Name: African Insight (Northbound)
Brand: Acacia Africa
SKU: N/A
Price: 1100 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.8 (1 reviews)

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South Africa Nature Tours & Packages Tour & Trip Reviews...

This trip is the best of the best with everything you need to know, see, do and hear to have a splendid, very informed time while in South Africa.

Cape Insights

South Africa: Archaeology Tour

Explore!

Exodus Adventure Travels

Culture Trip

G Adventures

Travel for All

ROW Adventures

Acacia Africa

Backroads

Grand Circle Travel

National Geographic Expeditions

andBeyond

Senior Discovery Tours

A thoroughly enjoyable trip!

This trip is pretty full on and many hours are spent on the bus, travelling 
from place to place. However, as the scenery is constantly changing this adds 
to the whole experience.

Whilst not as wildlife rich as some other countries I've visited it still had 
it's wonderful moments. I didn't expect to see so many hyena's, an animal 
which I've never understood the reaction of many people; that being "they're 
so ugly". I've always found them to be beautiful! Lions eluded us but we did 
manage to see a leopard and African painted dogs, which felt very lucky 
indeed. Also spotted two young male giraffes squaring up to each other and 
practice fighting. That also felt like a rare privilege to see.

If you want wide ranging experiences from a holiday this is definitely for 
you! I loved it!
Exploring the Drakensberg mountains, where we did a small walk.

I could very easily spend a whole week (or longer) in this one area alone. I 
actually felt this way many times during the trip so pinning down a single 
inspirational moment is an impossible task for me.

As South Africa is such a large country, this trip was always going to a 
taster for me. I will definitely return and hopefully spend more time in the 
areas I most liked.


Petro was a fantastic guide and was always there to help; full of 
information, particularly that of South Africa's history, ensures that you'll 
always find the longer journeys interesting.

I must also mention Joel, who was not only the driver but did many other jobs 
such as preparing the meals, particularly the braais (South African 
barbeque). We never went hungry! Even people who didn't like certain foods 
were catered for!

Both guides worked extremely hard and I often felt that especially after the 
long drives the group could easily have eaten out. This would have meant that 
the guides, after the long driving days, wouldn't have to cook for the group!


I travelled in August and underestimated how cold it was going to be, 
particularly in the coastal regions. I should have packed a couple more 
thicker jumpers and some thicker trousers too.


I highly recommend this trip if you want a fully rounded experience and 
something to give you a taste of this amazing country!

This trip has certainly renewed my faith in Exodus as previously I'd had a 
couple of very disappointing trips, which I learnt were run by another 
company, based in Tanzania. Trips in the Southern African countries (at least 
the ones I've been on) have been run by Mask; these encompass all the best 
trips I've ever done.

You'll not be disappointed!

A comprehensive and very enjoyable trip in this incredible country!

Johannesburg to Cape Town

I was so excited about this trip and was not disappointed as I thought it was 
outstanding. The pace was good, the scenery very varied, there were a lot of 
new experiences especially viewing the wildlife, and every day was different. 
The accommodation also varied but never disappointed. I loved the feeling 
that we were often away from the main tourist routes, even when we weren't,  
however there are a lot of long driving days with breaks to stretch our legs 
and take photos. The accommodation was very comfortable and every place we 
stayed was different, sometimes even with a fridge and kettle or occasionally 
a swimming pool. It was exciting arriving at each new place to explore what 
was special and different.
There were so many moments it is hard to pick one. I woke up in a tented camp 
one morning to loud birdsong and heard a rustling beside me. It was a pair of 
zebras grazing. Seeing a snake eat a huge toad was exciting, and seeing a 
family of hyenas on the road in the Kruger National Park. Later we saw a pair 
of lions mating. I also loved the penguin colony at Betty's Bay and the seals 
lying about by the fish market in Cape Town. The view from our cottage 
looking out of the Drakensberg Mountains was stunning as well, especially 
watching a storm brewing up and then clearing later.


We had two group leaders and they were both great. They had so much knowledge 
about everything, the wildlife, the scenery, things of interest, bits of 
history. They were so dependable and good to be with, making sure everything 
went smoothly for everyone and keeping us well informed about what was going 
to happen day by day.


There is a lot of travelling and I was pleased I had plenty of audiobooks so 
I could listen and look at the scenery at the same time. I was also glad I 
took my hiking shoes as some of the hikes were on rough ground and they were 
more sturdy in wet conditions too.


Our first bus broke down and we got a replacement that was a bit smaller. My 
legs are short but it wasn't fun for people with long legs sitting at the 
back.

I really liked the fact that most food was included because it was fun to eat 
together as a group and made budgeting much more straight forward.

What an amazing experience!  3 weeks, a lot of time spent on the bus 
traveling, but never boring, always stunning landscapes, often wonderful 
wildlife, and with the help of our excellent guides, who spotted and 
identified animals and birds and pointed them out to us, followed up by 
showing us them in their wildlife books.  The nights were spent in a large 
selection of hotels and cabins.  Some were rustic, no electricity, but always 
comfy and clean.  I was so impressed with the delicious food our guides 
cooked for us for dinners, accompodaring those who did not eat meat.  With 
limited facilities they produced plentiful and tasty meals.  I enjoyed the 
places we visited especially the organised hikes.  The only slight glitch, 
the safari that is included was in the van which would have been unacceptable 
so we had to pay for an additional trip in an appropriate vehicle.  I would 
have liked a few moe healthy options for lunch, but the r st of the trip was 
truly a great experience.  I would recommend starting in Capetown and ending 
in JoBerg, otherwise you will have the best animal sightings in the first 
week, making the limited sightings in the end less dramatic.  I would also 
suggest going to Capetown a few days before the tour, as there is so much to 
see and a limited time.  I will have to return!!!!!
Seeing the animals in the wild so close was fabulous.  I also hiked up Table 
mountain alone and that was so worth while.


They were both truly wonderful.  I felt like they truly cared and wanted us 
to enjoy everything.  They were genuininly friendly and fun.


Go to Capetown a day or ao earlier and def start there, no JoBerg.  You will 
be so excited to see a few animals in the first week as it is your first 
sighting.  If you do it tbe other way round, it will be an anti climax.
Def bring a rain jacket and torch.  Temps range dramatically...so layers.

Accommodation was good.
Scenery excellent.
Wild life excellent.
Close encounter with the Cheetah


Group leader started very well.


Would recommend this trip


The 16 seater vehicle was adequate for our group of 8.  Would be  too cramped 
for group any larger.
To be able to have the option to travel in open vehicles for safaris was a 
blessing.
The schedule was to stay in Tsitsikamma National Park but our accommodation 
was 40k away which meant our time in the park was limited and we were not 
able to take full advantage of the activities.
We were due to depart for an early morning safari meeting at 04.15 a.m. for 
drinks and snacks for departure at 04.30 a.m. The guide did not appear until 
about 05.00 a.m., we were unable to contact him because his phone was off and 
the driver did not know where he was. He loaded up the vehicle and we 
departed at 05.15 a.m. there was no drink or snacks and no 
apology/explanation. The guide did not talk to us all morning and we were not 
able to get a drink until after 08.00 a.m. It is none of my business what the 
guide does in his own time but affects others when he fails to deliver.

This was a great trip, showing off the main sights of South Africa, with the 
added bonus of Lesotho &amp; Swaziland.  Although there were some long driving 
days, we were a small group of 6 who gelled really well &amp; had a very 
competent staff of 3.  Personally I felt the Garden Route was overrated, so I 
was pleased that I'd done the reverse itinerary as this saved the best until 
last.  But I certainly wouldn't hesitate to recommend the trip.
I really enjoyed St Lucia (which I'd never even heard of before!).  Also 
Lesotho, the Drakensburg Mountains &amp;, of course, the various safaris.


Both our group leader &amp; our cook were really knowledgeable, friendly &amp; 
helpful &amp; great fun to travel with.


Be prepared for some long days on the bus.  The camping was fun, fully 
supported so you're not allowed to do anything to help, &amp; the S African camp 
facilities are very good.


A fun, if sometimes tiring, trip.

Quite possibly the best holiday of my life (and I've had a few).
There were many. The majesty of the Drakensberg mountains, seeing a leopard 
drink from a river, the beautiful and so very different landscapes, and 
learning about the animals from the extremely knowledgeable guides.


The tour leader Petro was amazing, and she was supported by two others, David 
and Andrew. All three were friendly, approachable, open and fun, as well as 
knowledgeable, enthusiastic and clearly proud of their country. This was 
possibly the most important thing for me as a lone traveller, as I could rely 
on them for company, though I didn't need to as we had a close, cohesive 
group anyway. I was on a trip last year where I didn't have the same feeling 
about the guide, and while it hasn't tainted my experience the trip, it made 
me reluctant to ask questions or have fun. This was the complete opposite 
where in fact the guides were one of the best things about the trip.


Go. Doing the trip in this direction rather than the Jo'Burg to Cape Town 
direction is probably a bit more exciting. As the trip progresses, the ante 
is upped and the end of the trip is much busier than the start. If you want 
to relax, I'd consider doing it from Jo'Burg to Cape Town as it is more 
chilled at that end. I'm glad I did it the way I did though, as for me, the 
best was saved for last, i.e. game drives.

Read the trip notes, and in addition with a couple of days without 
electricity, I was glad to have packed my portable batter charger for my 
phone/camera, etc.


If you're interested in seeing a massively diverse area, full of beautiful 
flora and fauna, and don't mind a sore bum from a few long bus days, go. I 
have so may fantastic memories to take away with me, of the people, the 
history, the guides and I have made firm friends who I hope to see again.

South Africa Nature Tours & Packages Tour & Trip Reviews

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