LMHI 2018 POST- CONGRESS TOUR TO DURBAN SUNDAY 09 SEPTEMBER Fly from CAPE TOWN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT to KING SHAKA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (Durban) on: Kulula Airlines (www.kulula.com) British Airways (www.ba.com] Mango Airlines (www.flymango.com) ** preferred flights OR OR OR Flight MN 703 [09h35]** Flight BA 6305 [12h00] Flight JE 334 [08h50]** Flight JE 342 [11h45] [NOT BA 6323 (11h45)] AIRPORT TRANSFER TO PROTEA HOTEL UMHLANGA Leisure Day in Umhlanga Rocks Umhlanga is an affluent, residential and commercial town 15km north of Durban. It is one of the safest areas in the Durban area, and, as one of the most popular tourist destinations in South Africa, is famous for its splendid beaches, promenade and lighthouse. Spend the afternoon on the beach, walking the promenade, or shopping at The
Pearls of Umhlanga or the Gateway Theatre of Shopping, the largest shopping mall in the southern hemisphere, before ambling down to the Oyster Box Hotel for a sundowner, or into the village for a delicious dinner at one of the many vibrant and excellent restaurants. MONDAY 10 SEPTEMBER After breakfast at the hotel, we will be guided on two tours: Inanda Heritage Tour The Tour takes us through the majestic Inanda Valley, a densely populated semi- rural area roughly 30 km outside of Durban. On the tour we will explore sites of historical significance: 1. Mahatma Gandhi spent 21 years in South Africa, and his life was shaped by a number of events, including the now famous incident when he was thrown off a train for sitting in the 'whites only' section. These shaped his passive resistance movement. His communal Phoenix settlement was on a 100 acre farm that contained his home, a community centre and the printing press from which he produced the Indian Opinion. Today what remains of the farm is dedicated to a museum where this important part of world history is laid out on panels across the walls. 2. John Dube's Ohlange Institute, established in 1901, is the first educational institution founded by a black person in South Africa, on donated land.
Dube was to become the first president of the African National Congress (ANC). The school's emphasis was on developing students' self- reliance, teaching not only basic education but also vocational skills like journalism, shoe and dressmaking, carpentry, motor mechanics and agriculture. In the first democratic elections in 1994, Nelson Mandela elected to cast his vote at Ohlange, as a sympbolic homage to the history and legacy of Dube. City Tour and Markets After lunch, we will visit the City Hall precinct in the Durban CBD before visiting two of Durban s most interesting markets: 1. The Victoria Street Market is an Afro- Indian indoor market that offers everything from Indian spices and incenses, to fresh fruits and vegetables, fabrics, ceramics, and traditional arts and crafts. The top floor is popular with international visitors due to the collection of souvenirs, jewellery, fabrics, and crafts. It is one of Durban's most recognisable pieces of architecture with 11 colourful domes modelled on Indian construction. This is hardly surprising when one considers that Durban has the highest Indian population outside of India. With more than 170 stalls, there's definitely something for everyone! 2. The Durban Muthi Market offers an opportunity to explore the world of African traditional healing. We will witness a variety of traditional medicine, also known as muthi, being made and prepared for sale. The market's stalls are stocked full of various organic ingredients which range
from crocodile teeth and snake skins, to a wide range of fresh plants, barks, roots, seeds, powders and potions. The market offers an authentic engagement and insight into a fascinating centuries- old medical tradition. In the late- afternoon we will return to the hotel in Umhlanga for an evening at leisure. TUESDAY 11 SEPTEMBER CHECK OUT OF PROTEA HOTEL UMHLANGA After breakfast we will check out of the hotel and embark on our once- in- a- lifetime guided tour to the Hluhluwe- imfolozi Park, located approximately 280km north of Durban: Hluhluwe- imfolozi Park The Hluhluwe- imfolozi Park is the oldest proclaimed nature reserve in Africa. It covers an area of 960 km² and is known for its rich wildlife and conservation efforts. The park is the only state- run park in the province of KwaZulu- Natal in which each of the big five game animals [elephant, rhinoceros, Cape buffalo (wildebeest), lion and leopard] can be found. Due to conservation efforts, the park now has the largest population of white rhino in the world. In addition to the big five, we will be able to see spotted hyena, jackal, giraffe, zebra, warthog, mongoose, monkeys, tortoises, lizards, and a wide variety of buck, including
nyala, eland, kudu, impala, and waterbuck. CHECK INTO HILLTOP CAMP A late- afternoon game drive will provide a wonderful introduction to the Africa bush, with the opportunity to witness the extraordinary African sunsets and to hear the bush come alive. After the game drive, we will retire to the Hilltop Camp for dinner (included) and enthusiastic outdoor conversations about the great excitement of the day. WEDNESDAY 12 SEPTEMBER An early- morning (second) game drive will afford us the splendour of the African sunrise and an opportunity to catch the night- time predators [lion, cheetah and leopard] before they settle for the day. We will enjoy a mid- morning breakfast before checkout out of our accommodation ahead of the trip back to Durban. CHECK OUT OF HILLTOP CAMP En route to Durban, we will visit the Emdoneni Lodge to get up- close- and- personal with four of Africa s endangered wild cats and the Isimangaliso Wetland Park:
Emdoneni Cat Rehabilitation Project (ECRP) The ECRP seeks to raise awareness of the cheetah, caracal (lynx), serval and African wildcat, and their conservation through education and interaction with animals that cannot be re- wilded or reintroduced into protected areas. Adult participants will have an opportunity to enter the enclosures and get really close to all four cat species. Isimangaliso Wetland Park The Isimangaliso Wetland Park is South Africa's very first UNESCO World Heritage and the third largest protected area in South Africa. The Wetland Park covers 332 000 hectares. Lake St Lucia is Africa's largest body of fresh water and is home to over 1 200 crocodiles and 800 hippopotami and large flocks of water birds including flamingos, pelicans and ducks. We will take a 2- hour boat trip on the largest estuarine system in Africa, the St Lucia Estuary, where we will be able to get a close- up view of the antics of hippos splashing in the water, Nile crocodiles basking in the sun, and enjoy the spectacular bird life of the estuary, including a possible sighting of the African Fish Eagle. CHECK INTO COASTLANDS HOTEL Upon arrival in Durban, we will check into the hotel, and enjoy a shared dinner (included) at a local Indian restaurant, before retiring to bed.
THURSDAY 13 SEPTEMBER After breakfast at the hotel, those members of the tour party who are leaving for flights in the late afternoon will check out of the hotel, ahead of the visit to the Durban University of Technology [DUT]. CHECK OUT OF COASTLANDS HOTEL Durban University of Technology Faculty & Ukuba nesibindi Clinic The Department of Homoeopathy at the Durban University of Technology has been offering a Master s degree in Homoeopathy since 1989. This academic programme is relatively unique, outside of India, in providing a complete and robust full- time medical training in Homoeopathy. Our visit will include visits to the Anatomy dissection halls and museum, laboratories, the university library, the Homoeopathy department and on- campus clinic, as well as an off- campus community clinic that has been operating in the nearby Warwick junction for 13 years. Participants will be afforded an opportunity to engage with staff, students and patients to share in a homoeopathic success story. At this point, we will bid farewell to our colleagues who are returning home on Turkish Airlines, and proceed to an end- of- tour lunch at the DUT Conference Centre.
AIRPORT TRANSFER TO KING SHAKA INTERNATIONAL (1) Turkish Airlines (www.turkishairlines.com) Flight TK 43 [15h55] OR Durban Botanical Gardens After lunch, we will take a short stroll to Africa s oldest surviving botanical garden, established in 1849. The Durban Botanical Gardens is famous for its extensive cycad collection, including Encephalartos woodii, one of the rarest plants in the world. The tranquil beauty of the garden will be the perfect antidote to the excitement of the previous two weeks in South Africa, ahead of the trip home! AIRPORT TRANSFER TO KING SHAKA INTERNATIONAL (2) Emirates (www.emirates.com) Flight EK 776 [18h40] OR Those participants who have elected to spend a little more time in South Africa, are encouraged to explore other areas of Durban, the natural beauty of the South Coast, or to head inland to the majestic Drakensberg mountain range. Oribi Gorge Durban Beachfront Cathedral Peak [Drakensberg]