Amazing South African vacation!
South Africa
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Jun 9 - Jun 22, 2023
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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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Activity Reviews
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A very fun and informative tour. I had a lovely time talking with the guide.
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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.
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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