Capetown and Botswana
Jan 9th, 2008, 04:24 PM
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Capetown and Botswana
Thankfully, I found this forum. Thanks in advance for help and guidance.
We are soon to embark on an 8 day trip to SA, with 4 days in Cape Town and Winelands and 4 days in Chobe.
In Cape Town -
-What are some general safety tips/rules/advice that I should adhere to?
- What are the best restaurants? Not just international cuisine, but where to experience the best examples of local cuisine?
- What are the best sights to see?
- We will be doing some shark cage diving. If anyone has any experience, give me a clue as to what I can expect?
In Botswana -
We will be at the Chobe Game Lodge.
- What to pack for my first safari?
- What is common tipping practice for guides?
- Should I bring a digital camera, an SLR or Both?
We are soon to embark on an 8 day trip to SA, with 4 days in Cape Town and Winelands and 4 days in Chobe.
In Cape Town -
-What are some general safety tips/rules/advice that I should adhere to?
- What are the best restaurants? Not just international cuisine, but where to experience the best examples of local cuisine?
- What are the best sights to see?
- We will be doing some shark cage diving. If anyone has any experience, give me a clue as to what I can expect?
In Botswana -
We will be at the Chobe Game Lodge.
- What to pack for my first safari?
- What is common tipping practice for guides?
- Should I bring a digital camera, an SLR or Both?
Jan 9th, 2008, 06:37 PM
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On Chobe only:
Here is the mother of all packing lists. Though it is for East Africa, it should be similar for you. I'd throw in some rain gear if that is not mentioned in the list.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34802443
For tipping, see what your agent or the lodge recommends. I have a guide that says $5-7/pp/day for a guide in a shared vehicle in Botswana. I do more like $10/day. There will likely be a staff tip box too for everybody else where you can put in around $5-$7/day. Take some envelopes for tips then you can also write a note on the envelope.
Bring more than 1 camera, just in case there is a problem.
Go on the evening wildlife cruise on the river.
Have a great time.
Here is the mother of all packing lists. Though it is for East Africa, it should be similar for you. I'd throw in some rain gear if that is not mentioned in the list.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34802443
For tipping, see what your agent or the lodge recommends. I have a guide that says $5-7/pp/day for a guide in a shared vehicle in Botswana. I do more like $10/day. There will likely be a staff tip box too for everybody else where you can put in around $5-$7/day. Take some envelopes for tips then you can also write a note on the envelope.
Bring more than 1 camera, just in case there is a problem.
Go on the evening wildlife cruise on the river.
Have a great time.
Jan 14th, 2008, 03:38 AM
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Hello trekkin
Hmmmm Mama Africa, the most commercialised restaurant in Cape Town, I am sorry I really do not like it, it is full of tour groups and is just not my cup of tea.
Lets see if we can help...
General Safety....it is like any large city, do not walk a round looking like a tourist, just act like you are at home.
Best Restaurants: The Cod Father is awesome for seafood, Ginja is delicious, for hamburgers...you MUST try gourmet burger in long street, Gold restaurant is the new hip place to be, high tea at The Mount Nelson is an awesome treat, sundowners at The Radisson on the pool deck to watch the sun go down is so lovely, Panama Jacks in the waterfront is delicious and really we eat pretty much whatever you do. If you are doing a township tour ask them to have lunch at Lelapa this will give you great local cuisine.
In the winelands try and have a meal at Rubens in Franschoek, or even better my ultimate treat Haute Cabriere, this is a gastronomical taste sensation.
Sightseeing: Cape Point, Table Mountain, Robben Island, if you want a good down to earth experiance do a walking tour of Cape Town called Footsteps to Freedom it is really great!
With regards Shark Cage diving, I was not impressed they use chum to attract sharks you get in a cage and down you go it is just that.
The rest I think has been asnwered!
Hmmmm Mama Africa, the most commercialised restaurant in Cape Town, I am sorry I really do not like it, it is full of tour groups and is just not my cup of tea.
Lets see if we can help...
General Safety....it is like any large city, do not walk a round looking like a tourist, just act like you are at home.
Best Restaurants: The Cod Father is awesome for seafood, Ginja is delicious, for hamburgers...you MUST try gourmet burger in long street, Gold restaurant is the new hip place to be, high tea at The Mount Nelson is an awesome treat, sundowners at The Radisson on the pool deck to watch the sun go down is so lovely, Panama Jacks in the waterfront is delicious and really we eat pretty much whatever you do. If you are doing a township tour ask them to have lunch at Lelapa this will give you great local cuisine.
In the winelands try and have a meal at Rubens in Franschoek, or even better my ultimate treat Haute Cabriere, this is a gastronomical taste sensation.
Sightseeing: Cape Point, Table Mountain, Robben Island, if you want a good down to earth experiance do a walking tour of Cape Town called Footsteps to Freedom it is really great!
With regards Shark Cage diving, I was not impressed they use chum to attract sharks you get in a cage and down you go it is just that.
The rest I think has been asnwered!
Jan 14th, 2008, 08:35 AM
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Wow that is a fleeting visit.
Cape Town:
Safety.
Perhaps the best advise that I can offer you is to dress like you are on holiday and not as if you are tourist. Capies.. as the locals are known, are laid back and relaxed, they wear coastal clothing, T shirts, sandals and shorts most of the time.
Next, don't encumber yourself with jewelery. Don't hang your cameras from your neck. Keep valuables in a back pack, the more grungy in appearance the better.
Travel with your doors locked and don't pick up hitch hikers.
Seek advice on the safe places to party at night if that is what you want to do. If you are at a hotel and or restaurant have the concierge or management call you a cab to leave and return.
Best restaurants... WOW, too many to offer you advise, however if you want an experience that the locals enjoy I would suggest the Kalk Bay harbour, where there are a couple of choices: For the cheap and cheerful fish and chips style, Kalkies, and then for the more sophisticated tastes there are two opposite, names escape me for now. Similar to Kalkies is Snoekies at the Hout bay harbour, again simple food, but a great atmosphere at local prices.
Sights:
open your eyes on arrival and you'll have a feast. A favourite of mine is Kirstenbosch Gardens. The drive around Chapmans Peak. Another coastal drive that is champion is best done in the evening, just before sunset and one which you could do after the shark dive, if your head out to Hermanus or Gansbaai, is to travel around the coast (via pringle bay) back to Cape Town in place of going over the Houw Hoek pass.
Shark Diving,
Submerge yourself in a cage and watch. Cold water, but outfitters provide wetsuits. Take camera as you will see harks from the boat and the water is generally clear so pics will be great.
Camera: your choice, digital with ample memory will deliver many rewarding shots. Film, expensive and you will need a ton.
Cape Town:
Safety.
Perhaps the best advise that I can offer you is to dress like you are on holiday and not as if you are tourist. Capies.. as the locals are known, are laid back and relaxed, they wear coastal clothing, T shirts, sandals and shorts most of the time.
Next, don't encumber yourself with jewelery. Don't hang your cameras from your neck. Keep valuables in a back pack, the more grungy in appearance the better.
Travel with your doors locked and don't pick up hitch hikers.
Seek advice on the safe places to party at night if that is what you want to do. If you are at a hotel and or restaurant have the concierge or management call you a cab to leave and return.
Best restaurants... WOW, too many to offer you advise, however if you want an experience that the locals enjoy I would suggest the Kalk Bay harbour, where there are a couple of choices: For the cheap and cheerful fish and chips style, Kalkies, and then for the more sophisticated tastes there are two opposite, names escape me for now. Similar to Kalkies is Snoekies at the Hout bay harbour, again simple food, but a great atmosphere at local prices.
Sights:
open your eyes on arrival and you'll have a feast. A favourite of mine is Kirstenbosch Gardens. The drive around Chapmans Peak. Another coastal drive that is champion is best done in the evening, just before sunset and one which you could do after the shark dive, if your head out to Hermanus or Gansbaai, is to travel around the coast (via pringle bay) back to Cape Town in place of going over the Houw Hoek pass.
Shark Diving,
Submerge yourself in a cage and watch. Cold water, but outfitters provide wetsuits. Take camera as you will see harks from the boat and the water is generally clear so pics will be great.
Camera: your choice, digital with ample memory will deliver many rewarding shots. Film, expensive and you will need a ton.
Jan 14th, 2008, 10:28 AM
#6
Hi, trekkin,
we had 4 nights/3 days in CPT and were very hard-pished to fit in everything we wanted to do.
our highlights were:
Day 1 - up table mountain [do this as soon as you see that the "tablecloth" cloud is not in evidence as you want the best possible views from the top. joined the guided tour [free, at 10 am? and 12 noon from the meeting point near the top of the cable car] which was great as they took us to the best vantage points for views and showed us the flora and fauna.
lunch in the restaurant at the top.
[not bad considering the position]
then we drove to kirstenbosch gardens - wonderful in July, superb in February, I should think.
Day 2 - we did a walking tour of CPT, taking in the castle [OK] and the slave museum [fascinating and unmissable]. The District 6 museum was shut and when we came out of the Slave House it was raining, so we didn't so much wandering around. you could see a lot in a day if you work out a sensible route.
DAy 3 - we drove down the east coast of the cape peninsular via the Penguins at Boulders Beach, then walking round the Cape, and had a great lunch at the restaurant there. back up the west coast [as far as you can] via Chapmans' Drive [is it open again yet?] and sunset on Chapmans's peak.
as we stayed at the Radisson, we got to sit on the terrace quite a bit. it was fun in winter, would be lovely in summer.
we liked the V & A waterfront in the evenings, for strolling and eating. if you are nervous about walking back from there if it's dark, a cab is very cheap.
as for the winelands, if you have a day, you probably have time for 3 or four or the estates. the nicest ones have been discussed on other threads, which may be helpfulif the search engine is working!
for lunch, you can't really go wrong in Franschoek where the main street is really just one long restaurant. some of the wineries like Spier have restaurants too.
have a great time,
regards, ann
we had 4 nights/3 days in CPT and were very hard-pished to fit in everything we wanted to do.
our highlights were:
Day 1 - up table mountain [do this as soon as you see that the "tablecloth" cloud is not in evidence as you want the best possible views from the top. joined the guided tour [free, at 10 am? and 12 noon from the meeting point near the top of the cable car] which was great as they took us to the best vantage points for views and showed us the flora and fauna.
lunch in the restaurant at the top.
[not bad considering the position]
then we drove to kirstenbosch gardens - wonderful in July, superb in February, I should think.
Day 2 - we did a walking tour of CPT, taking in the castle [OK] and the slave museum [fascinating and unmissable]. The District 6 museum was shut and when we came out of the Slave House it was raining, so we didn't so much wandering around. you could see a lot in a day if you work out a sensible route.
DAy 3 - we drove down the east coast of the cape peninsular via the Penguins at Boulders Beach, then walking round the Cape, and had a great lunch at the restaurant there. back up the west coast [as far as you can] via Chapmans' Drive [is it open again yet?] and sunset on Chapmans's peak.
as we stayed at the Radisson, we got to sit on the terrace quite a bit. it was fun in winter, would be lovely in summer.
we liked the V & A waterfront in the evenings, for strolling and eating. if you are nervous about walking back from there if it's dark, a cab is very cheap.
as for the winelands, if you have a day, you probably have time for 3 or four or the estates. the nicest ones have been discussed on other threads, which may be helpfulif the search engine is working!
for lunch, you can't really go wrong in Franschoek where the main street is really just one long restaurant. some of the wineries like Spier have restaurants too.
have a great time,
regards, ann
