Sometimes we are happy to receive some help from locals and local agencies when organising a holiday. For South Africa this was certainly the best thing we could have done!
Thank you Sandra Claassen from Elela Africa for making our holiday dreamlike! Your service is outstanding and the best we ever experienced!
For people curious about a holiday in South Africa, or interressted in a Holiday Ranger Experience we recommend to contact Elela Africa and you will have an unforgetable time. Service available in German & English. 😉👍
See website for further info:(http://www.elelaafrica.com).
Information on South Africa (Sept' 2018):
Visa
For German passport holders no visa is required for a stay up to 90 days. However, always check for up to date information with the country related embassy when organising your trip. Also, check
if yellow fever certificate is required. In some countries you will not be allowed to enter the country without this certificate of immunisation.
Currency
South African Rand (ZAR). When we travelled (2018) the exchange rate (Euro) was great and everything comparably cheap and high quality (food/accomodation).
Language
Mainly spoken besides dialects and indigenous languages: English and Afrikaans.
Driving
Left-hand side. 60 km/h on a public road within an urban area.100 km/h on public road outside an urban area which is not a freeway. 120 km/h on freeways.
Driving is not an issue at all and we loved to drive around with our rented car.
Wifi
Wifi is available in/from Cape Town along the Garden Route. We never had issues. Nearly everywhere free Wifi was offered.
Safety
We felt safe in Cape Town and along the Garden Route. However, South Africa still has a high crime rate (2018). The government seems to put a lot of effort into handling this issue with security
guards standing around on nearly every corner. Even at car parks safety guards will safeguard your car for free. Vans with information on safety measures taken, or on how to keep safe, as well as
the provision of numbers to call in case of safety issues can be seen in Cape Town.
Once a begger asked for money in Cape Town. A safety guard came straight to us and asked the begger to leave. Even when walking along the Cliff Path in Hermanus, security guards were walking
around. To us the large number of security guards nearly everywhere to be seen did not feel intimidating. It rather looked like the government creates jobs besides fighting high crime
rates.
The advice not to walk around on ones own (especially for women) when going for hikes and walks in remote areas should be taken seriously though!
Mosquitos
No mosquitos experienced along the southern coast of South Africa in September. However, it is always important to ask your GP for advise in regards to immunisation and recommended travel
medication.
Additional Info
South Africa struggles with water shortage and most taps are locked at attractions and even the airport, which means no running water in toilets. Hand-sanatizer is available.
Accomodation
Camps Bay South Beach Hotel was just amazing. The location is awesome right at the beach front. A nice promenade with restaurants & cafes invites for a walk and leisurely coffee.
Laundry facilities, free wifi and parking is available. The interior of each apartment is excellent, including a kitchenette. The fridge is filled with breakfast items every day, so breakfast can
be prepared on own every morning.
The hotel is located in Camps Bay about 15 minutes drive from Cape Town Centre and 5 minutes drive up to the Table Mountain base station.
Hotel staff was smiley, helpful and professional. Can definately recommend it!
The Hermanus Beach Villa is a beautiful guest house located by the beach. From the balcony we could watch the whales playing around in the water, which was simlpy amazing (needs to be
whale season). The Cliff Path that runs for 11km along the beach is just behind the house.
Breakfast is served daily with everything to choose from. Egg dishes are prepared freshly. A free transfer to town and back is offered every evening for those who do not want to drive to town
center for dinner. The accomodation staff is friendly and helpful and will arrange activities and restaurant bookings for free. A WhatsApp message with information was sent to us a day ahead,
which we found very nice!
Eco Camp Gondwana National Park (www.elelaafrica.com)
Surely, one of the most beautiful places we stayed during our trip! Clamping in comfortable tents with ensuite in the middle of nowhere surrounded by stunning nature, peace, quietness and a sense
of adventure! Bonfires at night, a pool and yummy food outdoors that is prepared with love by the wonderful cook Abu. In the morning yummy breakfast including muesli, yoghurt, milk, eggs and
toast before heading out on amazing game drives to see lions, elephants, rhinos, zebras, giraffes and co and also to help a little with conservation work like research, analysing water, counting
animals, cutting trees etc.
The guides/rangers Brandon and Stevie are very special and passionate people! A ranger experience that is so much fun and makes so much wiser. Possible for 3, 5 and 12 nights. For more
information and great organisational support:
www.elelaafrica.com.
The Ocean View in Wilderness is stunning and right at the beach. We rented the penthouse suite for 3 nights, which was amazing. Especially our huge balcony overlooking the ocean made us kind of speechless. Breakfast was mega yummy with some nice omlette variations and everything else someone would enjoy for breakfast. It also took a few steps to get down to one of the most beautiful beaches for a walk. The owners were very helpful and nice! Highly recommendable to beach lovers! A place to feel at home!
The Plume guest house in Oudtshoorne is a great and nostagic gateway to go on a meercat adventure for sunrise. It is also a nice place to learn a little about ostriches.
The colonial design put us back in time! The staff was friendly, but also a bit awkward too, which kind of confused us, but also put a smile on our faces. Well, the lady who welcomed us
introduced herself 3 times (maybe she has a twin sister) and talked to us as if we were like prince and princess the entire time. We actually were thinking about telling her that she can relax,
it is just us 😂Nevermind, overall a nice place.
For those who want to enjoy an ostrich steak the buffet dinner for 295 Rand is an option. To us the steak tasted nice.
The Fraai Uizicht in the Robertson Valley is located in a beautiful vinyard setting. Dinner and breakfast are super delicious and highly recommendable! The
Garden Suite was beautiful and the owner's 3 dogs that said hello and asked for a cuttle once in a while are mega sweet and peaceful. For us animal lovers always an addition to make us even
happier 😉
The sky at night was amazing with bright and shiny stars and the milky way to be seen clearly and stunningly.
It is a very peaceful and relaxing place that we enjoyed on our last evening in South Africa very much. Oh and the Fraai Uizicht Grenache Rose wine was very yummy.
Food
European, African, American, Asian everything is offered and mainly good quality food and surely some nice wines.
Restaurants recommended:
The Mantra in Camps Bay near Cape
Town (mainly salads, seaffod, burger, pizza, pasta).
V&A Food Market at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town (foodcourt with a large variety of locally, fresh produced food, which is a real delight for a quick bite).
Marina Wharf in Hout Bay close to Cape Town (mainly seafood).
Chard in Hermanus (mainly steak, some fish and burger dishes).
Lemon Butta in Hermanus offers fish dishes and also absomutely yummy sushi 😋
Bientang's Cave for lunch in Hermanus (seafood, salads, burger).
The Girl's On The Square in Wilderness offers yummy fish dishes, local steaks, curries, salads and an amazing chocolate fondant😍😉
The Plume restaurant in Oudtshoorne for an ostrich buffet dinner is recommendable.
The Fraai Uizicht Restaurant in the Robertson Valley for dinner is highly recommendable. Very yummy food and a very relaxing environment, as well as lovely service.
A milkshake stop at the Diesel and Creme/Karoo Moon Motel along the beautiful Route 62 in Barrydale is a Must for milkshake lovers, or anyone wanting to try a supreme, deluxe milkshake. We loved it. Thomas had the belgian chocolate one that really filled him up. I loved the espresso shot milkshake. But there is also nutella, cookies&cream, strawberry cheesecake and and and. We would have loved to try the others too, but one really was enough and so worth the short energising stop.
Our favorite Activites:
1. Ranger Experience in the Eco Camp in the Gondwana National Park
(www.elelaafrica.com)
👉 See pics below 😉
2. Meercat adventure in Oudtshoorne
3. Watching whales from the coast along the Cliff Paths in Hermanus.
4. A beachwalk and stay in Wilderness along the Garden Route is highly recommendable to relax.
6. Drive to the Cape of Good Hopes and the Chapman Peak Drive.
7. Penguins at Boulders Beach when driving to the Cape of Good Hopes. No need to pay entrance fee. Just go for the boardwalk.
8. Having fun with the farm ostriches at the Plume Hotel in Oudtshoorne.
9. Any of the senic drives along the Garden route.
Additional: Surely interressting but due to strong rain we could not do it: Table Mountain Hike.
And here are some impressions of South Africa 😁😉💑.
Scroll down for stunning pics from the 5 nights as holiday rangers in the Eco Camp in the Gondwana National Park with Brandon and Stevie 😊👍💖
(www.elelaafrica.com).
Ranger Experience/Eco Camp
Gondwana National Park
The Mekis
® All rights reserved