Africa - 1st time trip to South Africa

I´ve read quite a few threads discussing "SA itineraries", but would appreciate your input for my first trip to South Africa:

Here is some info that may help discussing the itinerary:

1) the two options are going to SA at the end of Dec./beginning of Jan. (summer) or July/August (winter)
2) duration of stay: 2 weeks
3) two to three travellers
4) prefer planning the trip ourselves and incl. a few day tours vs. booking a package for the entire trip, though I´ve been considering booking a safari package
5) pretty flexible regarding flights, most likely flying into/out of JNB (*A)
6) prefer upscale, but not too expensive accomodation: $200-$300/night would be ideal, slightly more would be ok if it´s really worth it (usually stay at Fairmont/Intercontinental/etc. properties etc. with the odd FS/RC)
7) we won´t be renting a car
8) one traveller is slightly visually impaired, which may be relevant when booking tours/game drives ("Can you see the animal hiding in the bushes 200m away?" kind of tours won´t be too much fun)
9) we´d prefer to stick to "malaria-free" areas

What I´ve been considering so far is (in no particular order):

1) fly into JNB, stay there for 1 night (settling in, museums etc.)
2) fly to CPT, stay in the Western Cape region for 3-4 nights (incl. day tour to some wineries)
3) 3-4 days of safari
4) 3-4 days around Durban (Fairmont Zimbali Resort on the Indian Ocean)

The thing I´ve been finding most challenging is deciding on which (national/private) park to visit. Kruger National Park would seem to be the "standard" answer, but I´ve been reading that game viewing in KNP isn´t that great in Dec. plus it seems like the only park with malaria (I´d like to avoid taking malaria medication and stick to areas which are considered "malaria-free")

We´ve also been considering some private game parks for a few days, but are a bit overwhelmed by the huge amount of offers.

I guess the ideal solution would be booking a safari trip (mainly interested in seeing the "big 5") incl. accomodation, transportation, game drives (and possibly food) for a few days.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Just a few quick comments to start off with.

To all intents and purposes, Kruger is malaria-free from a tourist perspective, even in summer. In June/July, it definitely will be.

100% malaria-free alternatives are Pilanesberg and Madikwe. Both closer to Johannesburg than Kruger.

If the visually impaired person can use a pair of binoculars, he/she should be fine on game drives. In Madikwe they go off-road, so usually get much closer than 200m.

Johan

I began writing a thread on Johannesburg, but then realized it should probably be its own thread, so watch for that if you're considering it.

I won't speak to game parks in SA, as there are many others who are experts. A search (obviously) might turn up some various opinions as well.

With Cape Town, there is always much to see, etc. 1 day should be spent doing the drive south through the suburbs, taking in Chapman's Peak Drive on the way, and then going to the Cape of Good hope to have your picture taken in front of the sign. This is an easy self-drive, or if you want a guide, I suggest Brian Smith (http://www.thecapetour.com/). If you use him, be sure and ask him to take you to see the ostrich. He'll know what you mean. :) Be sure and stop in Simon's Town on the way back up. 1 day (or more) should be spent in the Stellenbosch area, touring the various wineries. On my last trip, with a friend of mine who's a Cape Sommelier (http://www.capewineacademy.co.za/capesommelierhead.htm), I even met Ken Forrester (http://www.kenforresterwines.com/) himself (that's because she knows Ken personally; I'd have never known who he was by myself). Be sure to consider purchasing 1 or 2 or 3 of these (http://www.magellans.com/store/Health___Hygiene___Food___DrinkFP135), if you plan on bringing wine back. One of the best investments I've ever made.

With Zimbali, all I can tell you is think about that before you commit to 4 days there. I stayed at Zimbali when it was newish; it was for a weekend, glad I did it, but it seemed a bit too far to be convenient to Durban itself (and DO NOT MISS THE AQUARIUM THERE!), but maybe that's just me; also, as part of my trip, I went to a friend's house in the Kloof area of Durban, and it was not a quick ride there and back. If you want to relax at the spa/pool, etc., it's a wonderful place for that. However I (personally) wouldn't base myself there unless I wanted to spend some time there. You may see some dolphins, though, and that's always cool.

Hopefully others can point you to resources/places that can fill the bill for the game parks. I was thinking maybe Pilanesburg, not too far from Joburg (as it's pretty easy to get close to the animals), but I suspect others will have suggestions for much better parks for that.

Just a few quick comments to start off with.

To all intents and purposes, Kruger is malaria-free from a tourist perspective, even in summer. In June/July, it definitely will be.

100% malaria-free alternatives are Pilanesberg and Madikwe. Both closer to Johannesburg than Kruger.

If the visually impaired person can use a pair of binoculars, he/she should be fine on game drives. In Madikwe they go off-road, so usually get much closer than 200m.

Johan

Thanks for your input!

I´ll look into the two parks you mentioned. Do you have any personal experience or guides/tours you can recommend?

Taking along a pair of binoculars is a good idea, basically we´re considering concentrating on large animals. For instance, i´ve seen quite a few tours mainly advertising the great birds one can see, and I guess this would be a great example of an unsuitable tour.

I began writing a thread on Johannesburg, but then realized it should probably be its own thread, so watch for that if you're considering it.

....

With Zimbali, all I can tell you is think about that before you commit to 4 days there. I stayed at Zimbali when it was newish; it was for a weekend, glad I did it, but it seemed a bit too far to be convenient to Durban itself (and DO NOT MISS THE AQUARIUM THERE!), but maybe that's just me; also, as part of my trip, I went to a friend's house in the Kloof area of Durban, and it was not a quick ride there and back. If you want to relax at the spa/pool, etc., it's a wonderful place for that. However I (personally) wouldn't base myself there unless I wanted to spend some time there. You may see some dolphins, though, and that's always cool.

Hopefully others can point you to resources/places that can fill the bill for the game parks. I was thinking maybe Pilanesburg, not too far from Joburg (as it's pretty easy to get close to the animals), but I suspect others will have suggestions for much better parks for that.

Thanks a lot for your detailed reply!

The day tours out of CPT you listed are the exactly the kind of tours I was thinking of, getting a general idea of the area, seeing some interesting spots, but not spending a fortune.

Regarding Zimbali: May I ask why you think I should reconsider it? I haven´t given too much thought to that destination, basically I thought the Indian Ocean may be a fun place to relax for a few days, and I´m very likely to get a good rate at the Fairmont Zimbali Resort, so I thought why not include it in our itinerary? Isn´t it just half an hour by taxi from DUR?

Thanks again for your input!

Hi Jasper2009,

When I wrote what I did about Zimbali, it wasn't clear to me if you were looking for a 'home base' to do exploring of the area, or if you were looking to relax / chill out, etc. Based on the other things you were looking to do, I sort of went with "Jasper probably wants to do various activities in the Durban area" and based on that, Zimbali's location isn't optimal.

HOWEVER now that you've clarified, I say DEFINITELY go to Zimbali. It really is quite beautiful, and the staff quite good, etc. I was there pre-Fairmont, but I can't imagine that Fairmont would do anything to tamper with such a great property. Do note, though, that while you'll likely be able to see the ocean from the lodge, it isn't really close to the ocean - it's a bit of a hike. However the pool is nice, etc., and the food and beverage quite good, too. Also, they can be very into romance there - when I was there with a work friend, they put flower petals on the twin beds...LOL (I have a picture of it I just looked at).

Anything else, just ask - I may not have all the answers, but others here will.

...
HOWEVER now that you've clarified, I say DEFINITELY go to Zimbali. It really is quite beautiful, and the staff quite good, etc. I was there pre-Fairmont, but I can't imagine that Fairmont would do anything to tamper with such a great property. Do note, though, that while you'll likely be able to see the ocean from the lodge, it isn't really close to the ocean - it's a bit of a hike. However the pool is nice, etc., and the food and beverage quite good, too. Also, they can be very into romance there - when I was there with a work friend, they put flower petals on the twin beds...LOL (I have a picture of it I just looked at).

Anything else, just ask - I may not have all the answers, but others here will.

Thanks for your input, TravelinWilly!

I was planning to stay at the Fairmont Zimbali Resort which seemed to be more modern / closer to the ocean than the older Fairmont Zimbali Lodge, or am I mistaken?

Anyways, we were just planning to stay there for a few days to chill out, will most likely do Zimbali as our last stop:

destination 1: CPT
destination 2: safari/game park
destination 3: Zimbali
(+ possibly 1 day in JNB at the beginning or end of the trip)

Regarding CPT: Can you recommend any 4*-5* hotel in CPT which isn´t overly expensive over NYE? ($200-$300/night, incl. breakfast if possible)

So far I´ve found:

Hilton CPT Exec. room for $200/night
Westin CPT Standard room for $300/night

As you have HH Diamond status, I was wondering whether you may have stayed at the Hilton CPT?

Thanks a lot for your help!

I´ll look into the two parks you mentioned. Do you have any personal experience or guides/tours you can recommend?In Pilanesberg I've stayed at Tshukudu Bush Lodge and Bakubung; in Madikwe at Tau, Madikwe River Lodge and Mosetlha (numerous times). Check out their websites and post any specific questions you may have.

Johan

If you are going to CPT and JNB, why not fly into one and out of the other?

I'll be staying at the CPT Hilton this weekend (God and the airlines willing). If I remember, I'll let you know what it's like.

In Pilanesberg I've stayed at Tshukudu Bush Lodge and Bakubung; in Madikwe at Tau, Madikwe River Lodge and Mosetlha (numerous times). Check out their websites and post any specific questions you may have.

Johan

Thanks! All those properties look pretty nice and seem reasonably priced. The only issue seems to be that most of them don´t seem to have any availability at the beginning of Jan, but will drop each property an e-mail.

I also came across Ivory Tree Game Reserve which looked pretty decent...

Btw, as we won´t be hiring a car, would flying into Pilanesberg (NTY) be the easiest option? Are there any scheduled flights to NTY? I could only find a very outdates airport authority website with a list of charter operators, but a lot may have changed during the last six years since the website was last updated.

If you are going to CPT and JNB, why not fly into one and out of the other?

I'll be staying at the CPT Hilton this weekend (God and the airlines willing). If I remember, I'll let you know what it's like.

Thanks a lot! If you don´t remember, I will. ;) (if you don´t mind me getting back to you)

Regarding flights: i´m pretty flexible, but as I´ll be booking award flights (at least for the longhaul segments), I´ll most likely be flying into/out of or connecting in JNB as it has the msot int´l flights (there is a flight to LHR and a seasonal flight to FRA, but availability is very limited)

Jasper2009,

Yes, the Zimbali Resort was opened after the Zimbali Lodge, and I forgot about that. Sorry for any confusion I created - but that's why we have discussion boards...to "discuss," right? :) :) And yes, the Zimbali Resort is practically in the water, so now you've succeeded in making me jealous. Hats off to you for that. :D

With Cape Town, I suggest you skip the Hilton. I do hope that manneca has a good stay there, however for a first time visitor, you may want to look closer to the V&A waterfront for your stay. I was going to stay at the Westin last trip (last year), however a friend of mine worked for Newmark and suggested the V&A Waterfront (http://www.newmarkhotels.com/hotels/victoria-alfred-hotel/) hotel - AWESOME LOCATION, however it's not cheap. She managed to get us rates at ZAR 1,860/night, but the listed rates usually start at twice that. Unfortunately, the other 2 options (the Cape Grace and the Table Bay) that are pretty central are usually even more expensive.

However, a couple of good standbys I've used in the past have been The Commodore (http://www.thecommodore.co.za/) and The Portswood (http://www.portswood.co.za/). These are a stone's throw away from the V&A Waterfront hotel. The prices can be a bit on the high side, however for these you're paying for location more than anything else; check out various sites and see if you can get the prices lower if they seem high (and ZAR 2,000/night is a bit high for these, if you ask me, but you may be stuck with it). If you book these, keep your expectations in check - they're solid, decent hotels, but they are NOT luxury. Rooms can be smallish and don't hope for a view of anything. BUT they're clean, safe, and do the job.

Others may have more suggestions for you. My status with Hilton is a Godsend and I love it, but in CPT I'll always forego status with Starwood or Hilton and try to stay near the waterfront. Another option that I used once, also, was the Radisson (http://www.radissonblu.com/hotel-capetown) - it's an easy 10-minute walk to the waterfront as well. However I went there between Christmas and New Year's day, and paid dearly for it. Considering budget, you'll likely want to skip some of the super high-end places, like 12 Apostles (http://www.12apostleshotel.com/) - great hotel from what I hear, but you pay a hefty price for it.

Look here (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=portswood+hotel+cape+town&aq=&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=44.658568,93.076172&ie=UTF8&hq=portswood+hotel&hnear=Cape+Town,+Western+Cape,+South+Africa&ll=-33.911241,18.404932&spn=0.044163,0.090895&z=14) for a hopefully friendly map.

Pilanesburg, btw, IS doable on a day trip (and that's all I've done). They also have night safaris, but I've never done them, and only those staying in a property in the camp itself have access to these. I don't think there's that much advantage in flying in from a time standpoint, but I guess that's an individual choice. Also, Sun City (http://www.sun-city-south-africa.com/) is right next door, and that's an option for staying nearby as well.

Sounds like it's going to be a fun trip!

Thanks a lot for your detailed response!

If you happen to be around in early Jan., feel free to drop by in Zimbali and I´ll buy you a drink or two. ;)

The stay in CPT is causing me some headaches. I´ve considered the Radisson, but it´s fully booked over NYE, same with the Commodor and Portswood.

I´d love to stay at the 12 Apostles, but $1300/night for a standard room is "slightly" beyond my budget. :( (heck, I don´t usually pay that much for a whole week)

I may have to modify my plans as availability seems to be pretty limited...

I was considering the Hilton as it´s pretty cheap ($200/night) and has a comp. shuttle bus to the waterfront. Also, as I´ll be doing a few daytours anyway, I was thinking location wouldn´t be too, too important...

I´ve been thinking about using JNB (or anothe rcity) as a base for safari day excursions, but think we´d prefer to stay at a "proper" game lodge for a few nights. (though again, availability seems to be an issue)