Route map
Take your overnight flight to Johannesburg.
Click here to see our departures exclusively for solo travellers
"What a wonderful memorable holiday. The main reason for going was to visit Rorke’s Drift and Isandlwana but the rest of the destinations surpassed our expectations."
- Elizabeth"We would recommend this tour to anybody who wants to fulfil their sense of adventure but have the support and guidance of the experts. Thank you to everybody involved in creating these memories for us."
- JaneSouth Africans call their homeland ‘a world in one country’. It covers an area equivalent to five times the size of Britain, with a climate ranging from temperate, Mediterranean and sub-tropical to desert; it offers spectacular scenery with arguably the finest wildlife on earth and no less than eleven official languages. South Africa is truly a world-class destination!
Firstly, a more naturally beautiful country would be difficult to find - from the serrated peaks of the Drakensberg mountains, to the contorted and timeless semi-desert landscapes of the Karoo and the forested sea-shores and mirror-like lakes of the Garden Route, the enchanting temperate valleys of the Winelands, the rare proximity to nature found in the national parks and the instantly recognizable symbol of the country, Table Mountain - all under an endless azure-blue sky. Quite remarkable!
Then there is the wildlife, one of the main reasons visitors travel to Africa. One of the finest places in the world to experience this is the Kruger National Park, which is a similar size to Wales. It is exactly how you imagine the African bush to be, as depicted on countless TV documentaries: areas of sweeping savannah, bisected by rivers full of hippos, muddy waterholes lined with animals quenching their thirst, and the bush itself, home to zebra and antelope, studded by immense biscuit-coloured termite hills and towering above it all, instantly recognisable giraffes! The park is home to an incredible 150 mammal and 500 bird species including the ‘big five’: elephant, lion, rhino, leopard and buffalo. Game-viewing is an intensely moving experience with nothing preparing you for the waves of emotion inspired by an encounter with these wonderful, almost regal creatures thriving in their natural habitat. Just to highlight the variety of flora too, the Cape Peninsula alone has twice as many plant varieties as Britain, which is 5,000 times bigger. But South Africa is not just about scenery and wildlife, fabulous as it is.
The cities are amazing and highlight the country’s diversity. Brash Johannesburg, city of gold and South Africa’s cultural capital, with skyscrapers of concrete and glass separated by canyon-like streets contrasting with townships on its outskirts. Then there is the ‘Mother City’, Cape Town, overlooked by the vast bulk of Table Mountain and easily Africa’s most beautiful and sophisticated city. It is a real multi-cultural melting pot, with stunning Cape architecture, superb beaches, the best cuisine in the country, fabulous street musicians, mime artists and entertainers adding to its cosmopolitan atmosphere.
Any country is shaped by its past - South Africa more than most with its recent history a constant struggle between the British, Afrikaners, and various indigenous peoples, the Zulus being the most well known. The British annexed the Cape from the Dutch during the 18th century, who then set out inland founding the Orange Free State and the Transvaal. However, with the discovery of the world’s largest gold deposits, British interest flourished! This culminated in the Boer War and unification of the country. We all inevitably associate South Africa with the inhumanities of the old Apartheid system, which needs no explanation.
Our visit to the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg takes us on a fascinating, horrifying, humbling and ultimately inspiring journey from the dark days of ‘whites only’ privilege, through to Nelson Mandela’s historic release. Documentary film, texts, sound clips and live accounts recapture life in the old South Africa.
We also visit the famous battlefields of the Zulu Wars, Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift – one a crushing British defeat sending shock waves throughout the Empire, the other a valiant stand of just 140 against 4,000 Zulus. Few tours visit these remarkable sites, a vital and deeply moving part of South Africa’s unique heritage.
The Garden Route in the Western Cape is legendary. With a mild climate and facing the southern Indian Ocean, this unique region encompasses beautiful coastal and mountain scenery. Depending on the time of year, we’ll have the opportunity to travel to the beautiful seaside resort of Hermanus, the best place for on-shore whale watching. We also spend a most enjoyable few days surrounded by the seemingly never-ending rows of vines in fertile valleys, backed by the lofty mountains of the enchanting Winelands.
This wonderful 16-day tour is designed to highlight South Africa’s truly amazing diversity of cultures, its curious blend of old and new, and it’s phenomenal scenery and wildlife. You leave with the feeling that the new South Africa, open to the world after years of isolation, is a land of superlatives which cannot fail to impress the welcome visitor!
Route map
Take your overnight flight to Johannesburg.
After our morning arrival, we visit the Apartheid Museum, taking us on a fascinating, horrifying, humbling and ultimately inspiring journey from the dark days of ‘whites only’ privilege, through to Nelson Mandela’s historic release. It’s a truly fascinating exhibition charting the apartheid years and the struggle against it, culminating in the first democratic elections. It is a superbly presented walk through contemporary history using original material, riveting eyewitness accounts, photographs and film. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure.
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4* Indaba Hotel - Johannesburg
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Stay overnight in a tented camp – from £249 per person
Buffalo Rock is located in Kruger National Park and offers a comfortable camping experience in luxury tented accommodation with en-suite bathrooms. Enjoy an early morning bush walk led by an experienced ranger, who will introduce you to the bush’s natural wonders. Spend a leisurely morning relaxing or swimming in the pool at a nearby lodge before a spot of lunch at your camp. In the afternoon you will embark on a sunset safari, and end a memorable day with dinner and fascinating stories around the bushfire. Price is per person based on two people sharing.
Please contact us to add the above experience to your booking.
Locally booked activities
There are several locally booked activities to take part in during your South Africa tour. These include a helicopter flight over Cape Town, Graskop Gorge lift, elephant interaction experiences, microlight flights and more.
Please speak to your tour manager for details.
Rovos Rail extension
Spend three days on one of the world's most luxurious trains, Rovos Rail, from Cape Town to Pretoria.
Click here to view and book our South Africa with Rovos Rail Extension tour.
All transfer times listed here are approximate, and dependent on traffic. If you have a question regarding transfer times please don't hesitate to contact us.
En route to the hotel in Johannesburg, we spend 2 hours at the Apartheid Museum.
Arrival airport | First hotel location | Transfer time | Final hotel location | Departure airport | Transfer time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Johannesburg - O.R. Tambo International Airport | Johannesburg | 1 hr | Cape Town | Cape Town International Airport | 45 mins |
With our brand new door-to-door transfer service, you can arrive at the airport in style in a private, luxury car. Prices based on the mileage between your home and the airport:
Up to 50 miles | £49 per person |
51 - 75 miles | £79 per person |
76 - 100 miles | £109 per person |
101 -125 miles | £139 per person |
126 - 150 miles | £179 per person |
151+ miles | Call for a quote |
We’re now pleased to be offering this service with our compliments on the following departures:
Please call us to book your luxury private transfer today. Click here for terms and conditions.
We care deeply about our customers and the holiday experience they have. We’re passionate about travel and we want all aspects to be perfect, with personal service and attention at every step of the way. Our world-class holidays include everything you need, with no detail overlooked. We carefully curate every aspect of your trip based on our own first-hand experience and expertise built up over decades in the travel industry.
The price of this holiday is per person, based on two people sharing a room and includes:
We guarantee there are never any hidden costs or surcharges, inflated prices or artificial discounts.