South Africa’s Highlights

After arriving at Johannesburg airport, you collect your reserved rental car right at the airport and drive to your accommodation in Pretoria. You can spend the rest of the day recovering from the overnight flight at your accommodation, or take a half-day trip in the Johannesburg or Pretoria region. Overnight stay at Brooks Cottage Guesthouse.

You drive east through Gauteng and Mpumalanga. Pass Emalahleni and Mashishing (formerly Lydenburg) and continue to Pilgrim’s Rest. Pilgrim’s Rest lies on the Panorama Route, surrounded by cultural and historical gems. Make a stop and stroll through the village with its historic sites, taking a little journey back in time to the gold rush. In the late afternoon you continue to your accommodation in Hazyview. Use the next day to explore the Panorama Route. Visit the Blyde River Canyon, Bourke’s Luck Potholes and God’s Window. A stop at the “Graskop Gorge Lift” is also worthwhile. On a walk along a purpose-built walkway, you enjoy a grandiose view over the fascinating gorge. You spend two nights at Little Pilgrims Boutique Hotel.

For the coming days, pure safari is on the programme. Through Phabeni Gate or Paul Kruger Gate you enter the famous Kruger National Park, and the hunt with camera and binoculars for the park’s residents begins straight away. With a little luck you will see the “Big Five” (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino). You spend two nights in a rest camp inside the park.

Breakfast (day 4)

Please note | During peak season, some camps may be fully booked. After consultation, we will then rebook you into other camps.

Alternatively, overnight stays in a classic safari lodge are also possible for an additional charge. The lodges are mainly located in privately run game reserves bordering Kruger National Park. The game drives take place under the expert guidance of a ranger. If you are interested, please get in touch; we will gladly provide a quote.

More exciting wildlife encounters in Kruger National Park await you today! You spend the night in another rest camp inside the park. At all camps you have the option of booking guided day and night safaris and guided bush walks (optional). You can have breakfast, lunch and dinner at the camp’s restaurant, or bring your own food if you are self-catering.

You leave South Africa and cross the border into Eswatini (Swaziland). In Manzini you have the opportunity to visit one of the colourful markets and souvenir shops with handmade artworks. Swaziland is far more rural than South Africa, and the area around Mbabane is ideal for hikes and excursions into the mountain regions. You spend the night at Mogi Boutique Hotel, near which there is a candle factory where you can not only buy the famous Swazi candles but also watch how they are made.

After a leisurely breakfast you leave Eswatini and continue to St. Lucia. This small village offers a range of possibilities. You can take a boat trip on the estuary and watch hippos and crocodiles in and by the river. With a little luck you will also see elephants or other animals coming to the riverbank to drink. Relax on the beach and take long beach walks. The surroundings are also a paradise for bird lovers. From St. Lucia, visit Cape Vidal, where, besides more wonderful beaches, there is also the chance to go snorkelling. You spend the night at St. Lucia Wetlands Guesthouse. In St. Lucia there are several restaurants within walking distance.

After an early breakfast you drive past forests and sugar cane plantations and come to the largest reserve for white rhinos: Hluhluwe Imfolozi Park. Thanks to a large-scale breeding project, those responsible here have succeeded in giving a home to the largest number of the rare black rhinos. For this reason, your chances of seeing this endangered species are far better in this park than in others. But the nature reserve is also one of the most beautiful parks in southern Africa, not least thanks to its hilly landscape. Besides the rhinos mentioned, the park is also home to lions, elephants, leopards and buffalo from the Big Five. For the night you drive back to St. Lucia and St. Lucia Wetlands Guesthouse.

Next you visit Durban, the commercial metropolis on the Indian Ocean with its large Indian population, which is also noticeable in the streetscape. Visit the Indian Market, immerse yourself in the scent of spices and incense, and buy various curry blends or other spice creations. The botanical garden, the aquarium and the rickshaw drivers on the beach promenade are also worth a visit. For the night you drive to Umdloti, about 19 kilometres north of Durban and only moments from the sandy beach of the Indian Ocean. You spend the night at Fairlight Beach House, near which there are two good restaurants.

Driving distance to Oyster Bay: approx. 130 km; pure driving time approx. 2–3 hours

You drive to Durban airport, return your rental car and take your domestic flight to Port Elizabeth. After arriving in Port Elizabeth, you collect your “new” rental car and set off along the highway to Humansdorp. From there you continue to the coast and Oyster Bay. The last few kilometres lead along a badly damaged road, but this is rewarded by a unique dune beach. Enjoy two days in an unspoilt coastal reserve. Those seeking relaxation as well as nature lovers will get their money’s worth here. You spend two nights at Oyster Bay Lodge.

After breakfast your trip continues to the Garden Route. In the morning, visit Tsitsikamma National Park. The park is a paradise for birdwatchers and lovers of impressive coastal landscapes. It is also world-famous for its hiking trail, the “Otter Trail”, and you should take the opportunity to go for a short hike. Your destination is a small guesthouse in Knysna. Knysna offers an ideal base for excursions along the Garden Route. How about a boat tour on the Knysna Lagoon or a walk in Robberg Nature Reserve? Overnight stay at Stannards Guest Lodge.

From Knysna you drive via George and the impressive Outeniqua Pass into the Little Karoo. The rivers that rise in the mountains feed the otherwise rather dry region with water. Tobacco, fruit and wine grow here. You visit an ostrich farm and the cave-like chambers of the Cango Caves. A detour to the viewpoint of the Swartberg Pass, with a grandiose view of the picturesque Karoo desert, is also worthwhile. In the late afternoon you drive to the pleasant Thabile Lodge outside the town for the night.

You drive along Scenic Route 62 via Calitzdorp, Ladismith, Montagu and Swellendam to Hermanus. The small fishing village is South Africa’s “whale capital” and, from June to November, the ideal place to watch the giants of the sea. Look out for the telltale fountains of water that form when the whales exhale. But even outside the whale season, the region offers spectacular hiking trails along the coast or in the adjoining forests. Those seeking peace and quiet will also get their money’s worth here. You spend the night at Bamboo Guest House.

Many visitors agree: when the conversation turns to the most beautiful city in the world, Cape Town is always mentioned in the same breath as San Francisco. The unique flair of this city, with the ever-present Table Mountain as a backdrop and its perfect location by the sea with its scenic hinterland, casts a spell over every visitor. The city’s sights are so numerous that you have to decide in advance whether you want to visit Table Mountain, Lion’s Head, Blouberg Beach, Camps Bay, Simon’s Town or, or… You spend the night at Rosedene Guesthouse. Cape Town offers a huge selection of restaurants.

Start the day early and take a trip to the Cape of Good Hope. Via the picturesque Chapmans Peak Drive you drive across the Cape Peninsula to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope. Afterwards your trip takes you via Fish Hoek and Muizenberg to the wine region. Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek form South Africa’s wine centre. Beautiful wine estates, lined with vines and sheltered by the surrounding mountains, invite you to linger and to enjoy wine tastings. Hiking enthusiasts will get their money’s worth in Jonkershoek Nature Reserve. Wine tastings in the form of bike rides, hikes and tours are possible as options. You spend the night at the lovely Wedgeview Country House on the edge of town.

Depending on your departure time, a stroll through Stellenbosch and the souvenir market is a good idea. Later you drive back to Cape Town airport. There you return your rental car and begin your journey home.