The Grand Tour of South Africa starts in Johannesburg. On arrival in Johannesburg, you will be met and transferred to the hotel where you will enjoy the rest of the day at leisure in a resort environment.
After breakfast and check out you will depart for Hazyview in the province of Mpumalanga. Along the way you will experience the incredibly beautiful Panorama Route (time dependent), with its dramatic, mountainous landscapes and winding roads. With highlights like God's Window, Bourke's Luck Potholes and of course the mighty Blyde River Canyon, this really is South Africa’s nature at its best! We will arrive at the hotel in the late afternoon and you will have time to freshen up before dinner.
You will have an early start to the day and embark in an open-vehicle safari through the Kruger National Park, an iconic reserve boasting one of Africa’s best wildlife experience and home to the Big Five. You can return to their hotel for lunch and embark on a bush walk and another game drive in the late afternoon (for own account), a good time to observe the animals as they come down to the waterholes for their evening drink. Dinner will be served at the hotel.
Travel to the Royal Kingdom of Swaziland nestled between South Africa and Mozambique. En route you will have the opportunity to learn more about the Swazi culture at the Matsamo Cultural Village, where you may choose to have lunch, and the famous Ngwenya Glass Works. The next stop is the capital city Mbabane, where vibrant markets packed with woven baskets, beadwork and carvings can be found. Spend the night at a hotel in the beautiful Ezulwini Valley.
After breakfast, you may enjoy a visit to the Swazi Candle Factory. Each candle seen here is individually handmade and unique, displaying a wide range of colours, shapes and patterns. Next stop is South Africa’s KwaZulu Natal. Our hotel for the next two nights is situated close to the town of Mkuze, at the foot of the legendary Ghost Mountain. In the afternoon embark on a scenic drive up into the Ubombo Mountains; the views over Lake Jozini are spectacular. From the summit you will watch the sunset transform the sky into a tapestry of colours over sundowners. You will also visit a traditional Zulu homestead for a glimpse into the lifestyle of this fascinating culture. Then return to the hotel for dinner on the terrace (weather permitting) or in the classically styled restaurant.
Today you will enjoy a morning at leisure at the hotel and then travel to the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve for an afternoon game drive. Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve is an incredibly scenic park with rolling hills covered in low acacia bush. The north of the park is mountainous with amazing forests and grasslands, the south and west are open savannah. The park contains a diversity of fauna and flora and is known for its conservation of black and white rhino. It was here that the endangered white rhino was saved from extinction and the park boasts the largest population of white rhino in the world. Return to the hotel in the late afternoon for dinner.
Travel along KwaZulu Natal’s Elephant Coast to St Lucia, situated at the southern end of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park – a World Heritage Site. At the St Lucia Estuary, you will find forested dunes, brilliant coral reefs, palm savannahs, dense papyrus swamps and rolling acacia bushveld. You will be taken on a boat cruise on the estuary, giving them an opportunity to view hippo, crocodiles and many different bird species in their natural habitat. From here, continue to Durban, a cosmopolitan city where east meets west. You’ll arrive in the afternoon and check in to our hotel situated on the Golden Mile – a 6km stretch of beachfront.
This morning you will discover the striking cultural and historic contrasts of Durban on a city tour, before heading to King Shaka International Airport for your domestic flight to Port Elizabeth (Flight not included). Upon arriving in South Africa’s friendly city, you will be transferred to your hotel, which overlooks Algoa Bay. Port Elizabeth is known as the ‘Water Sport Capital of Africa’. The combination of heavenly shores and invigorating sea breezes draw sports lovers to enjoy some of the planet’s best sailing, surfing, scuba-diving etc.
After breakfast, travel towards Knysna along the Garden Route, a very beautiful drive with the Indian Ocean on their left and mountains and green, rolling hills on their right. Your first destination is the stunning Tsitsikamma National Park. Tsitsikamma means “place of much water” in Khoi. A combination of original forest, plantations and Fynbos - a large group of plants endemic to South Africa, of which our National Flower the King Protea is a prominent member. Many rivers run through the forest, forming spectacular waterfalls and deep gorges. Enjoy an easy walk through the forest and along the suspension bridge, crossing the Storms River Mouth gorge. Proceed to Plettenberg Bay for check-in at your hotel.
Today you will visit the Elephant Sanctuary where you will have the opportunity to touch, feed and photograph these gentle giants under the expert guidance of their rangers. Later, you’ll visit to Birds of Eden – the largest free-flight bird aviary in the world. Time and weather permitting, another optional excursion is also on offer at an additional cost: embark on an exciting Whale & Dolphin Ocean Safari! You will spend the evening at leisure and enjoy dinner at the lodge.
After breakfast and check-out formalities, proceed on an informative cruise up the Keurbooms River. Continue to the lagoon side town of Knysna – the gem of the Garden Route. Enjoy some time at leisure at the Knysna Waterfront Complex before travelling to Oudtshoorn – the ‘feather capital’ of the world due to its large ostrich industry. Visit a working ostrich farm for a guided tour. Check into your accommodation in the late afternoon before enjoying dinner.
After breakfast you’ll visit the picturesque Cango Valley, where you can explore the limestone rock formations of the world famous Cango Caves. Afterwards you’ll travel towards Cape Town along Route 62, known as the World’s Longest Wine Route. The scenery along this route is superb, taking us over majestic mountain passes and winding rivers, past vineyards and orchards and through fascinating little towns. You’ll arrive in Cape Town in the early evening, check into your hotel and enjoy the rest of the evening at leisure.
After a delicious breakfast at the hotel, you’ll head out on a full-day excursion to enjoy the magnificent scenery and wildlife of the Cape Peninsula. The tour includes a visit to Hout Bay Harbour, where you can take an optional (for your own account) boat trip to Duiker Island where thousands of Cape Fur Seals live. Travel over the scenic Chapman’s Peak Drive to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and have your photos taken at the most south western tip of the African continent, enjoying an invigorating walk, or leisurely funicular trip, up to the Cape Point lighthouses to admire the dramatic cliffs and amazing views. Other interesting stops will include the Naval village of Simon's Town and Boulders Beach - to see one of South Africa's two land-based African Penguin colonies. The day ends at the beautiful Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens.
Today you will experience a full day Wine Tour in the Cape Winelands including a visit to the charming town of oaks, Stellenbosch. After some wine tastings and an introduction to the South African winemaking tradition, you will continue to the Gourmet Capital of South Africa, Franschhoek. After another round of wine tasting, there will be time to take a stroll in this beautiful and cosy little town. The whole day is dedicated to showing you our favourite secret spots and wine cellars – a day to tantalise your taste buds amidst some of South Africa’s most beautiful landscapes!
On your final day in Cape Town you will be taken on a half-day City Tour. Some of the highlight stops on this tour will be the Company Gardens, the Castle of Good Hope and the lively Greenmarket Square – where you can buy arts and crafts from all over Africa. You will also take a trip through the colourful Bo Kaap area, known as the home of the “Cape Malays”. The tour ends with a drop-off at Cape Town International Airport for onward travel.
