When you think about a short break holiday you tend to think about a weekend break in a European city. Well forget about strolling along the overcrowded Champs Elysees or battling the throngs in St Mark’s Square – instead get away from it all in the truest sense of the word, in Africa!
Africa is surprisingly a great choice for a weekend break. It really isn’t that far away in comparison to other long haul destinations. It only takes 3 hours to reach north Africa and only 10 hours to reach East Africa or Southern Africa. If you take an overnight flight this is just the right length of time for a good nights sleep to wake up refreshed and in a warm, sunny and exciting new country. Many of the African nations sit on the Meridian so have the same time zone as we do or if not are only an hour out either way which means no jet lag which is an important consideration for a short break.
Cape Town is a great option for a weekend break with a more traditional feel to it. There is a huge range of accommodation in the area from small boutique hotels to self catering apartments on the beach to cottages in the grounds of a vineyard. You can wake up overlooking the beach or Table Mountain and spend the weekend exploring the Victoria and Albert Waterfront, Robben Island, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens or Historic Simonstown. You can hang out on the beach, go whale-watching, play golf or just enjoy the atmosphere over a fantastic meal. There is a fantastic cultural scene in Cape Town as well as all that fantastic scenery on your doorstep.
If you fancy something a bit different from your average weekend break then how about a safari weekend? It is perfectly possible to do this leaving on a Thursday after work and being back in the office on Tuesday. A three night break in the stunning Masai Mara in Kenya is a great option and gives you the chance to do two game drives a day with a very real chance of spotting the Big Five. Again the time zone is the same as the UK for most of the year and the 10 hour overnight flight means you can wake up on arrival and be off game viewing on your transfer in just a few hours.
Of course one of the main advantages of a weekend break in Africa is the weather. In South Africa a winter break escaping from the snow and frost here in the UK means that you will hit CapeTown during the summer and be basking in glorious sunshine and temps in the thirties. In East Africa the weather is balmy all year around (although nights get cold in our summer months). If sightseeing or safari trips are not your cup of tea and you really want a proper break you can of course just book 3 nights in a luxury hotel by the sea and spend all your time swimming and sunbathing! It is up to you but a weekend in Africa really is the perfect getaway.
