South Africa

[Horneius_Maximus]

After much thought, we finally bough tickets to go to South Africa. We are planning to spend 11 days in the Cape Town area, so I am hoping to do stuff in the southern part of the country Port Elizabeth etc...

We are going to be there from May 21 - May31. Would love to hear recommendations, stuff to plan and look out for.

Thanks a lot

 

[Horneius_Maximus]

Really? No one..

So what we have planned is, spend a few days in Cape town, enjoy the sights and sounds around the city (water front, table mountain etc..)

Then rent a car and venture east on the Garden route. Check out Cango caves. Set up base in George and make day trips to Knysna, outeniqua mountains, tsitsikamma. We will do this for 4 days. Then had back towards cape town, stop by hermanus, do some whale watching, go to the cape of good hope, then finally come back to cape town, unwind and then head back to the States

Thoughts? Comments?

 

[next2naus]

Drive the beach road by the 12 apostles and around to False Bay. take a picnic up on Telegraph (or is it signal?) Hill. take the Robins Island tour. Ride the tram (wind permitting) up to Table Mountain.

take a day drive to the Cape where I pissed into two oceans at once, just keep an out for the Baboons roving around there. they have a nice restaurant there for lunch.

Go to Stellenbosch and check out the Wineries and the University.
Get a guided tour of Soweto, really educational, heart breaking and uplifting at the same time.
ask about "Jock of the Bushveld"

 

[NBMisha]

As mentioned above, things not to miss in Cape Town are the cape, the wine country, and Table Mtn. I would spend more time there and fly back from P.E. after your Garden Route trip. That's a long drive that you don't want to do twice.

My favorite spot outside of Cape Town is Titsikama. We stayed at a hotel called Titsikama Village Inn (at least 3 times). About $65 a night. In the national park there we did the tree top cable thing, rapeled down the gorge then "kluf'd" in tubes, road mountain bikes to ocean overlooks, drank lots of cheap beer, and kicked back. A wonderful place. Spend a night or two there and get a feel of the place, do all those things.

People love the V&A waterfront in Capetown but that's just shopping. The botanical gardens are very interesting but not for everyone.

There's a neat drive to George from Stellenbosch. It goes thru the desert, and its terrific.

You are going to love your trip, and you'll come back for more.

 

[Horneius_Maximus]

Excellent,

My major concern is the weather, it would suck if it rained a lot. I hope we luck out. Have any of you guys been there around this time? early winter/late fall I guess.

I wish we could stay longer, but it would be pushing our budget

 

[NBMisha]

We went a couple of times for spring break, April. I think you'll need a jacket but it otherwise should be pleasant. The cape point is always violent, which is its attraction. Also, there a spot at Titsikamma where the gorge meets the sea, Storm River mouth I guess. The seas should be prettty big at this time. That makes the rope bridge over the river mouth a more exciting experience.

Prepare to indulge yourself. SA is also a great food/wine culture.

 

[TenaciousTgarden]

ah, i am way jealous. my parents are from there, but i haven't been back in probably 15 years

My parents recently went to Singita, which is very upscale and luxurious - I think they have different lodges within and adjacent to Kruger -The Link don't know if you'll have time to go up to Kruger Nat'l Park, but the wildlife is truly unbelievable.
When I was a kid we also went to Sun City, which was really fun then - no idea what it is like these days or for adults!