21-Day South Africa Safari and Culture Tour with Cape Town and Kruger

1

Day 01

Johannesburg to Pilanesberg National Park Safari

• Guests arrive at Tambo International Airport.
• An English-, Mandarin-, and/or German-speaking guide will meet you at your arrival terminal with a sign displaying your names.
• Depart for Pilanesberg National Park on a three-hour drive, with a stop at one of our larger souvenir markets along the way.
• Settle in at your lodge upon arrival in Pilanesberg.
• Pilanesberg is a natural game reserve containing the famous Big Five animals: buffalo, elephant, rhino, lion, and leopard, as well as other wildlife such as giraffe, zebra, cheetah, and abundant birdlife.
• Later in the afternoon, an open safari vehicle with a game ranger as your guide and driver will take you on a 2-3 hour game-viewing tour into the park.
• Kwa-Maritane and open safari game drive.

2

Day 02

Pilanesberg Wildlife and Sun City Excursion

• After breakfast, drive to Sun City to explore the spectacular "Las Vegas" of South Africa.
• Stroll around the gardens and swimming pool areas at Sun City.
• Have lunch at one of the restaurants in Sun City.
• After lunch, travel back to the lodge, where you will have time at leisure.
• Later in the afternoon, an open safari vehicle with a game ranger as your guide and driver will take you on a 2-3 hour game-viewing tour into the park.
• Kwa-Maritane and open safari game drive.

3

Day 03

Pilanesberg to Cape Town and Table Mountain

• After breakfast, depart for OR Tambo International Airport for a domestic flight to Cape Town, the Mother City of South Africa.
• If weather permits, take the spectacular cableway up Table Mountain for a panoramic view over the city and Robben Island.
• Your comfortable hotel, City Lodge Pinelands and/or any adjacent hotel, will be a mere 10 minutes away from the city.

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Day 04

Cape Peninsula and Coastal Highlights

• Drive along the Cape Town coast and Peninsula.
• Visit Hout Bay, where a boat trip can be made to Seal Island to view the seal colony.
• Visit the penguin colony at Boulders Beach.
• Explore Cape Point, where the two oceans, Atlantic and Indian, meet.
• If time allows, visit the Victoria & Albert Waterfront for a few hours of leisure and shopping.
• Return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

5

Day 05

Stellenbosch Wine Tasting and Cape Dutch Heritage

• After breakfast, travel to the historic Cape Dutch town of Stellenbosch, founded in 1688.
• Visit a famous wine farm for wine tasting and the opportunity to purchase famous South African wines.
• On the return from the wine farm, visit a restaurant with fabulous seafood.
• Return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

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Day 06

Stellenbosch Wine Country Experience

• After breakfast, travel to the historic Cape Dutch town of Stellenbosch, founded in 1688.
• Visit a famous wine farm for wine tasting and the opportunity to purchase famous South African wines.
• On the return from the wine farm, visit a restaurant with fabulous seafood.
• Return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

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Day 07

Cape Town to Oudtshoorn via Route 62

• After breakfast, depart along the scenic Route 62, known as the fruit and wheat route of the Western Cape Province.
• Later in the day, arrive in the ostrich town of South Africa, Oudtshoorn, where a visit to the Cango Caves is planned.
• Overnight stay in Oudtshoorn town, with its spectacular Ostrich Palaces, at Protea Hotel Riempie Estate or an adjacent lodge.

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Day 08

Oudtshoorn Ostrich Farm and Garden Route to Knysna

• After breakfast, visit a famous ostrich farm, where an exciting tour will provide the opportunity to ride an ostrich.
• After the ostrich excursion, depart for Knysna over the Outeniqua Mountains along the Garden Route for a two-night stay.
• Stay at the Premier Hotel or an adjacent lodge in Knysna.

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Day 09

Knysna Heads and Leisure Time

• After breakfast, take a short tour of Knysna and the Knysna Heads, where lunch is included in the tour.
• The rest of the day is free for shopping or relaxation in Knysna, a pleasant holiday town famous for its souvenir flea market and restaurants.
• Stay at an adjacent lodge or Premier Hotel in Knysna.

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Day 10

Knysna to Port Elizabeth via Jeffreys Bay

• After breakfast, depart for Port Elizabeth with a stop at the highest bungee jump bridge in the world, namely Bloukrans Bridge.
• Stop at the famous surfing town of Jeffreys Bay for lunch before arriving in Port Elizabeth.
• Check into the hotel overlooking the beach, either City Lodge or an adjacent lodge in Port Elizabeth.

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Day 11

Addo Elephant Park to East London

• This morning, depart for Addo Elephant Park, home to the southernmost and largest elephants in Africa.
• After lunch at Addo Elephant Park, depart for East London.
• Arrive late afternoon at the hotel near the beach, either an adjacent lodge or Holiday Inn in East London.

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Day 12

East London to Kokstad via Qunu

• Early departure on a scenic drive through the old Transkei homeland, the birthplace of Nelson Mandela.
• Visit the Mandela Museum (Qunu) en route through the rolling countryside.
• Continue the journey to Ingeli Forest Lodge, where an overnight stay is planned.
• Stay at an adjacent lodge or Ingeli Forest Lodge in Kokstad.

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Day 13

Kokstad to Eshowe and Shakaland Cultural Experience

• After breakfast, take a scenic road north along the Natal coastline via the city of Durban.
• Lunch will be somewhere en route to Eshowe.
• Continue the drive to Shakaland for an overnight stay. The village was built years ago for the film Shaka Zulu and is now a major tourist attraction.
• Accommodation is in a beehive hut with all the necessary facilities.
• Upon arrival, participate in a cultural tour with the Zulu nation and experience their traditions.
• In the evening, enjoy stunning traditional Zulu dances and observe traditional Zulu culture, including iconic beadwork and spear-making.
• Watch Zulu dancers perform the Zulu War Dance, meet a real Isangoma/Ngaka (witch doctor), sample traditional Zulu beer, and enjoy a delicious lunchtime feast.
• Stay at an adjacent lodge or Protea Hotel Shakaland in Eshowe.

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Day 14

St Lucia Cruise and Arrival in Hluhluwe

• After breakfast, bid farewell to our Zulu friends and head towards St Lucia (iSimangaliso Wetland Park) via Richards Bay.
• Travel through the green sugarcane crops of Zululand, arriving in St Lucia town, a UNESCO World Heritage town with one of the largest natural lakes in the world.
• Take a boat trip on the lake with a knowledgeable guide, showcasing some of Africa's largest crocodiles, hippos, and abundant birdlife.
• Enjoy bar facilities on board the boat during the three-hour trip.
• After the boat excursion, have lunch at a local restaurant and depart for the town of Hluhluwe.
• Stay for two nights at a private lodge in the bush in Hluhluwe, where the property features several antelope species and small game.
• Stay at an adjacent lodge or Bonamanzi Lodge in Hluhluwe.

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Day 15

Hluhluwe Safari and Night Game Drive

• Embark on an early morning game drive in an open safari vehicle in Hluhluwe Game Reserve, renowned for its large population of white and black rhinos.
• The park also boasts the Big Five and various other African animals.
• After the game viewing, return to the lodge for lunch.
• Enjoy the afternoon at rest.
• Around 19h00, depart for a night open safari drive.
• Return to the lodge after the night open safari drive.

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Day 16

Hluhluwe to Mbabane via Zululand

• After breakfast, continue the drive through Zululand, passing through the towns of Pongola and Piet Retief.
• Cross the border into the Kingdom of Swaziland at the Sicunusa (Houtkop) border post.
• Lunch will be arranged on the way to the lodge.
• Overnight stay at Mantenga Lodge or an adjacent lodge in Ezulwini.

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Day 17

Swaziland to Hazyview via Kruger National Park

• After breakfast, proceed through the South African border gate at Jeppes Reef.
• Enter Kruger National Park through the Malelane Gate.
• Have lunch at Skukuza Camp.
• After lunch, depart for the accommodation in the Hazyview area.
• The overnight resort is situated on the banks of the Sabie River and has its own resident hippo population.
• Stay at Sanbonani Resort or an adjacent lodge in Hazyview.

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Day 18

Panorama Route and Drakensberg Escarpment

• After breakfast, embark on a tour of the beautiful Panorama Route, situated on the escarpment of the mighty Drakensberg mountain range.
• Visit Pilgrim's Rest, an old gold-mining town with interesting shops, restaurants, and flea markets.
• Continue the tour with visits to Blyde River Canyon, Bourke's Luck Potholes, and God's Window, offering a spectacular panoramic view over the Lowveld of Mpumalanga Province.
• Have lunch in the forestry town of Sabie.
• After lunch, return to the lodge in mid-afternoon.

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Day 19

Full-Day Kruger National Park Safari

• Early morning departure for Kruger National Park, the largest and one of the oldest parks in the world, boasting at least 150 mammal species, 500 bird species, 115 reptile species, and 50 fish species.
• Have breakfast at the first camp, Skukuza, after entering the park.
• After breakfast, continue the game drive in search of the Big Five and various other African animals.
• Lunch will be at another camp before departing for the lodge in the mid-afternoon.

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Day 20

Hazyview to Centurion and Pretoria

• After breakfast, drive to Lydenburg via the Long Tom Pass, a historic area where many Anglo-Boer wars were fought between 1899 and 1902.
• Pass through the highest town in South Africa, Dullstroom, at 2,077 meters above sea level, known for its fabulous souvenir shops and restaurants.
• Continue the journey to Pretoria Centurion for the overnight stay.
• Pass by the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
• Stay at Centurion Lake Hotel or an adjacent hotel in Pretoria.

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Day 21

Soweto Heritage Tour and Departure

• After breakfast and later in the morning, with luggage in tow, embark on a tour of Soweto.
• Explore the legendary Vilakazi Street, once home to two Nobel Peace Prize winners - Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Tata Nelson Mandela.
• Visit Mandela House Museum and Hector Pieterson Memorial, and enjoy dancing and performances by locals along the street.
• Have the opportunity to purchase souvenirs.
• Explore the Apartheid Museum.
• Towards evening, tourists will be transferred to OR Tambo International Airport for a flight to their destination.