Southern African Highlights

Arrive in Cape Town & Explore Table Mountain Arrive at Cape Town International and transfer to your accommodation. Cape Town offers a diversity of cultures, cuisines, activities and landscapes. With the picturesque backdrop of of Table Mountain, the coastal city of Cape Town lies at the southern tip of South Africa. Also the gateway for most trips to South Africa, Cape Town, known as the Mother City, lives up to her name by being the mother of all holiday destinations. From history and culture to adventure and scenery all found within the city, you are sure to experience multiple breathtaking adventures here in the Motherland. The afternoon is at leisure to explore the city, head up Table Mountain or relax and take in your new settings.

Start the morning with a pick up from a local guide for an elegant but relaxed tour through the Cape Winelands. The Wine Route tour is mellow and involves no exercise – other than lifting your wine glass. You can visit any one of the three regions of the Cape Winelands, either Stellenbosch, Franschhoek or Paarl. The day will be spent eating mouthwatering foods and treats and drinking some of the best bubbles and wines South Africa has to offer. The wine farms offer a variety of white and red cultivars, as well as their own blends and styles. We allow enough time for each tasting to fully appreciate and enjoy the wine master’s art. The Cape Winelands is a haven of gracious, white-gabled farmsteads evoking a rich, elegant heritage.

The ultimate drive! Depart Cape Town early morning, past the Cape Town University through to Constantia before heading for Ou Kaapse weg to Noordhoek. Stop for coffee and some photo opportunities. Head to the Cape Point Nature Reserve where you will visit the Cape of Good Hope and the lighthouse. Afterwards, head to Simons Town and have fun at the Penguin Colony before lunch at a local seafood restaurant in this charming fishing town. Head over the Chapman’s Peak Drive along the scenic roads of the Atlantic Seaboard. Pass blue-flag beaches such as Llandudno and Camps Bay with a stop at the iconic Maidens Cove before ending the day.

Explore the city of Cape Town. Meet your local guide in the city center for an Historic Walking Tour through the streets of this unique city. The tour showcases the heroes and villains of colonialism, drama and harmony and a great deal of personal insight in living and being a real Capetonian. Get introduced to the different eras of Cape Town and South Africa’s history along with the people who shaped it. Visit sites like the Company’s Garden, Parliament, Green Market Square, The Castle of Good Hope and The Slave Lodge to name a few. Head to Table Mountain. Take the cable car up and explore the top of this glorious natural wonder. Descend back down over magnificent views of Cape Town and the ocean.

A driver will take you to Cape Town Airport for your domestic flight to Johannesburg. Another driver will collect you from arrivals and take you to your accommodation in Johannesburg. Emerse yourself in this cultural experience by spending the night in the famous Soweto township that Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu once called home. Afternoon Activity Suggestions: Visit The Maboneng Precinct and go on a walking tour through this vibrant city. Visit art galleries and historical museums where you will learn about the development of this up and coming trendy town. If you want a bird’s-eye view of Johannesburg, the 50-storey Carlton Centre is the place to go. Visitors to the center can enjoy a panoramic view of the City of Gold from the Top of Africa, as the topmost floor of the building is known: 360 degrees of dense cityscape and outwards towards the countryside and beyond. Another options is to visit the Johannesburg Botanical Gardens. The gardens grew out of a large rose garden that was established in 1964 and subsequently expanded from 1969 to cover an area of around 125 hectares.

After breakfast at 08:00 meet your local guide for a private full day tour to Soweto and a visit to the Apartheid museum. Soweto Township Travel to Soweto - a sprawling cluster of townships on the south-western flank of Johannesburg which gets its name from the English syllabic abbreviation of South Western Township. The township emerged when over 100 000 people of all races and nationalities flocked to the area in search of riches after the discovery of gold in the area. The government at the time, sought to maintain the developing cities for whites while the remainder of the races were forced to develop their own urban settlements. Today, Soweto is one of the largest urban settlements in South Africa. The township is also home to the largest hospital on the continent (and the third largest in the world), Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital. From the footbridge of the hospital, enjoy a panoramic view over Soweto. Hector Pieterson Memorial Visit the Hector Pieterson Memorial in Orlando West, built in memory of the people who died during the Soweto Youth Uprising on the 16th of June 1976. The museum was the first of its kind in Soweto having been opened in the 16th of June 2002 and named in memory of Hector Pieterson, a young boy who was shot by the Apartheid Police during the political uprising of the youth in Soweto against Bantu education systems. The museum covers the events leading up to and during the Soweto Uprising. Mandela House Museum Stop at Mandela House Museum, Nelson Mandela's former humble house in Orlando West. The museum contains an assortment of memorabilia, paintings and photographs of the Mandela family and honorary doctorates bestowed on Nelson Mandela. You can also have a glimpse of the mansion belonging to Winnie Madikizela-Mandela in an affluent part of Orlando West. Archbishop Desmond Tutus house and the Sisulu residences are in the same neighbourhood. After a stop for lunch (to own account) you shall proceed to the Apartheid Museum.

After breakfast, you will head to the safari tour meet up point and depart Johannesburg and travel to Kruger National Park. Kruger National Park is South Africa's most exciting African safari destination. Steeped in legend and history, the iconic park is waiting for you to explore its vast landscapes and spectacular African wildlife. In 1926, Kruger National Park became South Africa’s first national park, when Sabi Game Reserve was combined with the adjacent Shingedzi Game Reserve and neighboring farms. Upon your arrival at your lodge/accommodation, you will have time to freshen up and relax, unwind at the bar, have a swim or explore the reserve near your lodge. After you have settled in, you can prepare for an exciting three-hour "Big 5 Sunset Game Drive" on an open land cruiser. While this is a thrilling experience, you can expect full comfort and a great vantage point on the safari vehicle. This game drive will take your breath away as your guide shows you various animals and birds set against the majestic African sunset. When darkness falls, spotlights are used to locate nocturnal species. Your dinner will be an unforgettable Bush Braai, the perfect way to end off the afternoon. Your game driver will continue the night drive after dinner before returning you to your lodge or accommodation. Big 5 Night Drive and Bush Binner Board an open land cruiser for a 3h sunset drive and the opportunity to experience the varied fauna and flora of Africa. Enjoy watching the magnificent African sunset and, after dark, use spotlights to locate nocturnal animals. A traditional South African dinner is served in the Boma.

Balule Game Reserve forms part of the Greater Kruger Park, an open conserved area of approximately 7,000,000 acres or 23,000 km², along the Olifants River. The reserve is only an hour's drive from two of the main gates to the Kruger National Park. It is in the mixed woodland eco-zone, one of several eco-zones in the lowveld, and the one with the greatest variety of fauna and flora. The landscape is rolling with seasonal rivers draining the area. The region is of granitic origin, with quartz and dolerite intrusions and outcrops. Balule Game Reserve shares open borders with Kruger Park and is, therefore, part of a huge ecosystem and home to all major safari animals – including the Big Five. The Olifants River attracts an abundance of wildlife, including elephants, buffalo, waterbuck, and giraffe. Lion is often nearby. The reserve has an impressive hippo population which can be found wallowing in the river during the day. Civets and honey badgers are just two of the rarer creatures sometimes encountered. Balule offers great overall birding with more than 250 species recorded. The perennial Olifants River, which runs through the centre of the park, attracts many waders and other water-associated birds. The area is also excellent for raptors (eagles, in particular). You will drive to a remote spot along the Olifants River for a Big 5 Bush Walk at sunrise and experience the thrill of following big animals accompanied by a ranger leading you through the bush at a pace you can handle. Adrenalin surges will come to their expense, even if your ranger is adequately armed.

After breakfast, you will have the chance to spend a full day exploring the park. Boarding the open game drive vehicle you drive the short distance to the Kruger National Park, and spend the day exploring. A qualified guide will lead you through the reserve and point out many giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, and impala. These animals also attract many lions and predators. The open-sided game-viewer allows excellent viewing and photographic opportunities. An amazing 517 species of birds can be found. You will also have the chance to explore some of the 300 archaeological sites in Kruger which date back to the Stone Age and have cultural artifacts from 100,000 to 30,000 years ago. There is also San art in different parts of the reserve and other evidence from the San and people in the Iron Age can be found throughout the park. Dinner will be served at your accommodation.

Before checking out of your accommodation, you can get an early start and take a sunrise walk before breakfast. You will then begin the journey back to Johannesburg. Along the way, we recommend heading to Blyde River Canyon, one of the largest canyons on Earth with lush subtropical plant life. Holding some of the deepest precipitous cliffs, Blyde River Canyon is a great wonder of nature. The canyon also offers breathtaking views of Three Rondavels: huge, round rocks that form part of the Panorama Route. You should arrive in Johannesburg at around 5 pm where you will be dropped off at your lodge for the night.

Transfer to the airport in time to fly to Victoria Falls (flight not included). On arrival you'll be met at the airport by the transfer company who will take you to your lodging in Victoria Falls town. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure to explore your new surroundings and settle in. Sunset Dinner Zambezi river cruise This is really a great way to experience the magnificent Zambezi River. Lush riverine vegetation, prolific birdlife and abundant game. You will definitely see hippos, crocs and many species of birdlife, but there is also the chance of spotting lots of other game including Elephant which, in some seasons, cross the river to feed on the islands. As you experience a unforgettable sunset over the river you will be served with snacks and drinks all included in the price. Once the sun has gone and the magic charm of the evening settles over the river the lanterns are lit and a wonderful three course dinner will be served. The unforgettable noise of the hippos in the back ground makes for an unusual backdrop to this truly African experience.