South Africa Honeymoon Help Needed
Jan 4th, 2003, 11:52 AM
#1
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South Africa Honeymoon Help Needed
Hi, <BR>I have heard a lot about South Africa. I am considering it for my honeymoon at the end of February, 2003. I need help with the following:<BR><BR>-I want to include go to Cape Town, Garden Route, Kruger National Park, and possibly Sun City<BR><BR>-The TOTAL budget for the two of us for ACCOMODATION, Tours, Park Fees etc. is USD 3500-4000/- <BR><BR>-Can anyone help me in planning this trip with any SUGGESTIONS, Tour Company/Agent References etc. <BR><BR>-We would like to go to MALARIA free areas <BR><BR>-Safety is an concern and we want to minimize our exposure to crime/unsafe areas<BR><BR>Basically, within $4000/- can we do a 7-10 day south africa trip which includes a safari in the Kruger Park and some nice sightseeing etc. <BR><BR>When we travel, we usually pay around USD 100-150 a night staying in places like Hyatt, Sheraton. <BR><BR>Thanks a lot<BR>Andy<BR><BR><BR>
Jan 4th, 2003, 01:51 PM
#2
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Andy,<BR><BR>Due to Foidors length of page limitations I will be answering your request in 2 parts.<BR><BR>Part 1.<BR><BR>In my opinion what you are trying to do can be done within your $4000 limit however when it comes to you having 7-10 days at your disposal and you wanting to see Cape Town, Garden Route, Kruger Park and Sun City I feel you are biting off way to much. Generally I recommend that those who have 10 days at their disposal only see Cape Town and the Garden Route. The beauty of this journey is that you will be able to see lots of game along the way as you travel without having to go to the Kruger Park and what is most important is that you will always be in a malaria free zone.<BR><BR>With all of the above said my suggestion to you would be to fly in to Port Elizabeth and make your way down to Cape Town over a 10 day period. I would suggest that you should stay in guesthouses along the way and not in hotels. I always recommend guesthouses to those who travel with me because owners of South African guesthouses are generally marvellous hosts. The ones that I use as a tourguide/operator definitely are as such. Bear in mind that guesthouses represent excellent accommodation that is much more personalised at MUCH BETTER rates than hotels. Also bear in mind that guesthouses are marvellous venues to stay in and their rate also includes a fantastic breakfast. When you are in the guesthouse you have total freedom of movement such as if you want to put some juice or soda in the refrigerator for yourself for late at night you can do this and whatever else you would like to do. It is a wonderful free and easy style of holidaying. What also is most important, especially with you being on honeymoon, is that because of the size of the guesthouse you will NOT be in amongst the hordes of tourists as you might only have a couple of other guests at the guesthouse while you are there. Thus you get great accommodation, personalised attention as well as wonderful value in a very safe place to stay when you reside in guesthouses and that is why I recommend them so highly. Most important is that staying in wonderful guesthouses will allow you the facility of coming in at your budget range.<BR><BR>Continued in Part 2.
Jan 4th, 2003, 01:53 PM
#3
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Part 2<BR><BR>My suggestion in terms or travel would be:<BR><BR>Day 1 - Fly into Port Elizabeth and overnight in the city. Try and stay at Lemontree Lane Guesthouse (http://www.lemontreelane.co.za/ )<BR><BR>Day 2 - Visit Addo Park ( http://www.addoelephantpark.com/ ) for a morning safari (the elephants will blow your mind in this park). Follow this adventure with a Tooth and Claw safari on Schotia Game Park which is a night drive on the farm which specialises in lions in the wild. ( www.schotia.com ) Return to Port Elizabeth<BR><BR>Day 3 Travel to Knysna and stay in a guesthouse in this wonderful village/town. Use Knysna as a hub for the next 2 days to explore the Garden Route Amongst others visit Botliers Game Park near to Mossel Bay ( http://www.botlierskop.co.za/ ) Try and stay at Overmeer Guesthouse ( http://www.knysna.co.za/overmeer/ )<BR><BR>Day 4 - Knysna<BR><BR>Day 5 - Knysna<BR><BR>Day 6 - Travel from Knysna to the Cape Winelands and try and find accommodation on a wonderful Cape winefarm for one night. If you could get into Cathbert Country House you will be in for a treat second to none. (http://www.cathbert.co.za<BR> <BR>Day 7 Explore the Cape Winelands and travel to Cape Town in the evening. Book into a guesthouse like Avanti guesthouse http://www.avanti.co.za/<BR><BR>Day 8,9 and 10 - Explore wonderful Cape Town and its surrounds<BR><BR>My suggestion to you would be to do all of the above while being guided by an experienced tourguide as you will gain 10 times more from your trip by doing things this way in that you will have expert advice all the way. Furthermore you will save heaps of time when you are in the hands of an expert. <BR><BR>Two important points are:<BR><BR>1. It is the World Cricket Cup in South Africa while you are intending to be here and that means that accommodation and all other bookings are going to be tough so start planning VERY SOON.<BR><BR>2. I believe that a tour that encompasses all of the above suggestions + full time personalised driver/guide could definitely be attained within your $4000 budget<BR><BR>Heres hoping that you have a wonderful stay in our great country and that you will visit us many times in the future after your potential South African honeymoon.<BR><BR>Selwyn Davidowitz<BR>
Jan 5th, 2003, 01:12 AM
#4
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7-10 Honeymoon in South Africa in February 2003. Well here is a female type answer where the word 'honeymoon' is the definitive word.<BR>In February 2003, the Cape is going to be chock full of tourists for the Cricket World Cup and the beginning influx of cyclists coming for the Argus International Cycle races in March. While I would definitely want to see Cape Town and the Garden Route, this would not be the time for me, especially if I were a honeymooner.<BR>For my kind of honeymoon trip, I would be thrilled to pieces to be taken to somewhere like the Catherdal Peak Hotel for at least 5 days of the 7-10. If I were coming from somewhere distant like USA, I would definitely want to get over the jet lag (it's a 13 hour flight from JFK to Jo'burg)so somewhere like this quiet fabulous honeymoon resort would be something that would really turn me on. It is not far from the Royal Natal National Park for the animals, offers no end of both natural sights and man created activities. They offer horseback riding, fishing, hiking. There are helicopter rides and camel rides - they have two real live camels that take interested parties out on excursions. If local history is of interest, this is one of the few places with San Paintings to view on nearby cave walls. The price is very reasonable - about R675 per person and includes all meals. Then I would maybe fly to George, golf a round or two and take a nice drive into Cape Town from there doing some of the things Selwyn suggests. I am absolutely positive you will fall in love with this country and you will want to come back to see all those other things on your list. Kruger is best seen during our winter months - June, July and August, as the malaria is somewhere between non at all and very little during those months. I did part of what you want to see the first time I was here. I stayed 3 weeks, not 7 - 20 days and didn't see any of it as well as I would have liked.I personally think you will go away unhappy if you try to take all that in, in that short a time. A honeymoon should be for two people to be together with themselves - not with thousands of cricketers and cyclists standing in lines everytime they want to buy or see something.<BR>Well, that's a female take on the options.<BR>Karen Copeland
