Any tips for ABD South Africa?

[disruptor32]

We are PIF for an adults-only ABD South Africa this October. I think we have covered the basics in terms of packing - bring layers, comfy walking shoes, greens and khakis for safari, etc. I've read the other threads and watched some YouTube videos but since I am an anxious over-planner I am just trying to see if there is anything we are missing!

For anyone who has done this adventure, what are some things you wish you knew before you went? Things you wished you packed but didn't? Any pro tips or suggestions?

For background we are an active and adventurous couple in our 30s/40s and we are traveling with my somewhat less active/adventurous parents in their 60s/70s. We will arrive in Cape Town 2 days prior to the start of the ABD but in reality we will only have 1 full day since we land at 530pm.

 

[jimmymc]

A good camera is a must, with a nice zoom lens. You can rent these if you don't already have one or want to spend a lot of money buying one.

 

[disruptor32]

A good camera is a must, with a nice zoom lens. You can rent these if you don't already have one or want to spend a lot of money buying one.

I should have added - yes, I do have a nice camera and lens!

 

[cedricandsophie]

If you’re not going to Robbin Island with ABD be sure to get there. It’s a great experience

I haven’t been on an ABD tour but I’ve been to Africa twice. Bring bug spray of course. and sunscreen. A good hat. You will want clean clothes for dinner so pack accordingly

If you are visiting any villages, consider bringing pencils, erasers, markers, for school children.

If you are offered access to a sunrise balloon ride (which is very expensive) don’t hesitate. It’s worth every penny. Same with early morning bird watching or nighttime drives.

Be aware the Game drives take several hours. Plan bathroom breaks accordingly.

The first time in Africa I took a fancy camera. The second time I just had my iPhone. Frankly I couldn’t tell the difference in photos. And the phone is much easier. Be sure to bring a portable charger for use on the game drives.

I don’t think you get to Victoria falls or Tanzania. If not, after you fall in love with Africa, go back on a diffrrrvt tour. We did our last Africa trip on AmaWsterways which included a 4 night cruise on the Chobe River, Victoria Falls, and 7 nights in Tanzania which included the ngorongoro crater and part of the migration.

 

[WeLoveABD]

If you’re not going to Robbin Island with ABD be sure to get there. It’s a great experience

I haven’t been on an ABD tour but I’ve been to Africa twice. Bring bug spray of course. and sunscreen. A good hat. You will want clean clothes for dinner so pack accordingly

If you are visiting any villages, consider bringing pencils, erasers, markers, for school children.

If you are offered access to a sunrise balloon ride (which is very expensive) don’t hesitate. It’s worth every penny. Same with early morning bird watching or nighttime drives.

Be aware the Game drives take several hours. Plan bathroom breaks accordingly.

The first time in Africa I took a fancy camera. The second time I just had my iPhone. Frankly I couldn’t tell the difference in photos. And the phone is much easier. Be sure to bring a portable charger for use on the game drives.

I don’t think you get to Victoria falls or Tanzania. If not, after you fall in love with Africa, go back on a diffrrrvt tour. We did our last Africa trip on AmaWsterways which included a 4 night cruise on the Chobe River, Victoria Falls, and 7 nights in Tanzania which included the ngorongoro crater and part of the migration.

Agree re Robbin Island-- we did BTB Africa tours last year with Tauck, and I only used my Galaxy 20 phone camera, and was very happy with the results. Our trips were South Africa (starting in Cape Town, and including safaris and Victoria Falls) and then Tanzania, which was almost all safari but including a hot air balloon over the Serenghti and a couple of wonderful nights on Zanzabar). Generally we did pre-breakfast safaris in open jeeps and afternoon to early evening safaris which included sunset sundowners-- and yup, use the restroom before each ride.(in Tanzania we were in a larger vehicle with a pop up roof). We had a few bush walks, too. Follow the instructions re night movement-- use escorts from dinner to lodgings. Bring good bug spray or lotion. And good walking shoes, long pants, long sleeved shirts, hat. This was our first time in lower Africa, and it was fantastic, educational and sometimes sobering. We frequently travel with ABD, but these two Tauck trips lined up so we went that route. The ABD trip looks great, you'll love it!

 

[Grifdog22]

Say Hello to Craig Ziman from the Griffins 2011. He is one of the best local guides we ever met. He also arranged for me to do a bush walk at Kapama while most people were enjoying the location...as long as I promised not to tell. Well, 13 years later I think I can tell - and it was fantastic (no extra charge BTW).

 

[rtravels]

Hi! We went on the South Africa ABD in Feb (this was our first ABD).

My tip would be to understand how busy and exhausting the trip is. There is very little free time built in to the itinerary. You often start very early in the morning and aren't finished until late at night. Also, almost all of your meals are with the group. We ended up taking a day off in the middle of the trip and stayed at the hotel all day (this was the second day in Knysna).

It probably sounds tough to 'skip' some of the itinerary due to how much you are paying per day. I would argue it was necessary for us to really enjoy the hotel (Pezula). We got massages (very inexpensive compared to U.S. prices) and still enjoyed the included breakfast. We met up with the group again for dinner. If you do pick this day to 'take off', it perfectly revives you before you head to safari.

People don't talk a lot about the 'garden route' portion of the tour, but in our opinion it was the best hotel room of the trip and I'm glad we got to fully enjoy it for the day. By the way, if you do this--you miss out on the hike at the coast (which does look beautiful).

So, that's my tip. Take a one day break.

 

[disruptor32]

Hi! We went on the South Africa ABD in Feb (this was our first ABD).

My tip would be to understand how busy and exhausting the trip is. There is very little free time built in to the itinerary. You often start very early in the morning and aren't finished until late at night. Also, almost all of your meals are with the group. We ended up taking a day off in the middle of the trip and stayed at the hotel all day (this was the second day in Knysna).

It probably sounds tough to 'skip' some of the itinerary due to how much you are paying per day. I would argue it was necessary for us to really enjoy the hotel (Pezula). We got massages (very inexpensive compared to U.S. prices) and still enjoyed the included breakfast. We met up with the group again for dinner. If you do pick this day to 'take off', it perfectly revives you before you head to safari.

People don't talk a lot about the 'garden route' portion of the tour, but in our opinion it was the best hotel room of the trip and I'm glad we got to fully enjoy it for the day. By the way, if you do this--you miss out on the hike at the coast (which does look beautiful).

So, that's my tip. Take a one day break.

This is a good tip. In vacations, as in yoga, "listen to your body". I personally prefer a very active and busy vacation. A hike along the coast sounds beautiful!

 

[mathgeek]

The one thing I wished I had packed was a pair of binoculars. There were a couple of instances on the game drives when they would have been helpful. (I remembered them for the Amazon River Escape and am sooo glad I did.) I also wished I'd had a better pair of hiking shoes with me, especially for the day at Featherbed Nature Reserve. But other days I was glad to have older shoes b/c we walked through a lot of mud at Jukani and Eagle Encounters (which doesn't seem to be on the itinerary anymore?).

Make sure to have bug spray. I used it a lot on this trip, especially at Kapama.

Kapama offers spa treatments. This was one thing I did end up taking advantage of on the first full day there. It was an extra cost, but so much more reasonable then here in the states. One thing I wish I'd known was that I could've had my lunch at the spa and didn't need to rush through it to get to my appointment.

And watch Penguin Town on Netflix to get a preview of the penguins at Boulders Beach.

Enjoy it! Even after doing Amazon & Galapagos, this one still ranks as #2 on my ABD list (Egypt #1).