Dear Fodorites, I arrive on honeymoon with my new wife into Johannesburg at 10:30 am and depart August 12th at 11:30 pm. We are looking to spend around 250 USD per day per person. Our interests are the Big Five, hiking, shark dive/ beach, desert and dunes, possibly Cape Town, and native tribes. (We realize we may not get to it all) If you were me and could plan your ideal honeymoon itinerary within my budget, please suggest your ideal day by day itinerary. Any thoughts on travel time, accommodation choices, and activities are appreciated. Since I am unsure of which are the can't miss parks and places, I'm very open to any and all suggestions. Thank you!!! --Tabascov

Almost forgot to mention, any thoughts on tour operators are appreciated too.

What date do you arrive Joburg?

Your first sentence is quite endearing for an enthusiastic husband to be, but as pointed out, a bit lacking in the necessary specifics.

Wait! I think I know when you arrive in Joburg. Is it July 26? Your wife to be may also have posted.

Check out this thread.

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34961959

Agents that have been used by Fodorites with success:

Africa Adventure (US)
ATR Africa Travel Resource (UK)
Eyes on Africa (US)
Go2Africa (South Africa)

Good luck!
Sorry if MooninJuly is not your wife to be.

Arrive July 26th. My wife to be may have posted, yes.

Hi honey.

me and my wife have been to south africa three times .we fly into capetown we stay in simonstown its on the oceon .we first go to spier winery to spind time with the cheetahs that are their. last time we spent time with nine cheetah cubs .next day we went on a shark dive .their is an island right off the coast where the great whites actually breach out of the water. leave next morning earley flight to johannesburg.cotch conecting flite to malamala game lodge.ps remember when you try to go to a bunch of places the time you kill getting from one place to anouther you could have spent in one place and seen more ps quality not quanity is better

Blackwell,

Can you elaborate on your Spier cheetah experience?

Have a serious look at Madikwe Reserve. Very beautiful reserve with plenty of animals. 1 hr flight from Joberg or 3 1/2 drive.

We were married at Mateya last May and did a few days of our honeymoon there before heading over to Mozambique to hit the beach on Benguerra Island. Unbelievable experience. Mateya is out of your budget as will many of the others in Madikwe, but you should look at Buffalo Ridge which I believe is around 1750 Rand pp/nt = $ 484 for 2 per night. Everything is included at that price except your gratutities at the end. Reviews for BR have been very good and I hear it's nice. I will tell you that Jaci's Lodge in Madikwe has a strong kid's program, so that may not be what you are looking for on your hooneymoon. If you do a safari, 3 days should be your minimum to really take it all in. I would also plan to do something relaxing for last few days of your trip ie; beach or wine country. Safari makes for very full days with little time for unwinding (early morning & afternoon/early evening game drives - in bewteen it seems like all you do is get fed royally)

Another suggestion is to try and keep it simple and not try and go to too many different places. You will wind up spending a lot of time traveling from place to place instead of enjoying what you came for. When we went a year ago, it was important to "maximize" our time actually on the ground instead of trying to get too much in. We cut out Cape Town to help with both our budget and time restrictions and concentrated our efforts on safari time 1st with beach time 2nd. We have the Africa bug now as most who go there. We will be coming back probably for our 5th anniversary with a return to Mateya along with exploring some new areas ie Botswana, Cape Town.

Last suggestion - get a good travel agent who specializes in Africa to assist you. It's your honeymoon and for this it's well worth it to get an expert to help you sort through all of this and narrow things down to fit your budget and what you want out of the trip.

For what it's worth, I used Judy Udwin of Mushinda. Atlanta based, but is a native of Zimbabwe who has be a TA for a long time. She was excellent and she only specializes in S. Africa and honeymoons. Do your own web search and you can get her checked out. Others have mentioned other agents/operators that are very good as well. You'll have many options, just choose who you feel most comfortable with.

Just a guess from your handle, that maybe you are from S. Louisiana ???

Ha ha, I'm a New Yorker at heart, but went to Tulane and then worked in Lousiana for awhile.

Unfortunately, the Mozambique islands are not able to be booked due to the cyclone. Thus, Rocktail Bay and Zimbali Lodge have been suggested to us, but I'm not sure that they look so great. The weather will be mild, but not really beach weather and I'm not sure whether we should spend our time doing beach if it isn't ideal conditions.

I will look into Mushinda.

Right now, we are considering an Africa Adventure package

Day 1 - overnight in Johannesburg
Day 2 - fly to Polokwane. Mashatu Tented Camp
Day 3&4 - Mashatu Tented Camp
Day 5 - Road transfer through Blythe Canyons etc
Day 6 - Drakensburg area, transfer to Sabi Sands
Day 7 & 8 - Djuma Bush Lodge
Day 9 - Djuma Vuyatela
Day 10, 11, 12 - Cape Town -- not sure whether to stay with Africa Adventure for Cape Town or to book on my own.

That leaves us about 5 days, 4 nights and I am considering the 2 Afrika extension to Naukluft, Namibia, but lot of you would probably think I am crazy and trying to pack in too much. Maybe we should just stay in the Cape Town area or somewhere else in southern south africa for longer?

I am just tempted to try and see so much, b/c I'm not sure I'll get back to Africa, especially after we have children. It's just so expensive and even in our mid range budget, a major indulgence for us. This might be a stupid question, but is everyone that travels to Africa repeatedly extremely wealthy?

Anyhow, back on the topic at hand: What are your thoughts on this itinerary, including accommodations choices?

Getting ahead of things, I'll be very interested in your Mashatu impressions. Also the drive back down to Sabi Sands. Are you driving yourself or being driven?

I'd think you were crazy to just come home and forego the extra days that you could spend in Africa.

I checked out the 2Afrika Namib trip and it would be a nice extension and something entirely different from what you are already doing. You could see if Africa Adventure has ideas for Namibia or could offer something similar since you are doing the other part of the trip with them. You could then compare prices and activities. Be sure 2Afrika will offer that trip on the day you want it. Depending on logistics, you could do Namibia before or after Cape Town.

Cape Town with AAC or other: I had a similar situation. I had been working with a Cape Town company and had everything set up how I wanted. Then I had AAC do some things in Zambia for me after the Cape Town part of the trip and asked them how the Cape Town itinerary should be handled. They said to just go with the Cape Town operator I’d been working with and of course that operator was pleased because then they did not share commissions. But I had arranged Cape Town first, and then worked on the safari. In your case, I’d see what AAC can do for you in Cape Town and you can see how that compares to something you can arrange on your own. If the pricing is right, staying with one company is easier. If you can save a good deal then piecemeal is better.

Selwyn with the site I Love Cape Town is very popular here and he books way in advance. The Fallows who do the shark trips I've booked in Simonstown work with Take 2 Tours so I will use Take 2 for a variety of Cape Town activities. Take 2 advised me how I could save some money (meaning they earn less) by rearranging the timing of some of the activities I proposed.

Is everyone who goes to Africa rich? When I look up my income on this site provided by Fodorite Nyamera, I’d have to say I am rich by world standards and I would bet everyone who posts here is rich too when compared to the whole wide world.

www.globalrichlist.com

But I know what you mean about the cost of Africa and I think this forum has the whole spectrum of people. The Thorn Tree forum sponsored by Lonely Planet probably has a lower mean and median income per poster than Fodors.

There are quite a few of us who sacrifice greatly to make these admittedly expensive trips. It is our focus and our passion. The rest of our lives are not always on the same level as our travel habits. When you see camps and expensive destinations bandied about you don’t see what it took to make available those funds to go there.

Shopping almost exclusively at Goodwill or similar (except for travel gear), living in a small apartment, no new furniture, a diet with lots of beans and rice, a bike as the primary source of transportation, a 17 year old car as the secondary source, rarely dining in a restaurant, no fancy cable TV, cutting my own hair, books from the library only, and working 2 part-time jobs, in addition to a full-time job makes Africa and other travel possible for me. Others are in a similar situation, I am sure.

On the other hand, I would agree that high-end safaris are a common pastime of the wealthy so this site will attract those of great means.

Good luck on your honeymoon safari!

Atravelyn, thank you for sharing your personal details with me. I admire your passion and dedication!!!

We will be getting transfered by AAC from Mashatu to Sabi.

We weren't thinking to come home early, we were wondering if it would be better to add days on to the Mashatu - Sabi combo or to add on more to cape town rather than run around to Namibia. But, I have to admit, I'm more excited about the Namibia option. AAC's Namibia add on is way more expensive than the 2 Afrika trip. We are considering using 2 Afrika for the whoel trip, but I'm slightly wary of the budget trips and that's why I thought I'd mix the tour operators.

With regard to Cape Town, AAC's 3 night extension is $575 per person. However, the hotel is only $90 per couple per night. Of course, AAC's trip includes tours and activities, but 900 dollars worth? However, we might just do it that way we can go and just not think any further. Also, I don't know how much the excursions in and around Cape Town would cost me if I did it on my own and how I would travel from place to place. I'll check into Take 2.

hi, tabascov,

we are going to be staying for 4 nights in CPT at the beginning of our SA trip. we got 3 free nights at the Radisson against our 2 nights at Shamwari, and paid another U$ 200 to extend by one night. we have a hire car for the whole trip - 12 nights - for about U$ 700, so one for your 3 nights would be a snip.

we are planning to do one day [depending on weather] Table Mountain, Kirstenbosch Gardens, the centre of CPT, one day down to the cape to see the penguins and the ocean, and one day to the winelands.

If you didn't fancy doing it yourself, there are a no. of companies/individulas guiding private individuals. One of them is Selwyn, a frequent and very-well respected poster on this forum, [try a search for him through the search engine] and another is www.nthusengtours.co.za.

At the other end of the spectrum are Hyltonross, who organise big group tours as well as private ones, I believe.

I was interested to read about the Spier Winery and Cheetah - went and visited their webpage
http://www.spier.co.za/cheetah.asp
40 K from Capetown, nice day trip by the looks of it. It is now on our list.Thanks Blackwell.

That 2Afrika Namibia excursion did look like a deal! I am not surprised that it is your least expensive option.

As to how to best use your days, I'm glad you'll be spending them in Africa.

More days in your existing spots might be nice, but you've got leisurely stays now. I can see why you are looking for another aspect of Africa.

If you wanted more game viewing, then I'd add something like Phinda. It is a cheetah conservation reserve in SA, but it is fenced. They offer a variety of activities from leopard tracking in a vehicle to rhino tracking on foot to village visits to boat rides to aerial marine life safaris. You'd probably fly from Joburg. My first visit there is this June. Or I'd tack on Mala Mala in the Sabi Sands, which would add the least variety to your trip, but would provide even more animals.

You could easily spend more time in Cape Town--wine country, Boulders Bay penguins, kayak with penguins (though a poster mentioned you don't get very close) shark trips, whale watching, baboon walk, Robben Island, Cape of Good Hope drive, Table Mountain viewing and/or hiking, Kirstenbosch Gardens, township visits, etc.

But Namibia would be a whole different ecosystem and experience. If it works out, that would be a nice addition.

I'm planning on visiting Spier also, especially for the cheetahs. I was also told by Take 2 they also have bird of prey rehabilitaton center that interested me.

I read a comment somewhere on this forum that stated other wineries were better to visit and that Spier was the most touristy of the winery options. That didn't bother me since I wasn't really going for the wine but it might be of more significance to others.

obout spier.when we arrive in capetown we have a gentleman named andre rudman who ownes africa discovery tours in simons town. he pickes us up at the airport and takes us right to spier .we dont care anything obout wine we go to spend time with the cheetahs.after ourvisit he took us to where we stayed in simonstown. the next day mr . rudman took us to a ladies house which was also a veterinarys office.we me and my wife spent time with ten cheetah cubs.

Just received 2 quotes and would love your thoughts:

AFRICA ADVENTURE
Option 1: fly to Polokwane. Mashatu Tented Camp
Day 3&4 - Mashatu Tented Camp
Day 5 - Road transfer through Blythe Canyons etc
Day 6 - Drakensburg area, transfer to Sabi Sands
Day 7 & 8 - Djuma Bush Lodge
Day 9 - Djuma Vuyatela
Day 10, 11, 12 - Cape Town

OR

FISH EAGLE
Option 2: Day 1, 2, 3 Jock's Safari Lodge
Days 4, 5, 6 Tanda Tula or King's Camp or Pafuri
Days 7, 8, 9 Cape Town

OR

Days 1, 2, 3, Mashatu

Days 4, 5, 6, Pafuri

Days 7, 8, 9 Cape Town

The Fish Eagle Options are a little more expensive than the Africa Adventure, so we are leaning towards Africa Adventure.

Just got a third quote from CC Africa. Does anyone have a suggestion on which I should go with between the 3 quotes (Afr Adv, Fish Eagle, or CC?) Here is the 3rd proposed itinerary:

2 nights Cullinan Inn Hotel (Cape Town)
3 nights Summerwood Guest House (Cape Town)
4 nights Cavern Hotel (Drakensberg)
3 nights Phinda Forest lodge
3 nights Kirkmans Camp

Thank you!!!!

I just noticed this. With the lapse of time, you probably already decided.

AAC = 12 days
Fish Eagle = 9 days
CCA = 15 days

The more days the better and all these would provide quality accommodations so I pick #3.

We did choose. We chose AAC, because broken down per day, it was the least expensive and we thought they would all offer good trips. Plus, we wanted to save time for Namibia, althought we're waitlisted there, as many of the properties are already reserved out. If not Namibia, we'll figure out how to spend a few more days in SA. But it is a relief to have at least part of it booked!