Great advice Gronum on top of that I would add the City of Polokwane, especially the surroundings by the likes of Tzaneen and Magoebaskloof, the distance between Polokwane and Nelspruit is a mere 315kms which gives you just over 2 hours drive between the city. For more on what you can do in Polokwane and the province of Limpopo please visit www.golimpopo.com
This guy is in tourism in PE and the surrounding, so you can send him an email fireflyafrica@telkomsa.net, I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post his blog's link but if not then just contact him via email, this blog give you an idea of what PE can offer you especially in regards to watersports. The other site you can try is this http://www.nmbt.co.za/home/home.asp
You made a goochoice by selecting games in Polokwane and Nelspruit on the following consecutive days. I spent 5 days between 2 cities and enjoyed both of them especially nature. When you in Magoebaskllof which is just outside Polokwane, make sure that you take an early morning drive...say aroung 06:30 as it will be winter and experince nature at it's best...take walks to tea gardens and spend some times at the pubs/restaurants in the area and the vicinity. Check this website and click in the area to see what you can do, you gonna love it http://www.magoebaskloofgetaway.co.za/
Hi, very useful thread, so a big thank you for first starting and then continuing this initiative. Here's my tentative travel itinerary. Please feel free to recommend changes/tweaking as you see fit - June 18th, arrive in Joburg. June 19th - Joburg, nothing in particular. (tips?) June 20th - Joburg - Got tickets for Bra vs CIV June 21st - Leave for Kruger National Park (would you recommend driving or flying there? how difficult would it be to just get a vehicle outside Kruger after flying there? any information and tips on how to make the most of Kruger would be most welcome) June 22nd - Kruger June 23rd - Kruger June 24th - Back to Joburg for the night June 25th - early morning flight to Durban (got tickets for Bra vs Por) June 26th - enjoy Durban (tips?) June 27th - afternoon flight to Joburg (got tickets for 1B vs 2A, hopefully Arg vs Mex) June 28th - early morning flight to Port Elizabeth. Rent a car and drive down the garden route. We plan to spend the night in Mossels Bay, but are open to recommendations. Only thing is, I have to get to Cape Town for a game on the 29th) June 29th - Leave Mossels Bay (maybe swing by Cape Point on the way, time permitting, but get to Cape Town for the 830 game between 1H vs 2G, hopefully Spa vs Bra/Por ) June 30th - Rent a car and explore the Cape Winelands. Heard Franschoek (sp?) has great food, but maybe make it to Paarl/Stellenbosch as well. Enjoy V&A waterfront at night. July 1st - Enjoy Cape Town, maybe go shark diving off Gaansbai, take the cable car up Table Mountain. Whatever time permits. Maybe just stay in CT as we take a night flight back to Joburg. July 2nd - Got tickets for the QF (hopefully Eng vs Fra) July 3rd - Got tickets for the QF (Spa/Bra/Por/CIV vs Ita?) July 4th - Fly home. Just over two weeks. We've got acco booked in Joburg, CT and Durban. We havent booked Mossel Bay yet, but Im looking for suggestions. The biggest question mark is over the Kruger part of the itinerary. Its proving to be impossible to get accommodation at some of the public rest camps and the private reserves are too expensive. Any input on camps like Letaba, Satara, Pretoriuskop, Berg en Dal, Mopani and Olifants are hugely appreciated. Thanks in advance...
Go to Lesedi Cultural Villahe an Lion Park, spend your at either Melrose Arch, Parkhurts or Greenside were there pubs and all. The game is at 20:30 therefore aloowing you to take the CBD/Soweto tour. Start with the CBD and end at Soweto as it's closer to the stadium. From there you can take Rea Vaya BRT which will drop you at the stadium. Would be better to drive there so that you can even go to Polokwane to check out Greece vs Argentina and because the game starts at 20:30, you can start at Magoebaskloof/Tzaneen, http://www.magoebasklooftourism.co.za/. Some part of Kruger falls under Limpopo Province were Polokwane is located. "Limpopo, is the largest metropolitan complex in the north and a major economic centre. Its proximity to the neighbouring countries of Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Swaziland, as well as its convenient distance from the Kruger National Park and Magoebaskloof, makes it a perfect gateway and good destination in itself." Go to Ushaka Marine World, http://www.ushakamarineworld.co.za, on the 26th, there's much more to do there. You can also take a gondola at the neigbouring Point and sip a wine . I heard that there are also pubs and restaurants opening at the Point but for those I will recommend Florida road. There's so many things you can do in Durban, just google and see what suites you. I also suggest that you go checkout SunCoast Casino and Entertaiment World. It also depends on what you like, please google. Make sure that you go to Pretoria in the morning and visit, Union Building, Freedom Park, Voortrekker Monument and Pretoria Zoo if you have time, but I doubt you will but you got options. Check out historic buildings and squares in the CBD. Make a plan to see this city. The game starts at 20:30. Well I guess another South African can advice you on this one but I heard that Garden Route is a place to see. Please make time to go to Cape Point but obey the law "Do not FEED the baboons". Now you talking, again google ans see what more you can see in CT as there more than what you may think, Go see Nelson mandela's Prison cell at Robbin Island, that's if it's not fully booked throughout the tournament. Other guys can advice you on the rest.
Thank you so very much, mate, especially about the place near Polokwane. It just so happens that two of our group have tickets for Gre vs Arg so we were thinking of splitting up for that night, with the rest of us staying on in Kruger on the 22nd night, but this place sounds really good (I saw the post about it on the previous page, too), so we might all just end up going to Polokwane on the 22nd.) This site is a huge, huge help. I got some brilliant advice before the last world cup to check out this medieval town called Goslar on the way from Hamburg to Munich. We ended up staying the night there, had amazing Gose Bier in the biergarten next to a babbling brook with absolutely superb local game food. This place around Polokwane sounds really promising. Thank you so much for the sight-seeing tips in the cities as well, much appreciated!
Thanks Mate, Don't forget to go checkout Baobab tree and Debegeni falls in Polokwane/Magoebaskloof. Last easter I went on a vacation in the area and I loved it dealy, I slept at Charrio Farm, http://www.cheerio.co.za/, and the the service was unbelievable. You can also check http://www.wheretostay.co.za/thabametsisc/ If you don't find accomodation at any of the place in SA, then you can always ask them advice you of any other place that can accomodate you in the area and they will gladly assist you. I have done that myself and endup saving more money.
I know I've put up another vid somewhere else but just made this new one of the great white sharks in Cape Town [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzcxvEDfMzc"]YouTube- Great White Shark Cage Diving in Gansbaai, South Africa[/ame] This should definitely be on your itinerary if u can, as should at least a week around the Cape Town area - absolutely awesome place!
Hi Pule, I'll be staying two nigths in Louis Trichard, are these recommendations near that town? Aparto from riding an elephant, do you know other attractions near that town? Thanks
They are releasing more rooms in the Kruger due to MATCH not fulfilling all the bookings - try again. Any camp (if you can find accommodation) is great - it is lovely to be in the park at that time of the year. June/July is the favourite time for SA residents to go to the Kruger too so it will be full and cars will be scarce - try and secure a car rental booking asap. So do as Pule suggested, rent a car in JHB and drive to Polokwane. Watch the match and stay over then leave for Kruger next morning. If you cannot get accommodation inside stay close to one of the gates (Hazyview, Sabie, Phalaborwa, Nelspruit, Witrivier) but then buy a WILD card online (http://www.sanparks.org/tourism/wild/) then you don't have to pay each time you go through the gates. Just remember that you have to be at the gates early as they only allow a certain number of day visitors per day. On the Garden route there are many beautiful places to stay - Knysna, Wilderness, George, Mosselbay (can help with accommodation for 2 - 4 people in George or Wilderness - if stuck - PM me). Franschhoek is great - you can spend a whole day there (and get very drunk!). Just stop at whatever cellar looks great - don't overplan the wine route.
Yea, two days ago I was unable to find a place in Kruger for the dates that I wanted, but they opened up a lot yesterday, and I was able to get a hut in Pretoriuskop for 6/17, 18, and 19. The prices for the camps are great!
Lucky you! Now MATCH is advertising on SA radio that if we don't work through them we won't find acccommodation. Hello - we stay here - we don't need accommodation - we can sponge off family!!
Climate - "Winters are usually mild during the day, but can reach 0 degrees late at night or early morning." This is what I found about the town and the surrounding - 1) Cycling and Walking Trails. 2) 60 hectare property of natural bush following the trails along the Dam or into the Bush. 3) Sip a sundowner drink whilst enjoying a sunset cruise on our motorised raft, while keeping and eye out for the Hippo and Crocodile lazily basking on the side of our water. 4) Whilst studying the abundance of bird life, look out for duiker, bushbuck, waterbuck or kudu. Or simply laze next to the pool admiring the view. 5) http://www.sa-venues.com/attractionslm/louis-trichardt.php Gronam, could you please also advice as I haven't been to Louis Trichardt but just got all the info by googling.
Haven't been there in ages either. Yup - mostly Nature and wildlife activities there. because the climate is warmer and more subtropical you can find vast farmlands growing exotic fruits. Visit the pools http://www.safarinow.com/destinations/soutpansberg/places/Mashovhela-Pool.aspx You are also close enough to go to the Kruger for a day. The rest of your stay will be hectic so just relax and enjoy Nature while you are here.
Glenn - did you rent an underwater video camera for your dive? I hear there is a shop when you enter Gansbaii where you can rent an underwater video camera, but I'm still debating whether to go that route or to simply purchase the DVD of your trip that the diving company sells.
Well im a big shark diving lover so I booked two days and got a special deal buying the video for both days for 150% of the price of one dvd or something like that. However, all the clips i put up on youtube, I used my own personal camera: [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Sealife-DC1000-Megapixel-Underwater-Removable/dp/B001TG5FL8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1270922751&sr=8-1"]Amazon.com: Sealife DC1000 10 Megapixel Underwater / Land Camera in Removable Housing with 5X Optical Zoom (Black): Electronics[/ame] The Sealife DC1000. It's pretty good - goes down to 60 meters, I think that's like what 200ft and the housing is great but I strongly advise you to take it out a couple of times to test it as underwater photography can be kind of tricky.... obviously if u want to take stunning world-class underwater photos then you need to invest in a pro camera + mega flash.
Yeah... I'm not that into videography to consider purchasing a camera. I'm just hesitant to purchase the one provided by the diving company because I'm not sure of how much of my experience it'll document (selfish, I know!). I just don't want to pay for a DVD that shows me for 10 minutes and other for the remainder. I'm not even sure if their videos capture each diver as he is underwater.