South Africa is a fairly superb nation to discover, particularly should you’re a fan of action-packed journey, scrumptious meals and actually lots of of elephants… I’ve gotta say, I used to be in my aspect!
After our final journey to South Africa, the place we visited Kruger Nationwide park, catching up with the ‘huge 5’, we knew we wished to return!
If Kruger hadn’t spoiled us sufficient, the vibrant metropolis of Cape City certain did the place we tried some a few of the most scrumptious eating places (See an area’s information to one of the best Cape City eating places, right here), found the breathtaking panorama of Cape Peninsular (see our put up, right here) and even noticed just a few penguins sunbathing on their very own little seaside (you may see easy methods to see them in our put up, right here) – yup, they’re as cute as you may think about!
Luckily, we had probably the most superb alternative to move to South Africa’s Japanese Cape with in a single action-packed journey for a #RollingInTheRands problem to see how far £400 may get you in South Africa.
We can have the total particulars on this in a put up developing shortly however within the interim, this (actually quick) video we simply uploaded to our YouTube channel (which we plan on updating extra usually) has clues on how far your cash can take you in South Africa.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I8HBvZJ7r4
I wished to share our motion packed itinerary so you may create your very personal, mind-blowing, journey to this gorgeous epic space of South Africa – it actually is exclusive! Check out the perfect experiences, meals and superb locations to cease at in your week lengthy vacation!
Night flight to South Africa
21:00 Depart from your property nation: We departed London on our direct flight, night time flight, to Johannesburg with South African Airways the place we linked onto a brief home flight to the Japanese Cape metropolis of Port Elizabeth. Numerous South African wine wasted tasted, loads of zzzzzz’s have been gained and plenty of pleasure brewed – which all helped fairly darn effectively with the jet-lag. The journey had begun!
Day 1: Arrival Into South Africa
1500: Land into Port Elizabeth Airport: One of many best methods to get round South Africa’s Japanese Cape is by Automotive. Choose up a automotive straight from the airport and seize your self a sat-nav. The roads are simple to navigate and effectively maintained.
1730: Arrival at your resort: After a 2.5 hour drive into Tsitsikamma Nationwide Park, you’ll arrive at your quaint lodging for the night time. Keep on the Tsisikamma Lodge and uncover its old-town really feel that’s set inside a standard village. It truly is as quaint because it seems to be.
2000: Dinner at Marilynn’s Diner: Only a few minutes stroll out of your resort is the 1970’s impressed Marilynn’s Diner. Fastened up with previous convertibles, retro skates and duke bins that will make any Grease fan blissful, this restaurant is an ideal throwback to occasions passed by.
Nestle in for the night, order some gigantic milkshakes, ribs and luxuriate in a bit consolation meals after your long-haul flight – you deserve it! 🙂
Day 2: The Japanese Cape Journey Begins
0900: Seize a South African breakfast: Get up, recent eyed and raring to go! Head straight throughout to the dinning home at Tsitsikamma Lodge, the place you’ll eat your weight with a hearty South African breakfast and freshly brewed espresso that’ll preserve you perky till lunch.
1030: Zip line over waterfalls: As soon as breakfast has settled, hot-foot it straight into your automotive and drive roughly quarter-hour to your first port-of-call, zip lining! Storms River Journey Zip Line is an adrenaline fuelled flying expertise via the valleys, waterfalls and mountains of Tsitsikamma Nationwide Park. When you’re sufficiently buzzing, take a breather and head straight for lunch!
1330: Dine in a working winery: Head west in your automotive for round 1 hour, till you attain the lunch factors of all lunch factors… Bramon’s Winery and Restaurant. This lovely restaurant is definitely located throughout the winery itself. Seize your self a seat outdoors and luxuriate in a few of their scrumptious meals alongside their really useful wines which can be picked from the very vines proper in entrance of you!
1630: Loosen up and stick round to look at the sundown on the beautiful Plettenberg Bay: Plettenberg Bay is one lovely space you’ve bought to incorporate in your days journey! Rock up on the public automotive park and zip your approach throughout to the seaside. The white sandy seaside, dramatic panorama and crashing waves all leaves for a stunning place to take a seat again and chill earlier than the solar lastly units.
2000: Seize a Braai: Arrive again to the Tsisikamma Lodge , the place you’ll be greeted by a South African delight… a Braai! Consisting of numerous juicy rooster, beef, greens all smothered and rubbed in some typical spices from the area!
Day 3: Adrenaline Day!
0900: Try of the Tsisikamma Lodge and seize a light-weight (you’ll see why, subsequent) South African breakfast and bounce into your automotive.
1100: Make the leap on the world’s highest Bungee Leap: Yup, your legs will flip to jelly, you most likely will scream – however that’s all a part of the enjoyable… so I preserve telling myself! 😉 Head over to Africa’s highest bridge and guide a slot (prematurely) at Face Adrenalin to free fall the vast majority of the best way down Bloukrans River valley!
It’s greatest to guide your tickets on-line earlier than going (right here) if you wish to be assured a slot for the day. Get within the mindset, eat gentle and check out to not get as scared as Yaya was! 😉
1300: Eat up: In your drive east, seize a chew to eat at one of many many native eating places you’ll see on the primary freeway and small cities that line the best way. If you happen to’ve labored up an urge for food after your bungee bounce, you may even seize your self a fast snack there.
1430: Uncover the forests of South Africa and 1,000 12 months previous bushes: Persevering with your drive west, you’ll come throughout Massive Tree in Tsitsikamma Nationwide Park the place you’ll get to come back up shut and private with one of many oldest bushes on the planet. This peaceable spot is a good relaxer, particularly after you’ve simply thrown your self off the Africa’s highest bridge!
1600: Proceed your drive east to Port Elizabeth: After you’ve treed your self out, hop again into the automotive and head east for two.5 hours till you attain the town of Port Elizabeth. That is the city you’ll come to name dwelling for the rest of your journey.
1830: Arrival at Singa Lodge Lodge: After your epic drive, you’ll be greeted by one of many metropolis’s plushest and intimate inns, the Singa Lodge. Based mostly within the Summer season Strand space of the town, you’ll have the promenade in your doorstep, alongside a complete host of luxurious facilities to make you are feeling proper at dwelling!
1900: Take the night time off: After a protracted drive and motion packed day, you’ll little doubt be exhausted. Head to the resort’s wonderful restaurant that’s nearly like a personal eating expertise. With solely 5 tables or so, the restaurant is about as intimate as you may get!
Day 4: Sand Boarding and Safari’s
0900: Seize some breakfast and hit the street!
1000: Sand Board at Sundays River: Head out of the town for about 40 minutes, the place you’ll come throughout Sundays River Adventures, right here you’ll not solely learn to sand board, you’ll truly burn off all these energy you ate the night time earlier than! 😉
Earlier than heading right here, do test the climate as moist/inclement climate truly makes the sand actually ‘sticky’ and arduous to sand board down! You actually will work up a sweat and earn you subsequent glass of scrumptious South African wine! Check out extra on Sand-boarding in South Africa right here.
1300: Seize a chew to eat: After working up a monster urge for food while sand boarding. There’s many locations to select from, together with the gorgeous spectacular Sera Maior, although, it will add on an extra 40 minutes driving for the day so take into consideration your time-keeping.
1500: Seek for the ‘huge 5’ in Addo Nationwide Park: One of many bigger Nationwide Parks in South Africa, Addo Nationwide Park is one of the best place to find the actually majestic animals that decision this nation dwelling. As you’ve rented a automotive, head out on a self drive tour which takes round 3 hours. With this, you’ll have the ability to cease and begin at your individual tempo, which is much more thrilling once you come throughout a herd of randy elephants! See extra on a self-drive tour of Addo Nationwide Park, right here.
2000: Eat like (and with) locals: After a protracted day of sand-boarding and safari’s you’ll little doubt be ravished! Head straight again to Port Elizabeth the place you’ll cease at Cubata, a grill home that has nearly legendary standing with native’s! This casual eating expertise will depart you so glad that you simply’ll wish to return time and again.
Sit with locals, have a very good previous natter and order a few of their well-known shrimps and rooster. A really healthful expertise! You’ll be able to see extra on visiting Cubata, right here.
Day 5: Go to A Township, Port Elizabeth and Safari
0900: Get up, raring to go – particularly after your breakfast that’s included on the Singa Lodge.
1030: Go to Purple Location: One in every of South Africa’s oldest townships, Purple Location is a spot to study extra concerning the struggles, life and even help the native individuals that also name these townships dwelling. Head right here with an informative information that offers again to the native alternative, this fashion you realize your cash isn’t simply leaving the township as shortly because it bought there!
There are fairly just a few stops that you need to ask your tour information to make, together with Purple Location Cafe (which is run as a hostel/cafe by a few of the nicest women I’ve ever met) and a few of the native craftsmen and artists that create a few of the cities most spectacular artwork that help native companies inside Purple Location itself.
You’ll be able to see extra on visiting a township right here.
1330: Eat up: Seize a swift chew to eat at one of many native eating places in Port Elizabeth – strive one thing near the seaside, presumably Ginger Restaurant that has rave critiques!
1500: Take a guided tour of Addo Nationwide Park: Yep, you probably did this drive yesterday however I guarantee you that going twice will considerably enhance your possibilities of seeing many of the animals. As an added worth, we determined to guide an area information that was authorised by Addo Nationwide Park – not solely did he educate us methods of every of the animals, he was in a position to scout and discover nearly each one of many ‘huge 5’.
1900: Seize some dinner: Head over to the Muse Restaurant and eat mountains of scrumptious grub that your tastebuds (and tummy) will thanks for.
Day 6: Uncover Port Elizabeth
0900: Seize some breakfast
1130: Uncover Port Elizabeth: After a protracted breakfast, head out on a tour of Port Elizabeth metropolis centre. Right here you’ll uncover the historical past, lovely tradition and beautiful buildings that make up the city centre. Not solely that, you may seize a chew to eat within the lots of of eating places and may even set your time to look at the decreasing of the flag that occurs every day! See extra on visiting Port Elizabeth, right here.
1900: Dinner Time: After a day exploring Port Elizabeth, head over to Sera Maior and uncover their tapas menu that’s past dreamy!
2100: Seize a tipple of South African wine: Head again to the Singa Lodge that operates an honesty bar with a mind-boggling array of South African wines. Select your wine(s), heck, have a tasting session and write down all that you simply’ve drank to be added to your invoice. All wines are fairly priced and completely scrumptious!
Day 7: Spa Time and Goodbye
0900: Seize your remaining breakfast of the journey and pack your luggage prepared to go away 🙁
1100: Spa time: Head over to a native spa that the Singa Lodge suggest. Seize your self a slot and chill out your self foolish with a deep tissue therapeutic massage and pool time earlier than your long-haul flight dwelling.
1400: Head to the airport and wave say your farewells! Right here’s to an epic South African vacation!
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