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Sensational South Africa

£2,716.00

Heading out on an exhilarating safari in Kruger National Park, one of the biggest game reserves in Africa. A classic South African experience.

Our &top three& South Africa tour offers you a wonderfully diverse experience of a remarkable country. We’ll head out to spot the Big Five and other local inhabitants on a 4WD safari in the renowned Kruger National Park. Then we’ll travel the dramatic Garden Route coastal road, before taking a cruise across the wildlife-rich Knysna lagoon. Finally, we’ll end our South Africa holiday with four nights exploring beautiful Cape Town, including Table Mountain and Boulders Beach (where characterful penguins waddle across the sand).

  • 10 excursions & visits
  • 16 meals
  • Active traveller pace
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Your itinerary

Day 1 – In flight

Our door-to-door travel service collects you from home for your flight to Johannesburg.

In flight

Day 2 – Johannesburg – Pretoria – Sandton

We arrive in Jo’burg this morning and transfer to Pretoria, where we’ll enjoy an orientation tour. The attractive centre is less cosmopolitan than you’d expect and we’ll see leafy neighbourhoods, wide streets lined with jacarandas and old architecture. We’ll stop by the hilltop monument that commemorates the settling of South Africa’s interior by the Afrikaner pioneers, known as Voortrekkers. We stay overnight in Sandton, a hub, where there are plentiful shopping opportunities.

Protea Balalaika Hotel, Sandton (4-star)

Today includes…

Excursions & visits: Pretoria orientation tour (afternoon)Visit to Voortrekker Monument (afternoon)

Street in Pretoria lined with beautiful purple Jacaranda trees, South Africa

Day 3 – Panorama Route – Kruger National Park

Today we head eastwards into the province of Mpumalanga. We’ll pass through Pilgrim’s Rest – a historic spot frozen in time since the 19th-century gold rush. If the weather is good, we’ll stop at God’s Window for captivating views across a 900m gorge filled with trees, shrubs and wildlife. If the skies are clear enough, you’ll even be able to spot Kruger National Park in the distance.

Mdluli Safari Lodge, Kruger National Park (4-star)

Today includes…

Excursions & visits: Visits to Pilgrim’s Rest and God’s Window (all day)

Breakfast and Dinner

African sunset with silhouette of the animals, Kruger National Park, South Africa

Day 4 – Kruger National Park

We delve deep into the Kruger this morning on our first game drive of the trip. We set off before sunrise and watch the bush wake up around us as we seek out our first sightings of the Big Five – lions, elephants, buffalo, leopards and rhinos. Don’t forget your camera and your binoculars – there’s always something to see, with 150 species of mammals roaming the bush, together with hundreds of birds and Lowveld flora. After a morning spent spying on lions and snapping photos of glorious giraffes, we’ll stop for a well-earned break at a rest point. But not for too long – we’ll do it all over again this afternoon.

Mdluli Safari Lodge, Kruger National Park (4-star)

Today includes…

Excursions & visits: Game drive (all day)

Breakfast and Dinner

White rhino on safari in Kruger National Park, South Africa

Day 5 – Kruger National Park

A full day to do as you like. You can spend today at leisure to recuperate by the pool, or return into the Kruger on an optional game drive for more wildlife action.

Mdluli Safari Lodge, Kruger National Park (4-star)

Today includes…

Breakfast and Dinner

Free time

Giraffes on safari in Kruger National Park, South Africa

Day 6 – Johannesburg – Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)

This morning we make the drive back to Johannesburg for our flight to Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth). Steeped in history and edged by long swathes of golden sand, it doesn’t take long to get a sense of what Gqeberha is all about. A world away from the bustle of Johannesburg, this laid-back city takes it one day at a time.

Boardwalk Hotel, Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) (5-star)

Today includes…

Breakfast

Aerial view of the soccer stadium and lake in Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Day 7 – Tsitsikamma National Park – Knysna

We head off for one of the most scenic drives in South Africa – the Garden Route. This thrilling drive offers dramatic coastline, idyllic beaches and rolling hills – there’s a picture-worthy moment at every turn, so make sure you keep your camera handy. We’ll pause at Storms River to soak up the views of the forest and famous coastline. There may be time to walk through the forest to the suspension bridge over the river mouth. We arrive in Knysna, the real heartland of the Garden Route, this afternoon. This vibrant town hugs a sparkling lagoon – the hub of activity.

Protea Hotel by Marriott Knysna Quays (4-star)

Today includes…

Excursions & visits: Tsitsikamma National Park, Storms River & the Garden Route (morning)

Breakfast

Tweeriviere River Falls, Tsitsikamma National Park, South Africa

Day 8 – Knysna

With the lagoon a real part of day-to-day life in Knynsa, we’d be missing a trick if we didn’t take to the water during our stop here. We board our ferry and head out across the lagoon to the western headland to stop at Featherbed Nature Reserve. Our guide will ensure we see the most magnificent viewpoints as we explore, and you can choose a guided walk through the coastal forest and fynbos – all before lunch! Stepping back into Knynsa, the afternoon is yours to explore as you please.

Protea Hotel by Marriott Knysna Quays (4-star)

Today includes…

Excursions & visits: Visit to Featherbed Nature Reserve (morning)

Breakfast and Lunch

Free time

View across a turquoise bay to a sandy beach and forested cliffs at Knysna Heads, South Africa

Day 9 – Oudtshoorn – Cape Town

Leaving Knysna behind, we cross the Outeniqua Mountains that separate the lush coastal area from the arid Klein Karoo. We arrive in Oudtshoorn, the ostrich capital of the world, where you’ll get up close to these fascinating creatures on a guided tour. This afternoon we continue to the last stop on our tour, Cape Town.

The Commodore Hotel, Cape Town (4-star)

Today includes…

Excursions & visits: Tour of ostrich farm (morning)Drive along spectacular Route 62 (afternoon)

Breakfast and Dinner

pigeons flying over city hall of Cape Town, South Africa

Day 10 – Cape Town

The ‘Mother City’ is a vibrant fusion of culture, cuisine and scenery. The Atlantic Ocean claws at its bustling waterfront, while flat-topped Table Mountain crowns the city to the south. We’ll spend a day exploring all that lies between the two, starting with a half-day city tour taking in the buzzing waterfront and the colourful Bo-Kaap neighbourhood. If weather allows, we’ll also take a cable car trip to the top of Table Mountain to drink in the views of the city and beyond. The afternoon is at leisure to spend as you please. Perhaps head back down to the V&A Waterfront for a cocktail and people-watching in the sunshine, or dive into the city’s poignant history at the District Six Museum.

The Commodore Hotel, Cape Town (4-star)

Today includes…

Excursions & visits: City tour of Cape Town including Table Mountain cable car (weather permitting) (morning)

Breakfast

Free time

Table Mountain Cape Town, South Africa

Day 11 – Cape Town

Cape Town sits at the northern end of the Cape Peninsula. Our journey today takes us to the extreme south of the peninsula – all the way down to Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point. We’ll stop at Chapman’s Peak, Simon’s Town and Boulders Beach, home to waddling African penguins. An unforgettable day of sights and experiences.

The Commodore Hotel, Cape Town (4-star)

Today includes…

Excursions & visits: Tour to the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point (all day)

Breakfast

African penguin pair at sunset at Boulders Beach near Cape Town, South Africa

Day 12 – Cape Town

You’ll have today completely to yourself. You may have pre-booked a boat ride over to Robben Island – it offers a fascinating insight into the incarceration of Nelson Mandela and thousands of other South African freedom fighters. Tour the chilling maximum security prison, with the opportunity to see Mandela’s cell. For a restful afternoon, perhaps wander along Cape Town’s string of beaches. The city’s four beaches are located behind Signal Hill at Clifton – they’re a great choice for a picnic or an ice-cream, although the water comes straight from the Antarctic, so it’s a little chilly for a swim! Alternatively, opt for an excursion into the winelands of Cape Town.

The Commodore Hotel, Cape Town (4-star)

Today includes…

Breakfast

Free time

Lions Head at night in Cape Town, South Africa

Day 13 – Cape Town – In flight

Some free time this morning before we transfer to the airport for your return flight.

Cape Town – In flight

Today includes…

Breakfast

View of a Cape Town beach taken from the water, with mountains behind

Day 14 – departure

Upon arrival, our vehicle will be waiting for the journey home.

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