Jilly Windy Miller
(Member) (Topic Starter)
Just wondering if anyone has done the South Africa tour this year, can't seem to find an up to date review for it. Thinking of going next year but would appreciate a review from someone who has been recently. Thanks.
ksf1
  • (Member)
(Member)
'Jilly wrote:

Just wondering if anyone has done the South Africa tour this year, can't seem to find an up to date review for it. Thinking of going next year but would appreciate a review from someone who has been recently. Thanks.

I about to do the Peru trip but I have to say the South Africa Tour in the 2014 brochure looks good and ticks a lot of my boxes

Keith

SusieB
  • (Member)
(Member)
Hi Jilly

I came back from SA plus Zambia add on just last week. It's an absolutely fantastic trip, beautiful country, friendly people, breathtaking scenery and more 'close ups' with numerous different animals than you could ever imagine. The hotels were all very good and out Tour Manager, Annie, was really great. I thoroughly recommend this holiday and if you need any more info let me know. Go on go for it, you will be so glad you did!

Jilly Windy Miller
(Member) (Topic Starter)
'SusieB' wrote:

Hi Jilly

I came back from SA plus Zambia add on just last week. It's an absolutely fantastic trip, beautiful country, friendly people, breathtaking scenery and more 'close ups' with numerous different animals than you could ever imagine. The hotels were all very good and out Tour Manager, Annie, was really great. I thoroughly recommend this holiday and if you need any more info let me know. Go on go for it, you will be so glad you did!

Thank you for your reply - I would love as much info as you are prepared to give please

kerry262
(Member)
:(Hi Jilly,

I was on the same holiday as Susie, and can only reiterate was Susie has said, it was fantastic, it was my first holiday with J. Y. and I was not disappointed. The scenery was amazing, and very diverse. It was a lovely clear day when we arrived in Cape Town, and the views from Table Mountain were brilliant. Hotels were all exceptional and all completely different, from the Rondavels that we had at the Riempie Estate in Oudtshoorn, to the Protea hotel in Knysna that was designed to look like the inside of a ship, to the Windsor Hotel in Hermanus, where our rooms were sea facing and where we lucky enough to see the whales.The safari's were all brilliant and different, the rangers who took us out were extremely knowledgeable, and made sure that we all had a good chance of viewing the animals, including turning the jeep round so that we had our back to the sun sot that we could get better photo's The sunset cruise on the Zambezi was beautiful. If you can afford to do the Zambia add on do it, in fact I wish there had been more time there, trying to fit in all that I wanted to do was a struggle, Elephant back safari as soon as we landed, then the next day a microlight flight, a guided walk round the falls then a helicopter flight, then the sunset cruise on the Zambezi, phew !! Really didn't want to leave !!

Jilly Windy Miller
(Member) (Topic Starter)
'kerry262' wrote:

:(Hi Jilly,

I was on the same holiday as Susie, and can only reiterate was Susie has said, it was fantastic, it was my first holiday with J. Y. and I was not disappointed. The scenery was amazing, and very diverse. It was a lovely clear day when we arrived in Cape Town, and the views from Table Mountain were brilliant. Hotels were all exceptional and all completely different, from the Rondavels that we had at the Riempie Estate in Oudtshoorn, to the Protea hotel in Knysna that was designed to look like the inside of a ship, to the Windsor Hotel in Hermanus, where our rooms were sea facing and where we lucky enough to see the whales.The safari's were all brilliant and different, the rangers who took us out were extremely knowledgeable, and made sure that we all had a good chance of viewing the animals, including turning the jeep round so that we had our back to the sun sot that we could get better photo's The sunset cruise on the Zambezi was beautiful. If you can afford to do the Zambia add on do it, in fact I wish there had been more time there, trying to fit in all that I wanted to do was a struggle, Elephant back safari as soon as we landed, then the next day a microlight flight, a guided walk round the falls then a helicopter flight, then the sunset cruise on the Zambezi, phew !! Really didn't want to leave !!

Thank you so much for this info - I think I have almost made up my mind. Just one query, if I only do the tour without the add on is it true that to get home you need to fly from Cape Town to J'berg and then change planes and if so how much extra time does it take? If you don't know don't worry, I'll ask the editor. Thanks again.

kerry262
(Member)
Hi Jilly, if you do the tour without the add on you fly directly from Jo'burg back to Heathrow, you travel by coach from the hotel in Kruger to Jo'burg, where the people who were going on to Zambia were dropped off at the hotel in Jo'burg, and the ones who were going back to U. K. were taken to the airport. If you do the add on you fly from Livingstone to Jo'burg then we had about 5 hours at Jo'burg airport, then again a flight from Jo'burg directly to Heathrow. Hope this helps.
Jilly Windy Miller
(Member) (Topic Starter)
'kerry262' wrote:

Hi Jilly, if you do the tour without the add on you fly directly from Jo'burg back to Heathrow, you travel by coach from the hotel in Kruger to Jo'burg, where the people who were going on to Zambia were dropped off at the hotel in Jo'burg, and the ones who were going back to U. K. were taken to the airport. If you do the add on you fly from Livingstone to Jo'burg then we had about 5 hours at Jo'burg airport, then again a flight from Jo'burg directly to Heathrow. Hope this helps.

Thank you for taking the time to reply, it's been very helpful. Have you or anyone else got some useful little 'insider' tips for this holiday?

BGray
  • (Member)
(Member)
Hi Jilly, I did this tour two years ago and absolutely loved it! I know the itinerary has changed a bit since then but it still looks terrific. The main bit of advice I'd give you is to definitely do the Zambia add-on if you possibly can - it is the icing on the cake! I put up a post some time ago on the Share your travel tips forum regarding this tour - if you scroll down a few pages you'll find it.

Have a brilliant hol!

Bob

kerry262
(Member)
Hi Jilly, the only thing I can think of at the present time is to think about what you want to see, as it depends on when you go. If you go September/October time you have more chance of seeing the whales at Hermanus. It's also their springtime then so more chance to see the flowers even though it was a late spring this year so the flowers were late. Also not a lot of foliage around so easier to see the animals whilst on safari. If you do the Zambia add on the Falls at this time are very low as it is the dry season,if you want to see them in their "full glory" then go February to May after the rainy season.