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SandyGrrl's Traveler List
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South Africa Adventure (Kwandwe, Cape Town, Hermanus, Franschhoek)

Ask this member a question. SandyGrrl Memoirs of a globe trotting New Yorker
Jul 1, 2006
3.5 of 5 stars based on 5 votes
Highlights of my trip to South Africa!!
Our first stop after the long connecting flights was the Kwandwe Private Game Reserve. Immediately upon arrival, I knew it had been worth the trip. The service was impeccable. The lodge was beautiful. And our suite was modern and spacious. We had a separate bedroom, living room, huge walk-in shower and our own private plunge pool. It was total luxury. We were planning a trip back before our stay was even over.
2. Kwandwe Safari Game Drives
It's all about the animals!! We had 2 drives a day and got to see elephant, lion, cheetah, wild dog, rhino, buffalo, zebra, giraffe, springbok and more. We were able to get drive off-road and get really close. Our guide was super. Everyday was a new fun filled adventure.
Ave price: $112
Our second stop was in Cape Town for some site seeing. After nervously driving from the airport (stay left), we arrived at our hotel, Les Cascades. We were not disappointed. The views of the Atlantic from the hotel (and our room) were breath taking. Again, we had a large suite with bedroom, living room and balcony. The place was very modern and chic. We loved the Charlotte Rhys toiletries so much, we went and bought some.
Go here for the great view of Cape Town. Keep an eye out for the fog. If you see it clearing, head up. One side was quite foggy when we got up to the top, but we got great pictures of Cape Town from the other side.
5. Maanschijnkop Luxury Country House
Next, we drove out to Hermanus to do some whale watching. It was complete luck that we booked this beautiful guest house. We were the only guests and got a private tour and history of the house. We loved it here. Our room was gigantic (bigger than my bedroom at home). We had a romantic canopy bed, 2 bathrooms, a sitting room with a fireplace and a balcony. The manager was so friendly that I felt like I was staying at a friend's house. Definitely stay here if you are in Hermanus. You will not be disappointed.
We looked for whales. All we saw were Dolphins. It wasn't the right season. Oh well, I have a reason to come back.
Next stop was the Franschhoek winelands. I wouldn't want everyone to think that I'm very easy to please (I'm not) because I've been raving about all the hotels we stayed at. I admit I didn't like the last hotel so I'm not mentioning it here. We did go get a massage at the Klein Genot and that hotel was lovely. We hung out at the lounge and chatted with some of the guests and read their interesting books. The massage was so-so but the atmosphere was great.
We did a tour and wine tasting here. It was a very fun and informative tour. We learned some interesting history about the estate and the Franschhoek area as well as some interesting tidbits about wine and champagne. If that isn't enough, the owner opens a bottle of champagne with a saber.
Explore locations featured in this Traveler List: Kwandwe Private Game Reserve, Cape Town, Hermanus, Franschhoek