South Africa Travel and Vacation Guide

Traveling in South Africa

Vacationing & Travel in South Africa

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Want To Have A Safari Package With A Difference?

As you think about taking a safari in Africa people typically consider flying by jeep but you could be surprised to learn that we have a few other great options available.

Self Drive Safari

For any knowledgeable adventurer, family groups and people with limited funds a self drive safari throughout South Africa’s national parks (you may not self drive inside the privately owned parks) will probably hold great appeal. A 2WD will be acceptable for traveling in most parks although if you wish to get off-road a 4WD will let you discover much more.

The downside for self drive is that you miss out on the know-how of the guide and have to count on your own navigating skills.

Hot Air Balloon Safari

This sort of safari is becoming a very popular preference although there are certainly the more expensive safari style. Almost all balloon excursions last about an hour and they are normally accompanied by either a champagne breakfast or dinner(according to the time of day you are flying).

Walking Safari

Commonly for smallish groups, trekking safaris vary in duration from 1 hour long typically in the morning or early evening hours to day long treks together with overnight lodge or safari tent accommodation.

These particular safaris are absolutely safe and sound as the group is escorted by an armed guide. Picture walking across the broad savannahs and spying a pride of lions and then to be able to view them at close up!

Elephant Safari

You can find many game reserves that provide an elephant safari. The important reward is the fact you are more likely to observe game on top of an elephant because the wildlife will be more used to elephants than they are to people and vehicles.

An experienced elephant handler is in control and the safari normally lasts for 1 1/2 hours and usually will also include drink and food. On some tours you may also end up being lucky to get to walk alongside the elephants-a very exceptional experience.

In case elephants aren’t your thing then many game reserves offer safaris on horse-back.

Intelligent Vacationers Reserve Their Flights Online

The initial task in planning a trip to South Africa is ensuring that you can book the appropriate flights. Before you can determine other aspects of your trip (such as events and lodging) you will first want to look into flight availability, flight times, total travel time (flight time plus layover time) and costs. Since your flights are the most important component, it is a good idea to start your travel adventure by getting the right flights booked.

Naturally, the best place to secure flights today to South Africa is via the Web. Besides, if you can’t get to your target destination when needed, then all your other plans may fall through. So, begin with proper flight reservations. With the advent of the Web, checking flight arrangements no longer requires a travel agent.

The Top Alternatives for Reserving Flights for South Africa (and Saving Money)

Below are a few Web sites we use to reserve flights (and other elements of our vacations). Pick Out the vendor that fits your special needs.

Travelocity.com has become our preferred comprehensive vacation reservation site. Not only can travelers book airline tickets at the absolute lowest prices, but they offer additional services that will allow you to plan and make reservations for your whole travel adventure to South Africa.

Priceline.com is definitely the foremost site to grab attractive deals on vacation bookings. We have saved large amounts of money in the past using Priceline. Be sure to delay booking until close to your trip before booking.

Leaving in the Last Hour?

LastMinute.com is great, but the only catch is that you may not be able to find a good deal on the specific vacation you have been hoping for, forcing you to pay higher retail prices.

We are assured that you will acquire the bottom-line prices and excellent service with any of these recommended booking sites. Choose the one that suits your travel preferences and relish your trip to South Africa!

Savvy Travelers Should Consider Purchasing Vacation Insurance

Are you planning to schedule a trip to South Africa, but suspect that you may need to cancel your plans on short notice? Do you believe weather may be troublesome, especially if you will be traveling to a location commonly a victim of seasonal weather issues? Could you be called away to important business at the last minute? Do you or your family suspect the onset of health issues that might necessitate that you postpone your travels to South Africa?

If any of these situations could take place for you then you should think about getting travel insurance to prevent footing the bill for a holiday that you won’t get to take, or even worse a holiday that ends up being cut short because you must come back home from South Africa due to illness or injury.

Thankfully, trip insurance is affordable and could save you big bucks if an unforeseen circumstance happens. As increasing numbers of people travel for business and pleasure, the airlines are increasingly over-booked. This increases the potential for flight cancellations and delays.

If you book your South Africa trip as a vacation package, most travel companies will offer insurance while going through the booking process. However, if this is not available at booking time and you still want to insure against unfortunate events, we recommend Travel Guard Insurance. They can provide vacation insurance for evacuation, airport closures and medical incidents and they provide 24-hour travel assistance during your stay in South Africa.

Before deciding on buying travel insurance, simply ask yourself if the price is worth the mental ease you will get knowing that if your holiday plans are cancelled…you won’t be aggrivated and left with paying big bucks to get them back on track. We believe vacation insurance is smart in most cases where there could be unforeseen events.

Your Lodging Choices Can Make or Break Your Trip

Your choice of lodging can affect the success of your vacation to South Africa. In many cases, it might even be the high spot of the trip.

Do not ignore the matter that staying in the right hotel can make your trip memorable, while staying in the wrong hotel can wreak havoc on your vacation to South Africa!

Fortunately the Web now provides a vast array of resources, reviews and details about the best hotels in South Africa, in addition to the best deals available.

We always start our lodging investigation with a reputable reservations and information site, such as Hotels.com. Not only will this save a lot of time, but we can take a broad view of what lodging available in South Africa and can very simply see which ones are attractive candidates filtered on prior visitor reviews.

How to Select the Right Kind of Hotel

When planning a vacation, we encourage you to ask yourself a few key questions that will assist you in selecting the appropriate hotel at the right price.

• Is it important to you to spend minimal time getting back and forth to events and sites?
• Are you willing to spend more time on public transportation and taxis in order to save on lodging? If so, you can usually get a lower cost a hotel room on the periphery.
• Do you hunger for a place steeped in local culture? Smaller independent hotels are often some of the most beautiful and historic ways to enjoy the local culture.

These are key questions to ask before securing your lodging. We recommend that you give some thought to how you might use your lodgings to receive the most from your South Africa vacation experience before making your decision on where to rest your head.

When searching for lodging it is also important to determine the kind of accommodations and creature comforts that suit your preferences and needs. If you will not be spending much time in your room, and therefore you probably care less about the amenities than you do about the location, then we would recommend looking for a hotel near the places in South Africa that you are planning to visit.

Our favorite hotel reservation Web site is Hotels.com, which handles over 70,000 properties globally, presents detailed hotel reviews, photos and provides a price match guarantee. There are several other companies, but we haven’t found one that is as comprehensive and simple to navigate.

Stay at a B&B for a Friendly Lodging Experience

If you revel in the company of strangers and a hand-made meal then give some thought to staying at a Bed & Breakfast in South Africa. These accommodations create an experience quite like staying with old friends and often times the proprietors can share a wealth of knowledge and tips on the customs, dining options, and local sites. And likely the breakfast provided will be gourmet quality.

When we plan to reserve a B&B, we like to use BedAndBreakfast.com. Its search engine spans a worldwide network of country inns, bed and breakfasts, guest houses and farm stays.

Keep in mind that these properties are typically located in more rural areas and may not be close to mass transportation. If you will be traveling via a rental car then this is a lovely selection.

Considering a Home Exchange Program?

If you enjoyed the film “The Holiday” then you probably have a feeling for how attractive exchanging your home can be.

If you plan to remain in South Africa for a length of time and you yourself live in a enviable vacation area (or you have a 2nd home in a desirable area) then you should think about swapping your home with someone from South Africa who is interested in vacationing in your area.

Staying in someone’s home in South Africa lets you to live like a local (not a tourist) and can end up costing you nothing. You will ordinarily have full use of laundry and kitchen facilities and enjoy the comforts of staying in a cozy home and neighborhood. This option is also considered environmentally smart because it doesn’t consume additional local resources to accommodate non-residents. And a frequently overlooked benefit is that while you’re in someone else’s home that someone else is in yours–maybe watering your plants, picking up your mail, and generally dissuading crooks which target vacant homes.

Check out HomeExchange.com for access to their global network of homes for exchange. A one year membership is required but they guarantee that if you do not find an exchange within your 1st year they will extend your membership for another year. If you are interested in learning more about the particulars of identifying and contacting potential home exchange candidates Home Exchange Academy provides a special reference guide.

When you are already paying a high price for flights swapping your home with another traveler can be an easy way to limit the full cost of your trip. If you’re feeling like you just cannot afford that trip to South Africa you may want to reconsider!

Lodging for the Super Tight Budget

If you are on a strict budget (maybe you’re a student) and hoping to get the most economical accommodation (as long as it provides a bed and bathroom) then we recommend what are known as hostels. Hostels are very common in many countries and often offer separate areas for couples and/or senior citizens. There are several hostels available in South Africa to choose from. These can be reserved with HostelWorld.com.