Holly & Sebastien

International flights go on sale about 11 months in advance. We recommend booking at least 4 months prior to our big day. 

We suggest flying December 25-26th and staying until January 3-4th (of course longer if possible).  There is a direct flight to Cape Town from New York and other options via Europe. Preferably, choose a route that takes you directly into Cape Town rather than Johannesburg. Please let us know if you need assistance finding flights. 

We recommend signing up for Scott's Travel Deals for updates on cheap airfare to South Africa.  Signing up is free. 

Cape Town is an incredibly popular travel destination with December and January being peak tourist season. It is advisable to book ahead for accommodation, safaris, restaurants, and activities such as the Table Mountain Cable Car.

Please note Cape Town water is safe to drink and to remember to wear sunscreen. Mosquitos are sometimes around on hot summer’s evenings. They do NOT carry malaria, but if you want to avoid being bitten, you can buy a repellent e.g. Tabbard, Peaceful Sleep from any supermarket, pharmacy, or Clicks outlet. You can also buy inexpensive plug-in devices to keep mosquitos at bay while you are asleep. 

Cape Town is a malaria-free zone, so no need to take any malaria medication. If you go to the Kruger Park on Safari you will need malaria medication, but not for safaris in the Western/Eastern Cape. Visitors to South Africa do not need yellow fever inoculations unless they are from yellow fever endemic areas (Yellow fever belt of Africa or South America).

Uber operates in South Africa via the app and is a very reliable form of tranportation. If you would like to hire a car service or schedule a ride from the airport, Centurion Tours is a great option. If you would like to rent a car, we recommend Avis, Budget, Europcar, or Thrifty.

When using taxis, it is standard practice to round up to the nearest 10 in rands. For longer distance trips out of the city, R20 or more should be fine. Please note: always use metered taxis and it’s a good idea to get the information of a reputable agency from the hotel you are staying at. 

Shop at the Watershed, grab a drink at Firefish, take a harbour cruise or take the ferry to Robben Island. 

If you want to take the cable car at Table Mountain, book tickets online. Consider going early in the morning. Tickets are valid for 7 days from the chosen date. 

Eat in the historic Simon's Town afterward. Bertha's Restaurant and Black Marlin have great seafood. 

The Old Biscuit Mill is open 6 days a week (closed on Sundays and Public Holidays). The Neighbourgoods Market is open on Saturdays 9am – 2pm. 

Walk Muizenberg Beach to see the brightly colored Victorian change houses along the beach and surf at False Bay. Relax at the beach at Camps Bay, Clifton 4th, or Llandudno.

Centurion Tours offers private tours of Cape Town, wine estates, whale watching, shark cage diving, the garden route, and nearby safaris. Must book in advance as it is busy season. 

Hiking Directions or take a Guided Hike

Make sure to visit the wine estates in the Constantia, Stellenbosch & Franschhoek. 

The Constantia Wine Route has 9 wine estates, all offering a unique experience. Some of our favorites are Groot Constantia (our wedding venue), Constantia Glen, and Beau Constantia.

In Stellenbosch and Franshhoek, make sure to visit Babylonstoren, Boschendal, Delaire Graff Estate and Haute Cabriere. Spend a few nights staying on the estate and enjoying the spa. 

We recommend taking the wine tram in Franschoek. Book your tickets here.

There are several options for Sarafi right outside of Cape Town. These all offer a car service to and from the downtown area. The drive time is 2 to 2.5 hours. 

Recommended safaris driving distance from Cape Town:
Aquila Private Game Reserve Safari & Spa
Inverdoorn Private Game Reserve & Western Cheetah Conservation

The renowned Kruger National Park is the perfect place to experience wild Africa as it is one of the largest wildlife sanctuaries in the world. The airport to fly into is Johannesburg (O.R. Tambo). There are plenty of options in this area, so please reach out if you need a recommendation. 

There are strict rules for parents traveling with their children into South Africa and the documents required to enter, especially for single parents traveling with their child but not the other parent. Please check with you airline and see more information here.

Just like any other major city across the globe, there is crime in Cape Town. The best way to counter this is to always be aware of your surroundings. Keep your valuables close (alternatively, place what you can in a safe at the hotel), try not to have too many valuables (for example, expensive watches or jewelry) on display, and do not carry large amounts of cash on your person. When out exploring the town or hiking on the mountain, travel with a group of people and do not venture off alone.

MasterCard and Visa credit cards are widely accepted. It's standard practice to leave a 10% tip after a meal; tip more if the service has been exceptional. Tax is included in all prices listed. 

South Africa runs on the 220-volt system. Adapters for US plugs are available at travel shops but keep in mind that the US runs on 110 volts. Whatever you want to use in South Africa must be rated for dual voltage. Most laptops, mobile phone and shavers will be, but not necessarily hairdryers/hair straighteners.

Most hotels and B&Bs will have Wi-Fi and many public areas in Cape Town such as shopping malls and restaurants offer complimentary Wi-Fi to patrons. For those wanting to use a cell phone while on holiday, there are a few options. Cellphone providers have out of the country services that can be enabled. Turning on roaming is another option but this can incur high costs. An alternative is to buy a South African sim card while in the country. The main mobile network operators in South Africa are Vodacom, MTN and Cell C. The best place to get your SA sim card is on arrival at the airport at one of the mobile phone kiosks.