Hi we have been to SA 4 times and plan to go back in 2009.
I know more or less what we want to do, itinerary and lodges etc.
Is it nowadays feasible if you have the time (and I do at the moment) to book it all by yourself - (I believe you can also book your air charters by yourself now.)
And is it worth it money wise??
Thanks!
Ivee

I believe it's perfectly feasible, so much so we're doing just that ourselves in a couple of weeks time! We're experienced independent travellers, although it's our first trip to South Africa.

For me, researching and planning my own customised trip is a pleasure in itself. If I went through a TA, I'd miss out on most of the interesting research, probably get put into hotels/B&B's I'd not choose myself and I'd have to pay easily 50-75% more in the process! These days virtually everywhere in the travel industry is accessible through the web. We've had no trouble at all booking our flights, accommodation, car hire, even a few restaurants and activities on our own with just our guidebooks, a good map and a PC.

Thanks! yes I fully agree that it is part of the pleasure and that you can do almost everything, although for instance in Botswana it is not so easy to find your flight connections between lodges and we found that there an agent was really helpful. But I suppose that this is much easier in SA, anyway I will try!
Good luck with your trip, don't hesitate if you want some feedback on lodges etc! Ivee

PS I forgot to tell you that all previous times we were never put into hotels we did not choose; we did a lot of 'research' and choose the entire trip and lodges ourselves. As I said it is just the flight connections that made me hesitate.
Ivee

Have wondered the same.

This from MalaMale web site regarding booking a SAA flight from their airstrip (code AAM) to Joburg (JNB) -
"The service may be booked through any airline reservations system operated by travel agents. The MalaMala service cannot be booked on line through the South African Airways website."

These are flights SAA flights SA 8863 and SA 8862, JNB/AAM. And you can not book them yourself, you MUST use a TA? How many other flights within Africa are like this?


regards - tom

Perhaps there is a danger to the tracker if you do not!

Reading my post again, MM says you can not book via SAA website. Wonder if I called SAA agent? (Thus not using a TA).

regards - tom

I have been to SA twice; my parents (in their late 60s) have been four or five times; my brother at least 12. None of us would ever DREAM of using at TA. Totally unnecessary. Everything is available to you to self-book. You'd think we'd go to each other for help, but we all have different interests and still managed to do it all on our own!

Ivee - as you sort of hinted at - have you tried to find charter flights between camps in SA? Suppose you've tried airlines SAA, Nationwide, Federal? Try googling and tell me what you find.

So, how do you get from say Kings Camp in the Timbavati Reserve to MalaMala in Sabi Sand Reserve? You could go (vehicle) out to Hoedspruit then fly to JNB then to MalaMala, all on SAA. Flights cost I'm guessing of around $350 and require an overnight stay in Joburg. But how do you find a charter flight to go directly from one camp to another? My TA knows and I used it, flight cost $120. And less than two hours total transfer time.

When you make your own reservations do you get confirming letters or emails? Let's say after traveling 36 hours (like from the USA) you finally get to the safari camp. The camp says they have NO record of your reservations. I hate when that happens!!! Who you gonna call? Ghost Busters Happened to us once, actually was not a camp but hotel in Lusaka Zambia. Phone call to our TA got it fixed pronto.

We've never used a TA when traveling to Europe. But for remote places in Africa its nice to know there is your TA and the local representative (i.e Thompsons Africa) when you need help.

As for saving money, my cost for the big ticket items like safari camps is the same whether I or my TA handles it. But I do usually make my own hotel reservation in Joburg, do my own Avis rental car reservation and do my own international flight research and reservations. Just easier for me that way. I'd drive a TA insane if I had them to do the research I do before make international flight (LAX to JNB) reservations!!!!

regards - tom

Why couldn't the camp book your flights too? I haven't booked SA lodges directly, but elsewhere (in EA and Namibia) have always received confirmations by email.

i haven't read all the posts - but here is my guess:

doing it without a TA - SA is a perfect destination to do this!

when you book with a lodge/camp they will be able to arrange transfer flights or rides for you.

let's say you book with one of the sabi sands lodges and want to go to garonga - garonga will happily book a transfer flight for you.

or better you fly to nelspruit and hire a car and drive in between the lodges if you want to cover more terrain: sabi sands, timbavati and thornybush.

i would go for the car hire - more economical.

div

Patty - My thought also, that the camps might recommend ways to get from them to the next camp. But I've never asked this of a camp. Has anyone else?

regards - tom

I wouldn't use a TA, especially seeing they are generally clueless about the destibation (unless you are really lucky). South Africa is more "connected" than a lot of countries and most things are bookable online.

Ok NG, "destibation" not in my dictionary. Please define for me so I can impress my TA

The only way I can see a novice safari planner efficiently getting around between safari camps is if the camps themselves help with transfer/travel information. I have not tried that with camps. So can't say how much the camps know or can help. You really need charter flights even in South Africa to easily get from some camps to others.

regards - tom

Hi,

I didn't read all the posts as I am in a bit of a rush. However, to book the flight into Mala Mala, you can't book through SAA, but you can book the flight through Mala Mala themselves when you book with them.

I would suggest that you ask a couple of operators to give you suggestions for your trip - sometimes they know places that you would never find.

Also ask them for their prices - specified. Sometimes they are cheaper than the prices you can get if you go directly.

Check out all your options and then go with the best one.

Have a great trip

Hi,
I am in the UK and booked the JBurg to MalaMala flight with SAA by phone (not via website) for our trip next March.
BTW - we never use a TA and do all research using the Internet. Its time consuming but fun.

regards
Barb

Yeah, big deal, getting to/from MalaMala from JNB. But I'd like to know if anyone on their own has made arrangements for going to lets say three camps. For example, JNB to a camp in Madikwe Reserve, then to camp in Timbavati Reserve, to camp in Sabi Sand then back to JNB? And if you did tell me what airlines you used. I did such a safari in 2007.

regards - tom