My husband and I are doing a trip starting in Cape Town and driving up the coast, to finish with a few days in the Kruger Park- Sabi Sands. We have 6 days left- we like fairly active holidays- would you do another safari in Botswana or Zimbabwe? We like the idea of a canoeing safari but inderstand it is water level dependent. Also would like to minimise travel from Johannesburg. Suggestions welcome!

What time of the year and what is your preliminary budget per person? I have been to at least 75% of the upscale safari lodge in Zimbabwe and Botswana. Zimbabwe, especially, is a very seasonal destination. Botswana has a huge differential between low season and high season rates.

Craig Beal - owner - Travel Beyond

Driving up the coast? Do you mean the Garden Route and the Eastern Cape to Durban and KwaZulu Natal? I did only Kruger and KwaZulu Natal last time and it took 3 weeks - and there's still so much more to do! Not sure why you need to add something else when you could spend a little more time in the places you are already going. A day here and there to add fun activities and you'll fill it up quickly. There's a fine line between fairly active and drive through.

Personally, you can never do too much safari, but as much as I love it S Africa offers so much more. The overnight walking trails in Hluhluwe-iMolozi, hiking or horseback in the Drakensbergs, kayak with hippos, top ten scuba/snorkel in Sodwana Bay, ziplining near Wilderness. The penguins at Boulder Beach and hiking up Table Mtn.

Southern African flights all seem to go through JNB. I know they don't, but you can really get to know the airport well with just a few air transfers. If you don't want to fly to the next safari location, Mashatu in the Tuli Circle (or the more affordable Serolo and Tuli Safari Lodges) in SE Botswana is a great wildlife destination that few get to visit. I'm going there (for the second time) next month. Add Marakele National Park which is beautiful and Mapungubwe NP for the Golden Rhino and San Art and it's a good 6 night addition. Or after Sabi Sand drive up to the newly reopened Pafuri Camp in northern Kruger along with Mashatu or one of the others in Tuli.

Personally, I'd save Botswana for its own blow out trip. Same with Zimbabwe, though not as big a budget is required. Both are destinations of their own.

Thank you for your replies which were very helpful.
We are travelling in early January. We are driving from Cape Town up the Garden Route and flying from George to JNB to go on our safari. We have to be in JNB for a particular date so can not extend this part of the trip. We would like to see something of contrast to what we will have seen, whether a different type of safari, different landscape, animals, activities or a different place. Happy to consider spending more time in SA if we can avoid backtracking too much, or happy to explore another country.

So you're not driving up the coast, just doing the Garden Route for a few days. I would visit Pafuri/Tuli or KZN which is my very favorite area of S Africa. Such diversity, such beauty, gorgeous warm Indian Ocean.

Either drive north to Pafuri/Tuli for two different ecosystems than Sabi Sand. Excellent safari destinations.

Or fly (or drive through Swaziland, which is just fun) to Richards Bay or Durban. In KZN, you can hike the Drakensberg mountains, have tons of fun in my favorite town St Lucia on the edge of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, safari in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi, Zululand Rhino Reserve (my favorite) or high end Phinda. Google St Lucia South Africa for some of the fun like horseback on the beach or with zebra and impala, gorgeous scenery on the drive to Cape Vidal, whale watching and it's turtle season (please only use responsible operators) and so much more.

S Africa is big and beautiful. No need to "backtrack" to see more of a country you are only seeing a very small part of. Too bad your agent didn't tell you you could have flown to George, driven the Garden Route to Cape Town and then flown without a layover or even going to Kruger/Sabi Sand.

January is hot. Unless you can sleep without a/c in very hot, humid weather I would skip Botswana. Most accommodations do not have a/c. Zimbabwe is not an option in summer.

No matter what you choose, you are going to love it. S Africa is wonderful.

hi hparfit. Sorry, I still don't have enough information to be very helpful. If you can't extend your trip, when do you plan on doing this second safari experience? I must be misinterpreting what you wrote so I apologize for that. Can you let us know what is already confirmed with regards to safari so I can recommend a complimentary experience. Mashatu also came to mind for me.

It occurred to me your final six days could be taking place after the Kruger area safari. What lodge is that? Do you have a car in the Kruger area (not needed at a private reserve)? Are you free to leave the Kruger lodge by any means of transport?

Vundu is arguably the best canoeing camp on the Zambezi River. They are not open in January. In fact, the only commercial lodge that is open year round in Matusadona and Lower Zambezi is Sausage Tree.

Cheers for now.

Craig Beal - owner - Travel Beyond