Day 1 – Arrival in Johannesburg

You are met at Johannesburg Airport (O.R. Tambo International) and transferred to a hotel in Sandton, a comfortable 4-star hotel offering one-bedroom luxury suites. It is situated near the trendy shopping precinct of Sandton City and Nelson Mandela Square and the hotel operates a shuttle service should you wish to do some shopping. The rest of the day is at leisure to recover from your international flight.

Overnight: Hotel in Sandton. Basis: Bed & Breakfast

Day 2 – Johannesburg to Kruger National Park

This morning your Avis hire car (Group B – Toyota Corolla or similar) is delivered to your hotel. You depart Johannesburg and travel east via the “Panorama Route”, stopping at the historical gold rush town of Pilgrim’s Rest and the extraordinary example of river erosion found at Bourke’s Luck Potholes. You can also stop at Blyde River Canyon to view the 800 metre drop into the gorge. You reach the Kruger National Park in the late afternoon. Bordering the Kruger National Park, the Hotel at Kruger Gate is a lodge-style hotel. The air-conditioned rooms are linked by wooden walkways through indigenous vegetation, giving the impression of being in a tree house. The wooden bar deck overlooks the Sabie River and is perfect for game viewing. A drum calls you to a dinner of true African cuisine, which is served under the stars in the
Lapa Restaurant. The hotel is a birdwatcher’s paradise and there are several bird hides in the grounds of the hotel. There is also a swimming pool.

Overnight: Hotel at Kruger Gate. Basis: Dinner, Bed & Breakfast

Day 3 – Kruger National Park

After an early breakfast this morning, you can do a self drive into the Kruger National Park for some game viewing. Kruger was created in 1898 and is the oldest National Park in Africa. The park provides sanctuary to 147 mammal species, including the Big Five, as well as over 500 species of bird. At midday, you can return to the hotel, and there is time to relax before you depart at 15h00 on an open-vehicle game drive, with a game ranger, in the nearby Sabi Sands game reserve, which is part of the greater Kruger area. We enjoy a memorable dinner in the bush, listening to the sounds of the night, before returning to the hotel.

Overnight: Hotel at Kruger Gate. Basis: Dinner, Bed & Breakfast

Day 4 – Kruger National Park

There is another early start this morning as you join an open-vehicle game drive inside Kruger, enabling us to explore more of the 2 million hectares that make up the Kruger National Park. You return to the hotel in the late afternoon. There is time to cool off in the pool before dinner is served.

Overnight: Hotel at Kruger Gate. Basis: Dinner, Bed & Breakfast

Day 5 – Kruger National Park to Swaziland

This morning, after an early breakfast, you depart for the mountain Kingdom of Swaziland, via the Kruger National Park. This is the smallest country in the Southern Hemisphere. You can visit the Ngwenya Glass Factory and watch skilled glass blowers turn broken bottles into works of art, before travelling to your hotel. The Lugogo Sun is situated in the magnificent appropriately-named Ezulwini Valley, which means “in heaven”.

Overnight: Lugogo Sun. Basis: Bed & Breakfast

Day 6 – Swaziland to Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve

Today's first stop is a brief one at Mbabane, the capital of Swaziland, on your way to Manzini, the country's industrial centre. You continue on, past Big Bend and the country's largest sugar plantations to the South African border. Travel to Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve, famous for the role it played in saving the white rhino from extinction and now home to the country’s largest white rhino population. Tonight you can join a night game drive on an open safari vehicle, with a game ranger, to search for shy nocturnal animals. You overnight at one of the rest camps in the Park.

Overnight: Camp at Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve. Basis: Bed & Breakfast
 

Day 7 – Hluhluwe-Umfolozi to Shakaland

Hlulhuwe-Umfolozi is home to all of the Big Five as well
as a myriad of smaller, equally fascinating, animals.
After an early breakfast you can self drive through the reserve, before travelling to the heart of the Zulu nation.
A warm welcome awaits you at the Hotel in Shakaland.
On arrival, you are met by Zulu dancers in full tribal dress, who escort you to your room, a traditional thatched beehive-shaped Zulu hut with all modern conveniences and en-suite bathroom. Whilst at Shakaland, you will
enjoy presentations on typical Zulu traditions such as
beer brewing, spear making, hut building, pottery, weaving and beadwork, and Zulu etiquette and social structure.
A traditional Zulu dinner will be served in the restaurant.

Overnight: Hotel in Shakaland. Basis: Dinner, Bed & Breakfast

(including cultural experience)

Day 8 – Shakaland to Port Elizabeth

After a hearty breakfast, you drive down the Kwazulu Natal north coast to Durban, where you bid farewell, and hand in your hire car and then fly to Port Elizabeth. At Port Elizabeth airport you collect a hire car and drive to and check-in at a 4-star hotel on the beachfront overlooking the sun-drenched sands of Port Elizabeth’s famous Hobie Beach. Many of the luxury en-suite rooms have sea views over Algoa Bay. The rest of the day is at leisure.

Overnight: Hotel on the beachfront. Basis: bed and breakfast

Day 9 – Port Elizabeth to Lalibela Game Reserve

This morning is at leisure until about 11h30 when you set off for the nearby Big Five game reserve, Lalibela. Lunch is served at reception and at 14h30 you are transferred by Landrover to your Lodge. At each of Lalibela’s lodges, secluded thatched chalets are placed where magnificent indigenous gardens merge into the surrounding bush. Each en-suite unit has a private observation deck to make the most of the views. The lodges also all boast a large lounge, viewing deck and a sunny swimming pool where you can spend a lazy afternoon. They also have an outdoor dining “boma” for fireside dinners and open-air brunches. After high tea (tea and coffee with sweet and savoury eats), you are taken on your first game drive at Lalibela. This late afternoon/evening game drive is an opportunity to search for nocturnal animals, such as the elusive bat-eared fox, aardvark, black-backed jackal, aardwolf and the curious spring hare. You return to the lodge in time for a sumptuous safari cuisine dinner.

Overnight: Lalibela Game Reserve. Basis: Fully Inclusive

Days 10 & 11 – Lalibela Game Reserve

The next two days are spent on safari. In the mornings after a light breakfast you are taken on another game drive. Game drives at Lalibela bring you face to face with
a multitude of game species, ranging from the mighty Big Five (lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and leopard) to tiny
blue duiker and rock Hyrax. Lalibela is also home to cheetah, African wild dog, hyena, hippo, giraffe, zebra, warthog and numerous species of antelope. You return
to the lodge for a grand brunch. There is time to relax around the sunny pool, do some bird-watching from the observation deck, or read a book in the peace of your room’s private deck. After tea you set off on another night drive, returning again in time for dinner.

Overnight: Lalibela Game Reserve. Basis: Fully Inclusive

Day 12 – Lalibela Game Reserve to Cradock

This morning you are taken on your last game drive at Lalibela. After brunch you bid farewell to this African wonderland and are transferred by Landrover to reception, to collect your car. You drive north to Cradock on the edge of the great Karoo. The vast and arid Karoo has a fascination and beauty all of its own: from wide open plains to brooding wind-eroded mountains, from isolated farmhouses to historic towns and villages and from ancient rock art to abundant wildlife. This evening you overnight at a Victorian Manor in a fascinating street of tastefully restored Victorian houses. An elegant dinner is served at the Victoria Manor.

Overnight: Victorian Manor. Basis: Dinner, bed & breakfast

Day 13 – Cradock to Port Elizabeth

After a leisurely breakfast, we suggest a game drive in the Mountain Zebra National Park, which provides a sanctuary for the Mountain Zebra, one of the most endangered mammals on earth. This afternoon you make your way back to Port Elizabeth and check into the hotel on the beachfront again. Set on the sweeping shores of Algoa Bay, the “Friendly City” provides a unique mix of long golden beaches and a rich historic heritage. The hotel is a 4-star hotel right on the beachfront, overlooking the sun-drenched sands of Port Elizabeth’s famous Hobie Beach. Many of the luxury en-suite rooms have sea views. There are two in-house restaurants and lunch is served on the verandah.

Overnight: Hotel on the beachfront. Basis: bed and breakfast

Day 14 – Port Elizabeth to Knysna

This morning you set off down the Garden Route, travelling via the Tsitsikamma forest, an indigenous primeval forest with towering ancient yellowwood trees, lush vegetation and deep gorges. In the Tsitsikamma Forest, you visit a protea and fern farm which supplies flowers to the cut-flower market. You drive down the steep pass to the aptly-named Storms River Mouth. We also suggest a visit to the 800-year old “Big Tree”. You then enjoy a scenic drive over spectacular single-span bridges and down the breath-taking Grootrivier Pass to Natures Valley and then to Plettenberg Bay. You reach Knysna in the late afternoon and check into a hotel on the shores of the Knysna Lagoon. This award winning hotel offers exclusive comfort in relaxed surroundings of incomparable beauty. You are accommodated in Cape-style cottages offering a comfortable lounge with fireplace, en-suite bedrooms and wide verandahs offering beautiful views of the gardens and Knysna Lagoon.

Overnight: Hotel on Knysna Lagoon. Basis: bed & breakfast

Day 15 – Knysna

Today is spent exploring Knysna. This morning you can take a ferry on the Knysna Lagoon, which will take you
out to the Featherbed Nature Reserve. A 4x4 trailer takes you to the top of the Western Head, one of the large sandstone cliffs guarding the narrow mouth to the lagoon. From here you can either enjoy a guided nature walk down through indigenous vegetation or you can ride the trailer again. Enjoy lunch under the Milkwood trees on
the edge of the lagoon before returning to Knysna.
The rest of the afternoon is at leisure. Restaurants in Knysna specialise in locally-caught fish and this evening you have the chance to sample the catch of the day.

Overnight: Hotel on Knysna Lagoon. Basis: bed & breakfast

Day 16 – Knysna

Today is at leisure to relax by the pool or to take a stroll through Knysna. This old-world seaside village is full of arty-crafty shops to browse through. There are also some excellent roadside curio stalls. In the grounds of the hotel, you can dine in the historic restaurant and enjoy superb cuisine and Cape wines, or relax in The Bell Tavern.

Overnight: Hotel on Knysna Lagoon. Basis: bed & breakfast

Day 17 – Knysna to Oudtshoorn

This morning you check out of the hotel and depart for Oudtshoorn. The scenic drive through the “Lake District” takes you through the towns of Sedgefield and Wilderness. You continue your journey over the protea-covered Outeniqua Mountains to Oudtshoorn in the Little Karoo. You check into a Country Lodge situated on the route between Oudtshoorn and the Cango Caves. The homestead and outbuildings date back to the 1800's and reflect the typical Klein Karoo architectural style. They have been gracefully restored to their original splendour, and equipped with all modern conveniences. The dining room reflects the warmth and hospitality found here, and overlooks the sparkling swimming pool. The picturesque Schoemanshoek Valley provides a breathtaking backdrop. This afternoon we suggest a drive to the nearby Cango Caves, where you embark on a magical journey through massive caverns and fascinating limestone formations. This evening you have the opportunity to sample ostrich meat or famous Karoo lamb.

Overnight: Country Lodge. Basis: dinner, bed & breakfast

Day 18 – Oudtshoorn to Winelands

You can visit Safari Ostrich Farm for a tour of the show farm to gain an insight into the world’s largest bird, before departing Oudtshoorn. You journey through the unique landscape of the arid Little Karoo, passing through Calitzdorp and Barrydale. You enter the verdant Breede River Valley, the largest of the Western Cape’s fruit and wine producing valleys. As you follow the “fruit route”, you can enjoy magnificent mountain views, vineyards, orchards and indigenous flora. You can stop at roadside farm stalls to purchase fruit. The breath-taking Du Toit’s Kloof Pass brings you over the mountains and into the Cape Winelands. You reach the town of Stellenbosch and check into a Historic Country Inn. Charm and ambience are the bywords of this historic country inn, the oldest in South Africa. The stylish Georgian entrance sets the tone for the interior which exudes an atmosphere of warmth, where gleaming wood and antiques combine with soft mellow colours. You enjoy dinner in the hotel’s in-house restaurant.

Overnight: Historic Country Inn. Basis: dinner, bed & breakfast

Day 19 – Winelands

Today you can explore the Cape Winelands, with its backdrop of majestic mountain ranges and lush valleys. You can spend the day following one of the wine routes, stopping at estates along the way for wine tasting. We particularly recommend a wine and cheese tasting at Fairview Estate on the Paarl Wine Route and a wine tasting and cellar tour at Boschendal on the Franschhoek Wine Route. The Franschhoek Valley is where you visit the memorial to the French Huguenots, who sought refuge from religious persecution in Europe and settled here in the late seventeenth century, bringing vine root stock with them A scenic drive over the Helshoogte Pass (Hell’s Heights) brings you back to Stellenbosch, the “town of oaks” and South Africa’s second oldest town. At Spier Estate on the Stellenbosch Wine Route, you can have the opportunity to get up close to the cheetahs in their cheetah-breeding programme. You return to the hotel in the late afternoon.

Overnight: Historic Country Inn. Basis: bed & breakfast

Day 20 – Winelands to Cape Town

This morning you check out of the Inn and enter the
fairest city of all, Cape Town. You check in to the hotel in Cape Town which is situated on the Atlantic seaboard with uninterrupted sea views. It is five minutes drive from the trendy Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. This charming
and gracious hotel offers its guests understated elegance and service. The luxurious rooms have sea or mountain views. Sip sundowners whilst viewing the spectacular ocean sunsets and relax around the decked pool.
There is an in-house spa offering health and beauty treatments. This afternoon you are collected from your hotel for a city tour of the one of the world’s most beautiful cities, where you will visit the historic Castle
and the Bo-Kaap Malay Quarter with its narrow cobbled streets and colourful mosques, the Houses of Parliament
and the historic Dutch Reformed Moederkerk and the Cathedral of St George. The tour ends with a ride up the cable car to the top of Table Mountain to enjoy the panoramic sunset views over the Mother City and across Table Bay to Robben Island.

Overnight: Hotel in Cape Town. Basis: bed & breakfast

Days 21 & 22 – Cape Town – at leisure

The next two days are at leisure to relax and soak up the Cape Town atmosphere. We recommend you take a ferry from the Waterfront across Table Bay to Robben Island. An ex-prisoner takes you on an extensive tour of the prison, which includes a visit to Nelson Mandela’s cell, the limestone quarry and the old leper colony. You could also visit the Waterfront’s Two Oceans Aquarium, which is highly recommended for the insight it gives into life in the two oceans off the southern tip of Africa – the cold Atlantic Ocean and the warm Indian Ocean. Alternatively, you may want to spend a day at leisure on one of Cape Town’s beautiful beaches. There are the beaches of Clifton and Camps Bay a five minute drive from the hotel, or you may wish to drive over to the warmer Indian Ocean side. Museum lovers can wander through the South African Museum and the National Gallery, or you can return to the Waterfront for some last minute shopping.

Overnight: Hotel in Cape Town. Basis: bed & breakfast

Day 23 – Cape Point

Today we recommend a drive along the Atlantic seaboard via glamorous Clifton to the quaint seaside village of Hout Bay. You drive via the scenic Chapman’s Peak Drive to Cape Point. Looking at this dramatic promontory jutting into the sea gives one an idea why early sailors nicknamed it the Cape of Storms. You then follow the coastline northwards via Simonstown, where you can visit the penguin colony of Boulders Beach. You can also visit Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, which is dedicated to the extraordinary variety of plants found in the Cape Floral Kingdom. A leisurely drive through the leafy southern suburbs will bring you back to the hotel in the late afternoon. If the weather was inclement on the first evening in Cape Town, this evening would be a good opportunity to go up Table Mountain. Tonight you can enjoy a farewell dinner at one of the quayside restaurants at the Waterfront.

Overnight: Hotel in Cape Town. Basis: bed & breakfast

Day 24 – Cape Town to Johannesburg

Today you bid farewell to the fairest cape and drop off your hire car at Cape Town airport and fly to Johannesburg to connect with a flight to Victoria Falls, arguably the most spectacular of all the world’s natural wonders. You are met at Victoria Falls airport and transferred to a Lodge in Victoria Falls. The lodge is set high on a plateau that forms the natural boundary to the unfenced Zambezi National Park and is just four
kilometres from the Falls themselves.
The thatched lodge has natural fabrics and décor in an African theme.
Each room has a private balcony facing the African sunset. The afternoon is at leisure to explore the Falls, using the hotel’s complimentary shuttle service.

Accommodation: Lodge in Victoria Falls. Basis: bed & breakfast

Day 25 – Victoria Falls

Today is at leisure to explore the Falls. The mighty Zambezi River thunders over the 1700 metre wide Victoria Falls and plunges 100 metres into a narrow gorge below. The great columns of spray rising from the tumultuous falls can be seen from 80 kilometres away on a clear day. This evening, follow in the footsteps of David Livingstone and travel up the Zambezi River above the Falls on a sundowner cruise.

Accommodation: Lodge in Victoria Falls. Basis: bed & breakfast

Day 26 – Victoria Falls - Johannesburg and departure

This morning you can get up early for a last look at the Falls before you are transferred to Victoria Falls airport for your flight back to Johannesburg to connect with your flight home.

Includes:
All accommodation
All transfers
All meals as mentioned in the itinerary
7 days Group B Car Hire (Toyota Corolla or similar)
16 days Group B car hire – (Toyota Corolla or similar)
Half Day City Tour but excludes the entrance fee for Table Mountain Cable Car
Economy class flight from Johannesburg to Victoria Falls
Economy class flight from Victoria Falls to Johannesburg

The following entrance fees and excursions:

• 1 open vehicle night drive in Sabi Sands Game Reserve

• 1 open vehicle day drive in Kruger National Park

• 1 open vehicle night drive in Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve

• Cultural experience at Shakaland

• Half Day City Tour of Cape Town including entrance fees, but excluding Table Mountain Cable Car entrance fee

• Sundowner cruise on the magnificent Zambezi River
   

Excludes:
Meals not mentioned in the itinerary above
Rental Car Fuel
Flights not mentioned in the “Includes” section above
Entrance fees not mentioned in the “Includes” section above
Personal items and extras
Gratuities

The above quote is subject to availability at time of confirmation

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