As your Family Travel Specialist, Stars in Transition will book your flights, make the necessary arrangements with Trafalgar for your unforgettable family experience, assist you with your visas and tailor-make any other special travel arrangements or add-ons as required specifically by your family!

Contact Marina today on marina@starsintransition.com to assist you with your unforgettable family holiday!

How life changes when we have children …! My life changed and I am sure yours did to. It was motivation enough for me to take the leap into starting my own business, Stars in Transition, specializing in the Travel & Leisure needs of Family and Children. With the passion, knowledge and experience, nationally and internationally in the Travel & Tourism Industry, it made sense when I wanted to start my own business in the Industry in 2008, to specialize with family and children. A niche that not many Travel Consultants specialize in. I personalise and tailormake each families travel requirements, making sure that the suppliers that I work with are family-friendly, making for Memorable Family Holidays!

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY TO ALL OUR STAR-MOM’S

May you have a wonderful day with your family and continue to shine brightly!

Location:
Stellenbosch in Western Cape

Description of our establishment:
The award-winning Devon Valley Hotel is hidden away in a shady, green and peaceful corner of the Stellenbosch Winelands showcasing breathtaking views of the olive groves, vineyards and majestic Helderberg Mountains, while offering the finest in authentic ‘handmade hospitality’.

Caters for children: Yes

Description of our child care facilities and services:
Kids play area
Board Games
Baby sitting available on request
Walking trails for families

Location:
Addo in Eastern Cape

Description of our establishment:
Woodall is a beautiful property, situated on a peaceful citrus farm, a mere 65km from Port Elizabeth and adjacent to the malaria free Addo Elephant Park. It is ideally suited for nature lovers, food and wine connoisseurs, as well as those seeking time out in the spa. A special feature is the beautiful garden which is alive with birds.
The décor is chic, colourful and contemporary. Accommodation is private with exceptionally large rooms, especially the suites which have their own gardens and pools. A special feature is the wide choice of relaxation areas, including indoor and outdoor sitting areas, library, sundowner deck, chill room as well as a contemporary TV lounge are available.
One of the highlights of Woodall is the exceptional award winning gourmet cuisine, for which it is renowned. The chefs draw their inspiration from the flavours of local ingredients and freshly picked produce grown on the property. Complementing the menu is the underground wine cellar, one of only a handful in South Africa to be awarded the Diners Club Diamond Wine List Award in 2011. The restaurant with its open deck area is situated over a lake teeming with birds and waterfowl – one of the best birding spots in the area.
The health spa on the property is equipped with sauna, steam room, vichy shower, and hydrotherapy bath. In addition there is unlimited use of the gym. Guests can enjoy walks among the citrus orchards surrounding the property as well as private safaris into the Addo Park on Woodall’s game vehicle – the experience includes a picnic basket complete with drinks and snacks.
The property is owner run and the locally recruited staff offer excellent, friendly, and attentive service. Woodall is very involved in the upliftment of the local community and have a number of economic and social initiatives in place.

Caters for children: Yes

Description of our child care facilities and services:
Baby Sitting
Special Kiddies Menus
Camp Cot
High Chairs
Kiddies Turn Downs
Gift for kids on arrival

Sun Resorts, Mauritius

Valid for departures: between 22 June and 15 July 2012 – High Season Deals. We do have supplementary seats on selected departures on Air Mauritius and SAA.

Package price includes:-

• Return Economy flights ex-Johannesburg on Air Mauritius on selected departures
• Return coach transfers in Mauritius (Airport – Resort – Airport)
• 7 Nights accommodation, as specified above
• Buffet breakfast AND dinner daily
• Complimentary beverage voucher, as specified above
• All land and non-motorized water sports
• Evening entertainment
• Daily programme of fun activities

 Not included:-

• Airport taxes of approximately R2 790.00 per adult ex-Johannesburg
• Items not listed above

 Veranda Resorts, Mauritius

Valid for departures: Anytime before 27 September 2012, subject to availability. Early Bird Discount is included in the following prices – you must book & pay at least 30 days prior to departure to qualify for this offer.

 Package price includes:-

• Return Economy flights ex-Johannesburg on Air Mauritius
• Return coach transfers in Mauritius (Airport – Resort – Airport)
• 7 Nights accommodation, as specified above
• Buffet breakfast AND dinner daily
• Selected land and non-motorized water sports
• Evening entertainment

 Not included:-

• Airport taxes of approximately R2 790.00 per adult ex-Johannesburg
• Items not listed above

 All package prices quoted will be subject to availability at the time of booking and subject to change or increase, as well as subject to definite terms & conditions.

 For information, quotations and bookings, please contact Marina on 082 6111 806 or via email at marina@starsintransition.com 

Are you looking for somewhere different to take your family these school holidays?

Look no further … Old Mac Daddy is the watermelon-chinned, pine-whispering holiday of your childhood. It’s the nostalgia of camping without the fuss, it’s a carefree escape to a spectacularly beautiful part of the world!

‘Old Mac Daddy’is located in Elgin in the Western Cape and only an hour out of Cape Town.  You therefore have the option to stay here for a week, a few days, or enroute along the Garden Route to Cape Town or back home.

Contact Marina (Your Family Travel Specialist) on 082 6111 806 or via return email to make all your personalised holiday reservations for your family.

Location:
Pretoria – Cape Town – Pretoria

Description:
An experiential and educational luxurious train journey for the whole family!

The Blue Train has been synonymous with luxury hospitality, tourism and leisure since 1946. It offers a unique way of experiencing some of Southern Africa’s magnificent landscapes and landmarks. On board the train, guests indulge with fine cuisine accompanied by some of the best wines South Africa has to offer. Around-the-clock personal Butlers see to the guests’ every need for the duration of their experience; be it in the comfort of their private suites or at any one of our exquisite lounges.

Description of route and off-the train excursions:

• Pretoria – Cape Town – Pretoria

The route between Pretoria and Cape Town is a 27-hour journey through some of the most diverse and spectacular scenery the sub-continent has to offer. Southbound, off-the train excursions include the diamond town of Kimberley where one can explore the Big Hole and the Diamond Museum. Northbound, visit the historical town of Matjiesfontein where the Victoria buildings and original nineteenth century London lampposts impart to the traveller, the uncanny sense of entering a colonial time warp – an oasis suspended in a different age.

Caters for children: No

Description of our child care facilities and services:
Children 5 years and younger sharing a suite with their parents travel free of charge (maximum two children per suite). Children will have to share beds with parents / guardians, as The Blue Train does not have special children beds in the suites).

For Better or Boerewors Trailer

Location:
Elgin / Grabouw in the Western Cape

Description of our establishment:
Old Mac Daddy was created for fun and relaxation – to be unfussy, unpretentious and not too serious about anything other than comfort, humor and the creation of good memories.

Whilst we are a Gold Loerie Award-winning project – and probably one of the more unusual hotels in the world – we are not a five star hotel. In fact, we have been told by the grading council that we can’t be graded because we don’t fit the mold!

Old Mac Daddy is the watermelon-chinned, pine-whispering holiday of your childhood. It’s the nostalgia of camping without the fuss, it’s a carefree escape to a spectacularly beautiful part of the world with all the creativity that Cape Town’s dynamic design community could infuse it with.

Orchards, vineyards, frog-song ponds and dusty mountain-bike roads abound.

We welcome you to enjoy the slow life with us; the warm drone of a bumble bee and the discovery of a creative storybook that finds harmony in the details and purity in design.

Caters for children: Yes

Description of our child care facilities and services:

• hillside trailers offer en-suite bathroom and lounge/children’s bedroom
• designer children’s play area with indoor play room and outdoor jungle gym
• kiddies meal served daily in the Play room at 6 PM – pls pre-order on arrival
• baby-sitting services by arrangement
• mountain bike hire
• boulle court
• one of only two access points to the lebanon mountain biking trail
• clear swimming pool

From star-shot nights, to riding through the valley on a bluesky summer day; Old Mac Daddy celebrates the simple things in life, whilst also honouring the creative, the decorative and the talented.

Kwandwe Private Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape has launched exclusive children’s safaris to enhance the safari experience for younger guests. The Hooves & Stripes wildlife drive takes children under five out to spot non-dangerous animals such as giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, tortoises and warthogs at a safe distance so they can learn about the bush and its residents. On arrival, children receive a ‘Rangers in Training’ backpack with bug collectors jar and magnifying glass, a booklet for identifying wildlife, colouring pencils, sun hat, and a special craft pack made by the community. Other child-focused activities include minnow fishing trips accompanied by a ranger and tracker, ‘Big 5’ cookie baking, chocolate animal moulding, pizza-making competitions, treasure hunts and finger painting.

For more information on Kwandwe Private Game Reserve please click here

Kwandwe Cubs in Play

Location:
Grahamstown in Eastern Cape

Description of our establishment:
ECCA LODGE: Ecca Lodge is a modern and trendy lodge and the perfect base for the young at heart on safari. Set in thick vegetation overlooking a dense valley, Ecca Lodge offers a breathtaking view onto an escarpment of steep shale cliffs. The open-plan interactive kitchen makes meal times vibrant and fun. Children of all ages are welcome and the play centre can keep the little ones busy for hours, making this a great family destination.
MELTON MANOR: An optional exclusive-use safari villa with sweeping views of the river and mountains in three different directions. Melton Manor is a whimsical mix of old and new, a contemporary frontier farmhouse with a modern touch. Private butler, chef, 4×4 safari vehicle, ranger and tracker team. The interactive farm-style kitchen provides the opportunity to try one’s hand at combining flavours under the guidance of a personal chef.
UPLANDS HOMESTEAD: Available only for the sole use of a group or family of up to six people. The gracious homestead is a sensitively restored 1905 farmhouse, offering a romantic ‘Out of Africa’ ambiance. Furnished with antiques and memorabilia reminiscent of a Settler home from the 1820s. Private 4×4 safari vehicle, butler, chef, ranger and tracker.

Caters for children: Yes

Description of our child care facilities and services:
Children receive ‘Rangers in Training’ backpacks with bug collectors, magnifying glass, booklet for identifying wildlife, craft pack made by the community centre – for the girls a journal making kit and for the boys a door sign making kit. On the last day the ranger signs a certificate confirming that he/she is now a Ranger in Training. Activities for children include ‘poo safaris’ and spoor tracking with the ranger and tracker, Minno’s fishing trip with the ranger, finger painting, making animals from clay, daily treasure hunts, special game drives outside of normal times where available, baking, pizza making competitions, DVDs and popcorn, chocolate mould making, creature cookie baking, bedtime stories with milk and cookies. Ecca Lodge & Melton Manor (if booked on FIT basis): Regretfully, children 5 years and younger cannot participate in game drives unless a sole use vehicle is booked. When available this will be provided at no charge – ideally during the day so as not to clash with scheduled game drives (early morning and evening), otherwise a charge will apply. Children aged 6 to 11 can be accommodated on game drives at the lodge manager’s discretion. Children of all ages are welcome to join a ‘Horns & Stripes’ adventure which is a daily one hour morning game drive after breakfast with or without their parents to view ‘non-aggressive’ game such as giraffe, zebra, monkeys, warthogs etc at no additional cost. Sole-use bookings for Uplands Homestead and Melton Manor can design their own family safaris, with no minimum age restrictions and game drives at flexible times to suit their needs Child-minders are available with prior arrangement at no additional cost. All child-minders are first-aid trained.