An early departure from Johannesburg/Pretoria as we travel east towards the Mpumalanga Province and visit the many attractions along the “Panorama Route”, including God’s Window, the Bourke’s Luck Potholes, the Three Rondavels and the historic gold mining town of Pilgrim’s Rest. In the late afternoon we descend the eastern escarpment and travel through the warm “lowveld” to a beautiful country lodge, just a short distance from the Kruger Park.

After an early breakfast at the lodge we travel the short distance to the nearest entrance gate to the Kruger National Park. Once inside the Park, excitement will mount as we start seeing some of the numerous animals that inhabit this magnificent wildlife sanctuary. We spend most of the day travelling north inside the Kruger Park arriving at our “restcamp” in the late afternoon. There is time for a short break before joining an exciting “open vehicle” game drive, looking for Africa’s “Big Five” - Elephant, Rhino, Buffalo, Lion and Leopard. Accommodation tonight is in comfortable en-suite bungalows or cottages, and dinner is enjoyed in the camp restaurant.

After breakfast we exit the Kruger Park and travel to an exclusive lodge in a nearby private game reserve. Later this afternoon an exhilarating game drive in specially adapted open 4X4 vehicles is undertaken. At dusk sundowners are enjoyed deep in the bush, after which the drive continues, making use of spotlights to search for nocturnal animals. A final highlight is a specially prepared dinner enjoyed under the stars around the campfire. (weather permitting)

An early wake up call signals the start of yet another exciting day in Big Five territory.

You depart on an early morning safari in open 4x4 vehicles after which you return to the lodge for a late breakfast.

After breakfast you can embark on a guided bush walk with an armed ranger, who will identify spoor and droppings and share with you some of the fascinating secrets of the bush. If you are lucky you may come across big game on foot - a truly exhilarating experience.

This evening another safari in open 4x4 vehicles is undertaken, followed by a scrumptious South African dinner.

After a final open vehicle game drive and a late breakfast we travel around the southern part of the Kruger National Park to enter one of the worlds last remaining (and also one of the worlds smallest) constitutional monarchies, the Kingdom of Swaziland - ruled over by the young King, his Royal Highness King Mswati III.  Here, in this country of friendly Swazi people, it is almost as if time has stood still. Despite modern cities and an extensive infrastructure of roads electricity and communications, the Swazi culture has over centuries been jealously protected.

En-route to the capital city of Mbabane we visit the well-known glass factory at Ngwenya.
Here a small group of Swazi craftsmen and women - with age-old artistry - breathe life into enchanting interpretations of the animals and birds of Africa, imbuing each with its own irresistible personality. Witness first-hand the magical art of glassblowing from an overhead balcony. Browse around the adjoining showroom which is well stocked and purchase your little memento of a truly African visit to our Kingdom.

Our first stop today is a visit to the fascinating Swazi Candles factory in the Malkerns valley. Here each candle is hand-moulded and hand-finished by Swazi craftspeople, so each candle is unique in shape and character. We then travel south via the Lebombo Mountain range and the Golela border post into KwaZulu Natal. The route continues down the Indian Ocean coastline to The Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park, a World Heritage Site.

This morning we visit Cape Vidal, a magnificent coastal resort set in a sheltered bay in the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park. The Greater St Lucia Wetland Park is one of the jewels of the South African coastline, the first park in South Africa to be declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco). St Lucia's wide variety of ecosystems and natural habitats provides for an astounding diversity of species in the area. With its lakes, lagoons, freshwater swamps and grasslands, St Lucia supports a wide variety of species - from the country’s largest population of hippos and crocodiles to giant leatherback turtles, black rhino, leopards, and a vast array of bird and marine life. Later this afternoon we return to St. Lucia to go on board the St. Lucia ferry for a fascinating guided cruise on Lake St Lucia. On this cruise you will hear about the origins of this unique wetland, its very interesting history and be able to observe its hippo and crocodile inhabitants at close quarters. The large number and variety of birds, which are an important feature of St. Lucia, will add to the interest and excitement of this cruise.

Another highlight awaits us today as we visit an authentically re-created Zulu village at Shakaland. Feel the pulsating rhythm of mysterious and magical Africa as you re-live the excitement and romance of the days of Shaka, King of the Zulus. Shakaland is more than just a tourist attraction - it is an enriching experience affording a better understanding of the Zulu nation, its people and their intriguing customs. Shortly after our arrival you join the “Shaka Experience”, a guided tour of the village culminating in a pulsating traditional dance show and dinner. Accommodation is in typical beehive huts, where one can experience real Zulu culture without having to sacrifice comfortable modern conveniences.

The route continues down the Indian Ocean coastline to Durban, and from there inland to the magnificent Drakensberg Mountain Range. Your destination is a beautiful mountain resort in the Cathedral Peak area of the northern Drakensberg. Winding up the narrow road approaching the resort, the Drakensberg mountain splendour beckons, with sweeping panoramas of jagged mountain peaks rising from massive sandstone cliffs, and dramatic cloudscapes against an impossibly blue sky. The luxurious Didima Camp has been themed around the art of the San (Bushman) people.

A full day to relax and to enjoy this fascinating landscape of mountains, cliffs and ravines. Didima boasts a recently opened San Rock-Art Interpretive Centre providing fascinating insights into the art and culture of the San, and includes static displays and audio-visual presentations within a reconstructed rock shelter.

Activities on offer at Didima:

We travel to the top of South Africa's huge inland plateau where, for today, most of our route will lie at almost 2000 meters above sea level. We enjoy the breathtaking beauty of the Golden Gate Highland National Park and its wonderfully refreshing and clean mountain air before traveling through seemingly endless grasslands to Bloemfontein, the capital of the Free State Province. In Bloemfontein we spend time in historic President Brand Street and visit the moving monument to the women who died during the Anglo Boer War, before making our way to a very special guest farm, De Oude Kraal, a few kilometers outside the city.

After De Oudekraal's famous breakfast, we travel south through the wide expanses of the arid Great Karoo landscape. Eighty million years ago this was a vast inland sea and is still today one of the world richest fossil bearing areas. We drive past the Gariep dam and hydro-electric scheme, the biggest of its kind in South Africa, to Graaff-Reinet, the country's fourth oldest town.

Graaff-Reinet, also known as "the jewel of the great Karoo" or "the Athens of the Eastern Cape", is the home of typical Karoo architecture of the 19th century and has more national monuments than any other city or town in South Africa.

Virtually encircling Graaff-Reinet  lies South Africa’s newest national park, the Camdeboo National Park, proclaimed in October 2005. The Park provides the visitor with insights into the unique landscape and eco-system of the Karoo, not to mention it’s  awesome scenic beauty. The greater portion of the Park is situated between 740 and 1480 metres above sea level on the foothills of the Sneeuberg range, while a small section of the low lying-plains is included. The Nqweba Dam lies within the park and covers about 1000 hectares when full. At some places, dolerites form jointed pillars – the best examples of which are found in the Valley of Desolation where erosion of the softer sedimentary beds has left dolerite pillars which rise to heights of 90 – 120 metres.

Before checking into our specially selected guesthouse for the night, we pay a visit to this rugged and awe-inspiring landscape. Watching the sun go down over the Valley of Desolation is a truly unforgettable experience..

After breakfast we take a short stroll through the historic and picturesque town of Graaff-Reinet before we have to make our way, across the Swartberg Mountain range into the Little Karoo and our next venue, Oudtshoorn, ostrich capital of the world. The road crosses the Swartberg Mountain, leads through Meiringspoort and some of South Africa's most majestic mountain scenery. Our accommodation tonight is at a beautiful guest house on a working ostrich farm a short distance outside the town.

The program for the day starts with a visit to an ostrich show farm where through interesting talks and demonstrations by experts, we will get to know more about these fascinating birds and the vast fortunes that were made during the 19th century from the export and sale of ostrich feathers for use in the world fashion markets. Today, with feathers no longer important for the fashion market, high quality ostrich leather is earning these farmers a lucrative income, while there is a steadily growing demand for low fat and low cholesterol ostrich meat worldwide.

This afternoon we visit the famous Cango Caves, where the guided tour will take you deep into this mysterious subterranean world.

In the late afternoon we drive across the Outeniqua Mountain pass toward the Indian Ocean coast and the picturesque town of Knysna, in the heart of South Africa's famous "Garden Route".

A full day is spent exploring the Garden Route between Knysna and the Tsitsikamma forest, before returning to Knysna in the late afternoon for a romantic boat cruise on the Knysna Lagoon.

Includes:

An early departure from Knysna as we travel to George where we board one of the world's few remaining scheduled steam trains, the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe, for a train trip from George to Mosselbay. The route continues via Swellendam to Hermanus, where during the months of July to November large numbers of Southern Right whales can be seen in Walker Bay. These monsters of the sea migrate from their normal habitat in Antarctica to the South African coast to produce their young, to mate and to nurse their offspring until they are strong enough to return to their natural foraging areas near the South Pole.

After breakfast we travel via the scenic coastal route past the villages of Kleinmond, Betty’s Bay and Pringle Bay to Cape Town.

This afternoon you are collected for an afternoon Cape Town City, Table Mountain and Blouberg Beach Tour. This tour incorporates some of the most interesting and historical sights of Cape Town, unforgettable views from the Table Mountain Arial Cableway, and the summit of Table Mountain itself. The tour end with a visit to Blouberg Beach which offers outstanding photographic opportunities of Cape Town City, the Cape Town Waterfront and Table Mountain across Table Bay.

Includes:

Please note:
As the operation of the Table Mountain Arial Cable Way weather-dependent, the Cable Car Fare is for your own account and is payable at the ticket office.
You are requested to be ready for pick-up at 14:00, and will be back at the hotel at approximately 17:30.

The morning is at leisure until you are transferred to the Cape Town International Airport in time for your flight home.