When hiring a guide or driver is charge always per person?
 

We (a family of 5 adults/teens) are traveling to South Africa in August and while in Capetown we wanted to hire a guide for 1 or 2 days to visit the penisula and some other sights. A travel agent quoted us a price of $180US pp per day. That's $900 for a one day tour for the 5 of us! I don't understand this. We will all be in one vehicle (we're cramped not the guide) and there is only one guide so why does it matter how many people he's talking to? Obviously at that rate we won't be taking any tours but is that the norm? The same question goes for car transfers. We are being quoted pp on everything and that really drives the price up.

agswimmer,

since you are staying at lion sands 1933 (i hope i helped with that decision) you are likely staying at a nice hotel in cape town. you could simply call the hotel concierge desk tomorrow and ask what they charge for the same type of tour. if you are in a good hotel they will working with one of the 10+ high quality local touring companies.

also - budget will deliver a car to your hotel in the morning and you could do the peninsula by yourself (and hermanus the next day to see the whales). this drive and experience is quite easy. i have been to cape town 20+ times and took my wife and kids last year. we went to hermanus by rental car.

craig beal

You should not be paying more than $65 USD a person for a tour for 8 hours around Cape Town,penisula,etc. Even the best cab companies charge just that. I have been flying to Cape Town for work since the first of the year and have used two different tour guides and my favorite guide picks us up at our hotel,includes the entrance fees to both the park and the Boulders,does whatever we want or wherever we want to go and all for that price.He has 5 regular type tours but will alter things in the tour in regards to what you want.In fact,I think that he charges no more than $300USD for a 7 passenger van inclusive.$900 is absolutely ridiculous-he hotel or agent is making some money off of this. Reconsider!!!!!!

That is beyond a total rip-off in my opinion, especially since you can probably do that drive on your own for about $180.

You shouldn't be paying anywhere near that price for a private guided tour. IIRC we paid about $200 for a private day tour and it was just the two of us in a large van. We were quoted a price for the day, not per person. Of course, with additional people there will be additional entrance fees but still nowhere near what you're being quoted. We booked through www.bigbluesky.co.za.

Safari Craig--
Actually,I was hoping to use our stay in Cape Town to help offset what we're spending on the 1933 Lodge. I'm thinking the DeWaterkant Cottages that I've heard about on here.

Ok. I expressed my opinion to the TA and he now says the rate in Cape Town is $425 for a vehicle(7 pssgr) & guide for one day and $300 for half day. I haven't asked where he got the $180pp from. That still seems high for what I'm hearing here but certainly better than it was.It makes me think I should just book it on my own.

DeWaterkant are self catering private apartments. I highly recommend them.

Craig Beal