Day
1 Depart North America on an overnight flight
to South Africa
Day 2 Arrive Johannesburg
Transfer to hotel. Free day until 7pm . meet for briefing
& join fellow travellers
Day 3 Hazyview
After breakfast, leave for Mpumalanga, dropping several
hundred feet into the lush subtropical region of the Lowveld.
Your travels take you along the circular Panorama Route
via Graskop, visiting the view sites of the Blyde River
Canyon, one of the natural wonders of Africa. This canyon
is the third largest in the world, after the Grand Canyon
in the US and the Fish River Canyon in Namibia. You will
also get the chance to gasp at the glory of God's Window,
with a boundless view of mountains and fertile plains.
God's Window is undoubtedly the Blyde River Canyon Nature
Reserve's most spectacular viewpoint, with astonishing
views over South Africa's lowveld. At God's Window, majestic
cliffs plunge down 700m and, on a clear day, you'll be
able to see over the famous Kruger National Park towards
the Lebombo Mountains. Last stop for the day before heading
to Hazyview is at the Bourke's Luck Potholes. This natural
water feature marks the beginning of the Blyde River Canyon.
Through countless eons the swirling whirlpools which occur
as the Treur River plunges into the Blyde River caused
waterborne sand and rock to grind huge, cylindrical potholes
into the bedrock of the river. The Potholes were named
after a gold digger, Tom Burke, who staked a claim nearby.
Although his claim did not produce a single ounce of gold,
he correctly predicted that large gold deposits would
be found in the area.
Distance travelled today is 500km. B
Day 4 Kruger National Park
We have a bright and early start to the day in order to
experience the wonders of exploring the Kruger National
Park in our closed vehicle. Spend a morning with the Big
Five in the Kruger National Park. The Kruger National
Park is an internationally renowned game reserve of nearly
2 million hectares and supports the largest variety of
wildlife species on the African continent. Keep a lookout
for the wonderful flora and bird life that abounds. We
return to our hotel around lunch time and your afternoon
is at leisure. [Packed Breakfast]
Day 5 Swaziland
This morning after breakfast, you will check out and depart
on your journey to Swaziland. You will proceed south to
Malalane and then onto Swaziland where this afternoon
you will visit a real Chief's village and have the fantastic
opportunity to gain an authentic knowledge of traditional
Swazi culture. The tiny Kingdom of Swaziland, a former
British Protection Territory, now ruled by King MsWati
III. The capital city, Mbabane, known for its vibrant
markets packed with woven baskets, beadwork and carvings.
Swaziland, the smallest country in the Southern Hemisphere,
is among the most easy-going and laid back regions. Swazis
are more likely to celebrate for fun than demonstrate
for reform. A progressive and hands on attitude towards
wildlife preservation has endowed it with a striking set
of national parks.
Distance travelled today is 280kms. B
Day 6 St Lucia and surrounds
Today you journey through Swaziland into Zululand stopping
en route to bargain for curios and souvenirs at the roadside
markets. Your journey continues into the Kingdom of KwaZulu-Natal
where ancient traditions and modern cultures of both Zulus
and Settlers have combined into a vibrant society living
in peace and harmony. You arrive this afternoon in the
Umfolozi area forour overnight stay. There is an option
to take an open vehicle safari in the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi
Park, this is at an extra cost and can be booked with
your driver/guide in destination.
Distance travelled today is 435kms. B
Day 7 St Lucia and surrounds / Durban
Enjoy a leisurely morning soaking up the atmosphere of
this tourist town St Lucia or take an optional morning
boat cruise, which is at an extra cost and can be booked
with your driver/guide in destination. This small coastal
town is a World heritage Site and home to hippo, crocodile
and no less than 367 bird species. Once the guests that
have chosen to cruise return, your journey continues towards
Durban. Once you arrive in Durban an orientation tour
introduces you to this multicultural, vibrant seaside
city before arriving at your hotel in Umhlanga in the
late afternoon.
Distance travelled today 290kms. B
Day
8 Drakensberg
This morning, enjoy a leisurely breakfast or perhaps stroll
over to the "Gateway Theatre of Shopping" located
opposite the hotel, for a touch of retail therapy. Later
you head into the majestic Southern Drakensberg Mountains.
You will proceed on a visit to the 300 foot high Howick
Falls, continuing through the Southern Midlands Meander
Route and arriving at your hotel mid-afternoon. Your afternoon
is at leisure to soak up the surroundings, or go fishing,
hiking and even horse riding in clean mountain air (own
account). Distance travelled today is 255kms. B, D
Day 9 Drakensberg
You have a full day at leisure to soak up the surroundings
of the magnificent Southern Drakensberg Mountains. There
is also the option to take a 4x4 adventure tour up Sani
Pass and into the tiny kingdom of Lesotho (passport required)
which also includes a lunch at Africa's highest pub. This
excursion as at an extra cost and can be arranged with
your driver/guide in destination. The Drakensberg Mountains
were proclaimed World Heritage site in 2000, South Africa's
first premier mountain wilderness and cultural site, on
the border of South Africa and Lesotho and is mostly a
vast national park, called now the uKhahlamba- Drakensberg
Park. This spectacular natural landscape also has many
rock shelters, containing the largest and most concentrated
group of San/Bushmen paintings (more than 6000 sites and
featuring 22 000 paintings) in Africa, south of the Sahara.
These were created by the San people over a period of
at least 4000 yrs. The highest range in Southern Africa,
the "Dragon Mountains" or the "Barrier
of Spears", reach their highest peaks along the border
with Lesotho. B, D
Day 10 Eastern Cape Coast
This morning you continue south to the Eastern Cape entering
the fourth of the provinces and the birth place of Nelson
Mandela (fondly known as Madiba). En route you will see
the old traditional way of life in the homeland area known
as the Transkei and stop for lunch (own account) outside
the capital of Umtata. You then continue via Nelson Mandela's
birth place and house, arriving late afternoon at our
accommodation in Chinsta East, on the beautiful, unspoilt
Eastern Cape Coast. Distance travelled today is 520kms.
B, D
Day 11 Eastern Cape Coast
You awake to the sounds of the crashing waves and have
the morning at leisure to unwind with beach sand between
our toes. The beach stretches on uninterrupted for many
kilometers and the thick indigenous beach forest is a
haven for an amazing variety of birdlife. You will set
off after lunch heading south towards Port Elizabeth.
Distance travelled today is 340kms. B
Day 12 Knysna
Today your journey continues towards the Cape. Visit the
Tsitsikamma Forest, which provides scenic walking opportunities.
The Tsitsikamma National Park is a protected area on the
Garden Route, Western Cape and Eastern Cape, South Africa.
It is well known a coastal reserve for its indigenous
forests, dramatic coastline, and the Otter Trail. The
park covers an 80 kilometers (50 miles) long stretch of
coastline. A short walk to the Storms River Mouth offers
some magnificent views of the gorge and river below. You
then travel onto Knysna to arrive late afternoon. Distance
travelled today is 300kms. B,D
Day 13 Oudtshoorn
After breakfast, you travel inland over the spectacular
Outeniqua Pass to Oudtshoorn, known as the 'feather capital
of the world' because of its ostrich industry. You will
visit a working ostrich farm and then explore the famous
Ca ngo Caves. Walk (the more adventurous may crawl!) around
the famous Cango Caves with their magnificent dripstone
formations of stalactites and stalagmites. Oudtshoorn
is located in an oasis-like setting in a fertile valley,
called the "Little Karoo", cupped by the Swartberg
Mountains in the North & the Outeniqua & Langeberg
Mountain Ranges in the South. Distance travelled today
is 360kms. B
Day 14 Cape Town
Today's journey ends in Cape Town. On the way we stop
off in Albertinia to visit a well-known aloe factory.
In this area, the Cape Aloe grows wild on many farms,
and is still harvested in the traditional, labour-intensive
way, providing a livelihood for unskilled, independent
tappers. We drive via Swellendam, Worcester and through
the Huguenot Tunnel before arriving in Cape Town in the
late afternoon. Distance travelled today is 420kms. B
Day 15 Cape Town
Enjoy a day of leisure in the 'Mother City' where a visit
to the V&A Waterfront is recommended. You may
want to take advantage of one of the optional tours, a
full day Peninsula Tour which includes the dramatic coastline
of the Cape Peninsula including a visit to the Boulders
Beach penguin colony and the Cape Point Nature Reserve.
The alternative is to take part in a full day Cape Winelands
tour, which is a day celebrating the glorious grape as
well as the exceptional winelands region and heavenly
scenery. Both of these tours are at an extra cost and
can be pre-booked. B
Day 16 Depart Cape Town
This morning after breakfast, please check out of the
hotel by 11.00am. The remainder of the day will be at
leisure until your transfer to Cape Town International
airport.
Day 17 Arrive North America
Arrive in North America today with fond memories of your
South African adventure.
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