And many game reserves and places of interest have specially adapted accommodation and wheelchair-friendly facilities and walks. Many short trails also have Braille interpretation plaques.

Flamingo Tours specialises in tours for people with disabilities.

You would be amazed what some wheelchair-dependent people have done in South Africa – abseiled off Table Mountain; dared the highest bungy jump in the world at Bloukrans Bridge; tubed the awesome Storms River Gorge; hiked most of the Outeniqua Trail (this was a hard one); flown a microlight; and learned to scuba dive. The sky’s the limit. Oh yes, and skydived. (This was not all done by the same person!)

Accessible opportunities in the natural environment

South African National Parks, as national assets, should be accessible destinations to everyone regardless of their mental, sensory or physical capabilities.

The Delta Environmental Centre (Gauteng Province)has the 180metre long Sasol Sensory Trail which was initially conceptualised as a short environmental education trail for disabled people. Through consultation with Eco-Access, it was finally designed as an accessible interactive environmental education experience for the hundreds of learners who pass through the Centre on a weekly basis, including learners who happen to be disabled.
The trail is simple, paved, has wide pathways and many interesting stopping points. It blends in with the surrounding environment and is based on the fact that the Centre offers personal interpretation to all groups that visit it.

The de Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Centre (North West Province) has a programme called ‘Reach for the Wild’. An accessible trail, named the ‘Rob and Julie Filmer Sensory Trail’, allows all people, including disabled people, the opportunity to experience the African bush. It was also initially conceptualised as a trail for disabled people but now forms the basis of all de Wildt’s environmental education programmes. The environmental education centre is accessible and available for all those who participate in these programmes. Again, this Centre benefits from personal interpretation of the environment being offered to all groups.

SANParks Boulders Beach Boardwalk (Western Cape) is another example where everyone has the opportunity to visit the penguins on the beach using the boardwalk.
Owing to negative pressure from the surrounding community, parking and access to the boardwalk is extremely difficult without prior arrangements being made. However, once on the boardwalk, anyone can use it.

For many other trails and programmes in various parts of South Africa see Eco-Access, including, apart from those mentioned above, the Rob Filmer Lichen Trail at the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve in the Mpumalanga province, the Rhino Trail at the Berg-en-Dal camp at the Kruger National Park in the Mpumalanga province, the Fossil Trail at the Karroo National Park in the Northern Cape province, the PPC Discovery trail at the Addo Elephant National Park in the Eastern Cape province, the Dragonfly walkway and Jacana Bridge and the Kingfisher Birdhide at the Nylsvley Nature Reserve in the Limpopo province, The Palmiet Hiking Trail at the Hottentots Holland Nature reserve in the Western Cape Province and the bird hide and walkway at the Blesbokspruit Nature reserve in the Gauteng Province.

Depending on the time of year that you would like to travel, different highlights are available for the migration of the Wildebeest. We have outlined the two most famous times of year below, although you are able to view the Serengeti migration at any time of the year. We have a number of excellent Wildebeest migration safaris, please don’t hesitate to contact us for up-to-date Wildebeest migration patterns.

August to November: Crossing the Mara River (Kenya and Tanzania)

This spectacular sight is where the Serengeti migration meets the Mara River. Famed by numerous wildlife documentaries, wave upon wove of migratory wildebeest arriving pressurize the front runners to take the first plunge into the Mara River. Desperate for food, the wildebeest are forced to cross this perilous stretch of water where ranks of crocodiles await.

Our luxury luxury Wildebeest migration safari will take you to the Mara River and show you when the herds cross the river into southern Kenya from the northern Serengeti.  Depending on where the migration is, you will either go to the Masai Mara (Kenya) or the Northern Serengeti (Tanzania) or do both to be sure not to miss the migration either side of the river. Best time to travel: August – November for both the Northern Serengeti and Masai Mara.

February & March: Giving birth on the southern plains (Tanzania)

This experience is completely different to the Mara River crossing, although equally important. This is where the wildebeest population is replenished after the six month migration and over 500,000 newborn wildebeest are calved on the southern Serengeti plains. The rich grasslands of the southern plains support this new life and replenish the food reserves for the upcoming migration. Although not for the faint hearted, this is a visual spectacle and makes for an absolute feast for the awaiting predators! This is the only time to experience the sheer numbers of almost 2 million ungulates on the southern Serengeti plains.

The best time to travel is between February and March and the best itinerary is a combination between Wildebeest on the southern plains and the Ngorongoro Crater safari.

The migration of the wildebeest is an ever changing phenomenon and it requires accurate prediction to know where the 2010 Serengeti migration will be when pre-planning your safari.

The rescission period of your timeshare typically refers to the period of time after you’ve purchased a timeshare property during which the purchaser has the right to cancel their agreement without penalty. The enactment of rescission periods protects consumers who may have purchased a timeshare unwillingly due to high pressure sales techniques.

Rescission period is a fancy way of saying cancellation or “cooling off” period.  Every timeshare contract includes information regarding your rights to rescind, or cancel, your contract, within a designated time frame known as a rescission period. This time frame varies from state to state and country to country, but it is still policy that should a buyer decide to cancel their agreement within the predetermined rescission period, that person is entitled to a full refund on the amount deposited.

The actual rescission period may vary from state to state, and resort to resort. In the United States, the recession is known to be anywhere between 5 days and 2-3 weeks though in some states it can be as short as 3 days. Mexico practices a universal 5 day rescission period even if it’s not explicitly stated in the contract. The recession period in the United Kingdom is usually 14 days, but anywhere else in Europe, it’s 10 days.

If you recently made an impulse purchase on a timeshare, then you may want to consider getting out of your timeshare while you still can and before it’s too late; you must act fast. It is highly recommended that you get a lawyer involved and have him/her review any legally binding agreements you might have to ensure that you’re not stepping over anyone’s toes.

Timeshare owners who decide well after the rescission period that they don’t want their timeshare anymore usually try to sell their timeshare or utilize a timeshare transfer service to get out of their timeshare contract and the financial responsibilities that come with it.

All cars or vans in this industry must post a sign visible in front and rear of the vehicle a sign with the letters SP (that is Servicio P?blico or public service). These vehicles comply with the latest directives and laws both in Spain and EU, regarding safety, insurance, comfort, and accountability.

Without entering into a lengthy moral sermon about why not use illegal cars, there are two important things for a traveller:

1.-“SP” cars or vans have unlimited insurance coverage in case of accident, others don’t.

2.-Since this type of piracy is increasing so are the police inspections at the airport, port or popular tourist attractions. If caught, the driver is not only fined but that transfer ends right there, so you will have to abandon the vehicle and you will have to continue your transfer or tour on your own means, together with your luggage if any, and forget about your money if you have paid anything up front.

So, how can such false cars be detected? Some advice:

By law, any vehicle carrying out this type of service in Spain, car rental with driver  (transfers, city tours, etc) must have the” Hoja de Ruta” (like a Manifest, with flight number, number of passengers, name of principal passenger, pick up point, drop off point, drivers name and company name, who contracted the service, etc.).This is a contract between you and the driver, filled out in official form. This contract goes to Court. If a driver doesn’t have it, they could still be legal, but sloppy and at the risk of  a hefty fine.

If you have contracted a transfer before your arrival, and meet up with your driver at the airport terminal, you are greeted and then walked off to the public toll parking lot, you can start suspecting. An “SP” vehicle has a reserved, free parking area at the airport. An “SP” vehicle may possibly park in the public parking area but not for free, probably as a courtesy to the passenger if it is raining, for example, but check if the “SP” plates are visible when you reach the car, and if still in doubt, ask for the “hoja de ruta”.

And the litmus test is asking for the “libro de reclamaciones” or complaint forms which are presented in a book form. This book must have the car’s license plate on the front cover, all SP vehicles,  hotels, restaurants, Tapas bars, hospitals, clinics, public offices, or anybody else who is selling a product or service to the final consumer, etc. must have it. Keep this in mind if you are ever upset with any type of service you receive.

It doesn’t happen often, fortunately, but if there is a traffic accident, and someone is injured and you are ridding in an illegal vehicle, it all depends on what your personal life and health insurance back in home says about this.

With the unfavourable EURO exchange rate for many currencies now, there is great pressure to bring down prices, and like everything else in life, there is limit.  Many travel agencies are innocent victims of this as they also have no way to control what vehicle is carrying out their services in some foreign country and after having their request for hire passing through three or four hands before reaching the driver, and you.

Always try to hire a car directly with the local drivers, many available over the internet. Ask for proof that they are legal, shy away from portals that sell you cars worldwide unless you know them well – after all, do they know who they are subcontracting?

Vienna is a romantic city with rich heritage. It is ideal for couples looking for a romantic experience, or for families looking to have fun excursions. There are many different types of tours that one can embark upon. Vienna is a city with many interesting destinations. So your challenge, as a traveler, is to decide how you want to explore the city. You can choose the slow route, or you can choose the fast route. It all depends on your personal goals and preferences. Here are some suggestions.
Walking tours.
If you would like your trip to be a slow and relaxing one, you can choose to travel on foot while in the city. Of course, when you travel on foot, the destinations that you visit will be limited. However, you will be able to spend more time at each destination, and really get to know the destination well. Also, you won’t get pressured into rushing off from one place to another, as this could lead to unnecessary stress.
Biking tours.
Biking allows you to travel longer distances. But as you are on a bike, you should expect to be getting off the bikes for brief periods of time. That means you wouldn’t have much time to linger at each destination. Brief visit, and off you go to the next destination. Compared to walking, biking certainly allows you to see more of the city. You get to travel along the streets, and view majestic monuments and cathedrals from a distance. The views can be breath taking. If you are traveling in a group, make sure that everyone in the group knows how to ride a bike!
Bus tours.
A bus tour allows you to visit key destinations. You can travel longer distances in a bus, and enjoy the same beautiful scenery. In a single day, you can visit anywhere from 2 to 4 destinations. Of course, this is assuming that the route is well planned, and the plan goes smoothly without glitches. A bus tour is ideal for those who don’t want to break a sweat. The ride is sheltered and comfortable, and you can even take a rest while traveling in the bus.
Boat trips.
If you are bored with land travel, perhaps a boat trip is what you are looking for. To the south, Vienna has got beautiful woods, and the environment is good for some peace and quiet. When you travel by boat, you get a totally different experience. For example, you get to see thermal springs, which you wouldn’t be able to catch a glimpse of if you travel by land.
Ultimately, how you wish to travel depends on what you want to accomplish during your stay in Vienna. Do you want to visit as many destinations as possible? Or do you want to stay focused in just one or two destinations? If this is the first time you are visiting Vienna, perhaps it’s best that you follow a guided bus tour. This will help introduce you to the city. If there are certain destinations that you feel drawn to, you can always revisit the same destinations again on your next trip.