13-Day Best of South Africa

• You'll be collected from the airport.
• Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.

Johannesburg Airport - Hotel

On arrival, you will be welcomed at the O.R. Tambo International Airport. The moment you step into the arrivals area, you will become part of South Africa’s colour and buzz. It’s a short highway drive from the airport to your hotel in Sandton, where you’ll get a glimpse of the iconic Johannesburg skyline. Spend the afternoon relaxing after your flight, or explore the sleek Sandton City complex.

Walk through Sandton Square with its giant statue of Mandela. Wander down the Diamond Walk with its designer stores and trendy boutiques, making it the most expensive shopping hub in South Africa. Sandton City is more than boutiques; it’s a large, modern complex offering a wide range of shopping options and several unique curio shops. Find your way back to the hotel for a relaxed dinner (at your own expense) and prepare yourself for the adventure ahead.

Driving Time: ~60 kilometres/30 minutes.

Main Destination:

Johannesburg (City)

Accommodation:

Protea Hotel by Marriott Johannesburg Balalaika

• Mid-range hotel

Meals & Drinks:

• Meals at own expense
• Drinks not included

Johannesburg - Makalali Game Reserve

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and board your touring vehicle for the drive to the Makalali Private Game Reserve. We will stop en route in Dullstroom, a quaint country town known for its trout fishing and tranquillity. From Dullstroom, we wind through the grasslands and hills of the Limpopo Province to the private game reserve.

Your open safari vehicle and expert guide will be waiting to take you into the 25,000 hectares of reserve. Have your binoculars and cameras ready – this is ‘Big 5’ territory and we’ll be looking for lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino and leopard. There is plenty of other wildlife, including hyena and the elusive cheetah. As you adjust to the rhythm of the bush, you will see animals of all sizes.

A delicious dinner will be served at the lodge as the star-studded southern sky makes its appearance. It’s another beautiful evening in Africa.

Driving Time: ~456 kilometres/5 hours.

Main Destination:

Greater Makalali Private Game Reserve (Greater Kruger)

Best Time To Visit May to September (Dry season)

High Season October to March (Rarely crowded)

Best Weather Apr-May and Sep-Oct (Mild weather)

Wildlife in Greater Makalali GR

ElephantCommon

GiraffeCommon

White RhinoCommon

LionCommon

CheetahCommon

ZebraCommon

Show more

BuffaloCommon

WildebeestCommon

HippoCommon

HyenaCommon

LeopardOccasional

Wild DogOccasional

Black RhinoRare

Accommodation:

aha Makalali Main Lodge

• Luxury lodge located inside Greater Makalali GR (Greater Kruger)

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Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included)
• Drinks not included

Makalali Game Reserve - Hazyview

Early morning in the bush is extraordinary. Be part of the wilderness on a guided walk through the bush, or head out on an open vehicle game drive.

After a lodge breakfast, we drive the Panorama Route where the road enters a scenic wonderland. Blyde River Canyon, the world’s largest green canyon, filled with waterfalls and ancient geological formations, will take your breath away. Spot the Three Rondawels – three conical peaks resembling African huts. Stand on the bridges over the Bourke’s Luck Potholes, where millennia of swirling water have carved giant holes into the sandstone. Be ready for the vistas from God’s Window, the highest point of the day.

We stop in an old mining town for a late lunch (at your own expense). Savour a pancake bar and browse for curios. The scenic drive to Hazyview winds through rolling hills and forests. Soak in the outstanding natural beauty of the Mpumalanga Province as we head for your hotel.

Driving Time: ~180 kilometres/2 hours.

Main Destination:

Hazyview (Town)

Accommodation:

ANEW Resort Hazyview

• Mid-range resort located in Hazyview (Town)

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Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included)
• Drinks not included

Hazyview - Eswatini

After an early breakfast, we enter the Kruger National Park, the world’s premier wildlife destination, through the Phabeni Gate, for a game viewing journey to Malelane Gate in your touring vehicle, immersing you in the world of the ‘Big 5’.

We stop for lunch at a bush picnic spot (at your own expense). Listen for the laughing call of a hyena or the unforgettable, full-throated roar of a lion. At a water hole, look for crocodiles or a hippo suddenly surfacing for air. We exit the Park via the Malelane Gate.

After the excitement of the morning, we make our way to the misty mountains of Eswatini, entering through Jeppes Reef Border Post in the late afternoon, leaving time to relax and enjoy dinner at the lodge.

NOTE: When entering the Kingdom of Eswatini, guests must ensure they have a valid passport and for nationals of applicable countries, multi-entry visa regulations apply (own expense)

Driving Time: ~285 kilometres/3 hours.

Main Destination:

Mantenga Falls (Highlight)

Accommodation:

Mantenga Lodge

• Mid-range lodge located in Ezulwini Valley (Highlight)

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Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included)
• Drinks not included

Eswatini - St Lucia

Enjoy a hearty breakfast before visiting the Swazi Candle Factory. The candles, handmade in a music-filled workshop, are not ordinary. A special wax is used to create distinctive and colourful designs.

Visit the Yebo Art Gallery to view the work of talented local artists. Sample local specialties, such as Buganu, a marula fruit drink or enjoy tea and cake at the Sambane Tea Garden. For something fiery, try the Black Mamba chilli sauce, a local delicacy.

After a fascinating morning, we re-enter South Africa through the Lavumisa Border Post. We will enjoy lunch on the way to St Lucia. The landscape changes dramatically as we approach the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We travel through lush wetlands and dense forests in this paradise on the pristine shores of the Indian Ocean on the way to your lodge and a delicious dinner (at your own expense).

Driving Time: ~335 kilometres/4 hours.

Main Destination:

Isimangaliso Wetland Park

Accommodation:

Forest Lodge

• Mid-range lodge located in St Lucia (Lake St Lucia)

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Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinks not included

St Lucia - Umhlanga

Start your morning on an open safari vehicle, driving through wetlands teeming with wildlife and enjoy coffee with rusks on the beach. Keep your cameras ready for buffalo, elephant, and the elusive leopard.

After breakfast, take a boat cruise on the St Lucia Estuary. The Estuary, with its island-like setting, is home to a mind-boggling 2,180 plant species, over 1, 000 Nile crocodiles, more than 800 hippopotami and many prehistoric-looking monitor lizards. Enjoy lunch (at your own expense) on the banks of the lake listening to the sweet song of an Oriole or the chatter of the vibrantly plumed St Lucia Parrot.

You will be loath to leave St Lucia, but more adventure awaits. We depart for a late afternoon arrival in Umhlanga, where you will bid farewell to your tour guide on the Northern portion of your tour. Dine at a restaurant at the hotel or in town (at your own expense).

NOTE: Tour guide services end

Driving Time: ~225 kilometres/3 hours.

Main Destination:

Umhlanga (Town)

Accommodation:

The Capital Pearls

• Mid-range hotel

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinks not included

Umhlanga - Port Elizabeth

After breakfast at the hotel, take a stroll along the promenade that stretches along 3km of shoreline. If you’re an early bird, sit on a bench and watch the sunrise over the Indian Ocean.

Be ready for your transfer to King Shaka International Airport and a flight (at your own expense and arrangement) to Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha). You will soon find yourself in a beachfront hotel in what is affectionately known by the locals as the “Windy City”. Settle into your hotel and then go for a walk along King’s Beach, swim or relax on the white sands and enjoy the ocean view, watching daredevil surfers making the most of the excellent waves. Once back at your hotel, enjoy an unhurried dinner (at your own expense) and take time to relax before your Garden Route exploration.

Driving Time: ~24 kilometres/25 minutes.

Main Destination:

Port Elizabeth (City)

Accommodation:

Southern Sun the Marine

• Mid-range hotel

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinks not included

Port Elizabeth - Knysna

After breakfast, be ready to meet your local tour guide for the Garden Route journey to Cape Town. The road takes us to Knysna along the Garden Route, famous for its outstanding natural beauty. We enter the Storms River section of the Garden Route National Park for a walk across the unique Storms River Suspension Bridge and experience the thrill of standing high above the vast rocky chasm below you. There are a series of 3 bridges with stable wooden paths and stairs. This hour-long walk offers spectacular views of the gorge and ocean.

After enjoying lunch in the forest (at your own expense), the afternoon brings us to Knysna. End a perfect day with a sunset oyster cruise on the lagoon. Watch for dolphins at the river mouth and enjoy the abundant birdlife. After your cruise, dine (at your own expense) at a restaurant on the shores of the Estuary.

NOTE: Tour guide services start

Driving Time: ~285 kilometres/3 hours 30 minutes.

Main Destination:

Knysna (Garden Route)

Accommodation:

Protea Hotel Knysna Quays

• Luxury hotel located in Knysna (Garden Route)

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Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinks not included

Knysna - Plettenberg Bay - Knysna

After breakfast at the hotel, it’s a short drive to Plettenberg Bay. This little town, with its blue flag beaches and sweeping bay is a premier tourist destination and one of the best whale spotting areas in the world. Your marine adventure starts at Central Beach, from which the boats are launched. These waters are home to large schools of dolphins and there are often great white sharks cutting through the waves. The protected beaches of the Robberg Nature Reserve are home to large seal colonies.

Back on dry land, we visit Qolweni Township, a vibrant Xhosa community. A representative of the Qolweni Community Development Trust will share insight into the project and how your contribution is utilized to pay teachers’ salaries and towards the maintenance of the Qolweni crèche and its 188 children. Visit a spaza shop or have a traditional drink in a shebeen. We head back to Knysna for dinner (at your own expense) at the Waterfront.

Driving Time: ~60 kilometres/30 minutes.

Main Destination:

Plettenberg Bay (Garden Route)

Accommodation:

Protea Hotel Knysna Quays

• Luxury hotel located in Knysna (Garden Route)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinks not included

Knysna - Oudtshoorn

After breakfast, we continue along the Garden Route past lakes and wooded mountains to the town of Wilderness. We turn inland and climb the Outeniqua Pass. The Pass takes us to the semi-desert of the Klein Karoo and Oudtshoorn, the ostrich capital of the world. You will have travelled through game parks, up mountain passes and across estuaries, but the Cango Caves Heritage Tour will take you into an astounding subterranean world.

We will have lunch (at your own expense) before arriving at your lodge in Oudtshoorn in the late afternoon. The dry climate here is ideal for olive growing. The estates in the region produce award-winning handpicked olives, which create exceptional quality extra virgin olive oil. Enjoy an olive tasting, paired with a Protea Rosé or fruit juice, while taking in spectacular views of the Swartberg Mountains. With leisure time in the evening, enjoy dinner at the hotel.

Driving Time: ~125 kilometres/2 hours.

Main Destination:

Oudtshoorn (Garden Route)

Accommodation:

Surval Boutique Olive Estate

• Luxury hotel located in Oudtshoorn (Garden Route)

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Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included)
• Drinks not included

Oudtshoorn - Cape Town

After breakfast at the hotel, it’s time to visit one of the famous ostrich farms. A fun and interactive tractor tour will take you through the farm’s breeder bird camps where you will learn about and see three different species of ostrich. Modern farmers have successfully adapted and now farm mainly for meat, leather, and eggs. Grab some ostrich biltong (dried meat) to enjoy on the drive along Route 62, the world’s longest wine route.

We stop for lunch along the route and you will have an opportunity to taste local wines (all at your own expense). The scenery on the way to Cape Town via Stellenbosch is a canvas of beauty. The road wanders through valleys and past farmhouses with historic Cape Dutch architecture in Stellenbosch. The road into Cape Town presents a panoramic view of the Atlantic Ocean and of the most beautiful South African city. There’s time to explore the V&A Waterfront to try one of the many restaurants for dinner.

Driving Time: ~440 kilometres/5 hours.

Main Destination:

Cape Town (City)

Accommodation:

SunSquare Cape Town City Bowl

• Mid-range hotel located in Cape Town (City)

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Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinks not included

Cape Town

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel and prepare for one more day of adventure as we head to Cape Point. Cape Town is built on a mountainous peninsula. Travel along the Atlantic seaboard with its white beaches and rugged mountains to Hout Bay.

If time permits, there is the option of taking a half hour boat trip to Duiker Island to see a Cape Fur Seal colony (at your own expense). If open, continue on Chapman’s Peak Drive, noted as one of the most stunning roadways in the world.

The return journey to Cape Town takes us along the False Bay coast with the option of visiting the colony of rare African Penguins at Boulders Beach (entrance fee at your expense). We will pass through the naval village of Simon’s Town, Fish Hoek, Kalk Bay and Muizenberg. After a full day, enjoy dinner in town or choose a restaurant at the fabulous and cosmopolitan V&A Waterfront.

Driving Time: ~60 kilometres/30 minutes.

Main Destination:

Cape Town (City)

Accommodation:

SunSquare Cape Town City Bowl

• Mid-range hotel located in Cape Town (City)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinks not included

Cape Town - Cape Town International Airport

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before your transfer to the Cape Town International Airport. You will arrive home changed by your South African journey.

Driving Time: ~60 kilometres/30 minutes.

Main Destination:

Cape Town International Airport (Cape Town)

Accommodation:

No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinks not included

• Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost.
• You'll be dropped off at the airport.