Author Topic: Southern Africa (SA/Zim/Zam/Botswana/Namibia) Master Thread (Read 534505 times)

moisheyb · « **Reply #1400 on:** November 04, 2018, 01:32:45 PM »

Quote from: mimb on November 03, 2018, 10:04:18 PM

Any feedback on the Protea Sea Point hotel? Thinking of doing the stay 5 for 4 nights option or a 7 day cert. Think @Yehoshua stayed there?

The hotel is above avg, nothing crazy. The staff is very good and accommodating for shabbos. You can't get a better location in sea point if you want to be near the shuls and restaurants.

Yehoshua · « **Reply #1401 on:** November 04, 2018, 07:51:36 PM »

Quote from: mimb on November 04, 2018, 11:43:14 AM

Thanks, is the Protea North Wharf too far from the shuls/restaurants for shabbat? Don't even think it's the best cash/points value for the Sea Point but whatever.

Do you guys think 1.5 hours layover time is enough for the CPT-JNB flight before continuing JNB-CPT? Should I play it safe and take an earlier flight from CPT?

Thanks for all the help, plans are slowly falling into place and will B'H post a TR eventually!

That's too far. Just stay in Sea Point.

nafnaf12 · « **Reply #1402 on:** November 04, 2018, 07:57:09 PM »

I stayed at a great Airbnb with daily housekeeping in Sea point
Let me know if you're interested and I can look it up

Yehoshua · « **Reply #1403 on:** November 04, 2018, 10:02:24 PM »

Quote from: nafnaf12 on November 04, 2018, 07:57:09 PM

I stayed at a great Airbnb with daily housekeeping in Sea point
Let me know if you're interested and I can look it up

Did it have heating? I couldn't find any that did, though they all had AC.

nafnaf12 · « **Reply #1404 on:** November 04, 2018, 10:11:47 PM »

Quote from: Yehoshua on November 04, 2018, 10:02:24 PM

Did it have heating? I couldn't find any that did, though they all had AC.

I'm not sure, I was there in July

mimb · « **Reply #1405 on:** November 04, 2018, 10:18:05 PM »

Thanks, I guess I'll just stick with the Protea Sea Point. And I want a layover greater than 1.5 hours to catch the JNB-JFK flight?

Yehoshua · « **Reply #1406 on:** November 04, 2018, 10:52:10 PM »

Quote from: mimb on November 04, 2018, 10:18:05 PM

Thanks, I guess I'll just stick with the Protea Sea Point. And I want a layover greater than 1.5 hours to catch the JNB-JFK flight?

Probably safer. You can get a bite to eat from a Joburg restaurant if the alternative flight gets you onto JNB too early.

shmielyosef · « **Reply #1407 on:** November 11, 2018, 08:15:16 AM »

Would it make sense to go to south africa but skip anything safari related, or that’s an integral part of going there?

Yaalili · « **Reply #1408 on:** November 11, 2018, 08:29:59 AM »

Quote from: shmielyosef on November 11, 2018, 08:15:16 AM

Would it make sense to go to south africa but skip anything safari related, or that’s an integral part of going there?

We did that and had a great time. You can always do Safari on another trip and you can always do Safari in another (African) country too.

We did Cape Town / Boulder Beach, Johannesburg / Soweto and Victoria falls over the 6 days that we had there.

shmielyosef · « **Reply #1409 on:** November 11, 2018, 08:31:12 AM »

Quote from: Yaalili on November 11, 2018, 08:29:59 AM

We did that and had a great time. You can always do Safari on another trip and you can always do Safari in another (African) country too.

We did Cape Town / Boulder Beach, Johannesburg / Soweto and Victoria falls over the 6 days that we had there.

Is it worth travelling there from israel just for that?

Yaalili · « **Reply #1410 on:** November 11, 2018, 08:32:31 AM »

Quote from: shmielyosef on November 11, 2018, 08:31:12 AM

Is it worth travelling there from israel just for that?

We travelled there from New York through Abu Dhabi for that. A 30 hour journey each way in economy class. Don’t think I would do that again in economy at this stage. It was on the Etihad mistake fare.

shmielyosef · « **Reply #1411 on:** November 11, 2018, 08:33:49 AM »

Quote from: Yaalili on November 11, 2018, 08:32:31 AM

We travelled there from New York through Abu Dhabi for that. A 30 hour journey each way in economy class. Don’t think I would do that again in economy at this stage. It was on the Etihad mistake fare.

Pretty crazy. I guess it’s really nice then.... thanks!

Yehuda57 · « **Reply #1412 on:** November 11, 2018, 11:23:11 AM »

There's lots to do in two weeks without safaris, but it's a shame, especially if it's unlikely you'll get another chance to do it. May I ask why you are excluding them?

shmielyosef · « **Reply #1413 on:** November 11, 2018, 11:40:48 AM »

Mainly cause it was never on mine or wife's list of interests...

Yaalili · « **Reply #1414 on:** November 11, 2018, 12:40:43 PM »

Quote from: Yehuda57 on November 11, 2018, 11:23:11 AM

There's lots to do in two weeks without safaris, but it's a shame, especially if it's unlikely you'll get another chance to do it. May I ask why you are excluding them?

Yup with extra 2-3 days I would have opted to do KNP as well. Didn’t have the time and had to choose.

mimb · « **Reply #1415 on:** November 14, 2018, 09:55:08 PM »

So I’ll be flying into JNB on a Monday morning and catching a connecting flight to VFA. I was planning on spending a half day to a full day at the falls and then ideally 3 full days doing safari in either Kruger or Chobe. An issue I’m running into is that flights to CPT on Friday from VFA are almost non existent or the non stop is very expensive. Any ideas or suggestions on what I can do?

I’m also interested in any guidance on how to book the safari part with a tour company. Did you all just google it or any recommendations?

Thank you!

mileagejunkie · « **Reply #1416 on:** December 03, 2018, 01:32:02 PM »

For those of you looking to go to Pilanesberg because of Malaria, I wanted to share where I stayed a month ago as I did not see any mentions of it here.
It is called Tshukudu Bush Lodge (https://www.legacyhotels.co.za/hotels/tshukudu-bush-lodge), not to confuse with Tshukudu Game Lodge.
They offer a very exclusive and incredible experience. There are 10 rooms and we were 7 guests on the property (max. is 20). It is not cheap, but it is worth every penny. It is also the only lodge inside Pilanesberg so they are not limited to opening times.
There are 2 4-hour game drives per day and they will go as far as making your favorite cocktail in the middle of the drive.
Everything is inclusive and they were very helpful with kosher food (I had to bring everything).
Feel free to send me a message if you'd like their brochure or daily schedule.
I have no relations to them but I'm planning on going back!

mimb · « **Reply #1417 on:** December 03, 2018, 05:54:06 PM »

I'm speaking with a safari planner and he's quoting me ~$500 day/per person for Thornybush Park in Kruger. Seems very pricey to me, I was expecting to pay somewhere in the ~$300 range per day but he says going to cheap would result in a worse experience with the game viewing. Do I need to adjust expectations? We wouldn't even be eating the food they provide and he says they can't reduce the price for that.

Joe4007 · « **Reply #1418 on:** December 03, 2018, 09:02:14 PM »

Quote from: mimb on December 03, 2018, 05:54:06 PM

I'm speaking with a safari planner and he's quoting me ~$500 day/per person for Thornybush Park in Kruger. Seems very pricey to me, I was expecting to pay somewhere in the ~$300 range per day but he says going to cheap would result in a worse experience with the game viewing. Do I need to adjust expectations? We wouldn't even be eating the food they provide and he says they can't reduce the price for that.

Seems about right. You can probably get a little less luxury in the $400 per day/per person range with the game viewing quality not being decreased. Pricing obviously depends on the season as well.

Either way, Thornybush does not seem to be connected to Kruger. I'd recommend a reserve that is.

mimb · « **Reply #1419 on:** December 04, 2018, 01:13:43 PM »

Quote from: Joe4007 on December 03, 2018, 09:02:14 PM

Seems about right. You can probably get a little less luxury in the $400 per day/per person range with the game viewing quality not being decreased. Pricing obviously depends on the season as well.

Either way, Thornybush does not seem to be connected to Kruger. I'd recommend a reserve that is.

I'm going in January, don't know if that's the peak season or not. We can forgo the luxury aspect a bit if it doesn't compromise the game viewing quality.

Can you explain the difference with Thornybush? I thought it's inside Kruger?

Cbs	Link
Markus	Link
shmebeble	Link
Yaalili	Link
Ponash123	Link
Yehoshua	Link
Jomaster28	Link

Name	Type	Contact	Location & Description
The Press (Sea Point)	Meat	+27 21 434 7724 Website	176 Main Road - Restaurant and Bar (many craft beers on tap)
Coffee Time (Gardens)	Milk	+27 21 461 8414 Website	20 Breda Street, Gardens, Cape Town- Set in an old house in a lush, garden environment. Lawn seating with views of Table Mountain. Breakfast, brunch or lunch. Menu includes scrambled egg, salmon and humus wrap, fish bobotie with homemade chutney, tuna lasagna, sandwich, salad, quiche or smoothie. Early-morning special between 8am and 11am. Also serves a delicious, and incredibly popular, buffet lunch every Wednesday between 12:30pm and 2:30pm. Gluten-free and sugar-free options. Offers catering. Proceeds support the Astra Centre. Ten minutes from Table Mountain.

Name	Cost	Distance from CPT	Description and Notes
Boulders Beach	R170	35 min	• "I found that there were two different entrances, boardwalk and beach. The boardwalk has a higher density of penguins but if you want a better experience, I recommend visiting the beach side- especially at low tide. Because of the tide I was able to walk past the few dozen folks on the beach, climb under and over some boulders, and encounter effectively a different private beach- with penguins!!" • For budget travelers, take the train to Simonstown and from there a cab to Boulders beach - R20.
Betty’s Bay		1.25 hours	Also features African Penguins though less crowded than Boulders beach, though further.
Chapman's Peak Drive	R45/car	45 min	• Beautiful scenery, you have the mountain on one side and the ocean on the other side, great pics, great to make a BBQ come during daylight hours. NOTE: You need Rand or an SA issued card to pay for the Chapman's Peak toll.
Cape of Good Hope/Cape Point	R360/pp	1.5 hours	• LONG but AMAZING drive • almost a full day activity
Lions Head			• Hike - not difficult • Paragliding - around $85 (prices might be outdated). Book ahead
Robben Island	Website		Tours depart three times a day and take about 3.5 hours, consisting of a ferry trip to and from the island, and a tour of the various historical sites on the island that form part of the Robben Island Museum. These include the island graveyard, the disused lime quarry, Robert Sobukwe's house, the Bluestone quarry, the army and navy bunkers, and the maximum security prison. Nelson Mandela's cell is shown. Reviews are mixed
Table Mountain (Cable car or hike)	~R350		• Follow on Twitter for updates on if open or closed • Cableway costs ~R350 rand pp - depends if morning or afternoon • Can repel down • 895 rand pp (prices might be outdated) • repel for like 15 mins • hike back up is 25 mins • Closes 6pm • BOOK IN ADVANCE • CLOSED IN AUGUST
Signal Hill			Go there for a sunset with bit more a "local" flavor. Views aren't great compared to Lion's Head and can be quite crowded at sunset.
V & A Waterfront
The Garden Route			long scenic drive

Kirstenbosch Gardens
Shark Diving	$88 +$34 for video (prices might be outdated)	2 hours	Can do in Gansbaii. Links:1, 2, 3
Sandboarding			Bring goggles!
Skydiving	$170 (prices might be outdated) Cheaper
Quad Biking (ATVs)
Hout Bay market
Kayaking at Hout Bay	Link		Amazing experience. Views may very but can often see Heaviside dolphins jumping right in front of you
Cheetah Outreach			Where you can go and pet cheetahs and other animals super cool. Website
Aquila Private Game Reserve		2 hours	Pricey but quality accommodations for overnight stays. Good for people who aren't leaving Cape Town area but want to see wildlife. Some dismiss as a "glorified zoo"
Cango Wildlife Ranch		5 hours

Cbs	Link
Markus	Link
Yaalili	Link
Yehuda57	Link
Ponash123	Link
Yehoshua	Link

Name	Type	Contact	Location & Description
Corner Cafe (Glenhazel)	Milk	+27 11 440-3160 Link	Corner of Queens square and cross road in Glenhazel. Corner Café is the best place to go (or maybe the only) for kosher gluten free muffins. I’m told they’re very good. They also have great breakfasts and pastas, but I usually stick with a toasted cheese and chips.
Dee-Jays (Sandton)	Milk	+27 11 883-2265 Link	Morningview Shopping Centre, 100 South Road, 2196 - Dee-Jays provides casual dairy food that is perfect for a breakfast out with the family. Their fishballs are really good and if you need a cake in the Sandton area, they’re the place to go.
Market Cafe (Norood Mall)	Milk		Cholov Yisroel cafe
KosherWorld, Mi Vami Kosher and Chop N Wok (Glenhazel)		+27 11 440 1402 Website	1 Long Avenue, Johannesburg, 2192
Gelatisimo (Glenhazel)			Across the road from Kosher World, authentic Italian gelato. Chalav Yisroel. Absolutely fantastic.
Michelos (Glenhazel)	Milk	+27 11 885-1500 Link	17 Northfield Ave, Johannesburg, 2192 - Michelos is the second best pizza restaurant. They are very centrally located (in the Jewish area of Glenhazel) and their food is nice. Never go there the night after Pesach because you’ll wait hours but most other times are good, plus they serve chalav yisrael.
Nandos Kosher (Savoy)	Meat	+27 11 885-1496 Website	553 Louis Botha Ave, Savoy, Johannesburg, 2090, South Africa - Nandos is a large chain of Portuguese chicken restaurants, but there is only one kosher Nandos in South Africa, so be aware that you can’t step into any of them! They serve top notch chicken but be sure to also try their beef burger (and order extra sauce).
Moishes Butchery (Glenhazel)	Meat	+27 11-485-4513	3 Birt Street, Raedene Estate, Johannesburg. A wonderful butchery with amazing prices and wonderful biltong. Their WhatsApp number for orders is +27 82 342 2179. Their email is orders@moishes.co.za. They can vacuum pack your order and will even attach "par-cooked" stickers to pass through customs. Delivery available to Cape Town if you order one week in advance. Slightly cheaper than Norries in Cape Town (listed above). Just to give you an idea of their prices: Aufschnitt in America charges $9.99 for 2 oz of biltong. Moishes has it for $11 per POUND. Rib steaks at Evergreen are $32.99/lb. In Moishes it's $8.50. Price List 2024 in USD The price list has live conversion rates.
Next Door "Non-CY" (Norwood)	Milk	+27 11 728-2577 Link	80 Grant Ave, Johannesburg, 2192 - Next Door is rated as a top restaurant in Johannesburg, kosher or not, so you know it must be pretty good. It is usually full so booking is highly recommended. While their sushi may not be top class, their pizzas certainly are and, if you’re around in Summer, definitely try their fish braai (barbeque in South African).
Pie Works (Sandringham)	Milk	+27 11 485 2447 Website	74 George Ave, Johannesburg, 2192 - Their pies (clearly) are the best kosher pies in the country and are perfect if you want to buy some to take home and reheat. Their burgers are delicious and the have a milk side with pizza that is really good. They’re situated on what is known as the Kosher Strip, so any Jew will be able to direct you.
Frangelicas (Glenhazel)	Milk	+27877019909 Website	2 Long Ave, Glenhazel, Johannesburg, 2192, South Africa - A wonderful dairy restaurant in the heart of Glenhazel. Wonderful baked goods and amazing breakfasts.
RTG (Ready to Go)	Meat	+27 11-483-3375 Website	5 Long Ave, Glenhazel, Johannesburg, 2192, South Africa - A fast food place that moved next to KosherWorld in "Downtown Glenhazel." They offer great steaks, a Chinese menu, and an extensive burger and hot dog menu.
Burger & Brew	Meat	+27 87-150-1522 Website	53 Ridge Rd, Glenhazel, Johannesburg, 2192, South Africa. - A fantastic burger and beer place with amazing burgers, wings, and dirty fries. They also have their own beer.
SoSushi (Glenhazel)	Pareve	+27820869631 Website	Located in the KosherWorld Shopping Center, 1 Long Ave. WhatsApp: +27 82 086 9631
JoziBlue (Glenhazel)	Milk	+27-66 522 3797	Located in the KosherWorld Shopping Center, 1 Long Ave. They have Cholov Yisroel, which they will serve on disposables upon request.
Bagel Zone (Fairmount)	Milk	+27-79-317-8230 Website	3 Bradfield Dr, Fairmount, Johannesburg, 2192, South Africa - A cheap and tasty bagel place located in Genesis shopping center offering bagels, premium coffees, salads, and muffins.
Phat Larry's (Fairmount)	Milk	+27-63-411-6655 Website	3 Bradfield Dr, Fairmount, Johannesburg, 2192, South Africa - Also located in Genesis, Phat Larry's offers pizza, focaccia, salads, and pasta.
Segell's Deli (Glenazel)	Meat	+27-11-640-4693 Website	17 Northfield Ave, Glenhazel, Johannesburg, 2192, South Africa - Typical deli featuring sandwiches, salads, poke bowls, burgers, and steaks.
Maxi Butchery (Sandringham)	Meat	+27-11-485-1485	74 George Ave, Sandringham, Johannesburg, 2192, South Africa - No frills butcher with decent prices and biltong.
Shwarma Bar & Chana's Deli (Sandringham)	Meat	+27-11-640-4693 Website	10 Bradfield Dr, Fairmount, Johannesburg, 2192, South Africa - Typical Israeli fare.

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Author Topic: Southern Africa (SA/Zim/Zam/Botswana/Namibia) Master Thread (Read 534505 times)