East and Southern Africa · South Africa

Hi there, my wife and I are likely going to spend a week volunteering at the in Bela Bela, near Hatfield, during the third week of May 2027. After that, we’d like to rent a car and spend a week in Kruger Park. What do you think about the timing and the type of vehicle? Also, which spots are best for accommodation so we can experience the park’s different sides? Thanks.

Hi everyone! I’m planning the Cape Town part of our trip and would love to hike up Table Mountain via Platterklip Gorge and take the cable car back down. Is it safe to hike this trail in early January without a guide (there are 4 of us: 3 adults and a teen)? If a guide is highly recommended, do you know a good one? If we end up taking the cable car both ways, is it safe to hike the summit without a guide (Mc Lear's Beacon trail)? Same question for Lion’s Head: with or without a guide? We’re used to hiking technical trails (Réunion Island), so my question is more about the risk of mugging on these trails. Thanks for your feedback! Malijp

Hi, The Wild Card gives access to many parks in South Africa. Since the card is cheaper if you choose the "couple" option, I was wondering what they mean by "couple." Is it simply 2 people, with no family ties, or is it the "official" couple as many people understand it? In my case, I’ll be traveling with 2 buddies. Since there’ll be 3 of us, we could take 1 couple card and 1 individual one. Thanks in advance

Hi there!

I’d like to go to South Africa in August and plan my trip myself (so no travel agency). Could anyone recommend a good guidebook, please? (Routard, Lonely Planet, Petit Futé, etc.) Thanks!!

Kaelha

hi to recent travelers in South Africa, I’ve heard there’s a document you need to present when you arrive. Can you help me out? THANKS

Hello everyone! It's been a year since I've been longing for South Africa. Our first trip in August 2025 amazed us, and—rarely—it was a unanimous hit with our little family! We were touched to the core, and from the moment we got home, we couldn’t stop talking about going back. 😄 I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who gave me advice on the itinerary for that first trip (Johannesburg loop: Blyde, Kruger, Eswatini, St. Lucia, Durban, Drakensberg)! Thanks to you, our trip went like a dream! Since then, I haven’t stopped reading articles and discussions on VoyageForum to keep my head in South Africa a little longer! So, we finally caved and just booked our tickets for January 2027 (from the 3rd to the 26th), with a plan to do a road trip from Cape Town to Johannesburg in about 3 weeks. I’ve got a rough itinerary that seems great based on what I’ve read on various forums, but there are still some uncertain points, and that’s where I could use your advice.

3/01: Arrival in Johannesburg at 11:45 PM 4/01: Flight to Cape Town, pick up rental car. Afternoon sightseeing 5,6,7/01: Cape Town to visit the big classics in the area (any tips for finding accommodation: which neighborhood, a specific place?) 8/01: Overnight stop before Oudtshoorn—but where??? (Is it essential, or is the CT-Oudtshoorn drive manageable? If so, I’d gain a day in Oudtshoorn. Google Maps shows over 5 hours of driving...) 9,10/01: Oudtshoorn (or would 3 nights be better to really enjoy the area?) 11,12/01: Knysna, Plettenberg Bay (to have time for hiking—if you’ve got hiking tips, I’m all ears!) 13,14/01: Tsitsikamma (still to have time for hiking—who knows the must-do hikes in the area? But maybe 4 nights in the Knysna-Tsitsikamma area is too much—I’m not sure) 16,17/01: Addo Elephant (I’m torn between 3 nights at Addo or 3 nights at Mountain Zebra. Based on travel journals, especially Michel’s on MZ, I’ve scheduled 3 nights at MZ 😄...) 18,19,20/01: Mountain Zebra NP 21/01: Camdeboo NP (because it looks so beautiful!) 22/01: Overnight stop (where?) before wrapping up the trip with either 2 or 3 nights at Golden Gate NP or the Lesotho option, which appeals to me, but I don’t know if it’s doable in 3 days to be back in Johannesburg by the afternoon of the 26th.

That’s my trip idea for now... I’m eagerly waiting for your advice, ideas, and comments... Can’t wait to be back there again!

Hi there, Hope the pros are on the lookout!

March or May 2027. Around 15 days in the Western Cape, then 15 days in the southern KNP.

Arrival either in PE or George. The pros know I’m somewhat familiar with the area... that I don’t camp... that my accommodations can be simple and remote, self-catering but with basic comforts... that I’m looking for spots that are a bit off the beaten path... in a relaxed mode... From George: Late arrival... need some rest... Herolds Bay from George to the N1. Tsitsikamma is catching my eye (Storms River)... with or without a stop in Knysna. Question: What’s the current condition of the pass from Knysna to Uniondale? R339. And while I’m at it, the condition of the R340. Tsitsikamma, Knysna, and my questions still apply if arriving in PE.

Is the Swartberg still closed? Any recommendations for accommodation in Prince Albert? If I cross the escarpment, I’ll continue via Anysberg NR, Touwsrivier... any thoughts? From there... Tankwa Karoo or Mount Cedar (or both). Then heading back down to the coast... the highlands of Hermanus or Kogelberg NR (any opinions on the latter?).

Or,

A more classic route along the coast...

If I arrive (fairly late) in PE... any ideas for accommodation in that little area? Given that Nyathi Camp is winking at me... (For context... a while back, I stayed at Riverbend (same Addo sector, private concession)... and I visited the ruins of that abandoned lodge at the time, which has clearly been renovated since... located in a very quiet part of Addo...). Any feedback from the pros? Well, that’s about it... I’m open to any other tips or advice!

Hi there,

I’m thinking (thanks to some tips from forum members 😉) of taking this route to get to the Cederberg. Apparently, the road was damaged by the May rains, and traffic is still slow there. Has anyone taken this route recently? If not, is one direction (toward or from the Cederberg) more scenic than the other?

Hi everyone! I’m still planning my Cape Town to Johannesburg trip in January 2027. I saw a documentary about the San people in Namibia, and the same day, I stumbled upon the Lonely Planet page about !Kwah Ttu. I checked out their website to learn more, including Michel’s travel journal about it. I’m really keen to go. So, I’m thinking of dedicating: - either 1 day out of the 4.5 I have in Cape Town... - or making a detour to !Kwah Ttu on the day I leave Cape Town for Montagu, instead of visiting Franschhoek and its Saturday market... To the VFers who’ve already been: is it really worth spending a day there? Thanks in advance for your feedback! Malijp

We're heading to South Africa for a month with 5 adults. We'd like to rent a vehicle that can accommodate 5 people and all our luggage. We're starting in Cape Town and ending in Johannesburg. What vehicle would you recommend? EDITH

Hi everyone,

With my girlfriend Christelle, we’ve chosen South Africa for our first trip to Southern Africa, focusing on safaris—after a long debate with a Cape Town/Kruger combo. But that would’ve meant cutting out St Lucia, which would’ve been harder to fit into another trip. And St Lucia—thanks to Michel and all those travel journals—we really wanted to go there.

So our 11-night itinerary ended up like this, mostly shaped by school holidays: - 3 nights in St Lucia - 1 night in Hluhluwe - 1 night at Mkhaya Game Reserve (Eswatini) - 1 night at Hlane Royal National Park (Eswatini) - 3 nights in Kruger (Berg en Dal / Satara / Tamboti) - 1 night at Shindzela Tented Camp in the Timbavati private reserve - 1 final night in Kruger at Lower Sabie

All of this in the off-season and rainy season, just a month after catastrophic floods that killed over 150 people and seriously damaged Kruger’s infrastructure.

I’ll jump straight to St Lucia and skip the loooong journey to get there (with a layover in Frankfurt, landing in Johannesburg, a domestic flight to Durban, and the rest by rental SUV—First Car Rental, perfect, no complaints).

To motivate readers—especially some familiar faces here—I’ll drop in a first photo.

Hi there,

We're now just 5 weeks away from our trip to South Africa 🙂 and *so* excited to explore (just a tiny bit of) this amazing country. I need to buy some binoculars but have no idea which model to choose. I don’t really know what to look for (and I don’t want to spend too much). Thanks in advance to anyone who can give me some tips!

Françoise

Hi everyone,

I’ve read the forum a lot and found a wealth of information. I’ve tried to compile all of it into our itinerary and would love your feedback to finalize the bookings (we’re planning this *very* last-minute).

Here’s what we’re thinking of doing: 22 July: arrival in Johannesburg Night of 22–23: Johannesburg Nights of 23–26: Marloth Park (with Kruger visits on the 24th, 25th, and a crossing visit on the 26th) Nights of 26–28: Graskop (visiting the canyon and Panorama Road on the 27th and 28th) Nights of 28–30: Hoedspruit (visiting the central area of Kruger on the 29th?) Nights of 30 July–1 August: Balule Park (private reserve with safari) Nights of 1–5 August: flight from Hoedspruit to Cape Town, then 2 days in Cape Town, 1 day on the peninsula, and 2 days for wine (just the route) or something else based on your advice (we don’t know where to stay—whether to stay all 5 nights in Cape Town and where in the city, or do 2 nights in Cape Town and 3 nights nearby—but where?) Night of 5–6 August: Kelders for penguins and whales Nights of 6–8 August: Tsitsikamma (what is there to do/see?) Nights of 8–10 August: Addo Park on the 9th 10 August: flight from Port Elizabeth to Johannesburg and back home

What do you think? Is there a lot of driving time?

We’d really appreciate your comments and suggestions. Thanks!

Nadia

Hi there, We’ll be traveling in January 2027 in a 4x4 with a rooftop tent with our three kids, from Johannesburg to Cape Town. We’ve already booked several campsites in national parks (Golden Gate / Mountain Zebra / Addo Elephant / Garden Route). We still need to reserve the stretch between De Hoop Nature Reserve and Cape Town. Any suggestions? We’d love to stay around Cape Town for 5 days to explore the wine route, the peninsula, and do some hikes in Table Mountain. Any camping recommendations? Or, on the contrary, places to avoid?

Also, we have 2 nights left near Wilderness National Park / Knysna. Any recommendations? Thanks so much for your help!

Hi everyone!

My trip to South Africa is getting closer (still 2 months to go 😏), and I’m diving back into my itinerary: from Saturday to the following Sunday around Cape Town, then from Sunday to the following Saturday in Kruger.

For Cape Town, the plan was to avoid changing accommodation every day (we’ll do enough of that in the second part) but still see different landscapes. I know, I’m missing out on a lot, but you’ve got to make choices, and after all this time, I know what I like—and especially what I don’t (or like less) 😉

Here’s the breakdown:

Arrival Saturday at 11 AM: heading to Hermanus (2 nights). The idea is to stroll along the cliff path in the afternoon, and possibly drive to the Klein River Lagoon. Sunday: Stony Point, then depending on time and weather, a hike in Kogelberg Nature Reserve or Fernkloof Nature Reserve (which seems less scenic but has shorter walks). Monday: drive to Franschhoek (1 night). If everything lines up, a hike in Jonkershoek NR and a visit to a wine estate. Tuesday: drive to Mountceder Lodge in the Cederberg (2 nights). I’m thinking of visiting the Stadsaal Caves and the elephant paintings, and maybe one of the hikes listed on the lodge’s site or Maltese Cross. Thursday: heading to Hout Bay for 3 nights. In no particular order: a classic day trip around the peninsula, half a day at Kirstenbosch Gardens, and half a day at Lion’s Head. Sunday: flight to Johannesburg.

My questions are mostly about (short) hikes: Has anyone here done hikes in Kogelberg, Fernkloof, or Jonkershoek? At Mountceder Lodge (Michel, if you’re reading this… 😉), has anyone tried the hikes (guided or not) offered by the lodge? There’s still half a day to fill when we’re in Hout Bay—any ideas (not necessarily hikes)?

Lastly, regarding safety: the French foreign ministry (always alarmist, but still) recommends hiking in groups. Is it really risky in broad daylight? (I’m not sure a group of two women counts as a "group"…)

Thanks in advance for your answers, ideas, and comments!

Hi, We’re a young couple planning to travel to South Africa after spending about three weeks in Namibia. We’ll arrive in Cape Town around mid-December, with no fixed travel duration (though our budget will eventually set a limit). After browsing through the forum, we’ve realized the country is packed with incredible spots, which makes choosing an itinerary tough. We’re looking for stunning landscapes, hikes, and so on. So, we’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences. When we arrive in Cape Town, we’d like to settle in and take it easy until New Year’s, exploring at a relaxed pace. We know this period coincides with South African holidays—does that make finding accommodations (availability/prices) more difficult? Do you think it’s possible to stay in a nice place for about 15 days without aiming for the most upscale neighborhoods? Maybe somewhere a bit outside Cape Town, like Fish Hoek, and just visit the city occasionally. After that, we’ll have plenty of time (about 2 to 2.5 months) to explore the country. We’d like to take our time. In your opinion, is it better to focus on the Cape Town region, or is it reasonable to consider more distant areas like the Drakensberg or Blyde River Canyon? Can everything be done by car if we take our time, or are domestic flights sometimes more practical? Budget-wise, how much do car rentals cost? For accommodations, we usually look at Airbnb—are they affordable in South Africa? What’s the average nightly rate outside the biggest cities? Are there other platforms you’d recommend for saving on lodging? Finally, regarding safety, are there any regions to avoid besides Johannesburg? We know this is a lot of questions, but we’re still in the early planning stages! Thanks in advance for your advice!

Hello,

We’re planning our second trip to South Africa in July 2026. In 2023, we did a loop from Joburg, Golden Gate, Drakensberg, Hluhluwe, St Lucia, Eswatini, Kruger, Blyde River Canyon, and back to Joburg. This time, we’d like to go to Cape Town and do a road trip to Port Elizabeth, then fly back to Joburg to return to Kruger. At this stage of my planning, here’s what it could look like:

D1 to D4: Cape Town and Cape of Good Hope (Table Mountain, Lion’s Head, Waterfront, Bo-Kaap, Boulders, Cape Point, Chapman’s Peak Drive). I’ve spotted a few places to stay between Camps Bay and Hout Bay (3 nights). D5 and D6: Either Karoo NP or Hermanus and De Hoop. Any opinions to tip the scales? I’ll admit I’m already leaning toward Karoo (the "wild" vibe of the landscapes and wildlife encounters appeal to me much more than the seaside, which feels less exotic). If we go for Karoo, where should we stay? Inside the park or in Beaufort West? I’ve seen good reviews for Ko-ka Tsara Bush Camp, but maybe it’s better to stay in the Sanparks cottages to make the most of the park? (2 nights) Option B is to do Stellenbosch (though vineyards aren’t great in winter) and/or the Whale Route—Betty’s Bay, Hermanus, De Hoop (2 nights near Gansbaai). D7 and D8: Klein Karoo, Oudtshoorn. Staying at De Cango Guest Farm (2 nights). D9 and D10: Knysna, Robberg Nature Reserve, Tsitsikamma (2 nights in Plettenberg Bay and 1 night in PE). D11: Flight from Port Elizabeth to Joburg at 7 AM and drive to Marloth Park.

For Kruger, I’ve booked 2 nights in Marloth Park, 1 night in Skukuza, 2 nights in Satara, and 1 night in Talamati, which we loved. I’ll book the last night in Graskop later since we want to revisit the Blyde Canyon area.

I’d love all the feedback you can give on my itinerary, especially for days 5 and 6. If you have recommendations for accommodations for 4 people, I’d appreciate those too. Thanks! 🙂

Hi everyone, I’m here to get some advice on visiting KRUGER Park. From what I’ve gathered through my reading, I understand there are two ways to visit the park: - Independently with your own vehicle => Do you drive all day? - By booking with a professional => Safari early in the morning and late in the afternoon. But what do you do in between?

When it comes to accommodations, the options are: - Booking in one of the park’s camps, where the lodging is basic but functional - Booking in a private reserve, which is more comfortable but prohibitively expensive - Booking outside the park, which means entering the park every morning. But if you want to stay for 3 days, that doesn’t seem practical to me. Do you have any advice for accommodations?

To be honest, I’m really struggling to understand how it all works... Thanks to everyone for your help. Bidule 27

Hello,

I’m reaching out because I’ve already read tons of info from other forums (thanks a million, by the way!) and blogs, but now I’m overwhelmed with details and have so many questions. I’m really hoping you can help us figure this out! Here’s the plan: We’re leaving France for Senegal in our camper van (with two kids, aged 4 and 7), then shipping the van to South Africa before heading to Namibia. We’re planning to leave this summer and should arrive in South Africa in early September. The goal is to reach Réunion by early December, which gives us 3 months to explore Southern Africa. Originally, we wanted to pick up the van in Cape Town, head up to Namibia, and visit the main parks and iconic spots, then go north to Botswana (Etosha Park) and Zimbabwe (Victoria Falls) before heading back down to South Africa to enjoy the milder temperatures while exploring the country. But now we’re wondering how to get back to South Africa. We’ve come up with three options: - Head back down through Botswana: I’ve read everywhere that Botswana isn’t recommended for kids under 6 (most parks) because it can be potentially dangerous—few enclosures for animals (even though we have a camper van with "secure" beds), and the agencies we’ve contacted don’t recommend it. Plus, southern Botswana is tough to navigate in a camper van. - Return from central Botswana (Maun) to Windhoek and drive back to Cape Town via Namibia. - Cross Zimbabwe and potentially Mozambique to head down to Kruger Park and Johannesburg.

Anyone familiar with this region have any recommendations?

Also, is it necessary to book accommodations in advance? Is that only required in certain countries (maybe Botswana/Zimbabwe)? We’d like a mix of camping and lodges.

All advice is welcome!

Hello,

I’m really interested in traveling to South Africa in September 2020. My question is whether I should go on an organized tour or plan my own itinerary. Organized trips are pretty expensive $$$$, but the security aspect reassures me. I’d love to hear your thoughts on safety in South Africa and whether it’s easy to arrange activities like visiting vineyards, Cape Town, and going on a safari on our own. Which is better in terms of cost—booking an organized trip or doing it ourselves? It’s definitely less exciting to follow a group for 10 days. We’re a couple in our 50s who love nature. 😊🦁

Hi, I’m starting to plan a great trip for the last three weeks of January 2027 (my first time in South Africa). After spending a few hours (!) browsing this forum, here’s a rough first draft of my itinerary:

D0 Arrival at JNB D1, D2 Blyde River Canyon D3, D4, D5, D6, D7: Kruger D8, D9, D10: St Lucia and surrounding area D11, D12, D13, D14: Drakensberg + Lesotho

D15 A very long driving day to the south (hope the AC doesn’t break down!)

D16, D17, D18, D19 southwest coast (so far I’ve noted Oudtshoorn, Robberg Nature Reserve, Wilderness NP, De Hoop Reserve, and a bit of the wine route) D20, D21 Cape Town (peninsula and a bit of the city) + domestic flight and return flight (departure from JNB at 11 PM)

A few questions before refining this: - Do you see any major issues with this itinerary?

- We don’t have a choice on dates, and personally, I prefer green landscapes to desert ones anyway, but do you really see far fewer animals in January than in the dry season? Five days in Kruger should give us enough time to spot plenty of different animals despite the tall grass, right? As for the heat, we’re from Réunion, so we’re relatively used to it, even though I know it’s not the same type of heat.

- Can I trust the distances and driving times given by Google Maps?

- Picking up the vehicle in Johannesburg and dropping it off in Cape Town: how much might that cost us? I’m thinking it probably won’t be worse (in terms of time or money, since there are five of us—2 adults + 3 kids) than going back to Joburg after Lesotho, taking a flight to Cape Town, and renting another vehicle... but maybe I’m wrong.

- Finally, wouldn’t it be better to focus on just one of the two regions (either the northeast or Cape Town and the south coast)? If it were up to me, I’d stick to the first part and extend a few stops... but not everyone agrees! And we’re thinking that since it’ll be really hot, a second part of the trip that’s a bit """cooler""" would be welcome.

Thanks for your help

Hi, We’re going on a guided trip to South Africa. I’d love to know which guidebook is the most interesting: Routard, Lonely Planet, Michelin, Guide Vert, or Hachette’s Guide Voir. Thanks so much for your advice. Marie

Hi, I'm looking for a good (digital) wildlife and bird guide for South Africa. I'm planning a 2-month road trip through the parks and tourist spots.

I'm torn between *Duncan Butcher’s Wildlife of South Africa*, *Wildlife of Southern Africa Collins Traveller Guide*, and *Newman’s Birds Guide* for birds. Any other suggestions?! It can be in English, French, or Spanish! Thanks

Hi everyone,

I’m planning my next trip in September, and after two self-drive trips to Botswana last year, I’d love to explore Kruger. Since I’m used to camping, I’m thinking of renting an equipped van from Kitted Africa (a small Suzuki van—thanks Safari Expert!) to sleep in a tent and occasionally in a hut.

Here’s my provisional itinerary, and I’d love to hear your thoughts if you don’t mind. I’ve got 13 nights to plan in Kruger. The rental company is based in Nelspruit.

Entering from the south: 14-15-16.09: 3 nights at Crocodile Bridge or Lower Sabie 17-18-19.09: 3 nights at Skukuza 20-21.09: 2 nights at Satara 22-23-24.09: 3 nights at Olifants 25-26.09: 2 nights at Tamboti or Talamati

Exiting the park on 27.09 via Orpen Gate, then heading to Blyde River Canyon for a night in a hotel or elsewhere. 28.09: Return to Nelspruit, drop off the van, and stay in a hotel. 29.09 (midday): Airlink flight to Johannesburg, then an evening return flight to GVA.

What do you think? Too many nights here, not enough there?

I’ll be traveling solo, I love driving, and I enjoy settling in the middle of nature to listen, observe, and take photos (Botswana was perfect for that).

Thanks in advance! Nicole Photo: Baines Baobab, Botswana, April 2025

Hello everyone, It’s been a little over a year and a half since we first set foot in South Africa, and ever since, we’ve been dreaming of returning to explore Southern Africa.

First of all, a big thank you to all the forum members—there are so many on this VoyageForum section, some of whom are unconditional and indispensable experts on the destination—for the amazing travel journals that only make you want one thing: to go and discover these stunning lands. The first journal I read was Bruno’s (Montagnard74), and I was completely captivated by the face in the colors of the rainbow nation.



Now it’s my turn to add my small contribution by recounting our two-week trip during the Christmas period in South Africa.

Even though Attila strongly advised against visiting South Africa during the South African summer holidays, we still gave it a try since my husband doesn’t have the option to choose his vacation dates.

So we went during the peak tourist season, with all its drawbacks: difficulties finding accommodations, crowds at certain sites... But on the bright side, it’s the beautiful season in South Africa while it’s gray and cold back home.

For this trip, we wanted to explore Cape Town and its surroundings, which are already packed with things to see. As a result, we didn’t have time to head north without rushing too much. So we planned the following itinerary, staying in the south:

J1: Lyon/Dubai J2: Dubai/Cape Town J3: Table Mountain – Cape Town J4: Botanic Garden - Robben Island J5: Cape Peninsula J6: Cape Agulhas - Gansbaai J7: De Hoop - Swellendam J8: Garden Route - Knysna J9: Garden Route - Addo NP J10: Addo NP J11: Oudtshoorn J12: Little Karoo J13: Wine Route - Cape Town/Dubai J14: Dubai/Lyon



To give you a taste of what we experienced on the South African roads, here’s a little preview of the wildlife and flora we encountered, as well as the beaches and mountains we glimpsed.











The rest here

we’re taking our grandkids in early 2026 (14 and 10 years old) without their parents. Do we really need to have birth certificates and other forms translated by a sworn translator?

Hello, We’re a group of four seventy-something retirees and we’re planning a 4-week trip to South Africa. We’re seasoned "adventurers" used to multi-week stays (we’ve been to India seven times, Mexico, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Australia, etc.).

For South Africa, we’re thinking of covering most of the trip in a private vehicle and taking flights for inter-state transfers. We’re interested in meeting people, learning about the country’s evolution, exploring major cities, visiting traditional villages, and seeing wildlife.

Here’s the itinerary we’re considering: Johannesburg – 2 days (we’ll pass through again later) Pretoria – 2 days Blyde River Canyon and Graskop – 1 day Acornhoek – 1 day Letaba – 2 days Lobamba – 2 days Johannesburg – 1 day

Flight to Cape Town

Cape Town – 3 days Cape of Good Hope – 1 day Stellenbosch – 1 day Hermanus – 1 day Mossel Bay – 2 days Oudtshoorn Wilderness – 2 days Knysna Port Elizabeth – 2 days Addo Elephant Park

Flight back to Johannesburg

Johannesburg – 1 day

Return to Paris

Could you share your thoughts on this itinerary? We’ll be renting a vehicle to explore both regions. We can easily add 4–5 more days to the trip if needed.

We’re looking at traveling either between April and May 2026 or in October/November 2026.

I’ll follow up later to discuss the best safari options and get a rough budget estimate.

Thanks to everyone who takes the time to read this and share their thoughts!

Hi,

We’re looking at heading to South Africa this summer (early July) with our two kids (6 & 10 years old). Here’s a rough draft of our itinerary so far. What do you think? Is it better to skip Addo? (We can’t add any more days...). If so, should we spend more time on certain stops or add something else? (Cederberg?) Thanks in advance, Bruno

D1 Arrival at 10 AM, rest in Cape Town D2 Cape Town or Cape Peninsula D3 Cape Town or Cape Peninsula D4 Bonteboks National Park; overnight in Heidelberg D5 Botlierskop Game Drive; overnight near Mossel Bay D6 Garden Route; overnight in Plettenberg Bay D7 Bird of Eden and Robberg Nature Reserve; overnight in Plettenberg Bay D8 Tsitsikamma; overnight in Addo D9 Addo D10 Ostrich farm; overnight in Oudtshoorn D11 Buffelsdrift Game Lodge and caves; overnight in Oudtshoorn D12 Garden Route Game Lodge; overnight in Albertinia D13 De Hoop; overnight in De Hoop D14 Hermanus; overnight in Hermanus D15 Betty’s Bay and return to Cape Town D16 Cape Town; departure at 5 PM

Hello

Now that the Kruger part is (almost) wrapped up, I’m looking at the "Cape region" section.

The idea of spending 2 days (well, more like 2 nights and 1.5 days) in the Cederberg is really tempting 😎.

I’ve reread the posts about it—more or less (actually, more less than more)—and I still have quite a few questions: - Where’s the best area to stay? Initially, I was looking at Kagga Kama, but I’m not sure if it’s worth the cost (or the trip, for that matter), or maybe Mount Ceder? Or somewhere else (without driving 6 or 8 hours from CT 😉)? The plan is to get there in a sedan (if possible), see some beautiful landscapes, and do one or two hikes (nothing too tough 😛). - I read that you need a permit to hike there... where do you buy it? (At the entrance, like in Kruger? 🤪) - Is October a good time for the weather (theoretically...)?

Continuing the journey!

Waterberg to Mapungubwe.

The roads in this area aren’t great. I should’ve taken the N1 and gone via Musina... A massive storm on the road... 60 km away, hazard lights on...

Mapungubwe isn’t new to me, but I’d decided to try the western part, at Limpopo Tented Camp.

Upon arrival... “Sorry, a tree fell on one of the chalets...” “We’ll put you up for the first night at Leokwe, in the eastern part.” From what they said, it happened yesterday... but on-site, we saw it had actually been several months!

Sanparks’ management is still very much “outside usual standards.” There’s constantly work being done “haphazardly,” shoddily, poorly... And the welcome from staff really depends on the person and the day.

Oh well, no big deal—we’ll spend a night at Leokwe!

The eastern part “normally” doesn’t have lions... there are several spots where you can get out of the car... We saw general game, buffaloes, elephants... leopards (yes, see another travel journal), and now possibly cheetahs in the far eastern section. Our friend Montagnard had asked me (following another discussion) if I knew any truly ethical associations... I’d pointed him to a cheetah conservation group. I can confirm—they’re the ones who released several cheetahs into this part of Mapungubwe. Leokwe is stunning, unfenced... with a pretty high chance of seeing elephants in the camp, drinking from the pool or brushing past the chalet terraces. This area is still a fantastic spot for spectacular wildlife sightings and insane landscapes!