Alex’s Group Safari

September 12-20, 2024

I’ve created a rough itinerary outline with hotel options as a starting point for our discussion. To hit all of the highlights, I’ve split the itinerary between Cape Town and Safari. Based on the rough pricing below, the lodging for this trip would be a little over $2,000 per person.

Pricing and availability is not guaranteed. I’m using published rates on the safaris and will have to confirm. This price doesn’t include activities in Cape Town and flights to and within South Africa. However, all food and activities are included on the safari.

Itinerary Outline

• September 12: Arrival in Cape Town (Depending on where you are flying from, it may make more sense to fly into either Johannesburg or Cape Town.)
• September 13: Bo Kaap and Lions Head Hike
• September 14: Coastal Drive (Including Chapmans Peak)
• September 15: Cape Winelands (I like Franschhoek because it’s smaller, but Stellenbosch is closer to Cape Town for the transfer pricing)
• September 16: Fly or Drive to Safari Area (Options Below)
• September 17: Safari
• September 18: Safari
• September 19: Safari
• September 20: Departure

Cape Town

I think the Gorgeous George is the best value for the money in Cape Town. It’s a hip design hotel downtown, really close to Bo Kaap. A two-bedroom suite costs $413/nt, or $1,899 total.

You could keep it simple and only book one hotel in Cape Town as a base for excursions. Alternatively, you could also stay one night in the Winelands. Here, I like Boscendal, which has a cottage available for $380/nt. Excursion pricing for hikes, etc, is TBD.

Safari

The private reserves around Kruger National Park offer the best safari in South Africa and possibly all of Africa. I would suggest 4 nights in the Sabi Sands. We saw the Big 5 on our first game drive in Sabi Sands! Getting there requires flying from Cape Town to Skukuza (sample flight) and then transferring to the lodge.

Many of the lodges in this area are super luxurious, but there are some hidden gems that have great wildlife at a better price. I haven’t found any family rooms at your price point yet, but I am still looking. One of you might have their own tent and pay a single supplement, which some charge. I need to confirm availability on these, but here are a couple of samples:

• Notten’s Bush Camp: These are larger chalets with a great location along a river. One of the original safaris in Sabi. $550 per person per night (no single supplement) = $2,200 per person. Airport transfer is included.
• Umkumbe Bush Lodge: This is a camp along the same river, but it is a canvas-tented-style safari. A Luxury Tent is $312 per person per night sharing, and a Standard Tent with a single is $392 per person per night. Airport car transfer is $475 round trip. Prices would start at around $1400 per person.

If you do want a shared room, I did find a family room in the Kwa’Zulu Natal area. This is a flight into Durban and a road transfer. The wildlife is good but less acclimated to humans because it is less developed than Kruger. One option is:

• Rhino Ridge: Large luxurious family tent. $260 per person per night. Round-trip road transfer is $300. That puts it at around $1140 per person.

There is one safari property I like near Cape Town. It would save you travel time, but it’s more luxurious and expensive than the other options:

• Sanbona Dwyka Tented Lodge: A wild location only a 2-hour drive from Cape Town. You could do 4 nights after the Winelands -or- stay an extra night in the Winelands and only do 3 because the travel isn’t as big of deal. $753 per person per night and $979/nt for a single. This starts at $3012 per person for 4 nights.