16 Days – The Wild Adventure

Day of arrival 

Arriving in Sunny South Africa, you will be met by our Friendly Tourist Guide at O R Tambo International Airport.  Today you will be at leisure or alternatively take an optional guided afternoon city tour of Johannesburg. Share highlights of our City of Gold and its great historic and modern significance bridged by Nelson Mandela, joining two cultures, and erecting the pillars of our Constitution. Return to your hotel late afternoon for a tour briefing at 18h30. Tonight, enjoy dinner at your hotel. 

Overnight: Johannesburg

Meals Included: 

Meals Excluded: Breakfast, Lunch, Pre-drinks, and Dinner.

Free Activities: Johannesburg City Tour

Pilanesberg National Park 

Today you be visiting Pilanesberg National Park where you will be able to do some game viewing and enjoy lunch. Enjoy the Lesedi Boma dinner experience around 18h30.

Overnight: Johannesburg

Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner

Meals Excluded: Pre-drinks & Lunch.

Activities Included: Cultural Show, Pilanesberg entrance fees.

Johannesburg to Hazyview via Panorama Route 

Depart after breakfast to the Kruger National Park via the beautiful Panorama Route. Travel through the Panorama Route via the Blyde River Canyon to Graskop.

The awe-inspiring Blyde River Canyon, which may be one of the world’s largest green canyons, is the start of today’s trip along the beautiful Panorama Route. This route also includes: The Three Rondawels, Lisbon Falls, Bourke’s Luck Potholes, Wonder View, the highest viewpoint on this route. These are some of the country’s most beautiful views and cherished natural marvels.

Stop for lunch in Graskop. Arrive in the late afternoon at your overnight accommodation, on the fringes of Hazyview. Relax before easing into a leisurely dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Hazyview

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Meals Excluded: Lunch

Activities Included: Three Rondavels, Bourke’s Luck Potholes, and God’s Window, Nature Drive

Full day in Kruger National Park 

Leaving the hotel early, breakfast pack in hand and make our way to the iconic Kruger National Park. Enjoy a guided open vehicle game drive prowling the bushveld looking for the “Big Five”, their friends and natural enemies, inside the legendary Kruger National Park, a place where elephants always have the right of way. The Kruger National Park covers 19,485 km² and runs 360 km from north to south. It supports a staggering variety of fauna and flora including 147 mammals and 507 bird species, some rare and indigenous to the area. Staying inside the park, fill up on lunch while enjoying the wild scenery at one of the park’s rest camps, before continuing your bush adventure.

Exit the Kruger National Park and head back to the hotel to freshen up and enjoy pre-dinner drinks dinner.

Overnight: Hazyview

Meals Included: Breakfast

Meals Excluded: Lunch and Dinner

Activities Included: Full day game drive, Conservation fees.

Kruger National Park to Eswatini 

Eswatini, a small, landlocked monarchy in Southern Africa, is known for its wilderness reserves and festivals showcasing traditional Swazi culture. Marking its northeastern border with Mozambique and stretching down to South Africa, the Lebombo Mountains are a backdrop for Mlawula Nature Reserve’s many hiking trails. Nearby Hlane Royal National Park is home to diverse wildlife including lions, hippos and elephants.

Overnight: Eswatini

Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner

Meals Excluded: Lunch

Activities Included: Swazi Glass Factory & Swazi Candles

Note: When entering the Kingdom of Swaziland, please ensure that you are in possession of a valid passport, and for nationals of certain countries, multi-entry visa entry and conditions will apply.

Eswatini to Hluhluwe and to St Lucia 

Hluhluwe–Imfolozi Park, formerly Hluhluwe–Umfolozi Game Reserve, is the oldest proclaimed nature reserve in Africa. It consists of 960 km² (96,000 ha) of hilly topography 280 kilometres (170 mi) north of Durban in central Zululand, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and is known for its rich wildlife and conservation efforts. The park is the only state-run park in KwaZulu-Natal where each of the big five game animals can be found. Due to conservation efforts, the park now has the largest population of white rhino in the world. However, the rhinos and the park’s wilderness areas are now threatened by plans to build an open-cast coal mine right on the park’s border, a plan that a growing coalition of organisations is fighting to stop. 

Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.

Overnight: St Lucia

Meals Included: Breakfast 

Meals Excluded: Lunch & Dinner

After breakfast we will start with a cruise on Lake St Lucia (included) to see hippos and crocodiles in their natural habitat.  Spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Overnight in St Lucia (BB)

St Lucia to Shelley Beach

Conveniently situated close to Shelly Beach high on a hill just above in Oslo Beach. This is one of the most beautiful, hidden gems on the KwaZulu – Natal South Coast. Our hotel is overlooking the warm Indian Ocean on the one side and panoramic views on the other, complimented with terraced gardens and vast expanses of lawn expresses the feel of this beautiful establishment.

Overnight in Shelley Beach (BB)

Shelley Beach to Coffee Bay

Coffee Bay  isn’t just a place, it’s a way of life and a magic that’s simply unexplainable…and must be experienced. Coffee bay is a small community located along the Wild Coast of South Africa, known for it’s breathtaking views and beaches. Here you can also find some of the best surf this country has to offer, and the freshest seafood most only dream of. Whether you’re looking for an unforgettable adventure or some well needed R&R, Coffee Bay is the place to be. 

We continue our way to the Wild Coast also known as the Transkei or Pondoland, in the Eastern Cape. This drive will present you with incredible untamed views of green rolling hills and rugged cliff faces, dotted with colorful traditional rondawels and free roaming cows and goats. With an unassuming beauty hidden from the modern world, it is a place where “African Time” makes sense. The Wild Coast has a history as wild and rich as its coastal shores. It is a very traditional area where little has changed through the ages.

Our final port of call for the day is your hotel, situated in Coffee Bay. The village of Coffee Bay derives its name from a ship that ran aground here in 1893 with a cargo of coffee beans. Admire the lovely views before gathering for a dinner of local fare, in this friendly setting.

Overnight: Coffee Bay 

Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner

Meals Excluded: Lunch

Overnight in Coffee Bay (BB)

Coffee Bay

Enjoy a rest day, visit the Whole in the Wall and various other activities. Awaken to the calming and refreshing sounds of the ocean and enjoy breakfast along with the views. Today is yours; enjoy a full day at leisure. Spend the day taking part in the many optional activities offered in the area. Choose from hikes, snorkeling or fishing to the more adrenalin filled activities like abseiling, quad biking, and rock climbing. Alternatively enjoy a more relaxed approach and spend the day on the beach, discover the legendary Hole-in-the-Wall with its mythology or just shop around for local crafts, while meeting the friendly amaPondo people.

Enjoy lunch at your own pace or at a venue in the area. Round off the day with pre-dinner drinks before savoring dinner at your hotel.

Overnight: Coffee Bay

Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner

Meals Excluded: Pre-drinks & Lunch.

Activities Excluded: Hikes, Snorkeling, Fishing, Abseiling, Quad Biking & Rock Climbing

Coffee Bay to Port Alfred

Travel inland to Port Alfred, Port Alfred, known as the heart of the Sunshine Coast, is a small coastal town situated halfway between Port Elizabeth and East London, in the Eastern Cape. Port Alfred is known for its impeccable beauty and boasts an excellent marina, friendly people, and unrivalled water sporting opportunities. 

Overnight in Port Alfred (BB)

Port Alfred to Addo Elephant National Park

Addo Elephant National Park is a diverse wildlife conservation park situated close to Port Elizabeth in South Africa and is one of the country’s 19 national parks. It currently ranks third in size after Kruger National Park and the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.  

This Park offers some of the most spectacular elephant viewing in the world. Addo’s over 600 elephants will delight visitors with their antics.

Overnight in Addo Elephant National Park.  Meals included:  Breakfast & Dinner.

Addo Elephant National Park to Knysna

Depart after breakfast to this beautiful town – Knysna, . Time permits you can embark on a cruise on the Knysna Lagoon which will take us to the Featherbed Nature Reserve. Where you will enjoy a nice lunch and visit the Nature reserve.  After lunch you will be catching the ferry back which you will then have the afternoon at leisure.  

Visit the Knysna Elephant Park (est. 1994) was the first facility in South Africa to house and care for orphaned African elephants. Over the last 20+ years, the park has cared for and raised more than forty elephants. These animals include relocated animals, orphaned calves, elephants rescued from culls and ex-circus animals. Some have become part of the resident herd, others have moved onto other reserves and facilities in the Western and Eastern Cape, depending on their personalities, bonds with other animals and welfare needs.

Our daily ‘Be Touched by an Elephant’ Tours leave every half hour, every day, from the visitor’s center between 08h30 and 16h00.   

Overnight: Knysna

Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner

Meals Excluded: Pre-drinks & Lunch.

Spend the day at leisure.

Overnight: Knysna

Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner

Meals Excluded: Pre-drinks & Lunch.

Knysna to Oudtshoorn

Travel inland to the ostrich capital of the world, Oudtshoorn, driving over the Outeniqua Pass. Constructed by prisoners of war from 1943 – 1951 now bridges the coastal Garden Route and the semi-arid Klein Karoo. For lunch we arrive at an ostrich farm on the outskirts of Oudtshoorn. A tour of the farm will introduce you to these strange and exotic birds, as well as the ostrich industry. In the Cango Valley we discover the spectacular subterranean world of the Cango Caves. This 20 million year old world wonder features an impressive display of gold and vermillion dripstone stalagmites and stalactites.

Arrive at your hotel and enjoy some time at leisure. Delight in the charming country setting as you enjoy a dinner of local fare and hospitality.

Overnight: Oudtshoorn

Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner

Meals Excluded: Lunch

Activities Included: Cango Ostrich Farm, Cango Caves,

Oudtshoorn to Cape Town

Enjoy breakfast before we depart to the Mother City. Cape Town the oldest city in South Africa lingers on the edge of Africa where oceans meet and cultures fuse under the presence of the majestic Table Mountain. After breakfast, spend the morning at leisure discovering your Mother City or join an optional guided, full day Cape Point tour, which incorporates Cape Point, Boulder’s beach, and Kirstenbosch Gardens.

Table Mountain is a unique conservation area which presents its visitors the best views of Cape Town, ancient caves, and some amazing hiking trails. It is also home to the Dassie or Rock Hyrax, a small, fury, guinea pig like animal whose closest living relative is the African elephant. The Table Mountain Range is six times older than the Himalayas and five times that of the Rocky Mountains, and is estimated to be 260 million years old. Its original name was Hoeri ‘kwaggo, sea mountain, then named Taboa da Caba, Table of the Cape by Portuguese. Enjoy the revolving cable car ride up the mountain (own account and weather permitting) to marvel at its panoramic views.

Enjoy this last evening the Cape’s cuisine and wines.

Overnight: Cape Town

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Activities Included: Cape Point, Boulders Beach