We are arriving Dec 2, 2010 in Johannesburg and departing Capetown Dec 11 on a cruise. I would appreciate any suggestions for the 9 days before the cruise. We have been in parks around Kruger, Zambia & Namibia. I am thinking safari but am open to other ideas as well.

We will have the luggage for 2 months of travel from Capetown to Hong Kong necessary for a cruise. Consequently, I was thinking of staying in South Africa and avoiding flying in to other camps.

Thanks in advance for any & all help.

Would you be interested in remaining in Cape Town?

If you flew to camps in SA, you could stow your luggage at your Joburg hotel because flights to/from Sabi Sands, Madikwe, Phinda go out of Johannesburg.

How do you feel about renting a car and driving around? You could still stow your luggage in Joburg and pick it up when you return the car. Here are some reports to give you ideas on that.

http://www.fodors.com/community/afri...stern-cape.cfm

http://www.fodors.com/community/afri...ra-kwandwe.cfm

I personally would spend 3-5 nights at Phinda, a cheetah sanctuary, then head to Cape Town for the remainder. Since you mentioned safari, you could do some walks with the Cape Baboons through Baboon Matters in Simons Town. That's also where the Boulders Bay penguins are.

I don't know anything about your preferred pace particularly for adventure prior to a 2 months cruise.

I am just stating what I would do:

Check in at Constantia Uitsig hotel(winery), stay there for 4 nights enjoying fabulous food and wine, exploring Cape Town, wineries also in Franschhoek, Stellenbosch, Paarl, visiting Cape of Good Hope and the Penuins in Boulders or Simonstown, get up Table Mountain and maybe visit Kirstenbosch Gardens, linger an afternoon around Camps Bay, Clifton etc enjoying folks walking buy while having a glass of superb SA wine.
Leave my surplus luggage at Constantia Uitsig and fly up to Timbavati where they have their TANDA TULA camp - tented camp - and do safari there for the rest of the time.

Both can be booked via the Cnnstatia website or here

http://www.tandatula.co.za/

Happy planning!

SV

Hi there

I would love to reply, but would like to know the following:
Safari - do you have a specific interest such as big cats/birding/photography?
Am I correct in saying that you don't mind going into a malaria area?
I also wondered how you felt about driving around on your own?

Kind regards

Thanks for your replies. I am just now back to planning again.

We have spent several weeks in Capetown over the years with our friends who live outside the city in Gordon's Bay. We have walked with Cape Baboons through Baboon Matters in Simons Town and wandered around the beach with the penguins. We loved the wineries too but would prefer animals this time around.

I would really prefer to spend the majority of the time watching animals (I'm a retired veterinarian) and taking photos. I do love the cats but must say the simple warthog is really cute! Our last trip was spent with Shenton Safaris in Zambia and we loved the intimate camps and superior drives.

No, don't mind a malaria area but it would be nice to be free from the pills. A minor annoyance.

We don't mind driving - done it before but we were with our friends. Always concerned about the safety in numbers these days. My husband & our friend were actually mugged just outside of Kruger when they got out of the van.

I thinking of staying the first night in JoBurg since we arrive around 5 pm and then head out to wherever in the morning. We could leave our luggage there to be picked up for the flight over to Capetown. I also thought about the Blue Train but it leaves on Dec 6 which would split the trip too early.

Thanks again for all your help.
Nancy