Trip Report - Vic Falls, CapeTown and SSGR
Mar 30th, 2007, 06:22 PM
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Trip Report - Vic Falls, CapeTown and SSGR
Thanks to all of you here at the Fodors Africa board for the help/information while we were planning our first trip to S Africa. The trip was spectacular – but hopefully not once in a lifetime! Thought I’d post a TR with some highlights and pix.
1st stop was Victoria Falls. We left Newark and arrived in Livingstone, Zambia 2 stops and 35 hours later. We stayed at the Zambezi Sun, which is a quick walk from the Falls. The room was small, but cheerfully decorated and immaculate. The ZS is big and resort-y, the grounds were nice and there was a small herd of zebra, 2 giraffes and countless vervet monkeys wandering about. They’re big on mosquito prevention and we didn’t get a single bite, even though my hubby is a mosquito magnet.
The falls on the Zambia side were in full flow and amazing to see. We got SOAKED from the spray. They sell plastic ponchos at the entrance but you may want to bring a plastic bag for your camera equipment (had an Olympus stylus 720 as a back up for this trip. It is waterproof and did great). We coordinated side trips with the hotel’s activities desk (excursion prices were reasonable) and did a kayak trip on the upper Zambezi. We were able to see some tremendous birdlife and a number of hippos – no crocs thankfully. DH did a microlight flight over the falls which he enjoyed immensely. We also took a taxi over to Zimbabwe. The falls on the Zim side were a bit different, but just as beautiful. Interesting wildlife sightings included our first baboons and dung beetles. The second may seem a bit odd to note but it was fascinating watching these little critters. We stopped at the Vic Falls hotel. DH had been there many years ago and thought they’d kept it up really well. There was a terrific thunderstorm so we decided to stay for tea – which was really good. It didn’t seem to be too crowded – it’s a shame that the political situation there has impacted tourism so badly.
We really enjoyed our stay – but a fair review should mention the few drawbacks to the Zambezi Sun. The food is mediocre at best, and overpriced. The dinner buffet was US$35 pp, and a bottle of wine $60. You could get sandwiches/burgers at the outdoor restaurant/pool bar, but they weren’t very good either. Due to location, dining options are very limited. We tried two meals at the sister property that shares the grounds – Royal Livingstone. It is much more upscale but the dinner entrees were less than the buffet cost. Food was still average at best – but very pretty setting. We got a great rate of approx US$100 per night for our stay. I think if we’d paid the $400 per night currently cited on TripAdvisor, we’d have been very disappointed.
Wow – just realized I’ve written 4 paragraphs on the first 3 days. Here are some pics.
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=...&y=-jo4grs
I’ll break this into separate posts to keep it read-able. Next stop Cape Town.
1st stop was Victoria Falls. We left Newark and arrived in Livingstone, Zambia 2 stops and 35 hours later. We stayed at the Zambezi Sun, which is a quick walk from the Falls. The room was small, but cheerfully decorated and immaculate. The ZS is big and resort-y, the grounds were nice and there was a small herd of zebra, 2 giraffes and countless vervet monkeys wandering about. They’re big on mosquito prevention and we didn’t get a single bite, even though my hubby is a mosquito magnet.
The falls on the Zambia side were in full flow and amazing to see. We got SOAKED from the spray. They sell plastic ponchos at the entrance but you may want to bring a plastic bag for your camera equipment (had an Olympus stylus 720 as a back up for this trip. It is waterproof and did great). We coordinated side trips with the hotel’s activities desk (excursion prices were reasonable) and did a kayak trip on the upper Zambezi. We were able to see some tremendous birdlife and a number of hippos – no crocs thankfully. DH did a microlight flight over the falls which he enjoyed immensely. We also took a taxi over to Zimbabwe. The falls on the Zim side were a bit different, but just as beautiful. Interesting wildlife sightings included our first baboons and dung beetles. The second may seem a bit odd to note but it was fascinating watching these little critters. We stopped at the Vic Falls hotel. DH had been there many years ago and thought they’d kept it up really well. There was a terrific thunderstorm so we decided to stay for tea – which was really good. It didn’t seem to be too crowded – it’s a shame that the political situation there has impacted tourism so badly.
We really enjoyed our stay – but a fair review should mention the few drawbacks to the Zambezi Sun. The food is mediocre at best, and overpriced. The dinner buffet was US$35 pp, and a bottle of wine $60. You could get sandwiches/burgers at the outdoor restaurant/pool bar, but they weren’t very good either. Due to location, dining options are very limited. We tried two meals at the sister property that shares the grounds – Royal Livingstone. It is much more upscale but the dinner entrees were less than the buffet cost. Food was still average at best – but very pretty setting. We got a great rate of approx US$100 per night for our stay. I think if we’d paid the $400 per night currently cited on TripAdvisor, we’d have been very disappointed.
Wow – just realized I’ve written 4 paragraphs on the first 3 days. Here are some pics.
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=...&y=-jo4grs
I’ll break this into separate posts to keep it read-able. Next stop Cape Town.
Mar 30th, 2007, 06:34 PM
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Off to Cape Town! We arrived at the airport, picked up our car and headed into the city. First impression – this place is beautiful. Seeing Table Mountain for the first time at sunset was incredible! Second impression – Capetonians sure do drive fast, and a bit crazy on the highway. After one wrong turn which took us along the waterfront, we found our way up to the Gardens and the Hippo Boutique Hotel on Park Road. We loved the Hippo and it was perfect for our 5 night stay. The rooms were big and included a fridge and microwave (plenty of shops nearby to stock up on snacks, water etc). They also have a PC in every room with free high speed internet access and off-street parking. It’s located just off Kloof Street and within walking distance to some great restaurants. Staff were friendly and very helpful with suggestions, directions, reservations etc.
We fell in love with Cape Town and the surrounding area and 5 nights certainly wasn’t enough. There is so much to do and we definitely plan to return. What we did manage to see-
Table Mountain – took the cable car up, views really exceeded photos and expectations. If you’re only visiting for a few days, go up the first chance you get. The car was closed on our first two attempts (due to high winds I think). Mid day is really crowded. Go early, or late and enjoy a drink at the top at sunset!
Winelands – We explored the area around Stellenbosch (only 30 – 40 minutes from Cape Town). The town is neat and it was interesting trying to translate all of the signs from Afrikaans. Blauklippen and Rust en Vrede were gorgeous. We loved the Cape Dutch Architecture and lunch at Blauklippen was very good. The facilities at Asara were newer and not as charming – but their merlot was our favorite discovery of the trip. We also visited Spier, which is a bit more touristy, but well worth the trip. The grounds are very pretty, and they have a great deli where you can grab a quick snack or picnic to eat by the pond. Their restaurant Moyo was wonderful for dinner. It’s buffet style and you can sample a huge variety of traditional African foods, all wonderfully prepared. They also host a Cheetah preserve and you can view the cheetahs for free, or for a fee you can enter and pet an adult or visit with a group of juvenile cheetahs. The cheetahs are used as ambassadors in outreach programs. I felt completely ignorant that I didn’t realize they were endangered and down to worldwide population of approx 10k, mainly due to loss of habitat.
Cape Point/Cape of Good Hope – The entire drive down the peninsula should be deemed a scenic outlook. Around every turn, the views are breathtaking. The ride down the Atlantic coast was smooth. If you’re in a time crunch, on the False Bay side the roads were more congested (summer Saturday in beach towns – go figure). Cape Point was very cool – and very windy. Watching the pounding surf and waves out at a distance, you can see where this area presented some problems for sailors. The funicular wasn’t running at the point, so we had to hike up. Noticed a few folks struggling a bit with the climb up – it might be a challenge for those with achy knees. We drove around the park a bit – saw a few ostriches but not much else. Tried the ocean at Buffels Bay -------frrrriiiggid.
Boulders Beach on False Bay – the penguins are soooo cute. My favorite part was listening to everyone around us babbling in so many different languages about the penguins.
We fell in love with Cape Town and the surrounding area and 5 nights certainly wasn’t enough. There is so much to do and we definitely plan to return. What we did manage to see-
Table Mountain – took the cable car up, views really exceeded photos and expectations. If you’re only visiting for a few days, go up the first chance you get. The car was closed on our first two attempts (due to high winds I think). Mid day is really crowded. Go early, or late and enjoy a drink at the top at sunset!
Winelands – We explored the area around Stellenbosch (only 30 – 40 minutes from Cape Town). The town is neat and it was interesting trying to translate all of the signs from Afrikaans. Blauklippen and Rust en Vrede were gorgeous. We loved the Cape Dutch Architecture and lunch at Blauklippen was very good. The facilities at Asara were newer and not as charming – but their merlot was our favorite discovery of the trip. We also visited Spier, which is a bit more touristy, but well worth the trip. The grounds are very pretty, and they have a great deli where you can grab a quick snack or picnic to eat by the pond. Their restaurant Moyo was wonderful for dinner. It’s buffet style and you can sample a huge variety of traditional African foods, all wonderfully prepared. They also host a Cheetah preserve and you can view the cheetahs for free, or for a fee you can enter and pet an adult or visit with a group of juvenile cheetahs. The cheetahs are used as ambassadors in outreach programs. I felt completely ignorant that I didn’t realize they were endangered and down to worldwide population of approx 10k, mainly due to loss of habitat.
Cape Point/Cape of Good Hope – The entire drive down the peninsula should be deemed a scenic outlook. Around every turn, the views are breathtaking. The ride down the Atlantic coast was smooth. If you’re in a time crunch, on the False Bay side the roads were more congested (summer Saturday in beach towns – go figure). Cape Point was very cool – and very windy. Watching the pounding surf and waves out at a distance, you can see where this area presented some problems for sailors. The funicular wasn’t running at the point, so we had to hike up. Noticed a few folks struggling a bit with the climb up – it might be a challenge for those with achy knees. We drove around the park a bit – saw a few ostriches but not much else. Tried the ocean at Buffels Bay -------frrrriiiggid.
Boulders Beach on False Bay – the penguins are soooo cute. My favorite part was listening to everyone around us babbling in so many different languages about the penguins.
Mar 30th, 2007, 06:37 PM
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Howdy ElleD - thanks for the start of your trip report. Is of particular interest to us as we have booked 3 night stay at Zambezi Sun (cost was a factor) interesting to note meals were mediocre and expensive. I think our booking is all inclusive so will have to eat there! Still - it is a base only to visit Mose oa Tunya!
I was wondering if DH could elaborate on the microlight flight - I am thinking (nervously) about adding this to my activities whilst there in August 2008 -we did a 15 minute Helicopter flight on our last trip and it was fantastic - but the micro-light appeals to me but very concerned that i would just freak out. Also I am a bit of a giant and wonder if the thing might just crash to the ground!
Your photos are really good, the water precluded us from taking snaps at the face of the falls - so your waterproof rig was perfect. Isn't the amount of water absolutely mind blowing? We were there in April 2005 just after peak flow - and your pics shows even more water than we saw.
Looking forward to Cape Town leg of your journey. What was your overall itinerary?
Cheers
Jude
I was wondering if DH could elaborate on the microlight flight - I am thinking (nervously) about adding this to my activities whilst there in August 2008 -we did a 15 minute Helicopter flight on our last trip and it was fantastic - but the micro-light appeals to me but very concerned that i would just freak out. Also I am a bit of a giant and wonder if the thing might just crash to the ground!
Your photos are really good, the water precluded us from taking snaps at the face of the falls - so your waterproof rig was perfect. Isn't the amount of water absolutely mind blowing? We were there in April 2005 just after peak flow - and your pics shows even more water than we saw.
Looking forward to Cape Town leg of your journey. What was your overall itinerary?
Cheers
Jude
Mar 30th, 2007, 07:01 PM
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Thanks Jude,
You will enjoy the Zambezi Sun – it is a great location for the falls. If you got a good rate and you’re going all inclusive, I wouldn’t worry about the food. It’s not horrible, just not good value for what they charge. We spent 3 nights in Livingstone, 5 nights in Cape Town and 4 nights in Sabi Sands.
DH would definitely recommend the microlight. He went up with an outfit called Batoka Sky and the flight lasted 25 minutes. It was thrilling and he thought the aircraft was pretty sturdy. It carries the pilot and a passenger. The activities desk can probably tell you if there are any size restrictions, but it was no problem for my husband and he is about 6 ft. Here are some pix
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=...1&y=nerwar
On with the TR. We LOVED CapeTown What a fantastic city - beautiful surroundings – historic - warm and friendly people - wonderful architecture – and the restaurants! We enjoyed great meals at Green’s and Rick’s Café both close to the Hippo. Also ate at Café Paradiso (mussels mariniere was divine) and Five Flies, which was exceptional! We stumbled through a movie set on Keroom Street on the way to Five Flies. There was a London double decker bus in the scene. I understand that Cape Town has a thriving film industry and it often stands in for other locations.
We thought cost for hotel, dining out, activities, etc was very reasonable when calculating in US$. One thing I’d like to emphasize – while researching this trip, I came across a few posts asking about safety in Cape Town. Just thought I’d mention that we walked all over, day and night. Also drove up and down the Cape. We never encountered any situation which would make us think twice. I’d recommend that anyone with concerns treat it like any other visit to a big city with which you’re not familiar. Know where you’re going and don’t be foolish. The nice thing about staying in the Gardens was that we had an opportunity to mingle with locals in many spots and we met some really great people.
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=...1&y=dbea73
Next stop – Sabi Sands Game Reserve. I'll probably post that tomorrow.
You will enjoy the Zambezi Sun – it is a great location for the falls. If you got a good rate and you’re going all inclusive, I wouldn’t worry about the food. It’s not horrible, just not good value for what they charge. We spent 3 nights in Livingstone, 5 nights in Cape Town and 4 nights in Sabi Sands.
DH would definitely recommend the microlight. He went up with an outfit called Batoka Sky and the flight lasted 25 minutes. It was thrilling and he thought the aircraft was pretty sturdy. It carries the pilot and a passenger. The activities desk can probably tell you if there are any size restrictions, but it was no problem for my husband and he is about 6 ft. Here are some pix
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=...1&y=nerwar
On with the TR. We LOVED CapeTown What a fantastic city - beautiful surroundings – historic - warm and friendly people - wonderful architecture – and the restaurants! We enjoyed great meals at Green’s and Rick’s Café both close to the Hippo. Also ate at Café Paradiso (mussels mariniere was divine) and Five Flies, which was exceptional! We stumbled through a movie set on Keroom Street on the way to Five Flies. There was a London double decker bus in the scene. I understand that Cape Town has a thriving film industry and it often stands in for other locations.
We thought cost for hotel, dining out, activities, etc was very reasonable when calculating in US$. One thing I’d like to emphasize – while researching this trip, I came across a few posts asking about safety in Cape Town. Just thought I’d mention that we walked all over, day and night. Also drove up and down the Cape. We never encountered any situation which would make us think twice. I’d recommend that anyone with concerns treat it like any other visit to a big city with which you’re not familiar. Know where you’re going and don’t be foolish. The nice thing about staying in the Gardens was that we had an opportunity to mingle with locals in many spots and we met some really great people.
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=...1&y=dbea73
Next stop – Sabi Sands Game Reserve. I'll probably post that tomorrow.
Mar 30th, 2007, 07:16 PM
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Thanks ElleD - I am 6'2" and weigh 16.5 stone - good to know the microlight felt safe to DH. Batoka Sky was the same company of the Heli flight we took.
Spiers winery/Cheetah preserve was mentioned a few days ago here too - I had just checked out their website because of the previous posting and am thinking of adding to our day trips out of Cape Town during our 2008 stay.
Good info too about safety, thanks. there has been some warnings posted here recently and it is good to hear your perspective.
Looking forward to Sabi Sands.
Spiers winery/Cheetah preserve was mentioned a few days ago here too - I had just checked out their website because of the previous posting and am thinking of adding to our day trips out of Cape Town during our 2008 stay.
Good info too about safety, thanks. there has been some warnings posted here recently and it is good to hear your perspective.
Looking forward to Sabi Sands.
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