Ultimate Food and Wine Tour of South Africa

We were very pleased with the recommendations that we got from our travel specialist and Zicasso.  She took the time to speak with us about our trip objectives and traveling style and she did an excellent job matching dining, travel, and accommodations to our taste and budget!  We had some world class meals in SA (wine of course too) and one meal that our specialist urged us to try was Spectacular!  Kapama was lovely, very high end but if you are wanting to see a ton of animals, you'd probably be better served by another location.  The hotel in Cape Town was serviceable...what we expected given that we booked late at high season.  Our Stellenbosch hotel was nice.  A lot of families with young children there if that is what you are looking for.  However, watch your valuables carefully there for sure.  It is the one place we did not use the travel safe and we were robbed, of course.  

Also, we did have a weird experience with our driver in Cape Town/Stellenbosch.  Although she was very knowledge about the area and generally pleasant, she essentially became another member of our travel party including eating meals with us and on our dime. We assumed that this was a cultural thing but learned after our trip that this was not typical.  Not only was this unexpected but given that she was our driver for 5 or so days, this became pretty intrusive and expensive. 

We had high expectations about our trip to South Africa. Others who have been on safari have raved about it. Although we travel a lot, this was our first time using a travel agency. I'm the type that likes to research the options and make decisions based on our personal preferences, however, I knew I was over my head planning a three week trip to an area we knew nothing about. Working with this Africa safari travel company was fantastic and they exceeded every expectation we had for the trip. Every detail was thought out and planned for, even ones we did not know would be helpful like an escort through Johannesburg airport. 

We gave our travel company our flight arrival and departure dates and an overall budget. They booked our hotels in Cape Town, Winelands, and 2 safaris as well as a 2-night trip on Rovos Rail. In addition, they made dinner reservations, booked a personal guide for the first part of our trip, arranged airport transportation. Every choice they made was one I would have made myself and matched our style perfectly.

Our trip to South Africa was much more than we expected which was focused on the safari aspect. Cape Town is beautiful, the mountains are stunning, the restaurants had some of the best food we have ever had, topped only by the food we had at our next stop in Franschhoek and Stellenbosch (Winelands). You'll think you are in any high end European restaurant. The wine tours, restaurants, scenery and towns in Winelands far exceed our experiences in Napa and Sonoma which we live near. I wish we had planned extra time there. 

We thank this company for the wonderful experience, have fallen in love with the area and can not wait to go back! 

Zicasso matched us with two excellent travel agents who were both professional, responsive, and knowledgeable. We selected this travel company. Our agent, Richelle, worked with us to design an itinerary that transformed our wish list into an incredible African journey. Her prompt responses to our questions or needs were greatly appreciated.

We were attempting to see a lot of South Africa and Namibia in only two weeks. Throughout our trip, the accommodations, transfers, guides, restaurants, flights, and activities that Richelle had arranged or suggested were superb. She helped us create a portal for our trip that served as a source of information, pick-up times, e-tickets, and things like our allergies that restaurants knew ahead of time. Additionally, she was there for us as we were traveling in case we had a problem or question. We can't say enough about her professionalism, patience, and genuine concern that our vacation would be everything we hoped for.

Our itinerary was ambitious, but Richelle's preparation made it possible. First, we spent three days at Marataba. The accommodations, food, and staff were first-rate. Our guide on the safaris was excellent and the variety of game we saw was impressive.

The next part of our trip was in Cape Town. We arrived in a storm that the locals called "the storm of the century". There was extensive damage and some loss of life as well. While the storm certainly curtailed some activities, the following days had brilliant sunshine. We had a great time visiting the V&A Waterfront, a colony of African penguins at Boulders Beach, enjoying the gorgeous coastal scenery along Chapman's Peak Drive, and a too-short visit to the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. Our accommodations at the hotel in Sea Point were excellent for location and the professional staff.

After three days in Cape Town, our guide drove us for about an hour to the Cape Winelands. We arranged for two wine tastings in Stellenbosch. The winery was outstanding for the beautiful views and excellent wine. We also saw zebra and impala in the field just in front of the outdoor verandah. We had lunch at a boutique hotel and winery with spectacular views and delicious wine and food. Our accommodations at the hotel in Franschhoek were outstanding. The setting, service, food, and beautiful views were a highlight of our trip. Our room was large and beautifully appointed. An example of their generous hospitality was that all items in the minibar, including a bottle of wine produced at their winery, were gratis. We regretted having to leave after only one night's stay.

Our guide then returned us to the airport in Cape Town for our flight to Walvis Bay, Namibia. We were met by our driver at the airport to transfer us to the hotel in Swakopmund. The hotel was on the Atlantic Ocean and a perfect location to explore the town. The staff was top-notch. Warm, friendly, efficient, willing to help you arrange drivers, restaurant reservations, or figuring out how to work the TV remote.

After three days in Swakopmund, our excellent guide drove us to the lodge in the private Kulala Wilderness Reserve. Once again, the warm hospitality of the staff here and throughout our travels will stay with us for a long time. The lodge is a gateway to the magnificent dunes of Sossusvlei. Our guide was outstanding. He was an excellent driver over some awful roads and sand, and the depth and breadth of his knowledge were impressive. He cooked us a lovely chicken and salad lunch out in the desert. He drove us to Windhoek for our flight back to Johannesburg and our return home. 

There will be many wonderful things to remember about our journey in southern Africa, but Richelle's excellent guidance and the warmth of the African people are what will stay with us the longest.

The safari tour company helped us design an incredible vacation. They did a wonderful job recommending things to do and places to go. We were in Cape Town for 5 nights, Stellenbosch for 2, Sabi Sabi for 4 and Plettenberg Bay for 2 days. Each place was more beautiful than the next. They were able to get us into Sabi Sabi at pretty late notice over the week before Easter. Sabi Sabi was wonderful. We were 10 people with 4 kids (3,5,6, and 8). We had our own vehicle and so the kids were able to go on all the Safari drives and we saw all big 5. The Elephun center at Sabi was beyond amazing and the kids fell in love with our driver Francois. In Cape Town, we stayed in Camps Bay which I would recommend to anyone and Clouds Estate probably has the most beautiful views in the Stellenbosch (the driver that the safari tour company helped arrange at the lost moment, said that the de Graff family that bought the property next door for its view and purchased the wrong property). Flying around SA was easy and even though our luggage missed a connection from Kruger to George (thru Johannesburg) - we got it delivered the next day with absolutely no problem.