Magic South Africa

 5/5

Embark on a thrilling journey in the wild beauty and rich culture of South Africa! Discover the highlights and hidden gems of the Rainbow Nation, from astonishing range of wildlife and award-winning wine estates to magnificent mountain and coastal landscapes.

Itinerary

Day 1: Johannesburg

Sawubona and welcome to South Africa! Upon arrival in Johannesburg, you will be welcomed at the airport and transferred to your hotel for check-in. On route, you will get a first-hand feel of South Africa’s biggest city, also known as “the city of gold”! After some time to freshen up, enjoy the rest of the day exploring this wonderful city on an optional tour customised to your needs, or alternatively, spend the rest of the day at leisure and at your own pace.

Overnight: Johannesburg

Day 2: Johannesburg – Kruger Area

After breakfast, we depart Johannesburg and head to the Kruger area via the spectacular Panorama Route. This scenic area is one of the most beautiful parts of South Africa, offering magnificent viewpoints including the Blyde River Canyon, Three Rondavels, Bourke’s Luck Potholes, God’s Window and numerous waterfalls tumbling down the mountains. We stop for lunch in Graskop, arriving at our accommodation in the late afternoon.

Overnight: Kruger area

Day 3: Kruger National Park

Rise and shine for a full day safari through the Kruger National Park, one of the world’s most renowned game reserves. Enjoy the thrill of spotting a variety of wildlife species, including the “Big Five”, referring to elephant, lion, rhino, buffalo and leopard. Our entire day will be spent game viewing, bird watching and stopping off at the various waterholes en route. We enjoy lunch at one of the park’s rest camps, before continuing on the exciting adventure. We depart the park in the late afternoon and return to our accommodation where you will have some time to refresh and enjoy some leisure time before a delicious dinner. Possibility to join a cultural village experience for an African dinner, traditional storytelling and dancing.

Overnight: Kruger area

Day 4: Kruger area – eSwatini

After breakfast, we travel in a southerly direction towards the eSwatini border at Jeppe’s Reef. Before entering the country, we stop at Matsamo Swazi Cultural Village, providing the perfect introduction to the Swazi people and culture. Our tour continues via the country’s capital Mbabane to our overnight accommodation set in the magnificent Ezulwini Valley.
Overnight: eSwatini

Day 5: eSwatini – Zululand

After breakfast we will make our way to the rolling hills of the Zululand, home to the proud Zulu nation once led by the legendary King Shaka. Possibility to enjoy an afternoon safari in the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve, the oldest game reserve in Africa and well-known for its conservation efforts of black and white rhino.

Overnight: Hluhluwe-Umfolozi area

Day 6: Zululand – Durban

Enjoy breakfast before setting out to explore the St Lucia Estuary on a boat cruise (weather permitting). Frolicking hippo, lazy Nile crocodiles and majestic fish eagles are some of the highlights of the adventure. Our journey continues to Umhlanga, a seaside town near Durban. We arrive early afternoon and the remainder of the day is spent at leisure to enjoy the golden beaches of the Indian Ocean.

Overnight in Umhlanga (Durban)

Day 7: Durban – Knysna

After breakfast, transfer to Durban airport for the short flight to Port Elizabeth, affectionally known as the “friendly city”. Upon arrival, we head west to the seaside town of Knysna, via Storms River and the Tsitsikamma forest. You will see and feel the changing landscape as we travel through the area, featuring many viewpoints and scenic stops along the way. Storms River is worth a stop to take a short walk to the suspension bridge and surrounds while enjoying the vistas of the turquoise ocean. You can enjoy lunch in the heart of the Tsitsikamma forest, before continuing on to the picturesque town of Knysna. If you are looking for an adrenaline rush, the Garden Route is home to the highest single span arch bridge in the world, offering the highest commercially operated Bungy Jump on the planet. En route to our destination, possibility to stop at Bloukrans Bridge where you can bungy jump or simply enjoy spectacular views from Africa’s highest bridge.

Day 8: Knysna / Plettenberg Bay

After breakfast, we will enjoy a lagoon cruise to the Featherbed Nature Reserve (weather permitting), where we can take a trailer ride to the top of the western head to enjoy panoramic views of the town and lagoon. Alternatively, we can make our way to Plettenberg Bay, well-known for its breath-taking beaches, water sport activities, nature reserves, and hiking trails. Possibility to embark on a marine excursion for whale watching and a close encounter with other marine mammals (weather and season permitting). For those not wanting the whale-watching experience, stretch your legs on the magnificent Robberg Nature Reserve, a World Heritage Site where the diverse fauna, flora and spectacular views will leave you breathless. The afternoon is at leisure to further explore this charming area.

Overnight: Knysna

Day 9: Knysna – Oudtshoorn via Wilderness

Leave Knysna and travel through the Outeniqua Pass, connecting the coastal town of George with Oudtshoorn. Also known as the “ostrich capital of the world”, the quiet town of Oudtshoorn is the largest town in the Klein Karoo and set against the backdrop of the Swartberg and Outeniqua Mountains. We will visit an Ostrich Farm for a fun filled interactive encounter with the world’s largest bird, before taking a tour of the spectacular underground wonder of the Klein Karoo – The Cango Caves. We arrive at our hotel in the late afternoon to check in and relax before dinner.

Overnight: Oudtshoorn

Day 10: Oudtshoorn – Cape Winelands via Route 62

After breakfast we continue our journey the Cape Winelands along the fascinating Route 62, reputed to be the longest wine route in the world, travelling via Montagu, a picturesque and historic spa town. We arrive at our hotel in the late afternoon.

Overnight: Cape Winelands area

Day 11: Cape Winelands Tour

After breakfast, get ready to embark on a full day gourmet tour around the magnificent Winelands of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek. World renowned for its spectacular beauty, superb wines and world class restaurants, this region dedicated to viticulture is a definite must-visit destination on any trip to South Africa. ⁠ Gourmet food, award-winning wines and splendid landscapes are on the menu!

Overnight: Cape Town

Day 12: Table Mountain & Cape Town City Tour

Explore South Africa’s “Mother City”, a fusion of rich history, modern culture and stunning landscapes set against the backdrop of the iconic Table Mountain. Discover the city highlights, including the Malay Quarter (Bo-kaap), V&A Waterfront, before soaking up the panoramic views from the top of Table Mountain (weather permitting). Spend the afternoon at leisure to further explore this cosmopolitan city or to relax and enjoy the hotel facilities.

Day 13: Cape Peninsula

Embark on a scenic tour along the Cape Peninsula, offering some of the most breath-taking coastal scenery on the planet. We will travel along the Atlantic Seaboard from Sea Point, Clifton and Camps Bay, before continuing to Hout Bay with its fishing harbour, magnificent mountain views and beach. Our journey will continue through Chapman’s Peak, one of the world’s most spectacular marine drives, to Cape Point and the Good Hope Nature Reserve, boasting magnificent fynbos vegetation, birdlife, historic lighthouses and shipwrecks, as well as a few large mammals such as antelope, zebra and baboons. After lunch at a nearby restaurant, our return trip will take us to the other side of the peninsula along False Bay. We will travel through historic Simon’s Town, a charming naval village home to a large penguin colony at the beautiful Boulders Beach where we will get a chance to view the magnificent penguins in their natural habitat. The day will end with a visit to the renowned Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens before returning to your hotel.

Overnight in Cape Town.

Day 14: End of the tour

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and spend the last day of the tour at leisure before departing the city to the airport.