Ultimate South Africa
Discover the very best of South Africa on this all-encompassing tour. Beginning in Cape Town, take the cable car up Table Mountain and enjoy a tour of the Cape Peninsula which includes a visit to Cape Point and Boulders Beach. Next you'll head to Stellenbosch in the Western Cape winelands, before continuing to Knysna, a town at the heart of the famous Garden Route. From Port Elizabeth we'll fly to Durban and discover the KwaZulu-Natal battlefields on a tour. Kruger National Park is our next destination, where we'll head out in search of the Big Five, before a drive along the scenic Panorama Route completes this incredible adventure.
Discover the very best of South Africa on this all-encompassing tour.
PLEASE NOTE: Price is per person and based on two people sharing a twin/double room. Single room supplements and upgrades are not included.
What's Included
- Return flights from Heathrow with British Airways or South African Airways
- 14 nights in 3 and 4-star hotels plus 2 nights in flight
- 23 meals: 14 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 7 dinners
- Travelsphere Tour Manager and Local Guide
- Overseas transfers and other transportation
- Porterage
- Cape Town tour and Table Mountain
- Cape Peninsula, Cape Point, Boulders Beach and Botanical Gardens
- Winelands cellar tour and tasting
- The Drostdy Museum in Swellendam
- The Cango Caves and an ostrich farm
- Drive along the Garden Route
- Featherbed Nature Reserve
- Storms River Mouth in Tsitsikamma National Park
- Discover charming Port Elizabeth
- The Zulu battlefields
- Game drive in Kruger National Park
- Drive along the scenic Panorama Route
- Graskop Gorge Lift and forest walk
- A 'braai' dinner under the stars
Not Included
Itinerary
- Day 1 UK/Cape Town
- Depart on your scheduled overnight flight to Cape Town today.
- Day 2 Cape Town
- On arrival in Cape Town, we'll transfer you to your hotel, with your sightseeing starting en route. Located on the shores of the Atlantic, with Table Mountain as a backdrop, Cape Town occupies a spectacular setting and you'll take in fabulous views as we approach it. You'll see many of the city's highlights, and if weather conditions are favourable, there's the chance to take the cable car up Table Mountain. On some days the top of the mountain is shrouded by clouds, a natural phenomenon known as the tablecloth. It's a beautiful sight, but it if means we can't make the trip to the summit today, we'll make every effort to return at another time.
- Day 3 Cape Peninsula
- There's a great day ahead as we set off to explore the Cape Peninsula. We'll head along Chapman's Peak, one of the most spectacular coastal drives in the world, reaching Cape Nature Reserve and Cape Point. Our return journey is made via Boulders Beach, where we'll see its famous penguin colony. We continue through Simon's Town, Fish Hoek and Muizenberg, and make a final stop at the wonderful Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.
- Day 4 Cape Town
- The choice is yours today, you can explore independently, or perhaps come on an optional excursion to Khayelitsha, Cape Town's largest black township. En route you'll visit Bo-Kapp Malay Quarter and drive through District Six, whose residents were forcibly removed during the era of apartheid.
- Day 5 Stellenbosch
- We're going to Stellenbosch today, in the heart of the Western Cape winelands. A scenic drive takes us through lush farm land and vineyards, and when we arrive we'll take a tour of this charming historic town. We'll wander along Dorp Street admiring fine examples of Cape Dutch, Georgian and Victorian architecture, and take in fantastic views of the mountains and surrounding countryside. Later, a cellar visit with a wine-tasting rounds off the day a treat.
- Day 6 Oudtshoorn
- Your next base is Oudtshoorn, and during our drive here we'll stop at Swellendam, one of the oldest towns in South Africa. A tour will introduce its stunning architecture and you'll also have time to visit its fascinating museum. Back on the road, take in lovely views of ravines, gorges, cliffs and lush vegetation as we journey through the Huisrivier pass, set between two valleys.
- Day 7 Knysna
- Oudtshoorn is the 'ostrich capital of the world', and home to the world's largest population of these unique flightless birds. On our way to Knysna, our base for two nights, we'll visit the Safari Ostrich Farm to see some of these fascinating creatures up close. You're also going to see the Cango Caves today. Located in a limestone ridge alongside the stunning Swatberg Mountains, this magnificent system of underground caverns is more than 20 million years old.
- Day 8 Knysna
- The quaint town of Knysna lies at the heart of the Garden Route and is surrounded by ancient forests. It's a delightful place with plenty of craft shops, boutiques and cafés and after a leisurely start today, Today we will visit the Featherbed Nature Reserve with a cruise across Knysna Lagoon, a walk through the forest, past the ancient sea caves, and a buffet lunch at the lagoon edge restaurant.
- Day 9 Port Elizabeth
- Your journey to Port Elizabeth via Plettenberg Bay includes a stop at Storms River Mouth in Tsitsikamma National Park. Here you can walk across the 77-metre-long suspension bridge which hovers above the tumultuous water flowing into the Indian Ocean.
- Day 10 Battlefields
- Port Elizabeth is one of the largest cities in South Africa, and we'll discover its highlights before we fly to Durban. On arrival you'll discover a very different territory to that previously experienced, as we head into the heart of the Zulu kingdom, the KwaZulu-Natal battlefields. The area is our base for two nights.
- Day 11 Battlefields
- On today's guided tour you'll retrace history as you stand at the very spot where the 1879 Battle of Isandlwana and subsequent conflict at Rorke's Drift took place. A Local Guide will bring to life the events of the day when 20,000 Zulu warriors, armed with traditional weapons, confronted the firepower of the British army.
- Day 12 Kruger
- Your journey today to Kruger National Park, South Africa's largest game reserve, is long but packed full of rewards as you travel through a variety of landscapes and take in spectacular views.
- Day 13 Kruger
- Kruger is home to the Big Five – lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhino, so you're sure to want to head into the park today and notch up some thrilling wildlife spots. We'll take in the sights on a game drive, which also includes a breakfast picnic.
- Day 14 Kruger
- You could relax and enjoy the facilities at the lodge, or head out on an optional game drive and continue your search for wildlife.There's plenty of choice, with a range of optional game drives. You'll travel in an open safari vehicle with an expert guide who will talk to other drivers and track down the best wildlife sightings - it's a wonderful way to experience the African wilderness. You can choose from a morning or afternoon safari, then spend the rest of the day lounging by the pool. With so much to see in the park, you might choose a full day of exploration.
- Day 15 Kruger & Panorama Route
- Start your day with a drive along the breathtaking Panorama Route, which winds its way through some of South Africa's most beautiful scenery. The rainforest at God's Window, Bourke's Luck Potholes and the Three Rondavels, are some of the highlights. We're also going to take an unforgettable journey on the Graskop Gorge Lift, which travels 51 metres down the face of the gorge and into the forest below. Here, a trail of wooden walkways and suspension bridges carves its way through the forest and interactive exhibits tell us more about the flora and fauna. Tonight, if the weather is on our side, you'll experience a braai, a traditional barbecue under the stars.
- Day 16 Kruger/UK
- Today we will transfer you to Johannesburg for your early-evening flight to the UK.
- Day 17 UK
- You'll arrive in the UK today.
Accommodation
- Premier Hotel Cape Town
- Cape Manor Hotel is situated a few minutes away from the Sea Point promenade and Atlantic Ocean. Many major attractions, including the V&A Waterfront and Table Mountain are within easy reach of the hotel. Hotel''s rooms feature wooden furniture, modern bathrooms, coffee maker and satellite TV. Other hotel amenities include an outdoor swimming pool and a cocktail bar.
- Protea Hotel by Marriott Stellenbosch
- Located in-between two international golf courses with the best of the Winelands. The hotels facilities include a restaurant, bar, heated pool, lounge and health centre. Private room facilities are included.
- Protea Hotel by Marriott Oudtshoorn Riempie Estate
- Standard rooms come with free WiFi, satellite TV, and tea and coffee making facilities. All have en suite bathrooms. Amenities include a restaurant and cocktail bar, a garden with an outdoor pool.
- Premier Resort The Moorings
- Premier Resort The Moorings (Knysna) can be found on the banks of the Knysna lagoon, offering private access to the lagoon for hotel guests as well as boat launch and docking facilities at the hotel. The area is serene in its secluded Knysna Heads setting, with spectacular views of indigenous forest and less than 3km from the town’s centre
- Garden Court Kings Beach
- The Garden Court Kings Beach hotel is situated on the Port Elizabeth beachfront and presents an affordable and welcoming destination to visitors to one of South Africa’s largest historic coastal cities. The white sands of Kings Beach, sweeping views of Algoa Bay, and the famed Hobie Beach, are just some of the reasons guests return again and again to our Port Elizabeth hotel. Garden Court Kings Beach offers a choice of 280 tastefully appointed en-suite rooms, and great amenities including a fitness centre, conferencing facilities and the popular Mike’s Kitchen.
- Battlefields Country Lodge
- The 3-star Battlefields Country Lodge is situated in the heart of the well known historic Battlefields in KwaZulu Natal near Dundee. Hotel facilities include a restaurant and a bar. Bedrooms have private facilities and air-conditioning.
- Ndhula Lodge
- Ideally situated in the Mpumalanga Lowveld region of South Africa, the Ndhula Lodge is giving incredible views over the mountains, the bushveld and the surrounding valleys. This stunning view, beautiful sunrises and sunsets, as well as a wonderful array of “plains” game species that graze close by give this place a “Serengeti” type ambience. The name “Ndhula” is the short and modified form of Indlulamithi, which means “Giraffe” in the local Zulu language. When the founder of the Lodge first visited this property, a bunch of Giraffes crossed their way. That was the sign to name the Lodge after this graceful animal.
- Garden Court Sandton City
- The stylish 4-star Garden Court Sandton City Hotel is located in the heart of Johannesburg. Bedrooms include private facilities, air-conditioning, tea/coffee making facilities and a TV.