Game Safari while in Cape Town

We are booked on Sun Princess in Jan 2020. Initial checks show VERY expensive ship tours to a few game reserves. Has anybody ever organised a private tour from Cape Town? Any companies worth approaching?

Cheers, Phil

You will probably get more information if you post your inquiry under the Africa ports of call section.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=32

You probably realise that the best private game reserves are to be found on the Eastern Cape; north of Durban or in the Kruger NP.

From Cape Town there are some small private game reserves where it's possible to do a day trip eg Aquila https://www.aquilasafari.com/safaris-activities/full-day-trip-safaris Another is Fairy Glen https://fairyglen.co.za which is heavily advertised in the area but we've not been.

They both do Cape Town pick ups but it's a very early start. It's some years since we visited Aquila and whilst it was good fun, it's nothing compared to say the Kruger.

If you are looking to spend two or three days on safari, consider flying to Port Elizabeth (Eastern Cape) and staying at Shamwari, Amakhala, Kariega or Pumba private game reserves - all have airport transfers. We have stayed at Shamwari and Amakhala, both excellent. Possibly fly to Durban and transfer to one of several game reserves near St Lucia eg Rhino River Lodge. St Lucia is noted for the many hippos that live in the river.

Further afield is the Kruger where your choices are almost endless. Last November we did a one day self drive safari in the southern part of the Kruger ($40 entrance fee) and had the most amazing time, we saw rhino, elephants, giraffe, buffalo, lions, hyena, hippo, etc.

Many thanks.

Omega1: can you tell me a bit more about Kruger?

I will disembark in Cape Town-spend 2 days and would like transportation included to Kruger, 2-3 days Safari-transportation to Johannesburg airport. Did you do this. Any advice is appreciated.

Omega1: can you tell me a bit more about Kruger?

I will disembark in Cape Town-spend 2 days and would like transportation included to Kruger, 2-3 days Safari-transportation to Johannesburg airport. Did you do this. Any advice is appreciated.

Hi. Our trip last November was DIY - we drove from Cape Town to Johannesburg via Drakensburg Mtns, Lesotho, Swaziland and Kruger. Our Kruger experience was amazing, we did a self drive safari, in at the Crocodile Bridge Gate at Komatipoort on the Mozambique border and out at the Malelane Gate. As I said in a previous post it was a superb game viewing day (pure luck), all for $40.

If you are looking to do a few days in the Kruger after your stay in Cape Town you will have fly from Cape Town to Nelspruit via Johannesburg where any of the private game reserves in the Kruger will pick you up. Our daughter has stayed at Sabi Sands and can highly recommended it - they saw the big 5, with great sightings of leopard which are the most elusive. After your safari it would be a direct flight to Johannesburg. Hope this helps.

Hi. Our trip last November was DIY - we drove from Cape Town to Johannesburg via Drakensburg Mtns, Lesotho, Swaziland and Kruger. Our Kruger experience was amazing, we did a self drive safari, in at the Crocodile Bridge Gate at Komatipoort on the Mozambique border and out at the Malelane Gate. As I said in a previous post it was a superb game viewing day (pure luck), all for $40.

If you are looking to do a few days in the Kruger after your stay in Cape Town you will have fly from Cape Town to Nelspruit via Johannesburg where any of the private game reserves in the Kruger will pick you up. Our daughter has stayed at Sabi Sands and can highly recommended it - they saw the big 5, with great sightings of leopard which are the most elusive. After your safari it would be a direct flight to Johannesburg. Hope this helps.

Thanks,

I was just looking at that same place. How early would one need to reserve for a 3 night stay there?

Thanks,

I was just looking at that same place. How early would one need to reserve for a 3 night stay there?

Sorry, I really don’t know. I checked with our daughter and she booked about six months out.

If flying to or from Johannesburg is in your plans anyway, then another place worth considering is Welgevonden. This is in Limpopo province, about 3½-4 hours drive from Johannesburg airport (depending on which Welgevonden gate you need to go to). There are about a dozen lodges there which will accept bookings from the public. It's easier to get to/from than the Kruger area, and it's non-malarial.

...... and it's non-malarial.

That’s good to know, and one of the benefits of game reserves in the Eastern Cape. Hate taking the anti-malaria meds.

Hi. Our trip last November was DIY - we drove from Cape Town to Johannesburg via Drakensburg Mtns, Lesotho, Swaziland and Kruger. Our Kruger experience was amazing, we did a self drive safari, in at the Crocodile Bridge Gate at Komatipoort on the Mozambique border and out at the Malelane Gate. As I said in a previous post it was a superb game viewing day (pure luck), all for $40.

If you are looking to do a few days in the Kruger after your stay in Cape Town you will have fly from Cape Town to Nelspruit via Johannesburg where any of the private game reserves in the Kruger will pick you up. Our daughter has stayed at Sabi Sands and can highly recommended it - they saw the big 5, with great sightings of leopard which are the most elusive. After your safari it would be a direct flight to Johannesburg. Hope this helps.

Last January, we flew to Johannesburg then took a tour for 4 days to Kruger. It was great. The tour put us up in a camp, Pretouriuskop. The accommodations were actually better than expected. The rondoval (cabin) had air conditioning and ceiling fans, yet it was very natural. Meals were in a tent, but pretty good. We had two game drives each day. Saw all of the Big 5. Would definitely stay there again.

If your cruise stops in Port Elizabeth, Addo is worth going to. We saw animals, particularly elephants that made our entire trip. It is at most 1 hour from the port. We then flew to Cape town and boarded the Queen Mary 2. Except for the cruise it was an unforgettable trip, and can't wait to do it again.

Enjoy your trip.

Sorry, I really don’t know. I checked with our daughter and she booked about six months out.

Thanks.

What airline flies from Cape Town to England?

Are you familiar with Condor? They have lie flat seats in business class.

Thanks.

What airline flies from Cape Town to England?

Are you familiar with Condor? They have lie flat seats in business class.

Sorry, not familiar with Condor but as far as I know the only other airline flying direct is BA. Lots of choice flying indirect.

Condor is a German leisure airline, mostly based out of Frankfurt (which is where its direct Cape Town service originates). Used to be a Lufthansa subsidiary, now part of the Thomas Cook Group.

BA only London-Cape Town direct flight that I know of.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Condor is a German leisure airline, mostly based out of Frankfurt (which is where its direct Cape Town service originates). Used to be a Lufthansa subsidiary, now part of the Thomas Cook Group.

 

BA only London-Cape Town direct flight that I know of.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

We flew Thomas Cook London to Cape Town a couple of years back - according to the 'web they still operate that route 3 days pw in the (UK) winter.

All under the name Thomas Cook

I don't know if it's the same flight marketed elsewhere as Condor but I doubt it - no business class full-stop, and we chose it over BA or South African purely on price.

In fact altho we wanted to fly out to Jo'burg & home from Cape Town it saved £hundreds to fly out to Cape Town with Thos Cook and a 90 minute internal flight (there are dozens per day) to Jo'burg.

BA and South African & Virgin are the only ones I know that fly London to Jo'burg.

The year before, like Omega's daughter, my gf had stayed with daughter & son-in-law at a private safari lodge in Sabi Sands - super-expensive but they too rated it exceptional, especially the abundance of game incl all of the big five.

They flew to Jo'burg then a small commuter-size plane to Hoedspruit (aka Eastgate) airport where they were collected by the lodge.

Our trip included self-drive in Kruger Nat Park based in a rondeval at Skukuza - sounds similar to Chloe's but rather more civilised with a shop, pool, couple of excellent restaurants etc.

Good game-viewing in the NP and unbeatable value.

Addo pales by comparison, but is an excellent day-trip alternative for those in the Port Elizabeth area.

All-in-all an excellent road-trip :)

Just MHO as always

JB :)

We flew Thomas Cook London to Cape Town a couple of years back - according to the 'web they still operate that route 3 days pw in the (UK) winter.

All under the name Thomas Cook

I don't know if it's the same flight marketed elsewhere as Condor but I doubt it

There are three flights per week again during northern winter 2018/19 - from 14 December through to the end of the season. They operate from LGW.