South Africa 2023 port info requested

[lizzy41]

Hi, I have just booked a cruise and am looking for information on the ports.  Would like to know if there are things to see do around the ports or if a shore excursion is needed.  Ports I am interested in are Mossel Bay, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Durban, Walvis bay and Luderitz.  Any information on these areas would be appreciated.  I prefer to do private shore excursions but giving the current situation regarding cruising and covid may opt for ship tours on this occasion.  Its quite a way out but I love to plan and have got lots of tips from these board before that have helped make my vacations special.

 

[John Bull]

If you want a one-day safari experience, you can do this from Port Elizabeth to Addo Elephant Park (60 minutes to main entrance, or 35 minutes to southern entrance) or from Richards Bay (75 minutes to iSimangaliso Wetland Reserve, near St Lucia).

 

Addo is known for its elephants, but "elephant park" is a misnomer because it has plenty of other animals - giraffes, zebras, Cape buffalos, antelope, wart-hogs, etc though very few big cats. BTW the official name for Port Elizabeth is Gqeberha. 

 

Although iSamangaliso is mainly a wetland reserve, the southern (St Lucia) end of this huge reserve is bush, similar to other safari reserves. Again plenty of animals as above, plus rhinos, plenty of elephants, and more hippos than you can shake a stick at - but no big cats. St Lucia, just outside the reserve, is a one-street village but has plenty of eateries.

 

Altho both can be self-driven in an ordinary 2WD car, best to book a vehicle plus driver from the port - the driver's knowledge will make all the difference, plus on a port-of-call visit you'll have time constraints.

 

Both are government-run. If you want a more personal in-depth safari, some private parks cater for day-visitors but you'll need much deeper pockets.

 

JB 🙂

[cruiservirginia]

I am booked on a South African cruise departing January 2022.  After the cruise, we'll be taking a safari.  The safari operator (&Beyond) booked all of the private shore excursions for us.

Ushaka Tours: Durban, Richards Bay

Mosaic Tours: Port Elizabeth, East London

 

 

 

[jhenry1]

Cruiser Virginia

We are on a cruise to Africa in Jan 2022. What cruise are you on? Interested in your tour operator for the private excursions. Hope things are better in Jan and we can cruise

Kandy and Ron from Texas

[hotzej]

I am on the 2023 HAL WC and have been doing some research on the African ports.  Here is what I have so far...

East London, South Africa.docx Durban, South Africa.docx Port Elizabeth, South Africa.docx Luderitz, Namibia.docx Walvis Bay, Nambia.docx

[Rainbow3fe]

On 9/23/2021 at 10:13 PM, hotzej said:

I am on the 2023 HAL WC and have been doing some research on the African ports.  Here is what I have so far...

East London, South Africa.docx 15.95 kB · 15 downloads Durban, South Africa.docx 20.35 kB · 19 downloads Port Elizabeth, South Africa.docx 21.5 kB · 19 downloads Luderitz, Namibia.docx 18.2 kB · 16 downloads Walvis Bay, Nambia.docx 15.13 kB · 16 downloads

Hi,

    We are on Oceania Jan 2023 and are docking in some of the same ports.

   Has anyone been to these places and booked game drives?  Most of these tours aren't what I am trying to find.

Thanks 

 

 

Edited January 5, 2022 by Rainbow3fe

[lizzy41]

On 9/24/2021 at 3:13 AM, hotzej said:

I am on the 2023 HAL WC and have been doing some research on the African ports.  Here is what I have so far...

East London, South Africa.docx 15.95 kB · 68 downloads Durban, South Africa.docx 20.35 kB · 79 downloads Port Elizabeth, South Africa.docx 21.5 kB · 75 downloads Luderitz, Namibia.docx 18.2 kB · 62 downloads Walvis Bay, Nambia.docx 15.13 kB · 60 downloads

Thanks for this information its been very helpful.

[SingBill]

On 9/23/2021 at 7:13 PM, hotzej said:

I am on the 2023 HAL WC and have been doing some research on the African ports.  Here is what I have so far...

East London, South Africa.docx 15.95 kB · 72 downloads Durban, South Africa.docx 20.35 kB · 85 downloads Port Elizabeth, South Africa.docx 21.5 kB · 78 downloads Luderitz, Namibia.docx 18.2 kB · 67 downloads Walvis Bay, Nambia.docx 15.13 kB · 68 downloads

Thank you so much for this very helpful information. Very much appreciated 

[Jamietravelstheworld]

For the port of Durban on February 27, I just found this tour provider, Wild Routes Africa. They offer several day tours, but this one particularly interests me: https://wildroutesafrica.com/plants-and-primates. I have sent them a message asking to book it. As I'm traveling solo, I may need to find others who are interested - it's a max of 7 people, so if there are others interested, please let me know. 

[Mrs f.]

For Richard's Bay, I used Cullinan Guided Journeys....we did a Shakaland tour.  I think there were 8 of us on the bus. Touristy but fun. We sat next to the group from our Oceania cruise. Paid significantly less.  And they were able to accommodate one person with a folding mobility scooter.

[Mrs f.]

For Port Elizabeth we used Alan Tours.  Addo Elephant park. Includes lunch.  We had 2 vehicles going from our ship. Day started off quiet and I thought it would be a bust. But then we saw 🐘...tons of them right up to the jeep.  Also other animals.  Turned out to be a really good day.   Fyi....you cannot get out of your vehicle according to park rules. We did see several open vehicles but there was no signage on them so I have no clue what company provided them.

[John Bull]

9 hours ago, Mrs f. said:

For Port Elizabeth we used Alan Tours.  Addo Elephant park.    We did see several open vehicles but there was no signage on them so I have no clue what company provided them.

 

"Open" safari trucks belong to the local National Park or adjacent private parks. They're surprisingly safe (as long as you stay in the vehicle) because the animals see the vehicle and its occupants as a single large noisy animal.

 

 

The closed-in ones (usually with elevating roof) are privately-owned or belong to operators touring for several days from park to park, spending a lot of time on the roads (which aren't as safe 😉), and carrying their clients' luggage.

 

 

JB 🙂

(unsubtle plug for Lion King Adventure Tours, Tanzania, who gave us a great safari in the Serengeti and nearby parks.👍)

[Mrs f.]

John Bull.....yes the top photos are what I talking about. Looked so cool!

[watercruise]

On 1/5/2022 at 1:02 AM, Rainbow3fe said:

Hi,

    We are on Oceania Jan 2023 and are docking in some of the same ports.

   Has anyone been to these places and booked game drives?  Most of these tours aren't what I am trying to find.

Thanks 

 

 

Does anyone know what to wear on the game drives ?

[watercruise]

On 10/16/2022 at 5:20 PM, John Bull said:

 

"Open" safari trucks belong to the local National Park or adjacent private parks. They're surprisingly safe (as long as you stay in the vehicle) because the animals see the vehicle and its occupants as a single large noisy animal.

 

 

The closed-in ones (usually with elevating roof) are privately-owned or belong to operators touring for several days from park to park, spending a lot of time on the roads (which aren't as safe 😉), and carrying their clients' luggage.

 

 

JB 🙂

(unsubtle plug for Lion King Adventure Tours, Tanzania, who gave us a great safari in the Serengeti and nearby parks.👍)

Any idea what to wear on game drives? Thank you 

[John Bull]

10 minutes ago, watercruise said:

Any idea what to wear on game drives? Thank you 

 

 

Take a light waterproof in case of showers, a jacket, a warm jumper for an early-morning  (ie 5am - 6am) drive, tee--shirt and lightweight trousers or shorts, a wide-brimmed or baseball hat. A camera of course, binoculars if you have them, sunblock, cold drinks & snacks if not provided.

Addo is not in a malaria zone

Shoes depends on the weather, the location, and the skill of your driver - but I doubt you'll bog-down in Addo.🙂

 

JB 🙂

[missyflov]

On 3/29/2021 at 4:35 AM, lizzy41 said:

Hi, I have just booked a cruise and am looking for information on the ports.  Would like to know if there are things to see do around the ports or if a shore excursion is needed.  Ports I am interested in are Mossel Bay, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Durban, Walvis bay and Luderitz.  Any information on these areas would be appreciated.  I prefer to do private shore excursions but giving the current situation regarding cruising and covid may opt for ship tours on this occasion.  Its quite a way out but I love to plan and have got lots of tips from these board before that have helped make my vacations special.

 

Which cruise are you on? I'm solo too on NCL Jade South Africa cruise leaving Jan 2nd, 2023.

 

[woodley]

On 11/29/2022 at 6:11 AM, missyflov said:

Which cruise are you on? I'm solo too on NCL Jade South Africa cruise leaving Jan 2nd, 2023.

 

We are the one after you Jan 14th.

[Middleager]

We're booked on the 2023.1.14 Jade, 12 days Cape Town roundtrip.  So we're looking for tour ideas for Cape Town, Mossel Bay, (got Abdo park for Port Elizabeth), Richards Bay, Durban, Luderitz, and Walvis Bay.