South Africa
South Africa
When you tell someone that you are traveling to South Africa, most people would react as if you are crazy. They often ask, “Why are you visiting there out of all places and what do you plan to do there?” Well, to that we say “Well…why not? We want to experience a different culture and we plan to discover the world.” We spent a whole month traveling around Johannesburg and Cape Town. We also planned a three day safari at Kruger National Park.
Starting off our trip, we stayed at a bed and breakfast that was located close to Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport. To our surprise, the transportation Uber which to my knowledge was only used in the US, is now available throughout South Africa. We found it very convenient for our random trips around. All you have to do is download the Uber app, attach a credit card or select cash payment, and enter your destination. Soon enough, you’ll be picked up by the driver and on your way to your destination. After we got dropped off at Johannesburg’s Park Station, we boarded the double decker Sightseeing Red Bus Tour which at a low cost, will bring you to many attractions found available in the map provided. The nice thing about this tour is that you’re able to hop on and off the bus at your convenience and you are provided with headphones that will narrate each location that you are driving past. With the tour bus, we were able to stop and visit the Transportation museum, the Apartheid museum, and the World of Beer museum; to name a few. Please keep in mind the hours of operation as you may be stranded if you spend too much time at a certain location!! We know from experience.
After spending three days touring Johannesburg, we ventured off via an open flight ticket down to Cape Town for almost a two week stay. We stayed in a two bedroom condo close to the beach in Table View. The owners were so nice and welcoming and they even picked us up from the airport, and helped us with first aid when we needed it. Since we were a few blocks away from a bus station, we chose to try out restaurants nearby and spent some time enjoying the beach. While using the bus, we talked to some of locals who suggested some eateries and recommendations around the area. Although we previously created an itinerary, asking around gave us more insight and in depth reviews on what is really good.
Mama Africa
One location that kept coming up during our research and was also recommended by locals was Mama Africa. If you’re looking for traditional South African food and fun live music, you must go to Mama Africa. This amazing restaurant is located on Long Street in downtown Cape Town. Mama Africa is such a unique, vibrant and energetic restaurant. The staff is so friendly, welcoming, and down-to-earth. Their popular restaurant slogan says that “if you haven’t been to Mama Africa, you haven’t been to Cape Town” and we actually agree! We loved it so much that we decided to go twice. Mama Africa transforms at 8 pm when the live Marimba and jazz musicians take over. The loud African drumming is fun and exciting and many cannot resist from getting off their seats to dance.
The food is so exquisite and hearty. We had the most amazing soul food ever and we still dream of it from time to time! You can find wild game here including: crocodile, ostrich, kudu, and warthog, among others. The flavors will melt your senses and you will be hooked. We tried the Mama’s Lamb Curry and loved every bite. Mama’s Bobotie was amazing as well and we highly recommend it. The drinks are made perfectly here so kick back and enjoy Mama Africa.
When visiting Cape Town, we recommend using the Sightseeing Red Tour Bus as you are able to visit many sites listed on the pathway on the map provided. The multiple stops will take you through downtown Cape Town, Table Mountain, V&A Waterfront, the wineries along the coastline, and many other beautiful destinations along the way. There are also short walking tours that are available and are included with the tour package. The walking tours give you a better picture of how life was back then and how it currently is. Check online for a list of places to visit and then you can check them off your itinerary! There are many routes that the bus can take you to depending on the pathway that you select. Since we stayed in Cape Town for two weeks, we decided to rent a car. Driving on the other side of the road and the opposite site of the car took a bit of adjustment. However, it was convenient for us since we were able to venture off, spend more time in certain places, move around freely, and without restrictions. Some of those places included driving to watch the firing of the noon gun on Lion’s Head, the Cape of Good Hope, Mzoli’s Meat Market, and wineries in Stellenbosch.
The advantages of using the Sightseeing Red Tour Bus is that it provides a walking tour. We decided to do the Soweto tour in Johannesburg, and the walking tours to District Six and to the colorful Bo-Kaap houses in Cape Town. The Soweto tour will leave you speechless and heartbroken to learn how life is and the hardships that people had to endure there.
Table Mountain
Table Mountain is a mountain structure that you can never miss seeing wherever you’re moving around the whole city of Cape Town. Its flat surface mimics a table and is known for being one of the Seven Wonders of Nature. At a certain price, you may take a two minute gondola ride up the mountain and dine at the restaurant from above. It’s so amazing to witness the views of the whole Cape Town community and point out which areas you may have already visited or plan to. If paying for a ride is not your cup of tea, you may hike up the mountain side, but be aware that it will be a strenuous hike, even to those that consider themselves physically fit. It is definitely something you should consider doing and checking off your bucket list!
Did we mention earlier that the Sightseeing Red Tour Bus even takes you to some wineries?! Wine tasting in Constantia is fun and cheap. You can enjoy a selection of local wines paired with chocolate for affordable prices, and if you’re like us, you’ll even pick up a few bottles to take home.
Being the adventurous type, we rented a car to visit the town Stellenbosch. Stellenbosch has many wineries to choose from. We visited a few wineries including Stark-Conde Wines and Neil Ellis Wines. Their wines come strictly from the soil of this beautiful continent and are available for purchase after wine tasting. We decided on four bottles to bring back to the States. The wines bring us back to all the happy moments and the adventures experienced during this trip. Visiting Stellenbosch is a must and we guarantee you will fall in love with this place!
Kruger National Park
When visiting any part of Africa, to say that you have visited this continent, you must do a safari. There is something about seeing wildlife in its natural beauty that is magical. We decided on a three day package tour to Kruger National Park. This package included getting picked up from the airport to be escorted to a beautiful cottage for an overnight stay with dinner and breakfast. The food was delicious and the hosts were friendly. After having breakfast, we were picked up and driven five hours to the National Park. The tour package also included an outdoor tent, game drives, breakfast, and dinner. In addition to the meals that kept us full throughout the day, we were also given bottles of wine to relax after a long day of searching for wildlife. We would say that this is “living the life.” What would be any better than seeing what life has to offer and comparing stories on what others have seen on their game drive over a bottle of wine? This adventure is unforgettable and the pictures we took do no justice than the sounds, experiences, and feelings of seeing the animals first hand.
We were able to see the Big Five during our safari which included: lions, leopards, buffalos, rhinos and elephants. One of our favorite experience was driving on the main road and witnessing a herd of elephants crossing the road. It was amazing to see baby elephants marching with their family in their natural habitat. This safari made our trip to South Africa an unforgettable one!
Best Time to Visit:
We visited during the end of May and into the 3rd week of June
Places Visited/Attractions:
- Museum of Transportation
- Apartheid Museum
- Mandela Bridge
- World of Beer
- Soweto
- Cape Town
- Wineries
- Haut Bay
- Table Mountain
- Cape of Good Hope
- Kruger National Park
- Stellenbosch
- Townships: Gugulethu
Restaurants We Dined At:
- Catch 22 Beachside Grill and Bar
- Pakalolo Beach Bar
- Mama Africa
- Moyo
- Tapas
- Weinhaus & Biergarten
- Mugg & Bean
- News Cafe
- Mzoli’s Meat Market
Food Suggestions:
- Try exotic wild game meats like: crocodile, ostrich, kudu, and warthog.
- Pap: maize porridge
Total Costs:
- Airfare SFO to JoBurg = $1,560 /person round trip
- Airfare JoBurg to Cape Town = $181 /person round trip
- B&B in JoBurg = $642 for 6 nights
- Condo in Cape Town = $568 for 2 weeks
- Rental Car = $354
- Safari w/ Outlook Lodge = $420 /person
- Red Sightseeing Tour Bus = $52 /person
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