A South African Journey & Victoria Falls

Welcome to Cape Town, the start of your South Africa and Victoria Falls tour! Your guide will meet you at the airport and take you to your accommodation, beautifully situated directly on the Atlantic seafront. Depending on your arrival time, head out together for a first look at the Mother City.

Your introduction to Cape Town takes you through historic District Six and the colourful streets of the Bo-Kaap before continuing to the lively Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. Later, make your way up Signal Hill, where you can enjoy wonderful views across the city and Atlantic seaboard in the warm late-afternoon light as the sun slowly begins to sink towards the horizon.

Back at your hotel, freshen up before heading out again for the evening. Cape Town has an excellent selection of restaurants where you can enjoy dinner and round off your first day in the city (optional). You spend four nights at the Ocean View House (comfort) or Clarendon Bantry Bay (luxury).

Today is dedicated to discovering more of Cape Town. If the weather plays along, begin with one of the city’s most famous landmarks: Table Mountain. Take the cable car to the summit, more than 1,000 metres above sea level, and enjoy sweeping views over the city, Table Bay, the Atlantic Ocean and large parts of the Cape Peninsula.

For the remainder of the day, you can choose between two very different experiences. Take the ferry across Table Bay to Robben Island, where a guided tour introduces you to the history of the former prison island and Nelson Mandela’s years of imprisonment. The boat trip also gives you a completely different perspective of Cape Town and Table Mountain.

Alternatively, explore Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, beautifully situated against the eastern slopes of Table Mountain. Together with your guide, wander through gardens filled with South Africa’s indigenous vegetation, including an impressive variety of fynbos and proteas. A walk along the elevated “Boomslang” Tree Canopy Walkway offers lovely views across the gardens and surrounding mountains. Later in the afternoon, return to Ocean View House (comfort) or Clarendon Bantry Bay (luxury).

Set off today to explore the spectacular Cape Peninsula. Following the Atlantic coastline, travel south towards the Cape of Good Hope, with plenty of beautiful coastal scenery along the way. The rugged landscape around the historic “Cape of Storms” is shaped by steep cliffs, windswept vegetation and the seemingly endless Atlantic Ocean. Stop at viewpoints and visit the old lighthouse area, where magnificent panoramas stretch along the coastline.

From here, continue towards Simon’s Town and Boulders Beach, famous for its resident colony of African penguins. Follow the wooden boardwalks through the protected area and watch the penguins as they move between the granite boulders, relax on the sand and venture into the sheltered waters of False Bay.

Your journey then follows the False Bay coastline through Fish Hoek and Kalk Bay to Muizenberg. Stop briefly to photograph the colourful beach huts before making your way back to Cape Town in the late afternoon after a full day of coastal landscapes and Cape Peninsula highlights.

Leave the city behind for the day and head into the scenic Cape Winelands. Your first destination is Franschhoek, a charming small town surrounded by vineyards and impressive mountain scenery. Its French heritage is still reflected in its character, while cafés, galleries, restaurants and small shops make the centre an enjoyable place for a leisurely stroll.

The Winelands are, of course, best explored with a glass in hand. Visit one of the beautiful estates outside town and sample a selection of local wines. A tasty snack platter accompanies the tasting while you enjoy the peaceful surroundings and views across vineyards towards the mountains.

Continue to Stellenbosch, one of South Africa’s oldest towns and the heart of one of the country’s best-known wine regions. Explore the historic centre, where oak-lined streets and whitewashed Cape Dutch buildings tell the story of the town’s long history. Today, Stellenbosch is also a lively university town with plenty of cafés, shops and restaurants.

Before returning to Cape Town, stop at another wine estate for a second tasting in beautiful surroundings. Back at Ocean View House (comfort) or Clarendon Bantry Bay (luxury), it is time to say goodbye to your guide. After freshening up, you may want to spend your final Cape Town evening at one of the city’s many excellent restaurants. The hotel manager will gladly recommend a suitable option for dinner.

After breakfast, a transfer takes you to Cape Town Airport, where you board your domestic flight to Skukuza in Kruger National Park. On arrival, you are welcomed by another transfer driver and continue into the Greater Kruger region. Your destination is the renowned Sabi Sands Game Reserve, where you will spend the next three nights surrounded by the sights and sounds of the African bush.

Once you have settled into your room and enjoyed a snack, your first safari experience awaits. Climb aboard an open safari vehicle and set off with your guide to search for the animals that call the reserve home. It is your first opportunity to experience the landscapes and wildlife of Sabi Sands and get a taste of the safari days ahead.

Return to the lodge in the evening, where dinner awaits. Afterwards, you may want to finish the day with a drink around the campfire before retiring for the night. You spend three nights at Notten’s Bush Camp (comfort) or Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge (luxury).

The coming two days follow the natural rhythm of safari life. Sabi Sands forms part of the Greater Kruger ecosystem, an immense wilderness encompassing Kruger National Park and the private reserves along its western border. With no fences separating many of these areas, animals move freely across a vast stretch of protected land. The diversity of wildlife is exceptional. Lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo share the reserve with cheetahs, wild dogs, giraffes, zebras and numerous species of antelope, while the varied habitats also support an impressive diversity of birdlife.

Safari days begin early, often before sunrise. This is a particularly rewarding time to be out in the bush, when temperatures are still cool and many animals are active. Together with your experienced guide, explore the reserve in an open safari vehicle and see what the morning brings. Later in the day, once the midday heat begins to ease, set off again for an afternoon game drive that usually continues into the early evening.

For a closer look at the smaller details of the ecosystem, you may also have the opportunity to join a guided bush walk. On foot, tracks, plants, insects and other easily overlooked aspects of the bush become the focus of the experience.

The hours between activities are yours to enjoy at the lodge. Relax beside the swimming pool, spend some time on your private deck, book a spa treatment or simply watch the surrounding bush while enjoying the meals prepared by the lodge. You spend another two nights at Notten’s Bush Camp (comfort) or Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge (luxury).

Today you leave the Greater Kruger behind. As an early transfer to Kruger Mpumalanga Airport is required, there will unfortunately not be enough time for another morning game drive.

From the airport, take a direct flight to Victoria Falls, arriving around midday. After completing the entry formalities, you are met by a transfer driver and taken to your accommodation, where you will spend the final two nights of your journey.

The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure. Settle into your lodge, have a look around Victoria Falls town or choose from the many optional activities available in the area. You spend two nights at Insika Lodge (comfort) or Victoria Falls River Lodge (luxury).

Today is yours to experience Victoria Falls and its surroundings at your own pace. Known locally as Mosi-oa-Tunya, or “the Smoke that Thunders”, the falls are one of southern Africa’s most impressive natural sights.

There are numerous ways to spend the day. Follow the walking trails along the falls and admire them from different viewpoints, enjoy a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River or head into Zambezi National Park on a game drive. For a bird’s-eye view, scenic helicopter and microlight flights provide a completely different perspective of the falls and the winding Zambezi River. Those looking for something more adventurous can opt for white-water rafting or bungee jumping from Victoria Falls Bridge.

In the standard itinerary, all activities are optional and can be booked according to your interests. Guests choosing the luxury option have two scheduled activities per day included, as well as full board and local beverages.

After breakfast, it is time to say goodbye to Victoria Falls and bring your South Africa and Victoria Falls tour to a close. A transfer takes you to Victoria Falls Airport, where you check in for your flight home.

If you are not quite ready to leave Africa behind, your journey can of course be extended to other destinations in the region.