Day 1 - Cape Town to Oudtshoorn via Cango Caves
Hi Africa, and hey Cape Town. Ready to go? The legendary ‘Route 62’ leads to the Karoo desert. Today’s scenic drive crosses mountain passes, vineyards, and epic desert views along the way.
An included guided tour of Africa’s largest show cave system. Cavernous halls, limestone formations, cave paintings, and artefacts show that the Cango Caves were used in the Middle Ages! How’s that for a pitstop?
Welcome to Klein Karoo! Visiting Oudtshoorn for our first adventure. An idyllic bike ride or drive over the UNESCO Swartberg Mountain Pass and a Karoo braai meal on a farm sound great.
Accommodation – Riempie Estate (or similar)
Day 2 - Oudtshoorn to Gqeberha via Addo Elephant National Park
Good morning! We continue heading east to Addo Elephant, one of South Africa’s most loved national parks. Guess which animal this place is known for?
Yes, it’s elephant time. Over 600 tusk-tastic animals live in Addo National Park, where we’ll search for them in our comfortable (and tall!) coach after lunch. (Look for lions, buffalo, and antelope too!)
We’ll rest here tonight, but safari activities await in the morning. Not sure what to do tonight? Introduce you to the nearby karaoke bar. Play your favourite Lion King songs.
Accommodation – Town Lodge Port Elizabeth (or similar)
Day 3 - Gqeberha and Private Game Reserves
Today is all about wildlife, both on land and in the ocean. Our morning tour will begin at the SANCCOB Penguin Rehabilitation Centre, which treats and releases sick and injured penguins.
Later this morning, we’ll go on the first of two optional but highly recommended private game drives. The Eastern Cape’s game reserves are some of South Africa’s best spots to observe the Big 5, valleys, plains, rivers, and more. You have the highest chance of seeing the Big 5 with three game drives in 36 hours. Lucky you! We’ll return to the city tonight for free time. Round two of Karaoke? Nobody will stop you.
Accommodation – Town Lodge Port Elizabeth (or similar)
Day 4 - Gqeberha to Knysna via Jeffreys Bay and Tsitsikamma National Park
Beach time, Deserts, caves and Safari today. We’ll take the Garden Route to Knysna, stopping at some amazing places on the way. At J-Bay, one of the world’s top surf places in the world, we’ll start our day with some relaxation. Wave-dodgers can take an optional surfing lesson.
Our next stop is the Instagram-famous Storms River Bridge, which we’ll climb to for all the epic photos. Up the adrenaline? Kayaking up Storms River mouth is an option.
We then arrive at Knysna, a gorgeous coastal town, eager to explore the Garden Route’s sights and activities. (We have two nights here!)
Accommodation – Knysna Quays (or similar)
Day 5 - Knysna and Plettenberg Bay
Team, rise and shine. Today begins with an included breakfast overlooking the Knysna lagoon, then we’re off again.
Ocean time! Join our marine safari to see whales, dolphins, seals, and other water life. We’ll then spend the day on Plettenberg’s main beach, soaking up the sun and eating splendid seafood.
We’ll do an optional Township tour in Knysna this evening, where you’ll meet residents and help the kids. You may then cruise the Knysna lagoon and watch the sunset. Finally, we’ll have a group supper by the water and a night on the town (optional but important!).
Accommodation – Knysna Quays (or similar)
Day 6 - Knysna to Cape Town via Hermanus
Reserve a window seat. We’ll pass coastal towns, woods, canyons, and stunning ocean views on our way back to Cape Town along the Garden Route. Marine mania… We’ll have lunch and some free time in Hermanus, one of the world’s best whale-watching spots between July and November. Bring your binoculars.
We are back in the city where it all began. Enjoy cuisine, music, and drinks at a MasterChef-style cooking class tonight.
Accommodation – Waterfront Breakwater Lodge (or similar)
Day 7 - Cape Town to Johannesburg via Stellenbosch
After some free time to explore, you have the option to discover Stellenbosch’s awesome wine farms, sampling the very finest of the Cape’s fine wines. But why not take a helicopter flight over the oceans and mountains first? A traditional South African braai for lunch and stunning views. We’ll then fly to South Africa’s biggest city Cape Town!
After landing, we’ll head to our hotel for the night. Morning brings the second half of our South African vacation.
Accommodation – OR Tambo Protea Hotel (or similar)
Day 8 - Johannesburg to Durban
A day of history. We’ll drive through the heart South Africa to Durban from the City of Gold. We’ll visit Nelson Mandela’s capture location to reflect on the nation’s trouble history. We’ll then visit the museum, where you’ll confront the history yet feel hopeful after learning how apartheid ended.
Tonight’s lodging is among many stores and restaurants… Go ahead, treat yourself.
Accommodation – City Lodge Umhlanga (or similar)
Day 9 - Durban to St Lucia
You have a free morning at one of South Africa’s finest coastal spots. Sleep in, walk along the strip, or go to the beach to relax and soak up the sun like a sun junkie. We’ll then visit St. Lucia.
In St. Lucia, near the UNESCO World Heritage-listed iSimanagaliso Wetlands Park, look for hippos at night and fauna during the day. An optional MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® trip this afternoon will take us to a Zulu community to learn about their culture and meet some residents.
Accommodation – Forest Lodge (or similar)
Day 10 - St Lucia
Bush or beach? When you can do both, why choose? This morning, you can go around the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, watching for elephants, buffalo, rhinoceros, and antelopes. For Vitamin Sea, join us on a marine safari (with whales, sharks, dolphins, and more). The afternoon will include a Sunset Hippo Boat trip on Lake St. Lucia, Africa’s largest estuary with 800 hippos and 1200 crocodiles. Please join us! Finally, a sunset game drive with a South African buffet dinner is available. This day is amazing and action-packed.
Accommodation – Forest Lodge (or similar)
Day 11 - St Lucia to Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary via Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve
We leave early today to reach the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve around daybreak. The Big Five. An option to take a half-day game drive at the reserve that helped save the White Rhino, back from the brink of extinction! Or a picnic lunch! Today’s trip is big.
Now that our wildlife bucket lists sufficiently checked, we should travel to a brand new country. Prepare your passports—we’ll meet residents in Eswatini and learn about their culture and language on an MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Mlilwane’s Main Lodge offers honeycomb thatched cabins with ensuite bathrooms and hotel-style amenities for tonight’s stay.
Accommodation – Mlilwane Beehive Huts (or similar)
Day 12 - Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary to Kruger National Park
A delicious breakfast and a safari walk with the Trip Manager will start the day. Avoid missing the optional guided wilderness mountain bike ride. Explore freely and safely since there are no Big 5 here. Look for antelopes and warthogs!
The big one follows. The famous one worldwide. We’ll stay at a exclusive safari campsite in Kruger. Struggling to visualize? Imagine canvas tents with mattresses, linen, and stretchers with a roaring bonfire. This once-in-a-lifetime adventure will have you sleeping to hyena, jackal, and lion cries.
Accommodation – Contiki Safari Camp (or similar)
Day 13 - Kruger National Park
We wake up early to enjoy the morning breeze. An optional morning safari will capture Africa’s elusive animals finishing their nocturnal hunt. At lunchtime, you can relax at the camp by visiting the local shop, swimming in the pool, or eating at a restaurant that overlooks the Sabie River and watch the animals drink (yes, it’s preddy special.) This afternoon, safari vehicles return for another optional twilight game drive to see the Big Five and more. Tonight at camp, we’ll have a South African braai or BBQ with sides and sweets.
Accommodation – Contiki Safari Camp (or similar)
Day 14 - Kruger National Park to Johannesburg
Our last day. Any time for one or two last early game drives? Yes. You can spot nocturnal cats on a morning game drive or sleep in like the other animals. Later, we’ll do one last Kruger game drive before leaving the park. This is our last chance to see some amazing safari creatures in person. Is the greatest for last? I hope so!
We’ll return to Kruger Mpumalanga or Johannesburg International Airport with heavy hearts and camera rolls. Still not ready to leave? Our Victoria Falls Explorer and Cape Town Explorer tours begin tonight, fortunately!). It’s been exciting… We’ve seen wildlife and formed lifelong pals. Simply put, where’s next?
