SOUTH AFRICA, JUNE 2007

Who went: Alana and Rory Gray

The Itinerary:  

Skukuza Restcamp, Kruger National Park
Singita Ebony Lodge, Singita Game Reserve
St George's Hotel, Cape Town
Knysna, Garden Route

International Air: Virgin Atlantic
Domestic Air: Kulula.com

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SKUKUZA, KRUGER NATIONAL PARK

We spent several days in Kruger National Park at the Skukuza restcamp where we had the choice of signing up for a morning or evening game drive or driving ourselves around.  The road system and signage in the park were very good.  We did one morning game drive but the rest of the time we drove around ourselves.  We saw elephants, giraffes, white rhino, hippos, crocodiles, cheetahs, baboons, kudu, lions, monkeys and of course Impala.  We also saw a great selection of birds.

Skukuza restcamp is located on the west side of the Park, quite close to the Paul Kruger gate. It is a great location for seeing game as it is overlooks the Sabie River.  As the sun goes down in the evening you can hear the hippos in the river making their unusual sounds.  One evening we were lucky to see three elephants on the other side of the river, two of them having a disagreement and butting heads.

Skukuza has several types of accommodation from tents to luxury riverside bungalows.  The bungalow where we stayed was basic but comfortable.  Skukuza is one of the largest camps in the Park and well equipped with two restaurants and a deli, an internet café, Avis car rental, a bank, laundry facilities and a petrol station. 

SINGITA EBONY LODGE, SINGITA GAME RESERVE

We spent two nights at the luxurious Singita Ebony Lodge in the private Singita Game Reserve in the Sabi Sand Reserve, adjacent to the Kruger National Park (http://www.singita.com).  What an experience!  The staff really make this property what it is.  When we left, we felt like we were leaving friends behind.  And we were only there two nights!  We had our own private lodge with our own private plunge pool all overlooking the Sand River below.  The game drives in the morning and evening were incredible.  One day we found two leopards that were dragging around an Impala carcass.  A hyena was in the area trying to steal the carcass and the leopards tried to get it into the tree but it was too heavy so they watched from the safety of the tree while the hyena stole the carcass.  We did not have a good view of the hyena but we could hear it crushing the bones. 

Another day we found three elephants feeding off of some trees.  One elephant suddenly started to push down a tree with its head.  When it was half way down and the roots were exposed, the elephant started eating them.  Then he pushed the rest of the tree over with no effort at all.  They are such powerful animals.

CAPE TOWN

Cape Town was beautiful with the famous Table Mountain in the background.  A trip up to the top is a must in good weather as there are great views of the bays around Cape Town and the city itself.

We spent a lot of time at the Waterfront which has a great variety of shops, restaurants and bars.  The Robben Island ferry also departs from here.  Robben Island, just off the coast of Cape Town, gives you great insight into what Nelson Mandela and the other political prisoners went through during their incarceration.  A guided tour is given while you are driven around by bus.  A tour of the prison cells is then given by an ex political prisoner who was incarcerated on the island.

One day we went cage diving with the Great White Sharks.  The company we used picked us up in Cape Town and drove us for about two hours to Gaansbaii where they launch their boat.  We had breakfast and they gave us a briefing before we launched.  They supply everything: wet suits, towels, a light lunch onboard and the option of getting the whole experience on DVD afterwards.  They take the boat out to Deyer Island and Seal Island where the sharks congregate because of the seal population on the island.  We waited a while but we eventually had a visit from a small Great White (about 2 metres).  We all took turns getting in the cage while the shark swam around the boat checking us out.  It was not nearly as frightening as I thought it would be but the water was certainly cold!  It was worth it.  Those who are not in the cage still get a great view of the shark from the boat.  I definitely recommend sea sickness tablets as the boat does a lot of rocking while you are waiting for the sharks. 

GARDEN ROUTE

The Garden Route is a 4-5 hour drive from Cape Town.  We drove but you can also fly.  The Garden Route is on the south coast of the country and has beautiful views of the coast.  We spent three nights in Knysna which is a lovely town located on a lagoon.  It was quite quiet because June is their winter and the crowds usually come in the summer months when it is warmer.  We drove to Oudtshoorn one day and visited the Cango Wildlife Ranch.  The next day my husband decided to try the highest bungy jump in the world from the Bloukrans Bridge, just past Plettenberg Bay.  Of course he loved it and cannot wait for his next one.

We then visited the Elephant Sanctuary just past Plettenberg Bay where they let you walk with the elephants, touch them and feed them.  You also find out more about their anatomy, their eating habits and behaviour.  They are a collection of six elephants that have been saved from various ill fated situations.  It was certainly a highlight for me as I love elephants.

In the afternoon we went to a few lookout points on the coast looking for whales as there is great whale watching at certain times in the year.  It must have been a little early for them as we did not see any but we did see several schools of dolphin surfing the waves. 

What a great vacation!