So if we can organise leave at the same time then my GF and I are looking to go to South Africa for a couple of weeks for her friend’s wedding. Fly to j’burg couple nights by ourselves then with the wedding party for 4 nights then onto Durban then fly to Cape Town for 4 nights then fly back to j’burg and home. Now she’s been on safari before and isn’t too fussed about going again but will do if I want to. I’ve never been and there isn’t a park really on our route. So it’s possible to do but with the time and distance constraints I’m inclined not to do it. Is this madness? I feel if I was doing it I’d want to dedicate a proper chunk of time rather than trying to do it quickly and half arsed?

Garden route from Port Elizabeth (PE) to Cape Town with places like Nysna is nice, you drive down. Also the route (66 ?) the other side of the mountains is interesting as its so arid. Wine region of Stellenbosch. All this needs a car rental which IME is expensive in SA. Lots to do in and around Cape Town. FYI there are private game parks near PE smaller one Amakala and larger more expensive one is Shamwari. Although if she’s done bigger parks before they will be a let down I suspect

I feel if I was doing it I’d want to dedicate a proper chunk of time rather than trying to do it quickly and half arsed?

Depends where, how you do it etc., but the sheer quiet and darkness of a safari camp at night is remarkable. I have had some of the best night’s sleep of my life on safari.

I also find the business of sitting and looking for things a bit like the business of bicycle touring – it takes me a little while to find a mental place where the noise subsides and I can just enjoy it. It’s partly getting your eye in for what moves, and partly letting go of the natural impatience for something to happen.

YMMV, but for me, anything less than about 3 nights probably isn’t a good use of time, and I’m not sure I’d get bored in a dozen. Save it for when you can have a proper chunk of time.

Just go for an mtb ride. The wildlife will come to you! 😉

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Hc32IeN5wrA[/video]

From Durban you could go to Hluhluwe for a night

What about a mixed grille safari. Explore the regions animals with your mouth?

Pilanesburg is about three hours away from Jo’burg. You could do it as an overnight trip at the beginning of your holiday (or day if you are feeling particularly ambitious)

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Are you going to Durban for a reason? There’s some fantastic diving including some close encounters with big sharks but other than that it’s not the nicest part of the world. I’d skip that and have a few days in Kruger. If you pick the right camp it is stunning.

Jamabalaya has good suggestions and +1 on pilanberg. If you are in Jburg then hire a car and drive out to waterburg. plenty of small lodges with personal service and ability to ride among game as there are no big cats.

Cheers guys. Durban is because of locality to wedding venue and we’re not flying direct due to timings and cost*

GF has a family friend that owns a megabucks safari so she’s going to ask for mates rates, still be a fortune but pretty sure I’ll never get that opportunity again!

*So excited, really hope our rota co-ordinators can sort our leave out

Tell her it’s a safari or a shark cage. Let her choose!

For me, the draw of SA is the great outdoors; the mountains, scenery, accessibility of nature reserves and wildlife.

We spent 14 days seeing the Western Cape a few years ago and absolutely loved it. We went back recently and did the Cape Town area again and then 6 nights in and around Kruger. Loved it so much we spent our final day earmarked for resting back in the park. There are so many draws, depending on the time of year you visit, you will almost certainly feel like you missed out something, but that’s a good excuse to go back!

Ask yourself, does the chance (no guarantees!) to see lions and leopard at the side of the road as you drive past excite you? Would you like to see wild elephants, rhino, zebra and hippo? Could you spend an hour watching baboons playing? If so, go on safari. If not, then perhaps make the most of all of the Nature Reserves and activities available and just enjoy the experience.

Ask yourself, does the chance (no guarantees!) to see lions and leopard at the side of the road as you drive past excite you? Would you like to see wild elephants, rhino, zebra and hippo? Could you spend an hour watching baboons playing?

YES!

If you do the Garden Route you could always stop at Addo National park near Port Elizabeth. Not particularly expensive but worth it for the elephant. Don’t spend any time in Joburg if you can help it. It’s a dump. Same for Durban. I’m from Durban and there is nothing there touristy of value. Southern Suburb beaches are the best. The only suggestion would be to go visit the Sharks Board at Umhlanga.

You can always go to Longleat when you get back.

I’d try and play with the flights a bit. You are losing a lot of holiday to air travel. For example, drive from Jo’burg through some stunning scenery to Kruger. Then slowly down through the reserve into Swaziland for more stunning scenery then across to the coast or via the Zulu war battlefields to Durban. Unforgettable journey. Fly home direct from Durban or Via Cape Town if you really want to see it this trip.

+1 to nickjb’s suggestion. If you would like to see the wildlife then I would definately try and fit it in. 2 nights / 3 days could be enough, provided you add on time for travelling. If you only have 5-6 days either side of the wedding, then I would concentrate on either eastern SA with a safari, or visiting the Western Cape and have a full day in Addo to see the elephants.

What time of year will you be visiting?

It might be easier to fly in to Durban, do the wedding and then have 5-6 days to do the Drakensburg or coast, zululands and safari and then fly back from JNB. Qatar will fly via JNB (you don’t have to get off the plane) from mid December. If you are flying some time in the future, are you aware you can transfer Tesco points to Avios and get redemptions for internal flights with Comair? Costs the equivalent of about £40-60 one way.

If the “megabucks safari” place comes back too expensive or full, you can definately do it yourself with a bit of planning. I loved Kruger but as has been said, Pilanesburg or Hluhluwe would be just as good for a first time safari if their location fits better for you. It takes 6-7 hours to drive to Kruger from JNB. Accommodation can be had from £30-40 per night if you are willing to share a bathroom, but book up far in advance. However, there is free cancellation up to 30 days before so you can just book something and change your reservation when something else comes up. Lower Sabie was outstanding.

Enjoy, I am very jealous.

Most of my time is spent lurking on STW as my bike knowledge is limited.

Occasionally something comes up that I do know about and this is one time as I spend most of my days arranging safaris in Africa as one of the team at http://www.aardvarksafaris.co.uk. I’ve travelled extensively on safari over the last fifteen years and been to South Africa on half a dozen occasions or more. There’s a fair chance we work with your GF’s family friends.

There’s lots of good advice above and I’m struggling to improve on it without a bit more input from you:
– What time of year?
– I can’t work out how long you’ll be in each place and when you are free?
– What’s your budget? One man’s ‘expensive’ is another man’s ‘affordable for this special trip’

In the same way a good LBS will help with advice as a long term investment in your and your mates, I’d be very happy to chat you through some thoughts at some stage and point you in the right direction, whether you’re looking at the sorts of things we arrange or not. Good luck, with over 17 rand to the pound right now, I suspect you’ll enjoy SA whatever you do.

Yes, I would reduce the time spent in JNB and Durban and increase the time in Cape Town, which is an extraordinary city.

Do some wine tasting, drive the route of the Cape Argus race, do the V&A Waterfront, Table Mountain, De Noordhoek village, the Red Bus tour, it’s an amazing place.

I was a bit lukewarm about safari but I was in N Botswana a year ago and Mrs MC thought it might be an idea. I was completely blown away by it and saw 29 sorts of animals in a day, first half on land second half on water. Don’t miss the opportunity and get yourself some decent field glasses.

I did a really cheap day in the Ongoro Crater at the end of 6 months in Africa. No luxury lodges but I think we got to help with a Carburetor rebuild at the road side

The more you are a wild life watcher here the more you’ll get out of it

I enjoyed it but didn’t think it was that amazing that I could do days and days of it. I think I’d enjoy it more now I’m older and in particular into photography

My sister and Husband just rented a car a drove round a park, the Kruger I think. It cost very little. But her husband is South African so new the ropes as it were

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=yeaztQK9If0[/video]

Agree with most of the above – but if you cant give at a good few days to a true safari i.e. Kruger , forget it and just go to Longleat ..
Safari parks have there place but very sanitized imo .
Cape Town is a wonderful , vibrant city and I don’t like cities but keep getting drawn back . It`s a snapshot of how SA could/should be compared to other cities – an enclave of perfection , sadly missing in other big cities in SA . Lots to see and do – just hire a car and drive ….

ENJOY 8)