BRIEF ITINERARY

Day 1 | Johannesburg to Mpumalanga

Departing from Johannesburg at 06:30am we head towards Mpumalanga where mountains, panoramic passes, valleys, rivers, waterfalls & forests characterize the landscape.  Few regions in the world can match the extraordinary beauty of the low veld & escarpment.

Days 2 & 3 | Kruger Private Reserve

The largest game reserve in South Africa, boasting the world's greatest concentration of species, has an amazing sixteen different ecosystems.  Exciting game drives provide us with excellent game viewing.  Spot the “Big 5” (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo) and many other animals in this true African wilderness.   

Day 4 | Kingdom of Swaziland

Malolotja Nature Reserve in the mountainous Kingdom of Swaziland is our next attraction.  Renowned for a great variety of habitats from short grassland, to thick riverine scrub, bushveld and moist forest, we explore the reserve on foot to enjoy the fantastic mountain views.

Days 5 & 6 | Zululand

We visit the craft markets near Mbabane that have a fascinating range of handmade crafts and the local witchdoctor stall is not to be missed!   We re-enter South Africa and head to Mkuzi Game Reserve, which is a safe haven for the endangered black rhino.  We visit a waterhole hide and watch game come down to drink.  An early morning game drive is followed by a cultural afternoon where we visit a Zulu village on the border of the game reserve and learn about the Zulu culture.

Days 7 & 8 | Drakensberg Mountains

The Drakensberg Mountains or “uKhahlamba” - the Barrier of Spears, is a 125 mile-long mountainous wonderland and world heritage site.  From Mkhuze we move further south to the base of these mountains where we overnight for two nights in quaint cottages. We will spend time walking along beautiful mountain stream paths, or just enjoying the spectacular views. 

Days 9 & 10 | Wild Coast

En-route to the Wild Coast we visit Qunu, the home town of Nelson Mandela, and pay our respects to this great man.  The Wild Coast remains a relatively untouched paradise with unspoiled stretches of dramatically beautiful coastline, open spaces and pristine forest areas.  

Day 11 | Addo Elephant National Park

The Addo Elephant National Park was established in 1931 to protect the last 11 wild elephants from extermination.  Today more than 600 elephants roam through the area.  The park also offers excellent viewing of black rhino, Cape buffalo, lion and leopard, as well as a host of other large and small mammals and over 400 species of birds in the greater park area. 

Days 12-13 | Knysna & Tsitsikamma National Park

For two nights we will stay in a lodge resort in Knysna, which is nestled on a tranquil lagoon.  We will take a day trip to the Storms River mouth where there are walks up the gorge and along the rocky coast.  The Tsitsikamma National Park incorporates 50 miles of spectacular sea and landscapes; a remote mountainous region with secluded valleys, coastal forests with deep river gorges leading down to the sea.  

Day 14 | Hermanus

Hermanus offers some of the best land based whale watching in the world.  From June to November Southern Right whales come up from the southern oceans to calve and mate in the shallow waters around the Cape.  In whale season we will take a walk along this beautiful coastline.   In the summer months we will explore the flowering fynbos in Fernkloof Nature Reserve.

Days 15 & 16 | Cape Town

Cape Town is one of the most picturesque cities in the world, with the majestic Table Mountain providing its central focus.  On our way into Cape Town, we visit Stellenbosch, South Africa’s renowned wine region, for wine tasting (own expense) and a cellar tour.  The “mother city” has many attractions; we will visit the harbor at Hout Bay, visit Cape Point, enjoy the famous beaches and the V&A Waterfront.

Day 17 | Cape Town – Tour Ends

In the morning we climb Table Mountain, offering panoramic views over Cape Town reaching out into the bay and Robben Island.  Having explored the highlights of the Rainbow Nation we take a last look at Cape Town and catch up on curio shopping in the afternoon, before your tour ends at 18:00 at the guest house.

Accommodation: Fourteen nights on safari we stay at small lodges and guest houses, with en-suite facilities. Two nights on the Wild Coast are in self-catering chalets where two bedrooms share a bathroom.  Lodges are simple, clean and are generally rated as 2-3 star.  Here's a sample:

Zululand Lodge is a privately owned tented camp on the 2000 acre uKuwela wildlife conservancy north of Hluhluwe town and bordering Phinda Game Reserve, in northern KwaZulu Natal.  The lodge is built on a slope with breath taking views of the Msinene River valley and surrounding bushveld. The camp offers 9 tastefully decorated en-suite permanent canvas rooms sleeping up to 18 people.  The elegantly furnished central lodge area allows you to put your feet up and relax in the open-air cushioned lounge area.

Baleens Guest House is located in Hermanus, an easy walk to the beach.  There are 21 rooms, all en-suite with showers, seven with sea facing balconies and four with mountain views.  All rooms are comfortable and informal – catering for those travelers who expect good, clean and comfortable accommodation.

Sweetest Guest Houses are a collection of 5 houses located in the Sea Point area of Cape Town, along the Atlantic.  Each house has a different style, from a classic Victorian to a modern, African design.  Twin rooms en-suite facilities.  WiFi available.

Transport: You'll travel in rugged, custom-built safari trucks with 12 forward facing seats. The vehicles are comfortable for cruising and excellent for game viewing with large sliding windows and front hatches for ease of viewing.  There are several long days of travel providing for a beautiful journey on the way to exciting and varied destinations.

GROUP SIZE:  Some departures are guaranteed, other require a minimum of 4 (see Departure Dates).  Maximum group size is 12.

PAYMENT: A non-refundable, 20% deposit is required to confirm booking.  Balance is due 7 weeks before departure. 

Other terms & conditions apply.