Tag: Outdoors

Camping in the Okavango Delta

One of the highlights of our holiday was the three nights we spent camping in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Brian had been there 30 years ago and had good memories, so I am glad he wanted to return! It truly is a special place, a UNESCO world Heritage site, and a great place to spot wild animals.

Getting to the Okavango Delta

We flew from Port Elizabeth, South Africa to Maun, Botswana, a good base for beginning the trip to the Okavango camps. Botswana is an interesting country, land locked but full of adventure and a truly unique travel destination.

Accomodation Options in the Okavango

Many of the accommodation options in the Okavango were really upscale, and kind of unnecessary for us. We do not need hot tubs and gourmet meals when we’re in the middle of a beautiful natural landscape. Our purpose in visiting this unique region, where the Okavango River flows into the Kalahari Desert, was to see wildlife and enjoy the natural beauty. We opted not for a 5 star lodge with air conditioning and hot tubs, but for a camping trip and it was great!

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South Africa’s Garden Route

South Africa’s garden route is beautiful and world renowned as a great road trip. We drove from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth, with stops in between, and the views were gorgeous.

About South Africa’s Garden Route

Technically, The Garden Route begins west of Stellenbosch, our first stop after Cape Town, and runs from Mossel Bay in the west to Storms River in the east, so we covered that and then some.

South Africa's Garden Route map
Garden Route map

Between Stellenbosch and Port Elizabeth, there are a lot of beautiful stops to make!

Oak Valley Wines

Oak Valley Estate on South Africa's Garden Route
Nice view with some wine at Oak Valley

Oak Valley was one of those fortuitous stops along South Africa’s garden route because we needed a break from the car. Plus, we had driven to the fringes of the wine region, and we wanted to visit another winery while we could. This was a good choice: the estate has beautiful grounds and some nice wines too!

On the way back to the highway, we stopped at an incredible “farm stand”/tourist attraction, where we stocked up on picnic foods and local craft cider.

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Cape Town Attractions

We spent four days in Cape Town and there was a lot to do!  On top of the walking tour, MOCAA and the hike up Table Mountain, we explored as much of the city as we could. Here’s a roundup of some other recommended places, the top Cape Town attractions. If you’re planning to visit South Africa for the first time, here’s a list of what to know before you go.

About Cape Town

Located on South Africa’s southwest coast, Cape Town is the capital of the country and its oldest city. The city is beautiful and offers opportunities for outdoor adventure, world class food, museums and more. It’s also conveniently located to The Garden Route and an excellent safari. Read on for some of the top things to do in the city itself.

V&A Waterfront: Top Cape Town Attractions

The V&A is an outdoor shopping mall and is very touristy, with a lot of shops and restaurants. There is a good variety of restaurants, and nice views of the harbour and the mountains. We had good service at the V&A restaurants.

V&A Waterfront Cape Town
V&A Waterfront at night.
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