Fascinating South Africa

After your arrival at OR Tambo Airport in Johannesburg and completing immigration formalities, you are welcomed by your transfer driver.

Drive to Brooks Cottage in Pretoria, where after checking in you have time to rest a little and freshen up.

In the early afternoon you meet your guide and, on a city tour, visit the Union Buildings and the Voortrekker Monument Museum in Pretoria.

Here you are given a first and highly interesting overview of South Africa's varied history. Shared dinner with all participants in a good restaurant (at your own expense).

Overnight stay at Brooks Cottage.

After a short briefing from your guide, your small-group round trip through South Africa begins. You leave Pretoria and drive south through the Free State province to Clarens.

This picturesquely situated little town is now home to many artists and craftspeople. After lunch in Clarens (at your own expense), you drive on to Golden Gate National Park.

Here you get a first taste of the breathtaking mountain scenery and can marvel at the remarkable rock formations.

Your destination for today is Greenfire Drakensberg Lodge in the area of Royal Natal National Park in the majestic Drakensberg.

Enjoy the heavenly peace of the mountains! After dinner you can retire to your room or linger by the log fire.

Today is reserved for outdoor activities in the spectacular mountain scenery of the Drakensberg.

You are spoilt for choice: depending on your fitness level, you can follow various hiking trails to admire San rock paintings, watch a colony of the rare Cape vultures, or take in the impressive panorama of the Drakensberg and the Maluti Mountains in Lesotho from the highest point, as well as the view over Sterkfontein Dam.

If you would like to explore the picturesque mountain region on horseback, you are welcome here too: there are riding options for beginners and advanced riders (optional). Enjoy the day in the great outdoors, the fresh air and the unique views.

Today you start the day with a generous breakfast in a wonderful atmosphere. As soon as your cases are packed, an adventurous 4x4 transfer takes you back to your tour vehicle.

You then head through the green rolling hills of the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands and via Pietermaritzburg towards the coast.

At Howick the Nelson Mandela Capture Site awaits you, where a visitor centre and an impressive sculpture commemorate this historic moment in South Africa's history. You then drive on past the multicultural port city of Durban and finally reach the town of St. Lucia on the Indian Ocean.

Depending on your arrival time, in the afternoon you have the chance to stretch your legs after the long drive with a stroll around the small town, which lies right on the Indian Ocean.

Alternatively, the beach invites you to walk or simply relax. For dinner you go to a restaurant in town (at your own expense).

Overnight stay at Forest Lodge.

A visit to iSimangaliso Wetland Park is on the programme today. On game drives you explore the wildlife and plant life of this park, which until 2007 was still called Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park.

Sightings of rhinos, buffalo, waterbuck, nyala and large herds of kudu are not unusual, and with a great deal of luck you may even see a leopard hunting.

Several viewpoints offer wonderful views of the Indian Ocean and, in whale season, a small chance of spotting southern right whales.

After hopefully many exciting wildlife encounters, you can finally take a refreshing dip in the sea at Cape Vidal – a rather unusual end to a game drive!

After your return to St. Lucia you go on a boat trip on the St. Lucia Estuary. From the boat you can watch hippos, crocodiles and a great variety of water birds.

You spend another night at Forest Lodge.

Today you start very early and visit the nearby Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, which is certainly one of the most scenic parks in Southern Africa and is known above all for its breeding projects for black and white rhinos.

You go on a game drive in the tour vehicle and, with a little luck, can see not only rhinos but also other members of the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant and buffalo), as well as a wide variety of antelope, birds and other animal species in their natural habitat.

After lunch at Hilltop Camp (at your own expense) you make your way to the gate. On the way there are repeated opportunities for further wildlife viewing.

You then leave the park and drive on north to Pongola Game Reserve, one of the oldest private game reserves in South Africa.

Your destination is AfriCamps at White Elephant Safaris. With a cold drink in hand, enjoy the sunset and the dreamy view over the bushland, Lake Jozini and the Lebombo Mountains in the distance.

Over a delicious dinner you can bring the day to a relaxed close.

You start the day with a bush walk or a boat trip on Lake Jozini. Experience nature intensely and let its beauty sink in as you look out for big and small wildlife.

You then set off and drive across the border into the Kingdom of Eswatini. You visit Mantenga Cultural Village, an authentically reconstructed Swazi village. Here you gain an insight into Swazi culture and experience its customs and traditions first-hand.

Your destination for the day is Foresters Arms Country Hotel near Mbabane, where you will spend the night.

Today you can shape the day as you like. The evening before, your guide discusses with you the wide range of excursions Swaziland has to offer and puts together today's programme with the group.

In Swaziland, a piece of authentic Africa awaits you, with fantastic natural landscapes, friendly people and a rich cultural heritage.

Depending on the weather and your mood, you can explore the surroundings of the lodge or the Milwane Wildlife Reserve by mountain bike, on horseback or on foot (optional). Visit colourful markets or immerse yourself in Swaziland's craftsmanship.

Watch as the famous "Swazi Candles" are made by hand in a candle factory, or as mouth-blown works of art are created from recycled glass in a glass workshop.

You stay at Foresters Arms Country Hotel again.

You leave the Kingdom of Swaziland and drive back to South Africa.

Your next destination is Kruger National Park, South Africa's largest wildlife reserve. Founded as a game reserve, it was converted into a National Park in 1926.

Thanks to its size and the diversity of its landscapes, the park is home to all the animal species found in Southern Africa. Large herds of elephants with up to 60 animals, buffalo, rhinos, lions and leopards live here alongside almost 150 other mammal species, over 500 bird species and around 100 reptile species.

During your visit you concentrate on the wildlife-rich south of the reserve, which covers around 20,000 square kilometres. The rest of the afternoon is available for an extended game drive.

You stay at Skukuza Rest Camp, which is run by the National Parks authority.

Today, too, is devoted entirely to wildlife viewing. In the morning you set off in an open safari vehicle on an extended game drive in search of the local animals.

In the early evening there is the option to join a National Park ranger on a night game drive and, with a little luck, see nocturnal animals (optional).

Another night at the state-run Skukuza Rest Camp.

In the early morning you have the opportunity to go on a walking safari accompanied by a park ranger (optional).

After breakfast you set off on a final game drive and continue to look out for wild animals. Perhaps today you will see one more resident of the park that you have not yet spotted in the past few days?

Around midday you finally leave Kruger National Park and drive to Gecko Lodge near Hazyview. The rest of the day is at your leisure.

The lodge's large garden invites you to relax, and the rock pool provides welcome refreshment on hot days.

Dinner and overnight stay at Gecko Lodge.

The whole of today is available for exploring the sights along the Panorama Route.

Among other places, you visit the viewpoint God’s Window, which impresses every visitor with an impressively wide view over the Lowveld below as far as Kruger National Park.

You also make photo stops at Bourke‘s Luck Potholes and the Three Rondavels, three enormous rocks reminiscent of African round huts. Enjoy the wonderful views over the impressive Blyde River Canyon!

You stay at Gecko Lodge again.

The drive takes you across the province of Mpumalanga back to the international airport in Johannesburg.

From here you fly to the Garden Route and George. After your arrival at the airport you are welcomed and taken to Mes Amis Guest House in Wilderness.

For dinner you can go to an excellent restaurant with a breathtaking view of the Indian Ocean (at your own expense).

Today is at your leisure. Use the time for a stroll along the fine sandy beach or hike along the Half-collared Kingfisher Trail through the dense forest of Wilderness National Park.

The hiking trail leads to a waterfall where you can take a refreshing dip. If you wish, your guide will gladly accompany you.

Of course, today you can also simply let your mind wander! Make yourself comfortable on the beach or enjoy the wonderful panoramic view over the Indian Ocean from your guesthouse.

With a little luck you can watch dolphins frolicking in the waves. Over a shared dinner (at your own expense) you can round off the day nicely.

You spend another night at Mes Amis Guest House.

After breakfast your small-group round trip continues to Knysna. Together with your guide you explore this charming little town, nestled against a large lagoon.

The Knysna Heads, two steeply rising rocks, connect the calm lagoon with the open sea. You drive to a viewpoint on the eastern rock and, once at the top, are rewarded with a fantastic view over the town, its lagoon and the rough ocean.

You then drive past Nature‘s Valley to Tsitsikamma National Park. Depending on your mood, you can either go on a short hike along the first section of South Africa's best-known hiking trail, the Otter Trail, or cross the mouth of the Storms River on a spectacular suspension bridge.

Enjoy the panorama of the steeply plunging coastline and the play of colours of the green coastal belt in contrast to the deep blue ocean.

In the late afternoon you reach Tsitsikamma Village Inn. Dinner in an excellent restaurant (at your own expense).

After a relaxed breakfast you set off and drive along the scenic R62 into the Little Karoo to Oudtshoorn, where you arrive around lunchtime.

A visit to the famous Cango Caves is on the programme in the afternoon. Parts of this impressive cave system served the San as a dwelling place more than 10,000 years ago.

Today you can visit the caves on various tours and marvel at their remarkable stalactite formations.

Dinner and overnight stay at Thabile Lodge.

Oudtshoorn is famous for its ostrich farms. During a guided tour in the morning you learn interesting details about these giant birds and the marketing of ostrich products.

You then drive through impressive landscapes to the Atlantic coast and Hermanus. From June to November Hermanus is the official whale capital of South Africa, but this former fishing village is worth a visit even outside the whale season.

You stay at Auberge Burgundy.

In whale season you walk along the coastal path with your guide in the morning and look out for these giant mammals.

Alternatively, depending on the swell, you can go on a whale-watching boat trip (optional).

You then continue along a picturesque coastal road to what is probably South Africa's best-known wine-growing region around Stellenbosch.

On the way you visit a colony of African penguins and watch the little fellows on land and playing in the water.

On arrival in Stellenbosch, you first explore the charming little town before heading to a wine estate in a dreamy setting to taste the fine wines that have matured in the barrels in the wine cellar.

Dinner in a good restaurant (at your own expense) and overnight stay at the beautifully situated Cultivar Guest Lodge.

Today you visit a farm typical of the Cape. It lies idyllically at the foot of the Helderberg and gives you the chance to be a little active again after the longer drives of the past few days.

From a viewpoint you can look out over the whole of False Bay as far as Table Mountain, and on a clear day even to Cape Point. A little surprise awaits you at lunch.

You then continue along the picturesque coast to the Cape Peninsula and Noordhoek. This quiet and charming little village scores above all with its miles-long sandy beach, which is among the longest and most beautiful beaches at the Cape. A walk is definitely worthwhile!

You stay at Noordhoek Village Hotel.

After breakfast, together with your guide, you take an excursion to the Cape of Good Hope. For the seafarers of old, the rugged rocks in the midst of the stormy sea were the first sign of land they caught sight of after the long crossing from Europe.

Visit the world-famous viewpoint and let the stormy Cape wind blow around your nose.

Between 1 and 2 pm your impressive trip comes to an end and it is time to say goodbye to your guide.

You are taken to accommodation of your choice in the city centre or to the airport. Totsiens – until next time.

Breakfast

Cape Town itself is blessed with sights in abundance. To visit them, you do not necessarily need a guide or your own vehicle.

Talk to our experienced South Africa travel experts and extend your trip in Cape Town, tailored to your own preferences and interests.