Effortless South Africa & Beyond

Day notes

On arrival in Cape Town, you will be met for your transfer to your hotel. 

Overnight at Southern Sun Cullinan Hotel 

Day notes

After breakfast you will be met by your local English speaking driver-guide for your full-day tour of the Cape Peninsula. Depart the hotel and flank the colder Atlantic Ocean en route to Hout Bay. Once a fishing community and now one of the most popular residential areas, the harbor still has the charm of days gone by. A chance to join the M.V "Circe" for a half hour cruise to "Seal Island" or for the not so adventurous, the fish market "Mariners Wharf" is a must. The tour now continues over the famous Chapman’s Peak drive – if open, with a 200 meter drop on one side and a 200 meter rise on the other, as we make our way south, following the Atlantic Ocean until we reach Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope. Said to be the romantic meeting place of the two mighty oceans, the Atlantic and the Indian, Sir Francis Drake the Explorer once called it "the fairest Cape that we saw in the whole circumference of the Globe". And rightly so, it must be the highlight of any visit to the Mother City, if not South Africa. Our optional lunch stop today is at the Fish Hoek Galley. We pass the naval base of Simonstown as we continue along the Indian Ocean, en route to see the Jackass penguin colony which has become well established at Boulders Beach near Simonstown. Our last stop of the day is at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, home of some 3,500 species of Southern African fauna and flora. We return to the hotel in the late afternoon, having seen some of the best the Cape has to offer. 

Overnight at Southern Sun Cullinan Hotel

Day notes

After breakfast your local English-speaking driver-guide will meet you at the hotel for a tour of the Cape wine region. We will depart from the hotel and head north to Paarl. Our first stop is for our morning wine tasting at Nelsons Creek Estate. After a tour through their cellars, there is a chance to sample some of their local wines as well as a cheese tasting. A brief city tour of Paarl follows, before we make our way to Franschhoek with a photo stop at the Groot Drakenstein Prison where Nelson Mandela was released in 1990. This little village nestled amongst the mountains, can easily be mistaken for a little Switzerland. After a short tour of the town, a second wine tasting will be enjoyed in Franschhoek followed by a lunch stop and perhaps a chance to savor some of the fresh trout for which Franschhoek is renowned. After lunch the tour continues to the university town of Stellenbosch. It is easy to understand why Simon van der Stel decided to settle a village amongst the mountains. The backdrop of the Hottentots Holland Mountains, the white gabled Cape Dutch homesteads and the oak lined streets and lanes all blend in to give this place a charm that will not be quickly forgotten. Time permitting we will include a third and final wine tasting. Then we set off for our return to the Mother City.

Overnight at Southern Sun Cullinan Hotel 

Day notes

A full day at leisure to explore the beautiful city of Cape Town. Maybe take a trip in the cable car up Table Mountain or a boat ride for a poignant visit to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for many years. Perhaps take time to explore the vibrant V&A Waterfront with its many shops, restaurants and activities available as well as the fascinating Two Oceans Aquarium. In the summer months maybe head for the white sand beaches of Clifton and Camps Bay for people watching and soaking up the African Sun. Whatever else, you will not be at a loss for things to do!

Overnight at Southern Sun Cullinan Hotel 

Day notes

After breakfast you will be met and transferred to Cape Town International Airport for your flight to Hoedspruit (flight not included in price). On arrival at Hoedspruit Airport, you will be met and transferred to your lodge in the Thornybush Game Reserve, which lies adjacent to the Greater Kruger National Park. Here you will enjoy the next few days experiencing exclusive safari adventures in both open Land Rovers, and on foot. The private reserve is home to an abundance of species including the "Big Five". Being predominantly open savannah and with a near perfect year round climate, it is the ideal African safari holiday destination in the lap of luxury.

Overnight at Thornybush Waterside Lodge

Day notes

Enjoy morning and late afternoon game safaris in the African bush with experienced game rangers and Shangaan trackers. Game drives are undertaken at the best times of the day to avoid the harsh African sun whilst the rest of your day may be enjoyed at leisure at the lodge. From hearty breakfasts to gourmet dinners and enthralling game safaris, you are sure to be tantalized during your stay.

Overnight at Thornybush Waterside Lodge

Day notes

Enjoy game drives from the lodge, walking safaris or simply relax in luxury in the heart of the African bush.

Overnight at Thornybush Waterside Lodge.

Day notes

After an early morning game drive and breakfast, transfer to Hoedspruit Airport for your flight to Johannesburg (flight not included in price). Upon arrival in Johannesburg, you will be met and transferred to your hotel set in the heart of Sandton, a shoppers paradise with an array of boutique shops, bars, and restaurants in the Sandton Shopping Centre and Nelson Mandela Square.

Overnight at 54 on bath

Day notes

After breakfast, transfer to Johannesburg International Airport for your flight to the Victoria Falls Airport (flight not included in price). On arrival in Victoria Falls, you will be met by your local English speaking representative who will transfer you to the hotel.

Overnight at Victoria Falls Safari Lodge.

Day notes

This morning enjoy a tour of the Victoria Falls. The majority of the tour takes place on the other side of the gorge, which is the best for photographic reasons. The best seasons to see the Falls are roughly mid June to mid September (start of the dry season) or mid November to mid January (start of rainy season). Between mid January and mid June the Falls are at its highest, which also means the spray is enormous and part of the view is blocked. Mind your cameras, because you will get wet! As for mid September to mid November, those are the hot dry months and the Falls do dry up to a certain extent. During the months when the spray is big and its full moon, the lunar rainbow is visible. It can be quite spectacular to see a rainbow at night! Usually this phenomena occurs from mid June to mid September and mid January to mid April.

Overnight at Victoria Falls Safari Lodge.

Day notes

Morning at leisure until your transfer from the lodge to Victoria Falls Airport for your onward flight.