Kay2

I just found out I'll be headed to Johannesburg in October for 2 weeks of work (3rd trip to Joburg; 4th to SA). I won't be able to take extra time for vacation like I have in the past, but I will have a free weekend in the middle and probably an extra day at the beginning or ending of my trip. I want to go somewhere; not stay in Johannesburg, but need advice.

I've visited everything I want to in Joburg, Soweto, Pretoria, and Capetown area. I've taken evening trip to Lesidi. I"ve been on one safari trip to Klasere and Sabi Sands. It will be nice to see the Jacaranda trees (hope I'm not allergic) as I've never been in October.

I want to find a trip with small tour or shared van or private guide if necessary, but not self-drive alone. I can fly to start from another city. I can go for wildlife, natural beauty, and history.

Are my impressions of the Cradle of Humankind accurate? Reviews leave me skeptical that I would enjoy the visitors center or caves. While I like educational/historical destinations, the hands on orientation to entertain children doesn't sound good and the caves would not in themselves be a different experience than other caves I have been in except for the discoveries were made in the complex, but not where one walks.

What do you think of Pilanesberg after one has been in Klasere and Sabi Sands? I could arrange a group or private tour for day or overnight. Some open and some closed truck drives. I think I saw someone includes walks. Close enough, but will it be disappointing after Kruger area?

I am not opposed to doing a mad dash trip to the Kruger area or the Durban/St Lucia area for wildlife (not on the beach). I know most people here would say wait until you can go again with more time, but I don't control this trips and never know if I will be invited again, so I want to make the most of my opportunity. If I get to go again and stay longer next time, great.
If I make up my mind quickly, there are very low cost flights to DUR or MQP. I could probably arrange to leave for the airport at noon on Friday and have to return by Sunday evening, so maybe not in time for Friday evening game drive, but I could get onto drives on Sat/Sun or I see some day tours from Durban to St Lucia to ride on boat to see croc and hippos (love hippos).

I saw Blythe Canyon from the air, but not from the ground. I see one company offering a one day on drives and one day in the Canyon from MQP. Is October a good time to visit the canyon?

Is there an idea that I am missing? Everything depends on availability, of course. Price is always a factor, but I am mainly looking for value.

Thanks for brainstorming.

diannelovestravel

Hi there!

Just a quick thought here for you.. If you have been to Sabi Sands, then I think you might be better served to experience something different than heading to Pilanesburg which might leave you in comparison frenzy!

You can fly direct from JNB to Kasane which is in the northern section of Botswana and if you are interested in hippos and more water viewing then Chobe might be a great place for you to experience that which would be great! While Chobe is a National Park and will be busier in comparison than Sabi Sands, which is a private reserve, there are plenty of options for accommodation and, for a short stay, it might make for a great weekend.

Alternatively, Durban/St Lucia area will give you that water and hippo sighting experience as well AND you could get some beach time in. Thonga Beach Lodge is lovely. Lodge Afrique is great as well. Clients have been pleased with both as options in the area. There are other lodge choices too. One note is that October is a bit early to see the egg laying of the loggerhead and leatherback turtles on the beach which runs Nov to March but it's an interesting activity if you are a nature lover.

Just a couple thoughts for you!

Best
Dianne
Africa Direct USA

Odin

I've been in a similar situation, have visited JNB many times inc for work and have had free weekends on my own. I have not been to Sabi Sands so cannot compare to Pilanesburg, I can only say I have been to Pilanesburg 3 times and have quite enjoyed it, saw rhinos last time inc a baby rhino plus lots of other animals. I have been to other parks though (Zambia mainly). Had lunch at Bakubung Lodge.

I also enjoyed a hot air balloon trip with Bill Harrop at Magaliesburg.

Flights from JNB to Vic Falls are only 1hr40 mins but you do need a visa which is quite pricey. Not sure if Oct is the best time to see the falls though.

DUR is another great option.

diannelovestravel

Hi there again!

If you are a US citizen, a single entry Visa to Zimbabwe is $30 USD and can be purchased at VFA airport upon arrival.

Best
Dianne
Africa Direct USA

Kay2

Thanks for the feedback.
I think Chobe is too far/expensive for the time.
I haven't checked the falls.

I have looked further at St Lucia and it looks reasonable--
Fly to Durban on a Friday and transfer by shuttle or car to St Lucia.
Day in one of the parks.(I'll look more closely at those experiences)
Two hour boat ride on estuary.
Transfer back to Durban airport and JNB on Sunday.

I can't book anything until I have the business part of the trip paperwork in hand.

Kay2

Finally have the work trip booked, so definitely going.

I found that I could fly into Richards Bay as cheaply as Durban, so I have asked some local tour folks for quotes on transfer to St Lucia and then some guding.

I am considering Saturday either a full day wetlands or half Hluhluwe Imfolozi game park. Everyone offers a full day in game park too, but after the Kruger experience of dusk/night drives and dawn/early morning drives, I'm not sure a full day would be that eventful. Opinions? Sunday the 2-hour boat trip.

Still open to ideas in this area.

christabir

Hi Kay2 -

St Lucia is a very fun town. My favorite. If you are comfortable, rent a car from Richards Bay. The airport is just off the highway and getting to St Lucia is all main roads. Easy.

The drought has hit SL very hard - water restrictions, very low water in the lake turning very saline, lots of distressed hippos. It is raining right now so hopefully will get a bit of relief. It's awful.

The drive to Cape Vidal from SL is my favorite drive anywhere. Wildlife, gorgeous scenery, not a lot of traffic during the off season, and you end at a beautiful beach. Do every turnoff and get out wherever you're allowed. Excellent. There is an organized night safari that is great. There is horse riding with impala and zebra, too. Whale watching in season. I haven't done the western shores tour so can't comment. The hippo/croc kayaking is the most insane thing I've ever done. I'm thankful it was cut short due to high winds.

Hluhluwe-iMfolozi is a couple of hours away. The best game viewing is in the southern part (farthest) of the park. It's a very nice reserve and the most important park for the survival of the rhino. I don't understand why you don't think it would be eventful - we do all day game drives in Kruger National Park and HiP (and others) often. Private reserves aren't the only way to go. I love it but with only a short trip, not sure I'd do it. Mkuze, though less wildlife, is a little closer and a different park than most. Check about the road construction if you go - it made it tough for game viewing with people and construction equipment. Info, along with lots of other stuff, should be at www.iSimangaliso.com.

Every guest house can book activities for you. If you won't have a car, stay near McKensie St so you can walk to restaurants, etc. just be careful - hippos come into town for dinner. There are condos, hostels, guest houses. There's a small grocery store just as you enter town for food, drinks, snacks. There's even an Avis in town.

My favorite place. Great choice. Have fun. Please let us know how it goes.

Kay2

When I go on these solo trips, I make some concessions for my husband's peace of mind. One is that I rarely drive alone in places I am unfamilar with, such as St Lucia. Another would be to not kayak in water that has crocs and hippos.

I'll look into the impact of the drought on my options as well as the construction. Thought the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi might not be worthwhile for the advertised half-day + trips because of the drive time each way leaving most of the animal viewing during the heat of the day. Might be just too much in vehicle seat time to enjoy the day. Will look into it more closely.

uhoh_busted

When we were staying at Thonga Beach Lodge, this past May, the staff mentioned as we set up our our departure time, that they were driving a guest back to the airport and said that they did transfers to/from Richards Bay. You may want to check them out...http://www.isibindi.co.za/lodges-camps/ I doubt they would be able to pick you up on a Friday night, though.

We arranged our trip through http://wild-wings-safaris.com and stayed at multiple Isibindi (a group) lodgings. They were all terrific. (We also stayed in Kruger, bordering Sabi Sands area; and in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi, and near the Zulu battlefields.)

It is too bad that the water levels at Vic Falls are low in October, because that would work out well with your time availablilty. We were there a couple years ago in September and they weren't too bad, but a friend was there in Oct and they were surprisingly lower in his pictures.

christabir

There are lots of options for getting a transfer from Richards Bay. Just email/call the accommodations you choose in St Lucia. They should have references. There's a shuttle from Durban, maybe do a search and contact them if you can use it from RCB (one of their stops) to St Lucia. St Lucia is one of the few places in KZN you can get around pretty easily without a car. All of the activities will pick you up and the town is very compact so everything you need is close.

Unless it's very hot, animals are pretty active all day. Otherwise I wouldn't see them when we are in the national parks. The private reserves say a lot of things that aren't always the whole truth. They aren't going to say we are missing a lot while in camp between game drives.

The road construction I referred to is in Mkuze Game reserve. The N2 north of Mtunzini is fine - they are widening the highway south of there to Durban.

Kay2

My time in Johannesburg was totally unpredictable. The university student protests disrupted some of my colleagues' work, roads were blocked, etc. I thought the trip might be rescheduled at the last minute, but it wasn't. However, my timetable was fluid with work in the evenings and into the weekend, and the location of my meetings the second week was changed to avoid the area around a university.

So I had to wait until late in the week to decide what to do. It came down to just 1 day off and I signed up with a guide and a couple of other people to drive an SUV to Pilanesberg when the gates opened and spend half day in the park before late lunch and return. We had decent sightings with highlights an elephant drinking and washing plus 13 lions who were lying in the shade, then rose to stroll to the water with us following where they half heartedly chased a kudu, drank together, then settled in the shade near the shore. It was nice to get out of the city and I enjoyed the day, but I definitely preferred open truck and the off road driving in the private reserves. Another group offered an overnight in a tent + open drive, but I didn't have the time. Thunderstorms in Joburg that night, so I was glad I wasn't in a tent (though it might not have hit at the park).

I'll be going back in 2017 probably May or June, so I will consider Richards Bay area or Blyde Canyon then. The diamond mine underground tour also looks interesting next time I have 1 spare day.