Travel tips
Cape Town - South Africa

I often get emails from abroad requesting information about places in and around Cape Town. It's enjoyable replying to most of them and its quite interesting how some people set up their itineraries.

The Kruger National Park seems to be on most visitors list of things to do in South Africa, It is a great place to visit and you will definitely see animals. The problem however is that most people want to visit Cape Town as well and end up arriving in Johannesburg, then go off to the park which is on the Mozambican border. From there they return to Johannesburg and then fly to Port Elizabeth and travel by road along the Garden Route to Cape Town or the other way round as well. When they leave South Africa they have to fly back to Johannesburg which costs them an extra flight and a lot of touring time in the air.

With all the direct flights coming into Cape Town these days my advice to any would be traveller is to start your holiday in Cape Town. Its a lovely place to visit and there is plenty to see and do. Give yourself at least a week to explore Cape Town and its surrounds before going off up the Garden Route.

To make the most of the Garden Route stay over in Mossel Bay, Knysna or Plettenberg Bay for a few days. Using any one of these towns as your base you can visit Oudtshoorn in the Little Karoo and see the Cango Caves, an Ostrich farm, Crocodile farm and a farm where Cheetahs are bred. It's only an hour over some spectacular mountain passes into the interior.

Mossel Bay is extremely beautiful and has some beautiful beaches to visit especially during the summer months. Fishing along this coastline is good for those who like to try their hand.

Knysna with its heads and lagoon are spectacular. For those who love oysters Knysna is the place to visit. The Noetzie Castles are well worth the climb down the 200 steps to the beach in order to see them.

Plettenberg Bay is the rich man's paradise of the south coast. A walk along the Robberg beach with millionaires mile looking down on you is most enjoyable towards evening when every man and his dog is out exercising. Everybody is so friendly that it really is a pleasurable thing to do.

Beacon Isle Hotel situated on its little island that used to be a whaling station is a focal point in the bay. Try and visit Natures Valley while in Plettenberg Bay and drive down the Groot River Pass with its indigenous forests and sheer drops. The scenery is spectacular. The mouth and estuary of the Keurbooms river is so beautiful when the tide is in.

From Plettenberg Bay its a two hour drive to Port Elizabeth. The roads are good and there are some fantastic bridges to cross along the way. The Bloukrans Bridge is the highest bungee jumping launching point in South Africa.

Once in Port Elizabeth the friendly city, there is much to do. It has some fantastic beaches, a dolphinarium and some lovely drives down its coastlines. About 40 minutes away is the Addo Elephant park where the big seven can be seen. That includes great white sharks and whales as part of the park includes the coastline of Algoa Bay.

The big difference between Addo and Kruger Park is that Addo is not in a malaria infected area. From Port Elizabeth you can either drive to East London through some really wild country or you can fly on to Durban or to Johannesburg. Driving to Durban through the Transkei is possible as long as you do so by day.

Before doing so however, make enquiries as to the conditions of the roads and the safety of the area you will be entering.

Make the Kruger Park the last stop of your stay in South Africa and arrive home with the roars of hungry lions still ringing in your ears.