Safari or city. Logistics don't permit us to add to Capetown or Garden Route (other than doing four nights on Garden Route). Kalahari has been suggested (a friend has been watching meerkat series on tv), but we're open to just about anything. Thanks.

Ah sorry, I misunderstood.
I guess it will depend on travel time and flight availability then as it's only two nights...
Someone else may have some thoughts, I'm not sure really...

sharonarx,

It really would be helpful if you could publish your WHOLE final itinerary (including final dates) at this stage on this forum. Once you have done this it will be a lot easier to try and decipher what your planning allows and I am sure that it certainly will help Fodorites to give you some more advice. I know that it certainly will help me because so much has been written about your proposed tour plan that I am slightly lost in trying to put the whole itinerary together.

I promise I will respond to your itinerary questions however I must tell you that at the outset my advice, just like Kavey's, still would remain that you stay in Cape Town for an extra day. I know that you have said this is not possible and maybe you can elaborate on why this is the case.

Looking forward to your next posting.

Very proudly part of the wonderful nation of South Africa

Sorry everyone for the confusion. Here is the tentative itinerary with several clarifying notes. Thank you again for your help. You've been great!

Sharona

TENTATIVE ITINERARY
(late September/October 2006)

Day 1 arrive JNB morning (reserved and not changeable); fly to PE; visit Addo area; stay Addo overnight
Day 2 Addo area; stay Addo overnight
Day 3 Addo area; stay Addo overnight
Day 4 leave Addo; fly to Madikwe; stay Madikwe overnight
Day 5 Madikwe area; stay Madikwe overnight
Day 6 Madikwe area; stay Madikwe overnight
Day 7 leave Madikwe; OPEN
Day 8 OPEN
Day 9 OPEN
Day 10 fly late afternoon JNB to George (reserved and non-refundable); hire car; stay in Knysna overnight (reserved)
Day 11 stay Knynsa overnight (reserved)
Day 12 stay Oudtshoorn overnight (reserved)
Day 13 drive to Capetown; stay Capetown overnight (reserved and not changeable)
Day 14 stay Capetown overnight (reserved and not changeable)
Day 15 stay Capetown overnight (reserved and not changeable)
Day 16 depart CPT evening to LHR

Notes:
*We have not booked PE flights yet.
*We have not booked Addo area accommodations/safari yet. We were thinking about staying in a couple of different locations in Addo area (River Bend or…..), or at a place like Woodall from which to take day trips, subject to availability. Suggestions?
*We wish to go to Addo prior to October 1 to avoid rate increases. That is why it is our first destination once we arrive at JNB, and we did not add it on to Garden Route trip that starts on Day 10.
*We understand that there is no school during the last week of September, which may affect availability in Addo area.
*We have not booked safaris in Madikwe yet. We have not booked Madikwe flights either. We are considering Madikwe Safari Lodge, Madikwe River Lodge, Madikwe Hills Lodge, and Makanyane Safari Lodge, subject to availability. Suggestions?
*We are supposed to meet friends in the afternoon of Day 9 or 10 in JoBurg. That is why we cannot add more than one day to Garden Route/Capetown.
*Madikwe could be moved to Days 7, 8 and 9, leaving on Day 10. That would open up Days 4, 5 and 6.
*We wish to visit malaria-free areas only.
*We need help especially for the OPEN dates.

sharonarx,

<b>Warning:</b> This is going to be a rather harsh response!

I know that you seem to have certain criteria that govern your journey such as meeting friends in Johannesburg at a certain time etc but even so I hate to say this your itinerary would be viewed by me as being totally wrong.

In the first place you are flying in to Johannesburg (No problem)

Then you fly to PE and move on to Addo (no problem)

For some or other reason you have chosen to spend 3 nights in Addo. My comment is that 2 nights in Addo would be quite sufficient.

Now from here on is where the itinerary starts going wrong....

You then fly back to Johannesburg so as to go to Madikwe. Please note that you are backtracking to do this. This is crazy idea unless there is some very strong reasoning to do this. You then intend spending time at Madikwe. Having never been to Madikwe I cannot comment on this sector of your journey.

Then you have some free days followed by a return flight to George. If ever there was folly this is it and I say this purely because you were originally settled in PE (south east of SA) and then flew away from the region only to come back once again. Something is totally amiss in this planning. Please go take a look at a map of South Africa and you will see quite blatantly why I am telling you all of the above.

After your arrival in George you will be spending time on the Garden Route and in Cape Town.

Assuming that Madikwe is definitely going to be on your itinerary the way that I would do the journey you are thinking of is as follows:

Day 1. Arrive Johannesburg.

Days 2, 3, 4. Madikwe

Day 5. Fly to PE

Day 6,7 Spend 2 nights in Addo.

Day 8 &amp; 9. Travel per hired car to Knysna (300Km) and stay for 2 nights

Day 10 and 11. Travel to Oudtshoorn taking in the Wilderness area. Spend second day in Oudtshoorn exploring town going to ostrich farm and a BIG suggestion from me would be to cross the Swartberg Mountains.

Day 12 Travel to Cape Town (500 Km)

Day 13, 14, 15 - Cape Town

Day 16 - Depart from Cape Town

I know that the above would mean that you would have to forego your Johannesburg to George air ticket as you have said it is non refundable but with that said I would write this off as a loss to bad planning if I were you.

I also recognise that you might have commitments to meet friends in Johannesburg. I would look at this issue very carefully recognising that you are doing one heck of a lot of extra air travel (I wont call it unnecessary travel as they could be very good friends ) and possibly write this off too.

As I see it all the rest of what I am suggesting to you is attainable as I am sure that you could change your Knysna reservation dates as well as add on an extra day to your Oudtshoorn as well as Cape Town stay.

Sharonarx I apologize if the above sounds harsh but what I am suggesting to you represents a reality and it would be very false on my behalf if I told you differently. I hope that you take heed to what I am suggesting and make plans accordingly as time is still on your side to do so.

More than the above I unfortunately cannot advise and can only hope that all can be worked out.

Hope this helps.

Very proudly part of the wonderful nation of South Africa

I would recommend River Bend Lodge near Addo Elephant Park. Beautiful place with wonderful/gracious service. They will do drives into Addo as well as a private reserve, and you'll see lots and lots of elephants, antelopes, and even some giraffes and rhinos.

No worries, Selwyn; we appreciate your candid input. We'll see if we can move some things around. Thank you all.