What an inspired idea to imitate the birds and fly south to sunnier climes when it gets really cold in the UK! Fiona and Trevor Ward, of Billericay, Essex, made their move in style when they flew off last December to one of South Africa’s best known safari parks, just two and a half hours drive from Cape Town.

Remember that if YOU have a special birthday or anniversary coming up, you could make it a very memorable occasion by going somewhere you have always wanted to visit but thought was an impossible dream. Your first stop – as always – is to call Reservations on 01994 426000 and they can make magic happen for you!

‘Whilst most of the United Kingdom was experiencing freezing cold and snowy conditions over the Christmas and New Year period, we spent an extremely memorable holiday in sunny South Africa, at the superb affiliate Sanbonani resort.
Probably the most beneficial thing that we did was to make contact with the Guest Relations Rep at this resort before we left the UK. Joan was brilliant! She answered all of our initial questions, plus also assured us that she wanted to make our trip a ‘holiday of a lifetime’. She did not disappoint us.

If you enjoy wildlife, then this is the place for you. Hippos can be found grazing in the extensive resort gardens at night, as the majority of the newly-renovated lodges with private verandas, equipped with a very large modern BBQ are near to, or back on to the Sabi River.

Joan has an extensive knowledge of the local area and she helped us plan our stay. The Kruger National Park is a 20 minute drive away and we followed Joan’s recommendations and took an organised tour for our first visit into the park, plus we hired a car to visit several of the local attractions which included: waterfalls, caves, a wildlife rehabilitation centre, breathtaking views, plus an unforgettable two-day stay on a private game reserve, where we were fortunate enough to see the ‘Big Five’ and more. Our cameras were kept busy, but the photos we have now are truly amazing and a wonderful reminder of our time spent at Sanbonani.’