A Review of My 10-Day South Africa Itinerary

Truly! If you’re not fixated on the Great Migration in East Africa, I’d actually recommend South Africa more. You can still go on safari to see the Big Five, and here’s the kicker – the safari vehicles 🚗 have no windows. That’s way more thrilling than East Africa, trust me! But that’s just the appetizer. We also took a boat out to sea 🚣‍♂️ to swim with seals 🦭, watched whales 🐳 and played with penguins 🐧 in a coastal town, and caught the sunset 🌄 from Table Mountain, “God’s Dining Table”… Plus, as you probably know, South Africa is a shopping paradise! Affordable diamond jewelry 💎, leather goods 👝, wine 🍷, indigenous accessories 💍 – I couldn’t hold back my urge to buy at all. 📍 Days 1-3: Shamwari Private Game Reserve Unlike other wildlife reserves, Shamwari Game Reserve is privately owned and one of South Africa’s best private reserves for family safaris. Besides staying in a luxurious lodge within the reserve, you’ll have two safari trips each day – morning and evening – to track the Big Five. There’s even a chance to get up close and watch predators hunt in action. 📍 Day 3: Plettenberg Bay This is a must-stop for many Western travelers exploring the Garden Route, but it’s still pretty unfamiliar to us Chinese tourists. On the way from the reserve to Plettenberg Bay, you’ll pass Jeffreys Bay Dunes, where you can go sandboarding, surfing, or swimming. ✅ Experience: Go out to sea in Plettenberg Bay to swim with seals 📍 Day 4: Oudtshoorn Oudtshoorn is famous for ostrich farming. Here, you can get up close and personal with ostriches – lock eyes with their big eyes framed by long eyelashes. If you’ve ever wanted to ride an ostrich, you can do that too! There are also lots of clothes and hats made from ostrich feathers. ✅ Experiences: Knysna lagoon boat tour, George Town strawberry farm, hedge maze, ostrich farm 📍 Days 5-6: Hermanus Hermanus is a famous land-based whale-watching town. During whale season, “whale criers” patrol the coast, and if they spot a whale, they blow a special horn. Once you hear it, you can head to the coast to watch! Outside whale season, besides surfing, coastal hiking, and swimming, you can’t miss a feast of fresh, delicious oysters. ✅ Experiences: Meerkat safari, Hermanus whale-watching tour (May-December) 📍 Days 7-10: Cape Town I don’t think anyone would argue if I say Cape Town is one of the most beautiful cities in the world! Pleasant weather, stunning natural scenery, amazing food – and my favorite, the vibrant Bo-Kaap (Malay Quarter). The whole neighborhood is like a colorful kaleidoscope; every photo you take is a blockbuster. ✅ Experiences: Boulders Beach Penguin Colony in Simon’s Town, Cape of Good Hope, Cape Winelands tour, 360° rotating cable car up Table Mountain #SouthAfricaTravel #CapeTownSouthAfrica #TableMountain #SpringFestival #GardenRoute #RainbowNation #TravelAbroad #Africa #LesserKnownTravelDestinations