16 Day South African Discovery

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

Day 1
DAY OF ARRIVAL – AFTERNOON AT LEISURE in CAPE TOWN
1 stop
1
Cape Town
Guests make their own way to the hotel. Enjoy a day at leisure or join an optional Table Mountain (own account and weather permitting) or travel through the Malay Quarter, city centre, Company Gardens (time permitting), and the Castle of Good Hope (own account). Return to the hotel late afternoon and meet the tour guide for a tour briefing at 18h30. Dine at the hotel (own account).
8 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 2
FULL DAY AT LEISURE in CAPE TOWN
1 stop
2
Cape Town
After breakfast spend the morning at leisure discovering the Mother City or join an optional full day Cape Point tour (own account) which includes Cape Point, Boulder's Beach (entrance fee for own account) and the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. Enjoy dinner at the hotel or a restaurant in town (own account).
8 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 3
CAPE TOWN to WELLINGTON via CAPE WINELANDS (±115km)
3 stops
3
Stellenbosch
After breakfast, guests are collected from the hotel, and travel northeast to Wellington via the Cape Winelands. Journey into the heart of the Winelands and enjoy a craft beer tasting (own account) before arriving at the university town of Stellenbosch. Embark on a walking tour of Stellenbosch which includes the town’s historic sites and colonial Cape Dutch architecture. These structures are some of the country’s oldest buildings.
2 hours • Admission ticket free
4
Stop for lunch (own account) at one of the many wine farms and eateries near Paarl. Guests visit the town of Paarl, South Africa’s third oldest town. At Paarl Rock, the second largest granite projection on the planet, guests visit the Afrikaanse Taalmonument (Afrikaans Language Monument) and learn more about the museum.
3 hours • Admission ticket included
5
Found in the heart of the Cape Winelands, Wellington is home to Cape Dutch homesteads and beautiful gardens and wineries, as well as South Africa’s only whisky producer. Check in at the guest house, and enjoy time at leisure before drinks and dinner (own account) at one of the hotel’s restaurants.
8 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 4
WELLINGTON to OUDTSHOORN via ROUTE 62 (±390km)
3 stops
6
Enjoy breakfast at the guest house before departing Wellington en route to Oudtshoorn, in the Klein Karoo, via the scenically-attractive Bainskloof Pass and Route 62. Built in 1854, the 18km Bainskloof Pass was an engineering masterpiece known as the ‘Gateway to the North’. It is now a national monument and offers unsurpassed views of the area. Enjoy a cheese and wine pairing followed by a cellar tour at an estate in the Robertson wine valley, located off the world’s longest wine route, the Route 62. Savour lunch en route (own account).
Admission ticket free
7
Enjoy a cheese and wine pairing followed by a cellar tour at an estate in the Robertson wine valley, located off the world’s longest wine route, the Route 62. Savour lunch en route (own account).
1 hour • Admission ticket included
8
Oudtshoorn
Arrive at the guest house on the outskirts of Oudtshoorn. Spend the late afternoon and evening at leisure. Enjoy dinner and warm hospitality (own account).
8 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 5
OUDTSHOORN to KNYSNA via CANGO CAVES (±160km)
3 stops
9
Cango Caves
After breakfast, guests journey south via the Outeniqua Pass, to Knysna. Stop outside Oudtshoorn, in the Cango Valley and discover the spectacular subterranean world of the Cango Caves.
1 hour • Admission ticket included
10
Visit a nearby ostrich farm and learn about for the ostrich-farming industry. Enjoy lunch at the ostrich farm’s restaurant (own account).
1 hour • Admission ticket included
11
Knysna
The tour travels southwards to Knysna via the Outeniqua Pass. This pass was constructed by prisoners of war from 1943-1951 and now bridges the semi-arid Klein Karoo and the coastal Garden Route. Stop in Wilderness to enjoy photo opportunities and sweeping views from the Map of Africa lookout point (weather permitting) before continuing on to Knysna. Guests enjoy dinner at the boutique hotel (own account).
8 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 6
FULL DAY AT LEISURE in KNYSNA
1 stop
12
Following breakfast, guests spend the day at leisure, or on optional excursions in and around Knysna. Guests can board a ferry to the Featherbed Nature Reserve (own account, including lunch). The local tour guide will share tales about Knysna whilst guests enjoy panoramic views on board the ferry and a Unimog-drawn trailer. An optional 2.2km guided nature walk, through the forest and along the coast, is recommended. Enjoy a buffet lunch at a unique outdoor restaurant under a canopy of milkwood trees, on the edge of the lagoon. Guests spend time at leisure before dinner (own account).
2 hours • Admission ticket not included
Day 7
KNYSNA to PORT ALFRED via EASTERN GARDEN ROUTE (±410km)
2 stops
13
After an early breakfast, the tour departs for Port Elizabeth, via the Garden Route. Travel to the Storms River Mouth and experience unique views of the Tsitsikamma from a suspension bridge. Guests enjoy lunch (own account) in the Tsitsikamma Forest area, home to century-old trees.
2 hours • Admission ticket free
14
Port Alfred
Drive along the coastal road to Port Alfred, on the banks of the Kowie River, in the heart of the Sunshine Coast. The tour arrives late afternoon at the hotel. Guests enjoy refreshing drinks (own account) and savour local cuisine.
2 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 8
PORT ALFRED to WILD COAST (±300km)
1 stop
15
Wild Coast
Guests enjoy an early breakfast before the tour departs for the Wild Coast. Stop for lunch en route before arriving at the quaint beach resort in the afternoon. Views from the hotel range from the stunning Wild Coast beaches to the green, lush, tropical vegetation. Dine at the hotel.
8 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 9
FULL DAY AT LEISURE – WILD COAST
1 stop
16
Wild Coast
Guests spend the day at leisure after breakfast. Guests can join one or more optional activities on offer such as extreme golf, a lagoon cruise, canoeing, hiking or enjoy any of the recreational hotel facilities. Visit a traditional homestead and experience authentic, local hospitality (own account). Excursions are operated by a local guide and all funds go to the community. Lunch at the hotel (own account). Enjoy pre-dinner drinks (own account) and a scrumptious, fresh seafood buffet.
8 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 10
WILD COAST to HARDING (±380km)
1 stop
17
Enjoy an early breakfast at the hotel and depart for Kokstad, via Mthatha sites (time permitting) on the Mandela Route. The Mandela Route takes a scenic drive on the N2 highway to Mthatha, which is home to the Nelson Mandela Museum. The museum hosts a display reflecting the life and times of Mandela. Visit other prominent Mthatha sites (time permitting). Lunch en route (own account). The tour arrives at the resort, late afternoon. Guests spend the late afternoon at leisure, freshen up and dine at the hotel.
1 hour • Admission ticket free
Day 11
HARDING to ST LUCIA (±460km)
1 stop
18
St Lucia
After an early breakfast, guests depart for St Lucia in KwaZulu-Natal, colloquially referred to as the Elephant Coast. This region is acclaimed for its towering mountains, the warm Indian Ocean, tropical vegetation and a myriad of animal species. Lunch en route (own account). The tour arrives at the hotel in the late afternoon. Dine at the lodge or in town (own account).
6 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 12
ST LUCIA to ESWATINI (was SWAZILAND) (±335km)
1 stop
19
Eswatini (Swaziland)
Before breakfast, guests embark on an open safari vehicle and enjoy a game drive through South Africa’s first World Heritage Site, the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, a colloquial reference roughly translated as ‘miracle and wonder’. Observe hippos, crocodiles, and an abundance of birds on an eco-friendly boat cruise on the estuary. The tour departs for the Kingdom of Eswatini entering at the Lavumisa Border post. Eswatini is culturally diverse, an absolute monarchy and one of Africa’s smallest countries. The tour stops at the Swazi Candle factory where each candle is made and finished by hand using the millefiori technique. Lunch en route (own account). The tour arrives at the lodge in the late afternoon. Guests spend the evening at leisure, freshen up and dine at the hotel or in town (own account).
8 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 13
ESWATINI (was SWAZILAND) to HAZYVIEW via KRUGER NATIONAL PARK (±250km)
1 stop
20
Kruger National Park
Guests enjoy breakfast at the hotel. The tour exits Eswatini at the Jeppe’s Reef border post and arrives at the Kruger National Park’s Malelane Gate. Guests enjoy a guided game drive through the Kruger National Park to Hazyview. The Kruger National Park, forms part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park. Lunch (own account) in one of the park’s rest camps before continuing to Hazyview, the gateway to the spectacular Panorama Escarpment. Arrive at the hotel and enjoy dinner before retiring for the night.
6 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 14
FULL DAY IN KRUGER NATIONAL PARK (±250km)
1 stop
21
Kruger National Park
After an early breakfast, guests spend the day exploring the Kruger National Park. They will board a closed vehicle for a guided game drive in Kruger and see Africa’s iconic mega-fauna and endemic birdlife. The tour stops at one of the park’s rest camps for lunch (own account). An optional full day safari in an open safari vehicle is available (own account and excluding lunch). Guests exit Kruger National Park late afternoon and return to the hotel to freshen up and enjoy pre-dinner drinks (own account) before dinner.
6 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 15
HAZYVIEW to JOHANNESBURG via PANORAMA ROUTE (±500km)
2 stops
22
After breakfast, guests travel to Johannesburg via the scenic Panorama Route. Wonder View, the highest viewpoint on this route, is at the start of this day’s trip on the Panorama Route. The tour visits Bourke’s Luck Potholes and stops at the Blyde River Canyon and the Three Rondavels, the world’s largest green canyon. These sites are included in the country’s list of natural marvels. Guest stop for lunch (own account) en route.
4 hours • Admission ticket free
23
Johannesburg
The tour arrives in Johannesburg late afternoon. Spend the evening at leisure. Guests dine at the hotel (own account).
8 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 16
DAY OF DEPARTURE – MORNING AT LEISURE in JOHANNESBURG
1 stop
24
Johannesburg
Guests spend the day at leisure or alternatively can join a Soweto morning tour (own account and excluding lunch). Soweto is the most metropolitan township in South Africa and the leader in politics, music, fashion, and popular culture. Enjoy lunch (own arrangement and own expense). Transfer to the airport is by own arrangement and expense.
6 hours • Admission ticket free

Additional info

• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

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