Hi there~
I just learned about this travel talk forum from a friend who is a junkie and I am so excited learn more.
My husband and I just purchased a travel package on a whim for an African Safari and of course I have SEVERAL questions.
The package that we have purchased includes 7 days and 6 nights on the Zulu Nyala resort in South Africa. We get to chose between 3 of the lodges on the resort to stay in and when we want to travel. The package needs to be used before May of 2007. We were hoping to go sometime in the beginning of 2007 and to get us started I wanted to find out when you think would be the best time to travel to that part of Africa.

What do you mean by the beginning of 2007. Are you talking into the summer (US summer) or what? The dry season generally starts around the end of April sort of.

Eric

I think she said she needed to use if before May 2007 so I would assume she wants to know what months between Jan 2007 and May 2007 would be the best time to go. I would like to know as well what months through out the year are the best to go.

Hi, We went to South Africa in December. That time of year is their begining of summer. The weather was very nice. It rained one day, very sunny the rest. 70 - 80 degrees every day. End of summer in SA is the end of March. The weather is nice almost all year. April & May will still be warm, highs in the 80s day and 50s for the lows at night. Expect some rain from Mid May to July. Just remember this. South Africa is as far south of the Equator as Texas is north of the Equator. There is so much to see and do in South Africa. If you get the chance, go to Cape Town and down to the Cape.
www.steelmusichall.com/honeycat/html/
Greg

Greg thank you so very much for the response. That information really helps. So if I am reading what you are telling me right, we should try to plan our trip as close to the beginning of the year (i.e. January or February) to get the best weather? Where did you travel in South Africa? Have you heard of the Zula Nyala resort? Any feedback of the area?

Hi, If you go in January/February, that will be full summer there with very nice weather and little rain.

We flew into Cape Town to see the start of our new Catamaran being built. We also drove up north a little to a game reserve called "Aquila Game Reserve" It's not the biggest, but it was one of the closest. Yes I have heard of Zula Nyala resort, never been, but people said it was nice. We stayed across the beach about a mile south of Cape Town. Nothing is right on the beach as in Ocean front, it's not that kind of beach. There are many different kinds of beaches in SA, they are all very beautiful. I would recommend taking a tour of Cape Town. It's on an open double decker bus that travels all through the city. There is a host on the bus that tells you about the city. Go to the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, many shops, resturants and things to do. Go to Robben Island, it's where Nelson Mandella was held prisoner. Take the cable car to the top of Table Mountain, Great Views! We drove down to the cape along Victoria Drive, passing the Twelve Apostles and on to the "Cape of Good Hope" Very special place. Make sure you go to "Simon's Town" There are penguins there. In South Africa you will see many kinds of animals along the road, plenty of Baboons. We also drove east to Cape Agulhas. That's the southern most part of Africa. That's where the two Oceans meet. We didn't go to far north of Cape Town. We also heard don't go to Johansburg. Your car will be stolen with you in it. Food is very cheap. A great meal for two will be under $20, even under $15. You will get your receipt with 4 dufferent currencies on it. Rand, US$, Euros, and Pounds. US$ is used very much. We did find a cab guy that wouldn't take US$. My wife thought it was cool when she went to an ATM and punched in $100, and got back over $600. It was in Rand. I can go on and on here about South Africa. It's one of the best places in the world to go to. Many different cultures. We will go back sailing our boat some day.
www.steelmusichall.com/honeycat/html/
Greg

Greg thank you so very much for all of the information! And please do go on..... I would love to hear all that you have to tell about Africa. My husband and I are not frequent travelers. We have been to Mexico and Hawaii (both over 6 years ago) but never overseas to a different continent! This amazing offer to travel to Africa came up all of a sudden and we jumped on the opportunity. I was a little worried that we were going to go into this trip totally blind thus setting ourselves up for trouble, but even the little informaiton that you have offered so far has really helped to set my mind at ease. Like I mentioned in my original post, we have already purchased the package that includes our lodging, food and safari trips, but do you have any advise that could get me started on my search for airfare?

Hi again, You are very welcome, anything to help out. Airfare, Where are you flying from, and where do you want to fly too? Atlanta and JFK has direct flights (South African Airlines) to either Cape Town or Johannesburg depending on the departure day. 17 hours from JFK and 15 hours from Atlanta. We flew from Buffalo to Detroit(1hr) to Amsterdam (7hrs) to Cape Town (11hrs) 19 hrs total. I just booked Toronto to Trinidad the other day and I was on the computer for a week looking at fares. Do a search for Air fare to Cape Town, or something like Air Travel to South Africa. Just keep looking at what the rates are. Also try different days on departure and returns. (Eric and Carol Hill should pipe in hear and have some advise too). We went last December and it was about $1,288 each RT, North West Airlines. There's a travel guy in Philly that has good rates too, but I can't remember his name.

Are you scuba divers? South Africa has the #1 and #2 dive spots in the world to see Great White Sharks. I wanted to dive, but it wasn't the best time of year for that. Also there is good Whale watching off the coast in Cape Town, many sea lions too. Are you going to need a car? They all are right hand drive and stick shift, you drive on the left side of the road. Do not speed! They are tough on speeders. If you like sea-food, your in luck. SA is great for fish (sea-food) lovers, many resturants have great sea-food dishes. They call steaks "Rump" If a guy likes his steak as we call meat. He would say "I had a great peice of Rump" Really! Have some Rand currency with you, US$ will work good too. ATM is a good choice to get some Rand. We went to our bank to get Rand before we left, and the exchange rate was better out of the ATM over there. In a mall or a place where there are shops and such, they have everything we have here in the states. We were some what surprised that at times you would never even think your in South Africa. One thing I really noticed was the sun, moon and stars, they look different in the southern hemisphire. The water rotates in a different direction than here when it's going down the drain. There are so many different cultures in SA. Lots of tourist, all very friendly. On our last day, is when we finally ran into some Americans. Lots of British and Germans there, plus many others. You will have a great time. Cape Town is very safe and clean, www.steelmusichall.com/honeycat/html/
Greg

Where are you traveling from.

We ended up going by way of London. Actually glad we did in the long run vs the really long flight.

Our starting point for our travel will be Seattle, WA. Where we go from there I can only begin to imagine. Help?!?!?!?

I don't know much about traveling from the left coast. Do you have any non-stop flights to either London or Paris? You might go to either London or Paris and spend a day there, then do a non-stop from there to Joberg.

I think British Airways has a non-stop flight from Seattle to London Heathrow and then there is a non-stop flight from Heathrow to Johanesburg. Not a lot of fun but it'll get you there.
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Think that your best/cheapest options would be either direct to London/Paris or to NYC and then to either London or Paris.

Not sure that I would want to do a non stop from west coast to east coast and then a non stop from there to J'berg. That would be tough to say the least.

But it will add another day to the trip as a result. But if you are completely miserable for the trip then it might not be worth it --- that is why we did the London, spent the day, then the flight to J'berg from London. That really helped -- just the time change alone is major and we were already on the east coast.

If you are going to see animals you should go in the SA winter (June-August). The vegetation is thinner and you can see the animals, in the Summer the bush is often too think. It is also much cooler. The climate in the North is much different from Cape Town. Cape Town is more like San Diego and Jo-berg is more like Dallas's climate.

I don't know your specific lodge, but most are in the same area. Most have the same animals and the primary difference is accomodations. Often several lodges share one reserve.