Hi, I am planning my 1st trip to Africa for next Sept, want to see Vic Falls, Botswana and Capetown. Looking at just under 3 weeks. Got itinerary from Kensington (below), but will look at &Beyond and WT based on other Fodor's comments. Does anyone who has been have any thoughts about this trip? Cost is just under $10,000/pp, most meals (except in Capetown) are included, and all air travel within Africa is included.

Day 1: Fri, Sep 02 2011 - Johannesburg
* Transfer - Airport - Car/Driver

Peermont Metcourt Superior 1 DBL (B)

Day 2: Sat, Sep 03 2011 - Johannesburg - Livingstone
* Transfer - Airport - Car/Driver
* Transfer - Airport - Private - Royal Livingstone/Zambezi Sun

Zambezi Sun, standard 1 DBL (BD)

Day 3: Sun, Sep 04 2011 - Livingstone
* Private - 1/2 Day Victoria Falls & Shongwe Village Tour - Car/Guide

Zambezi Sun - standard 1 DBL (BD)

Day 4: Mon, Sep 05 2011 - Livingstone - Chobe
* Transfer - Chobe/Kasane xfer - Private
* Shared - Boat Safari - Game Vehicle

Muchenje Safari Lodge - Cottage 1 DBL (BLD)

Day 5: Tue, Sep 06 2011 - Chobe
* Shared - Game Viewing - Game Vehicle
* Shared - Boat Safari - Game Vehicle

Muchenje Safari Lodge - Cottage 1 DBL (BLD)

Day 6: Wed, Sep 07 2011 - Chobe - Moremi
* Air - Chobe - Okavango [Direct] - Economy
* Shared - Afternoon Game Drive

Camp Moremi - Tent (3+) 1 DBL (BLD)

Day 7: Thu, Sep 08 2011 - Moremi
* Shared - Morning Game Drive 2
* Shared - Afternoon Game Drive

Camp Moremi - Tent (3+) 1 DBL (BLD)

Day 8: Fri, Sep 09 2011 - Okavango
* Transfer - Camp Okavango
* Water Camps

Camp Okavango - Tent (3+) 1 DBL (BLD)

Day 9: Sat, Sep 10 2011 - Okavango
* Shared - Mokoro Trip
* Shared - Walking Safari

Camp Okavango - Tent (3+) 1 DBL (BLD)

Day 10: Sun, Sep 11 2011 - Okavango
* Shared - Mokoro Trip
* Shared - Afternoon Game Drive - Game Vehicle

Camp Okavango - Tent (3+) 1 DBL (BLD)

Day 11: Mon, Sep 12 2011 - Okavango - Maun - Johannesburg - Cape Town
* Transfer - Airstrip
* Air - Okavango - Maun [Direct] - Economy
* Air - Maun - Johannesburg [Direct - BP212 (via Gaborone 2hr 15mins)] - Economy
* Air - Johannesburg - Cape Town [Direct - SA (2 hr)] - Economy
* Transfer - Airport - Vehicle/Driver -City Hotels

Cape Cadogan - Deluxe 1 DBL (B)

Day 12: Tue, Sep 13 2011 - Cape Town
* Shared - 1/2d City Tour & Table Mountain - Vehicle/Driver-Guide

Cape Cadogan - Deluxe 1 DBL (B)

Day 13: Wed, Sep 14 2011 - Cape Town
* Shared - Cape Point and Peninsula - Car/Driver

Cape Cadogan - Deluxe 1 DBL (B)

Day 14: Thu, Sep 15 2011 - Cape Town
* Optional activities

Cape Cadogan - Pay Stay 1 DBL (B)

Day 15: Fri, Sep 16 2011 - Cape Town
* Shared - Full Day Winelands - Guide/Driver

Cape Cadogan - Deluxe 1 DBL (B)

Day 16: Sat, Sep 17 2011 - Cape Town
* Optional activities

Cape Cadogan - Deluxe 1 DBL (B)

Day 17: Sun, Sep 18 2011 - Cape Town
* Optional activities

Cape Cadogan - Pay Stay 1 DBL (B)

Day 18: Mon, Sep 19 2011 - Cape Town

* Transfer - Airport - Vehicle/Driver -City Hotels
Depart

Thanks for any tips or suggestions,
Laura

Seven days in CT is a lot. You could add a few of nights on safari in S Africa, the garden route or something else. Four nights is likely enough. I also like to do the cities at the beginning of a trip, as the safari part is my highlight. There are lots of hotels in CT, and I am unfamiliar with that one. Lose the car/driver at JNB and stay at a hotel at the airport. It's just a layover. One night at Vic Falls is OK too, unless you are an adrenaline junkie and want to do that sort of thing.

I have not been to the camps you listed. But you are going to a few different areas of Botswana. I don't like to move around so much. If you can, 3 nights per camp make for a nicer experience at each camp. I know, it's not affordable that way but it makes a big difference.

Let us know about your other options, too.

Southern Sun OR Tambo is an option in Joburg. Something like 500 meters from the airport with a shuttle. Very nice.

2 boat safaris in Chobe is good.

Sept is a good time to see Great White Sharks from a boat, departing from Cape Town by land very early to get to the boat. Cage diving for closer views is possible. I stayed on the boat. If that is of interest, I'd recommend African Shark Eco-Charters.

Agree with CB. Would prefer more time on safari and less in Cape Town area.

You're in USA? You've been to USA big cities San Francisco, New York? You've been to London, Rome, Madrid? Yes, then you've also been to Cape Town. You've never seen wild elephants with calves walk by and surround you? Never seen lions eating an impala and looking up at you only a few feet away with nothing but air between you? Then you have never been on safari.

Also Botswana safari camps are probably the most expensive camps compared with Kenya and South Africa. You're choosing Bots camps for a reason? Kenya will have the best classic "Out of Africa" look. For big five viewing/concentration the South Africa Sabi Sand reserve area is (arguably) the best in all of Africa

regards - tom

Depending on how you spend your time in Cape Town, it is not just another beautiful and cosmopolitan city.

I based myself in Simons Town, about 30-40 minutes away from Cape Town by vehicle or by train. You could fill your week with Great White Shark viewing, and probably Whale Watching too. You could spend hours at the Boulders Bay Penguin colony, or 20 minutes, whatever you prefer. You could do some reasonably priced primate encounters with Baboon Matters, walking with Chacma Baboons. Kirstenbosch Gardens showcase the fynbos species, its own kingdom in the plant world. Kirstenbosch is world class and on par with Butchart on Vancouver Island. I spent a couple of days at the Penninsula and Point for hiking and scenic views.

In Cape Town, the historical site of Robben Island where Mandela was held is unique in all the world.

If you used a local guide for your time in Cape Town, it would likely be less expensive than Kensington. You could also tailor private outings that suit your needs and make optimal use of your time. It looked like some shared Cape Town activities through Kensington. There are many good local guides. I used Wayne of Take2Tours and had a blast.

I would also have to agree with Tom's statement, "For big five viewing/concentration the South Africa Sabi Sand reserve area is (arguably) the best in all of Africa."

You should be aware of what you are omitting, especially since Sabi Sands is easily accessed from Joburg by plane. Is there a reason you have chosen Botswana over South Africa for your safari? Botswana does offer experiences that SA or anyplace else cannot. You just want to be sure that's what you really want and you want to be aware of the costs involved of Botswana for safari vs. South Africa for safari.

Good luck in your planning. Lots of attractive options.

Oh, I hope I didn't sound like CT is not a great city. But if just doing the city thing, 4 nights is enough. Robben Island is one of those unforgettable experiences, as well as all the things atravelynn brings up. The winelands and the Cape of Good Hope are beautiful day trips. September is good whale watching time, too. The flowers bloom in Namaqualand (?) north of CT in Aug/Sept and it's quite a show.

I did CT, Vic Falls, 7 nights in Bots and a camp in the private reserves around Kruger in under 3 weeks on our first trip to Africa. Very glad we did all of it - though a bit exhausting moving around so much - because it was the only time my mother will ever get to go. But I will always in the future do less at a much slower pace. Do it all - then go back. Again and again! And if you can afford the Bots splurge, do it. No guarantee you'll be able to next time.

Hi Laura,

Here's my opinion on the itinerary you received;

- Zim: Royal Livingstone hotel: fairly typical choice. It is the most expensive place at the falls, and perhaps the only place of that standard. The contrast with the locals will be huge (if you are allowed to interact with them). I once had lunch there and it felt SO strange; eating the most expensive hamburger in the poorest country on earth... There are other hotels who come close in terms of luxury, but that are much less expensive.
Or you could cross the border to Zambia if you do not like Zim in terms of safety. There are great lodges in Zam at the river, and the falls are just as close.

- Chobe: you chose a typical lodge at the east end of the park, which is not bad as all boat trips depart there. But please note that part of the park is rather crowded; all jeeps from nearby lodges stick to that part, to be able to return in time to the lodge for dinner etc. If I were you, I'd arrange a full day trip to the other end of the park, while having a pick nick at noon (there are designated spots for this). In the other end of the park you have a much higher chance to see zebra, lion, etc...

- Then straight to Moremi?? This is really strange to me. I'd certainly try to visit the Savuti and Khwai areas underway! Too good to miss.

- The 3 days in Moremi dissapoint me a bit. I see "mokoro rides" and "foot safari" and "water camps"... I only see one afternoon gamedrive. Please note that the areas with a lot of water do not have that much animals (ungulates, predators) but mostly only birds. A mokoro trip is nice to absorb nature and enjoy the silence. But it can get boring after a while. Idem with a foot safari; cool to learn stuff, but you will not see that much (compared to a regular gamedrive). I am quite certain that they will even choose an area with few game in it, just to have an easy walk without "surprises").
Otherwise put; walks are nice, but only AFTER you have had plenty of game to see from your jeep.

- The period in CT seems way too long for me. Not that it's not a nice place to be but compared to Botswana, CT does not merit to get 7 days worth of attention. The contrast with Bots will be huge; it is a nice city, but still a city. And you can get away to greener areas nearby (table mountain, the cape point, Kirstenbosch gardens, do a boat trip to robben island, etc... but those are little "tourist-type" trips and you can do most of it in a day or three.

My 2 cents, overall; for 10K$ (wow) you could get a lot more bang for the buck. I assume, as a first-timer, you have opted for the most expensive places, perhaps in an attempt to make sure you stay safe. Or perhaps you think that the amount of money spent is equal to the amount of "Africa" you will get. Well, you can be just as safe, just as comfortable, and can get much more safari ...for quite a bit less than 10K$.

B.regs,

J.

Oops; forgot to add; if the falls are not a necessity (and to be honest, after having seen Iguazu they were quite underwhelming for us), then indeed the Kruger area is a good alternative for your safari, as others have mentioned. Because it is much closer to Jo'Burg, and because (on average) prices are much cheaper than in Bots.

I say "on average" as there are quite a few posh lodges as well where you can easily spend all you own in a week or so. Admittedly, these places are rather good for game viewing, but not in relation to their price. There's equally good gameviewing in the more affordable lodges such as Arathusa or Elephant Plains. Or even if you do not opt for Sabi Sands but go to another similar game reserve like Umbabat, Manyeleti, Simbavati or Klaserie. These are reserves that try to mimic Sabi Sand's success ...and are succeeding at doing so.

B.regs,

J.

Take a look at Pixelpower's report on Elephant Plains in Sabi Sands.
Elephant Plains, Sabi Sands GR: http://www.fodors.com/community/afri...ant-plains.cfm
This link may lead to the report and photos on another link. But it's no more than 3 clicks away.

This is a place I'd strongly consider on a return to Sabi Sands.

Vic Falls--For those of us who are wildlife enthusiasts, Vic Falls is not in the same league as something living. But I understand how you'd want to see these beautiful falls since you'd be relatively close. As for a comparison to falls worldwide, you may not be planning on ever getting to those other spectacular falls around the globe. A few hours at the falls should be enough for enjoyment and photos. No need to spend days there. There are adrenaline activities, as Christabir mentioned such as bungee jumping and white water rafting that might require more time.

As a walking safari enthusiast, I would still agree with Pixelpower's assessment of walks. You likely won't see anywhere near the game as on a drive. Same for mekoros, with the exception of the reed frogs. But mekoros are a nice experience. I see you do have several actual game drives in Moremi that should provide good wildlife viewing. The green delta environment of the Okavango is IMO far more attractive than the mostly scrubby terrain of the Sabi Sands. But if "Big 5" is what you are hoping for, the scrubby terrain will likely come through. In fact you will not see rhinos (one of the Big 5) in Botwsana unless you are staying on Chief's Island, which would increase the cost of your trip by a load. White rhinos are common in Sabi Sands.

To decide on how much time to spend in Cape Town, you need to map out the various optional activities of interest to you and see how much time that would take.

The sentiment here is generally more time on safari and less in a city is optimal. I share that sentiment (but you can add some great wildlife excursions very near Cape Town), however what really matters is how you want to spend your trip time. Also Cape Town costs/day are generally less than safari costs/day.

I agree with some of the earlier posters that Botwana is the one of the most expensive of your choices and that 7 days in any city is too much unless your primary purpose is not to see animals/birds. We stayed at 2 camps in Botswana that were excellent-Savuti and Kwetsane- but we made our dollars go further by booking 2 camps in Zimbabwe. We love our stay there. We were in Vic Falls 2 nights and felt that was ample. Good luck with your planning!

So everyone's comments have been super helpful. Being from New York, I will spend less time in Cape Town than originally planned. I think I am a bit overwhelmed by my desire not to miss out on anything, since I have wanted to do this trip for so long. I am interested in seeing the big 5, and o originally was going to go to Kenya until I saw the episode of Planet Earth about the Okavango Delta, which blew me away. I also heard from several sources that you can be stuck between tour buses in Kenya, which would kill me. Could I do a safari in Kenya AND one in Botswana? Any other places that some of you experienced Africa travelers would recommend? Help?!

THANKS, Laura

I just knew we would make you crazy with ideas . Happened to most of us on our first visit to Africa!!! But don't worry, there are so many great choices that any number of combinations will be a great trip. You originally talked about a $10,000 budget and this will certainly work!!! Now all you need to do is figure out the details .

Kenya and Botswana? Sure. I'd suggest you fly into CapeTown, spend around 3 nights there, fly to Maun Botswana for 4-5 nights in a safari camp, fly to Livingstone for Vic Falls (or do Vic Falls before the Bots safari camp?), fly to Kenya Nairobi and for 4-5 nights on safari (Little Governors Camp?), and then there are couple of interesting things in Nairobi, i.e Sheldricks. Fly back to NYC from Nairobi. That's about 17-18 days/nights total, there will be a day "lost" when you travel/fly between countries.


regards - tom

You could do both. Here's something to consider, though. Is a nearly 3 week, $7000-$10000 trip a rarity or something you'd do maybe annually?

If it's a typical vacation for you, then I'd concentrate on EITHER East Africa or Southern Africa. Whichever is omitted, visit another time. (You may find enough in Africa to occupy your travel budget and interests for a lifetime. Seriously. If the Planet Earth TV show blew you away, wait until you see the real thing!)

If this is a once in a lifetime trip, or nearly so, then you may wish to combine the two so you don't come home feeling like you missed something. (But even with a Kenya & Botswana itinerary, you're missing Tanzania's Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, the Zambezi River, gorillas, chimps, the sand dunes of Namibia, etc. You cannot do it all even in many trips.) I've combined East and Southern Africa and it worked fine.

Also consider what you really want from your trip. You mentioned "Big 5." The easiest place to see that is in Sabi Sands of South Africa. You mentioned you were blown away by the Okavango Delta. It is a spectacular place and other rivers, swamps, waterways, while beautiful in their own right, are not the delta.

I just returned from another wonderful safari to Kenya and can attest to the fact (as can many others) that you may find yourself amongst a few to many other vehicles. The vast majority of the time that was not the case, though. Picking your parks and locations (such as private concessions) can greatly minimize the crowd factor. My Kenya trip report shows the # of vehicles at each sighting and should be finished up tonight if you wanted to check these recent figures from the same timeframe/month as you plan to travel. The #s are in bold to help you find them quickly.
http://www.fodors.com/community/afri...birds-more.cfm

Even in Sabi Sands or the remote Botswana concessions, you may find 2 or 3 other vehicles sharing a sighting.

If you had chosen Kenya for the wildebeest migration--and Sept is a prime month for it--that cannot be duplicated in Southern Africa. A private safari in Kenya is also generally less costly than Botswana.

If you wanted to do both Kenya and Botswana, Tom's suggestion is good. I've been to Little Gov and it's great, but if you wanted to minimize encountering other vehicles I'd pick a private concession in the Mara such as Lion Porini. However, regardless of where you stay in the Mara, the wildebeest crossing points are generally not in private areas and you'd be sharing that sighting with other vehicles. This past Sept there were anywhere from 0 other vehicles to (I counted) 46 waiting for the wildes to cross.

This forum is a good place to ask questions and plan your first trip to Africa. Let us know how things progress.

CT, Botswana and Sabi Sands are an easy trio - we did all three, plus a night in Vic Falls - and it was just a great trip. CT then fly to Vic Falls, overland transfer to Kasane Airport, charter flights between 2-3 camps in Bots, fly Maun - JNB, overnight, charter to Sabi Sands or fly Kruger Airport and overland transfer to Sabi Sands, back to JNB. It was all done through a travel agent and all those transfers, just one very minor glitch. The three best weeks! But it was absurdly expensive.

If I was doing it again, I would contact &Beyond and get their specials for longer stays. We wanted Wilderness Safaris camps for many reasons, but the cost of their premier camps - yikes. The classic camps are better for "normal" people. We actually prefer their laid back style. Another option that we are considering for next time is:

http://www.eyesonafrica.net/safaris/.../migration.htm

Might be a little rustic, but compared to some other options much less pricey.

I would stick to either Southern or East Africa. Flying from JNB to Nairobi is like flying from NY to Salt Lake City - about 4.5 hours direct. You will be hooked no matter what you decide and will be planning your return before you get home!

No rhinos in Bots. We did see them in the private reserves around Kruger, like Sabi Sands. Botswana is very, very special.

I'm with others that too long in CPT.
That said, and I'm with Tom here, if this likely your only visit and with $10K along with 3/weeks, you can visit Southern and Eastern Africa. And, for September, Kenya's Masai Mara for the migration is perfect.

Suggest though you check airlines to see which one will get you into the south (JNB or CPT) and then out of the east (NBO), rather than having to backtrack to one or the other; it's a 4-4.5/hr flight and schedules are somewhat limited, loosing a day or two doing so.

Believe if you can fly into JNB, (visit VFA or LIV for Victoria Falls, onto Botswana's Okavango, then to CPT then via JNB to NBO) and home out of NBO. Once in NBO, the flights between NBO and the Masai Mara would be included in that segment of your visit. Your tour operator should be able to arrange the flights between ( ) unless you choose to try to do this on your own... some people do better than a TO for fares, but not always. Besides, if having TO handle, should there be any schedules changes, delays, etc. they'd take care of such issues rather than you trying to handle.

When it comes to the number of vehicles when in the Mara, you do have to remember that you're not alone wanting to experience this "migration" event. However, by choosing a camp on private conservancy, this can somewhat be avoided, though at the actual crossing point, may not be eliminated completely.

Estimated actual nts as:
CPT - 4/nts
VFA/LIV - 1-2/nts
OKV - 4/nts
NBO/MAR - 4-5/nts
NBO - 1/nt - homebound

First off, I'm a neophyte traveler to Africa. We did a three week trip in September with the exact same dates as you are planning. There were four of us traveling and we all had "special interests" - wildlife was paramount for all of us. Perhaps the goals of a first time traveler are different from someone who has been several or many times. We worked hard to get everything we thought we wanted and we all loved every moment. We used six light aircraft flights to make it possible but based on the assumption we would not return to southern Africa it was worth the splurge. We wanted Vic Falls first so we could recover from the long flight. It was the correct decision.

Two nights at the Zambezi Sun and then we were off to Muchenje which is on the western edge of Chobe NP away from the large lodges and "crowds." Great intro to wildlife both on land and on the river. Stayed there two nights; three would have been better perhaps. We then went to Pom Pom for an "authentic" setting for three nights which was wonderful, and on to Baines Camp for two nights of better comfort level - beautiful place but the high water reduced the wildlife sightings - except for the birding which was one of our priorities. We then went off to Namibia for three nights to see the dunes. (another priority) Some would argue that that was too much travel but we wanted to do it so we did. Remember, it's your vacation so you should do what you want to do.

We then spent three nights in Cape Town which was the perfect length - wine country was not a priority for us. We did the city tour, Table Mt, the Peninsula, Penguins and Cape - great guide and we saw and learned so much about South Africa. For our final three nights we were at Phinda Vlei (upgraded from Phinda Forest) which was a perfect end to a perfect vacation. Photography was another priority and the diverse environments of Phinda rounded out our experience. It was terrific and it took more than 18 monts of planning to bring to fruition. I did a long trip report which is at http://www.fodors.com/community/afri...ld-friends.cfm if you want to read the full account. It was our trip based on what we wanted to see!

Hi all,

Thanks again for all of your comments - you are really helping me to narrow down my options. A few more insights into my trip: although it is my first trip to Africa, I expect it won't be my last. That said, it is a very expensive trip for me, so planning it right is paramount. I think I am going to stay in Botswana and S. Africa, and save Kenya and east Africa for another trip. To throw another option out there, I have a good friend who lives near Hoedspruit who will put us up for a few days and arrange a game drive at Thorney Bush with a guide she knows very well. She suggests we do that instead of the Ngala Safari Lodge.

I have spoken to someone from &Beyond, and she sent me the rough itinerary below (which she is modifying to include less time in CT):

4 September Victoria Falls
5 September Victoria Falls
6 September Savute Under Canvas
7 September Savute Under Canvas
8 September Sandibe Safari Lodge
9 September Sandibe Safari Lodge
10 September Sandibe Safari Lodge
11 September Nxabega Okavango Safari Camp
12 September Nxabega Okavango Safari Camp
13 September Nxabega Okavango Safari Cmp
14 September Xaranna Tented Camp
15 September Xaranna Tented Camp
16 September Cape Town
17 September Cape Town
18 September Cape Town
19 September Cape Town
20 September Cape Town
21 September Return home via Johannesburg

Please let me know your thoughts about this, as well as if you think my friends drive would fit into this.

Thanks,
Laura

Each of these camps, I could look them up but, if you could just tell me, which are in Bots and which are in SA?

You're starting with Vic Falls so you would fly into ? from NYC.

Still to many days in CT for me. But I go to Africa only for safari.

Hoedspruit, been there several times, very close to the Timbavati Reserve, also been there several times. Kruger and greater Kruger area. There is a safari camp in the Timbavati, Kings Camp that is one of my favorites. But it is not part of &Beyond. But you can stay there for 5 night for about $400 per night as a single. Great smallish (11 huts) camp, great guides, great everything.

And about other &Beyond camps in that greater Kruger area - I've been to Ngala Lodge and do -not- recommend it. &Beyond has more camps in the Sabi Sand reserve, Kirkmans Kamp, Exeter, Dulini. All available with discounts and no single supplement. Average also about $400-500 per night. And will say again, Sabi Sand reserve has the highest concentration of the big 5 in Africa.

Here is a nice little map that shows those reserves and safari camps -
http://www.mediafire.com/imgbnc.php/...70142f206g.jpg

Have you looked at &Beyond's web site to make sure you are getting the best rates/discounts? They will let you combine camp stays for discounted rates. Don't just take an agents word for it (anything in fact), some just don't know, some are hurried, some are lazy, and some are very good.

regards - tom

Though I have not been to these particular Botswana camps, from what I know of the area and what others have said, I think you'd have a great trip. AndBeyond has high standards. Xaranna is one I have never heard anything about before.

Some of your Cape Town days would be alloted to staying with your friend and visiting Thorny Bush? Is that correct? That would cut down on the # of days there.

Back to an original question: are you sure you want to omit Sabi Sands completely? At least you will be visiting a South Africa park with Thorny Bush. The guide connection is an opportunity you may want to jump on. If Botswana pricing is especially good with AndBeyond (taking Tom's advice and making sure you are getting all the published, even unpublished, discounts), I can see why you'd want to concentrate on Botswana with them.

Continuing with pricing issues, if this itinerary is at the high end of your budget, ask about AndBeyond's Sabi Sands locations to add to your time in Cape Town and with your friend. The pricing may be better and more info can never hurt.

If your friend remains in South Africa, perhaps you could visit again some day and include some Kruger/Sabi Sands camps if you wanted on that trip. You can't do it all anyway in 3 weeks, 3 months, or 3 years.

It looks like you are on your way to a fantastic time in Southern Africa.

Don't believe there are any international flights from NYC direct to Vic Falls, so you'll probably have to fly via Johannesburg and may require an overnight before heading to VFA/LIV.

All of the camps shown are in Botswana, even Xaranna, which for a first timer may be overkill. AndBeyond will often only offer "their" properties unless you specfically ask for others. But given the number of properties listed, you should be entitled to "extended stay" discounts. In fact, if using half of them, you should be entitled to discounts and then have time to visit in South Africa, as above doesn't shown any stops here.

Thornybush is up at Timbavati (Kruger Park)... where if your friend can guarantee the guide is available as well as the accommodations, I'd consider this in order to get a "taste of South Africa" having traveled so far. Timbavati/Kruger is north of Johannesburg... nowhere near Cape Town at the southern end of SA.

Four nights is more than sufficient for Cape Town.

No doubt you'll probably return to Africa, but if visiting the south of the continent, I'd personally, distribute my time between Botswana and South Africa, then all game viewing in Botswana.