Cape Town to Johannesburg

Customer Reviews

• JC

  Judith

  · August 23rd, 2017
  Great trip, met many wonderful people. Unfortunately, the guides did not send us the list of names and email addresses which they promised to do. Also , unfortunately, even though I paid for single supplement, I had to share several times. Exodus admitted to their mistake but only reimbursed me $150. I paid over $800. I traveled with exodus 3 times but will never do so again.
  Show more
  Trip date: November 2016
• A

  Peter Lillywhite

  · April 12th, 2012
  Overall an excellent trip, with good knwledgeable guides, which i can heartily recommend. Lots of beautiful scenery, animals, and interesting sites. Mozambique, especially Maputo, could easily be left out with no detriment to the trip, Maputo is not somewhere you would want to wander around and, for the day by the beach in Mozambique there was not much to do.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?MOMENTS Cheetah breeding centre, up close and personal with an adult cheetah who purrs like a HarleydavidsonBreakfast at Tsitsikama camp site watching half dozen pods of dolphin swim pastThe rare site of wild dogs on the move in the evening light of KrugerWhat did you think of your group leader?The leader was knowledgeable, helpful, and fitted in with the group. He is young and has been running this trip for less than a year however he is complimented by his assistant/driver who has been doing the trip for some years and has a wicked sense of humour.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?There are plenty of opportunities to charge cameras but, once away from Cape Town no wifi but mobile phones work albeit a poor signal in Mozambique.Is there anything else you would like to add?This is my second exodus trip in Southern Africa. I love the country and these trips are a good way to see it. We will be back!
  Show more
  Trip date: April 2012
• A

  Kim Dvorak

  · April 1st, 2012
  This is an amazing trip that allows you to see a wide range of places and things.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?I agree with the other reviewer who said this trip has many highlights, but no one "inspirational" moment. My favorite things included: sunset over the ocean in Tsitsikamma, Lesotho (the area where we stayed was beautiful and peaceful), hiking in the Drakensburg Mountains (stunning!), listening to lions calling outside the camp on a sleepless night in Swaziland, seeing the animals in Kruger (from lilac-breasted rollers to wild dogs to elephants), and exploring Cape Town (fascinating!).What did you think of your group leader?Rob was our guide and Sifiso was our driver. It's difficult to separate one's efforts from the other's, as both worked tirelessly to make our trip as comfortable, easy, informative, and enjoyable as possible. Both have an amazing depth of knowledge about the countries visited and the things you're seeing. Don't hesitate to ask questions! You'll be surprised by how much they can tell you about the most random subjects imaginable.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Be prepared to spend more money on optional activities than you might anticipate from the list in the trip notes. Few of the optional things are all that expensive individually, but particularly in the game parks, you'll probably want to do several things (both sunset and sunrise drives, for example), so it adds up. A friend of mine always recommends you take half as much clothing and twice as much cash as you think you'll need, and that's probably good advice for this trip.If you can, do the trip from Jo-berg to Cape Town and not in reverse. That way you're ending up in a beautiful, easy place. Doing it in reverse means you're ending at the airport in Jo-berg, after a long day of driving. However you do it, spend some extra time in Cape Town. It's a lovely and fascinating place! And as cheesy as it sounds, the double-decker tour buses are a perfect way to see the town and areas around it.Is there anything else you would like to add?In many ways, this trip was way out of the norm for me. I'm not exactly a prissy girly-girl, but just from reading the trip description, there would seem to be way too much "roughing it" for my usual taste. But weighing that against my desire to see these places, I decided I could handle it. And I can tell anyone who might hesitating for similar reasons that they should go. Yes, there's a whole lot of the great outdoors on this trip, but in the best possible ways. I never stopped being amazed by the ever-changing landscape. You see everything from craggy, misty coastline to wide plains covered in scrub brush to mountains to pine forests. And it seems to change completely at least once an hour. I've never seen such diversity over such a relatively concentrated space.The shine never wore off of seeing the different animals, and not just in the game parks. You never knew when you'd see a monkey on a fence post, or an eagle overhead, or zebras in a field. Then once you're in the game parks, it intensifies. Every bush could be hiding a rhino or some brightly-colored bird, and every bend in the road could reveal a pack of African wild dogs or a lion napping in the shade.In terms of optional activities, I would definitely recommend doing as many game drives as you can. We had good luck seeing animals both on sunset and sunrise drives, though the big cats were limited (we saw two lions and no leopards).My friend and I did four optional activities of note. First, we flew into Jo-Berg and took the Premier Classe train down to Cape Town to join the group. That was a fascinating experience, as most of the other passengers were not foreign tourists, but rather people from South Africa returning home to or visiting friends/family in Cape Town. All of your meals are provided, and it's a comfortable way to make that journey, if you have the time. (Note that the train station in Jo-Berg is in a terrible part of town, so be careful with your transportation there!)Second, the township tour in Cape Town. They can arrange this to suit your schedule, so it's possible to do a Robben Island tour in the morning and the township in the afternoon. The guide they recommend is a young man who's involved in several projects in Langa, and he offers wonderful insight into an area that I knew almost nothing about. That tour completely changed my perception of townships and was one of the most fascinating and rewarding experiences on the trip.Third, we did the tree canopy tour in Tsitsikamma. Our guide said it wasn't one of the "Weeeeeee!" type of tours, but it totally was. It's an excellent chance to see some incredible birds and learn about the various trees and plant life in the area. You're always secured to something, with three safety lines when you're on the cables and with two on the platforms, so it feels very safe.Fourth, diving in Mozambique. It was an interesting experience, but not because of the diving (which was dreadful due to poor visibility). You have two options, diving in the lagoon or in the ocean, but the ocean trip requires at least four people or payment for that many (650R per person). The dive shop has good gear, and the people are quite nice (it's currently owned by an American ex-pat). However, even though I had fun, I can't really recommend it. The boat they use is a rubber pontoon-type of thing, and getting back in requires launching yourself up and being dragged the rest of the way in (I was covered in bruises afterwards). The lagoon sites are also covered in sea urchins, which, when combined with the terrible visibility, makes diving there a tricky proposition. If you do want to try the diving, go for the ocean. It's supposed to be beautiful.  One of my concerns when I signed up for this trip was the hiking. The pace of this trip is listed as "leisurely/moderate," but one person's moderate is another person's death march. The hiking was not at all bad. It was never required, so you could always sit it out and/or ride the truck to the end point. I had my concerns about the day-long hike in the Drakensburg, but for me, that ended up being one of the highlights of the trip. It is mostly uphill on the way out, but it's generally quite gradual. At its farthest point, the hike becomes a more complicated and strenuous scramble over rocks, but it's easy to sit that part out (which I and several others did). The views on that hike are stunning, and it felt wonderful to walk after so much truck-sitting. If the weather's nice when you're doing the hike, it's likely to be pretty uncomfortable for part of it, because you'll be in direct sun. We got lucky in that regard because it was cloudy, but that did partially obscure the views. Now for a word on the camping. I have never liked camping and probably never will. I decided to go on this trip in spite of the camping, rather than because of it, because I wanted to see South Africa and the best trips all require at least some camping. I can say that the camping on this trip was great, almost always more comfortable than the hotels (which isn't intended to be a criticism of the hotels, but rather a compliment to the quality of the campgrounds). The tents are, of course, smomewhat cramped with two people and their luggage inside, but plenty large enough to be comfortable (and a good deal larger than the tents some of the other tour companies were using). The views from the sites were often spectacular (Tsitsikamma and Drakensburg), the facilities fantastic, and the locations convenient. The one exception was the one in Mozambique, which was comfortable and pleasant, but had other issues (see below).My one disappointment on the trip was Mozambique. The whole excursion up there felt like an inconvenient detour, requiring way too many hours of backtracking over the same roads. The trip notes refer to experiencing "vibrant" Maputo and having a chance for a fun night out. On the reverse trip, you're only in vibrant Maputo for about three hours, and a good chunk of that is taken up with waiting for the ferry over to your hotel across the bay; your fun night out is at the hotel restaurant. I have been told that Maputo actually is pretty fantastic, but you're not there long enough to see much of anything other than derelict buildings and trash, or to experience anything other than heat. The campsite where you spend two nights is beautifully located near the water, but it's seven bumpy, twisting, rutted kilometers from the town. My friend and I did get into town for the diving and had a great dinner there, but we were the only ones in our group who were able to have anything more than cursory contact with the place. I think I would have preferred spending more time in other areas on the itinerary and avoiding Mozambique entirely. All in all, it's a great trip!
  Show more
  Trip date: April 2012
• A

  Catherine J Cant

  · February 27th, 2012
  Jo-burg to Capetown - a great intro to S AfricaWhat was the most inspirational moment of your trip?I love the Exodus "surprises" which happen along the way. The best one on this holiday was the visit to the cheetah conservation park (there are several, sorry I can't remember the name of this one) where the tour round included the chance to pet an adult cheetah (the biggest cat whose tummy I have ever tickled!) and a pair of adorable 6 week old lion cubs. Ok, perhaps a bit twee for some. Other highlights: the roar of the waves crashing onto the shore only yards away from the tent flaps at Tsitsikamma. The astonishing abundance of stars viewed from the balcony at Sungubulu(?) camp. Seeing Cape Town from the top of Table Mountain on a magnificently sunny day. Haggling with street vendors when buying souvenirs (ok, I'm a shopaholic, I know this now).What did you think of your group leader?Rob Stubbs, ably aided and abetted by the wonderful Sifiso, was a wonderful tour guide. He rarely found himself unable to answer questions (and with a tour group like ours, that's saying something), was unfailingly courteous even when under pressure, was well  organised himself and organised us so well that we always ended up where we were meant to be. Quite a feat for a fairly young man herding a bunch of middle-aged, independently-minded seasoned travellers around!And as for Sifiso's braais ... just great. Do you have any advice for potential travellers?I thought the most disappointing part was Mozambique. Prices are much higher than you would expect, and quality much poorer.Be aware that there are vast distances to be covered, and heads-down hard driving is the only way to do it.The street market at the Three Rondavels viewing spot is the best you'll get until you hit Capetown. And the prices are v good too. 
  Show more
  Trip date: February 2012
• A

  Paul Luker

  · January 19th, 2012
  This is an excellent way to experience a considerable portion of South Africa and three adjacent countries.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?This was not one of those trips with inspirational moments but there were numerous highlights. The trip is greater than the sum of its parts and it has made us want to return to a number of the places we visited.What did you think of your group leader?Rob and Sifiso were a great team, just the right balance of enthusiasm, knowledge, experience. Their meals were greatly appreciated, too!Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Please see narrative.Is there anything else you would like to add?Having read the Trip Notes together with the reviews of previous travellers, we knew what to expect on this trip. Consequently, those long days on the road came as no surprise—there simply isn’t any other way of seeing such a broad slice of South Africa and adjacent countries in a period of time that is manageable. If you were to take internal flights, as some have suggested, you would leave the Karoo and other landscapes 30,000 feet below and miss some gems along the way, if not the point completely. To cut a long story short, this trip exceeded our expectations, which is not to say there aren’t things for Exodus and Mask to consider.Starting in Cape Town had its advantages and disadvantages. There are so many possibilities, that extra time would have been nice. Had we not done the reverse trip, we would have stayed longer in Cape Town. With hindsight, we should have gone out earlier! Our excellent ‘crew’, Rob and Sifiso, suggested that the group dine together for the evenings in Cape Town. This worked really well, helping the group to gel early on. There is an exciting range of restaurants from which to choose. On our free day, we opted to hike up Table Mountain and back. The views are stunning, but the terrain is not great for those under 2 metres in height—there are some rather large steps hewn out of the rock. It took us longer coming down than going up, which meant, unfortunately, that we missed the township tour. That will have to wait for another day.We really enjoyed Lesotho, owing to the warmth of the Sotho people . Do take the tour of the village and see the local museum. The Malealea Development Trust welcomes donations of a variety of things, such as stationery for schools and sewing equipment and material. Before going, check with them at: http://www.malealeadevtrust.org/index.html to see what you might take. And don’t miss the wonderful evening concerts from the choir and band (there are two of each, so successive nights are different).Swaziland, clearly wealthier than Lesotho, was also enjoyable. The people are no less warm than the Sotho. It is in Swaziland, however, that you really begin to encounter the game. Do not expect to see very much south of Swaziland on the trip, although if you are a birder, there’s much to see all the way. The game drives (and/or walks) are a must.In both Lesotho and Swaziland, the local currencies are pegged to the Rand, which is accepted everywhere. In Mozambique, however, the exchange rate can vary markedly, and not all vendors know how to convert (or they do, but it is greatly to their advantage). We would advocate changing a small amount of money to Meticals.Maputo came as something of a shock. The aftermath of the war and the subsequent devastating cyclone are clear to see. The streets are littered with rubbish, the pavements in disrepair, but the people are not downbeat. It is outside the capital itself that you see the colourful and plentiful stalls that line the roads that make you want to stop. On our trip, the ferry across the bay to Catembe could not take our vehicle, owing to an incident earlier in the week. As a result, we had to drive—a journey that took some four hours, largely on dirt roads. That journey had to be repeated the following day, as we headed back through Maputo up the coast to Bilene. We would suggest that there be a Plan B should the ferry not be available. The two nights in Bilene were restful, however. Watching thousands of bats leave their roost on the camp site at dusk was one of those David Attenborough moments—don’t miss it!Kruger National Park was a little disappointing. The lions were clearly on strike—it was nearly 40 Celsius, so we don’t blame them. (The previous trip had seen almost 30, so don’t take our experience as the norm.) We did see one leopard and all the other usual suspects in good numbers.Finally, there are a few things that you might find useful. First, we return to the long days on the road. The earlier you start out, the better. On our trip, everyone was ready on our before the appointed hour, which helps everyone. Also, if there are things you can do to help (not hinder) the crew, do so—that also helps the trip keep to time and takes some of the load off the crew. Also, if the group is well behaved, there may be some surprises en route. Comfort breaks are taken every two hours are so, mostly at gas stations with Wimpy cafeterias where you can get your caffeine fix. Lunch is usually taken in a lay-by, which gives the opportunity to stretch your legs and take in the landscape.Our group felt that the Trip Notes could have given a more complete list of the costs of the optional activities, a cost which was not insignificant. More frequent trips to the ubiquitous ATM than had been anticipated were necessary for most. For those wondering about laundry facilities, there is a Laundromat at Tsitsikamma, and (cheap) laundry services at Lesotho and Bilene.All the accommodation worked well, whether the hotels, lodges or the tents. We were never far away from a hot shower. Mosquitos, a potential problem in Swaziland, Mozambique and Kruger, were not troublesome, but don’t forget the Deet and Malarone!  We hope you enjoy the trip as much as we did.Christine and Paul Luker
  Show more
  Trip date: January 2012
• A

  Jane Welsby

  · November 10th, 2011
  Fantastic trip with such a variety of experiences - a great way to visit the 4 countries.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Mozambique , and in particular the village visit in Bilene and the early morning walk on the beach to see the fishing.The lions in KrugerWalking in DrakensbergLesotho - the pony trek was amazingThe great campsites especially in Hlane NP and BileneLanga township tour, Cape Town        What did you think of your group leader?Rob and Sifiso were great guides and ensured we got the most out of the trip. I enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere they created due to their hard work, patience and good humour. We always had plenty of good food and were given lots of information along the way about the places we passed through or visited.   Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Leave your watch at home and relax! There are some long driving days but enjoy them as the scenery is fantastic and there are regular stops. The campsites and lodges you arrive at are in great places. You can lighten your bag in Malealea Lodge,Lesotho as the Trust will distribute any clothing etc left there. They were asking for toiletries etc for young girls when we were there, as well as the items mentioned in other reviews.     Is there anything else you would like to add?This was my first trip with Exodus and my first visit to Africa. I will definitely be doing another one !!
  Show more
  Trip date: November 2011
• A

  Heidi Kelly

  · October 15th, 2011
  Overall a very enjoyable if tiring holiday. Lots of fantastic scenery, culure and wildlife along the way. Each day finished off with some good food and wine - often around the camp fire. We had a great time with a good bunch of fellow travellers - next problem is where to go next !Once again another very well organised and varied trip from Exodus. There is a lot of travelling invovled, some days are spent totally on the 'truck'. The views and scenery do change a lot and so the travelling is interesting and the picnic lunches by the road were a welcome respite. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Walking in the village in Lesotho, lots of good photo oppurtunities.Day walk in the drakensberg - the scenery is stunningWalk to the waterfall in TsitsikammaKruger national park - be patient and the wildlife will appear, our second day was much better than the 1st.Arriving at the Swaziland campsite and walking a few metres to see about 5 rhinos only a few metres away. What did you think of your group leader?Our leaders were Rob (guide) and Sifiso (drvier / cook).Rob is still young but very enthuisiastic and a great bloke to get on with. He has a vast knowlwedge for his age, but is still learning the trip - in a few trips time I am sure he will be excellent.Sifiso is a great driver and cook, we never went hungry. The food is not gourmet but good wholesome food - look out for the garlic potatoes and steak !. He is sometimes a bit quiet / shy and his sense of humour is sometimes a bit difficult to interpret. But overall a good guy !Do you have any advice for potential travellers?The trip is a full service camping trip, we were more than happy to help put up / take down tents, do the washing up  etc. If no one in the group helps out then the itinery would be virtually impossible to stick to - especially mornings that need the camp to be packed up. So go prepared to help - it's more fun that way, and it helps the group to gel.The campsites vary quite a bit, but are generally very clean. We went in Sept / Oct when most of the sites were not very busy. Suspect there may be queues for showers etc when the sites are fuller. The site in Mozambique is mosquito central - especially in the showers.We (and most of the group) found that sleeping on the matteresses direct on the ground made for a better nights sleep than using the camp beds.We did the boat whale watching trip in Hermanus, in reality the sea was too choppy for any serious whale watching. The members of the group who stayed on land saw more whales and got better pictures. Thus check the sea conditions before spending your ~£50.The trip to Robben island was interesting but do not expect to do your own thing on the island, you are taken around in a bus for most of the time. Most prices are not that much cheaper than the uk, even in supermarkets most food is the same. On the plus side you can get a good bottle of SA wine for about £3-4 in most supermarkets.Is there anything else you would like to add?We found the truck used only barely big enough, ok it had 12 seats for 12 people, but space for all the luggage etc was limited - thus a lot of the food and stuff had to  travel inside the truck. The truck also needed some maintenance - window catches fell off, roof leaked dirty rusty water on people and a milk crate was used as an entrance step.But overall a very varied trip, a good way to see 4 countries in such a short time. We are sure you will have a great time, just go with an open mind and be prepared to help out.
  Show more
  Trip date: October 2011
• A

  William Cuthbert

  · October 3rd, 2011
  An excellent trip overall. Long days were expected, but some were TOO long. But the variety of experiences, and places we visited more than made up for it! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Not included in itinerary - this was an optional extra - Shark-cage diving with Brian McFarlane's "Apex Predator" at Gansbaai - www.sharkcagediving.net - It means a two hour return trip back from Cape Town, but they pick you up in their minbus around 6am and bring you back around 4.30pm. He has a hit-rate with sharks of over 99%, and he's been doing it for 15 years. You don't even need to swim!! Get your wetsuit on - drop into the cage - and see these magnificent creatures at close quarters. Trippers should not make excuses - simply DO it!! You'll not regret it!  The whale-trip out of Hermanus was also excellent, and finally, the hike into the Drakensburg mountains - stunning scenery, stunning light - drinking the ice-cold water from the gorge on a hot day... and filling your bottles for the trip back! What did you think of your group leader?Rob, at just 23, is still learning his trade, and I'm sure he has a very bright future as a guide. He was always helpful, hard-working and eager to please, and I'd readily go on another trip with him. His assistant and driver, the much more experienced Sifiso, gave him help and support where appropriate, and collectively they couldn't have given more. The excellent food, its preparation and putting up camps after long days on the road can only be commended.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Don't miss the opportunity of the village walk at Lesotho - as close a view of village life as you may expect to get - nothing staged - and also, the turtle trip in Mozambique...... (already mentioned the sharks!!)     Make sure you get your visas before you go, otherwise you can seriously delay the group at border control.   The sunset drive is probably preferable to the night drive whilst in Kruger.Is there anything else you would like to add?My biggest disappointment was the vehicle provided. It was certainly a speedy vehicle to make the best use of the excellent roads between stops - BUT - it was absolutely hopeless for game viewing, and equally for photography. Small sliding windows, with some seats having serious obstructions was enough to knock this trip from a 5 star experience to only 4!!  I would certainly not have relished this trip with more than the 10 passengers aboard. Simply "not fit for purpose!!!"
  Show more
  Trip date: October 2011
• A

  Rosalyn Newton

  · September 18th, 2011
  An interesting and varied itinerary but exhausting with too much to do in the time allowed, this trip would benefit from being at least a week longer. Highpoints included Mozambique, walking in the Drakensburg mountains, the village walk in Lesotho and the boat trip to see whales close up.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Watching the sunrise over the Drakensburg mountains from Sungubala tented camp.Watching the sunset over the crashing waves at Tsitsikamma.What did you think of your group leader?Rob was young and enthusiastic and a good listener. He needed to be be more organised. His inexperience was tempered by Sifiso who was very knowledgeable about wildlife and culture plus being an excellent cook and driver.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Be prepared for long days in a minibus.Check accommodation address for Mozambique visa application as one given hasn't been in use for some time.If you want to 'stuff your rucksack' then the Malealea Developement Trust in Lesotho current wish list includes needles, cotton, scissors etc. for them to start a sewing group and medical equipment etc. suitable for a small clinic.Is there anything else you would like to add?Tour vehicle not suitable for sightseeing or photography as had a substantial black line at eye height and no drop down windows. It was also cramped for space so it was good that only ten of us were on this trip.Itinerary should be amended as game walk to get near rhinos in Hlane is no longer available. Info supplied re Mozambique visa application accomodation address is incorrect.Food prepared by Rob and Sisiso was excellent.
  Show more
  Trip date: September 2011
• A

  Dan Sinclair

  · December 20th, 2010
  This was a trip that exceeded our expectations - and we have very high expectations indeed!We chose this trip because of the sheer variety of experiences on offer and the universal praise that we read before we finally chose this one. We were not disappointed!We had said we'd never go camping again - in fact, that was the best bit!What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?The stunning landscapes, the variety of cultural experiences and the real local flavours, everywhere we travelled. Even the less good (ie wet) times were really special.In a beautiful setting, waiting for the next pod of dolphins and whales to swim past. Walking up close and personal with mother and baby rhinos.A night game drive with an astounding range of animals. Sitting in the mountains at night, savouring Anneke's delicious local food, sipping good wine, in great company and having a magnificent lightning storm laid on, that seemed to last for ages. What more could you ask for!What did you think of your group leader?Justin and Anneke Barr made the difference between merely a wonderful three weeks and an inspiring and very special journey that will live with us for the rest of our lives. Both were knowledgeable, enthusiastic and couldn't do enough for our group. Anneke's cooking, using local ingredients and recipes was absolutely first class and both she and Justin were so well organised and efficient that we were left free to make the most of each and every experience.  Anneke and Justin worked very hard at all times to ensure we all got the most from our travels and experiences and it was all done with a great sense of friendship and  wonderful good humour.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?The journey is the destination! If you travel with an open mind and a sense of adventure you cannot fail to be inspired. This particular trip is a long one but hardly strenuous, with some long distances through a wide variety of landscapes. The range of experiences on offer will give you a lifetime of memories.Is there anything else you would like to add?We felt very fortunate that everything worked out so well - the composition and size of group, Anneke and Justin to lead and a wonderful programme through four countries.  Any slight hitches (bad weather, traffic jams or whatever) can be shrugged off and even laughed at!If you want something more than a predictable, "ordinary" holiday, then this might just be the trip for you!
  Show more
  Trip date: December 2010