Welcome to Johannesburg, the largest city in South Africa! First established as a gold-mining settlement in 1886, Johannesburg became known as the ‘city of gold’, sitting adjacent to one of the richest gold reefs in the world. Today the city – that is affectionately known as ‘Jo’burg’ – is a vibrant and thriving hub with a population of more than 5 million! Arriving very early this morning, we meet our guide before transferring to our hotel. We’ll enjoy breakfast, before spending the day at leisure to rest and recover after our flights. Meet with your fellow travellers and guide for a dinner and drink at the hotel this evening. Our guide will give us a short briefing to prepare us all for the exciting adventure ahead!

A busy day of sightseeing is on the agenda today as we explore Johannesburg’s Soweto district. Its name is an abbreviation for ‘South Western Townships’, and this district emerged during the country’s apartheid era as a township for black South African’s forcibly removed from their homes. Despite its dark and unfortunate history, Soweto today pulsates with resilience, rich culture and strong community spirit. We begin with a visit to Satyagraha House, the residence of Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi from 1908-1909. The house was built in 1907 by Gandhi’s close friend and architect, Hermann Kallenbach. Today, Satyagraha House is both a museum and a guest house. We’ll learn all about the apartheid era as we continue to the Apartheid Museum. Opened in 2001, it was the first museum of its kind, and takes us through South Africa’s struggle for liberation during this dark, 40-year-long period. We’ll enjoy lunch at a local restaurant in Soweto, before continuing to the Hector Pieterson Memorial, dedicated to preserving the memory of the 1976 Soweto uprisings. The museum houses a collection of oral testimonies, photographs, audiovisual screens displays and historical documents. We then visit Mandela House, where Nelson Mandela and his family lived from 1946 into the 1990s. The house is a humble abode of four inter-leading rooms that today contain a collection of memorabilia, paintings, and photographs of the Mandela family. Here we’ll learn about their fascinating stories.

We depart Johannesburg this morning, making our way to Mbombela, formerly Nelspruit, home to the Jane Goodall Institute and Chimp Eden Sanctuary.

Special Experience

See our closest relatives in their natural habitat as we tour Chimp Eden, the first and only chimpanzee sanctuary in South Africa.

Established in 2006, by the Jane Goodall Institute, it is home to chimps that have been misplaced from their natural habitats in Africa. The goal of Chimp Eden is to rescue chimpanzees that have been orphaned, traded in the illegal pet market or traumatised for entertainment in circuses and night clubs. Here we have a unique opportunity to see these adorable yet cheeky animals in semi-wild surroundings.

After our visit we make our way towards Hazyview, a sub-tropical farming town in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province. The small town is renowned for its banana plantations, and it’s said to have the best climate in the world for growing the delicious fruit! We’ll check into our hotel here, before enjoying the evening at leisure.

This morning we depart Hazyview for Graskop Gorge where we’ll travel on the lift and enjoy some free time to bask in the spectacular views. Centrally located along South Africa’s famous Panorama Route, the lift takes visitors 51 metres down the face of the gorge into the lush forest below. Next our eyes are set on the scenic Panorama Route, travelling a portion of this famed road to Gods Window Viewpoint – one of the most picturesque vantage points in South Africa. In the early afternoon we’ll arrive at our accommodation in Greater Kruger National Park, one of Africa’s largest national parks.

Special Experience

Spend two incredible nights at the Kruger Shalati ‘Train on the Bridge’ hotel, which famously sits high above the Sabie River in Kruger National Park.

This accommodation is home to unique suites that are situated in train carriages suspended over the Sabie River on the Selati Bridge. This beautiful river flows all year-round, drawing both animals and birds to it, making for some incredible viewing for us. The historic Selati Bridge was also where the very first visitors to Kruger National Park had a pioneering stay within the carriages!

After some lunch at the hotel, we’ll head out on our first game drive of the tour – don't forget to bring your camera! Our safari vehicles will take us across the breathtaking landscape, as we search for the famous 'Big Five' – lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos and buffaloes.

Greater Kruger National Park is an extension of the Kruger National Park. With more than 20 private game reserves sharing unfenced borders, this allows the abundance of wildlife to roam freely around the entire park. Greater Kruger National Park is one of the best wildlife tourist attractions in South Africa and is home to roughly 147 different mammal species. Today is all about animals! We’ll rise early to explore this magnificent game park as it is bathed in the beautiful morning light. Keep an eye out for the many different types of animals we’re likely to see, including wildebeest, giraffes, antelopes and elephants. We return to the lodge for breakfast, lunch and some time to relax before heading out again this afternoon in search of more wildlife in the game reserve.

We’ll rise early again this morning for one final game drive through Greater Kruger National Park, before transferring to Skukuza Airport for our flight to George, a town located on the Western Cape. One of South Africa’s more well-known provinces, the Western Cape is located on the south-western coast and was established in 1994. Out of the nine regions, it’s the country’s fourth largest and third most populous, with around two-thirds of the 7 million people that call the Western Cape home living in the metropolitan city of Cape Town. This stunning region is renowned for its flora and fauna, and has a strong agricultural sector that produces a lot of South Africa’s wool, wheat, hay and fruit. The Western Cape is also home to postcard-worthy scenery, thanks to the perfect combination of serene beaches, rugged mountain ranges and lush vineyards. Upon arrival, we’ll make our way to our hotel in the town of Knysna. Also located on the stunning Western Cape, it is one of the many towns that make up South Africa’s famous Garden Route. Stretching 300 kilometres along South Africa’s southern coast, this scenic route is home to picturesque mountain ranges, spectacular coastlines and wildlife reserves.

Knysna is a natural paradise in its own right, nestled between lush forests and the shores of a peaceful lagoon. The coastal town offers an exciting array of land and water-based experiences, which we will get a taste of today. After a leisurely start this morning, we make our way to the stunning waterfront. Boarding a ferry, we’ll enjoy a scenic lagoon cruise to the Featherbed Island Nature Reserve, where there will be some time to explore this wilderness area. Established as a tourist attraction in the 1980s by William Smith, a famous South African TV personality, this beautiful, undeveloped reserve is a wonder to explore. We’ll enjoy sweeping views of the ocean and Outeniqua Mountains and discover more about the local flora and fauna. On our visit to the island, we’ll stop to enjoy a group lunch at Featherbed Restaurant, where there will be even more time to soak in the scenery. This afternoon we return to Knysna’s famous waterfront area and enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure. If you’re a foodie—or really just an enjoyer of delicious food—we recommend checking out the amazing local market and restaurants around Knysna. At the markets you can browse the fresh produce and discover authentic dishes only the locals know about. Or if you’re looking for a more traditional dining experience, hit up one of the many restaurants scattered around Knysna, most complete with incredible views—it’s a win-win!

We bid farewell to Knysna this morning and make our way towards Oudtshoorn, the ostrich capital of the world! En route, we’ll travel via the Outeniqua Pass. This famed road twists and turns through the mountainous terrain, offering some pretty spectacular views along the way. Oudtshoorn is nestled in the Klein Karoo, a lush valley on the Western Cape that is bounded by mountains and known for its nature reserves and variety of unique succulents. The spectacular mountains that frame the town are the Swartberg mountain range, which makes up part of the Cape Floral World Heritage-listed Site—a region renowned for its exceptional biodiversity. Oudtshoorn became famous for its ostrich population, and between the late 1800s and early 1900s, the town thrived by selling ostrich feathers, which were a popular fashion accessory among European nobles. Nearing Oudtshoorn, we’ll get to learn all about the largest bird on earth with a visit to Safari Ostrich Farm. Our guides will explain to us the natural breeding cycles of these captivating birds, as well as show us the different types of ostrich feathers and describe their uses—the very product that put Oudtshoorn on the map! On a tractor tour through the farm, we’ll see the local South African black ostrich, white ostrich, Zimbabwe blue ostrich, Kenyan red ostrich, and even some emus. Finishing the tour, we’ll enjoy a traditional barbeque and have the opportunity to try an ostrich steak if you dare! On arrival in Oudtshoorn, we have the afternoon and evening at leisure for more exploration at your own pace, or for simply relaxing.

Special Experience

Enjoy a sunrise meerkat adventure and gain a real insight into the intriguing lives of these charismatic creatures.

Meerkats hate the cold, so they’re only up once sunlight hits their burrow. Only one meerkat will come up initially – the sentinel. She’ll face the sun and absorb heat through her ‘solar panel’ – the dark patch on her belly. You’ll see her head swiveling, her dark eyes moving ceaselessly back and forth. She will study the people, then the surrounding bush, then gaze at the skies looking out for the meerkats’ most-feared foes – birds of prey. Then, one at a time, she will be joined by the others, and as a sentinel she’ll give a quiet, regular chirrup, reassuring them that all is well. Zoologists call it the 'Watchman’s Song'.

We return to the lodge for breakfast before travelling to Mossel Bay, the place at which the first Europeans landed on South African soil in 1488. Here we visit the Bartholomeu Dias Museum, named after the Portuguese explorer who landed here. The museum houses the famous 500-year-old Post-Office Tree and the Shell Museum.

We’ll then continue on to the amazing Botlierskop Game Reserve, a private safari park that has a great diversity of wildlife, boasting more than 200 bird species and 26 different animal species that can roam the region freely. This afternoon we will have our first experience of the reserve with an afternoon game drive.

Situated on the popular Garden Route, Botlierskop Game Reserve is home to some of South Africa’s most diverse and vast landscapes. Spanning over 4,500-hectares, the reserve offers awe inspiring views of the Langeberg and Outeniqua Mountains, beautifully framing the rolling grasslands and dense bush. In the park, we’ll get the opportunity to spot the iconic ‘Big Five’ – buffalo, elephant, lion, leopard and rhino, however, you’ll also see dozens of giraffes and zebras roaming freely! From spotting elephants making their way to a watering hole to seeing rare bird species soaring above your head, no two safari adventures here will be the same. Today, we’ll embark on both morning and afternoon game drives to spot the wildlife here in their natural habitat. Led by expert local guides, we’ll head deep into the heart of the reserve and learn about the intricate ecosystems that sustain these incredible species. With their well-trained eyes and in-depth knowledge, our guides will help us track elusive species, interpret animal behaviors, and share fascinating insights of the region. Between game drives, you’ll have time to relax and soak in the tranquility of the reserve, whether it’s enjoying the luxurious lodge facilities or simply unwinding with a scenic view.

After enjoying one last game drive in Botlierskop this morning, we’ll continue to Hermanus. This beautiful seaside town on the Western Cape is surrounded by majestic mountains and is home to a charming harbour. Hermanus’ history traces back to the 1800’s and it’s world famous for whale watching—it’s is generally considered the best land-based whale-watching location on Earth! This charming town is well-known for its artistry and culture, so much so that there are incredible galleries dotted all around Hermanus to explore. Generally within walking distance of each other are art galleries displaying the stunning pieces of local artists—you may even catch an artist at work, and in some galleries, meet the owner, who will share insights about the exhibiting artists! This afternoon is at leisure for you to walk around Hermanus and explore this lively town at your own pace. You may want to set off on the artist route to explore some local galleries, or perhaps you want to take in the beautiful blend of old and new architecture that lines the town’s streets. Dining options in Hermanus are fantastic too, whether you’re seeking fresh seafood or even a glass of local wine—here you’ll definitely be spoilt for choice!

This morning we’ll head out on an amazing whale watching cruise, a must-do while in Hermanus as it has been recognised by the World Wildlife Fund as one of the 12 best whale watching destinations in the world. After a short briefing, we board the cruise and begin our search for Humpback, Southern Right and Bryde’s whales. (June to October departures only) We then make our way towards Stellenbosch, South Africa’s premier wine-growing region. Along the way, we’ll stop at Betty’s Bay, a picturesque seaside village positioned in a narrow strip of land sandwiched between the Kogelberg Mountains and Atlantic Ocean, bordered by freshwater lakes and the Palmiet River. We’ll also stop at Gordon’s Bay situated around the old harbour and Bikini Beach.

Special Experience

Bask in the spectacular views at Glen Carlou, whilst indulging in wine tastings and a delicious lunch.

An incredible afternoon awaits us at Glen Carlou Wine Estate. On over 140 hectares of pristine land, this beautiful estate is nestled between the rolling hills of Simonsberg Mountain on the Western Cape. Since 1988, Glen Carlou has been a premier wine destination, renowned for its exceptional terroir—a perfect blend of climate, soil, and landscape—that gives its wines distinctive flavour characteristics. Sampling their world-class wines today will be a real treat!

Located in the heart of South Africa’s world-renowned wine region, Stellenbosch’s origins date back to 1679 and is the country’s second-oldest town. This university town is surrounded by the vineyards of the Cape Winelands and the mountainous nature reserves of Jonkershoek and Simonsberg. The town's oak-shaded streets are lined with cafes, boutiques and art galleries. This morning, we’ll head off on a walking tour of Stellenbosch to uncover the town’s historic centre and learn about its rich heritage. Admire the charm and harmony of the Cape Dutch Architecture and listen to tales about the colorful inhabitants of three centuries as we stroll past the period houses and gardens. Learn about the development of the town from a mere settlement to the city it is now. For lunch, we’ll participate in a hands-on cooking class with wine pairing at Rickety Bridge Estate. The estate’s winery has been in operation since 1797 and the land was granted to Paulina de Villiers in the same year, one of the first female landowners in South Africa! We’ll bask in the beautiful views of the surrounding Dassenberg Mountains during our time here. Afterwards, the remainder of the day and evening is at leisure. We recommend exploring Dorp Street, considered the hub of Stellenbosch. Lined with beautiful trees, Dorp Street is home to great restaurants, bars, and shops. Further explore the historic town centre with its rows of historical buildings, museums, shops, restaurants, distilleries and galleries.

Our morning begins with a visit to the breathtaking Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens. Set against the eastern slopes of Table Mountain and just 13-kilometres from the city centre, Kirstenbosch is world renowned for the beauty and diversity of the Cape flora it displays. The hillside garden and nature reserve features rare plant species and walking trails.

Special Experience

Tour Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, one of the great botanic gardens of the world.

This afternoon we will visit Simon’s Restaurant located at Groot Constantia, a historic wine estate situated in the Constantia Valley. The setting offers stunning views of the vineyards and mountains, making it a perfect spot to enjoy the afternoon relaxing with a drink while taking in the beautiful scenery.

We continue on to Cape Town, a city completely different to anywhere else in Africa. Established in 1652 with the arrival of Dutch settlers, the city is surrounded by superb beaches and majestic mountains, including the incredible Table Mountain. Apart from Cape Town’s stunning natural features, the city is blessed with a laid-back ambience that meets with the approval of bohemians and holidaymakers alike. Cape Town is renowned for its great food and wine and has been named by some as the best food city in the world.

The evening is then free for you to relax. We recommend visiting Cape Town’s iconic ‘V&A Waterfront’ neighbourhood. The oldest working harbour in the southern hemisphere, the waterfront district is home to various shops, restaurants and facilities, making for a beautiful location to explore and enjoy dinner!

Today we embark on picturesque sightseeing tour. This morning we travel to the Cape Peninsula as we make our way towards Cape Point, the most south-westerly tip of the African continent. Here, we take the Flying Dutchman funicular from the car park to see the old lighthouse and enjoy the panoramic views. We’ll also discover the Cape of Good Hope before returning to Cape Town via Simon’s Town, home to the South African Navy’s largest base, and Boulder’s Beach. Here, a colony of African penguins, also known as Jackass penguins, have established themselves since the 1980s. The penguins bray like donkeys (hence their name) and from just two original breeding pairs, there are now over 2,500 penguins on this beach. This afternoon, we take the Fast Pass lane to ride a cable car to the top of Table Mountain (weather permitting), South Africa’s most iconic landmark. Table Mountain towers over the city and is the country’s most photographed attraction. It takes only 5 minutes to ascend by cable car and once atop, we’ll be rewarded with spectacular views over the city, beaches and across Table Bay to Robben Island.

This morning, we cruise out to discover the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Robben Island (weather permitting), famous for its use as isolation for political prisoners. Robben Island is where Nelson Mandela spent many of the 27 years of his imprisonment. It is now a museum and is symbolic to democratic South Africa of the price paid by many for the freedom of their country. The views looking back towards Cape Town and Table Mountain from here are truly spectacular! This afternoon we return to the mainland and visit Bo-Kaap, one of Cape Town’s most distinct neighbourhoods. Bo-Kaap’s origins date back to the 1760s when numerous houses were built and leased to slaves. The houses are a mix of Cape Dutch and Georgian architecture and are painted in bright colours. It is said that while the houses were leased by slaves, they were to be strictly painted white. Once this rule was lifted, the houses were decorated in vivid colours as an expression of their freedom. Tonight, we enjoy a group farewell dinner at GOLD, a unique African-themed restaurant with delicious a Cape Malay and African inspired menu as well as djembe drumming.

Our tour concludes after breakfast this morning. We bid farewell to our new friends and to incredible adventure across South Africa. We transfer to Cape Town airport to begin our journey home. We hope you leave with fantastic memories!