Day 1 Depart North America
Depart North America on an overnight flight to South Africa
Day 2 Arrive Johannesburg
On arrival at the OR Tambo Johannesburg International airport, you will be met and assisted to your shuttle transfer service to the hotel. Please note that the shuttle transfer is available between 6.15am and 10.45pm. If you arrive earlier or later than this, please note an extra transfer cost will be incurred. You have the remainder of the day at leisure until 7.00pm when you will meet at the hotel reception for a briefing on the tour and a chance to meet up with your fellow travellers.
Duration 1 Night
Accommodation
Protea Hotel by Marriott OR Tambo
Day 3 Hazyview
This morning after breakfast, you will leave for Mpumalanga, dropping several hundred feet into the lush subtropical region of the Lowveld. Your travels take you along the circular Panorama Route via Graskop, visiting the view sites of the Blyde River Canyon, one of the natural wonders of Africa. This canyon is the third largest in the world, after the Grand Canyon in the US and the Fish River Canyon in Namibia. You will also get the chance to gasp at the glory of God’s Window, with a boundless view of mountains and fertile plains. God’s Window is undoubtedly the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve’s most spectacular viewpoint, with astonishing views over South Africa’s lowveld. At God’s Window, majestic cliffs plunge down 700m and, on a clear day, you’ll be able to see over the famous Kruger National Park towards the Lebombo Mountains. Last stop for the day before heading to Hazyview is at the Bourke’s Luck Potholes. This natural water feature marks the beginning of the Blyde River Canyon. Through countless eons the swirling whirlpools which occur as the Treur River plunges into the Blyde River caused waterborne sand and rock to grind huge, cylindrical potholes into the bedrock of the river. The Potholes were named after a gold digger, Tom Burke, who staked a claim nearby. Although his claim did not produce a single ounce of gold, he correctly predicted that large gold deposits would be found in the area.
Distance travelled today is 500km.
Meal Plan Breakfast
Duration 2 Nights
Accommodation
Hippo Hollow
Day 4 Kruger National Park
We have a bright and early start to the day in order to experience the wonders of exploring the Kruger National Park in our closed vehicle. Spend a morning with the Big Five in the Kruger National Park. The Kruger National Park is an internationally renowned game reserve of nearly 2 million hectares and supports the largest variety of wildlife species on the African continent. Keep a lookout for the wonderful flora and bird life that abounds. We return to our hotel around lunch time and your afternoon is at leisure. [Packed Breakfast]
Meal Plan Breakfast
Day 5 Swaziland
This morning after breakfast, you will check out and depart on your journey to Swaziland. You will proceed south to Malalane and then onto Swaziland where this afternoon you will visit a real Chief’s village and have the fantastic opportunity to gain an authentic knowledge of traditional Swazi culture. The tiny Kingdom of Swaziland, a former British Protection Territory, now ruled by King MsWati III. The capital city, Mbabane, known for its vibrant markets packed with woven baskets, beadwork and carvings. Swaziland, the smallest country in the Southern Hemisphere, is among the most easy-going and laid back regions. Swazis are more likely to celebrate for fun than demonstrate for reform. A progressive and hands on attitude towards wildlife preservation has endowed it with a striking set of national parks.
Distance travelled today is 280kms.
Meal Plan Breakfast
Duration 1 Night
Accommodation
Lugogo Sun
Day 6 St Lucia and surrounds
Today you journey through Swaziland into Zululand stopping en route to bargain for curios and souvenirs at the roadside markets. Your journey continues into the Kingdom of KwaZulu-Natal where ancient traditions and modern cultures of both Zulus and Settlers have combined into a vibrant society living in peace and harmony. You arrive this afternoon in the Umfolozi area for your overnight stay. There is an option to take an open vehicle safari in the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, this is at an extra cost and can be booked with your driver/guide in destination.
Distance travelled today is 435kms.
Meal Plan Breakfast
Duration 1 Night
Accommodation
Anew Hotel Hluhluwe and Safaris
Day 7 St Lucia and surrounds / Durban
Enjoy a leisurely morning soaking up the atmosphere of this tourist town St Lucia or take an optional morning boat cruise, which is at an extra cost and can be booked with your driver/guide in destination. This small coastal town is a World heritage Site and home to hippo, crocodile and no less than 367 bird species. Once the guests that have chosen to cruise return, your journey continues towards Durban. Once you arrive in Durban an orientation tour introduces you to this multicultural, vibrant seaside city before arriving at your hotel in Umhlanga in the late afternoon.
Distance travelled today 290kms.
Meal Plan Breakfast
Duration 1 Night
Accommodation
Protea Hotel Fire & Ice! by Marriott Durban Umhlanga Ridge
Day 8 Drakensberg
This morning, enjoy a leisurely breakfast or perhaps stroll over to the “Gateway Theatre of Shopping” located opposite the hotel, for a touch of retail therapy. Later you head into the majestic Southern Drakensberg Mountains. You will proceed on a visit to the 300 foot high Howick Falls, continuing through the Southern Midlands Meander Route and arriving at your hotel mid-afternoon. Your afternoon is at leisure to soak up the surroundings, or go fishing, hiking and even horse riding in clean mountain air (own account).
Distance travelled today is 255kms.
Meal Plan Breakfast and Dinner
Duration 2 Nights
Accommodation
Drakensberg Gardens Hotel
Day 9 Drakensberg
You have a full day at leisure to soak up the surroundings of the magnificent Southern Drakensberg Mountains. There is also the option to take a 4×4 adventure tour up Sani Pass and into the tiny kingdom of Lesotho (passport required) which also includes a lunch at Africa’s highest pub. This excursion as at an extra cost and can be arranged with your driver/guide in destination. The Drakensberg Mountains were proclaimed World Heritage site in 2000, South Africa’s first premier mountain wilderness and cultural site, on the border of South Africa and Lesotho and is mostly a vast national park, called now the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park. This spectacular natural landscape also has many rock shelters, containing the largest and most concentrated group of San/Bushmen paintings (more than 6000 sites and featuring 22 000 paintings) in Africa, south of the Sahara. These were created by the San people over a period of at least 4000 yrs. The highest range in Southern Africa, the “Dragon Mountains” or the “Barrier of Spears”, reach their highest peaks along the border with Lesotho.
Meal Plan Breakfast and Dinner
Day 10 Eastern Cape Coast
This morning you continue south to the Eastern Cape entering the fourth of the provinces and the birth place of Nelson Mandela (fondly known as Madiba). En route you will see the old traditional way of life in the homeland area known as the Transkei and stop for lunch (own account) outside the capital of Umtata. You then continue via Nelson Mandela’s birth place and house, arriving late afternoon at our accommodation in Chinsta East, on the beautiful, unspoilt Eastern Cape Coast.
Distance travelled today is 520kms.
Meal Plan Breakfast and Dinner
Duration 1 Night
Accommodation
Crawfords Beach Lodge
Day 11 Eastern Cape Coast
You awake to the sounds of the crashing waves and have the morning at leisure to unwind with beach sand between our toes. The beach stretches on uninterrupted for many kilometers and the thick indigenous beach forest is a haven for an amazing variety of birdlife. You will set off after lunch heading south towards Port Elizabeth.
Distance travelled today is 340kms.
Meal Plan Breakfast
Duration 1 Night
Accommodation
Garden Court Kings Beach
Day 12 Knysna
Today your journey continues towards the Cape. Visit the Tsitsikamma Forest, which provides scenic walking opportunities. The Tsitsikamma National Park is a protected area on the Garden Route, Western Cape and Eastern Cape, South Africa. It is well known a coastal reserve for its indigenous forests, dramatic coastline, and the Otter Trail. The park covers an 80 kilometers (50 miles) long stretch of coastline. A short walk to the Storms River Mouth offers some magnificent views of the gorge and river below. You then travel onto Knysna to arrive late afternoon.
Distance travelled today is 300kms.
Meal Plan Breakfast and Dinner
Duration 1 Night
Accommodation
Premier Resort The Moorings
Day 13 Oudtshoorn
After breakfast, you travel inland over the spectacular Outeniqua Pass to Oudtshoorn, known as the ‘feather capital of the world’ because of its ostrich industry. You will visit a working ostrich farm and then explore the famous Cango Caves. Walk (the more adventurous may crawl!) around the famous Cango Caves with their magnificent dripstone formations of stalactites and stalagmites. Oudtshoorn is located in an oasis-like setting in a fertile valley, called the “Little Karoo”, cupped by the Swartberg Mountains in the North and the Outeniqua and Langeberg Mountain Ranges in the South.
Distance travelled today is 360kms.
Meal Plan Breakfast
Duration 1 Night
Accommodation
Diaz Hotel & Resort
Day 14 Cape Town
Today’s journey ends in Cape Town. On the way we stop off in Albertinia to visit a well-known aloe factory. In this area, the Cape Aloe grows wild on many farms, and is still harvested in the traditional, labour-intensive way, providing a livelihood for unskilled, independent tappers. We drive via Swellendam, Worcester and through the Huguenot Tunnel before arriving in Cape Town in the late afternoon.
Distance travelled today is 420kms.
Meal Plan Breakfast
Duration 2 Nights
Accommodation
Sun Square Cape Town Gardens
Day 15 Cape Town
Enjoy a day of leisure in the ‘Mother City’ where a visit to the V&A Waterfront is recommended. You may want to take advantage of one of the optional tours, a full day Peninsula Tour which includes the dramatic coastline of the Cape Peninsula including a visit to the Boulders Beach penguin colony and the Cape Point Nature Reserve. The alternative is to take part in a full day Cape Winelands tour, which is a day celebrating the glorious grape as well as the exceptional winelands region and heavenly scenery. Both of these tours are at an extra cost and can be pre-booked.
Meal Plan Breakfast
Day 16
Depart Cape Town
This morning after breakfast, please check out of the hotel by 11.00am. The remainder of the day will be at leisure until your transfer to Cape Town International airport.
Meal Plan Breakfast
Day 17 Arrive North America
Arrive in North America today with fond memories of your South African adventure.
