BootsnAll Travel Community

Hi all. Am planning a trip for a group of approx. 10 students (all 17-18 years) to South Africa for the end of 2008 (Dec & Jan). We have organised a volunteer placement in St. Lucia for 3 weeks through African Impact and plan to travel before and after. So far our intinerary looks like:

* fly into Joburg (2 nights Pension Idube - Joburg night tour, Soweto tour & Apartheid Museum)
* Baz Bus to Drakensburg (2 nights Amphitheatre - Lesotho tour)
* Baz Bus to Durban and then bus (?) to St. Lucia
* 3 week volunteer placement
* bus (?) to Durban (2 nights at Gibela)
* Baz Bus to Chintsa (3 nights Buccanneers - over New Years)
* Baz Bus to Port Elizabeth (2 nights Tanaqua Lodge - Addo/Schotia safari)
* Baz Bus to Wilderness (2 nights Fairy Knowe)
* Baz Bus to Stellenbosch (2 nights Baghoek Place - Easy Rider winery tour)
* Baz Bus to Cape Town (4 nights Backpack - Cape Point tour, Robben Island, township tour)
* fly out of Cape Town


a) Does anybody have any experience with African Impact? They seem great...
b) Do you think that these hostels would be appropriate for a school group? Any other suggestions?
c) Any obvious problems with this itinerary? Major omissions? Suggested activities? Wasted time?
d) Given our circumstances, is Baz Bus the best way to get around?

We're on a pretty tight budget. Obviously it is much more difficult doing all this independently with a group, but all organised tours are far too expensive. Would greatly appreciate any feedback. Have spent hours doing research, but you just don't know unless you've been there yourself!

Thanks!
Amanda

All I could say is that because South Africa is so big and offers so much, perhaps you'd want to move around a little less and stay in each area for longer?

From the bigger cities, you can take excursion trips (often times set up through your hostel/hotel) for many things. Stellenbosch is not far from Cape Town for example.

That itinerary reminds me of a school trip to Spain I took that went through about eleven cities. We saw over half the country, but I couldn't remember it later as it was quite a whirlwind.

I hope this doesn't seem.....well, I hope this helps?

Thanks for your feedback Fugazi! I'm after contructive criticism, so that's fine :-)

I know what you're saying, and I was conscious of not cramming too much into the trip when I was planning it. I certainly think that removing Stellenbosch from the itinerary is a good idea (and go on a day trip there if the kids are interested). As for the rest, to a certain extent I'm hostage to the Baz Bus timetable & our budget. This really dictates a lot of the stops. If you have any suggestions of ways around this, I'd love to hear them! I also went on a school trip around Europe & remember very little from it - different night, different city. Having said this, I went on a Cape Town to Vic Falls safari a couple of years ago where the pace is quite furious, and loved it. I guess it's all about balance. Keep in mind that we will be in St. Lucia for 3 weeks (half the trip).

Anyway. Any more ideas would be greeeeatly appreciated!
Thanks for taking the time.
Amanda

Hey Bweeno

I baz bussed all over south africa for 5 mths and stayed in almost all the hostels there, I would be happy to give some advice over PM too if you want. I have helped quite a few booties especially when it comes to Baz Bus.

Good hostels you have chosen:
Tanaqua
Buccaneers

I might suggest Sani Pass backpackers, its right by the base of sani pass to lesotho, only problem is you need to get a shuttle from pietermaritzburg, but its an amazing hostel.

You can baz bus to st. lucia and I would suggest staying at Bibs international hostel.

Check out southafricalogue and search for baz blogger - trekker
I wrote quite a few articles.

Trekker