Kruger Safari & the Garden Route

Itinerary

• Day 1
  Fly to Johannesburg - Begin your South African adventure with an overnight flight to Johannesburg.
• Day 2
  Included morning tour of Johannesburg and afternoon at leisure - Touching down in the ‘City of Gold’, meet your fellow travellers and friendly local tour manager from the airport before heading out into the heart of Johannesburg.    Your first day will then kick off with a panoramic tour of Johannesburg’s most famous sights, including the Carlton Centre, Nelson Mandela Bridge, and Hillbrow’s iconic Telkom Tower, Africa’s tallest telecommunications tower. You’ll also get the chance to view Constitution Hill, a former colonial fort complex which once imprisoned the likes of Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi and Joe Slovo. This imposing building has since become the seat of South Africa’s constitutional court.   Following a final stop at Johannesburg’s Gandhi Square, your tour group will continue to Soweto, a formerly segregated township which played a pivotal role in the struggle against apartheid. Spend the afternoon visiting the Hector Pietersen Memorial, which commemorates the lives of over 170 school children who were tragically killed during the 1976 Soweto Uprising. You’ll also see the Mandela House Museum, the former residence of South Africa’s first president, showcasing memorabilia of him and his family.    After exploring the museum and Hector Pietersen memorial which serve as sobering reminders to South Africa’s apartheid past, you’ll head north to chic Sandton, a lively financial, commercial and residential area. Your first hotel can be found here, a stylish five-star property within walking distance of a number of upmarket restaurants and bars. Nelson Mandela Square, a renowned retail area, which rings a statue commemorating its famous namesake, is also nearby and offers the perfect setting to spend the evening.
• Day 3
  Drive to White River via the Panorama Route - Rise early this morning before boarding your coach for a scenic drive to your first safari lodge, set on the boundaries of the world-renowned Kruger National Park. Over the course of the day, you’ll trace the spectacular Panorama Route through Mpumalanga’s most impressive landscapes.    Pass the towns that ignited the Transvaal gold rush and take in the region’s rolling valleys, waterfalls, and native wildlife. Enjoy short stops at the Bourke’s Luck Potholes, a fascinating rock feature which has been shaped by rushing water over the centuries, and God’s Window, a clifftop overlook offering enchanting views of the vistas below.    Continue to the mesmerising Blyde River Canyon, the third-largest canyon in the world, where you’ll have the chance to witness the ‘Three Rondavels’, a group of free-standing rock formations resembling their namesake traditional African huts. Take some time to admire the views and perhaps snap a few photographs, spending the final hour of your journey traversing the Blyde River Canyon.    Settle into your exquisite lodge this afternoon, flanked by sweeping mountain vistas and stunning views of the open bushveld, and recharge ahead of an exciting few days on safari.   
• Day 4
  Included full-day game drive and evening at leisure - Venture out as the sunrises today, equipped with a packed breakfast, for the tour’s first safari experience. The early morning is the best time to spot some of Kruger’s most elusive species so make sure you’re ready ahead of time to make the most of some memorable animal encounters.   After a short drive aboard an open-air jeep, you’ll arrive at the acclaimed Kruger National Park, the dazzling crown jewel of South Africa’s nature reserves. As one of South Africa’s most biodiverse areas, spanning over 19,000 kilometres in its entirety, the national park offers a uniquely intimate and comprehensive glimpse of Africa’s thriving ecosystems. Upon arrival, you’ll travel by Jeep into the savannah, accompanied by an experienced tracker, for an unmissable morning of impala, giraffe and wildebeest sightings. Keep an eye out for the famous ‘Big Five’!   While the park’s wildlife is an undeniable highlight, Kruger is rife with several other intriguing sights besides its native game with flourishing floral ecosystems, patchwork animal tracks and over 250 archaeological sites dating from Stone Age to the 19th century on full display throughout. Look out for some of these finer details as you glide through the bushveld to experience the delicate balance of the African wilderness in a truly immersive way.    Around midday, you’ll call at a local camp where lunch will be available (on your account). Afterwards, head back out into the savannah for a final few hours of wildlife-spotting in the savannah before returning to the tented lodge for some well-earned leisure time and dinner with your fellow guests. 
• Day 5
  Day at leisure or optional game drive - You’ll be free to spend today doing as much or as little as you like, making the most of the lodge’s amenities. Based at the gateway to Kruger National Park, this luxury accommodation is perfectly placed to explore all corners of the great African outdoors.    Complete with its very own wildlife estate, home to resident giraffes, lizards and over 500 different bird species, the tented lodge offers guests the chance to admire the region’s vibrant fauna from the comfort of its terraced sundecks or along one of the nearby walking trails. After time spent in the South African sun, the outdoor swimming pool and lounge areas provide an ideal escape from the heat, while its on-site spa offers the perfect way to unwind as the sun goes down.    For those seeking a more adventurous experience, an optional game drive will see you venture back into the heart of Kruger National Park for another full day of exciting animal encounters and unforgettable sights. Enter the reserve from a different gate early this morning and discover another side to the magnificent South African wilderness. Delving deeper into the park, you’ll explore the undulating granite hills and dense wetland thickets typical of Kruger’s southern corners. With a further few hours tracing a path through the bushveld, you’ll also have another chance to spot any of the ‘Big Five’ you might have missed earlier in the week.   However you choose to spend your day, reconvene with your fellow travellers at the lodge this evening for dinner beneath the stars.   
• Day 6
  Fly to Cape Town and travel to Franschhoek - Rise early for your last breakfast at the lodge before transferring to Mpumalanga airport for a short internal flight to South Africa’s Western Cape. You’ll touch down in Cape Town a few hours later, where you’ll be met by your friendly local tour manager, before heading into the vineyard-laden Cape Winelands.   This afternoon, you'll arrive in Franschhoek, where you can stop for lunch (on your own account) and check into your next hotel. Afterwards, you'll be free to spend the rest of the day at leisure. Embrace some free time to explore the wine-making town’s boutique shops, artisanal restaurants and wineries, and captivating collection of museums. You can also perhaps sample another local wine at the hotel’s bar.  
• Day 7
  Included Cape Winelands tour and drive to Arniston - Get ready for another busy day’s exploration with breakfast at your hotel this morning before heading further into the Winelands for a guided tour of its most prestigious wine-producing towns, Franschhoek, Stellenbosch and Paarl. Along the way, you’ll have the chance to witness some of the finest examples of South Africa’s colonial Dutch heritage, stopping at a handful of local vineyards. For many around the world, the region’s allure lies in its pleasant climate and renowned wine-making culture, and you’ll have the opportunity to sample a selection of local labels. The spectacular region is the largest grape cultivator in South Africa and offers some truly extraordinary scenery to enjoy as you sip on a glass or two.    After this morning's tour, reboard your coach for the journey through Little Karoo’s immaculate countryside. As you pass mountain vistas and verdant plains, marvel at the changing landscapes and the sheer diversity of this incredible region. This evening, you'll arrive in Arniston, a town sandwiched between two nature reserves. This picturesque coastal town, and the wider Cape Agulhas region, has been inhabited for over 2000 years – first by seafaring nomads and later by colonial European settlers – and offers a remarkable opportunity to connect with its authentic culture and easy-going way of life. After checking into your welcoming, family-run hotel, enjoy the rest of the evening on your own time, perhaps with a plate of its British-pub-style food.  
• Day 8
  Day at leisure in Arniston - Rise this morning for a full day at leisure on Africa’s south coast. Depending on your preference, you’ll be free to unwind in the comfort of your hotel, making the most of its swimming pool and spa facilities, or venture out to the intriguing nearby attractions.    For a gentle start to the morning, consider strolling along Arniston’s beachfront toward the extraordinary Waenhuiskrans Cave, an ancient coastal grotto which can only be accessed at low tide. Elsewhere, you might also visit the colourful fishing village of Kaissesbaai, home to a friendly community of sailors. Named after the ‘Kassies’ (paraffin cases in English) that were used to build many of the houses here, the village has been designated a national heritage site as its residents carry forward the seafaring traditions and maritime lifestyle of their ancestors. A glance out to sea will reveal the time-worn remains of several shipwrecks, offering a stark reminder of Cape Agulhas’ extraordinary strength.    After a leisurely day on the south coast, rejoin the rest of the group at your Arniston hotel for the rest of the evening.
• Day 9
  Drive to Knysna and Cape Agulhas visit - Depart Arniston after breakfast this morning and continue along the Garden Route to the delightful lagoon-side town of Knysna. On the way, you’ll have the chance to stop in Cape Agulhas, Africa’s southernmost area, and witness the point at which the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet. As you cross the ‘Cape of Storms’, catch a glimpse of South Africa’s untamed natural world at its most powerful with waves crashing against the shore and a captivating sprawl of wild-flowers, waterfowl and marine life in the surrounding national park. You can also visit the nearby fishing village of L’Agulhas, with its pristine coastal stretches and lighthouse, ahead of the final stretch of the journey to coastal Knysna, where you'll spend the next two nights. 
• Day 10
  Optional Featherbed Nature Reserve excursion and included Tsitsikamma National Park excursion - This morning, an opportunity to take in more of South Africa’s spectacular flora and fauna awaits with an optional tour of Knysna’s acclaimed Featherbed Nature Reserve. Widely recognised as the premier ecological experience along the Garden Route, this vibrant beachside woodland is home to a wide array of floral, birdlife and insects as well as some of South Africa’s most elusive mammal species like the spritely blue duiker.    Having crossed the Knysna Lagoon via ferry, you’ll board an open-top Jeep as you peer through the bush for the island’s native creatures. You'll then have the choice to join a guided walk through the foliage and fynbos, bringing you even closer to South Africa’s spectacular natural world, or return to base camp aboard your Jeep. After reconvening at the reserve’s visitor centre, tuck into a hearty buffet lunch under the local milkwood trees ahead of an afternoon visit to Tsitsikamma National Park.     Encompassing dense forest and a stretch of untouched marine belt which spans over five kilometres in length, Tsitsikamma offers some of the country’s wildest and most beautiful locations. One of the day’s highlights will be a stroll along the Storms River, with expansive views out over the surrounding landscapes. Trace a path through the coastal woodland, savouring idyllic viewpoints along the way, before crossing the river’s 77-metre suspension bridge. Take in the sights and sounds of Tsitsikamma’s majestic coastline and keep an eye out for pods of migratory whales and dolphins beneath the waves.    Later in the day, return to your Knysna hotel for an evening at leisure.