Introduction + advices for South African trip, october 2026
Hi everyone !
My name is Raphaël, I am a french biologist, Zoo educator and wildlife enthusiast !
This is my first post on Mammalwatching.com but the website has been a precious source of informations for a long time.
(Excuse my grammatical mistakes, I don’t use English a lot in my daily life).
I have travelled a bit around the world, but never on a focus-mammal trip.
However I already have some great mammals encounters in my list, including giant otters in Peru, giant anteaters and spectacled bears in Colombia, Indian rhinos in Nepal, five species of otters (I try to see all the otters species) and many primates, including Lemurs as I am a big fan of Madagascar.
You can see my name in the Trip post made by my friend Antoine Rabussier, when we were in Madagascar together in 2023 : https://www.mammalwatching.com/community-post/northern-madagascar-the-propitrek/
So, my plan is to visit South Africa in October 2026. It will be my first time in the mainland African continent.
I haven’t booked any flight and I feel a bit in a hurry now looking at the prices and the kerozene situation.
My schedules are :
I can leave France to South Africa around October 2nd-3rd,
I plan to attend the International Zoo Educators Conference from October 12/16th in Cape town
I have more time to stay in the country after that, and come back around November 3rd-4th.
Looking at the reports, I identified some key sites I don’t want to miss : Kruger, Marrick, Cape region with Good Hope, Hermanus, De Hoop.
I think I can add one more place but I don’t know which to choose.
What would be your advices ?
About the timing :
By arriving in South Africa around October 3rd, I have more than one week before the Conference in Cap Town. I could start by one week in Kruger : this way I will be “full” with a lot of great sightings.
But I could also go directly to Cape Town, have my first week in SA around Cape coast, pingouins, whales, dolphins, etc and finish my trip at the beginning of november in Kruger.
Would you recommend me one way or an other, depending to weather and conditions ?
My first thought is that an International conference is always tiring, so I think it is better to start by Kruger, then have the conference, then “slow down” a bit around Cape Coast, before finishing by Kimberley and Marrick on my way back to JoBurg.
And : if anyone plans to go there and share a part of the trip, I would be delighted to meet Mammalwatchers in real life !
Merci beaucoup !
Raphaël
Post author
20 Comments
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Chad Johnson
You probably know this already, but in Cape Town, Simon’s Town in the place to stay. You get penguins and hyrax right there in town and it gives easy access to Cape Point where you can see some good mammals, highlighted by Bontebok. There are some good restaurants and bars, there, too. Some of the restaurants have penguins that will walk right by your table. In Kruger, you can’t do everything in a week so you may need to think about what you most want to see. I’ve only been there twice but in my experience, the southern part is best for rhinos. I saw more white rhino than I bothered to count in the south and also saw a lone black rhino in that part of the park. I’ve had my best luck with the big carnivores in the middle part of the park, around Skukuza. That’s where I had the bulk of my lion and leopard sightings, but also both times I saw Wild Dogs was around there. The sighting boards at the camps often had cheetah sightings around that part, as well, but I was never lucky enough to see one myself. The northern part of the park is better for birding but, besides Nyala which are really common in the north section, I think the south and middle are better for mammals. People with a lot more experience than me might have other opinions, of course. Good luck and enjoy your trip! Oh, and one more suggestion is to consider Addo Elephant Park. It’s small but there’s a lot of good animals there including Meerkat which you won’t find at Kruger.
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Nathan Myhrvold
I am leaving in the next couple of days for about 3 weeks in South Africa, including time in the Kalahari, the Madikwe reserve (near border with Botswana), at Marrick and in Sabi Sands reserve (adjacent to Kruger). I’ve been to SA previously. While Kruger park probably ranks as one of the world’s great national park, my previous experience, and what a lot of other safari others say, is that the private reserves in Sabi Sands area (a set of private reserves adjacent to Kruger) offer the same wildlife under better conditions particularly for photography – because they have a better internal road network, and are willing to drive off road, and the guides have incredible local knowledge, and fewer visitors. But those private reserves are likely more expensive.
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AntenneZoo
Thanks everyone for your answer !
I worked again on my trip project and I can move my departure and arrivals date.
What do you think about this planning ?Day 1 : Johannesburg, arrival
Day 2 : road, Blyde canyon
Day 3-8 : Kruger NP
Day 9-11 : three days in Eswatini
Day 12-17 : five days in Ste Lucie area : iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park
Day 18 : road to Johannesburg
Day 19-20 : stop to Marieval bird sanctuary (to spot the otters)
Day 21 : Johannesburg, flight to Cape Town
Day 22 : Simons Town, Boulders beach, Cap of Good Hope
Day 23-24 : Hermanus, two days
Day 25 : De Hoop reserve
Day 26 : route to Plattenberg Bay
Day 27-28 : Plattenberg Bay
Day 29-30 : Addo NP
Day 31-32 : Mountain Zebra NP
Day 33-34 : Karoo NP
Day 35 : Back to Cape Town, road to Kimberley
Day 36-37-38 : Kimberley, Marrick Game reserve-
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Asanoth
40 days is ample time! Although I do fail to see allocation for your conference days.
I would do more homework and if I want to spend somewhere more than 2 days, I would ask myself: Is there really something I want to see, only here, which needs those extra days? Or do I want ot photograph something there which does not happen all the time? Sometimes it might be a case. Maybe you want to see something else than mammals, like a nice frog species or whatever, and need to make a stop somewhere on the road to see it – this was a case for me on Madagascar last year to see a carpet chameleon in Ankazomivady.I myself have not been to Eswatini, nor have I seen any point in going if I focus on wildlife.
We only did 2 nights in Santa Lucia – one day visiting the park and second day, in quite an unpleasant weather, just walking around, having lunch and moving to accomodation closer but still way too far from iMfolozi for another two nights. We were quite on budget, so we did consider that iSimangaliso is not covered under WildCard parks.We only did half a day in Plettenberg, spending the morning (and also a night, I think, but I did not know spotlighting was a thing back then :'( ) in Knysna or somewhere there. We then last minute booked the whaling trip, there was another couple and they cancelled, so we had a private tour, did that 1 hour or so on the sea and then hiked Robberg peninsula. There are sealions there, but only from top view, not good for photography. At the far east, you can get lower and possibly shoot them in waves – I might try if I went now, at that time it did not occur to me. Landscape is nice though.
We did only one day in Mountain Zebra, I think coming from Addo on that very day – of course today I would prioritise coming in the very morning.
To Addo we arrived at 4 pm, entered, slept outside and spend another whole day there and then chill out on the morning before leaving to Mountain Zebra (how could I have done such a thing – chilling out in the morning??!! 😀 )I do not really feel we lacked time in any of those places, BUT if I did a proper research now, I might find that I did miss on something.
Anyway, once again, I would try to spend a lot of time in Kruger, taking in different habitats and their respective animals, including time spent in campsites for smaller/mid-sized mammals. I would also do as many night drives as I could – if I recall, they are quite cheap and can really give you some species that are very hard otherwise (or you can see nothing 😀 ).
But with 40 days, you can really do the whole country on the road, including Kalahari 🙂 . It will be a great trip: And if you are lucky, you might even have both kidneys on the way home 😀
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Eduardo Ruiz
You would need to see if you can get any recent feedback from 2026 but on Days 19-20 it might be better to stop for the otters in Wakkerstroom (see description in Jon Hall’s detailed post), for example Marc Bozon recently found his serval there at night (Big Cat Year report from 2026). Other things to consider might be visiting Sasol Synfuels in Secunda near Johannesburg a couple of evenings where you need to stay near Johburg as it is the place with the highest density of servals (see report from Stuart Chapman from 2019 “Serval central” for the contacts). On the Kimberley/western cape side, if you can do the long drives, it might be more efficient to fly to Kimberley on Day 21 instead of going all the way to Karoo come back and fly to Kimberley. Fly day 21 to Kimberley and do the 3 nights in Marrick then drive south and then west: Marrick – New Holme/Khoisan Karoo (see Valentin Moser’s report from 2023 as he mentioned a better experience here than in Marrick)-Mountain Zebra NP – Karoo NP – Dunedin Farm/Riverine Rabbit retreat (if it’s of your interest, see Paul Carter’s/Jon Hall/Ian Thomson reports) – Addo NP-Plattenberg Bay- De Hoop-Hermanus-Simon Town-Cape town, i hope this makes sense. If you haven’t seen the otters in Marievale or Wakkerstroom by the time you get to Kimberley, you can try to see them in Warrenton near Kimberley, check the Wild Wings reports for South Africa where they describe the location where they see them. Good luck!
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AntenneZoo
Thanks a lot for your answer !
Yes you are right I saw the report about Wakkerstroom instead of Marievale.
I think both can be good stops from Ste Lucie area to go back to Johannesburg.Your idea to go to Kimberley and have a loop from there makes a lot of sense.
But I didn’t mention that I will attend the International Zoo Educators Conference in Cape Town on october 12-16th, so the middle of the trip.
I have three weeks before, two weeks after.
So my plans are to dedicate the first three weeks to northern part (Kruger, Ste Lucie, Eswatini) and the two weeks after to the coast, with three last nights in Marrick.
But I fear it will be short to have Hermanus, Plattenberg Bay, De Hoop, Addo, Montain Zebra, Karoo and Marrick in two weeks.
Regarding the reports, Addo seems to be the place that I could skip to spend more time in other places.
Thanks !
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Mattanja Peppelman
Kruger is great, especially staying in the camps. October can get wet and november often is wet. Both get really warm already. I prefer october over november. Satara has the most classic safari feeling of vast landscapes and loads of animals.
Lower Sabie is probably (together with Satara) the best place to see the big predators: wild dog, lion, leopard and cheetah. I would definitely book some nights at Satara if it’s still available. Guides there were (very) good the times I’ve gone on night drives. Satara has honey badgers and african wildcat in camp, plus some bats and greater galago. All roads are good. I like going north towards Balule for wild dogs, the H7 for cheetah and the s100 for anything and everything.Lower Sabie has some cape clawless otters around the low water bridge. Not guaranteed, but they are present there year round. Lower Sabie has some greater cane rats in camp, together with loads of bats, some genets and a lost African civet. I like any road to the south and the H4-2. They get busy though.
Skukuza is too busy for my liking, but worth mentioning. Loads of people but probably the best area to see leopard and lions in 1 day. Loads of bats in camp, quite a few cane rats, a melanistic african wildcat and vervet monkeys and baboons. Plus the big monkey that makes a lot of trash. H4-2 is a great road. Roads to the south are decent to good for wild dog, cheetah, leopard and rhino. Haven’t seen lion going south in a long time. Lion are everywhere else though. Slme rare antelopes around Pilanesberg, but that is still quite a way. Guides are okay, but the drives here are horrendous and aimed at people who know little to nothing about animals.
If you prefer a smaller camp crocodile bridge is nice. Has lesser galago (quite famous ones, they emerge from a pole at safari tent 9). All predators are around here plus some other nice animals. I like this camp a lot, but can only drive north and west.
I went to Marievale last visit and saw the spotted-necked otters, but next visit I will go to Wakkerstroom to see them easier I reckon.
At Mountain zebra definitely think of doing the guided cheetah walk.
My experience in eSwatini was okay, but didn’t see many unique mammals. Malolotja was good for rock hyrax, Mlilwane was just a nice place to stay and walk. I prefer Blyde river forever resort over both, has some nice trails and unique mammals.
St Lucia is a lovely place and if you don’t see rhino in Kruger you can see them here or in the Hluhluwe Imfolozi park, so don’t stress as numbers in Kruger are dwindling fast.
Enjoy the trip and the planning!
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AntenneZoo
Thanks a lot for your answer !
Do you think is it better to stay at the same camp in Kruger or move each day ?
Arriving by the south, is it a good idea to stay :
One night in Crocodile bridge
one night in Lower Sabie
two nights in Satara
one night in Balule
and maybe one last night in Mopani ?
Or choosing just two stops, lower sabie and Satara, with three nights each ?-
Asanoth
Just as with the rest of the trip, I would just research what is where and build it up on that. It seems that you just looked at the map, maybe researched “best” camps and put them south to north. Last year there was a very detailed Kruger trip report.
I do not think it is an issue to move every day, I mean you are in the car for the better part of the day anywhere.I would also avoid Lower Sabie and the Sabie river area during the weekend.
As of my experience, there are far most predators by the river, so Lower Sabie might be good for that, but I only stayed in Satara, Crocodile Bridge and Pretoriuskop (no other place available), and maybe one more which I cannot recall now.-
AntenneZoo
Thanks, yes I used reports to see which camps are the best to spot wildlife and the most recommended by our Mammalwatching community.
I booked the camps !
I will start by two nights in Olifants, then two nights in Satara, and three nights in Lower Sabie.
I didn’t expect the camps to be quite full and all booked already so it limited my choices. Letaba, which was strongly recommended by a friend, is close until the end of the year.
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Jane Kempler
We’re going to be in South Africa in October. Here is our planned route:
02-Oct-26 Fri Fly LHR to JNB at 20:50
03-Oct-26 Sat Arrive JNB 08:50. Fly JNB to George at 12:10, arriving 14:10 (if we arrive on time and get through quickly see if we can change onto the earlier flight). Collect hire car. Drive 15mins to the Food Lover’s Mall to buy supplies for the next few days (4 nights of breakfast/lunches/dinner). Drive 29mins to Malachite Bird Hide (Waterbirds, Kingfishers). Drive 10mins to SANParks Rondevlei Bird Hide. Keep your eye out for Marsh Mongoose, Southern Vlei Rat and Cape Dune Molerat. Do Bird Hide and Cape Dune Mole-rat Trail (allow 2:30) – don’t need to do all of this. Throughout the whole garden route area keep your eye out for clawless otters on the shoreline/beaches at sunrise/sunset, and also blue duiker in the forest areas and also chance of bushpig or caracal anywhere. Quick spotlight around the lodge. Wilderness Ebb and Flow Rest Camp
04-Oct-26 Sun Kingfisher Trail hike (3-4hrs, 7.6km, may want to take/wear swimmers if it’s warm. Keep your eye out for Knysna Trogon, Sunbirds, Bushbuck, Kingfishers, Spotted Eagle Owl)). Drive 15mins to Woodville Big Tree. Woodville Big Tree Walk (2.1km, 45min). Drive 40 mins to Goukamma Nature Reserve. Need to be at accommodation by 4pm. Spend the rest of the day around the accommodation – hiking, hire a canoe and paddle up the river to look for kingfishers. Walk along the beach to look for black oystercatchers. Night walk around the chalet Forest Lodge, Goukamma Nature Reserve
05-Oct-26 Mon Early morning around the Goukamma Reserve. Drive 35mins to Garden of Eden (opens 8am). 30min walk on the boardwalk. Drive 20mins to Robberg NR. Robberg Nature Reserve Hike (2:30, 8.8km, look for fur seals, rock hyrax, seabirds, whales, dolphins, otters in the water). Drive 40mins to Natures Valley Rest Camp. O/n Natures Valley Rest Camp (Chalet – self catering). Go spotlighting after dark to look for Cape Genet. O/n Natures Valley Rest Camp (Chalet for us and Forest Hut for Paul)
06-Oct-26 Tue Drive 35mins to Ocean Safaris. 8am Swim with Seals boat trip (1.5-2hrs, they provide wetsuits and snorkelling gear. We need to take our own masks plus a towel and toiletries for afterwards. They have changing rooms, warm showers and lockers. Need to be there 30mins in advance). Meet at Central Beach Car Park Hopwood Street Plettenburg Bay. 11am-1pm Whale and Dolphin Watching boat trip. Meet at Adventure hut, parking area, Central beach, Plettenberg Bay. Drive 25mins to Monkeyland. 1hr guided tour (every 15-20mins). Possible visit to Birds of Eden free flight aviary (allow 2hrs). Drive 50mins to Big Tree, Tsitsikamma. Walk around the short boardwalk. Storm River Mouth Restcamp. (Look for Rock Hyrax, Turaco, sunbirds, plus whales, dolphins and otters in the water). If you get there early enough, do the coastal suspension bridge part of tomorrow morning’s walk. Spotlighting, particularly for otters, and also for rodents. Storm River Rest Camp Chalet CH3
07-Oct-26 Wed Loerie, Duiker, Otter and Waterfall trail (5hrs, 15km). Drive 2hrs 15 to Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth). 3pm tour of SANCCOB penguin and seabird hospital and walk around the Cape Recife Nature Reserve. Walk in Settlers Park Local Authority Nature Reserve to look for Clawless Otter plus birding. Dinner at the Hussar Grill (or possibly The Lemon Tree, but this is further away). Bookings not open yet. Book for 7:30pm. Whistlewood Guest House
08-Oct-26 Thu Early morning visit to Settlers Park to look for otters. Whale, dolphin and penguin cruise in Port Elizabeth to St Croix with Raggy Charters. Meet on the grass area at Nelson Mandela Bay Yacht Club in the Port Elizabeth Harbour at 8.00am. Arrive back at port by about 12.00pm/12.30pm. (If guests are enjoying the sightings and not in a rush to get back to catch a flight or shuttle, we may run a little late. Southern Right Whales, Indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins, penguins, seabirds, plus chance of humpback whales, common dolphins, humpback dolphins, Bryde’s whales, Minke whales, Fur seals, sharks). Drive 3:40hrs to Mountain Zebra NP. Stop on the way st Superspar Bluewater Bay for groceries. Key animals here are Mountain zebra, Black Wildebeest, Grey Rhebok, Mountain Reedbuck, Blesbok, plus you can try for hares, sengi, rodents. Look for wildlife on the way in (see my notes on species and locations) and do the Ubejane Loop. Check in. If time, drive the Rooiplaat loop. Walk around the loop from the chalets. Group Night drive. Night walk/spotlight around chalets Mountain Zebra NP Rest Camp Cottage (CO2)
09-Oct-26 Fri Early morning walk around the loop from the chalets. Cheetah Tracking drive/walk of radio collared cheetah 07:30am for 3-4 hours. In the afternoon drive the Kranskop loop for Grey Rhebok and Mountain Reedbuck. Dusk walk around the loop from the chalets. Group Night Drive. Night walk/spotlight around the chalets. Mountain Zebra NP Rest Camp Cottage (CO2)
10-Oct-26 Sat Morning drive around the park – choose the route depending on what we have already seen. Walk around the chalet loop when you get back. Afternoon drive around the pack – choose the route depending on what we have already seen. Group Night Drive. Night walk-spotlight around the chalet loop Mountain Zebra NP Rest Camp Cottage (CO2)
11-Oct-26 Sun Ranger led 3hr early morning guided hike in the NP 5-8am. Check out. Game drive back out through the park. Drive 2hrs to valley of desolation in Cambedoo NP. Check in to accommodation. Game drive in the park (route saved in Komoot). Valley of Desolation with two short walks at the top – take a jumper – it can get cold. Sunset at Valley of Desolation (park gate closes 7:30pm). Dinner at Frontiers Restaurant or Cambedoo Restaurant. Garden House, Graaf-Reinet
12-Oct-26 Mon Lazy morning. Drive 3hrs to New Holme Nature Lodge. Dinner. Night Drive New Holme Nature Lodge
13-Oct-26 Tue Early morning meerkat drive. Breakfast. Bushman Etching walk. Birding & Sunset Hippos. Dinner. Night Drive New Holme Nature Lodge
14-Oct-26 Wed Early morning birding/game drive. Drive 4hrs to Mokala NP, stopping at OK Foods Hopetown for groceries on the way. Go out in the afternoon and explore the reserve (see my notes). Night drive Mosu Lodge – Mokala NP – Luxury Bungalow
15-Oct-26 Thu Explore the NP in the morning. Drive 1:30 to Marrick. South African Ground Squirrel colony near the entrance. Night Drive Marrick Safaris
16-Oct-26 Fri Explore the reserve in the morning (meerkats + DIY self drive/walk for birds). Drive to the Wildebeest Kuil Rock Art Centre (open 9am-4pm) and look at the rock art plus also the wetlands behind for birds. Kamfers Dam for flamingos (need to ask at Merrick to find out if they are still there – some news reports say they have left due to sewage in the dam). Sengi drive in the afternon. Night Drive Marrick Safaris
17-Oct-26 Sat Explore the reserve (meerkats + DIY self drive/walk for birds). Email/whatsapp Gerhard.Myburgh@sasol.com 0643480374 Sasol Secunda team to confirm servals (no wifi at Mosetlha). Night Drive Marrick Safaris
18-Oct-26 Sun Early start. Drive 6.5 hours to Mosetlha Bush Camp and Eco Lodge in Madikwe GR. Need to be at the Abjaterskop reserve gate at 12:30 if we want lunch. Need to be there by 2pm if we want to do the afternoon game drive. Afternoon/night game drive (focus on elephants, southern lesser galago, Smith’s Bush Squirrel, Jameson’s Red Rock Hare, African Savanna Hare, Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Southern Small spotted genet, large spotted genet, dwarf mongoose, slender mongoose, banded mongoose, spotted hyena, brown hyena, african wild dog, plains zebra, white rhino, black rhino, giraffe, klipspringer, bushbuck, kudu, impala, waterbuck) Mosetlha Bush Camp
19-Oct-26 Mon Morning game drive. Afternoon/Night game drive Mosetlha Bush Camp
20-Oct-26 Tue Morning game drive. Afternoon/Night game drive Mosetlha Bush Camp
21-Oct-26 Wed Morning game drive. Afternoon/Night game drive Mosetlha Bush Camp
22-Oct-26 Thu Morning game drive. Afternoon/Night game drive Mosetlha Bush Camp
23-Oct-26 Fri Morning game drive. Get returned to the gate around midday. Drive 4:40 to the Marievale Bird Sanctuary. Otters (spot throated and Cape Clawless) seen most frequently around the otter hide. Also seen around the Shelduck hide and sometimes from the gravel roads. Marsh mongoose can also be seen from any of the hides. Also a chance of Southern Reedbuck. Lots of birds. The hides are a very long way apart – drive between them. Open 5:30am-7:30pm. Hadeda hide maybe best for birds. Drive to Ferrydale SPAR (closes 8pm) for supplies for breakfast and lunch for tomorrow. Dinner at Bossa Nigel which looks likes the only viable close option (not booked) Seldre Guest House
24-Oct-26 Sat Spend most of the day at Marievale Bird Sanctuary. Drive 1:05 to Sasol Secunda. Check in to accommodation and early dinner. Evening/night looking for serval with Sasol Secunda team. Perfek Stay Guesthouse
25-Oct-26 Sun Early Morning looking for serval with Sasol Secunda team. Back to the hotel for breakfast. Keep hotel room for the day. Depending on how you are feeling and the weather can either have a relaxing day, or go hiking around the dams in Seconda (routes in komoot), or you could return to Marievale. Drive 1:40 to the airport. Return hire car. Fly JNB to LHR at 21:40 Perfek Stay Guesthouse
26-Oct-26 Mon Arrive LHR at 06:55 -
michaelswright
Hi Raphael,
I own and operate 2 nature tour operating companies based in Cape Town, South Africa, namely: Sustain Safaris, and Rare Mammal and Bird Tours. We lead mammal watching and birding tours of Southern Africa regularly. This year I will lead 170 days of touring throughout Southern Africa, including 7 long tours of South Africa, which visit most of the regions you have identified on your proposed itinerary.
It seems you have already planned out a good route, but the one strong suggestion I have is to only do one day in Eswatini (3 days is too much), and rather to add 2 or 3 days at Khoisan Karoo Conservancy between Karoo National Park and Marrick Safari.
We visit these areas regularly as they are all great. Visiting both Khoisan Karoo and Marrick is strongly advised as you never see everything at one destination in 2 or 3 days. Khoisan Karoo is better for Aardvark if that’s a target, and they are currently monitoring Black-footed Cat there too.
Hope that helps, and enjoy your visit to our amazing country.
Kind regards,
Michael
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Asanoth
I visited South Africa in 2021 for 4 weeks, before I delved deep into wildlife watching (being interested in mice and such 😀 ) and till this day, I would probably rate it as my best vacation.
Given you want to visit both Kruger and Cape AND some locations in the middle, I would advise you to start in Cape town and finishing in Kruger.
We did not spend much time in Cape town, only to see pinguins and swim with sea lions, today I might spend more time around the mountain to see smaller species provided it is safe.
We visited West Coast NP, it was in bloom at that time, and we saw a small caracal there, but other than that no wildlife highlights.
We then continued to Hermanus and via Knysna to Roberg. I had only seen one or two whales on Iceland back than, so I liked Hermanus and land watching, but we got way more better sightings from a boat trip in Plettenberg, very close up with souther rights and also two species of dolphins, including a HUGE pod of Delphinus delphis, one of the best wildlife sightings I had till this day.
Only after this we started with safari, doing 2 days in Addo, 1 day mountain zebra (I would recommend for seeing other large species and quite nice landscape), a few days in Drakensberg (which I would also recommend if you like mountains), iSimangaliso (quite different than the rest, and also has land humpback watching), iMfolonzi (did not have too many great sightings there) and finally almost a week in Kruger, which is probably the best single site I visited till this day. We are having this idea to have two weeks just in Kruger. By the way we did all this in a Corolla 😀 .
Now if I were to plan this again, I would probably try to maximize time in Kruger, studying the reports here, as you can also see many smaller species (like civets and genets, but also rodents etc.) and the reports often cover this.
Study more in detail the Cape area (I mean myself) and focus on what I would like to see the most and I would do this before the conference.
Then I would move to Hermanus – but honestly, in season (not sure if still in October?) you can see loads of whales all along the coast east of Cape Town.
Now I was not too keen on Garden Route NP, especially the Knysna section did not seem interesting, maybe today I would try to spend the night and look more for insects or reptiles, but not sure.
I would find spots between Cape and Kruger I would like to see and try to squeeze them somehow between my Cape (Hermanus) time and Kruger time. As I said, I really liked Drakensberg – we did Sentinel, of course, and Tugela Gorge, but we both liked Injisuthi area the most. But you won’t see much wildlife there, I guess.
I also liked that Mountain Zebra, but it would only make sense if you did go that way, as you might cover many species in de Hoop already.
Then its a matter of priorities to split the days, and possibly cut something (either days in Kruger, or Cape, or a location inbetween – but I would do something to split the drive).
Good luck with your planning 🙂 .