South Africa is a fairly superb nation to discover, particularly when 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 ‘massive 5’, we knew we wished to return!
If Kruger hadn’t spoiled us sufficient, the vibrant metropolis of Cape City positive 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 submit, right here) and even noticed a number of penguins sunbathing on their very own little seaside (you’ll be able to see find out how to see them in our submit, right here) – yup, they’re as cute as you’ll be able to think about!
Thankfully, we had essentially the most superb alternative to go 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 could have the total particulars on this in a submit developing shortly however within the interim, this (actually brief) 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’ll be able to create your very personal, mind-blowing, journey to this beautiful epic space of South Africa – it actually is exclusive! Check out the easiest experiences, meals and superb locations to cease at in your week lengthy vacation!
Night flight to South Africa
21:00 Depart from your house nation: We departed London on our direct flight, evening flight, to Johannesburg with South African Airways the place we related onto a brief home flight to the Japanese Cape metropolis of Port Elizabeth. A lot of South African wine wasted tasted, loads of zzzzzz’s had been gained and many pleasure brewed – which all helped fairly darn nicely 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 Automobile. Decide up a automobile immediately from the airport and seize your self a sat-nav. The roads are simple to navigate and nicely maintained.
1730: Arrival at your lodge: After a 2.5 hour drive into Tsitsikamma Nationwide Park, you’ll arrive at your quaint lodging for the evening. 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: Just some minutes stroll out of your lodge is the 1970’s impressed Marilynn’s Diner. Fastened up with outdated convertibles, retro skates and duke bins that may make any Grease fan pleased, this restaurant is an ideal throwback to occasions passed by.
Nestle in for the night, order some gigantic milkshakes, ribs and revel 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 maintain you perky till lunch.
1030: Zip line over waterfalls: As soon as breakfast has settled, hot-foot it straight into your automobile and drive roughly quarter-hour to your first port-of-call, zip lining! Storms River Journey Zip Line is an adrenaline fuelled flying expertise by means of 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 automobile 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 revel in a few of their scrumptious meals alongside their beneficial wines which might be picked from the very vines proper in entrance of you!
1630: Loosen up and stick round to observe the sundown on the gorgeous Plettenberg Bay: Plettenberg Bay is one lovely space you’ve obtained to incorporate in your days journey! Rock up on the public automobile park and zip your means throughout to the seaside. The white sandy seaside, dramatic panorama and crashing waves all leaves for a stunning place to sit down 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 a lot of juicy hen, 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 soar into your automobile.
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 maintain telling myself! 😉 Head over to Africa’s highest bridge and ebook a slot (prematurely) at Face Adrenalin to free fall nearly all of the best way down Bloukrans River valley!
It’s greatest to ebook 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 mild 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 principle freeway and small cities that line the best way. When you’ve labored up an urge for food after your bungee soar, you’ll be able to even seize your self a fast snack there.
1430: Uncover the forests of South Africa and 1,000 12 months outdated bushes: Persevering with your drive west, you’ll come throughout Massive Tree in Tsitsikamma Nationwide Park the place you’ll get to return up shut and private with one of many oldest bushes on the planet. This peaceable spot is a superb 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 automobile 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 Resort: After your epic drive, you’ll be greeted by one of many metropolis’s plushest and intimate motels, the Singa Lodge. Based mostly within the Summer time Strand space of the town, you’ll have the promenade in your doorstep, alongside an entire host of luxurious facilities to make you are feeling proper at dwelling!
1900: Take the evening off: After a protracted drive and motion packed day, you’ll little question be exhausted. Head to the lodge’s glorious restaurant that’s virtually 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 highway!
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 discover ways to sand board, you’ll truly burn off all these energy you ate the evening earlier than! 😉
Earlier than heading right here, do examine 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 beautiful spectacular Sera Maior, although, this may add on a further 40 minutes driving for the day so bear in mind your time-keeping.
1500: Seek for the ‘massive 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 automobile, head out on a self drive tour which takes round 3 hours. With this, you’ll be capable 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 question be ravished! Head straight again to Port Elizabeth the place you’ll cease at Cubata, a grill home that has virtually legendary standing with native’s! This casual eating expertise will depart you so happy that you simply’ll wish to return repeatedly.
Sit with locals, have an excellent outdated natter and order a few of their well-known shrimps and hen. A very healthful expertise! You possibly can 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 among South Africa’s oldest townships, Purple Location is a spot to study extra concerning the struggles, life and even help the native folks that also name these townships dwelling. Head right here with an informative information that provides again to the native alternative, this fashion your cash isn’t simply leaving the township as rapidly because it obtained there!
There are fairly a number of 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 girls 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 possibly can 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 – attempt one thing near the seaside, presumably Ginger Restaurant that has rave opinions!
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 improve your probabilities of seeing a lot of the animals. As an added worth, we determined to ebook 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 virtually each one of many ‘massive 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 gorgeous buildings that make up the city centre. Not solely that, you’ll be able to seize a chew to eat within the lots of of eating places and may even set your time to observe the reducing 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 closing 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 loosen up 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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