School Trip to South Africa?
My 11 year old daughter is desperate to go to South Africa with her school on their netball and hockey tour. I went to the meeting a couple of nights ago and I would love for her to go as it is a fantastic opportunity for her and it looks absolutely beautiful.
I am worried because of her age and just want some opinions as to what it is like there – she has been abroad with family but never abroad on her own.
They are flying to Cape Town, and staying in Stallenbosch overnight, then Kynasa overnight then onto, Port Elizabeth then flying to Johannesburg to go out to Pilanesburg National Park to hopefully see the big 5, Sun City for the day and then onto a theme park – playing hockey and netball along the way before coming back home.
Do the places she will be visiting all seem good for her school to go to?
I would really appreciate some input from people who know the areas well just to put my mind at ease. Thank you
Thank you all for your answers – she does realise how lucky she would be and when I was in school like one of the other answers we didn’t venture too far – they do the usual trips to France and Switzerland but this is the first time they would be going to South Africa. I fell in love with it when I saw the film the tour company played. I must admit I didn’t realise it was such a beautiful country
11
Answers
Try looking at Tripadvisor.com type in the places your daughter will be staying i am sure that somebody will have done a review of these places.
How things have changed since i was at school go to South Africa no chance.
A weekend on wet and damp Dartmoor was about it
Hope she has a brill time
She will enjoy it, it a beautifull part of the country and the experience is one that will stay with her for a long time.
As long as she stays with the group it will be fine, it becomes dangerous if they break into little groups that goes their seperate ways or if they go out at night to clubs not as a group.
Your daughter will be going to the most beautiful places in South Africa I really hope she understands the beauty.The places that they are going to are very safe and she will be looked after well. Lucky girl i want to go and i stay in South Africa.
I travelled the UK for 2 years and made some really good friends there. On my return to my country ( South Africa) I decided to bring one of my friends to SA for a holiday so that they can also see our beautiful country. I took my friend to almost exactly the same places your daughter will be going. He loved Joburg and could not understand why people are always slagging it off. I took him for a walk in the Forrest in Knysna magical !! After that we were of to Cape Town, were we picked our own mussels for dinner on the most beautiful beaches, Then we were of to Pilanesberg we only had 2 days but did see Rhino, Elephant, baboons, monkeys, crocodile and lots of other antelope like zebra and springbok, kudu ext. Then we spent a magical day in Sun city, it was my first time there as well and we had a ball !!! See will love it !
Make sure see take lots of photo’s ! I am back for good in SA now and love every second !
Cape Town!! wow…it’s beautiful there! If she’s gonna be with a group, she’ll be fine. I think the places her school’s thinking of were great choices! I think it would be a great opportunity for her to go to SA! She’s gonna love it!
I have never felt safer in a country as I did in South Africa. I travelled alone and toured around Cape Town and the Wine Lands. It is a beauitful and amazing country and it will a holiday of a life time for her.
Table mountain is amazing and I hope they take them on a trip to the townships to see how the other half live. It will open their eyes and make them want to travel the world.
I would not have second thoughts about letting my child go at all, I would encourage this kind of trip as it is so different to Europe.
I am sure that when she comes back you will want to book for yourself to go.
Check out the lonely planets guides to South Africa and see if there is a local travel agent who has been who can give you some personal experiences.
They will be well looked after in a group and will probably get to see quite a lot while they are there.
Hi AMMO,
I live in SA and I love my country BUT I would not send my daughter here alone. Sorry, but Im not going to agree with the other people who have answered.
If you came with her I would say “yes go for it” but sending her here with the supervision of her hockey coach? You would have to really trust that hockey coach.
If you send her anyway, the areas you have mentioned seem fine. It really depends where in those areas they will be staying – and even then you cant be sure.
Pray about it, I hope you come to a decision
those places all are quite touristy, and as safe as any other place a school trip would take children!
honestly, you have no need to worry.
stelenbosch is a lovely place, and the town is pretty and quiet, with a great university. along the garden route (kynasa and PE) is touristy with great weather, a bit more expensive because of this, but is lovely. Jo’berg is not the nicest of places, but there’s nothing in the centre except slums now, so there would be no reason to go that far into the city. they’ll probably stay on the outskirts, where is is really nice and pretty. so long as they all stay together, and don’t go flashing money and valuabes around (mainly in joberg) they’ll be fine.
The school wouldn’t take them somewhere dangerous.
I know someone who did something very similar, and they
had a great time with no problems whatsoever.
and in the few months i spent in those areas i had no trouble whatsoever and can’t wait to go back there again!
hope your daughter does go, and has a fantastic time! x
hey i am 14 and have been to south africa twice and love it.
i have houses over there in port elizabeth and joburg.
south africa is amazing and yes she will love it and is very lucky. im sure the school has planned everything and will not let them wonder off outside the hotels and anywhere is not safe.
sa gets bad press but the parts you have named are amazing sun city is fab. and im sure she will love it.
if you need any help or your daughter wants to ask some questions feel free to email me
[email protected]
jess
i think you should let her go,iff trips like this were around when you were young,i am sure your parents would have let you go. and we will fund part of her trip.all the very best to you and your familyxx