Duty Free Syd-J'burg-Cape Town
 

Unless they cancel us AGAIN, we're flying Qantas to J'burg and have to do an overnight before continuing on to Cape Town, my question is:
If we have Duty Free alcohol are we going to have it taken from us when we check in for the Cape Town flight??

Hi,

sorry I can't answer your question but I can commiserate about cancelled flights on Qantas on Sydney-Joberg.

We're currently leaving a day earlier than planned - an extra day in Africa isn't a bad thing, shame its in Joberg.

When do you fly?


Pol

Hi Pol, We don't leave until Aug 24th was supposed to be the 25th. It's such a pain changing local flights, hotels etc.
We've got the 1 extra in J'burg as well of course.
And you leave?

We leave on 10 August now, was supposed to be 11th. We'll spend the extra night at the OR Tambo City Lodge and do a day trip out to the Ann Van Dyk Cheetah Sanctuary.

Then we head to Mashatu Tented Camp, Kgalagadi TP where we meet our Namibian guide for a 3 week trip thru Kgalagadi, Swakopmund, Damaraland, Etosha and thru the Caprivi to Maun. We meet up with Sallie and Ewan Masson of Masson Safaris for a 6 night mobile in Moremi. Only 4 more weeks at work before holidays begin.

How about you, where are you going this time?


Pol.

We have 9 days in Cape Town, then driving up the coast to Hlosi Lodge, stopping along the way. Then to Tanda Tula for 3 days, J'burg overnight and home, just over 3 weeks away.
Weren't supposed to go this year as we did big trip there last year, but won at a charity auction, 4 nights staying with a Capetonian, now extended to 5 nights, and she wanted us this year, so we're forcing ourselves, lol.
Your trip sounds wonderful, I look forward to reading all about it.
We hope to get back up to the cheetahs when we get back to J'burg Sept 13th.
Take care.

You will have to check the liquids. Really inconvenient.

Pol - I want details of that trip. We want to do Kalaghadi next time, but I'm having a hard time with the logistics, like keeping food for a week. Unfortunately being a citizen of the US, we don't have enough vacation time to do a long trip like that! Well, we will be retiring sooner than later.... Details!!!

sallysaab - stellar win at the charity auction, congratulations, and of course you must go this year! I'll post a TR over on Safaritalk sometime in October.

Christabir, we fly back from Mashatu and overnight at OR Tambo City Lodge before catching a morning flight to Upington. Francois will meet us at the plane and we will be with him for the next 3 weeks.

We are a party of 5 (3 singles and a couple + Francois) and we need 5 chalets per night, consequently we could only get park accommodation at Twee Riverien for 3 nights and then we drive to Namibia and stay at the Kalahari farmstall for 3 nights. We'll do Nossob and the eastern aprt of the park from Twee Riverien. We will have to enter the park and do the western side of KTP during these 3 days. We have one overnight at the Anib Kalahari Hotel at Mariental and then we push on to Swakopmund. I find the KTP forum on the Sanparks very helpful for tips and great TRs for dreaming....

Francois lives In Walvis Bay so he will be busy getting the vehicle ready for the next stage while we have 2 nights in Swakop (my 4th visit). The others will be doing the Living Desert tour while Mum and I shop and lunch!

Next we head into Damaraland with one night at Erongo Wilderness Lodge, I had hoped for more but Francois considerately broke up the driving days as Mum doesn't like too many really long days in the vehicle. We have 2 nights at Palmwag Lodge where we might be lucky with desert lion, ele ad rhino before heading into Etosha for 2 nights at Okaukuejo (we aren't entering thru' Galton's gate in the west this year), 1 at Halali and 2 at Mushara Bush Camp from where we will re-enter the park and do the area around Fischer's Pan a bit further northwest. Then we have a very long day's drive to Rundu with an overnight at Rundu Hakasembe Lodge followed by 4 nights in the Caprivi at Mazambala Island and Nunda Lodges. I am hoping for carmine Bee eaters in the Caprivi this year and looking forward to some river cruises after all the desert driving.

Francois will drop us at The Kraal in Maun for a night after which the Masson's will take us camping in Moremi - 2 camps, 3 nights in each and we'll take Ewan's advice on the best locations. We finish with another night at The Kraal before heading back to the OR Tambo City Lodge and home.

The Kraal looks like comfortable accommodation in Maun - $85 US for B&B - they have 4 rondavels and are recommended by the Massons. I particularly like the look of their large riverside deck.

This is a slow, soft adventure and my mother's second trip to Africa. 2 of my father's cousins are also coming along as is my friend from work who is also on a second safari. We are moving slowly so Mum isn't overwhelmed by the long distances and the cousins also will appreciate a slower paced, comfortable safari.

I'm returning to many favourite places and for me this year's safari is about conencting with African friends (Richard at Mashatu, Francois and the Massons), I'm certainly looking forward to the Caprivi where I haven't been before. Mashatu is always a treat, Kgalagadi is a fine park with a healthy population of big cats, although I'm not convinced that July-August is the best time to visit. Being out of the workplace in July-August is good timing for our annual work schedule and I like to escape the Tasmanian winter for a few weeks each year.

I've been to Swakop 3 times before - its a nice place to wander, shop and eat at the fine restaurants in town but 2 nights will be plenty for me. This year we stay at Desert Breeze a little out of town but certainly very atmospheric. I've not been to either Erongo or Palmwag and am looking forward to game activities at both of these places. I've only spent one night in Damaraland when I camped in 2008 but have driven through it a couple more times.

Its my fourth visit to Etosha which I regard as a premier African park. Animal viewing is varied, there isn't a lot of cover for animals to hide in and the action at the waterholes is unparalleled by anywhere else I have been in Africa. We have 2 nights in a waterhole chalet at Okaukuejo so will be able to wander over to the seating area very easily. I've never been north of Von Lindquist Gate before so the next 5 days is all new to me. I'm definitely hoping for carmines and Francois says that the Caprivi parks are well known for their aquatic antelope and species such as roan and sable are readily seen.

Its my third safari with the Massons and the camaraderie and the conversation are just as memorable as the game viewing. Its fantastic being áway from it all' and having Ewan and the crew look after the daily arrangements.

In addition to accommodated safaris, Francois will also arrange camping trips and he will take clients into wild and isolated Khaudom NP. He may be reached at Francois AT mauzis dot com - I think you will be very pleased with his pricing, should you be interested in a non self-drive. We met him in 2012 when he was our guide for a trip booked thru' Gemma Dry at Namibia Tours and Discovery. We liked him and stayed in touch until we were able to make this year's bookings. He is a fantastic cook and will happily cook in any self-catering or camping accommodation.

This is a 6 week trip and I have booked most of it myself. Rowan Matthewson at RACT Kingston expertly booked the flights and accommodation at OR Tambo City Lodge. Francois cousin at Live the Journey in Cape Town booked Mashatu for us and Francois has handled all the ground arrangements in KTP and Namibia. Sallie Masson booked the Maun accommodation. I must confess this is one of the easiest trips I have put together!

Now is that quite enough detail for you :-) - happy to answer further questions and I look forward to seeing your final KTP itinerary.

Reards,


Pol

Thanks so much! My husband and I, while dreaming about KTP, kept thinking how awful it would be to visit and not see ele. Maybe heading into Namibia is the answer.

We considered hiring a guide to help with the logistics, but for just the two of us the added expense plus the extra chalet puts it out of our price range. We have looked into the vehicles available in Upington that are totally "tricked out" with frig/freezer, full camping gear and extra water and fuel tanks. It just makes the whole trip seem more primitive (I don't think that's the right word) than I am comfortable with at this point.

Great info. I am bookmarking it for our next time. If we can figure it out, maybe KTP with our Botswana excursion in 2016.

Christabir, in 2011 we did KTP with Ewan Masson out of Maun. He had a car fridge and organised all the food.

It was a long haul down to KTP from Maun with an overnight at Kang, but it was very convenient and lots of fun doing both KTP and later a further 10 days with Ewan around Savute, Khwai and Moremi.

Sallysaab - I don't know how you do the transfer to De Wildt, however Rob Bentley offers the most reasonable rate that I've found to date and was recommended by the Ann Van Dyk Cheetah sanctuary - he's bringing an 18 seater mini-bus for the 5 of us and the quoted rate is 240 ZAR each return. His email is bentleyafrica AT gmail dot com

Regards,


Pol

Thanks Pol, I'll get in touch with him.
I'll keep an eye out for your trip report, you'll have an awesome time!