9 days South African Tour

Destinations
  • South Africa

9 Day Itinerary

Unforgettable African Adventure

Day 1: Welcome to the Pilanesberg National Park

Your African adventure begins as you board your comfortable minibus and set off from the Derdepoort/Sikwane Border post, embarking on a journey of discovery through South Africa’s captivating wilderness. Your knowledgeable guide will accompany you throughout your circuit, ensuring you experience the rich tapestry of African wildlife and landscapes.

Afternoon 4×4 Game Drive in Pilanesberg National Park

Venture into the heart of the Pilanesberg National Park, a haven teeming with diverse wildlife. This remarkable sanctuary, situated just two hours drive from Johannesburg, encompasses an awe-inspiring 580 square kilometres of bushveld terrain. In 1979, the park embarked on an ambitious conservation project, fencing off the area and gradually reintroducing long-vanished species of animals. Today, the Pilanesberg National Park stands as a testament to this successful endeavour, boasting a flourishing population of over 7,000 animals.

Witness the Majestic Big Five

As you embark on an exhilarating 4×4 game drive, prepare to encounter the majestic Big Five – lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros, and buffalo – in their natural habitat. These iconic species roam freely, adding a touch of raw wilderness to your African experience.

Explore Diverse Antelope Species

Alongside the Big Five, marvel at the vast array of antelope species that grace the Pilanesberg’s savannas. From the swift springbok and imposing eland to the agile bushbuck and dainty duiker, these graceful creatures add to the park’s captivating biodiversity.

Track Stealthy Predators

Venture deeper into the park as the sun begins to set, and you’ll have the remarkable opportunity to spot stealthy predators like wild dogs, Cape foxes, and spotted hyenas. These elusive creatures emerge from their daytime retreats, adding an element of intrigue to your African safari.

Spend the Night in Luxurious Comfort

After a day filled with wildlife encounters, settle into the opulent Sun City Hotel, where luxurious accommodations await. Relax in your spacious twin room and indulge in a delectable international breakfast buffet, the perfect way to replenish your energy for the adventures that lie ahead.

Activity duration may vary

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Breakfast – Travel to Kruger – Discover Sun City.

Step into the heart of South Africa’s Kruger National Park, a realm where the echoes of African wildlife reverberate through the vast wilderness. Prepare to be awestruck as you witness the majestic elephants, regal lions, elusive cheetahs, and a vibrant tapestry of other creatures roaming freely in their natural domain. Embark on exhilarating game drives through the park’s diverse landscapes, from lush savannas to verdant forests, and immerse yourself in the captivating symphony of nature’s wonders.

After delving into the depths of the wild, venture into the extraordinary realm of Sun City, a world-renowned resort that seamlessly blends luxury, adventure, and entertainment. Nestled amidst rugged bushveld and an ancient volcano, Sun City is a testament to human creativity and the allure of the African continent.

Unleash your inner adventurer as you explore the vibrant casinos, where the thrill of spinning slot machines and the allure of winning big await. Embark on culinary journeys across Sun City’s delectable gourmet restaurants, savouring flavours that tantalize the taste buds and transport you to a world of culinary delight.

Venture into The Lost City, a captivating spectacle where ancient-themed architecture blends seamlessly with captivating performances. Explore the Valley of Waves, a water park paradise where thrill-seekers and sun-worshippers alike can unleash their inner child.

Experience the exhilaration of horseback riding through picturesque trails, where the rhythm of galloping hooves echoes through the African countryside. Hone your golfing skills on Sun City’s world-class courses, where the challenges of the greens provide a thrilling test of skill and determination.

Whether you seek adrenaline-pumping adventures, culinary delights, or cultural immersion, Sun City is your gateway to an unforgettable African odyssey.

Rest Your Spirit Amidst the Serene Beauty of Hippo Hollow Country Estate

Nestled amidst the tranquil beauty of the Limpopo River, Hippo Hollow Country Estate offers a sanctuary of tranquillity amidst the rugged African wilderness. Indulge in the comfort of riverside chalets, each featuring a private balcony overlooking the serene riverine landscape. Let the soothing sounds of the river lull you into a state of serenity, as you awaken to the vibrant sunrise painting the sky with hues of gold and orange.

Adventure Duration:

Activity duration may vary depending on group preferences and individual schedules. Please consult your tour guide for specific details.

Overnight at the Hotel: Hippo Hollow Country Estate (River Chalets – Bed and Breakfast)

Activity duration may vary

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Dawn breaks, casting a golden glow over the sprawling Hippo Hollow estate as you embark on an unforgettable African safari adventure. Your journey commences in an open-top 4×4 safari vehicle, ready to transport you into the heart of Kruger National Park, one of Africa’s largest and most renowned game reserves.

A Wilderness of Untamed Beauty

Stretching across an expansive 18,989 square kilometres, the Kruger National Park encompasses the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga, offering a mesmerizing tapestry of landscapes and diverse wildlife. As you venture deeper into this untamed wilderness, prepare to encounter the iconic Big Five – elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos, and buffalos – along with an abundance of other animal species. Over 12,000 elephants roam the savannas, while 27,000 African buffalos grace the grasslands. Leopards, with their elusive nature, may require a touch of patience and luck to spot. Lions, the formidable kings of the jungle, number over 2,000, their presence commanding respect and admiration.

A Haven for Birdlife

The Kruger National Park is not just a haven for mammals, but for birds as well. With over 517 species of birds, including 253 resident species, the reserve provides a vibrant sanctuary for these feathered creatures. As you traverse the park, keep your eyes peeled for the distinctive calls of the African fish eagle, the melodious warbling of the African palm swift, and the vibrant plumage of the lilac-breasted roller.

Exploring Six Diverse Ecosystems

The Kruger National Park is home to six distinct ecosystems, each offering its own unique character and wildlife encounters. From the lush forests of the Lowveld to the rugged hills of the Lebombo Mountains, each ecosystem provides a glimpse into the diversity of the African wilderness.

Morning Safari: A Close Encounter with Nature

Your morning safari begins with the rising sun, illuminating the park’s vibrant flora and fauna. As you venture along the game trails, your experienced ranger will expertly navigate the terrain, keeping an eye out for signs of wildlife. The open-top 4×4 vehicle allows you to get up close to the surrounding vegetation, immersing you in the symphony of sounds and sights that define the African bush.

Rest Camp Respite

Midway through your morning safari, you’ll pause at one of the park’s rest camps, providing an opportunity to stretch your legs, refresh yourself, and perhaps indulge in a light snack. Recharge your senses and prepare for the afternoon’s adventures.

Afternoon Safari: Tracking the Unseen

As the afternoon sun casts long shadows across the savanna, your ranger will lead you on an afternoon safari, pursuing the fresh spoor of the park’s resident wildlife. The open-top 4×4 vehicle allows you to follow closely in the footsteps of lions, elephants, and other creatures as they make their way through the bush.

Return to Hippo Hollow

As the day draws to a close, you’ll bid farewell to the Kruger National Park, carrying with you memories of a remarkable safari experience. Your journey concludes back at Hippo Hollow Country Estate, where you’ll rest and reflect on the incredible encounters you’ve shared with nature.

Overnight Accommodation: Hippo Hollow Country Estate

Nestled amidst the scenic landscapes of Limpopo, Hippo Hollow Country Estate provides a tranquil retreat after an exhilarating safari day. Choose from the River Chalets, offering luxurious accommodations with scenic views of the Sabi River, or the Bush Chalets, immersing you in the African bush.

Embrace the Wild

Ready to embark on an African safari adventure that will captivate your senses and leave you forever enchanted? Join us as we explore the Kruger National Park, a treasure trove of wildlife and natural beauty.

Overnight at the Hotel: Hippo Hollow Country Estate (River Chalets – Bed and Breakfast)

Activity duration may vary

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Walk along the suspension bridge of the Tsitsikamma forest, where lies one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in the world, home to the Garden Route National Park. The Tsitsikamma National Park, part of the Garden Route National Park in South Africa, is a place where you can experience the outdoors, stunning marine life, and adventure-filled vacation. The suspension bridge that hangs over the red-brown waters of the Storms River Mouth spans 77 meters and remains one of the most popular tourist attractions of the Tsitsikamma region of the Eastern Cape. Situated within the Tsitsikamma National Park, it was originally built in 1969. It hangs just seven metres above the churning waters of the river as it enters the foamy Indian Ocean.

The pathway leading to the suspension bridge covers 900 metres of the Tsitsikamma forest. There are plenty of steps to negotiate, but it remains a fairly easy route, particularly if covered slowly. A steep decline takes visitors to the bridge and standing on this dramatic piece of engineering, visitors are able to take in the unspoilt beauty around them. The Mouth Trail is the most popular walk in the Tsitsikamma and starts at Sandy Bay and takes one along a winding boardwalk through indigenous forest to the mouth of the Storms River. – Discover the magnificent beaches of Plettenberg Bay, the Garden Route’s “fashionable” seaside resort. Originally christened Bahia Formosa (beautiful bay) by early Portuguese explorers, Plettenberg Bay offers visitors miles of sweeping, unspoilt golden beaches, a dramatic rocky peninsula, intriguing lagoons and estuaries, towering indigenous forests, and unpolluted rivers and sea. With its exceptional climate and beautiful view sites over the Indian Ocean, Plettenberg Bay is perfect for tourists interested in exploring, watching, or just lazing.

Overnight: The Bayview Hotel (Classic room – Bed and Breakfast)

Activity duration may vary

Accommodation Options:
Le Petit Village
Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Combine adventure and relaxation in Knysna. The picturesque town of Knysna along the Garden Route is surrounded by magnificent coastal forests and an extensive lagoon that boasts the town’s most famous landmark, the Knysna Heads. While the Heads provide a treacherous channel into the ocean, the lagoon itself is peaceful and ideal for boat cruises and water sports. The Featherbed Nature Reserve lies on the southern Head and the beautiful Garden Route National Park is only a short drive from the town.

Overnight: The Graywood Hotel (Standard Room – Bed and Breakfast)

Activity duration may vary

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Oudtshoorn • Cango Ostrich Farm • Heritage Tour

Spend some time exploring Oudtshoorn, the ‘ostrich capital of the world’. Residential suburbs are flanked by acres of ostrich farms where these large flightless birds are bred and raised. A tour of an ostrich farm is naturally one of Oudtshoorn’s main attractions, where visitors can view the birds and browse boutiques full of exotic ostrich leather, and the brave can try to ride an ostrich. Another famous landmark in Oudtshoorn is the Cango Caves, an almost fantasy limestone cave formation that stretches on for several kilometres.

A large variety of hiking and biking trails surround the town and there are also numerous rivers and waterfalls to be explored. Animal lovers can have close encounters with the world’s fastest land mammal at the cheetah breeding station or pop in to see prehistoric predators at the crocodile park.

Test your ostrich riding skills at the Cango Ostrich Show Farm, located in Oudtshoorn, the ostrich capital of the world. These large flightless birds can run at speeds in excess of 70 kilometres an hour and can deliver a nasty kick to the unaware! Learn more interesting ostrich facts as you take a tour through the Cango Show Farm and move from the breeding incubators to the larger birds. Guests are permitted to hand feed the ostriches and even sit on them, while the more daring can try their skills at riding an ostrich. The enormous eggs, weighing over one kilogram each, have extremely hard shells and visitors are encouraged to stand on them to test their strength. Your tour will last 45 minutes as you walk through the farm accompanied by a professional guide.

Visit to the Cango Caves in Oudtshoorn, a top tourist destination in South Africa and one of the world’s greatest natural wonders, sculpted by nature over millions of years. The Cango Caves are located within the Swartberg Mountain range and form part of the Cape Floral Kingdom World Heritage site. These amazing caves are a must-see for locals and visitors alike, carved into the mountains, holding hidden treasures and astounding sights. They are the biggest show cave system in Africa and the oldest tourist attraction in the country. There are three main caves, connected by a series of chambers and tunnels and here you will find a collection of the oldest stalagmite formations on the planet, some dating back as far as 4 500 million years ago. Only the first cave is open to visitors; the other two are kept closed to preserve the pure, crystalline beauty of the dripstone formations. As you descend into the first chamber you will feel the warm humid air and be amazed at its enormity. Van Zyl’s Hall is 98m long and filled with illuminated stalagmites, stalactites and helictites. From there travel deeper into this ancient and mystical wonderland for more astoundingly beautiful subterranean sights. 

Overnight: Turnberry Boutique Hotel (Classic room Bed and Breakfast (CPT Daytours)) Iti_

 

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Table Mountain Aerial Cableway (Afternoon)

Marvel at the views of Cape Town from the aerial cableway and plateau on Table Mountain. Mother City is synonymous with the striking mountain that is flanked by Devil’s Peak to the east and Lion’s Head to the west, providing a dramatic backdrop to the city. Table Mountain holds unusually rich biodiversity and forms part of the Cape Floral Region, a protected area. Rock hyrax, or dassie as they are locally known, are often seen scampering through the scrub, and the views from the summit over Table Bay, Robben Island, and the Atlantic seaboard are breathtaking.

The cable cars depart every 10 to 15 minutes and rotate 360 degrees as they travel up to 302 metres above sea level, giving passengers panoramic views over the city. Five minutes is all it takes to reach the summit and once there you can marvel at the views, have a bite to eat in the restaurant, or do a bit of shopping at the extensive curio shop. The cableway only operates when weather permits. 

Overnight at the Hotel: The Capetonian (Superior (Renovated Room) – Bed and Breakfast)

Activity duration may vary

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Depart from your hotel for a full day’s Best of the Cape tour and get a taste of the Winelands and Cape Peninsula. The tour sets off in the scenic Cape wine route with some wine tasting, a cellar tour, and an orientation tour of the historical town of Stellenbosch. From Stellenbosch, travel along the False Bay scenic coastal road to Muizenberg. After a stop at the naval village of Simon’s Town, continue to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and the most south-westerly tip of Africa, Cape Point. The return trip to Cape Town will take you via Chapman’s Peak Drive, Hout Bay, Camps Bay, and Sea Point. 

Overnight at the Hotel: The Capetonian (Superior (Renovated Room) – Bed and Breakfast)

Activity duration may vary

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Robben Island • Victoria and Alfred Waterfront • Transfer

Trace the footsteps of Mandela at the Robben Island Museum. Located just off the coast of Cape Town, Robben Island holds a significant place in South African history as it once housed the country’s most famous political prisoner and freedom fighter, Nelson Mandela. It is now a World Heritage Site and one of the most popular tourist attractions in South Africa. Your visit to the museum will be guided by a former political prisoner, offering a unique insight into the island’s history, and take you to Nelson Mandela’s former cell, standing exactly as it did when he was incarcerated there, as well as the lime quarry where he was forced into hard labor.

Your tour begins at the V – Explore the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, situated at South Africa’s oldest working harbor in the center of Cape Town. Offering over 450 retail outlets selling everything from high-end fashion and jewelry to food and crafts, the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront is one of Cape Town’s most popular destinations, attracting in excess of 23 million visitors a year. Besides offering vibrant and chic indoor and outdoor shopping and restaurants, you can also watch fishing boats dock with fresh fish or see a container ship being towed into the harbor by a tug boat. Draw-bridges over the water open and close every so often to allow smaller sailing vessels access to the docks, while the Cape Wheel gives unsurpassed 360-degree views of the city, and the outdoor amphitheater plays host to music, dance, and theatrical performances throughout the year.

Activity duration may vary

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Pricing Details

Pricing Includes:
  • 8 nights accommodation as per program
  • 8 breakfasts – Luggage porterage (except for self-catering accommodation and campsite) Guide and transport as per programme: from D1 28/09/22 Wednesday 11:00 ( Derdepoort/Sikwane ) to D4 01/10/22 Saturday 11:00 (Kruger), from D4 01/10/22 Saturday 14:00 (Port Elizabeth) to D7 04/10/22 Tuesday 18:00 (Cape Town area),
  • Air Transport: from Kruger to Johannesburg OR Tambo, from Johannesburg OR Tambo to Port Elizabeth 
  • Local taxes such as VAT or bed levy are included at the rate applicable at the time the costing is done and can change without notice.
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Pricing Excludes
  • International flights
  • Tips and personal expenses
  • Unless otherwise indicated, our rates do not include the entrance fees for parks or game reserves. They are to be settled by the clients directly at the entrance. Unless otherwise indicated, our rates do not include the meals.

Trip Hightlights

  • 4×4 Game Drives
  • Sun City Discover
  • Cango Ostrich Farm 
  • Heritage Tour
  • Table Mountain Aerial Cableway
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