Recommendations for South Africa

[pyjamarama]

Some advice please- I have always wanted to visit South Africa, and would like to go this autumn, but will (hopefully) have a 5mo DS by then. Would like to do a bit of safari, cape town,maybe a self drive along the garden route. Is this an unrealistic pipedream? Any tips, recommendations, nice places to stay etc?

How long are you planning on spending in SA?

2-3 weeks (finances permitting)

We did this a couple of years ago - Cape Town, Cape Point, toured the vineyards, drove to see whales at Hermanus etc. Flew to Durban, did the safari stuff there in a mild way. It was fab and we loved most of it - but I would be doubtful about doing this with a young baby in tow. The distances are fairly big so there is a fair amount of driving to do, but I would hesitate to do this sort of holiday with children who will be far too young to appreciate it.

I would recommend waiting until you have your DS and then think about it. It is a long flight, pretty expensive holiday, with a child who will not appreciate any of it, and you will need to stop and feed and change a lot. What they want at that age is regular milk, a baby gym and play mat and their parents to look at and giggle at funny faces. Not a driving holiday and two long flights.

Sorry if this sounds harsh, but you did ask if it was an unrealistic dream (and the answer is yes, do it later on)

Safari - with a 5 month old have you lost your mind?

Just got back last week from visiting family and are moving out there next year

It is fab - garden route is in the main very pretty B & B's are generally of a higher standard than here in the UK and cheaper.

Camps Bay in C/T is lovely.

Simons Town has great galleries.

Stellenbosch, Franshoek, Knysna all the Vineyards especially Vervelegen where we had our wedding reception

Shall I keep going?....

Make it a holiday for you and DH so rest and relax with a 5 month old you will be in need of some relaxation. . Your darling son will not give a hoot where he is as long as you are there.

Rather than trying to cover it all given it is a huge country - book good comfortable accommodation in a few places and get a feel for the place. You then have a reason to go back in years to come to do a safari or suchlike!

Don't worry about the flight - most are over night and there is no problem with jet lag.

oooooh onlyaphase hermanus? I used to live there and it was soooo fab when the whales came in.

I agree re the amounts of driving involved. If you go on saffari it will take you approx 4 hours to drive to joburg, and another 12 at least to drive to cape town down the garden route. You can stop on the way but it's still a lot of driving.

I would wait at least another .. probably about 10 years actually for that kind of holiday.

We're going to SA for the first time this July - cramming loads into our time there - can't wait!

Hoping to get from Capetown to Hermanus to see the whales.

5 month old? We'd made it to France for a holiday with dd at that age

We went to SA last Christmas, but dd was 10 years old.

Even some people we know, whose parents have lived there for part of the year (in Hermanus as it happens) for 7 years waited until their children were old enough to appreciate it before flying over.