South African Essentials

Johannesburg to Cape Town

Day 01
On arrival at Johannesburg International Airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel in one of Johannesburg's affluent northern suburbs. Enjoy the rest of your day at leisure until 19h00 when your fellow guests and our Tourist Guide meet at the hotel reception for a briefing on the tour.
Rosebank Hotel or similar - bed and breakfast basis

Day 02
Depart from Johannesburg and travel to the 'Province of the Rising Sun', Mpumalanga, via the historic towns of Witbank, Dullstroom and Lydenburg. Continue exploring the Panorama Route featuring the Blyde River Canyon, Three Rondawels, Bourke's Luck Potholes, God's Window and various waterfalls. Travelling over Kowyn's Pass to the Hazyview area.
Hippo Hollow Country Estate or similar - dinner, bed and breakfast basis

Day 03
A bright and early start to the day in order to enjoy the wonders of exploring the Kruger National Park in your closed vehicle. An open safari vehicle is available as an optional extra. Enter the park, and keep a lookout for the wonderful flora and animal life that abounds. Established in 1898, this National Park of over two million hectares is unrivalled in the diversity of its flora and fauna. Spend the day in search of game before returning to your hotel.
Hippo Hollow Country Estate or similar - bed and breakfast basis

Day 04
After breakfast, enter the Kruger National Park for a further game viewing opportunity. Leave the Kruger Park and continue onward to the Kingdom of Swaziland, visiting the capital city of Mbabane. Visit the Ngwenya Glass Factory with a late afternoon arrival at your hotel situated in the majestic Ezulwini Valley.
Lugogo Sun Hotel or similar - bed and breakfast basis

Day 05
After a sumptuous breakfast, visit a typical Swazi Market and the Swazi candle factory. Travel through pineapple plantations and beautiful mountainous scenery, leave Swaziland and proceed into the Kingdom of KwaZulu-Natal where ancient traditions and modern cultures merge into a vibrant society living in peace and harmony. Arrive at your safari hotel near the World Heritage Site of St Lucia, which offers the opportunity of sighting hippos, crocodile and prolific bird life.
Elephant Lake Hotel or similar - bed and breakfast basis

Day 06
An early morning opportunity to participate in an excursion to St Lucia for a river cruise on the estuary (optional extra) before returning to your hotel for breakfast. After driving through sugar cane plantations along the Indian Ocean seaboard, arrive in the bustling city of Durban where we visit the Botanical Gardens and continue with a city centre orientation tour, including a stop at the famous 'Indian Market'. Late afternoon arrival at your beachfront hotel.
Garden Court South Beach or similar - bed and breakfast basis

Day 07
A very early departure after breakfast as we enjoy a scenic drive via Pietermaritzburg and the Natal Midlands into the majestic Drakensberg Mountains. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure soaking up the beautiful surroundings, or go fishing, hiking, play bowls or tennis and even a horse ride in the fresh mountain air. An optional excursion up the Sani Pass can also be arranged.
Drakensberg Gardens Hotel or similar - dinner, bed and breakfast basis

Day 08
After breakfast this morning, we set off for the wild untamed coast of the Transkei. We make our way south towards the coast via Mthatha to visit the area where our most famous citizen, Nelson Mandela, was born and grew up. After visiting the museum dedicated to the life and achievements of this incredible man, we continue our journey and arrive mid afternoon at our coastal hotel, which offers some of the most incredible views of this spectacular coastline.
Ocean View Hotel or similar - dinner, bed and breakfast basis

Day 09
Spend the morning relaxing and taking in the magnificent scenery before we depart and continue south down the wild coast to East London - the only river port in Southern Africa and only one of six in the world.
The Kennaway Hotel - bed and breakfast basis

Day 10
After breakfast enjoy a short city tour including the East London museum, showcasing relics of the extinct dodo bird as well as a display of the first specimen of a coelacanth (prehistoric fish). Continue through 'Settler Country' via King William's Town towards Grahamstown where we visit the 1820 Settler Memorial. After a brief photographic stop at the Fish River we continue on to Port Elizabeth. Port Elizabeth's beaches are magnificent and justifiably world famous, therefore the remainder of the afternoon can be enjoyed at leisure.
The Paxton Hotel or similar - bed and breakfast basis

Day 11
Departing Port Elizabeth, enter the Garden Route via the high forests of the Tsitsikamma Mountains and the Bloukrans and Groot River Passes. Attractions to be visited through the Tsitsikamma Forest area include the Big Tree and the Garden of Eden. Gaze in awe at the scenery whilst crossing the bridge over the Storms River where photographic opportunities abound. Driving via the 'millionaires playground' of Plettenberg Bay, arrive in the 'oyster capital' of Knysna in time to enjoy a sunset cruise on the lagoon (optional extra) or a simple stroll through the village and waterfront. Enjoy a superb dinner at the hotel.
Knysna Hollow Country Estate or similar - dinner, bed and breakfast basis

Day 12
After breakfast, start the day with a scenic drive via Dolphin Point and George over the Outeniqua Pass to Oudtshoorn, the 'ostrich capital'. Visit a local ostrich farm for a guided tour where we learn more about these curious creatures during various stages of their life cycle. For the more adventurous, we get the opportunity to try our hand at riding one of these majestic birds. The remainder of the afternoon is spent visiting the Cango Caves for a fully guided tour. Experience the sudden contrast of the semi-desert Klein Karoo to indigenous 'Fynbos' vegetation as we return to our hotel in Knysna.
Knysna Hollow Country Estate or similar - bed and breakfast basis

Day 13
Start the day with a scenic drive via Wilderness to historical Mossel Bay. Send a postcard to friends or relatives from the famous Post Office Tree before visiting the Diaz and Maritime Museums with relics of famous explorers. Driving via Swellendam and over Sir Lowry's pass, Table Mountain rises to greet you into the 'mother city' of Cape Town.
Protea Hotel Pier Place or similar - bed and breakfast basis

Day 14
Enjoy a day at leisure or we offer various day excursion options at an additional cost. A visit to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront is also recommended.
Protea Hotel Pier Place or similar - bed and breakfast basis

Day 15
After breakfast, take advantage of your leisure time with last minute shopping or an optional halfday excursion. From here, we bid you farewell, be it for further travel arrangements in Cape Town or for your journey home (transfer to Cape Town International Airport is not included).

AT A GLANCE

Accommodation
- 3 star accommodation on an 'Essentials' basis.

Flights
- No Flights

Driver / Guide
- Services of SA Tourism specialist Tourist guides
- Services of a experienced game ranger and tracker on optional open vehicle excursions

Main Attractions
- See the spectacular Panorama Route featuring the Blyde River Canyon, God's Window and various waterfalls
- Spend a day game viewing in the world famous Kruger National Park (in a closed vehicle)
- Visit a traditional African craft market in the Kingdom of Swaziland
- Explore and soak up the atmosphere in the town of St Lucia - a World Heritage Site
- Tour the city of Durban, the cultural 'melting pot' of South Africa
- Relax or go hiking in the majestic Drakensberg Mountains, part of a World Heritage Site
- Discover the beauty of the untamed Wild Coast, popular for its magnificent unspoilt beaches
- Travel through the Eastern Cape where the British settled in 1820
- Get close to Mother Nature at her best by walking amongst the ancient trees in the Tsitsikamma National Park
- Walk around the famous Cango Caves with their magnificent dripstone formations of stalactites, stalagmites and the famous 'Drain Room'
- Ride an ostrich or just enjoy an ostrich farm experience in Oudtshoorn - 'Ostrich Capital of the World'
- Spend quality time enjoying the 'mother city' of Cape Town and Table Mountain.