Southeast Africa Game reserves?

[crowpro]

We are taking the Captown to Hong Kong cruise (48days). Are the game reserves worth seeing? Do you see many animals during that time of day? We are considering doing Game Reseves at Port Elizabeth, East London, Durban, and Mombasa Kenya. Do you think once you have see one, that they are all alike? Any information would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Caroldoll]

The best time to see them is very early in the morning at about 5:00 or then again at 5:30 in the afternoon--most are nocturnal. Certainly if you can arrange this you will have the time of your life. It is the most thrilling thing we have done, a safari.

[Mura]

We haven't been to South Africa but a long time ago we did Tanzania and Kenya. This was one of the most fabulous trips we've ever taken. You cannot imagine how wonderful it is to drive down a road and see elephants and giraffes and who knows what grazing close by. Or just having to stop because a herd of elephants are crossing in front of you!

 

But Caroldoll is right on about game drive times. If you only have one day in port it wouldn't be possible. If you had a couple or three days there, it would be better.

 

It sounds like you would really need to devote a separate land trip to really be able to appreciate the game parks.

 

Mura

[Paulchili]

Some, like leopards and hyenas, are definitely nocturnal. Others, like elephants, rhinos, giraffes, water buffalos, hippos (by rivers), cheetahs and all kinds of antelopes can be seen during the day. You can even see a pride of lions resting and sleeping in daytime, if you are lucky.

Ideally, one would stay in a game reserve for a few days to be able to do game drives early AM, daytime and early evening; but if you don't have that option a daytime visit to a good game reserve can be rewarding as well.

PS I would do them in S. Africa as Mombasa is too far from the good reserves in Kenya and the roads are the worst we have ever experienced. You can search and ask about S. African game reserves here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=-1&f=32

Edited May 8, 2014 by Paulchili

[Arusha]

Agree with previous posters that it would be ideal to stay in one park for 2 or 3 days at minimum. You'll get to observe more animals and more of their behavior. You'll even see some individuals/groups more than once (such as a pride of lions hunting in the AM and then lolling on their backs in the PM digesting the morning's kill). if you want to see wildlife, a multi-day land safari is the way to go.

[Paulchili]

We are taking the Captown to Hong Kong cruise (48days). Are the game reserves worth seeing? Do you see many animals during that time of day? We are considering doing Game Reseves at Port Elizabeth, East London, Durban, and Mombasa Kenya. Do you think once you have see one, that they are all alike? Any information would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

If you can, consider a pre-tour stay in S. Africa with a short stay in a game reserve (on your own or with the cruise line) and then you can explore the ports for sights other than game reserves - a win-win proposition IMO. :)

[PaulMCO]

You could arrive a few days early and spent a few nights in a Southern Cape Game park -- OR -- do what we did. Get off the ship on Day 2 in Capetown and meet the ship in Durban or Port Elizabeth - spending 2 or 3 nights at the Shamwari game park.

[no fuss travel]

Of the ports, the best reserve we had for viewing animals was Tala our of Durban. You will not see the cats at that reserve in the natural as they are still trying to get numbers of the other animals up to the point where it is sustainable to allow the cats to live in the reserve. They do have lions caged at the entrance to the reserve. We saw a fair number of other animals there. Of the reserves that Oceania offers, that is probably the best one for viewing animals. The reserve from Mombasa is the hairiest, scariest drive that you can ever go on. It does not matter if you are in a bus or a car, it will definitely add white hairs or remove more hairs from your head. Never again, even though we did see several animals.

[A Knitter]

We are doing Capetown-Capetown next November on Regent and staying in Sabi Sands at a Reserve called Leopard Hills for 4 nights. Declined the inclusive safari as i prefer to use the same company.

 

When in Kenya a few years ago, we did three game drives. Early morning, mid afternoon and early evening before dark. Saw everything the first day. Sometimes the luck of the draw but we had a awesome guide.

[terry&mike]

We have done safaris as part of land trips through Southern Africa, and found that the game viewing in Botswana was superior to that in South Africa, and it is worth the flight. In Botswana, stay at a lodge along the Chobe River and you will have viewings from boats also, which allows you to see the hippos in the water, as well as elephant herds and other animals coming down to drink. We found the evening game drives to be the most successful for sightings, but saw animals on every outing, morning, noon, or evening. Worth going in early for, as it ranks in our top trips ever.

[spindrift]

We are doing a precruise w/Regent this December, and we are going to the Sibuyia Forest. Anyone have any experience there? We tried to get to Tala later on in the cruise, but it was already booked. (Boo Hoo)

[no fuss travel]

We are doing Capetown-Capetown next November on Regent and staying in Sabi Sands at a Reserve called Leopard Hills for 4 nights. Declined the inclusive safari as i prefer to use the same company.

 

When in Kenya a few years ago, we did three game drives. Early morning, mid afternoon and early evening before dark. Saw everything the first day. Sometimes the luck of the draw but we had a awesome guide.

 

Sabi Sands Reserve is fantastic. We saw the Magnificent 7 as well as the Ugly 5 and lots of other animals in-between. Enjoy.