Help needed for 1st time visit to S.A.
 

Hi. My husband and I are hoping to plan our first trip to South Africa for this May (yes, very last minute). We could really use some help and advice. We don't have very much money - but appreciate all suggestions. Trying to stay around $3000 per person (including airfare). We're in our early 40s and pretty active. Any and all info/advice is appreciated, including some info to a few questions below:

1) We want to do a good portion at a safari property, so any and all recommendations for various properties that you have been to or heard about would be great (we don't want to camp on our own at the Krueger rest camps). Both positive and negative comments on properties.

2) Can anyone provide info on Jackalberry Lodge in Thornybush or anything on Sabi Sands (is that how it is written)?

3) We have 2 to 2-1/2 weeks, so we want to include the Cape Town area, so any advice on itinerary and hotels in that area also appreciated.

4) IMMUNIZATIONS - we really do not want to get any immunizations/vaccinations, so can anyone tell me for sure if they are really necessary if visiting South Africa? If they are necessary, which ones?

5) Any recommendations on safari properties that are in Malaria-free zones?

And anything else that you think might be important to know, please let me know.
Thank you sooo much for any responses.

Suggest you check air costs for your projected travel dates from JFK to JNB (or CPT). Then you'll know what you have left for the remaining 2/weeks in-country.

Pilanesberg National Park is malaria-free. I'm sure there are others. FYI--Jackalberry and Sabi Sands are in the malaria zone. That shouldn't scare you away, though.

No vaccinations are required in South Africa. I didn't change any of my eating and drinking habits while there (i.e., I drank tap water). However, I did get hepatitis A and typhoid vaccinations. Those two can lay you out for a while.

I would estimate that you have $3000 or less in your budget after international flights.

Is that $3000 per person including <b>international airfare</b>? Or, did you mean internal airfare? 'Cause $3000 is not a lot to include time at a safari lodge.

Can't give any recommendations since I've only done my planning for SA, and haven't actually gone yet. I do know that Madikwe is a park that is malaria free, and that CC Africa has a 3 for 2 nights deal for their lodge there. However, at ZAR 2500 per person/per night, that's still around ZAR 10,000 (USD $1250) for the two of you for 3 nights, or about USD $200 per person/per night.

Agree with lifelist-that's not much money especially if you're going to fly from CPT-JNB=$315.00 pp or JNB to Nelspruit=$207.00 pp...leaves you around $2400.00 (around $170 a night for 2 weeks)

Jackalberry is $84.00 a night but doesn't include meals, activities or transportation to/from lodge.

You could stay in Kruger on your budget and it is NOT camping. The rondavels are nice, comfortable and well equipped and you can either eat in the restaurants or cook your own meal. One good thing is you can stay out all day as opposed to a lodge where you have down time between drives. I stayed in Kruger last year and saw an incredible amount of animals and really enjoyed the whole Kruger experience. (I've also done the lodge/camp experience)

Good luck! Let us know what you come up with.

Just to add the cost of Kruger for a rondavel hut it is $70 per night, 2 people. Very reasonable. The cost of your own rental/hire car is one of the biggest costs for Kruger. I've also been to Kruger in 2006 and 2007 and plan on going back. (Also been to private safari camps in the area costing over $500 per person per day).

regards - tom

Check out www.flysaavacations.com, which is South African Air Airways' agent for package deals for travelers from North America. They have some amazing deals listed. The best one in your price range was a package that INCLUDED international airfare from NYC, internal airfare in South Africa, four nights in Cape Town at the Cape Cadogan hotel, and two nights at the Lion Sands River Lodge, which I think is in Sabi Sands and is supposed to be very very nice. The price of this package for May was only $2399. You may be able add a couple of nights at the Lion Sands River Lodge and still stay within your budget. I've seen this special highlighted in a couple of newspapers in the &quot;best deals&quot; listings in the travel section, so it may already be sold out. If you do contact them, please let us know what you find out. I've been dying to know if this deal is as good as it sounds.

Hi

My wife and I went to South Africa a couple of years back and here is our safari trip report with pictures http://gardkarlsen.com/djuma_vuyatela_safari.htm . We also went to Johannesburg as we have family there and here is the trip report http://gardkarlsen.com/johannesburg_...frica_2004.htm . This Easter we went to Cape Town and I'm still working on that trip report :d

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures