Cape Town Area Advice
 

My wife and I will be coming to Cape Town (after a week in Mauritius-Oberoi) for 9 days and wanted some advice. We have 3.5 days to explore Western Cape before needing to be in Cape Town for the last 5 days. It seems like we could either go into wine country (Cathbert Inn or others) or take the Garden Drive up the coast or if we push it do both or just stay in Cape Town at different hotels (12 apostles then Cape Grace etc.) It would be great to get recommendations given:<BR><BR>- We are look for romantic and luxury - <BR>- We have lived in Tanzania and Botswana so we have seen lots of animals.<BR>- We are very active and like walks/hikes, views etc.<BR><BR>Also can we fly from Mauritius to anywhere in the area other than CapeTown?<BR><BR>Thanks in Advance

Hello Gei,<BR><BR>Let me give you some ideas by starting off with your last question viz. “can we fly from Mauritius to anywhere in the area other than Cape Town” <BR><BR>Not only is this possible but I would highly recommend that you travel by leaving cape Town for last and seeing that you only have 3.5 days available I would fly from Mauritius to Johannesburg and then on to George which is about 60 Km from the town of Knysna which is a s close to the heart of the Garden Route as possible. I recommend that you travel in this manner as I always suggest that one ends one journey in Cape Town. Your SA journey will be a crescendo of events where Cape Town should be the climax. If you travel making Cape Town your first port of call then the Garden Route falls slightly flat. I am not being arrogant when I say this and please trust me on this issue. I know that most tour books will tell you differently but what these writers write about is what they hear and see all else do. What I tell you is what I have experienced over and over as a tourguide /operator in the area and if you want me too I will send you tons of names of people to contact who will tell you that what I am suggesting to you is correct in that they have experienced this already after originally wanting to start in Cape Town.<BR><BR>Once you have landed in George I suggest that you travel to Knysna and stay at Overmeer guesthouse. Use Knysna as a pivot to explore the Garden Route for the next 2 days. A great place to stay in Knysna is Overmeer Guesthouse http://www.knysna.co.za/overmeer/ Ludwig and Riette Fechter who are the owners of the guesthouse will help you extensively in this regard.<BR><BR>I suggest that when you leave Knysna you move on Cathbert Country House in the Franschhoek Winelands (Heaven on earth) and stay there for 1 night while you explore the winelands the following day before you make your way to Cape Town Note that the Cape Winelands are about 500Km (5 hours of travelling) from Knysna and I recommend that you do travel this distance by car as it is a very scenic drive <BR><BR>Please go to http://www.cathbert.co.za where you will see more of the venue. I have also taken some pics at the guesthouse (please bear in mind it was an overcast day when you look at the quality of the pics) and I set up a special separate website for those whom I advise you to use so as to help you in seeing what a gem Cathbert truly is. Go to http://www.cathbert1.cjb.net to see the site that I set up.<BR><BR>Once in Cape Town there are so many ways to spend your 5 days in the city that this will require another mail however all will be dependant on what your commitments are in Cape Town already. Rocco is going to jump up and down when he reads this but my suggestion is that you should stay in a guesthouse (see my mail in the “anybody notice how expensive SA is becoming” thread) however if you want to stay in a hotel please avoid the Apostles and only stay at the Grace. The Grace is a fabulous hotel whereas the Apostles is very badly positioned, rooms can be noisy and it really is out of the way from everywhere. <BR><BR>If you want to know more please send a response to this mail to Fodors or write to me directly and I will gladly advise you as to whatever I can so as to make your journey to our wonderful country a happy one. <BR><BR>Hope this helps<BR><BR>Selwyn Davidowitz<BR>[email protected]<BR>

Hello Selwyn, Did you receive my e-mail? I'm Patricia from canada. Please get in touch with me at [email protected] mention either your name or south africa on subject line so I don't delete. I loved south africa &amp; was there in november. Would love to go again!

Hi just a quick question for Selwyn<BR><BR>Do you know of any good diving organisations for shark cage diving aorund the cape/garden route.<BR><BR>thank you<BR><BR>clare

Hello Clare,<BR><BR>My experience with shark cage diving operations are minimal however one of my visitors who is travelling with me in the future has referred me to African Shark Eco-Charters. I have only hear good reports about this very professional unit of Chris Fallows and Rob Lawrence and judging by their website http://www.ultimate-animals.com/ they certainly seem to know what they are doing.<BR><BR>Hope this helps.<BR><BR>Selwyn Davidowitz.<BR>[email protected]

Patricia, <BR><BR>I have now responded twice to your mail. Please let me know whether you have received these responses already<BR><BR>Thanks,<BR><BR>Selwyn Davidowitz.<BR>[email protected]

Selwyn,<BR>To your knowledge, do all great white shark cage diving outfits require their customers to have a scuba license???<BR>I was interested in this during my last trip but didn't have time to get my scuba certification. Seems pretty basic to be dropped in a cage and have some oxygen attached to your back.<BR>Thanks.

Rocco,<BR><BR>I must agree with you as to the need for the license but then I am not the expert and unfortunately to my knowledge the operatons all call for this requirement. Why dont you write to African Shark Eco-Charters and ask them for further advice in this regard? <BR><BR>Sorry I can be of more assistance.<BR><BR>Selwyn Davidowitz.<BR>[email protected]<BR><BR>

Rocco - I mistakenly posted a reply to your shark diving question,under the heading &quot;South Africa - May 2003 - Advice Requested&quot;