Dieuwer

I am planning my first ever trip to South Africa over Christmas & New Years 2015. I travel solo and plan to arrive Christmas eve at JNB, depart Sunday January 3rd, 2016 from CPT.

As I have never been on a proper safari (apart from the fake one in DisneyWorld), I thought to take it easy and go for 3 nights as I am not sure if I will like it. If I do, I can always come back and go on a longer trip.
Afterwards, I will either stay a day or two in Johannesburg or go straight to Cape Town. I'm just not sure if Jo-burg is worth it.

I looked at Intrepid and African Budget Safaris. They seem to have affordable safaris for 3-4 nights. Either to Kruger or Pilanesberg.

What do you think?

FlyingRhino

Hi

I can add my 2cents, JNB is a great city, but pretty calm in December due to the great trek of most families to the beach areas of South Africa, I love JNB, but you need a local guide/tour to give you the best experience. Game viewing, well Kruger is world famous and you will have to book well in advance and is the size of Israel, the south of Kruger remains very popular and is easy to get to. Pilansberg is superb and small, so sightings are pretty good all the time.

Close to Pilansberg is Sun City, great range of hotels, a bit tacky for some, but great fun if you want to see game, gamble and golf you cannot go wrong. As a Cape Town chap, well you need to come here if you visit SA, also book well, well in advance, the CBD is safe and very trendy with easy transport options or a short stay in the winelands can also work.

Apart from a great exchange rate, SPOILED FOR CHOICE, must be the right phrase, when deciding on a trip to SA.

Roger

+1, also for Pilanesberg.

On such a short trip, you'll be hard pressed to have much safari time. I wouldn't necessarily be thinking of getting to the Kruger. Perhaps spend time at Pilanesberg or Addo Elephant Park (which would probably require getting to Port Elizabeth).

One thing to consider is that your dates are plumb in the middle of SA high season - summer holidays, school holidays as well as Christmas. Also, vegetation in the wild areas will be at its densest with less chance of viewing wildlife.

Is there any chance of coming earlier or later? If earlier, say November/early December, you'd still have the weather and the scenery but with less vegetation, fewer crowds and probably lower prices.

If not, no worries. You'll still have a great time.

Dieuwer

My dates are set. I'm just soliciting ideas and itineraries

johan rebel

That is rather unfortunate.

Should you opt for Kruger, then bear in mind that it will be packed to the rafters with local visitors. Accommodation in SANParks rest camps is usually fully booked a year out, and there is a quota for day visitors. Same goes for Pilansberg. Game viewing on public roads can be a bit of a nightmare over Christmas, with traffic jams that make Moscow on a bad day look good.

In private reserves crowding is less of an issue, but even there is can be noticable, especially in places like Madikwe.

As mentioned, there is of course also the issue of prices, which are often 40% higher than just a few weeks earlier.

Personally, I strenuously avoid leisure travel in December, not only in Africa. Give me the low season any day, anywhere.

Johan

Dieuwer

So you suggest I should forget about a mini safari, stay a couple days in Jo-burg and then fly to Cape Town?
Another option would be to stay at a JNB airport hotel overnight and fly the next day to Port Elizabeth. Go from there to Addo and fly to Cape Town a few days later?
As I said before, everything is still open except arrival (JNB) and departure (CPT).

johan rebel

No, not necessarily. I would certainly recommend avoiding a self-drive and staying at the public rest camps. If you can get a decent at a private reserve/lodge with affordable transfers, the by all means go for it. I would not recommend fewer than three nights.

Johan

Dieuwer

Any suggestions of private reserves/lodges that provide a relatively less crowded experience?
What do you think of the Port Elizabeth option?

Philatravelgirl

I traveled solo in September and used Rhino Africa in Capetown to source itinerary, transfers and hotels. They found me space and I booked in July. In JNB, I used private guide, Cashan Private Tours, for a day tour of city before my flight home. The Apartheid museum was closed so I didn't do that. One quick day was enough for me, I'd spend more time in Capetown.
In Kruger, I stayed 3 nights at Inyati.
In Capetown, I used Hylton Ross tours.
In Port Elizabeth, there isn't much there IMO - I did meet a local guide (former history teacher) and was told the casino and restaurants were my nightlife option.
My blog (same as user name) has most of my africa trip posted

RCyyz

I just did a safari @ Kapama River Lodge on Xmas and was in CPT for New Year's. Had a great time!

My general itinerary was JNB for 2 days (1 day in Jo'berg, 1 day in Pretoria) then off to the safari followed by Victoria Falls then Cape Town.

Doing a safari on Xmas Day is useful since the animals don't particularly care it's the 25th of Dec. As johan points out, there are lots of tourists but I did not find that particularly troubling. YMMV obviously.

Dieuwer

I think I will skip doing a safari this time. My feeling is that it will be too crowded, too hot, too humid, and too leafy to enjoy and see much. I think I might do a safari in September 2016 instead.
For now, my plan is to be 3 days in Johannesburg and 5 nights in Cape Town. After arriving the previous night, I will take it easy on Christmas Day and might go to Walter Sisulu or the Joburg Botanical Gardens. In any case, nothing else seems to be open that day. Sightseeing and museums on Saturday, perhaps a tour to Soweto or somewhere else on Sunday.
Leave on Monday for Cape Town.

Roger

Hi, dieuwer2. You'll still have a great time, and reading some of the threads on FT will produce lots of advice.

If I may, a couple of tips. In Johannesburg, do try and get to the Apartheid Museum for an experience unique to South Africa. Lunch or dinner at the Butcher Shop in Mandela Square can be an experience, but don't buy the vintage wine unless you want to pay a lot.

In Cape Town, there's so much to do that you'll be spoilt for choice. In particular, if you want to take the cable car up Table Mountain, grab the opportunity as soon as you can as service can be interrupted by high winds.

If you want to visit Robben Island, book in advance. Turning up on the day without having booked may not have availability.

Alpha Golf

Being from Jo'burg, I would personally recommend less time there. There's not that much to do, specially on Christmas. Spend longer in CPT or add somewhere else.

Dieuwer

Suggestions?

Alpha Golf

First of all, note that anywhere will be busy/crowded.

There's a bit of a disagreement on here, but I'm very partial to the Garden Route (rouighly between George and Port Elizabeth).

Some folks are partial to Durban, on the coast, though I haven't been there. Or nearby beach places like Umhlanga Rocks, though you probably have beaches closer to home.

There are some very nice places in what used to be the Eastern Transvaal, now part of Mpumalanga. Nice places include Blyde River Canyon, Bourke's Potholes and Pilgrim's Rest (driveable from Jo'burg). (Disclaimer -- I've been away a long time, names may have changed).

Desert is beautiful, but not in summer...

If you're willing to travel to neighbouring countries, Swaziland or a couple of days in Namibia could be fun.

Or just spend the extra time in/around Cape Town.

Just my 2c