This trip was nothing short of amazing, filled with unforgettable moments and experiences. We broke things down for you on what we LOVED about the trip, and what we would change if we were to go back tomorrow.

Overall note on Planning – we would HIGHLY recommend going through a travel group to help plan a trip to Africa. There are so many options to explore and moving pieces once you get there so working with a group made things so seamless and stress free. We took a family recommendation and used the team at Essential Africa and would definitely recommend them. We also met several other travelers who did their planning through &Beyond and also had a great experience.

Cape Town

What we loved:

• The Food! There are so many great finds in the city, and everything was so reasonably priced. Some of the best spots we found were:
  • CodFather Seafood & Sushi: This was a great local fish market style spot right on the water in Camps Bay . Guests choose fresh fish or shellfish from a display and have it expertly prepared just the way they like.
  • Fyn: This trendy spot in the city was a great excuse to get a little more dressed up. We had so much fun with the unique 8-course menu, trying new things that we had never heard of. The Ostrich egg chawanmushi and Miso Wagyu were *chef’s kiss*. Fun fact: Fyn was ranked #37 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, so definitely worth planning ahead and making reservations.
  • Oranjezicht Market at V&A Waterfront: We loved making this into a whole morning activity! There were great options for coffee, breakfast, lunch or even just a treat and some A+ people watching.
• The Activities
  • Hike Table Mountain: There are a ton of trails to choose from – our route took us up Platteklip Gorge, over the top of the mountain, and down Skeleton Gorge on the other side to end at the beautiful botanical gardens. If you’re looking for a more laid back option, check out the table mountain cable car or look into a hike up Lions Head.
  • Cape of Good Hope: This was a great day-trip activity. On the way down, we stopped to check out Hout Bay and Chapman’s Peak and on the way back had lunch at Harbour House with a post lunch stroll in Kalk Bay. The tour buses roll into Cape of Good Hope in the late morning, so go early to avoid the rush!
  • Stellenbosch Wine Region: We had a few recommendations to stay in Stellenbosch for a night or two, but for two people who are not particularly wine enthusiasts, this was a perfect day trip. We loved the views from Tokara Winery, and had a great lunch across the way at Graffe Estate.

What we would change:

• Extend our trip in Cape Town: There was so much to do in the city, we definitely could have spent a few more days there. If we had more time, we would have loved to do more hiking (maybe Lion’s Head for sunset), surfing, eating (maybe a meal at The Bungalow), or checking out more of the local beach towns.
• Accommodations: We chose to upgrade our Hotel to the Ellerman House because …~*hOneYmOoNiNg*~… but if we were to do it all over again, we’d ditch the fancy vibes and opt for a less expensive, but conveniently located Airbnb in the Clifton area or the hotel near the V&A Waterfront (like One&Only Cape Town or something similar).
• Guide: We had a guide for two of the days as part of our package through our travel group. Pros of a guide were that they helped with transportation and planning the day, and we got some awesome background & history of South Africa. There are some things that we think can be done without a guide (Table Mountain hike, Stellenbosch), so would recommend you think about what days on your trip a guide might be most helpful for.

Kruger National Park

What we loved:

• Tengile River Lodge: We LOVED this lodge in Kruger. If you’re looking to up your “WOW” factor, Tengile River Lodge is where it’s at. This place was like stepping into the pages of a luxury magazine, with its fresh and contemporary lodge. Situated right along the sand river, we practically had a front-row seat to the wildlife action right from our deck. From the moment we arrived, we were treated like VIP and every day had a fun and new experience. We’re talking boma dinner under the stars, bush breakfasts, magical sundowner drinks, and a romantic private dinner on our last night. We made sure to pack some books and playing cards for middle of the day down time.

What we would change:

• We met with several people who did a few different flavors of Safari on their Africa trip. Some did the Gorilla trek in Uganda, some did Botswana and the Okavango Delta tented camp, some did the savannahs of Kenya or Tanzania and saw a variety of animals that we didn’t see. The Safari was probably the most expensive part of our trip to Africa, but if we had unlimited funds and time, we would have loved to get a feel for some of these other areas.

Benguerra

What we loved:

• Being active after the Safari: During the safari, there is a lot of sitting/driving and a LOT of eating. We loved sandwiching that part of the trip with more active ends. We worked with our activity guide to fill our days with everything the island had to offer, from snorkeling to massages and even a private island castaway lunch. When it came to downtime on the island, we turned into the masters of creativity. We had ocean swing balancing games that would make Cirque du Soleil proud, held intense swim races where Michael Phelps would have been shaking in his Speedos, delved into the strategic world of mbao like seasoned Mancala masters, and challenged the locals to beach soccer matches that had Brian grinning from ear to ear – seriously, it was his highlight of the entire trip!

What we would change:

• In general, we could have spent less time on this leg of the trip, or if we had been pressed for time may have removed it. We have so many stunning beaches within a few hours of us at home, and most times the activities are similar from beach to beach. The island was small, so there Activities were limited, food was okay