A week's tour in SA in November

hello all - please can i pick your brains

i'm looking for an organised tour but have quite specific requirements. have googled my heart out but failed to find anything that fits the bill. here is what im looking for:

- 7 to 9 day tour
- between 24 Nov and 8 Dec
- smallish group tour with people in the 18 to 35 age range
- some wildlife
- some adventure

i've been advised to try the east coast or the garden route, CT to PE or PE to Durban (and avoid kruger) - something like that

any suggestions of tour operators? i have looked at the likes of Nomad, but the dates don't match up

cheers for your help

strangedays

you could easily do it on your own using the Ba Bus it will be full of other backpackers and this way you get to pick where you want to spend your time, I would go CT to PE, a few days in CT, Outshoorn, get choochoo train from George (Backpackers paradise at ootshoorn can organise this)through to Knysna,then on to PE and spend a couple of days there (has elephant park, nice waterfront area etc.

thanks KK

not sure if the bazbus might be tailored a little too far towards the 18 end of the age range - can i expect a bunch of pissed up teenagers or do other independent travellers use it too?

sounds like a good back up if i cant find a tour - although would be nice to find a group and stick with it for a week

During my latest trip to SA, I met several Baz Bussers who were in their late 20s to 30s...

Does that mean you've used it POP? Would you recommend it if so?

I haven't used it; PrinceOfPenguins and I rented a car. I haven't heard anything negative about it though...

I've used it twice, there was a big mix of ages and nationalities on it both times, I think the eldest person was in their 60's. It's more expensive than local busses (I think) but is door to door so is a lot more convenient.

I know you said SA by why not consider flying to Livingstone. Along with the adjacent Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe it is the adventure capital of Africa and there are some great wildlife viewing spots nearby (Chobe National Park in Botswana for instance) plus if you stay at one of the lodges you can organize the tours yourself. All kinds of stuff runs there, the Zambezi is considered one of the best white water rapids in the world, you can see the Falls from land and the air, go for elephant rides, all kinds of safaris and so on.

#6 - BB IS definlty more expensive than local bus - but maybe that for 7 days it's not that of a big difference.
I took it last april and there was a lot of people of my age (25-30) but also people in their forties, fifties, sixties, and even an 80-something years old lady. So, pretty diverse!

I haven't check, but choochoo train was closed when I was there - so double check if it's still the case

There's not a lot of opportunities for wildlife viewing between CT and PE. Addo near PE, otherwise there is more opportunities around Durban, or maybe swaziland?