nmshel

Hello, this will be my first trip to Africa !! I plan on spending 2 days in Cape Town because I want to swim with sharks. I plan on going in April and wondering where is the best place to go for a safari. I would like to see as much as possible and do a 12-14 day safari. I am looking for suggestions on where to go and who to use. The travel agent said to use monogram tours but was wondering if there was something better. My budget would be about $8000. Thanks in advance!

christabir

You can't swim with sharks in Cape Town. You can do the unethical, baited shark cave diving, but swimming with sharks is available in Sodwana and Kosi Bay in the gorgeous iSimangaliso Wetland Park, as well as top ten diving/snorkeling. Do the shark cage diving closer to home.

Is that a budget for one? Including international airfare? Does your 12-14 days include Cape Town?

Safari is easy to do on your own. Tours tend to stay in the big hotels outside the safari parks - not recommended. Do you prefer to go on self drive safaris (kind of like visiting Yellowstone on your own) or would you prefer private lodges with included game drives with an experienced ranger? Both?

Anything else you'd like to do/see?

With an $8000 budget, you can arrange a wonderful private S Africa trip/safari. In May my husband and I went and spent 14 days on safari in Kruger and Waterberg with a couple of beach days in KwaZulu Natal (our favorite part of S Africa) for under $5000 total including international airfare for two. We combine self drive in national parks with private reserves to keep in our limited budget. You can arrange a private tour with transfers and flights or a self drive experience very easily. We just need more details to help more.

loveafricatravel

are you looking at doing a tour so that you have company or would you be happy to book independently? your trip is definitely doable it just depends on how you would like to do it.
sandy - owner - Love Africa Travel

uhoh_busted

Are you flying in and out of Cape Town? Spend your two days there seeing the city - it is one of the most beautiful cities on earth. Travel from there to Hermanus for whale watching/shark diving, etc.

You might want to contact the agency I used this past year as they are South African and very easy to work with. They can help you plan safari activities and also help you with transfers between locations. http://wild-wings-safaris.com

The best safari experience for a first-timer are probably going to be found in/around Kruger Park or in KwaZulu Natal. (We actually hit both areas back in May).

You might want to do a Kruger safari and hop up to Victoria Falls to see the falls before you head home. There is a lot you can do in two weeks with your budget.

We've gone 3 times, and spend less each trip, while tailoring it more to what we wanted to see. I've had great luck using "local" travel agents. We liked wild-wings this year as we stayed pretty much in South Africa (save for 1 night in Swaziland).
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In 2012, we used a UK company, Zambezi Safaris, but worked directly with their office in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. We did about 8 days on safari in Zimbabwe plus a couple nights in Vic Falls, then flew to Capetown to visit friends.

Click on my name and you can find my trip reports from both trips. Our first trip was back in 2004, when we went to Cape Town and then did a safari in Botswana with CCAfrica (which is now called andBeyond). Botswana is wonderful, but now we probably couldn't afford it!

AfricaAdvisor

2 days in Cape Town is far too short. Spend at least 3 or 4 nights there, you won't regret it. Then head up to the Greater Kruger Park and choose lodges according to your budget in the Timbavati, Sabi Sands, Manyeleti and other reserves. You won't regret it I promise.