Accomodation: Lodges
or Luxury Tented Camps
Transportation: Open Roof Safari Cruisers
Duration: 14 nights - 15 Days
Departs: Alternate Days
Price: 2280 Euros
DAY 1. Johannesburg
– Dullstroom – Panoramic Route - Sabie Our first
day on tour takes us from Johannesburg via Middelburg, Dullstroom
and Lydenburg to Pilgrim´s Rest, the early gold mining
town turned into a living museum. Rich deposits of alluvial
gold were found here at the end of the 19th century, hence
the existence of the town deep in the mountains. We continue
to Sabie and overnight in the Lone Creek River Lodge..
DAY 2. Panoramic
Route – Private Game Reserve We visit Lone Creek Falls
and travel via Graskop to marvel at scenic areas such as
God's Window, Bourke's Luck Potholes, Blyde River Canyon,
and some of the spectacular waterfalls in the area. Finally
we descend to the Lowveld via Abel Erasmus pass and the
Strijdom Tunnel to arrive at Mohlabetsi in the Balule private
game reserve. This afternoon our encounter with Africa's
wildlife begins as we travel on an open vehicle to search
for the game. Enjoy a great dinner under the stars tonight
(weather permitting). Overnight at Mohlabetsi.
DAY 3. Private
Game Reserve – Kruger National Park After an early
morning hike, searching for the wild on foot, and breakfast
we enter the Kruger National Park and spend the rest of
day in this magnificent reserve around 2 million ha in extent.
We overnight in the reserve in one of the camps.
DAY 4. Kruger
National Park - Swaziland We rise early for a game drive
and return for breakfast in the camp. We spend the rest
of the morning in the reserve and depart in the afternoon
for the mountain Kingdom of Swaziland. We visit the Ngwenya
Glass Factory, and travel via Mbabane, the capital city
of Swaziland, to Foresters Arms, our hotel in the mountains
at Mhlambanyatsi..
DAY 5. Swaziland
– Zululand – Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park We visit
the well-known Swazi Candles factory and the big arts and
crafts market in the Ezulwini Valley and drive past the
National Stadium and the parliament buildings on our way
to Manzini, the country's industrial centre. We drive further
past Big Bend with the country's largest sugar plantations
to the South African border. We continue to Hluhluwe-Imfolozi
Park game reserve and arrive late afternoon at our overnight
stop - Hilltop Camp. Here we join a late afternoon/early
night game drive on open safari vehicles equipped with high
powered spotlights to search for the shy nocturnal animals.
DAY 6. Hluhluwe-Imfolozi
Park – Lake St Lucia - Durban After an early breakfast
we do our final game drive before travelling to the village
of St Lucia. Here we join a boat cruise on the famous Lake
St Lucia, a paradise with bird species such as fish eagle,
Goliath heron and many more. Your guide will show you the
world of the hippo and the crocodile and the other mystic
inhabitants of the "deep". After this unforgettable
experience we travel to Durban, South Africa's holiday mecca.
DAY 7. Durban
Durban is an intriguing cultural blend of East, West and
Africa, which with its endless summer climate, effervescent
and lukewarm ocean lined with golden beaches, offers a subtropical
carnival atmosphere all year round. Our tour of this bustling
metropolis boasting the busiest port in Africa and often
called the cultural 'melting pot' of South Africa, includes
a drive past the so-called Apartheid Beaches, the Golden
Mile, the impressive developments at the new Point Waterfront
area, and the city centre. We stop at the Indian Market
where you can bargain for souvenirs and spices. Our last
visit is to the Botanical Gardens. You have the option of
being dropped off at the end of the tour at the Ushaka Marine
world with its world-class aquarium, and many shops and
restaurants. Return to your hotel with our bus or spend
the rest of the afternoon here and take a taxi back to the
hotel.
Day 8. Durban
- Port Elizabeth - Garden Route - Plettenberg Bay/Knysna
An early transfer to the local airport for a flight to Port
Elizabeth where this leg of our tour begins.
Depart Port Elizabeth at 09h00. Our first stop is Storms
River with the impressive Paul Sauer Bridge across the valley
towering some 139 metres above the river. We visit the Tsitsikamma
National Park (Khoisan for 'The place of much water') stretching
over 100 kilometres of wild and rocky coastline characterised
by massive cliffs, narrow isolated beaches and shady indigenous
forests along the river valleys. Then we traverse through
magnificently scenic river valley passes to Plettenberg
Bay for a short visit. Continue to Knysna. We join a sundowner
cruise on the lagoon. Overnight at Fish Eagle Lodge or similar.
Day 9. Knysna
- George - Oudtshoorn
Spend the morning in Knysna visiting the "Heads"
etc. Knysna also offers shopping opportunities of unusual
locally made art and craft, etc. This afternoon we board
the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe Train, an antique steam train, to
George, a unique way to experience some of the most magical
views on the Garden Route and Wilderness National Park.
We travel over the Outeniqua Mountains to the Little Karoo
and stay at luxury guest lodge on a working ostrich farm.
Overnight La Plume Guest Lodge.
Day 10. Oudtshoorn
- Cango Caves - Ostrich Farm - Mossel Bay
We visit an Ostrich Show Farm for some unique experiences
including ostrich racing. A ride on a back of an ostrich
is not for the fainthearted. We visit the Cango Caves, regarded
as one of South Africa's foremost natural wonders. The fascinating
calcite caves comprises an underground wonderland of stalactites
and stalagmites.
Visit Oudtshoorn, also called the "Feather Capital"
of the world, as over ninety percent of the world's ostrich
farms are found here.
Continue to Mossel Bay for overnight at the Point Hotel.
Day 11 Mossel
Bay - Hermanus - Cape Town
We visit arguably the oldest post office in Africa, the
Post Office Tree and the site of the first landfall, made
by the Portuguese explorer Bartholomew Dias in 1488. Continue
to Hermanus, the best place in the World to spot Whales
from land – (July to Dec). After lunch depart for
Cape Town via the beautiful coastal route between Hermanus
and Gordon's Bay, arriving late afternoon. Portswood Hotel.
DAY 12. Cape
Town City Tour, afternoon free
Cape Town, Tavern of the Seas, with the majestic Table Mountain
as a backdrop, is one of the most beautiful cities in the
world. An electric mix of architectural styles, cobble stone
streets and cultural diversity enhance the cosmopolitan
ambience. Some of the highlights we visit are Signal Hill,
Malay Quarters, Castle of Good Hope, Company Gardens and
Government Avenue, Houses of Parliament, S.A. Museum, and
a final drive to Milnerton for a full view of Table Mountain
with the city in its lap and return to your hotel.Portswood
Hotel.
DAY 13. Optional
Peninsula Tour or a free day in Cape Town
The Cape Peninsula forms part of the Cape Floral Kingdom,
and more indigenous plant species per square meter are found
here than anywhere else on earth. The coastline of the Peninsula
have more than a hundred beaches with dazzling white sands
to choose from, and this tour offers magnificent viewpoints
to some of them. On this round-trip of the Peninsula, we
visit the following highlights: Cape Point where the two
oceans meet, the fynbos rich Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve,
a boat trip to Seal Island (optional), a visit to Boulders
Beach where we can see penguins in their natural habitat,
Muizenberg with its magnificent 35 km stretch of beaches,
Simon's Town where the South African Navy is based, Groot
Constantia the oldest winemaking centre in South Africa,
and Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens with some four thousand
species of indigenous plants of which some two thousand
six hundred are endemic to the peninsula. We return to the
city late afternoon after an eventful day. Portswood Hotel.
DAY 14. Optional
Winelands Tour or a free day Dominated by Indigo Mountains,
the Cape wine routes are immensely popular throughout the
year. The wine lands provide wonderful opportunities for
wine lovers to sample some noble vintages and explore exquisitely
furnished Cape Dutch manor houses. Highlights of this tour
include Paarl with its rich history of wine making and the
role it played in the development of the Afrikaans language,
Nederburg Estate, KWV, Franschhoek Valley where French settlers
settled after fleeing persecution in France in the late
17th century, Boschendal
Wine Estate, and Pniel, a village where the local people
sometimes have great stories to tell. We spend the afternoon
in Stellenbosch with its many historic buildings and some
unique shopping opportunities. Portswood Hotel.
DAY 15. Cape
Town - Return
After breakfast you are collected for your transfer to the
local
airport to meet your onward flight.
Our
costs include: accommodation
as stipulated in the itinerary, Transport
in custom built Open Roof Safari Cruisers,
services of an english speaking tour driver/
guide, game viewing drives and parks entrance
fees as per itinerary all government taxes
and levies, mineral water during game drives
only, flying doctors society membership
for one month, free safari hat and t-shirt
Our
costs exclude: all items of personal
nature e.g. telephone call bills, fax/email
bills etc, tips and gratuities to hotel,
lodges, camp staff and driver/ guide, alcoholic
and non-alcoholic drinks , any local or
international flight and departure taxes,
laundry services, any other item not included
in our itinerary, holiday supplements over
easter, christmas & new year.
