Oak Village, Stellenbosch

Oak Village has quickly become a favourite amongst our clients.

Centrally located in Stellenbosch, within short walking distance to several restaurants, café's, shops etc, makes this the perfect base for your stay in the winelands. Apart from B&B rooms, they also offer Self Catering accommodation for families or smaller groups of people travelling together.

Price: R455 per person/night B&B

Affordable Safari in Addo area

If you're looking for reasonably priced Safari in combination with your Garden Route holiday, have a look at Schotia Safaris.

Stay on their 2 night package which includes accommodation, meals and game drives för only R3300 per person, or if you're staying at one of the Guesthouses or B&B's in the area, go on Schotia's Day safari.

They will pick you up from your Guesthouse and take you on a morning drive through Addo National Park. Have some lunch and then continue onto their own private reserve for an afternoon game drive. Finish off the day with a boma dinner. R1320 per person.

If you're doing their 2-night package, you can include a transfer from and back to Port Elizabeth for only an extra R200.

Schotia definitely has the best "value for money" safari!

For bookings: Contact us on: info@travelsouthafrica.se

Beluga House- Hermanus

The winter in South Africa is slowly coming to its end and this is the time when people from all over the world will travel to a the little town of Hermanus, approx 1.5 hrs from Cape Town.

Hermanus is known to have some of the world's best landbased whalewatching and the world's only whale crier.

They even have their own Whale festival in Sep every year, an event visited by more than 100 000 people!

The whale season normally begins sometime in August and ends in November and it's the Southern Right Whale which is most frequent in the False Bay area.

Hermanus is a nice spot all year around and a really nice guesthouse is: Beluga House.

Perfect location and outstanding service makes this a perfect stop on a weekend getaway or on your way to garden route.

Price: R430 per person sharing incl breakfast.

Rustenbosch Guesthouse

A nice modern Guesthouse in the heart of Winelands and Stellenbosch.

Located in a lush, quiet area across from the University campus and approx 10 min walk from the town centre with all the popular restaurants, bars and quaint little cafés.

Rustenbosch offers B&B rooms as well as self catering apartments and is a perfect base while exploring the beautiful

winelands.

Price: B&B from R425 per person/sharing

Self Catering: From R390 per person/sharing.

Cape St Francis- A hidden gem in South Africa

Unspoilt beaches and total tranquility.

That's Cape St Francis for me.

This area is a somewhat hidden gem at the end of Garden Route and the perfect place to stop before heading for Safari in Addo, or maybe as your first stop if flying into Port Elizabeth.

Cape St Francis Resort offers several types of accommodation to cater for all budgets.

All units are equipped for self catering but B&B can be included in the rate.

Their 3-star Club units are rustic but spacious with easy access to several communal pools and the restaurant.

Village Break is the 4-star option consisting of traditional Cape Dutch s

tyle thatched cottages. The cottages vary in size from two to five-bedrooms each and most bedrooms are ensuite.

For small groups or bigger families, I definitely recommend the more luxurious option of Beach Break.

These villas are located right by the beach with total privacy and their own swimmingpool and are fully equipped for a relaxing holiday.

The area offers beautiful beach walks, hikes, fishing and with St Francis links golf course being a mere 10 min drive away, it's a perfect golf destination.

Spend an entire week in the area and take daytrips to places such as Addo National Park, Port Elizabeth, Jeffreys Bay, Tsitsikamma National park and much more.

Quite simply, if you want to get off the beaten track and explore the natural beauty of Eastern Cape, look no further.

Rates at Cape St Francis resort start from R465 per person incl breakfast in a club unit.

Tickets for the World Cup in South Africa

With only 19 days left until the BIG EVENT coming to S.A, we are receiving a lot of inquiries for tickets to the World Cup 2010.

We work with a reputable, official FIFA agent and all tickets are personal with the buyers name on them.

Contact one of our tour consultants on: info@travelsouthafrica.se and we'll help you find tickets for the match you're looking for.

Travel South Africa also specializes in accommodation, car-hire, safari, shark cage diving, wine tours and much more!

Guesthouses in Cape Town

Cape Town has tons of hotels, B&B, Guesthouses and hostels to choose from as well as holiday houses and self catering places. It really all just depends on your budget.

We often recommend Guesthouses and B&B's instead of hotels because it gives the traveller more of a personal, intimate experience, for the same price as a hotel.

Here is a list of our favourites and if you want us to put together an itinerary for your South Africa trip, please contact us on:

info@travelsouthafrica.se

Villa Cape Adventures: This small guesthouse is centrally located in Tamboerskloof close to an array of restaurants and attractions. Price: R395 per person sharing B&B

Dunkley House- Contemporary Boutique Guesthouse also centrally located in a quiet area of the City Bowl. Price: R425 per person sharing B&B

Brenwin Guesthouse: Cozy Guesthouse in the trendy area of Green Point. Located on a quiet road within walking distance of Waterfront and Green Point restaurants. Price: R520 per person sharing B&B

Antrim Villa & Bickley House - Two Designer Guesthouses located in Three Anchor Bay and Sea Point. Fair Trade certified. Price: R550 per person sharing B&B

4 On Varneys- Another Green Point property with a contemporary style. Price R550 per person sharing B&B

Cape Peninsula Restaurants

My top favourite restaurant on the peninsula must be Just Sushi in Simon's Town.

Mainly because I used to live in the area for several years and they know my order and have a cold black label waiting for me, but also because the sushi is exactly the way I like it.

As the name of the restaurant suggests, they only serve sushi but are more than happy to help you order from one of the close-by restaurants if needed. They are closed on Tuesdays and being quite a small place, one needs to make a booking to avoid dissapointment.

Another favourite is Harbour House in Kalk Bay. Not so much for the food or service as it in my opinion is a bit overpriced, but the setting and ambiance makes up for it. The restaurant is built on the edge of the small harbour and it's a real nice experience to dine while the big waves hit the building. During Sep-Nov there is also a big chance of spotting southern right wales only metres from your table :)

If you're stopping in Kalk Bay during the day, a nice little place for a quick bite is the new waffle place next to the very popular Olympia Café.

For steaklovers, a visit to Rioja at Solole Game reserve is a must and for a quick pizza with one of the best sunsets ever, head to The Red Herring in Noordhoek. Other restaurants in Noordhoek are found in the village and include: The Toad in the village, the Food Barn and Cafe Roux.

More restaurants to visit:

Brass Bell

Cape to Cuba

Fish

Polana

Monkeyvalley Resort

Bertha's

Meeting place

Imhoff Farm

Affordable Safari in South Africa

Looking for a relatively cheap safari option? Our recommendation would be Schotia Safaris in Eastern cape.

Finish off your trip along Garden Route with a 2 night safari package including accommodation, game drives and meals for only R3300.00 per person.

Schotia is one of the oldest private game reserves in the area and known for their large number of lions. The 2 day package includes game drives not only in Schotia Private Game Reserve, but also a day trip to Addo National Park, famous for its elephants.

The sleeping arrangements at Schotia are fairly simple but absolutely fine for those on a budget and the safari is just as good here, as in any of the luxury safari lodges.

Transfers from Port Elizabeth can also be arranged so flying from Cape Town to P.E for a "safari get away" is also an option.

Contact one of our tour consultants for more information on Schotia or any other Safari option.

Different Township Tour

Soweto is probably one of the best known townships in South Africa and definitely worth a visit while in Johannesburg so one can get an understanding of how the majority of people actually live in South Africa.
Most people probably think it might be dangerous to visit these areas but if you choose a reputable company or private guide, you will have an experience that will stay with you for a long time. People are extremely friendly and hospitable, opening up their homes and showing you around.

A different way of doing it is to go by bike. Check out: Soweto Bicycle Tours a fun and eco-friendly way of exploring the streets of Soweto.
Visit Mandela's former home, the Hector Pieterson Memorial, a local shabeen and much more!

Contact us for more information on this tour as well as other township tours throughout the country.

Holiday houses in Cape Town w surroundings

For those of you travelling to South Africa with the whole family or in a smaller group, renting a holiday house for a week or two, might turn out to be the best option.

Travel South Africa has an extensive database of houses in and around Cape Town at rates starting from R1500 per night.

Popular areas are Camps bay and city centre, but also Cape Peninsula with towns such as Fishhoek, Simon's Town, Noordhoek and Kalk Bay are becoming more and more popular. Gordons Bay is another nice spot.

So simply send us an email with the dates, how many bedrooms and preferably what area you're looking for and we will help you find the most suitable house for you- All at no extra cost.

We also offer a range of Self-catering options in cottages or apartments suitable for 2 or more.

Contact us at: info@travelsouthafrica.se and one of our tour consultants will get back to you within 24 hours.

Joubert Tradauw- small gem in the karoo

I am currently on tour in South Africa guiding a group and one of our stops today was at one of my favourite boutique wineries in the karoo along R62: Joubert Tradauw

Meyer, the winemaker greeted us warmly and after Meyer had done his informal, yet very informative winetasting, we all sat down in the garden for lunch. Us being such a big group and the farm being a small family-run place, we had organized with Beata, Meyer's wife, to serve up a fantastic buffet with organic foods and fresh salads from the area. A big hit with the group and I recommend this little gem not only to groups, but also the independent traveller.

They are currently in the process of adding on a bit of a gallery to the tasting room with works of some really fine artists from the area and I believe Meyer and Beata really has something unique to offer.
For the wines: My favourite would be the Syrah.

Joubert Tradauw is a few kilometers before Barrydale coming from Worcester and Montagu or a few km after Barrydale if you are travelling from Oudtshoorn.

Vinehopper

If you are planning a few days in the Stellenbosch area for some winetasting, use the Vinehopper to take you around.

This is a hop on, hop off bus which stops at some great wineries such as Spier, Beyerskloof, Simonsig, Kleine Zalze and many more!

The ticket costs R170 per day (winetastings not included). There are 2 different routes to choose from depending on the day of the week and they even collect you from your Guesthouse if required :)

Contact us for more information or buy tickets at the Adventure centre on 36 Market Street, Stellenbosch.

Kruger Safari Package

For those of you who'd like a safari package with transfers to Kruger from Johannesburg should check out Thornhill Safari Lodge
This lodge is located within the greater Kruger Park with game drives in Thornybush Private Game reserve as well as Kruger.

You can choose from several different packages such as 2, 3 or 4 nights...as well as an adventure package in a tented camp.

A 4-Day package which includes transfers, accommodation, game drives, guided walks and most meals, is a mere R4980.00 per person.

If you're driving there yourselves the nightly rate is approx R1020.00 per person and this includes 2 game drives, breakfast, high tea, bushveld dinner.

If you're planning a trip to South Africa, contact us and we'll put together a well planned itinerary with our favourite lodges, guest houses and B&B's- At no extra cost.

info@travelsouthafrica.se