VISIT SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa is the perfect place to visit if you’ve never been to Africa or on safari before. South Africans are friendly, English is widely spoken and the travel infrastructure is excellent. Once you land from Canada, most major destinations are within a short-haul flight or easy drive. The weather is mild (for us!) even during the mid-year winter.

Because I am lucky enough to be married to a South African woman and have been visiting this remarkable country since the 1990s, I have first-hand knowledge of the customs and traditions.

SOUTH AFRICA SAFARIS

In addition to my main safari itinerary, here are some other options:

CAPE TOWN & GREATER KRUGER

Duration: 10 Days

This is a great introduction to South Africa and safari because it includes the country’s two biggest attractions.

Days 1-4: Land in Cape Town and visit the V&A Waterfront, Table Mountain, Robben Island, Boulders Beach and Cape Point. Depending on time, we may also venture to the Cape Winelands and see parts of the historic city centre, like the Malay Quarter known as the Bo-Kaap.

Days 5–7: Fly from Cape Town to an airport near Kruger (depending on lodge). We will spend our time on game drives with morning coffee and evening sundowners in the bush, looking for the Big Five.

Days 8–10: Fly (or drive, depending on costs) to Johannesburg for two nights of sightseeing, fine dining and shopping. Options include visiting the Cradle of Humankind that traces the origins of human life, learning more about the Gold Rush and seeing Soweto, a key place in the fight against apartheid. We will then fly out of OR Tambo International Airport.

CAPE TOWN – WINELANDS – GARDEN ROUTE – ADDO

Duration: 12 Days

A wonderful option that is ideal for those who enjoy road trips through magnificent scenery.

Days 1 – 4: Land in Cape Town and settle in. We will visit all the main areas detailed above. Those who enjoy the outdoors may opt for guided hiking or even mountain biking trails. Other sites include Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, the Constantia wine area (the oldest in the southern hemisphere) and Chapman’s Peak Drive along the Atlantic.

Days 5 – 6: We drive from Cape Town to our hotel in one of the Winelands’ three major towns, either Paarl, Stellenbosch or Franschhoek. We will visit stunning wine estates and possibly enjoy a fine-dining experience.

Days 7 – 9: We leave the Winelands to drive the famed Garden Route. If there is time and it is whale season, we may stop at Hermanus to see southern rights. The towns of Knysna and Plettenberg Bay offer plenty to see and do including boating, hiking, fine dining and even visiting coastal wineries. The scenery changes a lot from what we found in Cape Town, becoming much lusher and greener.

Days 9 – 12: The end of the Garden Route offers plenty of options for a Big Five safari in smaller private reserves. The scenery, topography, vegetation and climate here around Addo Elephant National Park are all unique and not found anywhere else in Africa, making for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. At the end of our safari, we drive back to Gqeberha and then fly either to Cape Town or Johannesburg for our flight back to Canada.

MADIKWE, PILANESBERG & VICTORIA FALLS

Duration: 8 Days

A great safari option that also includes time at the Victoria Falls, the world’s biggest waterfall.

Days 1- 4: After landing in Johannesburg, Biggestleaf Travel will transfer us to either Madikwe Game Reserve or Pilanesberg National Park, depending on availability (we may have to stay overnight in a hotel depending on flight times). We will spend our days marvelling at the wildlife, enjoying warm weather and feasting on delicious food under the African sky.

Days 5 – 8: It’s time for the drive back to Johannesburg and our flight to the Victoria Falls. Its traditional name is Mosi-au-Tunya and, when you see them, you will understand why this means, ‘The smoke that thunders’. The area is also excellent for boating, eating out, shopping in the markets and enjoying a traditional ‘boma’ dinner with African drumming. We then fly back to Johannesburg for our outbound flight home.

TOP PLACES TO VISIT

CAPE TOWN

Many Canadians feel at home in Cape Town – also known as the Mother City because it is the oldest city in South Africa, dating to the 1650s – because it feels similar to Vancouver. Lying on the Atlantic, it is framed by Table Mountain and has many nature areas.

These include Boulders Beach to see African penguins, Cape Point and golden beaches. There is obviously a lot of history and Robben Island shows the story of Nelson Mandela. It also has excellent restaurants that are accessible with the exchange rate.

CAPE WINELANDS

South African wine is incredible with plenty of award-winning vintages at beautiful estates.

The Winelands are about 90 minutes’ drive from Cape Town and comprise the small historic towns of Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl. Wine tastings are affordable and there are also many top-notch restaurants here.

HERMANUS

This is a small seaside town with some of the world’s best land- and boat-based whale watching between June and September. Southern right whales migrate to the bay and can be watched from many vantage points.

THE GARDEN ROUTE

This is a beautiful stretch of coastline running along the warm Indian Ocean that includes forests, oyster beds, sandy beaches, animal sanctuaries and lots of outdoor activities. The main areas are Plettenberg Bay, Knysna and Tsitsikamma.

KRUGER NATIONAL PARK

The Kruger National Park is South Africa’s flagship wildlife preservation area and is surrounded by many private game reserves. It is famous for the Big Five animals: leopards, lions, rhinos, elephants and buffalos and also has many other species. It is connected to the Panorama Route, an interesting section of lookouts, gorges, caves, small towns and more with plenty to see and do.

WELGEVONDEN

One of my favourite private reserves that is only open to guests who stay at the lodges. Like Kruger, it is a Big Five destination. It is smaller than Kruger but that works well if you have limited vacation time as you can see a lot of the area rather than just a smaller portion.

PILANESBAERG NATIONAL PARK

Pilanesberg is the national park that is the closest to Johannesburg, the main hub for international flights. It is only about 2.5 hours away and Biggestleaf Travel – the travel agency we use to make all our bookings – has a direct transfer service in modern vehicles with qualified English-speaking guides. They can also transfer us to Welgevonden and Madikwe.

MADIKWE GAME RESERVE

This is another private game reserve that delivers good Big Five sightings and has many lodges to choose from. It is also easily accessible from Johannesburg with Biggestleaf Travel’s dedicated transfer division.