| itinerary |
|
| B
= breakfast included; L = lunch included; D = dinner included
*
= explanation/ description in pop-up window
|
|
|
| Day
1 - arrival & Johannesburg city tour |
|
|  On
arrival at Johannesburg
International Airport* you will be met by your driver-guide*
who will be guiding you up to Durban*
(day 6). You will be transferred*
to your hotel in Sandton*,
north of Johannesburg*.
In the afternoon you will be taken on a guided tour of Johannesburg*.
Visit the "Top of Africa" at the Carlton
Centre* from where you have a panoramic view of the City.
Continue to visit the historical buildings downtown Johannesburg*,
including the old Stock
Exchange* and De Beers buildings.
Travel through
the arty suburb of Melville and return to your hotel via the
Emmarentia Gardens and upmarket suburb of Rosebank*.
Your hotel is within walking distance of the Mandela
Square (previously Sandton Square) Shopping Mall* – one
of the biggest and most popular in South
Africa*. |
|
| Overnight:
Crowne Plaza Johannesburg - Sandton, 1 night (B)
 |
| |
| |
| Day
2 - Johannesburg to Pilgrim's Rest |
|
| Today,
you travel to the Eastern
Lowveld* where the famous Kruger
National Park* is situated. The route takes you through
the Highveld*
with its wide-open spaces. Travel via Witbank*,
Belfast, Dullstroom*
and Lydenburg*.
From Lydenburg*
you cross the Long
Tom Pass* to reach Sabie*
and ultimately the historic town of Pilgrim’s
Rest* where the then richest gold deposits in South
Africa* were discovered in 1873. This little town was
declared a museum in its entirety and beautifully restored.
Your hotel is a quaint restored mining hotel of those years
which today offers you the comforts of modern hotels, without
losing its charm. |
|
| Overnight:
The Royal Hotel, 1 night (DB)
|
| |
| |
| Day
3 - Pilgrim's Rest to the Kruger National Park |
|
|  After
breakfast your guide will take you on a walking tour of Pilgrim’s
Rest*. Depart from here to the logging town of Sabie*.
Enroute you'll make a stop at the spectacular Mac
Mac Waterfalls*. This is also one of many opportunities
on your tour to browse a typical African arts and crafts market.
From Sabie*
you descend into the Lowveld*
heading towards Hazyview*,
which.lies in the heart of a prime tropical fruit growing
area.
From Hazyview*
the world renowned Kruger
National Park* is only a 20-minute drive away. Established
in 1898, this national
park* at nearly 2 million hectares is unrivalled in the
diversity of its animal life. Your hotel lies just outside
the main entrance gate, the Kruger Gate. Located on the banks
of the Sabie
River* it offers great natural surroundings with views
into the Park*.
After checking
into the hotel you'll enter the Park for your first game
drive* on an open safari vehicle. Dinner will be enjoyed
in an open-air enclosure, called a boma in Africa
(weather allowing). A cracking fire and African night skies
will keep you company.
|
|
| Overnight:
Protea Kruger Gate Lodge, 1 night (DB)
|
| |
| |
| Day
4 - Kruger National Park & Bongani |
|
|  After
breakfast you'll head back into the Kruger
National Park* on a south-bound game
drive*. Animals
which may be seen include lion, elephant, leopard, rhino,
buffalo, giraffe and many species of antelope as well as prolific
plant and bird life. As these animals roam freely in the wild,
luck plays a role when you go looking for them. Your drive
through the Kruger*
will give you a wonderful opportunity to see how many of them
you can spot along the way.
Your overnight
destination, Bongani Mountain Lodge, lies on community trust
land bordering the Kruger's*
southern fence line. It is a rocky mountainious area making
for a unique wildlife experience. You'll arrive in time to
explore the rugged area in the lodge's landrovers, guided
by experienced local guides*
and trackers*.
|
|
| Overnight:
Bongani Mountain Lodge, 1 night (DB)
|
| |
| |
| Day
5 - Bongani to Ubizane Game Reserve |
|
| After
an early morning game
drive* you will travel from Bongani Mountain Lodge to
Ubizane*
in the province of KwaZulu-Natal*.
You will travel through the small mountain kingdom of Swaziland*.
This small land locked country is one of the few monarchical
states left in the world and is ruled by King Swati (iii).
Leaving Swaziland*
you re-enter South
Africa* in the KwaZulu-Natal*
province. KwaZulu*
means the home of the Zulu*,
a very proud and famous people of South
Africa*. From here you travel to the Ubizane
Private Game Reserve*. Before retiring to the very exclusive
Ubizane Tree Lodge it's time for another game
drive* in Africa's wilderness. |
|
| Overnight:
Ubizane Tree Lodge, 1 night (DB)
|
|
| |
| Day
6 - Ubizane to Durban |
|
|  After
Breakfast, depart for the nearby Hluhluwe-Umfolozi
Game Reserve*, South
Africa’s* oldest game
reserve* and renowned for its success in saving the endangered
white rhino. A south bound game
drive* will show you much of the natural beauty of this
sub-tropical game
reserve*. Along the way you'll see various wildlife species,
there's a good chance of seeing some of the rhino's that Hluhluwe's*
famous for.
Leaving Hluhluwe*
you will make a quick visit to the Greater
St. Lucia Wetland Park*, a world heritage site. A one-hour
cruise of the St.
Lucia Estuary*, through which Lake
St. Lucia* is connected to the ocean, is included in your
visit. From here you travel to Durban*.
You will stay in the little coastal town of Umhlanga*,
on the northern edge of Durban*.
The hotel is within walking distance of a lovely bathing beach
with life-guards on duty. This is the last night that your
first driver-guide will spend with you on tour. |
|
| Overnight:
Protea Hotel Umhlanga, 2 nights (B)
|
| |
| |
| Day
7 - Durban |
|
| Today
you will have the day free to relax on the beach, which is
within walking distance from your hotel. A local Durban*
based driver-guide*
will be available should you opt for an optional
excursion/ tour* with him/her. The same driver-guide will
be conducting your airport
transfer* to Durban
Airport* tomorrow (day 8)
We recommend
a full-day tour to Shakaland*.
Shaka was a legendary king of the proud warior kingdom of
the Zulu*
nation. Shakaland*
is a traditional Zulu*
"Umuzi" or homestead. It is divided into the home of its Zulu*
residents and hotel rooms for overnight guests. On this tour
you will experience the sight of assegaai-wielding warriors,
share the fascinating secrets of the Sangomas (traditional
healers) and witness customs such as tribal dancing, spear
making and the beer-drinking ceremonies - in this authentic
re-creation of the Great Kraal overlooking the Umhlatuze
Lake. |
|
| Overnight:
Protea Hotel Umhlanga, 2nd night (B)
|
| |
|
| Day
8 - Durban to Port Elizabeth |
|
|  You
have the morning at leisure to enjoy more of the beach and
surroundings. You should experience typical humid and sunny
Durban*
weather, although we don't control the weather...
Later in the
day, probably late morning, you will be transferred to Durban
International Airport* for a one hour flight to Port
Elizabeth Airport* (included in your tour price). On arrival
in Port
Elizabeth* you will be met by a local driver-guide who
will transfer*
you to your hotel on the beachfront. You have the rest of
the afternoon at leisure to enjoy the beach or to relax at
one of the nearby restaurants or other beachfront attractions. |
|
| Overnight:
Holiday Inn Garden Court King's Beach, 1 night (B)
|
| |
| |
| Day
9 - Garden Route & Knysna |
|
| After
breakfast you will be met by your driver-guide*
for the second half of your tour (up to Cape
Town*). You leave Port
Elizabeth* in the direction of Cape
Town*. Enroute to Knysna*
you will pass through a most interesting and beautiful variety
of scenery. You'll be entering the so-called Garden
Route*, you will visit the rainforests
of the Tsitsikamma*
Mountains and travel along the Victorian passes of Bloukranz*
and Groot
Rivier*. Pay a short visit to Plettenberg
Bay*, the "millionaires' playground". Ultimately you reach
the quaint little town of Knysna*
in the heart of the Garden
Route*. You will have ample time to explore the
village. |
|
| Overnight:
Protea Hotel Knysna Quays, 1 night (DB)
|
|
| |
| Day
10 - Knysna to Oudtshoorn |
|
|  Today,
you explore the Garden
Route* from Knysna*
to Mossel
Bay*. Enroute you pass through the beautiful Wilderness*.
After a short visit to Mossel
Bay*, you turn inland and cross the Outeniqua Mountains
via the scenic Robinson Pass to enter the semi-desert Klein
Karoo, renowned for ostrich
farming*, fruit and vineyards.
First you pay
a visit to an ostrich
farm* for a close up encounter with the largest birds
on earth. Afterwards you visit the Cango
Caves* for an underground tour of these magnificent caverns.
Time permitting an optional
tour* of the Crocodile
and Cheetah Park* is available. You spend the night in
Oudtshoorn*. |
|
| Overnight:
Protea Hotel Riempie Estate, 1 night (DB)
|
| |
| |
| Day
11 - Oudtshoorn to Cape Town |
|
| Your
route to Cape
Town* will enable you to appreciate the true diversity
of landscapes, highlighted through the magnificence of the
ever-changing semi-desert areas, folded sandstone mountains
of the Huis River and Tradouw Passes, the charming town of
Swellendam*,
and the mountain plateau of expansive apple orchards in and
around Grabouw. Your day ends with your first glimpse of Table
Mountain* from the top of the famous Sir Lowry's Pass. |
|
| Overnight:
Holiday Inn Cape Town Waterfront, 2 nights (B)
|
| |
| |
| Day
12 - Cape Peninsula & Winelands |
|
|  Today,
you will do a combination of two of the most popular tours
in the Cape
Town* area. First will be a tour of the Cape
Peninsula*. Travel via Camps
Bay*, Hout
Bay* and Chapman's
Peak Drive* to the Cape
of Good Hope Nature Reserve*. Enjoy stunning views from
Cape
Point* before you continue towards Simonstown*
and Muizenberg.
After lunch (not
included), you  come
to the second tour of the day, a visit to the Cape
Winelands*. You will be introduced to South
African wines* at a local wine estate (probably Spier*).
This includes a short talk on wines and wine production. There
after you will enjoy a wine
tasting* of a couple of wines under the guidance of someone
familiar with the finer aspects of wines. Afterwards you drive
through the University town of Stellenbosch*
before returning to your hotel. |
|
| Overnight:
Holiday Inn Cape Town Waterfront, 2nd night (B)
|
| |
|
| Day
13 - Return home |
|
| You
have the day at leisure until such time as your flight (own
arrangements) departs for home. A local Cape
Town* based driver-guide*
will be available should you wish to squeeze in a last optional
morning or afteronoon tour or excursion* (depending on
your flight's departure time). You may head for the Table
Mountain Cable Way*, visit the nearby Victoria
& Alfred Waterfront* or indulge in any of the many
other attractions that the city has to offer (for your own
account).
All good things
have to come to an end sooner or later... You will be transferred*
to Cape
Town International Airport* in time for your flight back
home. |
|
| Overnight
flight home, you may also request us to book extra days for
you in Cape Town. |
|
| |
| |
"
in the 