Amazing South African vacation!
South Africa | Jun 9 - Jun 22, 2023

Amy
Amy B.
Los Angeles, CA | Reviewed on Jun 29, 2023

When we found out we were going to South Africa for a conference, we decided to tack on some vacation time, so I started looking around online for recommendations and travel agents. I had never used Kimkim before, but I liked the idea of getting matched with a local agent based on our interests. The platform turned out to be easy to use, particularly for emailing our agent back and forth.

We loved the local agent, Esther, that Kimkim recommended. So started creating an itinerary for us right away, integrating our feedback and comments. She was very communicative and answered email on the platform so quickly that I barely noticed the timezone difference between the U.S. and South Africa. Her suggestions for hotels and excursions proved a good match for our priorities, and we particularly liked the mixture of different types of places...none of which I would have ever found on my own by just searching on the internet. Once we arrived in South Africa, she stayed in touch with us via text to make sure everything was going well, and even called around to check on entrance roads for us as there had been a lot of rain.

Our itinerary included time in the Winelands, and then a road trip to De Hoop Reserve and a safari at Inverdoorn Game Reserve. We got to see an amazing array of animals and birds. The food and staff at every place we stayed was amazing. My husband is a vegetarian, and he said he had some of the best and most inventive vegetarian food ever while in South Africa. We both must have gained 5 pounds each :) We also got to enjoy some wonderful dark sky gazing. I would highly recommend South Africa for U.S. travelers that want an affordable place for a variety of experiences. We would love to go back and see more of the country in the future, and will definitely use Kimkim and our local specialist Esther for our next trip!

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Verde

Great place to end up after a very long flight from the U.S. Lovely hotel with a garden. Very good food in their restaurant, and a fabulous breakfast. Easy access to Cape Town airport.

Authenticity & Character
It's a nice oasis after a grueling night of airplane travel.
Location
Very close to airport.
Staff
Very friendly and helpful.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Loved the attention to environmentalism.
De Hoop Collection

A truly unique place, with probably some of the best opportunities for wildlife viewing in that part of South Africa. The power was out for most of our stay due to load-shedding, but that made the experience (and the dark skies) all the more unique. We had the whole Manor House to ourselves. Food in the restaurant was amazing.

Authenticity & Character
Unique collection of buildings, situated in a truly picturesque setting.
Location
Great for wildlife viewing and dark night skies. Have to travel on a dirt road to get there.
Staff
Very friendly.
Cleanliness & Comfort
These are old buildings, complete with all the charm and idiosyncrasies that come with that.
Kughana Tented Camp

The tents were very nice, and provided a different kind of experience from all the other places we stayed. We loved the chef and our safari guide Chereen. Very attentive staff.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Great for being far out and dark skies. Roads were a bit muddy from all the rain.
Staff
Wonderful staff. We felt like we had our own personal chef for a couple of days.
Cleanliness & Comfort
The tents are quite luxurious.
Mont Rochelle

We landed at Monte Rochelle after 2 different game reserve environments, so this was a good chance of pace and an excellent way to wrap up a trip. This place is the lap of luxury. We had the vegan taster menu from the restaurant. I also hit the spa for a reflexology/pedicure treatment that was to die for.

Authenticity & Character
Very thoughtfully decorated and appointed. Generous in-room snacks/drinks.
Location
On top of a hill overlooking Franschoek.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
We had a gorgeous room. A good place to unwind from a bunch of traveling.
The Lord Charles Hotel

We spent 10 nights here, as it was the conference venue, so this place became like home for a while. The weather was bad, so we appreciated the fact that they had a couple of restaurants on-site. The Scottish style pub was our hang-out, and we got to know some of the staff, including Griszelda, who managed the breakfast room each morning. Overall, a lovely old hotel for a conference and an extended stay.

Authenticity & Character
This hotel is an old mainstay for Somerset West that was renovated during COVID. The renovations were lovely, while keeping the charm of an older place.
Location
Very centrally located for touring the Winelands.
Staff
We stayed long enough to get to know a few of the waitstaff. Lovely people.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Foodies on Foot walking & tasting tour
Foodies on Foot walking & tasting tour
South Africa

A very fun and informative tour. I had a lovely time talking with the guide.

Quality of Experience
I liked the tastings. Had gin and tonic for the first time.
Food
Good variety of tastings. I liked the explanations of local food.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Very informative and friendly.
Transport
I took an Uber to the tour.
Your stay at Inverdoorn
Your stay at Inverdoorn
South Africa

We loved our guide, Chereen, who took us out a couple times a day for wildlife viewing. She was very personable and a real bad-ass when it came to driving the safari truck through washed out roads.

Quality of Experience
Excellent food. Was like having your own personal chef.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Everyone worked to make our experience top-notch.
Transport
Our guide Chereen did most of the driving. She was awesome!
Local specialist: Esther Ruempol
Esther
Esther Ruempol
Local specialist in Johannesburg, South Africa | Replied on Jun 29, 2023

Hi Amy

It was lovely to plan your trip together and I'm so glad you had a great time in South Africa! Thank you so much for the amazing review and your extensive feedback. I truly appreciate this and it is a great help to hear how you and your husband experienced everything!

Warm regards
Esther