Day 1: Arrival - Pretoria
On arrival at Johannesburg International Airport, you will depart on a city tour to visit the historical Voortrekker Monument, Church Square. Dinner and overnight at the lodge
Day 2: Mpumalanga
Leave for Mpumalanga, dropping several hundred metres feet into the sub-tropical region of the Lowveld. En route, take an optional drive to Cullinan to visit the famous Premier The drive will take approximately 336 km
Day 3: Panorama Route & Kruger National Park
Breakfast and then explore living history in the form of Pilgrim’s Rest, the old mining village where gold was discovered in 1873; enjoy the spectacular view from God’s Window, drive through forested mountains and fertile plains; visit the famous “Three Rondavels” in Blyde River Canyon, one of the natural wonders of Africa and the Bourke’s Luck Potholes. Thereafter depart for the well known Kruger National Park. The drive is about 320 km
Day 4: Kruger National Park
Breakfast and then connect to Kruger National Park. Here you transfer to a specially designed open safari vehicle. Kruger National Park lies in the north-east of South Africa and runs along the border of Mozambique in the east, Zimbabwe in the north, and the southern border is the Crocodile River. The park covers 20,000 square kilometers in size and is divided in 14 different ecozones, each supporting different wildlife. Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. The park is home to over 517 species of birds and about 145 mammal species. Animals include: elephant, black and white rhino, hippopotamus, giraffe, zebra, buffalo, warthog, lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog, spotted hyena, and buffalo. Birds Include: ground hornbill, kori bustard, lappet-faced vulture, martial eagle, pel’s fishing owl and saddle-bill stork. You will do a game drive on arrival. Dinner and overnight at the lodge
Day 5 and 6: Full day game viewing
You will go for an early morning game drive in the Kruger National Park where you will spot animals like elephant, black and white rhino, hippopotamus, giraffe, zebra, buffalo, warthog, lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog, spotted hyena, and buffalo. You may spot birds like: ground hornbill, kori bustard, lappet-faced vulture, martial eagle, pel’s fishing owl and saddle-bill stork. In the afternoon after lunch you may go for an evening or night game drive. Dinner and overnight at the lodge
Day 7: Swaziland
Enjoy an enchanting drive to the tiny Kingdom of Swaziland. Stop at the capital city Mbabane, known for its vibrant markets packed with woven baskets, beadwork and carvings. Visit the Ngwenya Glass Factory to see master craftsmen fashion collectable figures and functional art out of molten glass. This is about 230 km
Day 8: Zulu land
Breakfast and a drive to St Lucia are followed by a boat cruise on this coastal lagoon which has been declared a world heritage sight. The boat cruise will offer the opportunity of viewing the many hippo and crocodile which inhabit Lake St Lucia. The area is also a bird watchers paradise with 350 to 400 different species occurring in the area. The lake originated when a number of rivers combined their water to form a vast estuary system, roughly in the shape of the letter H and with an average depth of only one meter. Following the visit to St Lucia you travel inland to the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve. Dinner and overnight at the lodge
Day 9: Zululand
The different ecological areas, ranging from riverine brush to open savannah support an abundance of wildlife, most notably the Black and White Rhino. The White Rhino is much larger than the Black; it is a grazer as opposed to the Black Rhino which is a browser. Dinner and overnight at the lodge
Day 10: Durban
Today you will drive through sugar cane plantations along the Indian Ocean seaboard towards Durban. It is a bustling, subtropical city on the shores of the warm Indian Ocean, and is the second largest city in the country. As a meeting place of east and west, Durban offers a wealth of exciting cultural differences - from African to European to Asian - in a colourful conglomeration. This approximately 220 km
Day 11: Garden Route
After breakfast you will travel South to Knysna, the jewel of the garden route. We pass through the Tsitsikamma National Park and make a quick stop at Storms River Mouth, to take a short walk to the famous Big Tree. A Yellowwood giant standing 36.6 meters high and is estimated to be +/- 800 years old. The scenic route then makes its way south en route to Natures Valley, which is reached after descending the Grootrivier Pass into the valley below where the town is located adjacent to the Grootrivier Lagoon. This river also marks the Western Boundary of the Tsitsikamma Nature Reserve. Knysna is reached during the mid afternoon. Dinner and overnight at the lodge
Day 12: Garden Route
Today you will board a ferry crossing the lagoon to the Featherbed Nature Reserve. Featherbed Nature Reserve is a prime example of eco-tourism and in order to protect the splendor of the natural beauty, visitor numbers are limited. During the afternoon the Knysna Elephant Sanctuary will offer guests a closer look at the African Elephant by touching and feeding these gentle giants.
Dinner and overnight at the lodge
Day 13: Oudtshoorn – Cango Caves & Ostrich Farm
Today you will drive via the spectacular Outeniqua Pass to Oudtshoorn. Oudtshoorn is known as the “Feather Capital of the World”, thanks to its huge ostrich industry. Visit an ostrich farm where you can take part on a fascinating guided tour (own account). Visit the Cango Caves, regarded as one of South Africa’s most spectacular natural wonders.
Day 14: Route 62
Depart via Calitzdorp, the Tradouw Pass and Swellendam to Hermanus. The once quiet fishing village of Hermanus has a richly deserved reputation as providing some of the finest shore-based whale watching in the world between August and November. Travel via Sir Lowry’s Pass to Cape Town. Its about 430 km
Day 15: Cape Peninsula
Breakfast and then depart for Hout Bay for an optional Seal Island Cruise. Drive along the breathtakingly scenic Chapman’s Peak Drive, around the Atlantic Seaboard to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and its scenic viewing point. Continue along the coastline to Boulder’s Beach where you can sit among a colony of penguins. Not to be missed, the historic Groot Constantia Estates as well as the world famous Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. This is about 160 km
Day 16: Cape Winelands
Breakfast and then visit the second oldest and university town Stellenbosch. Continue to Franschhoek and visit the Huguenot Monument and Museum. Dinner and overnight at the lodge
Day 17: departure
Breakfast and drive to the airport for your departure flight
END OF SOUTH AFRICA TOUR
