mhron

I just landed a award seats from to jnb for a last minute trip. I will be arriving jnb on june 3rd and stay for 4 days 3 nights till thursday the six. Traveling wise this will be crazy, but what would i not do to return to africa.
I have been to sabi sands/ kruger area 3 times. Where should I go now? Botswana? Tanzania? never been there But will that ravel take up too much more time, If arrive JNB at 9:45 am will I be able to make second drive at any of those places?
In the past I stayed at really luxurious places (ivory lodge royal malewane etc.) so i will need a really nice place, but I was hoping that since this is last minute I can get last minute rates like MTBEDS, are there any similar sites for savings for botswana or tanzania areas?
Should I try something different, maybe PHINDA? will it be hot enough there to go swimming?
Or should I stick with the trusted kruger/ sabi sands area and try my luck with mtbeds?
I know i am rambelling and making no sense but I am so excited and yet so confused. What do you recommend?
What would you do?

santharamhari

Mhron,

3 nights, Phinda would be a good trip to learn about conservation etc et., I am doing 5 nights at Phinda in August, including their walking safaris.

Forget Tanzania, as it's not worth the long additional travel time from JNB for just 3 nights.

Botswana, yes.....you do one camp for 3 nights......chitabe or selinda or Lebala or Mombo or wherever. However, if you only get in at 9 45 AM is going to make it very tough. The JNB-Maun flight is at 11 AM

Good luck
Hari

thit_cho

Let me get this straight. You booked an award seat for three days in South Africa -- I hope you are flying to Johannesburg from someplace like Maputo or Windhoek. From Europe or US, this seems unbelievable!

mhron

I leave sunday night from lhr to jnb arrive monday morning and then stay till thursday night and fly back to lhr, 3 nights 4 days.
biz class so i will sleep on plane

Roccco

Mhron,

This place looks interesting for a 3 night stay:

www.mkuzefalls.com

santharamhari

Rocco,

Is this place close to Phinda? or closer to Sabi sands? Why is it priced closer to Singita/mombo rates? something like 14,000 Rand for 2 nights. Or maybe, i read incorrectly....

Hari

Roccco

Hari,

Perhaps you were looking at prices for the 3 night "Celebration Offer."

http://www.mkuzefalls.com/index.php?PageID=38

I think this package works perfectly for the OP. For this time of year it is only R11590 per person sharing and this includes all air & road transfers from Joburg. This works out to about $1,625 per person at current exchange rates.

Given that the price of flying each way to Phinda is about $600, it would be logical to assume that a flight to Mkuze Falls, with road transers, would be nearly about the same. So of that $1,625, at least $1,000 may be justified in air/road transfers, alone, making it a very forgiving $625 per person sharing for a 3 night stay.

If the OP is a solo traveler, there would be a whopping 50% single supplement, but even so, at about $2,437.50 for a 3 night safari to a 5* game lodge, including all transfers, I think it is a tremendous bargain.

santharamhari

Rocco,

Ok.....perhaps, i was looking at the celebration special.

Thanks
H

mhron

if i go to phinda will it be warm enough in july to go swimming? should i go to the lodges with plunge pools, or no way too cold?
what lodge do you recommend?

santharamhari

Even though Phinda is in a more tropical area compared to the Kruger area, i would still think July will be at the height of winter......so plunge pools may be cold.

Hari