In this highlight packed vacation, we take in the best of South Africa at a leisurely pace. The excitement starts from the moment you touch down in Johannesburg. After taking in some of the cultural highlights of “the city of gold”, we head for the African bush. We travel to the world renown Mala Mala and go in search of Africa’s Big 5 on safari. This private game reserve forms part of the greater Kruger National Park, where Africa’s wildest roam free. Experience Africa’s big game up close and personal. After our safari experience, we fly to Cape Town, which is affectionately known as the “Mother City”. Here you will be exposed to the rhythm, the soul and the origins of this beautiful cosmopolitan city at the southern tip of Africa. Enjoy sampling local cuisine and do try some of our award-winning wines. Take in the beauty of the Cape Peninsula and Garden Route as we head east from Cape Town. The Garden Route offers a kaleidoscope of stunning scenery with plenty to see and do along the way. One of your highlights will be a unique and interactive encounter with a live Cheetah. Our tour ends with a few days at the internationally acclaimed resort hotel and country club. This is a 5 star experience in every respect. It is designed as a no compromise experience that is designed to suit both disabled and able-bodied travelers.
Contact us for pricing
Low season: from the 1st of May to the end of August
High season: from the 6th of January to the end of April and from the 1st of September to the 19th of December
Peak season: from the 20th of December to the 5th of January
Tailor made holiday
You can extend your stay or combine it with another at this destination or a different one (on request).
Included in this tour
- 16 nights in 5 star luxury hotels - Full board basis
- All meals (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
- Snacks and drinks during the transfers
- All transfers
- Entrance to day tours & excursions as specified on the itinerary
- Mercedes Sprinter (with air condition) equipped with hydraulic lift
- Services of a qualified English-speaking safari guide
- internal flight (return) Johannesburg – Mala Mala
- internal flight (one way) from Johannesburg to Cape Town
- internal flight (one way) from George to Johannesburg
- Luggage handling at all hotels and at the airport upon arrival and departure
- Local taxes
Price excludes
- International flights outside Africa
- Transfers not specified in the itinerary
- Single supplement charges
- Drinks and Beverage
- Comprehensive insurance (luggage, personal liability abroad etc)
- Optional activities
- Laundry
- Gratuities & items of a personal nature
- Tipping and gratuities to Chauffeur & Local guides
- Passport & Visa fees
Detailed Itinerary:
Day 1: JOHANNESBURG
On arrival at Johannesburg International Airport, you will be met and transferred by a local English-speaking tour guide to your beautiful hotel, The Michelangelo, which is situated in the heart of Sandton overlooking Nelson Mandela Square.
Check in will be followed by lunch in the hotel restaurant.
After lunch, we depart on an afternoon tour to Soweto, Africa’s largest township. Here you will experience a taste of vibrant township life. Explore the historical, social and artistic aspects of Soweto life. This is your opportunity to gain a new perspective and personal insight into the soul of South Africa and what makes her tick. Highlights include a visit to the 1st home of Nelson and Winnie Mandela, the Hector Pieterson Memorial, Kliptown freedom square, Apartheid Museum and a shebeen.
Return to the hotel in the late afternoon.
Dinner and overnight at the Michelangelo Hotel – B/L/D
Day 2: JOHANNESBURG – MALA MALA
After breakfast, we check out and transfer to Johannesburg International Airport for our short flight ( 1hour 40mins) to Mala Mala Game Reserve, which is situated on the western edge of South Africa’s conservation showpiece and safari destination of choice, the Kruger National Park. Mala Mala is legendary as an exclusive safari destination. Internationally acknowledged as “the top game-viewing destination in the world”, it is set in beautiful surroundings on the banks of the Sand River.
This exclusive safari lodge prides itself on being one of the few safari destinations which is able to offer a fully equipped disabled suite – designed in accordance with the Disabled People’s Information Service of South Africa and is in line with international standards.
On arrival at the MalaMala airstrip, you will be introduced to your ranger and tracker team who will be your hosts, guides and educators during your stay. Your safari has begun. Look out for animals as you transfer to the lodge.
After check in, relax and enjoy some time at leisure.
Meet at 16h00 for hot and cold beverages and a light snack on the expansive safari deck before departing on an unforgettable safari.
A cooler box with the veritable sundowners, will be carried on the landrover and a consensus amongst your fellow safari-ites will determine whether the G & T is worth more than the leopard sighting! An African sunset is memorable and oft emotional sight.
As darkness approaches, your tracker will scan the bush with a powerful spotlight and will point out the elusive nocturnal wildlife - a highlight of the day’s safari. As darkness settles over the bush, look out for the Milky Way - a truly spectacular sight – or try to find the Southern Cross.
Return to camp at approximately 20h00, allowing time for you to freshen up before meeting your friends and rangers for pre-dinner drinks in the cosy Safari Bar.
Dinner is served at 21h00 in the reed enclosed “boma” under an ancient Jackalberry tree. Alternatively, when the weather is suitable, a candlelit dinner is served on the safari deck overlooking the Sand River. While seated around a log fire under the starry African sky, enjoy the superb food and excellent wines - yet another highlight of the MalaMala experience.
Overnight Mala Mala Game Lodge – Fully Inclusive Basis – B/L/D
Days 3 & 4: MALA MALA GAME RESERVE
The following 2 days will be spent at Mala Mala. The luxury and comfort of the camp, combined with the exhilarating safari activities in this beautiful and unspoiled wilderness, is incomparable. The experience of observing Africa’s game, both big and small, at close quarters, can be life changing. Only guests accommodated at one of Mala Mala’s camps are permitted to traverse this immense tract of privately owned game land.
There are no typical day’s at MalaMala – each is different based on the wild animals and their movements and no return time to camp is the same. Rangers will take full advantage of cheetah hunting or a leopard feeding in a tree and obviously the guests requirements are considered. A 05h30 wake up call by your ranger heralds the dawn. Meet your ranger and safari companions at 06h00 on the safari deck as the sun rises over the bushveld. Hot and cold beverages and a light snack are available.
The early morning game drive follows.
At approximately 09h30, you will return to camp where a hearty breakfast awaits you.
For the more energetic, join the bush walk after breakfast.
Alternatively relax around the pool, browse through the safari boutique, work out in the small gym or perhaps take a siesta to make up for that early morning wake-up call. Feel free to explore the camp but please do not walk beyond the camp perimeters unless accompanied by a ranger.
A buffet lunch is served from 13h30 though some prefer to sleep through after their later breakfast
Overnight Mala Mala Game Lodge – Fully Inclusive Basis – B/L/D
Day 5: JOHANNESBURG – CAPE TOWN
Today we depart Mala Mala and fly to Cape Town via Johannesburg. On arrival in Cape Town, South Africa’s most popular city, your guide will meet and transfer you to the exquisite Table Bay Hotel, situated within the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront complex.
After check-in, relax and enjoy some leisure time before dinner, which will be served in the hotel this evening.
Overnight in the 5 star Cape Grace Hotel in Waterfront - Full board basis
Day 6: CAPE TOWN @ LEISURE
Today, enjoy a full day at your leisure, taking in the various sights and sounds of South Africa’s popular “Mother City”. Your guide & vehicle will be at your disposal for the entire day. Lunch and dinner will be arranged.
Overnight in the 5 star Cape Grace Hotel in Waterfront- Full board basis
Day 7: CAPE TOWN – KIRSTENBOSCH AND TABLE MOUNTAIN
After breakfast we will depart the hotel for a morning excursion to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. These beautiful gardens cover an area of 528 hectares with 36 hectares of this being cultivated garden. The gardens are a celebration of South African flora - showcasing only indigenous South African plants. Fynbos, proteas, cycads and rolling lawns are intermingled with streams and ponds and well-laid out pathways for easy access.
Enjoy lunch in the gardens.
After lunch we will make our way to Cape Town’s most famous landmark - Table Mountain. A visit to Cape Town would not be complete without a cable car ride to the top of this massif (weather permitting). The top of Table Mountain offers spectacular views in all directions and gives a bird’s eye view of the city. The upper cable car station is situated at 1067 metres and the revolving cable car makes sure that your trip up and down gives you a good look in all directions. After our visit to Table Mountain, we will transfer to the Mount Nelson Hotel for High Tea, followed by a return transfer to your hotel. During the evening we will drive through the colourful Malay Quarter, followed by dinner at one of the many trendy restaurants in the area.
Return to the hotel in the late evening
Overnight in the 5 star Cape Grace Hotel in Waterfront- Full board basis
Day 8: CAPE TOWN @ LEISURE
Enjoy another leisure day in Cape Town. Again, your guide, vehicle and scooter will be at your disposal for the entire day (24hrs notice is required for services on this day). All your meals will be included.
Overnight in the 5 star Cape Grace Hotel in Waterfront- Full board basis
Day 9: CAPE TOWN – CAPE OF GOOD HOPE
Today will be a full day’s excursion where we take in one of South Africa’s most spectacular scenic drives. We travel the Cape Peninsula stopping in Hout Bay to enjoy a short boat cruise to Seal Island to see a large colony of Cape Fur seals up close.
At the tip of the Cape Peninsula you will find Cape Point situated within the Cape Peninsula National Park. Tansfer to the Lighthouse lookout by funicular or on foot for spectacular views over the Atlantic Ocean. Also included in today’s outing will be a visit to Boulders Beach to view our resident African Penguin colony. A seafood lunch will be served en route at a local restaurant. Return to the hotel via the False bay coastline. Dinner this evening will be in the vibrant V&A Waterfront.
Overnight in the 5 star Cape Grace Hotel in Waterfront- Full board basis
Day 10: CAPE TOWN @ LEISURE
Day at leisure to enjoy the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of Cape Town, with vehicle and guide at your disposal for the day.
Overnight in the 5 star Cape Grace Hotel in Waterfront- Full board basis
Day 11: CAPE TOWN – WEST COAST MEANDER
Today after breakfast we make our way along the West Coast of South Africa in a Northerly direction. Our first point of interest is the West Coast National Park which takes us off the beaten track into the arid yet beautiful strandveld. Just inland from the secluded harbour of Saldanha Bay one finds the azure waters of the Langebaan Lagoon, focal point of the West Coast National Park. Thousands of seabirds roost on sheltered islands, pristine golden beaches stretch endlessly into the early morning mist and brooding salt marshes are home to vast concentrations of migrant waders from the northern hemisphere. During the spring the strandveld is embroidered with a tapestry of multi-hued flowers, while in the Postberg section many antelope are to be seen in a setting that is as unique as it is idyllic (open September and October). Lunch will be served inside the Park in a very characteristic local restaurant. On your way back to Cape Town we stop for wine tasting at Groote Post Wine Farm. Groote Post is a historic 18th century farm, where age old winemaking traditions have been revived by the Pentz family. Unique aspects and cool climatic conditions of the Darling Hills yield superlative fruit. Wines are produced to reflect the uniqueness of their vineyards. Return to Cape Town in the late afternoon. Dinner in the hotel or one of the many stylish city restaurants this evening.
Overnight in the 5 star Cape Grace Hotel in Waterfront- Full board basis
Day 12: CAPE TOWN TO THE WINELANDS
Today we check out and then venture into the Cape’s breathtaking winelands. We visit the valleys of Franschhoek and Stellenbosch to experience the beauty of this historical area which was cultivated by the Dutch in the late 1600’s. Sample some of the fine wines our country has to offer. Lunch will be served in a stunning local setting. During the afternoon we pay a visit to a couple of local museums if time and interest permit. We arrive at the 300 year old Lanzerac Manor & Winery, located on a private working wine estate in the world-famous Jonkers-hoek Valley.
Dinner and overnight at Lanzerac Estate Manor & Winery – B/L/D.
Day 13: GARDEN ROUTE - HERMANUS
After breakfast we check out and head for the Riviera of the Cape, the coastal village of Hermanus. This town is a popular local weekend getaway as it is located a short distance from Cape Town. The Walker bay region is pitted as the world greatest land based whale watching area. Between the months of July and November, Southern Right whales follow the sea currents from the South Pole and find their way into these sheltered waters to mate and spawn. This creates an awe inspiring spectacle as these massive creatures cavort in close proximity to the sea cliffs on which the town is located.
Enjoy some leisure time sight-seeing and shopping in one of our most popular seaside holiday
villages. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant in town.
Check in at the stunning Marine Hotel overlooking the entire Walker Bay.
Overnight at the Marine Hotel, Hermanus – B/L/D
Day 14: GARDEN ROUTE: HERMANUS – GEORGE
Today, we depart Hermanus for the start of our journey along the scenically beautiful Garden Route.
Travelling via Mossel Bay, our destination is the quaint town of George, and the well-known Fancourt Golf & Country Estate - one of South Africa’s finest golf resorts and on a par with the world’s finest. At the estate, there is plenty to see and do. Not to be missed is their wonderful health and beauty spa where you can relax and be pampered in truly beautiful and superbly appointed surroundings. Enjoy an unrivalled range of therapies, treatments and leisure activities at Fancourt. All meals are included at any one of the five fabulous restaurants on the estate. Each offers excellent cuisine in a different theme and setting on the Estate.
Overnight at Fancourt Golf & Country Estate – B/L/D.
Day 15: GEORGE - OUDTSHOORN
After a leisurely breakfast, we are in for a real treat. We travel through the Outeniqua Mountains to the little Karoo town of Oudtshoorn, the ostrich capital of the world. We will spend the full day out and about, visiting a local ostrich farm and we also enjoy a tour to the Cango Cheetah & Wildlife Ranch. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant en route. Return to Fancourt in the late afternoon.
Overnight at Fancourt Golf & Country Estate – B/L/D.
Day 16: GEORGE – KNYSNA
Today we travel into the heart of the Garden Route. We spend time in the Tsitsikamma National Park. Spectacular scenery includes the Indian Ocean breakers, pounding rocky shores beneath 180 m high cliffs. Ever-green forests and fynbos (proteas and heath) roll down to the sea in a lush carpet where ancient rivers have carved their path to the ocean through rocky ravines.
We also spend quality time in Knysna, the town of wood – voted one of South Africa’s favourite towns.
Lunch will be served at the Knysna Waterfront, followed by leisure time/ shopping. Knysna Lagoon is popular for sailing, canoeing, water-ski-ing, windsurfing and fishing. Great restaurants and shopping can be found at Knysna’s Waterfront. Knysna is also noted for its superb oysters! In the afternoon enjoy a sundowner cruise on the Knysna Lagoon on board the ‘John Benn’.
Return to Fancourt in the late afternoon.
Overnight at Fancourt Golf & Country Estate – B/L/D.
Day 17:
Transfer to George Airport in time to connect with your flight to Johannesburg.
