Summary of the Honeymoon
This is by far the most popular honeymoon for first-time visitors to South Africa and it is easy to see why as it combines some of South Africa's most well-known and diverse attractions.
The cost of this route will vary depending on the type of accommodation you prefer and the type of safari you choose - there is a wide range of accommodation all along this route from inexpensive B&Bs and guest houses to 5* hotels and world-class safari lodges.
Another big influence on cost is the time of year you travel: May to September is the low season and whilst these are the cooler, wetter 'winter' months, many visitors choose to visit during this time as both safaris and other accommodation are significantly cheaper than in the high season. For more information on the climate and seasons, click here.
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Cape Town (5 days)
Cape Town is one of the world's most beautiful cities - with a magnificent mountain as its centre, miles of sandy beaches, a colourful and moving history, and countless bars and restaurants, Cape Town captures the hearts of visitors from around the world.
A stay of 5 days allows time to see all the major attractions in the city (Table Mountain, Robben Island, township tour, Camps Bay, V&A Waterfront, Kirstenbosch Gardens, numerous museums and galleries) as well as allowing enough time to travel down to the Cape Peninsula and just relax and enjoy this fabulous city.
During the July to November whale season many visitors will either take a day trip from Cape Town to join one of the whale watching boat trips from nearby Hermanus, or stop overnight at Hermanus on their way to the Garden Route.
The Cape Winelands (2 days)
The Cape Winelands are only a short drive from Cape Town, and staying in the university town of Stellenbosch or the beautiful village of Franschhoek allows you to enjoy the scenery, wines, and foods of this charming region.
Stellenbosch is South Africa's second oldest settlement (after Cape Town) and is a pretty university town, with whitewashed Cape Dutch architecture along oak-lined avenues set around a pleasant green. There is an excellent wine museum in the town, and the walking tour is also highly recommended.
Franschhoek has earned itself the title of ‘Food and Wine Capital of South Africa’, and quite rightly so. In the village itself, there are many award winning restaurants, and many of the surrounding vineyards also offer excellent lunches as well as wine tasting.
Along the Garden Route (4 days staying in one or 2 different places)
Beautiful coastlines, breathtaking mountains and valleys, tall forests, deep blue lakes and lagoons - these are the reasons why the Garden Route is one of the most popular tourist destinations in South Africa.
There are a huge number of activities to enjoy along the Garden Route - whale watching in season from the cliffs at Plettenberg Bay, hiking in the Knysna Forest or Tsitsikamma National Park, watersports, fishing, horse riding, ostrich farms at Oudtshoorn, mountain biking, long beach strolls along the beautiful Wilderness beach, golf, boat trips on the Knysna Lagoon, steam train adventures, shopping for arts and crafts - even bungee jumping from the highest bridge in Africa!
On Safari in The Eastern Cape (3 days)
There are essentially 3 types of safari experience that can be enjoyed in the Eastern Cape area, which is only a couple of hours drive from Tsitsikkamma and the end of the Garden Route.
Best Wildlife and Safari Lodge options: The lodges in the Shamwari and Kwandwe private game reserves, plus Gorah Elephant Camp in Addo, offer the best all-round safari experience in the region.
Excellent accommodation is combined with outstanding food and staff, and because the lodges are in large reserves that can support a wide variety of wildlife they do offer better wildlife viewing opportunities than the smaller reserves in the area.
This is the most expensive option in this area (depending on the lodge and time of year, prices range from R2,500 to R5,000 per person per night on a fully inclusive basis, including all meals and morning/afternoon game drives - some rates also include all your drinks as well), but for wildlife enthusiasts and those looking for an unforgettable once-in-a-lifetime experience, this is undoubtedly the option to aim for if possible.
Mid-range options: There are a couple of smaller reserves in the area which offer an all-inclusive safari experience for around half the price of the more expensive lodges.
The smaller reserves cannot support the wildlife populations that can be found in Shamwari, Kwandwe or Addo, and as a result the wildlife viewing opportunities are not as great or as varied as in the bigger reserves.
Having said this, the reserves of Amakhala, Lalibela, Pumba and Kariega do have lion, elephant, rhino and a wide range of other animals, and staying overnight in one of the lodges in these reserves does give a real flavour of the African bush.
Budget options: For visitors on a budget who are still keen to see some wildlife the best options are to either stay in the Addo Elephant National Park at the camp there run by the National Parks Board, or at one of the guest houses just outside the Park.
The Addo Elephant National Park is home to around 400 elephants, and offers some wonderful elephant viewing opportunities.
The accommodation in the Park is clean and basic, and there is a restaurant - outside the Park the accommodation is a little more expensive, but it is also a little more luxurious and comfortable.
If you stay in Addo or at one of the guest houses just outside the Park you can explore the Park yourself on a self-drive basis, join a guided trip in Addo to see the Park with the benefit of a guide, or go as a day visitor to Shamwari or one of the other reserves in the area.
Getting Home
At the end of your safari you can either return to Port Elizabeth and fly back home from there (flights connect in either Cape Town or Jo'burg), or alternatively many visitors choose to either have a couple of days in Cape Town or Port Elizabeth before catching the flight home.
