13 Day South African Explorer

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

Day 1
DAY OF ARRIVAL (±30km)
1 stop
1
Johannesburg
On arrival at the airport, guests will be collected and transferred to the hotel. After lunch (own account), embark on a guided afternoon city tour of Johannesburg. Explore South Africa’s heritage; experience the street life of Newtown, and take a trip to the Carlton Centre and Constitution Hill. Dine at the hotel (own account).
6 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 2
JOHANNESBURG to MAKALALI GAME RESERVE via DULLSTROOM (±456km)
1 stop
2
Makalali Private Game Reserve
Guests are collected from the hotel and travel east to the province of Limpopo, via Dullstroom. Guests will stop for lunch (own account) en route and arrive at a private game reserve, to enjoy a guided, open vehicle game drive. Return to the lodge for pre-dinner drinks (own account) and dinner.
6 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 3
MAKALALI GAME RESERVE to HAZYVIEW via PANORAMA ROUTE (±180km)
1 stop
3
Panorama Route
Guests experience an early morning start in the bushveld on a guided, open vehicle game drive. They will enjoy coffee and rusks in the bush before returning to the lodge for breakfast. Head to one of Mpumalanga’s most magnificent attractions: the Blyde River Canyon and the Three Rondavels. The Panorama Route affords guests memorable views of the more significant sites in this area, including God’s Window and Bourke’s Luck Potholes. Lunch (own account) is enjoyed along this scenic route. The tour stops in Hazyview for the evening.
3 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 4
HAZYVIEW to ESWATINI (was SWAZILAND) via KRUGER NATIONAL PARK (±160km)
2 stops
4
Kruger National Park
Guests enjoy an early breakfast before departing the hotel, and head towards Mpumalanga's flagship attraction - the Kruger National Park. A closed vehicle game drive allows guests to take in the park and view the ‘Big 5’ and other fauna and flora.
2 hours • Admission ticket free
5
Eswatini (Swaziland)
Enjoy lunch (own account) en route to the Kingdom of Eswatini. Arrive at the hotel in the late afternoon and enjoy dinner at the hotel.
3 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 5
ESWATINI (was SWAZILAND) to ST LUCIA (±335km)
2 stops
6
Eswatini (Swaziland)
After an early breakfast, guests stop to visit the Swazi Candle Factory and Crafts Market.
6 hours • Admission ticket free
7
St Lucia
Exit Eswatini at the Lavumisa Border post and enter South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province in an area colloquially referred to as the Elephant Coast. In the late afternoon guests arrive at the hotel and have the opportunity to freshen up before pre-dinner drinks and dinner (both own account).
6 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 6
ST LUCIA to DURBAN (±245km)
1 stop
8
iSimangaliso Wetland Park
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. They can have lunch (own account) while taking in the lake vista before departing for the city of Durban. Enjoy dinner at the Durban beachfront hotel or in town (own account).
4 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 7
DURBAN to PORT ELIZABETH – flight (own account and own arrangements)
1 stop
9
Durban
Breakfast is enjoyed at the hotel and the morning spent at leisure. Guests can take a walk along the promenade or a ride on a Zulu rickshaw to the beachfront market (own account). Guests are collected from the hotel and transferred to King Shaka International Airport for a flight to Port Elizabeth (flight not included). On arrival, guests are met and transferred to a city hotel. Dine (own account) at the hotel or at a restaurant of choice.
Admission ticket free
Day 8
PORT ELIZABETH to KNYSNA via TSITSIKAMMA FOREST (±285km)
2 stops
10
Guests are collected from their hotel and head west to Knysna via Storms River and the Tsitsikamma Forest; in the heart of the Garden Route. Guests will stop at Storms River and enjoy a short walk to the suspension bridge to take in the views. Enjoy lunch (own account) in the Tsitsikamma Forest area, home to century-old trees, then continue on to the picturesque town of Knysna.
2 hours • Admission ticket free
11
Knysna
After arrival and check-in, guests board the informative Knysna oyster cruise to sample oysters and enjoy a sundowner. Guests savour an evening’s dinner next to the Knysna Estuary (own account).
8 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 9
KNYSNA to PLETTENBERG BAY and back (±60km)
1 stop
12
Plettenberg Bay
After breakfast, guests make their way to Plettenberg Bay. Guests depart from Lookout Beach on a marine excursion (weather permitting) dedicated to the observation and conservation of marine mammals. This Fair Trade Tourism certified ocean safari affords guests extensive and memorable whale, dolphin and seal watching. Back on shore they can enjoy a relaxing lunch (own account). In the afternoon, guests take a guided tour of the Qolweni Township, school, and crèche. This is a community development programme; allocated tour proceeds fund the education of Qolweni’s children. Guests are invited to donate pencils, books and other stationary. Take the scenic drive back to Knysna; spending the afternoon at leisure or exploring the village of Knysna. In the early evening, guests enjoy dinner at one of the many restaurants at the Knysna Waterfront (own account).
8 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 10
KNYSNA to OUDTSHOORN via WILDERNESS (±125km)
2 stops
13
Oudtshoorn
After breakfast, the tour departs for Oudtshoorn, in the Klein Karoo. Continue via the Outeniqua Pass over the Outeniqua mountains. Oudtshoorn is the principal town of the Klein Karoo and the ostrich capital of the world. Enjoy dinner in this quaint setting.
8 hours • Admission ticket free
14
Lunch (for own account) at an ostrich farm in the Cango Valley on the outskirts of Oudtshoorn and guests take an informative tractor tour of the farm.
2 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 11
OUDTSHOORN to CAPE TOWN via ROUTE 62 (±420km)
2 stops
15
Cango Caves
The tour departs for Cape Town, via the Cango Caves and Route 62. After breakfast guests enjoy an olive farm tour and tasting, paired with Protea rosé or juice, before the tour departs for the Cango Caves. Departing the Cango Cave system, the tour traces Route 62, the region’s iconic freeway. Guests can enjoy a wine tasting (own account) and the sweeping views of the Tradouw Valley. Lunch is enjoyed en route (own account).
4 hours • Admission ticket included
16
Cape Town
Guests arrive at a Cape Town hotel in the late afternoon. Guests dine at the hotel or a city restaurant (own account).
3 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 12
CAPE POINT FULL DAY TOUR
1 stop
17
Cape Point
After breakfast, guests join a guided full day Cape Point tour. Travel along the Atlantic seaboard to Cape Point via Chapman’s Peak and the Cape Peninsula. Visit the Cape Point Nature Reserve; Boulders penguin colony (own account) and the internationally-recognised Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. Dine at one of many city restaurants (own account).
6 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 13
DAY OF DEPARTURE
1 stop
18
Cape Town
Day of Departure. Guests enjoy breakfast and spend the day at leisure. A scheduled transfer to the Cape Town International Airport concludes the tour.
Admission ticket free

Additional info

• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

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