I'm going to SA - now what?

If you are coming to SA, have your tickets to the matches and a reasonable idea of what you want to do when you are not watching football/soccer, I could help with an Itinerary. Post as much info as you can - when you land, wether you have trasnport and accommodation, what you like to do, what you are expecting out of the experience, what sites you would like to visit etc etc.
I have been posting on a lot of the threads but will only post on this one now - so for my biased and one sided opinion please post away!

 

Yikes, can spell Itinerary but not whether or transport!
Don't forget the Kulula sale ends in about 3 hours - www.kulula.com or try computicket for Fly Mango tickets.

 

Hi - you can visit the aquarium and watch the dolphin show at www.ushakamarineworld.co.za/ - you could spend the whole day there. There are shops, restaurants, a theme park and the marine shows. Take your swimming cozzie and loads of sunblock. You can also visit the Temple of Understanding. If you are prepared to drive out of the city you can also visit http://www.shakaland.com/ for a cultural Zulu experience, http://www.stlucia.org.za/ which is a world heritage site - if you are lucky you might spot a whale, visit the Sharks Board in Umhlanga http://www.shark.co.za/visit.htm . There are plenty of battle sites inland but they might be too far - http://www.drakensberg-tourism.com/battlefields-spioenkop.html . Take a flip along the coastline - http://www.countryroads.co.za/aview.php?aid=678 .You can drive down south on the N2 to the oribi gorge
http://www.sa-venues.com/game-reserves/kzn_oribi.htm . Actually you can hop in the car and drive up or down the N2 and stop at any beach that takes your fancy. Just make sure it is manned with life savers and has shark nets -Africa is not for sissies! You will know this by the flags on the beach.
From Nelspruit a visit to the Kruger is a must. You have to be at the gates early as only a certain number of day visitors are allowed. Check http://www.sanparks.org/parks/kruger/ for times and prices. There is plenty to see in the Lowveld (Nelspruit area) - God's Window, Pilgrims Rest, Waterfalls, Caves - go to http://www.sa-venues.com/mpumalanga.htm for maps and ideas. Stop at any of the roadside stalls and buy curios and fresh fruit and nuts.
Just remember to always lock your car, ensure any valuables are locked in the boot or on your person (cameras, cell phones, handbags) and not on show. Stop in designated areas only, ensure that you have enough petrol before you start your journey and trust your instincts. Good luck!

 

See previous post re Durban - relaxing on the beach is actually the best thing to do there!
When in Rustenburg you are close to Sun City and the Pilanesberg Game reserve - you could spend a whole day at either. If you are lucky you can see the big five at Pilanesberg - if you are even luckier you can gamble at Sun City! Other attractions are the Hartbeespoort dam (great place to buy curios), Lesedi Cultural village, De Wildt Cheetah sanctuary, the cradle of mankind. You would obviously need a car to get to all of these - there might be shuttles to Sun City though. Check all of these on http://www.sa-venues.com/nwp_tourist_attractions.htm
In joburg you can go to Gold Reef City theme park (and go down a gold mine) , visit the Apartheid Museum, The Arts and Culture museums in Newtown, go shopping at any of the malls (Sandton city, Rosebank, Cresta to name a few), visit the zoo, buy commemerative coins at the Mint, visit the SAB World of Beer, take in a movie, gamble at Emperors palace, Gold Reef City or Montecasino. Visit a shebeen in Soweto, the Sterkfontein caves - try http://www.sa-venues.com/attractionsga/johannesburg-metro.htm for more ideas. Did you know Jhb is the site of the largest Man made forest in the world?

 

Thinking - when are you actually going to sleep?
Between the 16th and the 19th when are you coming back to JHB/going to Rustenburg? Sun City is about 30km from there - your first Rustenburg visit seems too short as you will be going to Durban. You can do Soweto when you go to soccer city - start early with a guided tour then the tour must end at the stadium or park & ride to soccer city - one morning should be more than enough. If you are going to Bloem there is not much to do other than drink and party! Leave shopping/movies till Bloem then. Or are you going to Rustenburg AND bloem 26 and 27th? Are you driving or flying to Nelspruit/Durban/Bloem? A bit more detail for the 16th to 19th and 20th to 26th please.

 

A general comment re money - don't bother with travellers cheques or Dollars. Bring an internationally recognised credit card (Visa, Mastercard). The moment you land at OR Tambo or Cape town go to the nearest ATM and withdraw between R1000 and R2000. This ought to see you through your first few days. You can pay for fuel, toll roads, accommodation, restaurants, shops - all with your credit card. If you are watching a game at a pub/restaurant ask them to run a tab and pay with your card at the end of the evening. Keep the cash for transport, roadside vendors and parking. If you park in an open parking lot (say at a mall) there will be a car guard expecting a tip for looking after your car. Some actually do look after your car, but you are not obliged to pay at all - especially during the day. They are unemployed so if you feel generous a R5-R20 tip will be welcome or a takeaway. All the malls, garages, casinos, movie centres etc have ATMS so you need never walk around with thousands of rands.

 

Kruger if you can - Blyde river is nice but you are in a bus for so long that taking a trip in the Game reserve might be a nice change of scenery. You have a very full schedule and because you are not driving yourself you will be dependent on the slowest person on the bus - on match days I cannot see you doing much else. Where in Pta are you staying? Union buildings and Zoo is a good bet - your JHB plan sounds great too. Going to the malls at night is a good bet - movies, restaurants and pubs. If you miss the Kruger you can go to the Rietvlei game reserve. Ummm I stay in Pretoria and am now battling to think what you can do (without transport)!! Let me know where you are staying then I can suggest more. ALso let me know if you like nature, museums, extreme sporty stuff etc.

 

Wow - you are really travelling! Your schedule is really full - I suggest you just relax at a pub/restaurant watching the reruns of the games. You can whale watch in Hermanus, and if you are driving to PE then stop off in the Tsitsikamma forest or the Knysna forest. Go to the beach in Jeffreys - there is a restaurant on the beach where you sit with your feet in the sand. You can tandem paraglide in Wilderness (Weather Permitting) or play golf at Fancourt, Oubaai or Pinnacle point - in the George Area. Actually, just relax and enjoy the beautiful garden route - stop off at a farm stall and have scones and tea. You are in the Kruger for 2 and a bit days - you can explore the Blyde river canyon, Mac Mac falls, Pilgrims rest or Gods Window. Best is to go to one of the restaurants on the river (Skukuza is a good one) and watch the animals at the waterside. Don't forget to look up ( especially in the loos!) there are 100's of bats hanging from the ceiling! I can't suggest more things to do because you will be covering 1000's of kms but see some of my previous posts for stuff to do in Nelspruit/Durban or Rustenburg area. Good luck! Take lots of vitamins and Red Bull!

 

The um no

Um no. Seedy part of town - do not know the nightlife there at all. tHERe are office blocks and flats there and shops that close at 5 - no strolling around at night. If you let me know what you are paying per night and what type of deal it is (B & B, own bathroom etc) and how many you are I can look for something else - please be very specific.
The Um no is for recommendations - I do remember you!

 

Try last minute tickets - maybe you are lucky lucky lucky!

 

Cape town has way too much to do - go to the Waterfront, the Aquarium, the restaurants in BloubergStrand to watch the sun set, do the wine routes of Stellenbosch or Franschoek and get totally plastered before 11 in the morning! Weather permitting you can go via cable car to the top of table mountain, ride the Anaconda at Ratanga Junction or just go to the beach and watch the girls (boys?) Just don't swim it is freezing! Drive or walk along the seaside in Sea point and watch the people go by. Just ask around and you will find out where the hottest clubs of the moment are. Have posted already re Durban - lots to do there as well. You will probably sleep because you will have flown and driven in one day! Jhb - you can do the cultural thing (museums) or go to Gold Reef city. Sterkfontein caves, Lion and Rhino park. Best is to hang around the malls in the day - movies, restaurants, pubs and shopping. You can take the long way up to Jhb from Durban and drive via the Drakensberg mountains - very beautiful.

 

If it was a normal day it would take you 1 hour - I think the traffic will be horrendous. I would leave at least 2 to 3 hours before a game. You cannot park at the stadium either - you have to park at the Park & ride then wait for a shuttle to take you to the stadium - you and thousands of other fans. Remember too that us plebs still have to work so there will be the normal commuter traffic and the peeps who thought they could drive on the left hand side but can't - utter chaos. Especially for your first game - go early to catch the vibe, buy a vuvuzela and get caught up in the buzz. Check previous postings - half a day in Durbs can be spent on the beach, half a day in cape Town at the V & A waterfront. Midrand is between JHB and Pretoria - you are reasonably close to Montecasino and a host of restaurants and pubs there. You are also close to Centurion in Pta. In gauteng, apart from extreme adventures and cultural activities, the main thing we do here is go to a restaurant/pub to eat , drink and watch sport. If it is in mall even beter coz the parking is safer and there is a bigger choice. You guys don't realise how tired you are going to be with all this commuting - those half days can be spent at your hotel or relaxing at a movie.