South African Connection - Peace of Mind

18/01/2024

Rates available from Monday, please drop me a line if you are interested. Mauritius and cancun included in the sale!

23/06/2023

Another plea to be very careful when booking air tickets on online travel websites, for example E Dreams. The price may be slightly cheaper than booking on the airline website or through a reputable travel agent but they make up for it when it comes to any changes or cancellations you need to make. You are then tied in to them and have no choice but to pay. The costs they charge are exhorbitant and they do not stick to the airlines terms and conditions but their own. I have seen this many times when people phone me in desperation and there is sadly nothing I can do to help them as the airline won't get involved.
My advise, book through a Travel agent who is reputable and has good reviews or book directly with the airline if you must but don't expect any after sales service!

07/05/2023

It seems hard to believe that it was three years ago around this time that I started sending my first customers to Australia with some very stressful moments. From there it expanded to assisting stranded people all over the world to return home or make a new life elsewhere! I truly hope that everyone is settled and happy and I would love to hear from you.

I am finally back on track doing what I love - booking holidays to all corners of the globe and busier than ever, I am grateful for all the support over this difficult time.

09/01/2023

25/11/2022

With just days left before the South African Traveller Management System (SATMS) comes into effect at King Shaka International Airport on November 29, the link to the online declaration has now gone live at https://www.sars.gov.za/travellerdeclaration/.

All travellers entering or leaving South Africa, including local citizens are encouraged by SARS to voluntarily submit the online declaration. There is no set date in place yet for when the system will become mandatory for all travellers, or when it will extend past King Shaka International Airport.

Delta goes daily from Cape Town to Atlanta
If travellers need assistance with completing the declaration, they can send an email to [email protected], or visit the service counters at the airport.

Customs officials will be available at the airport to assist travellers with handheld devices to submit their declarations.

As it is a legal requirement for all travellers to declare goods in their possession when entering or leaving South Africa, for years SARS has dabbled with different manual declaration forms that in many ways increased the work of officers, led to particular risks, and resulted in unsatisfactory traveller experiences when dealing with Customs.

The new system aims to create a seamless process at ports of entry so that Customs enforcement efforts can focus on non-compliance from those entering or exiting the country while dealing with traveller information in a safe, secure, and automated way.

When filling out the SATMS form, travellers will need to enter the details of their passport, travel, contact information, travel companion, goods and cash, and entity or business details if travelling on a business trip.

If a foreign tourist visiting South Africa completes the declaration right before boarding and does not receive the email confirming receipt of the declaration before departure, and they have an international cellphone number, customs officers can retrieve declarations on their arrival with the passport number the traveller used.

Travellers wanting to process VAT refund claims must pre-declare goods on the SATMS form as normal, and then visit the Customs counter at the airport for the verification process, including stamping of invoices. Thereafter, they must proceed to the VAT Refund Administrator Office to finalise the claim process.

Registering on eFiling beforehand is not necessary.

How the South African Traveller Declaration System works The new online Traveller Declaration System will be introduced at all South African international airports, commencing with King Shaka International Airport on the 29th of November 2022. The system will be progressively implemented with other....

14/09/2022

AIR MAURITIUS to fly to Kuala Lumpur and Perth as well as direct from Cape Town!

Air Mauritius is set to return to Cape Town on November 16.
The twice-weekly flights between the island and CPT will be direct and non-stop (not linked to the JNB flights).
The flights will operate on Wednesdays and Sundays, using the airline’s A350-900 aircraft, with 28 seats in business and 298 in economy class.
Nooriena Davids, Air Mauritius Acting Regional Manager, told Travel News that the carrier was excited to be reinstating the popular Cape Town route.
She had more good news – the airline is re-starting flights to Perth and also to Kuala Lumpur.
The Perth flights will operate on Tuesdays and Saturdays, commencing on November 1. The Perth flights were previously very popular with the Southern African market and, with Mauritius being the beautiful tropical paradise it is, there couldn’t be a better stopover.
The flights to Kuala Lumpur will start on November 3, and will also operate twice a week, providing a very convenient route to Malaysia for the Southern African market.

05/09/2022

I haven't posted for a while. Delighted that travel is finally starting to go ahead !

01/03/2022

The European Council has officially recommended to all its Member States that restrictions on non-essential travel into the bloc be eased from March 1.
The Council calls on all members of the EU to rescind both testing and quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated travellers, as well as travellers who have recovered from COVID-19 within the 180 days before travel.

“The amendments introduced respond to the evolution of the pandemic, the increasing vaccination uptake and administration of booster doses, and the recognition of a growing number of certificates issued by third countries as equivalent to the EU digital Covid certificate,” a statement from the Council reads.
Travellers must have received the last dose of the primary vaccination series (one dose for Johnson & Johnson, two doses for other vaccines) between 14 and 270 days prior to arrival to be recognised as fully vaccinated. Older vaccinations require a booster to allow the traveller to be recognised as fully vaccinated again.
The recommendation includes that children aged 6-18 should be permitted to travel if they are fully vaccinated or recovered, or if they present a negative PCR test result no more than 72 hours old.

Please do check with me on individual EU countries as this is just a recommendation and EU countries can still adopt different policies

23/01/2022

KWANDWE - A celebratory 25% off!
It’s a new year and travel restrictions around the world are lifting. Come and celebrate South Africa with us at Kwandwe Private Game Reserve and take 25% off all accommodation until March 31st 2022.

The details
Valid until 31 March 2022. Applicable to all villa stays (Fort House, Melton Manor & Uplands Homestead), as well as Great Fish River Lodge and Ecca Lodge, for a minimum of 3 nights. Applies to international bookings only.

South African Resident Specials
If the safari bug has bitten and you are ready to travel now, please enquire for our fantastic rates for South African residents.

Offers are available at the villas (Uplands Homestead, Melton Manor, Fort House or Great Fish River Lodge), as well as room only rates at Great Fish River Lodge.

South African Resident Rates valid until 15 December 2022. (Not combinable with any other offers). Proof of citizenship or residency required, i.e. passport, ID card or visa.