From the Bushveld to the Ocean 5+ Star (11 Days) BO5ST+

Upon arrival at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, you’ll be met by your tour representative who will transfer you to your hotel. Dinner will be at one of the world-class restaurants on Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton City. Until then, you have the rest of the day to explore this famous mall and enjoy its unique shopping experience. Create a memorable moment by taking a photo of yourself standing next to the iconic statue of Nelson Mandela in Nelson Mandela Square.
Overnight:  Fairlawns Boutique Hotel & Spa or similar

Today, you will find yourself immersed in the sometimes sobering, yet always vibrant history of this beautiful country. One of the most poignant symbols of South African history, Constitution Hill in Johannesburg, was once a military fort and a prison. It bears testimony to the people of all ages, races, creeds and political opinions who were incarcerated within, including Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi. Now, fittingly, it’s the home of South Africa’s Constitutional Court, upholding the rights of all citizens. From here, we travel to Soweto – the South Western Townships - where over 4 million people live, many in shacks. It’s a stark contrast to Johannesburg, the City of Gold, which is home to Sandton, the richest square mile in Africa. Soweto is one of the clearest examples of the effects of apartheid. The Apartheid Museum which, through film clips, sound bites, and live accounts, documents South Africa’s fascinating, horrifying, but ultimately inspiring journey from the days of ‘White’s Only’ privilege to Nelson Mandela’s historic release from prison. After an authentic Sowetan lunch, visit the Mandela House on the modest and unassuming Vilakazi Street - the only street in the world which has been home to 2 Nobel Laureates – President Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Returning to your hotel, you have the rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight:  Fairlawns Boutique Hotel & Spa or similar 

Soar above the beautiful Magaliesberg Mountains and the Hartbeespoort Dam – it’s a wonderful start to your bushveld adventure. Set in the hills close by, is the Lesedi Cultural Village. Here, members of five of the tribes that make up South Africa; Zulu, Xhosa, Pedi, Ndebele and Basotho will guide you through their traditional architecture, clothing, rituals and daily tribal life, as well as treat you to an impressive dance display, followed by lunch – a memorable and eclectic African feast. Explore the local arts and craft market, before pausing at Bakubung Bush Lodge, where your transport switches to 4x4s – the only way to reach the secluded Tshukudu Bush Lodge in the Pilanesberg National Park - a certified malaria-free game area. Here, wildlife and Big 5 sightings are the norm, and you will be whisked away on a sunset game drive. The Tshukudu Bush Lodge, while nestled at the foot of an extinct volcano, is also perched on a koppie – a rocky hill. Each chalet and suite is positioned for ultimate privacy, and offers breath-taking views of the nearby watering hole and plains below. Linger over dinner as the guides regale you with their experiences in the wild.
Overnight:  Tshukudu Bush Lodge or similar  

Each day at the Tshukudu Bush Lodge, in the Pilanesberg National Park, begins with a sunrise game drive, and eases into the magical African night with another at sunset. Hosted by highly trained and experienced guides, you will encounter wild Africa at its best, from the safety of the vehicles. Brunch follows the sunrise game drive, while a delicious mid-afternoon high tea heralds the one at sunset. In between, you are free to laze around the Lodge - have a dip in the plunge pool, relax in your open-plan lounge, while watching as the wildlife meanders through the hot, aromatic bush to the waterhole below. Having drinks, usually cold G&Ts, while watching the sun sink below the horizon, became known throughout Southern Africa, during British Colonial rule, as sundowners. It’s now an integral part of our culture and one we indulge in on our sunset game drives. If the weather permits, dinner back at the Lodge will be in the outdoor boma, around the fire, under the star-filled African sky.
Overnight:  Tshukudu Bush Lodge or similar  

Your final morning at the bush lodge provides you an opportunity for one more wild encounters in your last sunrise game drive. Savour the moment with coffee and muffins as the animals and birds welcome the new day. After brunch, a two-hour drive to catch your flight to Cape Town International Airport means you will enjoy lunch at a restaurant near Lanseria Airport. In Cape Town, your tour representative will transfer you to your hotel in the Cape Winelands, winding your way through superb mountain ranges intersected by the iconic architecture of Cape Dutch homesteads. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy at leisure. Explore your hotel, perhaps indulge in a spa treatment, or have dinner in the small towns of Stellenbosch or Franschhoek. The university town of Stellenbosch - the gateway to and the heart of South Africa’s Cape Winelands, overflows with great beauty, culture and history. Franschhoek is one of South Africa’s oldest and best-preserved towns.
Overnight:  Delaire Graff Wine Estate or similar

After breakfast, stroll through the quaint streets of Franschhoek on the way to the Huguenot Monument Memorial and Museum which commemorates the 1938 event that celebrated the 250th anniversary of the settlement of the Huguenots at the Cape. Your wine tasting is at La Motte Wine Estate where viticulture was established by one of the arriving Huguenot's, Gabriel du Toit, in 1752. Pace yourself though as the whole day is a celebration of wine and food. At Werf Farm, your picnic lunch basket is filled with unforgettable, wholesome food; only naturally grown Boschendal Estate produce and locally-made artisan goods are used. The estate’s title deeds are dated 1685. Later, in Stellenbosch, you can shop while enjoying a guided exploration of oak lined Dorp Street, its heritage buildings, museums and coffee shops. The old Lutheran Church and art gallery provides a fitting backdrop to this historical lane. You will return to your hotel to freshen up before dinner at the Delaire Graff Wine Estate - a dinner event filled with classic seasonal food specialities and wine pairings curated by head chef and sommelier.
Overnight:  Delaire Graff Wine Estate or similar

This morning, you head to Cape Town, and from the V&A Waterfront a ferry will carry you to Robben Island - a place of great historical significance in South Africa. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Robben Island has undergone many transformations in its 500-year history. One of its first and last uses was as a prison. The most famous modern-day political prisoner was Nelson Mandela, who was fighting for a new South Africa and democracy. He spent 18 of his 27-years of incarceration at Robben Island. Back on the mainland, soar over the city in the 360o rotating cable-car to the top of Table Mountain, the only flat-topped mountain in the world within city limits. Its spectacular views, unique ‘fynbos’ vegetation and stunning location have landed it a prime position on the list of the New Seven Wonders of Nature. What a fabulous place to enjoy lunch! Once you’ve checked into your hotel, the rest of the day is at your leisure.
Overnight:  Cape Grace Hotel or similar 

This full-day tour of the Cape Peninsula begins with a drive of never-ending breath-taking scenery along the Atlantic Seaboard, stretching from the V&A Waterfront to your first stop in Hout Bay. a quaint village with a fishing harbour, for a 40-minute cruise charter that takes you past the famous Maori Bay Wreck, to the protected home of thousands of wild Cape Fur Seals - Duiker Island Seal Colony. You then journey to Boulders Beach, including a photo-stop at Chapman's Peak, which is home to a colony of the vulnerable African Penguin and where you view them in their natural habitat. Then, take in the countryside en-route to the southern point of the Cape Peninsula. Here three promontories tower over 200 metres above the sea - Cape of Good Hope, Cape Maclear and Cape Point. This is also where you will have lunch and take the Cape Point Funicular Railway up to the old lighthouse and panoramic views at the summit of Cape Point.  Your guide will ensure you arrive promptly for dinner at Gold Restaurant for a 14-dish tasting menu which honors African story-telling and culinary traditions combined with modern sophistication. The dishes arrive at your table labeled by country of origin, cooking techniques and spicing.
Overnight:  Cape Grace Hotel or similar

After breakfast, you will visit District 6 Museum to dig deeper into the history of a community that was forcefully evicted during the Apartheid era. You then head to the Bo-Kaap (formerly known as the Malay Quarter) where streets are lined with the much-photographed and therefore instantly recognisable multi-coloured houses. Forced removals from this central Cape Town area also took place but only of everyone who was not designated a “Malay” (Cape Muslim). Here, in the private home of a local lady, you will have a hands-on cooking class and enjoy your creations with your lunch - samoosas, rotti's, chilli bites and local Cape Malay Curry. The tour ends with a stroll around the community to visit local stores and spice shops. Also, visiting a non-profit initiative that provides work opportunities with beading products. Then it's off to the V&A Waterfront to jump onto the Hop On Hop Off, double-decker, open-roof bus tour of the city’s historic and cultural sites at your own pace. It's also a good time for you to make plans for tomorrow. When the bus returns to the V&A, you will be returned to your hotel. The rest of the day is at your own leisure.
Overnight:  Cape Grace Hotel or similar

Today is yours to spend any way you’d like. We will provide a guide and vehicle if you to choose to explore the surrounding area within a 50km radius of Cape Town City Bowl. Depending on what piques your interest, here are some recommendations for your account. You could choose to laze on the beach or explore Cape Town on the Hop-On-Hop-Off bus, ramble through its centuries old streets, discover its past through the museums. Indulge your shopping craving or go hippo spotting, eland viewing and bird watching in Rondevlei Nature Reserve. Explore Newlands Forest, or Maiden’s Cove. Stroll through the Company’s Garden, planted in 1652 by the Dutch East India Company to produce fresh fruit and vegetables for the ships sailing the spice route between Europe and the East Indies. The Company also built the Castle of Good Hope. This bastion fort is not only the best-preserved example of a 17th Century architectural structure in the world but is also the oldest existing colonial building in South Africa. Visit the Shimansky Rockwell Diamond Experience, and afterwards, you may want to dig for your own gems at the Scratch Patch and Mineral World.
Overnight:  Cape Grace Hotel or similar 

Enjoy breakfast at your beautiful hotel with its views of Cape Town. Depending on your schedule, you may want to do your final shopping, or continue exploring the Cape Town area, before being transferred to Cape Town International Airport for your flight home or onward to another adventure on your vacation.