Day 01: Johannesburg - Soweto - Pretoria
Arrive at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. Meeting, assistance, and transfer to Soweto (South of Johannesburg).
Lunch in a local shebeen and transfer to your hotel for check in.
Dinner and overnight.
Day 02: Pretoria - Graskop
After breakfast, early departure from the hotel for a short city orientation tour of Pretoria, known for its flowering Jacaranda trees during spring and summer.
Drive by the VOORTREKKER MONUMENT, the most important monument recognising the Afrikaans population. Inaugurated by Cornelius PRETORIUS, on 16 December 1949 this formidable 41 m tall monument represents a people bound by a common language: Afrikaans.
Drive by the Union Buildings, seat of the Government, and the main square in Pretoria, namely Church Square, where you will also see the statue of Paul Kruger (President during 1884 – 1901).
Depart for an area called KWANDEBELE where you will visit the NDEBELE people, well known for their geometrically designed colourful houses.
Lunch at the CORN & COB, situated on a farm, also hosting a Ndebele village.
Late afternoon arrival at Graskop, check in at the hotel.
Dinner and overnight.
Day 03: Panorama Route - Kapama Reserve
After breakfast, visit PILGRIM's REST: This small village has been renovated in the style of the gold rush around 1870 when pioneers tried to find their fortunes in gold.
Attend a demonstration as to how gold was panned for in the old days and then have a look around the various shops and crafts on display in Pilgrim’s Rest or alternatively have a drink in a pub that was formerly a chapel!
Lunch buffet style at the Blyde Poort Restaurant.
Visit this beautiful area of the Drakensberg Mountains, which is a South African geological wonder. Follow the scenic route as it winds its way long the Blyde River Canyon. Some of the views are the most beautiful from God’s Window's, and the Three Rondavels, which are three huge rocks that appear in the form of Zulu huts some 700 m above the river.
Bourke's Luck Potholes, are one of the most beautiful examples of rocks formed by the force of the water and stones.
Arrive at the Kapama River Lodge (or similar) in the early afternoon, but in time for the 1st game drive of the holiday, departing at about 16h00.
This private reserve hosts various animals, especially rhino, elephant, hippo, lion, giraffe, leopard, various antelope like gnu.impala, buffalo, and zebra... etc.
Return in time for dinner.
Dinner and overnight.
Day 04: Kapama River Lodge
Your wake-up call will be at about 05h30, and after having enjoyed some light refreshments, you will depart on an early morning game drive with your professional ranger, in an open 4 x 4 vehicle, seating 6 – 9 passengers.
Return for breakfast, and have time at leisure to enjoy the lodge’s facilities, ie the swimming pool, viewing deck, bush walks, or some optional Spa treatments.
Enjoy Lunch; thereafter depart on the afternoon / evening game drive.
Return for dinner, which weather permitting will be served around an open fire, under the African sky.
Overnight.
Day 05: Swaziland
After the morning game drive and breakfast, depart the lodge for Swaziland.
Visit to the Ngwenya Glass Factory.
Stopping for lunch en route
Thereafter you will drive to the Kingdom of Swaziland, often known as the «Switzerland» of Africa due to its mountains, and wide expanses of pine and eucalyptus plantations.
The capital of Swaziland is Mbabane.
Dinner and overnight.
Day 06: Swaziland - Zululand
After a visit to the well-known Swazi Candles, continue driving through Swaziland, exiting at the Lavumisa Gate.
A lunch stop will be made en route.
Enter the Kwa Zulu Natal Province.
The original meaning of the name Zulu (paradise) was the name of one of their Chief’s whose descendants were called the Abakwazulu, or the Zulu people.
Here you will be familiarized with the Zulu traditions and culture.
Overnight.
Day 07: Durban
Enjoy an early morning game drive with a professional ranger in an open 4 x 4 vehicle; in the private reserve belong to Zulu Nyala.
Here you will have every chance of seeing rhino (both white and black); hippo, elephant, buffalo, giraffe, various types of antelope, warthogs, baboons, and many indigenous birds.
Depart the lodge after breakfast, and continue to St Lucia.
Enjoy lunch and a cruise on the estuary, and then continue to Durban.
Dinner and overnight.
Day 08: Durban - Port Elizabeth
After breakfast, visit the spice market, and transfer to Durban’s King Shaka Airport. Upon arrival Port Elizabeth Airport, meet with new driver / guide – rest of day at leisure.
Lunch and dinner at leisure.
Overnight.
Day 09: Port Elizabeth - Cape Town
After breakfast, depart Port Elizabeth heading for the Garden Route. Visit the Tsitsikamma Forest and admire the view from the Storms River Mouth Bridge.
Upon arrival, Knysna (265 kms from Port Elizabeth), check in at the hotel.
Rest of day free at leisure.
Lunch and dinner at leisure.
Overnight.
Day 10: Knysna - Oudtshoorn
Depart after breakfast, travelling via Sedgefield, Wilderness and George and the Outeniqua Pass to Oudtshoorn.
Visit the Cango Caves and take a tour of an ostrich farm.
Lunch at an ostrich farm.
Rest of day free at leisure
Dinner at leisure.
Overnight.
Day 11: Oudtshoorn - Franschhoek
After breakfast, continue via the scenic inland Route 62 passing through the towns of Calitzdorp, Barrydale, Montagu, Robertson and Worcester, before entering the Huguenot Tunnel, thereby reaching the Franschhoek area in the late afternoon.
Lunch and dinner at leisure.
Overnight.
Day 12: Stellenbosch - Cape Town
Depart after breakfast, and head over the scenic Helshoogte Pass to Stellenbosch.
Visit the important wine-producing town of Stellenbosch, dotted with Dutch-style houses.
Enjoy wine tasting and lunch in the wine production centre.
Continue to Cape Town.
Check-in at hotel and rest of evening at leisure.
Overnight.
Day 13: Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve
After breakfast, a day excursion to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve: you will drive along the Atlantic Coastline passing the areas called Sea Point, Clifton, and Camps Bay before arriving in Hout Bay, a small fishing village, dominated by the scenic Chapman’s Peak Pass.
Here you will join a boat cruise to Duiker Island, where you will see thousands of Cape Fur Seals basking on the rocks, or frolicking in the cold Atlantic Ocean.
Lunch at leisure.
Continue to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. The area has been declared a National World Heritage Site, and abounds with buck, baboons and Cape Zebra, as well as over 50 species of birds.
Rugged rocks and sheer cliffs towering more than 200 metres above the sea cut into the ocean but that is not its sole allure; many visitors are drawn to the area because of its rich maritime history.
Named the ‘Cape of Storms’ by Bartolomeu Dias in 1488; the ‘Point’ was treated with respect by sailors for centuries. Fog as well as violent storms and dangerous rocks have caused that over the centuries shipwrecks have dotted the coastline.
Visit the lighthouse first completed in 1859; it still stands at 249 meters above sea-level and offers a magnificent view.
Visit Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens: en route back to the city, but before checking in at the hotel for dinner, visit Signal Hill for a panoramic view of the city and Robben Island 11 kms offshore.
Dinner at leisure.
Overnight.
Day 14: Cape Town
After breakfast, transfer to Cape Town Airport for final departure.
