ROUTE: (JOHANNESBURG – CAPE TOWN)

DAY 1
After collecting you at the Oliver Tambo International airport we transfer to Safari Club, our destination for today. www.safariclub.co.za. We drop your luggage and promptly board our shuttle to view The Apartheid Museum, as well as visit the township of Soweto for a culture experience with the locals.

DAY 2
Soon after breakfast we depart Johannesburg en route to Pilgrimsrest which is situated in the breath-taking Panoramic Route. We descend the Graskop Gorge and partake in a guided hike of the gorge, before continuing on to the Royal Hotel, our lodging for tonight. www.royalhotelpilgrimsrest.co.za

DAY 3
Excitement mounts as we are entering the world renowned Kruger National Park today in search of the Big Five and many other animals we came to Africa for! We overnight in the Park self-catering lodges and your guide will use this opportunity to show off his cooking skills, spoiling you with traditional South African dishes. www.sanparks.org/parks/kruger/camps/skukuza/. Soon after unpacking you enjoy the first of 3 x 3 hour game drives in the Park, trying your luck at finding all those elusive creatures the park is famous for.

DAY 4
An exciting day awaits us as you are spoilt with a morning as well as afternoon game drive, both in the SANParks 4×4 open safari vehicles.

DAY 5
After a last breakfast in the Kruger National Park it’s time to depart to Swaziland. Swaziland is an independent country, landlocked and completely surrounded by South Africa. Our destination is the self-catering cottages at Hlane National Park. www.biggameparks.org. As with the Kruger National Park, your guide will see to your dietary requirements, whilst the evening game drive will be done with the local Hlane National Park guides in open 4×4 safari vehicles. Hlane National Park has a huge array of animals and all the Big ones are here. We hope you spot them all during your 2 hour sundowner drive!

DAY 6
Another exciting day awaits us. We head on to the Isimangaliso Wetland Park, one of the 9 Unesco World Heritage sites of South Africa. Our lodging for tonight is the St Lucia Eco Lodge. www.stlucia-ecolodge.com. Soon after lunch we board the boat for a 2 hour estuary cruise followed by dinner and an evening safari drive of the reserve in a 4×4 safari vehicle where we will be on the lookout for some of the nocturnal creatures that roam here.

DAY 7
Our destination today is the Natal Midlands where we will visit the site where Nelson Mandela was arrested by the South African Police in 1962. Our lodge of choice is the 4 star St Ives Lodge in the small, but beautiful town of Howick. www.stives.co.za

DAY 8
Next on our epic journey is Thandela Lodge inside the Royal Natal National Park. www.royalnatallodgeinfo. Soon after our arrival at our accommodation we don our hiking shoes for a guided walk to the famous Drakensberg Amphitheatre.

DAY 9
Today we enter the mountain kingdom of Lesotho where we will spend two evenings at Malaelea Lodge. www.malealea-lesotho.com.  Malealea is a village in Lesotho bustling with many attractions and exposure to the local Basuthu culture after arrival you can have the afternoon at leisure end exploring the village is recommended.

DAY 10
After a leisurely breakfast at Malealea Lodge you can partake in a half day or full day guided pony trek, exploring the surrounding mountains and local landscape.

DAY 11
We bid Lesotho goodbye and travel south to the Mountain Zebra National Park. www.sanparks.org/parks/mountain_zebra/. This allows us to observe the habits of the zebras during our early morning game drive, tomorrow soon after breakfast. Apart from mountain zebras the park also boasts good numbers of lion, hyena, cheetah and a number of different antelope species, including buffalo.

DAY 12
From one National Park to the next. After a refreshing morning game drive we depart to Addo Elephant Park, our next destination www.sanparks.org/parks/addo/. After arrival at Addo we enjoy a short rest before partaking in our first game drive of the park, hoping to see elephant, lion, hyena, buffalo, zebra, rhinoceros, kudu and more.

DAY 13
Another exciting game drive at Addo is enjoyed this morning before we enjoy a lovely brunch in the designated picnic area of the park. Soon after we travel further south and our next destination is the wonderful Tsitsikamma forest where we overnight in the Stormsriver chalets on ocean’s edge. www.sanparks.org/parks/garden_route/. The Stormsriver mouth is incredibly beautiful and we get a chance to hike the forest path all the way to the hanging bridge where it crosses the the river at the junction with the ocean.

DAY 14
You can have an opportunity to do a morning kayak of the Stormsriver mouth before we depart to Mossel Bay, our next destination. Our lodge is The Point Hotel, perched on the cliffs above the popular Mossel Bay tidal pool. www.pointhotel.co.za  We enjoy a delicious lunch at Knysna, oyster capital of South Africa en route to Mossel Bay. Knysna is a beautiful medium sized town situated in the heart of the famous Garden Route, which we travel along its length until we reach Mossel Bay.

DAY 15
The southernmost point of Africa invites us today and we take a very scenic drive hugging the Indian Ocean all the way until we reach our lodge, The Arniston Hotel during the late afternoon. www.arnistonhotel.com. Our first stop however is L’Agulhas and here we enjoy a light lunch before viewing the light house as well as the most southerly point of the continent.

DAY 16
We depart Arniston and travel along the Indian Ocean once again en route to the whale capital of South Africa, Hermanus. This is a lovely small town and you will have the afternoon to relax and take in the beauty of the town and all it has to offer. www.harbourhousehotel.co.za

DAY 17
On to Cape Town we go today and we yet again follow the Indian Ocean road option as the route is amazingly scenic. Upon arrival at the Ocean View Hotel we do a quick bag drop before heading out for the rest of the day exploring Cape Point and the penguin colony at the Boulders in Simonstown.

DAY 18
More attractions follow today and we spend the entire day out and about visiting world famous Table Mountain, The Malay Quarters, Greenmarket Square as well as the historic Company Gardens. We spend our last evening at the V&A Waterfront enjoying a complimentary dinner offered by your host Africa’s Best Adventures.

DAY 19
After a leisurely breakfast we deliver you to the Cape Town International Airport for your onward journey.