Classic South African Adventure

Fly overnight to Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest and most vibrant city.

You’ll arrive in Johannesburg, ready to kick off your African adventure and meet your tour manager. A transfer will then drive you to the Lesedi Cultural Village set within the bushveld, backed by rocky hills and within the Cradle of Humankind, a World Heritage Site. Take some time to unwind in your traditionally decorated homestead accommodation, kitted out with modern essentials for a comfortable and enlightening stay.

This evening, after a gastronomic feast of African dishes under the star-speckled sky, you’ll receive the warmest welcome by your Lesedi hosts, Zulu, Xhosa, Pedi, Basotho, and Ndebele tribespeople. You’ll be introduced to their cultures, enjoy a tour around their homes and watch a performance of traditional music and dancing.

Start the day with a trip north of Johannesburg to the UNESCO-listed Cradle of Humankind where you'll discover the oldest surviving records of life on Earth with fossils dating back over three million years. Explore the craggy caves around this 47,000-hectare world heritage site and witness mankind's journey through the ages, from the earliest hominids to modern man. 

You’ll then return to Johannesburg and pay a visit to the city's moving Apartheid Museum. Exhibits featuring photographs, film footage, text panels and artefacts will provide further insight into the historical background of today’s democratic South Africa.

Following this educational day, you’ll return to Lesedi for your second evening and another delicious dinner in the village.

Rise this morning with breakfast served at the lodge before heading out to KwaZulu Natal. You'll have the chance to stretch your legs and find a bite to eat (payable locally) around lunchtime ahead of the second leg of the journey to your next lodge for a two-night stay. 

After checking in and getting settled, you'll have the rest of the evening at leisure to find dinner, perhaps at the lodge's onsite restaurant.

Today, venture out to the nearby battlefields of KwaZulu Natal for a fascinating full-day exploration of its historic heritage sites.

Here, you’ll be met by a specialist battlefield guide who’ll introduce you to the tumultuous history of the Zulu Wars, the battlefields of Isandlwana and, most famously, Rorke’s Drift, which was immortalised in the 1964 movie, Zulu. After a busy morning's tour, enjoy a packed lunch with your fellow travellers.

Later in the day, you’ll return to the lodge to relax and have dinner at your leisure.

Enjoy a hearty breakfast at the lodge this morning ahead of a scenic drive through the South African countryside to the mountainous Kingdom of Eswatini, a former British protectorate. Stopping at a number of independent curio shops and vibrant cultural centres along the way, you'll have ample time to immerse yourself in the local traditions and find the perfect souvenir to commemorate your time on safari.

Arriving at your next hotel later this afternoon, you'll be free to find dinner and relax under your own steam with the remainder of the day at leisure. 

Wake up early this morning and bid farewell to Eswatini after breakfast as the tour continues north to wildlife-rich Mpumalanga, bordered by the vast Kruger National Park.

Upon arrival at the next lodge, you'll have a brief siesta where you can settle in at your own pace, take in the surrounding landscapes, and unwind by the pool. If you'd prefer a more active afternoon, you can also join a marvellous game drive into the world-famous Kruger National Park. 

However you decide to spend your day, reconvene with your fellow travellers at the lodge's on-site restaurant for dinner. 

Depart this morning for a full day tour along the spectacular Panorama Route, overlooking the Blyde River Canyon. With included stops at the Three Rondavels, a trio of rocky outcrops, Bourke's Luck Potholes, a geological attraction caused by erosion, and God’s Window, named for its sweeping views of the Lowveld, this guided tour will prove incredibly memorable.

Lunch can be enjoyed at the town of Graskop (payable locally), a charming town on the edge of the Drakensberg escarpment, offering views of the lush scenery below. Return to the lodge late afternoon where the rest of the day is at leisure.

It’s an early start with a packed breakfast this morning as you head into Kruger National Park for a full day safari. Home to the ‘Big Five’, the Kruger National Park is one of the world’s largest reserves, teeming with ecosystems and wildlife.

The safari will break for lunch at a rest camp inside the park, where you can stock up on snacks and souvenirs, before resuming in the afternoon.

Later, return to the Lodge to freshen up for dinner.

Another early start this morning sees you return to Johannesburg airport and fly south to bustling, friendly Port Elizabeth (also known as Gqeberha). A hugely popular beach resort, modern ‘PE’ still offers glimpses of Victorian grandeur and is fringed by pristine stretches of sand.

Upon arrival, you’ll meet your tour manager for the next few days and transfer to your overnight hotel – ideally located across from the beach and within walking distance to an array of dining options.

Muse over a pre-drink on the viewing deck, keeping your eyes peeled for dolphins or whales before seeking out a dinner spot.

Port Elizabeth is the gateway to the Garden Route, which you’ll experience today. This incredibly picturesque drive will take three hours in total, concluding in the seaside town of Knysna. You can choose to take an optional cruise here, crossing the lagoon to the Featherbed Nature Reserve, riding a tractor around the reserve, and then stopping for lunch in the milkwood forest.

Alternatively, you can meander around the Knysna waterfront and have lunch at one of the sea-facing restaurants.

By late afternoon, you’ll travel to a new lodge, set on a hill overlooking Mossel Bay, for a two-night stay. Arrive in time to watch the sunset then dinner this evening will be for your account.

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Oudtshoorn, ‘the Ostrich Capital’ of the world, is on your agenda today. However, you’ll start by visiting the world-renowned Cango Caves, with their stalactites and stalagmites formed over millions of years.

You’ll then venture to the heart of the ‘Little Karoo’ plain to visit the Safari Ostrich Show Farm in Oudtshoorn for a guided tour of the property. The world’s strangest, largest, and often most valuable bird has been farmed here for 130 years, first for its plumage and more recently for its high-protein, low-cholesterol meat.

After the tour and lunch, you can potter around the town of Oudtshoorn at your own pace before returning late afternoon to the lodge. The rest of the day is at your leisure, perhaps take a dip in the pool before dinner, or relax as the sun goes down. 

Start the day with breakfast at the lodge, check out and then depart for Cape Town.

You’ll get your first taste of this sublime province with a tour of the verdant Cape Winelands region, stopping off at the towns of Franschhoek and Stellenbosch.

Sample the region’s award-winning wine labels with two tastings and choose a charcuterie platter of local produce for lunch. While doing so, sit back and soak up the backdrop of rolling vineyard-covered hills and valleys dotted with villages built in ‘Cape Dutch’, Edwardian, and Art-Deco styles.

Late afternoon, continue to Cape Town, one of the world’s most beautifully located cities, and weather permitting, ascent to the summit of Table Mountain in a cable car. Alternatively, you can visit the mountain on day 14.

The hotel for tonight is within walking distance from the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, offering top-quality restaurants, bars, theatres, and shops for you to survey at your leisure.

Today, the tour will travel along one of the world’s most dramatic coastal roads, Chapman’s Peak Drive, towards the Cape Point Peninsula. You’ll go by the Atlantic Seaboard via Sea Point, Clifton, and Camps Bay, stopping at Llandudno look-out point. Next up is Hout Bay, Chapman's Peak, Cape Point and then the Good Hope Nature Reserve.

An included lunch stop (lunch payable locally) will take place in Simon’s Town, one of South Africa’s oldest towns, looking out over the harbour and False Bay.

If a visit to Table Mountain was not included the day before, you can fit it in today’s itinerary, weather permitting.

You can choose to visit Table Mountain as a group if the weather didn’t permit the previous four days. Alternatively, you have a full day to seek out the delights of Cape Town in your own time. Perhaps hike up Lion’s Head, roam through the Company’s Gardens or visit the Two Oceans Aquarium. A fun way to take in the city is on the Hop-On Hop-Off bus, with more than 30 stops.

The recommended optional excursion is to Robben Island, the ‘former’ home of Nelson Mandela. You’ll set off to this World Heritage Site early in the morning and experience a tour around three and a half hours. Travelling via ferry, you’ll arrive at the island for a 45-minute bus ride and then visit the prison museum.

For your last dinner, GOLD Restaurant is highly recommended with its Cape Malay and African-inspired menu, and live entertainment.

Make the most of your last day in Cape Town, before transferring this afternoon to the airport and the return overnight flight.

Arrive back in the UK after an enlightening South African experience.