South Africa Agents Educational Trip : Meeta’s experience

Our colleague, Meeta, recently co-hosted an Agents Educational trip to South Africa in December 2019, where we took some lovely Travel Agents for 8 nights to experience some of what this stunning country has to offer, from city life to adventure, wildlife to culture, breathtaking scenery to sun-soaked coasts.

She had an incredible time and told us about her trip as well as shared some fantastic photos.

1. What was your itinerary on this trip?

On arrival in South Africa we were transferred to the Eastern Cape and on to Amakhala Game Reserve.

We had a lovely lunch here, followed by an afternoon game drive, which was amazing as we saw a number of animals, but the main highlight was seeing the lions!

The next day we had an early morning game drive followed by breakfast in Amakhala. The game didn’t disappoint, as on the way back to the lodge we saw two cheetahs. After breakfast, we were transferred to Shamwari Private Game Reserve where we enjoyed a lovely lunch followed by an afternoon game drive and site visits.

We loved Shamwari and the accommodations it had to offer. Sarili Private Lodge was out of this world, we had our own private house and it really brought the group together.

The next morning we enjoyed a game drive, where we saw rhinos and learnt about how endangered these animals really are with regards to poaching.

We then left for Port Elizabeth where we had a walk around the shops and enjoyed the local pizza, banana and bacon which was interesting.

After a night here, the next morning we transferred by road to Knysna and stopped off at Tsitsikamma, where we had the opportunity to walk on the Storms River and burn off all the lovely food and wine we had enjoyed.

The suspension bridge was also lots of fun and we all enjoyed the walk.

Once at Knysna we had a walk around looking at the shops and the boats. It was lovely and a great place to have two or more nights on the Garden Route as it is very close to the likes of Plettenberg.

After breakfast the next morning we transferred to Hermanus, which everyone enjoyed. It is very small but has a great vibe to it and is not too far from Cape Town. We enjoyed a cliff walk; the cliff path at Hermanus is one of the town’s most beautiful features and it was very busy with runners and dog walkers.

Then it was almost the final stop of the trip via the Winelands region of Franschhoek. We toured around the quaint town of Franschhoek before visiting a local wine estate where we enjoyed some wine tasting and learnt a lot with regards to white and red wines and which cheeses are best with each wine.

After breakfast, we drove along Chapman’s Peak and spent time with the penguins on Boulders Beach, followed by the waterfront and The Alba for a dinner cruise.

During our time in Cape Town we also did a City Centre Tour to learn more about the history of South Africa.

We even had a surprise thrown in – a helicopter ride around Cape Town! It was a fabulous way to end a great Agents Educational trip in South Africa

Over the 8 nights we learnt so much with regards to all the different areas we travelled to and the history of the country plus the food and wine.

2. Do you feel that experiencing SA has made it easier for you to discuss SA with potential clients?

Absolutely. The game drives in the Eastern Cape were definitely interesting and a real eye opener – especially when comparing the game with other safari destinations like Kenya.

3. Which was your favourite property during the trip?

I have two favourites. Sarili Lodge, Shamwari and also Harbour House in Hermanus.  Sarili is a real home away from home. A beautiful property, suitable for large groups/families. Their attention to detail and service was impeccable.

Harbour House was a fantastic property in a great location.

4. What were your highlights and special memories from the trip?

There were lots of great memories, wine tasting at Anura, a family-owned private vineyard, the walk along the suspension bridge in Tsitsikamma National Reserve, but the highlight (sorry to be cringe) was the dancing and drinking at the Ferrymans Tavern in Cape Town! Oh and not forgetting the helicopter flight over Cape Town – amazing!

5. What would be your top recommendation to anyone considering SA as a destination?

Book the Cable Car up Table Mountain on the first clear day. Do not delay the trip as weather conditions could prevent the cable car from operating.

Hermanus is a beautiful stop and I would recommend it even when not travelling during the whale season.

Travel light, so that on your return you have plenty of space to pick up souvenirs and wine bottles.

If, after reading about Meeta’s experience, you would like to book a trip to South Africa, we would love to work with you to plan the holiday of a lifetime. For more information on how our safari experts can help you, call Somak Luxury Travel today on 020 8423 3000.