Roxburghe 210x165 General 16/9/08 15:58 Page 1
TRAVEL
Roxburghe Hotel
Edinburgh
Shark Diving, South Africa
Left Machu Picchu, Peru © Heinz Plenge
that the trail was fairly challenging. On the second day you climb company Marine Dynamics offer educational whale watching
steeply to a peak of 14,000ft – known as Dead Woman’s Pass - and shark diving expeditions from their Gansbaai base, about
and by the time I reached the summit I felt barely alive. Even if 60 miles from Cape Town. Their shark diving excursions last
you’re fairly fit, little can prepare you for walking at this altitude, between three and five hours and take place from aboard their
and, for once if my life, I was encouraged to eat sugary sweets Shark Fever boat. The boat takes passengers out to Dyer Island
With phase one of a £7.5million refurbishment programme now complete the Glorious Return
to keep my glucose levels high. More ascents and ruins (one and the neighbouring rocky islet of Geyser. The islands are a
aptly known as The Town Above the Clouds) feature on the third haven for marine birds and around 40,000 Cape Fur Seals, whilst
of the Roxburghe Hotel is well under way. All 198 bedrooms have been individually redesigned to
day, whilst the last day involves a pre-dawn start so you reach the channel that separates the two is known as Shark Alley.
complement the unique Georgian architecture of the Roxburghe Hotel.
The Sun Gate in time to watch the sun rise over Machu Picchu.
Then it’s the moment of reckoning when passengers split up
The wonderful bonus of arriving at this time is also being able to
into two camps - the terrified (who stay put and chat to the
explore this sacred citadel before the coach loads arrive.
onboard marine biologist) and the not-so-terrified who put
It’s worth noting that due to new legislation only 500 people – on their wetsuits and masks. Surprisingly there weren’t many
around 250 tourists plus guides and porters – can make this volunteers to go in the first batch of people who are put in the
trail every year, and that the trail closes for a month each year metal cage, which is attached to the side of a boat! You can’t
between January and March. even use the excuse of not having a scuba diving qualification
Now taking bookings for our Viva las Vegas Christmas Spectacular.
to take part as the ‘divers’ float within the cage, with their heads
www.peru.info · www.limatours.com.pe
above water and simply pull themselves under water and hold
Shark Diving, South Africa their breath when shark watching. So you can blank out any
Please call on 0844 879 9063, remember
Within a few hours of jetting into Cape Town, you could be scenes from the film Jaws that may be swirling through your
to quote Ion Magazine when you call.
sitting on a beach, sipping wine in a vineyard, heading off on a mind and spend up to 20 minutes in the water admiring these
safari or hiking up the formidable Table Mountain. magnificent creatures. If this trip seems familiar, it’s the one that www.MacdonaldHotels.co.uk/Roxburghe
was taken by Ruby Wax, Colin Jackson, Amy Nuttall and Richard
But if you want a real adrenaline rush there is one must-do
38 Charlotte Square, Edinburgh EH2 4HQ
E Grant when they took part in ITV’s Celebrity Shark Bait.
activity. It’s the opportunity to get up close and personal with
the world’s premier predator, the Great White shark. Eco-tourist www.sharkwatchsa.com · www.tourismcapetown.co.za
Hotel Group of the Year Winner 2007-8
i-on_Edinburgh_34_Oct08.indd 92 26/9/08 13:16:12
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