People planning on visiting Robben Island this festive season are in for a nasty surprise, withthe only available date being Wednesday. Otherwise holiday-makers will have to wait until January to see the World Heritage Site.
Robben Island has 1800 visitors a day during peak season, which started when schools broke up for the summer holidays last week.
The museum said last month it was confident it would manage the peak period without the delayed 300-seater ferry, which will be ready next year. The island's management said four ferries were running, with two on standby, but they are already at capacity and can only take bookings for December 12.
Visitors this festive season will be ferried by apartheid-era vessels used to take prisoners to the then-island jail. They are the Susan Kruger and the Dias, which can accommodate 134 passengers each.
Two other contracted ferries take 60 and 145 passengers respectively.
CAPE TIMES, TUESDAY 4DEC07
Monday, December 10, 2007
Thursday, November 1, 2007
New Table Mountain prices
Cape Town's iconic landmark, Table Mountain, has released their new prices for the next year. It will now cost R130 for a return trip and R65 one way, although if you have a student card these prices will reduce to R88 and R47 respectively.
However, we always recommend to our guests here at Ashanti Lodge to make the effort and hike up the mountain. Platteklip is a great route and depending on your fitness level shouldn't take more than an hour and a half. Once on top of the mountain (which is surprising level) you could spend hours walking around. And remember that if you have any postcards to send that if you send them from on top of the mountain, they will actually have a Table Mountain postmark.
Water, a hat and sunblock are obligatory and don't forget that it actually IS a mountain and can therefore be quite dangerous, so you should stick to the demarcated route and not go alone.
A great thing to do is walk up in the late afternoon (with a beer or a bottle of wine in your daypack) and watch the city lights come on as the sun sets. The last cable car down in the height of summer is at 10pm so there is plenty of time.
Have a look at their website and ENJOY!!!
However, we always recommend to our guests here at Ashanti Lodge to make the effort and hike up the mountain. Platteklip is a great route and depending on your fitness level shouldn't take more than an hour and a half. Once on top of the mountain (which is surprising level) you could spend hours walking around. And remember that if you have any postcards to send that if you send them from on top of the mountain, they will actually have a Table Mountain postmark.
Water, a hat and sunblock are obligatory and don't forget that it actually IS a mountain and can therefore be quite dangerous, so you should stick to the demarcated route and not go alone.
A great thing to do is walk up in the late afternoon (with a beer or a bottle of wine in your daypack) and watch the city lights come on as the sun sets. The last cable car down in the height of summer is at 10pm so there is plenty of time.
Have a look at their website and ENJOY!!!
Monday, October 22, 2007
Rugby World Cup 2007
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!! And all of Ashanti Lodge, Cape Town and indeed South Africa celebrated in fine style on Saturday night and the feeling of euphoria is sure to stay on for some time.
The Kumasi Cafe here at Ashanti was packed with both England and South African supporters cheering their hearts out whilst watching the game on the big screen. There were people sitting on the bar (usually not allowed), the pool table (DEFINITELY not allowed) and by the time kick-off came, it was standing room only. The tunes of Sweet Chariot and Shoshaloza competed equally as did the painted faces of the English fans vs the Springbok horn hats!! What a night. The after party was like 10 New Year's Eve parties rolled into one and I am sure that there was many a sore head the next day. I just felt a little sorry for those European visitors from countries like Germany who don't even know what rugby is!!
So South Africa will remain champions for another 4 years and we will all walk around with great smiles on our faces for quite some time.
GO BOKS!!!
The Kumasi Cafe here at Ashanti was packed with both England and South African supporters cheering their hearts out whilst watching the game on the big screen. There were people sitting on the bar (usually not allowed), the pool table (DEFINITELY not allowed) and by the time kick-off came, it was standing room only. The tunes of Sweet Chariot and Shoshaloza competed equally as did the painted faces of the English fans vs the Springbok horn hats!! What a night. The after party was like 10 New Year's Eve parties rolled into one and I am sure that there was many a sore head the next day. I just felt a little sorry for those European visitors from countries like Germany who don't even know what rugby is!!
So South Africa will remain champions for another 4 years and we will all walk around with great smiles on our faces for quite some time.
GO BOKS!!!
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Boat Based Whale Watching
If you would like to experience the thrill of boat based whale watching excursions. I can strongly recommend joining one of the two and a half to three hour trips which takes place in the very under rated False Bay. Were else can you take pictures of whales with Table Mountain in the back round? The rate is R650-00 p/person and trips run daily. 9.30am and 12.30pm from Kalk Bay. Weather permitting.
I would encourage visitors to use our public transport system metro rail and the gem that is the Southern train Line.
Return tickets are R18 or you can purchase the tourist ticket hop-on hop-off at R25. The hop on hop off ticket can only be used outside of pick hours. Better yet you could over night in Simon's Town or one of the other many accommodation establishments in the area.
A day trip could also combine a visit to the penguin colony at boulders, the Simon's Town museums and naval base, the antique shops of Kalk bay with a stop for lunch. Rhodes cottage in Muizenberg, the open air museum for the battle of Muizenberg, plus many other attractions to choose from.There are regular train departures but to tie it into the boat based whale watching launch times. Either catch the 07:16 arriving in Kalk Bay at 08:09 or the 07:32 arriving Kalk Bay at 08:25
For the afternoon trip the train departs at 11:20 and arrives in Kalk Bay at 12:13.
You can find the full time table at http://www.capemetrorail.co.za/_timetables/timetable_index.htm
If you would like to make an advance reservation contact us at the Ashanti Travel Centre
www.ashanti.co.za
I would encourage visitors to use our public transport system metro rail and the gem that is the Southern train Line.
Return tickets are R18 or you can purchase the tourist ticket hop-on hop-off at R25. The hop on hop off ticket can only be used outside of pick hours. Better yet you could over night in Simon's Town or one of the other many accommodation establishments in the area.
A day trip could also combine a visit to the penguin colony at boulders, the Simon's Town museums and naval base, the antique shops of Kalk bay with a stop for lunch. Rhodes cottage in Muizenberg, the open air museum for the battle of Muizenberg, plus many other attractions to choose from.There are regular train departures but to tie it into the boat based whale watching launch times. Either catch the 07:16 arriving in Kalk Bay at 08:09 or the 07:32 arriving Kalk Bay at 08:25
For the afternoon trip the train departs at 11:20 and arrives in Kalk Bay at 12:13.
You can find the full time table at http://www.capemetrorail.co.za/_timetables/timetable_index.htm
If you would like to make an advance reservation contact us at the Ashanti Travel Centre
www.ashanti.co.za
Friday, August 24, 2007
Whale Season
It's that time of year again when you will find the Southern Right & Humpback whales frolicking about shores of the western cape . Season is July to November and you can expect better sightings from mid September through to early November. You would offen see whales whilst on a Cape Point & Peninsula tour, but the best experience is to arrange a day trip to Hermanus. This is the western capes best sight for land based whale watching. The town of Hermanus also hosts our annual whale festival which usually takes place during the last week of September. The dates for 2007 are from Friday September 21st through to Saturday September 29th
Visit www.whalefestival.co.za for further info.
To arrange a day trip to Hermanus visit http://www.ashanti.co.za/travelcentre/dynamic.php?whale_watching_(sept-nov)_page.html
Visit www.whalefestival.co.za for further info.
To arrange a day trip to Hermanus visit http://www.ashanti.co.za/travelcentre/dynamic.php?whale_watching_(sept-nov)_page.html
Drugs for Malaria
There are a lot of countries and areas in Southern Africa where Malaria is prevalent but this disease is easily preventable if you take the correct drugs. However, this is a warning to anyone taking medicine to carefully check the side effects.
http://www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk/advice/diseases/malaria.htm
We recently had a guest at Ashanti Lodge who was prescribed Mefloquine by a pharmacy in Wynberg. The pharmacist never ask her if she has any medical conditions. On this travel site, it clearly states "Avoid in epilepsy, if there is a close family history of epilepsy (e.g. parents or siblings) or if there is a history of psychiatric illness".
And what did she suffer from? Mild epilepsy. She experienced strange dreams, hallucinations and actually had to leave her tour from Kruger Park to Vic Falls to come back to Ashanti.
It could have been a lot worse, so please check!
http://www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk/advice/diseases/malaria.htm
We recently had a guest at Ashanti Lodge who was prescribed Mefloquine by a pharmacy in Wynberg. The pharmacist never ask her if she has any medical conditions. On this travel site, it clearly states "Avoid in epilepsy, if there is a close family history of epilepsy (e.g. parents or siblings) or if there is a history of psychiatric illness".
And what did she suffer from? Mild epilepsy. She experienced strange dreams, hallucinations and actually had to leave her tour from Kruger Park to Vic Falls to come back to Ashanti.
It could have been a lot worse, so please check!
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Enigma of Can Openers
Why is that many Ashanti guests think it's OK to nick the can openers from the communal self-catering kitchen? I cannot tell you how many we have had to buy over the years as replacements. If you are going travelling or camping - BUY ONE! It's not that big a deal but just an irritation for the next one who wants to use it!
We even went to the lengths of installing an industrial table-mounted can opener, but that didn't work either.
So the moral of the story is that we cannot guarantee that there will be a can opener in the kitchen when you arrive!
We even went to the lengths of installing an industrial table-mounted can opener, but that didn't work either.
So the moral of the story is that we cannot guarantee that there will be a can opener in the kitchen when you arrive!
Friday, August 17, 2007
Springboks vs Namibia at Newlands
The Springboks played Namibia at Newlands on Wednesday night. As much as we all knew it was almost a training situation for the Bokke it was still a great oppprtunity for everyone to see the South African team in action.
And they didn't disapoint! We all hoped for a score of over 100 and it was achieved in the dying minutes and everyone that went to the game was well entertained.
A lot of guests from Ashanti were there and they all said that the world-renowned atmosphere at Newlands is definitely worth experiencing.
Come and check it out for your self some time!
And they didn't disapoint! We all hoped for a score of over 100 and it was achieved in the dying minutes and everyone that went to the game was well entertained.
A lot of guests from Ashanti were there and they all said that the world-renowned atmosphere at Newlands is definitely worth experiencing.
Come and check it out for your self some time!
Monday, August 13, 2007
Ashanti Lodge and Travel Centre
Welcome to Ashanti's blog!!
Ashanti Lodge and Travel Centre is based in the beautiful city of Cape Town, South Africa and has been host to literally thousands of travellers over the past 13 years. We have helped people enjoy the best of what Southern Africa has to offer by organising their travel plans.
Here we will try to keep you updated on the goings on of Ashanti, Cape Town, South Africa and all our guests.
Have a look at www.ashanti.co.za for more info.
Thanks
Lisa
Ashanti Lodge and Travel Centre is based in the beautiful city of Cape Town, South Africa and has been host to literally thousands of travellers over the past 13 years. We have helped people enjoy the best of what Southern Africa has to offer by organising their travel plans.
Here we will try to keep you updated on the goings on of Ashanti, Cape Town, South Africa and all our guests.
Have a look at www.ashanti.co.za for more info.
Thanks
Lisa
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)