2024 Trip 2: Southern African Safari Experience

Journey at a Glance

Select any of the Accommodation venues or the Destination for more information.

Tour Costs

USD $11,695 / CAD $15,495 Per Person Sharing

Fast Facts

DATES: 29 April – 17 May 2024

18 Nights

Group Size: 16 guests, 2 hosts

Africa's Big 5

Safari Viewing

Blyde River Canyon

Breathtaking

4x4 Safari Vehicle

Experiences

World Class Wines

Cape Winelands

WHAT IS INCLUDED

  • Airport transfers.
  • Accommodation as indicated.
  • Meals & drinks as indicated.
  • All safari activities whilst staying at Bakwena, Kambaku River Sands & Notten’s Bush Camp.
  • Local Alcoholic drinks included with all meals at all accommodations.
  • Reserve entrance fees.
  • Shangaan Village & Panorama Route Tours.
  • Tours of Cape Town, Cape Peninsula & Winelands.
  • Tour of Victoria Falls.
  • Johannesburg Tour.
  • Regional Flights

EXCLUDES

  • All optional services
  • International airfares to South Africa
  • Insurance and all items of a personal nature
  • Laundry, optional activities, visas and items of a personal nature
  • Gratuities for ALL hotels, meals and activities whilst with the group, which will total approximately CAD 350 (USD300) per person. This will be explained and collected prior to our departure so we will do a group gratuity hand over at the end of each stop

TOUR MAP

TOUR START: Johannesburg, Chobe River Front – Botswana, Victoria Falls – Zimbabwe, Cape Town, Franschhoek, Timbavati Private Game Reserve, Hazyview, Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve – END of TOUR

ITINERARY: A Taste of What to Expect

Please click on a DAY to expand more detail.

On arrival at Johannesburg O.R.Tambo International Airport, you will be met by your hosts and transferred to the African Pride Hotel for your two night stay.

Today you will be met and embark on a wonderful day of cultural experiences with a tour of the city of Pretoria and the Voortrekker Monument. Your explorations begin in the heart of bustling Johannesburg, the third largest city in Africa, as you seek out landmark buildings such as the Hillbrow Tower, one of the tallest towers in Africa, the sky-scraping Ponte City, and the multi-million rand Nelson Mandela Bridge. North of city you will find the country’s capital, Pretoria that showcases the historical Voortrekker Monument. After an interesting city tour and a delectable lunch, return to your hotel for an overnight rest.

Today is the day you begin your safari experiences. After breakfast, you will be transferred to Johannesburg O.R.Tambo International Airport for your flight to Kasane in Chobe. On arrival at Kasane airport you will be transferred to Bakwena Lodge for check in for two nights. Activities include game drives and boat cruises. We encourage all our guests to take part in our Guided Bicycle Tours and Village Walks. These are complimentary, not at any specific time nor for any duration. A Chobe River cruise has to be one of the finest game viewing experiences in Africa. With over 80 000 elephant in the park alone, they are a very frequent sighting. Hippo, water birds, buffalo, crocodile and puku are also viewed from the river.

Enjoy a last morning game drive before being transferred across to Zimbabwe and Ilala Lodge for your overnight rest. This afternoon enjoy a guided tour of Victoria Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Walk through the magnificent rain forest where you are able to view the largest falling sheet of water on earth, Livingstone’s statue and a wide variety of birds and plants.

After soaking in the views of the Falls for the past day, enjoy breakfast before being transferred to Victoria Falls Airport for your flight to Cape Town. On arrival at Cape Town International Airport, you will be met and transferred to the lovely Tree House Boutique Hotel positioned in vibrant and trendy Green Point for your two night stay.

Your guide will collect you from The Tree House Boutique Hotel in the morning for your half-day private city tour. Weather depending, Table Mountain will be your first stop for breathtaking views of the city, beaches and Cape Peninsula. As an alternative, your guide can take you to Signal Hill for a different, but just as beautiful perspective of the city. Next stop is The South African Museum and a lovely stroll through The Company Gardens, followed with a brief visit of The Parliament Buildings. Visit the city centre including Green Market Square, Long Street and depending on level of interest, pop into a diamond museum and store. On the way back, pass through the Cape Malay quarter known as The Bo Kaap with brightly coloured houses. Time permitting or as alternatives to the above, your guide can include visits to The South African National Gallery, The Bo Kaap, Iziko Slave Lodge and District Six Museums. The rest of the day is free for you to explore Cape Town further.

Included: Cape Town City Tour Half Day

Your guide will collect you from the hotel and you will be taken on a spectacular journey around the Cape Peninsula taking in all the highlights and breathtaking beauty of this world-renowned region, including a stop at the famous Boulder’s Beach where the penguins are located as well as the scenic Chapman’s Peak Drive. Time permitting, the guide can also stop at the Kirstenbosch Botantical Gardens. Travel through historic suburbs of Muizenberg, St James and Simon’s Town, charming fishing villages of Kalk Bay and Hout Bay and beautiful viewpoints on the way to Cape Point, where the mighty Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet in harmony. Your guide will stop in one of the areas for lunch.

Included: Cape Point Tour Full Day

Today you will be picked up for a full day guided Cape Winelands tour. The Winelands are set just an hour outside of Cape Town and blessed with heavenly scenery with breathtaking views. The area is rich with history, and you can’t help but feel it as you move through the region. You will make stops to experience a wine cellar tour, where you’ll learn all about the process of winemaking, from grape to goblet. Arriving in Franschhoek, you will be check into La Fontaine, located in the heart of Franschhoek for your two nights stay.

Included: Cape Winelands Day Tour

A day to explore the Winelands area, you can do so on your own or perhaps book one of the tours available at the guesthouse. Or enjoy a trip on the hop-on Hop-off Winetram. Franschhoek is also home to some of the country’s top culinary experiences.

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Cape Town International Airport for your flights to Johannesburg and Hoedspruit. From Hoedspruit Airport you will be transferred to Kambaku River Sands located in the beauty of the Timbavati Game Reserve for the next three nights. Kambaku River Sands is a place of sanctuary for Africa’s Big 5: the leopard, lion, rhinoceros, elephant and buffalo and more. Their game rangers are seasoned experts and will furnish you with all the information you need as you encounter indigenous wildlife thriving in their natural habitat.

This morning, after a game drive and breakfast your guide will transfer you to the Hazyview area. This afternoon pay a visit to the traditional Nyati Cultural Village to learn about the African culture. Continue after this experience to check in to Perry’s Bridge Hollow Boutique Hotel for two nights.

Included: Nyati Cultural Village

After breakfast your guide will take you on the famous Panorama Route, one breathtaking view after another – that’s South Africa’s famous Panorama Route, where you’ll experience mountains, sky, forests and the truly impressive Blyde River Canyon, one of the world’s largest canyons. The small town of Graskop is the gateway to the Panorama Route. Scenic landmarks with evocative names like God’s Window, Wonder View, the Pinnacle, Bourke’s Luck Potholes and the Three Rondawels beckon. You head on to the Blyde River Canyon Reserve where you will thread your way along the clifftops back to Perry’s Bridge Hollow for dinner.

Included: Full Panorama Route Tour

After breakfast your guide will transfer you to Nottens Bush Camp situated in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, adjacent to the Kruger National Park, Elephant Plains Game Lodge offers excellent Big 5 game viewing, luxurious accommodation and sumptuous cuisine. The lodge caters for the discerning traveller, offering a variety of accommodation options, varying from rondavels and luxury suites.

Nottens Bush Camp is world renowned for excellent Big 5 game viewing and guests can enjoy two game drives and a bush walk per day. Facilities include two swimming pools, a spa, gym, conference centre, small library and games room. The lodge is owner run and can accommodate a maximum of 24 guests. This guarantees personal service and attention to detail. Our unpretentious style ensures that guests regrettably leave the warm and friendly atmosphere of our little piece of Africa.

Today in time for your flight you will be transferred to Skakuza airport.