South African Adventure

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19 days from only £1985 per person

19 days from only £1985

What’s more, with no jet-lag the holiday begins as soon as you land. Our leisurely 19 day tour covers all the major attractions of South Africa and more... With the majority of sightseeing tours and excursions included in your holiday price - along with all your breakfasts and three dinners - this tour really does provide exceptional value for money. Our local expert guides will accompany you throughout the tour, ensuring you have the best possible South African Adventure.

Cape Town, The Garden Route, Durban, Swaziland, Kruger National Park, Panorama Route, Johannesburg

Tour itinerary

B - Breakfast

L - Lunch

D - Dinner

Day 1 Depart UK Our overnight flight to Cape Town with South African Airways leaves London Heathrow in the evening. Enjoy the onboard complimentary dinner and drinks as our South African Adventure gets under way. D

Day 2  Arrive Cape Town

After collecting luggage, we’ll meet our local our guide and transfer to the City Lodge, located on the Victoria and Albert Waterfront, where we spend four nights.  B

Day 3  Cape Town

South Africa’s ‘Mother City’ occupies one of the world’s most spectacular settings, nestled between the vast Atlantic Ocean and imposing Table Mountain. During our sightseeing tour this morning we enjoy breathtaking 360o views of the city bowl and its rugged mountain surroundings from the top of the iconic Table Mountain (weather permitting). We also trace the interesting history of Cape Town, from the arrival of the first Dutch Governor in 1652 to the present day, as the tour visits District Six Museum and the colourful Malay Quarter.

The rest of the day is at leisure to explore this beautiful city. Why not take a short walk from the hotel to the bustling Victoria and Alfred Waterfront area? It’s a perfect place to while away a few hours watching street theatre, admiring the Victorian harbour buildings or picking up some traditional African souvenirs.  B Day 4  Cape Town

Today we have included a full day excursion. Our Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope tour begins with a drive through Sea Point and the pretty town of Camps Bay. We enjoy spectacular coastal scenery as we travel along Chapmans Peak Drive (subject to weather conditions) and enter the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. We continue to Cape Point where a short walk brings us to the old lighthouse and unforgettable vistas of dramatic sea cliffs and the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. We return to Cape Town after a visit to the penguin colony at Boulders and a leisurely stroll through the perfectly landscaped Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.  B

Day 5  Cape Town

Our day is left free for you to enjoy one of the many activities and excursions within easy reach of Cape Town. A popular option is a tour to South Africa’s principal wine growing area, centred around nearby Stellenbosch, Franschoek and Paarl. South Africa produces some excellent, world class wines, which are available to sample during the day. However, it’s the stunning scenery and the beautiful architecture in the pretty wineland towns which make this trip so appealing - even to those with a minimal interest in wine. Alternatively, why not take this opportunity to visit Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent more than a quarter of his life with other political prisoners of the apartheid era? The island is open to visitors and remains a deeply moving experience.  B

Day 6  Cape Town - Oudtshoorn

We leave Cape Town in our wake as we head up into the Mountains and cross Sir Lowry’s Pass. Our journey continues cross the Western Cape to the pretty historic town of Swellendam, which was founded by the Dutch East India Company in 1745 and retains many of its Cape Dutch buildings. Our final stop is udtshoorn, a peaceful town with wide streets and lovely pastel-coloured Victorian houses. We stay overnight at Queen’s Hotel.  B

Day 7  Oudtshoorn - Knysna Departing Oudtshoorn, we travel through the Little Karoo region and stop for an included tour of the Cango Caves, which are widely regarded as one of South Africa’s foremost natural wonders. These fascinating calcite caves make up an underground wonderland of stalactites and stalagmites. We cross the Outeniqua Mountains and begin our journey along The Garden Route - a magical coastline of white beaches, lagoons, sand dunes and forests, nestled between the impressive Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma mountain ranges and the Indian Ocean. The next two nights are spent at the Knysna Quays Hotel, located on the edge of Knysna lagoon and adjacent to many waterside shops and restaurants.  B

Day 8  Knysna

A day at leisure to explore Knysna and the surrounding area. Knysna is famous for its beautiful lagoon and a cruise to the protected nature reserve to view some of the region’s fantastic birdlife is a highly recommended optional excursion. Alternatively, Knysna’s craft shops provide a great opportunity to pick up a piece of art or craft made by the local artistic community.  B

Day 9  Knysna - Durban We enjoy the final stretch of the Garden Route on our way to Port Elizabeth, where we catch our flight to Durban - a bustling port with a distinctly Asian feel. After collecting luggage, we’ll meet our local guide and transfer to the Southern Sun North Beach Hotel, where we spend the following three nights.  B

Day 10  Durban

A drive along the ‘Golden Mile’ provides a good starting point for this morning’s optional orientation tour of Durban. The tour visits Victoria Embankment and the historic sugar trading harbour, the city’s long beaches and its upmarket yacht clubs. Heading into the central area of Durban, the tour explores the residential areas of Berea and Morningside and the colourful and bustling Indian Market. Alternatively, a day relaxing on one of the city’s beautiful beaches might prove to be the most popular option for this free day.  B

Day 11  Durban

Today there is the possibility to take advantage of one of the excellent optional excursions available from Durban. History lovers and film buffs will relish the full day excursion to Rorke’s Drift and Isandlwana, two of the most famous battlefields of the Anglo-Zulu war. Others may wish to take a day trip to Lesotho. This enjoyable day takes in Durban’s surrounding countryside and its farmland crafts, before visiting a traditional hillside Sotho village.  B

Day 12  Durban - Swaziland We drive northwards through the sugar cane fields of KwaZulu-Natal en route to Damazulu, where we learn about one of the country’s best known cultures, and experience the tribal rhythms of this traditional Zulu village. We continue to the mountain kingdom of Swaziland, home to one of Africa’s last remaining monarchs and famous for its stunning mountain panoramas. Tonight is spent at the Lugogo Sun, located in the foothills of the Ezulwini Valley.  B

Day 13  Swaziland - Hazyview (Kruger)

Leaving Swaziland in our wake, we enter the Lowveld plains of Mpumalanga and travel to our next destination, the Hippo Hollow Country Estate in Hazyview, on the outskirts of Kruger National Park. Dinner is included on each of our three nights in Hazyview. B D

Day 14  Hazyview (Kruger) Today, we enjoy the thrilling experience of coming close to animals in their natural habitat. The internationally renowned Kruger National Park (an area roughly the size of Wales) is one of the best safari destinations in the world. Our included game drive through the sweeping savannahs of the Kruger Park will, for many, be a highlight of the tour.  B D

Day 15  Hazyview (Kruger) A further opportunity to encounter the unparalleled collection of animals roaming free in the Kruger Park is provided this morning with an included  game drive. Alternatively you may prefer to improve your chances of capturing that perfect wildlife photo with an optional open landrover tour of the park. This evening, we bid farewell to Africa’s bushland in the best way possible, with a traditional African dinner. B D

Day 16  Hazyview (Kruger) - Johannesburg

On leaving Hazyview, we journey along the Panorama Route to view the spectacular landscapes of South Africa’s Lowveld. The scenic drive takes us to one of the country’s most impressive natural features, the Blyde River Canyon. This vast 30 kilometre gorge is dominated by a triplet of cylindrical peaks called the Three Rondavels. We also visit God’s Window, a spectacular viewpoint where a sheer wall of rock drops to leave magnificent views across the plains and (on a clear day) to Mozambique. We continue west, climbing to reach Gauteng’s Highveld and arrive late in the afternoon at our hotel in Sandton, a smart suburb on the outskirts of Johannesburg.  B

Day 17  Johannesburg

During today’s sightseeing tour, we explore Johannesburg and the region’s largest and liveliest township, Soweto. The first stop is Johannesburg, where we observe the contrasts between the older areas of the city and the numerous regeneration projects which are forming the new face of South Africa. We visit the Apartheid Museum, which is a fascinating and deeply moving exhibition, chronicling apartheid through 20th century South Africa. Before returning to our hotel, a friendly welcome awaits us in Soweto. Home to 3.5 million people, Soweto is the perfect place to experience the unique ‘township vibe’. Our afternoon is at leisure.  B

Day 18  Depart Johannesburg

A day at leisure, before transferring to the airport for our evening flight to London Heathrow. For passengers on tours including Victoria Falls, the flight to Livingstone departs in the morning. See ‘Victoria Falls Add-on’ for further details. The remainder of the party will leave the hotel late in the afternoon for our South African Airways flight to London Heathrow.  B D

Day 19  Arrive UK

Breakfast is served shortly before our morning arrival into London Heathrow.  B

About your holiday

Included in the price

Scheduled flights

From London Heathrow with South African Airways

Additional flights

As detailed in the itinerary

Transfers

Between overseas airports and hotels

Accommodation

In twin or double rooms with private en-suite facilities Single occupancy supplement from £445

Full breakfast

In every hotel, every day

Other meals

Three dinners (days 13,14 &15)

Tour coach

Modern air-conditioned coach

Local guides

Experienced English speaking local Tour Managers

Luggage service

For one piece of luggage per person

All local and state taxes

Airport taxes  

Including fuel surcharges and air passenger duty of £40 per person

Included Excursions

City sightseeing tours

Cape Town

Johannesburg

Table Mountain

Cable car ticket included (weather permitting)

Full day Cape Point tour

Including the Cape of Good Hope and the Botanical Gardens

Cango Caves

Entrance fee included

Game drive

In Kruger National Park, including park entrance fee

‘Panorama Route’

God’s Window and Blyde River Canyon

Not included in the price

Telephone, laundry, items of a personal nature and meals not indicated. Gratuities for the drivers / local guides / Tour Managers. Personal departure taxes as specified. The tour price is based on current airfares at September 2007 and exchange rates of £1 = Singapore $3.01, New Zealand $2.89, Australia $2.42, South African Rand 14.55, US $2.02

Extend your holiday

Extended holidays should be requested with your travel advisor at the time of booking. Holiday extensions can be at either the start or end of your holiday (except South Africa, where you must travel out with the group), subject to flight schedules. Unless otherwise stated overseas transfers are not included on extended stays and you must therefore make your own arrangements. We will be happy to help you with making these arrangements. Extended stays will incur an administration charge of £25 per person. Please remember - your travel insurance must cover the whole duration of your holiday.