How to plan a Boutique Safari in South Africa!

Have you ever wanted to go on safari in South Africa, but didn't know where to go or how to plan a trip? This article will provide you with the best kept secrets of the south african bush and provide you with assistance to plan the trip of a lifetime!

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 7 days at a minimum
• Passport
• Camera (with video capabilities)
• Sunglasses
• You will want to bring warm clothes if you are traveling during the fall or winter (which is the N. Hemisphere spring/summer)
• comfortable walking shoes
• Costs for the safari are approx. $500 per person per night (includes all meals, domestic airfare in S. Africa)

1. Pick your dates! Figure out how much time you plan to take for your vacation and clear those dates with the boss (whoever that is for you; husband, wife, partner, manager at work etc). Keep in mind that traveling to South Africa will take some time to get to no matter where you live, so build in the travel time that it will take. You will want to spend at 3 or 4 nights on safari.

2. Spend some time on Google, weather.com, Yahoo.com, Orbitz.com and research the following: 1) expected weather during your stay; 2) exchange rates between your currency and the South African Rand; 3) Sabi Sands game reserve; 4)research plane ticket prices to and from your hometown airport to Johannesburg or Capetown.

3. 
   Cape of Good Hope! 2 hours from Cape Town.

   Think about whether you want to tack on any additional days to your safari or whether you want to just go on a safari only. Capetown is gorgeous and should NOT be missed if you are going all the way to South Africa. Some great things to do and see in Capetown are: 1) great white shark diving (S. Africa is the great white shark capital of the world), 2) visit Stellenbosch, the quaint and picturesque wine region, 3) Cape of Good Hope, 4) beachcombing, 5) going on history tours and walks through Capetown. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Town

4. Research potential stops in Johannesburg. http://www.joburg.org.za/

5. 
   Game drives are exciting and you can get very close to the animals in Sabi Sands.

   Plan your safari! Once you have decided on when you will go and for how long, it is time to decide where you will go. I HIGHLY recommend staying in the Sabi Sands Reserve: http://sabi.krugerpark.co.za/.
   
   The private reserve is connected to Krueger National Park http://www.krugerpark.co.za/ (without fences), but you have more privacy and better game viewing (not to mention being totally pampered) at your boutique safari in the Sabi Sands. Sabi Sands has the second highest leopard population in the world (second to India) and your rangers are incredibly knowledgeable. You will see the big 5 in a matter of hours. Also, in the Sabi Sands, rangers can drive off road so you can get up close to the animals.
   
   The best and most lux ones are:
   
   - Simbambilli Game Lodge http://www.simbambiligamelodge.co.za
   
   - Londolozi Private Game Reserve http://www.londolozi.co.za/
   
   - Sabi Sabi http://www.sabisabi.com/
   
   - Idube Private Game Reserve http://www.idube.com/
   
   Each lodge has a private chalet which is beautifully decorated. You will wake up to the screams of hyenas and elephants. You will go to bed to the sounds of lions roaring in the distance.

6. 
   Leopard sighting on the first safari drive!

   Pick a lodge and ask them to book your charter flights to and from the landing strip of the game reserve. They have good relationships with Nelair and other charter flights that depart from Hoodspruit, Krueger, and Jo'burg.
   
   Each of the lodges are fantastic and you will have an amazing experience. You can't go wrong with any of them!
   
   Here's my recommended South Africa itinerary:
   
   Day 1: Capetown (check out Long Street, the city outdoor markets, take the cable car up to Table Mountain)
   
   Day 2: Stellenbosch (drive to a few wineries and do some tasting, eat dinner in Stellenbosch, stay in a bed and breakfast, play golf)
   
   Day 3: Drive to the Cape of Good Hope
   
   Day 4: Go shark diving, http://www.greatwhitesharkdiving.co.za/
   
   Day 5: Go to the slave museum in Cape Town, eat African food, and go on a long walk through the city.
   
   Day 6: Take a flight to Kruegar, on Nationwide Airlines. Connect with Nelair and pick up your charter to take you to the Simbambili air strip.
   Get settled in your chalet and go on an evening game drive.
   
   Day 7: Safari
   
   Day 8: Safari
   
   Day 9: Safari
   
   Day 10: Head home with a full camera and full stomach!

Tips & Warnings

• Read Nelson Mandela's Long Walk to Freedom before you go. A great way to understand South African history.
• Children under 12 are not typically allowed at the private safari lodges
• The food at the lodges is delicious, do not plan to lose any weight!
• Do not take valuables such as jewelry, you will not need it.
• As the safari lodge to take you to the tribal villages to meet the locals- a great experience
• Jo' Burg has high crime rates and is considered very dangerous at night.
• It can get cold at night during the fall and winter months (April - July)