South Africa Explorer

Day 1: Pretoria/Johannesburg

Today is an arrival day, so you may arrive at any time. The remainder of your day is free to enjoy at leisure. Our spacious lodge is located in a quiet rural area between Pretoria and Johannesburg. A transfer from Johannesburg's Oliver Tambo International Airport needs to be pre-booked (at additional cost) and is strongly recommended. There is a pre-departure meeting tonight at 6pm.

Day 2: Blyde River Canyon Region

(Driving time: approx 5 hours) This morning we depart our lodge and head north-east through the farming regions of the highveld to Graskop, where we set up our first campsite at Panoramic Camp. The name of the camp is particularly apt as it is stunningly situated at the top of a deep gorge with incredible views over the lowveld. We spend the afternoon exploring the area around Blyde River Canyon, taking in the spectacular vista from God's Window and the lookout point over the Three Rondavels. We take time to explore Bourke's Luck Potholes - the spot where the Blyde and Treur Rivers have joined to gouge out holes into the rock strata.

Day 3-4: Kruger National Park

(Driving time: approx 8 hours on Day 3, and approx 3 hours on Day 4; game drive times variable) The landscape of Kruger National Park is varied and fascinating. Stretching for some 350 kilometres and sharing a common border with Mozambique and Zimbabwe, much of the park consists of flat grass and scrubby plains. It supports an enormous variety of wildlife that we may spot including elephant, giraffe, zebra, Cape buffalo, many antelope species, white rhino and, if we are lucky, lion and leopard. We spend two full days in the park exploring the riverbanks and bush. At night we have the option to board an open safari vehicle with a local guide for a night game drive, searching for nocturnal animals rarely seen in daylight. Our nights are spent at campsites in the park.

Day 5: Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary (Swaziland)

(Driving time: approx 6 hours) Leaving Kruger National Park, we enter the Kingdom of Swaziland - a tiny country encompassed wholly within South Africa. Here we visit the Ngwenya Glass Factory, the only one of it's kind in Africa, and watch artisans practising the age-old craft of glassblowing. Each handmade piece of Ngwenya glass is crafted from recycled glass collected from all corners of the kingdom. We also visit a Swazi craft market where we have the opportunity to bargain for traditional African carvings, woven baskets and curios, before continuing to our campsite in Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary. This afternoon you may choose to take an optional game walk with a local guide in the hope of a close encounter with some of the large animals that reside in the sanctuary.

Day 6: Zululand - St Lucia

(Driving time: approx 6 hours) Departing Swaziland we travel south to Zululand - home of the great zulu king, Shaka. We visit a traditional Zulu kraal to learn more about the cultures and customs of the Zulu people including the beehive huts, sangomas and spear-making traditions. There will be several great photographic opportunities and memorable interactions here. We partake in a traditional style Zulu lunch before continuing on to the coastal town of St Lucia, where we set up camp for the next two nights. An optional sunset cruise can be enjoyed in the World Heritage-listed St Lucia Wetlands Reserve, in the evening.

Day 7: Hluhluwe-Imfolozi National Park

(Game drive times variable) Today we take a full-day game drive in nearby Hluhluwe-Imfolozi National Park. Originally two properties it was recently combined into one, totalling over 96,000 hectares. As separate parks they were declared game reserves in 1897, making them some of the oldest, not only in South Africa but in the world. The park has an extensive conservation program in operation and there is a strong emphasis on working with the local community in the region. It is well known for its conservation efforts to protect the white rhino and there is a good chance of seeing both black and white rhino within the park, as well as lion, elephant and various species of antelopes.

Day 8-9: Drakensberg Mountains

(Driving time: approx 8 hours on Day 8) Our next destination is Giant's Castle, located right in the heart of the magnificent Drakensberg Mountain range, where we spend our next two nights. The Drakensberg Mountains, or 'uKhahlamba' (the Barrier of Spears), is a 200-kilometre-long mountainous wonderland and a UNESCO World Heritage site. We take a hike to view the ancient Bushmen rock paintings in this spectacular region. The rest of our time is free to do as we please. You may choose to walk on another of the numerous hiking trails in the region, all offering striking views of the dramatic landscape of the Drakensberg. You can be as active or sedentary as you please during your stay here, whilst taking in the beautiful scenery in this mountainous wonderland.

Day 10: Umtata (Wild Coast)

(Driving time: approx 4½ hours) Leaving the Drakensberg Mountain ranges we journey south to the city of Umtata, gateway to the rugged Wild Coast. Umtata is famous as the birthplace of Nelson Mandela or 'Madiba' (Father of the Nation), as he is affectionately known by the locals. We visit the Nelson Mandela Museum which covers three sites. In the Umtata building we hear the story of Mandela's 'long walk to freedom' before visiting his birthplace at nearby Mvezo and the village of Qunu, where he grew up (time permitting).

Day 11: Cintsa (Wild Coast)

(Driving time: approx 2 hours) We depart Umtata this morning and travel west along the Wild Coast to the seaside village of Cintsa. After setting up camp there is ample time to explore one of the many pristine beaches in the region, absorb the panoramic seaviews on a hiking trail or just settle ourselves in with a sundowner and watch the glorious African sunset.

Day 12: Addo Elephant National Park

(Driving time: approx 7 hours) Departing the Wild Coast, we venture inland to Addo Elephant National Park. Originally proclaimed as a national park in 1931 with the only eleven elephants remaining in the region, it now offers sanctuary to more than 450 specimens. From our campsite located within the park, we take a late afternoon game drive in search of resident wildlife such as elephant, black rhino, Cape buffalo and various species of antelopes, including eland, kudu and hartebeest.

Day 13-14: Addo Elephant National Park -Tsitsikamma National Park

(Driving time: approx 4 hours on Day 13) This morning we depart Addo Elephant National Park and travel along the famous Garden Route to our next destination - Tsitskikamma National Park. En route we stop for lunch at the world renowned surfing Mecca of Jeffrey's Bay, which boasts the country's longest and fastest surfbreak known as Super Tubes, which stretches for almost two kilometres (time permitting and dependant upon game viewing this morning). Upon reaching Tsitsikamma National Park we set up camp at Storms River, which is our base to explore this wilderness region. Tsitsikamma National Park covers over 80 kilometres of rugged coastline with spectacular sea views and striking landscapes. Departing from the mouth of the Storms River we hike the beginning of the Otter Trail, following the rugged, rocky shoreline of the coast. We pause along the way to take in the stunning scenery and explore the base of a majestic waterfall, before hiking back to camp. One of the most impressive features of the park are the ancient giant trees that tower above the land to form an evergreen canopy. On your free time you can choose to take a guided treetop walk in the forest canopy. If you are after more of an adrenaline fix, you can choose from a plethora of activities to get the blood pumping - from abseiling and flying fox swings to the highest commercial bungy jump in the world.

Day 15: Plettenberg Bay - Knysna - Wilderness National Park

(Driving time: approx 3 hours) We spend the day meandering along the Garden Route, exploring the beautiful beaches and seaside towns of Plettenberg Bay and Knysna. The most well-known attraction in Knysna is The Heads - two great sandstone cliffs that connect the lagoon to the sea. We can hike to a lookout point for commanding views over the Indian Ocean, explore Featherbed Nature Reserve or sample a variety of oysters - reportedly some of the tastiest in the world! We reach our destination of Wilderness National Park late in the afternoon. There's time to take a wander around the freshwater lakes in the park or relax and unwind at our campsite, located on the banks of the Touw River.

Day 16: Oudtshoorn

(Driving time: approx 3 hours) An adventure-filled day begins with a breathtaking drive over the Swartberg Mountains to visit Cango Caves. We take a guided tour through the vast limestone chambers, filled with stalactites, stalagmites and helictites. It is truly a natural underground wonderland that abounds with intriguing formations, some of which are over a million years old! For those with a keen sense of adventure there is the option to delve deeper into the cave complex via Jacob's Ladder - a long flight of stairs across a boulder chamber that leads to a smaller, although no less stunning, series of caves. But be warned, this section requires you to crawl along narrow tunnels that are at times only 45 centimetres wide and involves over 400 stairs, so it's definitely not for the faint-hearted! Once we emerge from our underground adventure we continue the short distance to Oudtshoorn, where we visit an ostrich farm to learn all there is to know about these huge, flightless birds and their many uses. Oudtshoorn is home to 97% of the world's ostrich population and here we have the opportunity to get up-close and personal to these curious creatures. The most daring amongst us may even want to try their hand at riding an ostrich!

Day 17-18: Winelands - Cape Town

(Driving time: approx 4 hours) Venturing further west we travel to the Stellenbosch area in the Western Cape - the oldest and most famous wine region in South Africa and home to a unique variety of grape called pinotage. We visit some wineries to sample the enticing local produce before continuing on to the 'Mother City' of South Africa and our final destination - Cape Town. Nestled at the foothills of the dramatic Table Mountain range with captivating views of the Altantic Ocean, Cape Town truly is one of the world's most beautifully located cities. Our tour ends after breakfast on Day 18 and you are free to leave any time. However, additional days are highly recommended to explore the vibrant city of Cape Town and its beautiful surrounding regions, including the Cape of Good Hope peninsula.

Tour Grade: Easy

These are our easiest holidays. They can be enjoyed by almost anyone. No particular level of fitness is required.