which coils and uncoils like a spring, catapulting the cat forward. In the cheetah, the hind limbs push sequentially, rather than together, as in slower animals. Thus for about half the time, a running cheetah has all four feet off the ground and is literally flying. In the air, the flying cheetah moves so fast that it uses its tail as a rudder.

Such speed demands a short, enormous surge of energy. On its hunts, the cheetah is well aware of the limits of its built-for-speed body. Most other cats hunt at night and ambush their prey. Cheetahs will hunt at night, but are frequently seen hunting in the early morning or late afternoon. A cheetah stalks its prey until only about 50 yards separate the hunter and the hunted. At this point the cheetah charges, its elongated eyes giving it a wide-angle view as the prey tries to evade with tight turns. Lions give up the chase after 100 yards or so, but cheetahs can run more that three miles, at an average speed of 45 miles per hour. The hunt may end in a sprint that lasts from 20 seconds to 60 seconds.

Here are five fantastic safari destinations to see the cheetah:

1. Kruger National Park
2. Okavango Delta
3. Hwange National Park
4. South Luangwa National Park
5. Madikwe Game Reserve

Another exciting and educating way to spend time with cheetahs, is to visit The Cheetah Outreach program at Spier in Stellenbosch. You can visit for the day and spend time with the cheetahs. Cheetah Outreach is a fantastic program by promoting the survival of the cheetah through environmental education.

Book a trip with Hills of Africa Travel and we will guarantee you Live the Magic of Africa. Contact us today and we can help you plan your trip of a lifetime.

Now is a great time to book a Safari to South Africa

With the strong US dollar to the South African Rand, NOW is a good time to start booking your travel to South Africa. The current exchange rate is 10 ZAR to 1 USD - WOW!

Even if you are only planning to travel in August of 2009, you should consider booking your travel now.

Why?

Because if you book and pre-pay all South African costs, then you are locked in at today's very good exchange rate and we are able to pass on fantastic savings to you.

Imagine all the amazing experiences you could have:

• Walk to the top of Table Mountain and have a picnic whilst taking in the beautiful scenery below you
• Take a wine tour and taste some of the best South African wines in the Winelands
  
• Go on safari and watch lions lazing under trees, and sit back whilst watching a huge herd of elephant walk right past you
• Stay at Birkenhead House in Hermanus where you will see amazing whale sightings from your own balcony
• Take a tour along the famed Cape Point Peninsula where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet, see some of the most breathtaking scenery
  
• See African penguins
  

Hills of Africa Travel customizes all of our safari vacations to South Africa and will create a trip of a lifetime. Call us today and we will make certain you Live the Magic of Africa.

Amazing Sightings on Safari

Imagine what memories this family returned with? Our friend and professional private guide, Mark Homann, took this clip whilst private guiding in Zimbabwe.

Click HERE to see an amazing sighting on video.

Safaris are memories. You adventure into the bush to see The Big Five up close and personal. You want to Live the Magic of Africa.

Hills of Africa Travel creates memories of a lifetime. Call us today and we will plan a memory filled vacation with The Big Five up close and personal.

Honeymoon like a King and Queen

Tintswalo offers the perfect start for your marriage. Marriage is an adventure, why not start out with one?

One of our favorite luxury safari experiences is Tintswalo Safari Lodge, located in the Manyeleti Game Reserve.

Tintswalo means “the intangible feeling of love, gratitude and peace bestowed upon someone offering you a meaningful and worthy gift” in the native Shangaan language.

Our clients agree.

Why is Tintswalo so special?

After an evening game drive, one of our honeymoon couples was driven back to the lodge where there were rose petals leading from the vehicle all the way to their suite, through the door and into the bathroom where there was a huge bubble bath waiting for them with a bottle of chilled champagne and two flutes. What a welcome and a perfect way to start their marriage.

Another was given a private dinner with candles set up around their table in the middle of the bush. Imagine sitting under the stars being waited on with a sumptuous meal and listening to the quiet of the romantic bush.

Tintswalo offers a luxury stay with fantastic accommodations with your own deck and private plunge pools, good food, warm and efficient service and extremely knowledge guides.. You will receive over the top service from its staff and management. You will be made to feel like a King and Queen – and why shouldn’t you, after all this is your honeymoon.

The Tintswalo Group has a fantastic special offer: Combine 6 nights at any of the Tintswalo Lodges and get the 7th night FREE!

Hills of Africa Travel specializes in customized honeymoons that will give you the perfect beginning to the rest of your life. Contact us today to plan the most amazing start to your married life.

Hills of Africa Travel is so proud of our new consultants

Hills of Africa Travel is so pleased to announce that we have two new consultants. Actually one new and one we've never wanted to share with you because she's so brilliant.

Michelle Potuzak joined Hills of Africa Travel in January 2008. We absolutely love her and we haven't told you about her because we didn't want to share our secret. But she's too wonderful not to share. Michelle is so excited to be sharing her love of animals, safari, Cape Town and Africa with you.


We have just added Marcia Sandry to our growing company and we are so excited that she's decided to come work with us. Marcia is so looking forward to sharing the Magic of Africa with you.

So come visit us at Hills of Africa Travel and we look forward to giving you an Africa trip of a lifetime. We can't wait for you to Live the Magic of Africa.

A Path to Joy

Can you imagine yourself on an 8-day journey to Africa that has the potential to change your life?

Hills of Africa Travel is so excited to offer an 8-day journey to Africa with workshops by Gifted Medical Intuitive Christel Nani, and talented "The Work" facilitator, Roxann Burroughs.

Hills of Africa Travel is excited to announce an 8-day escorted journey to Victoria Falls and Hwange National Park for a mixture of safari, workshop and spiritual activities. The journey will take place from April 21 - April 29 and include 4 nights at Matetsi Water Lodge on the Zambezi River, near Victoria Falls, as well as a 4 nights on a fantastic safari at Makalolo Plains in Hwange National Park. The 8-day journey will feature 2 x 3 day workshops. The first, to be held by gifted medical intuitive Christel Nani. The second, to be held by certified facilitator of The Work, Roxann Burroughs.

This is the first escorted tour offered by Hills of Africa Travel and it is called "A Path to Joy" and is open to 24 lucky participants. Please visit A Path to Joy for more information about the journey and the workshop facilitators.

We are so excited to be changing people's lives forever. We can't wait for you to Live The Magic of Africa with you. This journey is more than just a safari, more than just a workshop, A Path to Joy is a simple itinerary with a very powerful formula.

We can't wait to see you there!

Call Hills of Africa Travel to "Live the Magic of Africa" and we promise a trip of a lifetime.

A warm thank you from Hills of Africa Travel - we love you!

We want to thank all of our fabulous clients for all your wonderful testimonials over the past few months, we are so grateful to you for traveling with us and we thank you for allowing us to give you the trip of a life time. A very special thank you to all you travel agents that amaze us with your requests, we are honored to help you with your VIP clients.

Here are just a few of our recent client testimonials:

Sandy - just to let you know that our trip was fabulous. Thank you. Beth Rosener, CA

Hey, Sandy! Wow...what an amazing trip I had! I loved every minute of it! I can see how people get addicted to Africa!!! I think you will be hearing from me again really soon!!! Thanks so much for all of your help!!! Kim Baumbach, NY

WOW! You girls put together an AMAZING itinerary for our trip to South Africa! Needless to say, we will insist that all of our friends planning trips to South Africa and the future winners of our charity auction safari use your services before traveling. My husband was less than thrilled about the prospect of traveling to South Africa. In the weeks leading up to our trip, I repeatedly overheard him telling people where we going, followed by the comment "Mary has always wanted to go..." Well, upon boarding the plane home, he told me that it was the most fantastic trip we had ever taken. Considering that we've been traveling together for 21 of our 41 years-that's HUGE! I cannot thank you enough for the arrangements you made. The itinerary gave us such a wonderful perspective of the different landscapes, cultures, cuisine, wine and people of South Africa. Your choice of lodging was impeccable. Each one outdid the previous one. Thank you for all your help and suggestions. Thanks to you, we truly had a trip of a lifetime! Mary Macchiaroli, FL

Call Hills of Africa Travel to "Live the Magic of Africa" and we promise a trip of a lifetime.