South Africa - 24 day South African Explorer - Private guided

When you land at Johannesburg Airport, make your way to Belvedere Estate, where the tour will start at 7am tomorrow. If you arrive early enough, we can arrange a Soweto Tour for you.

Leaving the city of Johannesburg behind us we make our way east through the coalfields of Mpumalanga. Our journey today follows in the footsteps of the old trade-routes to the Lowveld and the Kruger National Park. This afternoon there will be an opportunity to join an optional Sundowner drive. Booking is essential and your guide can assist on departure this morning.

Rising early this morning we enter the Kruger National Park to enjoy a full day of game viewing. The abundance of wildlife presents us with opportunities for excellent sightings and the Kruger is also home to the famed members of Africa’s Big-5. Truly the flagship of the South African national parks, Kruger is home to an impressive number of species: 336 trees, 49 fish, 34 amphibians, 114 reptiles, 507 birds and 147 mammals. Our Game drive through the park is in an open-sided 4x4 vehicle.

Today we will spend the entire day traversing the Kruger National Park in our sedan vehicle. Your guide will select the route chosen for the day, exploring as many roads as possible to offer you the best vantage points for animal sightings.

Whether you prefer to explore by foot or relax around the swimming pool – today is for you to choose how you want to spend it. You are able to book various activities such as walking safaris or 4x4 open vehicle safaris. These can be booked on arrival on day 1 together with your guide and the accommodation establishment.

We set out early today and travel the short distance to the Panorama Route. Strung along the escarpment that divides the central plateau and low-lying bushveld of the Kruger, the sights of the Panorama route offer us a day of scenic delights. We will visit the highlights of Bourke’s Luck Potholes, the Three Rondavels and God’s Window. Our accommodation for the night is set above the cliffs of a waterfall – you will have the afternoon to enjoy the various activities on offer including hiking, fishing or swimming in the rock pools below the waterfall.

The Highlands of Mpumalanga are dotted with a number of charming, high-altitude, grassland villages, scattered on a sea of cattle ranches which are interspersed with numerous trout fishing locations and mountain hideaways. Aside from the trout and quaint towns the highland scenery and flora and fauna are also major attractions. We bid farewell to the highlands of Mpumalanga, continuing south into the reaches of Zululand, once the realm of the mighty King Shaka who united the Zulu clans.

We set out early this morning for a game drive in the nearby Hluhulwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve, one of the last strongholds of the endangered rhinoceros. While rhinoceros are the most famous of the parks inhabitants, the park also provides a home to many other species, including the Big-5 that we all hope to see. Returning to our lodging for a siesta, we freshen up for an afternoon boat cruise on St Lucia estuary.

Running the length of the Kwazulu-Natal province, the Ukuhlamba Drakensberg Park is a UNESCO recognised world heritage site. Whether you go by the Zulu name uKhahlamba, meaning 'barrier of spears', or the Afrikaans name Drakensberge, meaning 'dragon mountains', these towering mountains will be our backdrop for the next two nights. On our way we make a short stop in Durban to stretch our legs before continuing to view the scenic Howick Falls and a visit to the nearby site that marked the capture of South Africa’s most famous man, Nelson Mandela.

We set out this morning for a day of hiking to explore the mountains of the Drakensberg, along our way we will have the opportunity to view examples of San rock art with a local guide at Battles Cave. While we encourage everyone to make the most of the day in mountains, we may offer separate options depending on the activity level of the group. With a number of trails available we can ensure that we cater to every need, the most important aim is to ensure everyone enjoys this mountain paradise at their own pace.

We have a long drive ahead of us today as we make our way to the Wild Coast. The small coastal town of Port St. Johns is known as the Jewel of the Wild Coast and is situated at the mouth of the Umzimvubu River in the Eastern Cape. With the diversity our rugged landscape, the sheer beauty of the area and dense vegetation that surrounds us, bird watching enthusiasts will be held a captive audience throughout their visit, not to mention the opportunity for amazing photographs and unforgettable memories to take back with you!

Situated in the upper valley of the Great Fish River, the historical town of Cradock is a typical Karoo farming town known for producing some of the country’s finest wool and mohair. Must-see attractions include a natural spring-turned-modern spa with outdoor and indoor heated pools, elegant buildings, grand old oak trees lining the streets, the Old Water Mill and the Great Fish River Museum.

We start our morning with a game drive through the Mountain Zebra National Park, commonly regarded as one of the country's most scenic national parks. This beautiful mountain wilderness conserves one of the world's most endangered species, the Cape mountain zebra. Our overnight stop is set in the historic town of Graaff-Reinet, the fourth oldest town in the country. This evening you will have the opportunity to join a sundowner excursion to the Valley of Desolation. This unique valley offers a panoramic view over the town and the wide open plains stretching out below. Kindly note that during the winter months, this activity will become a Sunrise excursion to the Valley of Desolation the following morning.

Setting course for the coast once again, we pass through the open plains of the Karoo and the wildlife charms of the Addo National Park. Upon arrival in the greater Addo region, we set up camp and head to the National Park to enjoy an afternoon game drive in our Nomad truck, in search of the famous elephants that call Addo home.

This morning we will make the short drive to the windy city of Port Elizabeth, before heading into Addo Elephant National Park for our afternoon game drive. Recent expansion has seen Addo grow to become the third largest of South Africa’s National Parks. The unique vegetation of Addo supports a wide variety of wildlife and we will spend the afternoon in search of the animals.

Setting out early this morning we make a brief visit to the surfing mecca of Jeffreys Bay. Most famous for its waves this little town is also home to a small Surfing Museum. We then turn west to the Tsitiskamma region where we set up for the next two nights and where the wonders of the Garden Route await.

Tsitsikamma National Park is one of South Africa’s premier marine reserves and this morning we set out to explore the rugged coastline on foot. Our hike along the Waterfall Trail sees us cover the first section of the world renowned Otter Trail. This is not an easy hike and those who prefer a more leisurely option can make use of the boardwalks to the Storms River Mouth. We return after our hike and you will have the opportunity to book the Woodcutters Journey in the afternoon – experiencing the uniqueness of the Tsitsikamma biome and learning about the history of the area and its indigenous fauna & flora.

The Garden Route is a treasure trove of beautiful beaches, forest walks and an exciting menu of optional adventures. While our morning is set aside for an exploration of Nature’s Valley, this beautiful village offers us a chance to enjoy a hike or simply relax on the pristine beach in this paradise. We end the afternoon on the beautiful beaches of the Keurbooms Lagoon. Today offers a number of optional activities and your guide will assist you with a plan to get the most out the day, the truck will run a set schedule of pick-ups and drop-offs giving you the freedom to join or leave at the places of most interest to you.

We make our way inland, crossing the Outeniqua Mountains and descend to the town of Oudtshoorn. We head to the famous Cango caves to enjoy a guided tour where we marvel at the astonishing formations that have formed in these impressive limestone caves.

Travelling through the valley of the Klein Karoo, we follow the winding tarmac of Route 62. Road trips in South Africa are an exploration of the rural highlights that dot the lesser known byways of the land. No journey would be complete without sampling the offerings of a “Padstal” along the way. These small farm stalls offer a selection of homemade treats and bakes and are an important cog in the economies of rural towns. One of the more quirky highlights today is Ronnie’s Sex Shop, not a sex shop at all, but a rather interesting country pub!

Made up of a collection of villages, farms, rivers, bays, coves and valleys, the Cape Whale Coast is a pristine stretch of the South African coastline which runs from the town of Rooiels for roughly 150km, to the east. Beginning early, we will have a short time to stroll along the boardwalk in Hermanus in search of the southern right whales that frequent the shores in the months of July to November. Next we stop at the largest breeding colony of the African Penguin, Stony Point Nature Reserve before travelling along the coast to a wine farm in the Stellenbosch region to sample some chocolates & wine. Your tour comes to an end upon arrival in the city centre of Cape Town.

From here, you will make your way to Antrim Villa, where you will spend the next 3 nights exploring this beautiful city on your own.

Cape Town is home to a wealth of beautiful and historic attractions, such as Table Mountain, Cape Point, the penguins at Boulders Beach, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Robben Island, The Company's Garden and more. You can explore all these sights on your own, or we can arrange guided day tours for you.

Make your way to Cape Town Airport to catch your flight home.