Groupon: Trip to South Africa

[The Seeker]

I don't know how many of you are familiar with Groupon, but for those who aren't it's an online thing where they send you special "deals" through email and you purchase a coupon to get the item or offer at the discounted price.

I get several offers from the daily. In a recent offer, you could buy a round trip, 9 day vacation to Cape Town South Africa from the USA for $1999 USD.....

http://touch.groupon.com/deals/ga-a...02&s=body&c=image&d=getaways_deal&mobile=true

9-Day Vacation in Cape Town with Round-Trip Airfare, Hotels, and Sightseeing Tours from Africa Answers

Visit Table Mountain and Robben Island in Cape Town

The vacation includes:

Round-trip airfare from Washington DC (IAD) or New York (JFK) aboard South African Airways
Round-trip airport transfers in Cape Town
Six-night stay at the Cape Town Hollow Boutique hotel or Hollow on the Square hotel
Daily breakfast
Half-day Cape Town city tour, with Table Mountain tickets (weather permitting)
Robben Island cruise and tour

Vacation Highlights

An included half-day tour introduces you to the city. Weather permitting, you’ll head to the top of South Africa’s iconic landmark, Table Mountain, via the aerial cableway. Here, you’ll have an unforgettable birds-eye view of the city, its beaches, the Helderberg Mountain, and the Cape Town Stadium, built for the 2010 World Cup.
You’ll board a cruise (included with this Getaway) to Robben Island, located off Cape Town’s western coast. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the island was once the site of a notorious prison; Nelson Mandela spent 18 years in a cell on Robben Island.

Click here to view a full itinerary.
Cape Town, South Africa: Natural Beauty and Vibrant Culture in Oceanfront City

South Africa’s oldest city and legislative capital, Cape Town is situated near the African continent’s southern tip. The scenic metropolis—sandwiched between the Atlantic Ocean and the geographic plateau of Table Mountain—is known for its fine dining and natural beauty, earning it a spot on Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Cities list in 2011. Visit the trendy Victoria & Alfred Waterfront (called the V&A for short) for shopping, dining, and people watching in Cape Town’s working harbor, which dates back to 1860.

Other historical attractions include the 17th-century Castle of Good Hope, one of South Africa’s oldest surviving colonial buildings. Built by the Dutch East India Company, the castle now houses a few history museums. Visit here on weekdays at 10 a.m. and noon to witness the Key Ceremony, a formal ritual where guards recreate the “unlocking†of the castle, followed by a cannon firing.

Those searching for some of Africa’s exotic animals have a few options. Keep an eye out for herds of zebras and wildebeests grazing on the slopes around the Rhodes Memorial, a Greek-temple-esque homage to imperialist Cecil John Rhodes in Table Mountain National Park, or take a tour of Aquila Private Game Reserve. You can also head south to the tip of Cape Peninsula, home to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, where baboons, bucks, and hundreds of bird species live near spectacular cliffs.

Read the Fine Print for important info on travel dates and other restrictions.



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[Rocky]

Sounds enticing.

 

[DaveM]

Wow that is very cheap even for me in US $, are you going to look at taking it

 

[CarlS]

Aj, do they have any deals on a tramp freighter so I can take my bike along?

 

[The Seeker]

For goodness sakes NO I can't afford anything right now....I'm in liquidation mode until my divorce is finalized.

I just thought it sounded like a real deal that some here would be interested in discussing. For all I know the hotels have bed bugs or are dives??

And Carl....some of our SA friends would probably fix you up with some wheels....or maybe not....lol!

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[CarlS]

 

[Gromit]

That's a really good deal. I'm impressed . And Carl, we'd sort you out with ride.

 

[CarlS]

I really hope to get over there in 2014.

 

[The Seeker]

I don't actually know if Groupon is available in other Countries, but if are in the US, I highly recommend getting an account there. It's free and you can set up what area you want to receive notices about. I have gotten some excellent deals there!

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[DaveB]

And Carl, we'd sort you out with ride.

Yeah, we can probably find him a smokey old MZ 2-stroke, or something like that.


A word of caution
Choosing the right time of year to visit Cape Town is crucial!

It has a (loosely) Mediterranian climate (hot dry summers, warm wet winters). Warm as in it doesn't go down to freezing point.

Cape Town winters (May to September) are dreadful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It can rain 6 days a week; it's cold, windy & horrible! There are nice days in winter- about one a week.

Early to mid summer (October to mid-January) is mostly dry and sunny but the wind can and does howl. We're talking hurricane strength.

Late summer (mid-January to April) has by far the best weather.

Cape Town is surrounded by the cold South Atlantic and it has relatively low humidity for a coastal city.

Visit Cape Town at the right time of year and it should be a historical, cultural and cullinary trip to remember for a lifetime, once the visitor has come to terms with the visual assault that its spectacular scenery attacks you with. Where? Everywhere! It's absolutely stunning.

 

[CarlS]

Looks like February is a good time to visit. As a bonus, February weather here is usually not the best.

 

[The Seeker]

Here's the fine print on dates and availability:

Expires Apr 24, 2013

Book by 4/24/13 or promotional value expires. Valid for daily departures 9/13/13-10/15/13 or 10/16/13-11/23/13 based on option bought. Limit 2 per person, may buy 2 additional as gifts. Valid only for option purchased. Reservation required, subject to availability. Groupon non-refundable once booked. $300 fee to make changes plus airline and hotel fees. 61-day cancel notice req'd or fee of 1/2 Groupon price; 45 day cancel notice or fee of Groupon price. Airfare non-refundable once ticketed. Hotels may change based on availability. Cape Town Hollow Boutique Hotel unavailable for stays 10/8, 10/20, 10/22, 11/3-11/8 or 11/26. Must be 18 or older to check in. Credit card required at booking and check-in. Valid for standard hotel rooms. Solo supplement of $499 for option 1 and $399 for option 2 not included. Visas & gratuities not included. International travelers must have valid passport. Tax included.

 

[CarlS]

I don't want to book a year in advance - as good as the price is.