Christmas & New Years in South Africa
Feb 9, 2015, 10:04 am
#16
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: LHR
Programs: BA Gold, TG Gold, HHonors Diamond, SPG Plat
Posts: 8,665
A few years ago, I did Christmas in a Safari lodge, the period after Christmas in Cape Town and New Years at Pezula near Kynsa.
We used RhinoAfrica to organise everything. There are two internet based firms; the other one is Go2Africa. I have used both previously.
If you really want good animal viewing and this is your first safari, then it must be one of the private reserves in the Kruger area. My experience is that no where comes close to easy animal viewing in this area.
Otherwise, have a broad plan and ask the travel agent to recommend some lodges in the vacinity.
Otherwise, if you are interested in driving Cape Town and the Wine Region or the Garden route, the travel agent can recommend a lodge in the area. This was the aim on the trip I mentioned. We wanted time in Cape Town and to see the Garden Route. So the agent recommend recommended a safari lodge around the Port Elizabeth area (Ecca lodge which was lovely and reasonable animal viewing). It saves us excessive flying around the country going up to Kruger than on to Cape Town.
It is making the most of the area you are visiting. One when driving around the Wine Region, we stopped by a cheetah reserve. Not seeing the animals in the wild by we got to pet/stroke a leopard and have our photos taken. I bit touristy I know but it is yet another experience available.
The only issue I have with Pilanesberg is that it is a long drive from JNB, not very nice and on a road I would never drive on by ourselves. We were driven from JNB to Sun City. Not an experience I would care to repeat (and we fly from the UK to Las Vegas every year).
If you are concerned about malaria, the all the safari reserves in Pilanesberg, by the South Coast and on the Garden route are outside the malaria zone.
We used RhinoAfrica to organise everything. There are two internet based firms; the other one is Go2Africa. I have used both previously.
If you really want good animal viewing and this is your first safari, then it must be one of the private reserves in the Kruger area. My experience is that no where comes close to easy animal viewing in this area.
Otherwise, have a broad plan and ask the travel agent to recommend some lodges in the vacinity.
Otherwise, if you are interested in driving Cape Town and the Wine Region or the Garden route, the travel agent can recommend a lodge in the area. This was the aim on the trip I mentioned. We wanted time in Cape Town and to see the Garden Route. So the agent recommend recommended a safari lodge around the Port Elizabeth area (Ecca lodge which was lovely and reasonable animal viewing). It saves us excessive flying around the country going up to Kruger than on to Cape Town.
It is making the most of the area you are visiting. One when driving around the Wine Region, we stopped by a cheetah reserve. Not seeing the animals in the wild by we got to pet/stroke a leopard and have our photos taken. I bit touristy I know but it is yet another experience available.
The only issue I have with Pilanesberg is that it is a long drive from JNB, not very nice and on a road I would never drive on by ourselves. We were driven from JNB to Sun City. Not an experience I would care to repeat (and we fly from the UK to Las Vegas every year).
If you are concerned about malaria, the all the safari reserves in Pilanesberg, by the South Coast and on the Garden route are outside the malaria zone.
Last edited by KenJohn; Feb 9, 2015 at 10:10 am
Feb 9, 2015, 10:15 am
#17
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS
Posts: 15,027
Considering the amount of time, I am now leaning towards going straight to Cape Town and not spending any time in/around Johannesburg.
I will still arrive on Christmas eve at JNB (no CPT J awards available), but plan to stay overnight at an airport hotel and take a plane to CPT the next day.
I might be back in September 2016 for a Kruger safari.
I will still arrive on Christmas eve at JNB (no CPT J awards available), but plan to stay overnight at an airport hotel and take a plane to CPT the next day.
I might be back in September 2016 for a Kruger safari.
Feb 9, 2015, 10:29 am
#18
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: LHR
Programs: BA Gold, TG Gold, HHonors Diamond, SPG Plat
Posts: 8,665
You can see get some animal viewing in the Cape Town area.
Take a drive down to the Cape of Good Hope. On the way, stop at Boulders where there is a penguin reserve by the sea. Your heart will melt looking at the cute penguins. It is proper reserve with the penguins free to come and go but with barriers to keep humans at a reasonable distance from the penguins.
There is a Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. This is the only place I have seen ostriches in the wild. You can drive through the reserve on your own. I know there are wild ostriches in the safari area but I personally found them hard to spot.
There are ostrich farms in the area as well. And before the huge and vicious baboons in the area. There is so much to see and do around Cape Town even if this is not your first time there.
Take a drive down to the Cape of Good Hope. On the way, stop at Boulders where there is a penguin reserve by the sea. Your heart will melt looking at the cute penguins. It is proper reserve with the penguins free to come and go but with barriers to keep humans at a reasonable distance from the penguins.
There is a Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. This is the only place I have seen ostriches in the wild. You can drive through the reserve on your own. I know there are wild ostriches in the safari area but I personally found them hard to spot.
There are ostrich farms in the area as well. And before the huge and vicious baboons in the area. There is so much to see and do around Cape Town even if this is not your first time there.
Mar 24, 2015, 3:38 am
#20
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: LHR
Programs: BA Gold, TG Gold, HHonors Diamond, SPG Plat
Posts: 8,665
If you enjoy your wine, you might consider breaking up your Cape Town stay to spend a night or two at the Stellenbosch region. Its like visiting Napa Valley when you visit San Francisco. It can be done as a day trip but so much more relaxing to be able to sip good wine in the evenings surrounded by vineyards.