Best of South Africa
15 Day South Africa Tour from Johannesburg | Operated by Trafalgar
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15 Days
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3 Countries
South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho -
13 Cities
Johannesburg, Hazyview, Kruger National Park, Mbabane, Hluhluwe, Umhlanga, Himeville, Drakensberg, Chintsa, Gqeberha, Tsitsikamma National Park, Knysna, Cape Town -
26 Meals
9 Dinners, 14 Breakfasts, 1 Lunch, 1 Be My Guest, 1 Farewell Dinner -
Pace: Active
Faster paces with mix of 1–2-night stays in each location. Typically features 4+ miles of walking on some days and may involve steep hills and uneven surfaces, such as cobblestones.
Trip Itinerary
Your seamless South African journey begins with an airport transfer from O.R. Tambo International Airport to your hotel. Settle in to the pace of Africa’s most energetic city before meeting your Travel Director and fellow travelers for a Welcome Dinner.
Connect with nature and explore South Africa's oldest and most iconic national park in the company of a Local Specialist. Uncover the secrets of the bushveld and keep a look out for the magnificent 'Big 5', the Little 5 and everything in between. See the glistening yellow Golden-orb spider waiting on her web, smell the damp scent of acacia trees in the early morning and keep your head down in search of animal spoor. Spend your afternoon at leisure.
Travel to landlocked Eswatini. Dive Into Culture during a visit to a Swazi Chief’s village and gain insights into the community’s way of life, sampling some of the local pap and stew, and admiring their striking crimson traditional dress.
We venture to 'garden of province' of KwaZulu-Natal and its northern wilderness. Traversing rolling sugarcane fields and lush valleys, we arrive at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi National Park where there is an opportunity to embark on an optional 4x4 game drive. This evening enjoy a delicious South African braai – a perfect way to end the day.
Board an optional morning cruise on Lake St. Lucia and get up close to the hippos, crocodiles and birdlife residing in the estuary. Alternatively, explore the town of St. Lucia. We continue south to Durban for an effortless encounter with this tropical east coast hub, which begins with a delicious Curry Buffet at the Oyster Box Hotel, one of Trafalgar’s Stays With Stories – a seaside hotel that captures the nostalgia of a bygone era.
Venture through the scenic Valley of 1000 Hills bound for the spectacular escarpment that winds north from the Eastern Cape to Mpumalanga. The Underberg’s vibrant arts and crafts scene and stunning setting provide a beautiful backdrop for a morning drive. You’ll continue to the foothills of the iconic Sani Pass where you’ll have the rest of the afternoon at leisure and stay overnight .
Indulge in the freedom of a day spent exploring this UNESCO World Heritage Site on your terms. Consider joining an optional 4x4 Sani Pass drive, ascending to a heavenly height of 2,876 meters for lunch at Africa’s highest pub in Lesotho, or alternatively relax down here on earth amidst the Drakensberg’s lofty peaks.
From enigmatic mountain landscapes to South Africa’s untamed coastline, we venture through the Eastern Cape and the green hills of the Transkei, dotted with Xhosa kraals and homesteads. Discover the legacy of Nelson Mandela, at his birthplace in Xunu, then enjoy the unspoiled Wild Coast beaches of Chintsa, where the only footprints in the sand will be yours.
Wake to the sound of the ocean and spend time admiring pristine natural surrounds before we begin our journey to Gqeberha. Once a British settlement known as Port Elizabeth, this port city holds the distinction of being South Africa’s friendliest city, which you’ll encounter first-hand as you explore it on your own terms this evening.
Walk beneath the tranquil canopy of Tsitsikamma's giant and ancient Yellowwoods, arriving at Storms River Mouth to peer into the depths of the gorge. Connect with locals during a Be My Guest experience in Knysna, where you’ll learn a few key Xhosa phrases and gain insights into Xhosa culture. Host Ella will share her life story and reveal the meaning behind some of the local songs that will accompany your traditional Xhosa meal. The visit also contributes towards supporting Ella's work in the local community and is a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Our final stop today is the picturesque lagoon setting of Knysna, known as South Africa’s own Garden of Eden. Famed for its indigenous forests, fresh oysters and the two landmark Knysna Heads that stand as sentinels at the edge of the lagoon which shield the town from the Indian Ocean.
You’ll have a free day to explore the jewel of the Garden Route. Start your day with a leisurely coffee in the Knysna Quays overlooking the lagoon, then consider an Optional Experience to Featherbed Nature Reserve including a drive through the reserve to the top of the lagoon’s Western Head. This evening, why not join an Optional Experience sunset cruise to the Knysna Heads and see where the Indian Ocean crashes against their towering sandstone cliffs?
Capture the cosmopolitan energy of South Africa’s Mother City. Spend the day exploring its streets and squares in search of a tucked-away restaurants, boutiques and galleries. Or consider joining one of our Optional Experiences to tour around the scenic Cape Peninsula, sample the Cape’s finest wines in the Cape Winelands or visit infamous Robben Island. Spend your final evening at a Farewell Dinner with your traveling companions indulging in delicious Cape Malay specialty dishes.
We bid a fond farewell to Cape Town after breakfast. Explore the city on your terms before your transfer to Cape Town International Airport. Find out more about your free airport transfer at trafalgar.com/freetransfers.
Price Includes
Dining Summary- - 9 Dinners (D)
- - 14 Breakfasts (B)
- - 1 Lunch (L)
- - 1 Be My Guest (BMG)
- - 1 Farewell Dinner (FD)
- Take in the magnificent sights of Kruger National Park Area on your scenic drive.
- Travel to the most iconic national park in South Africa and marvel at its wildlife.
- Enjoy the views of the tropical east coast hub in Durban.
- Bask in the beautiful views of the Valley of 1000 Hills on your scenic drive.
- Venture along the beautiful coast of Xunu and discover its rich historic roots.
- Spend the day exploring Gqeberha, formerly known as Port Elizabeth, and all of its wonders.
- Discover the iconic sights in Cape Town.
- Connect with Swazi culture during a visit to a local Chief's village.
- Durban's five-star Oyster Box Hotel overlooks Umhlanga's iconic lighthouse and is owned and run by Trafalgar's Tollman family.
- Join host Ella and friends for a traditional meal and insights into the local Xhosa culture, including traditional dress, language and songs.
- Emzini is a not for profit organization supporting the local community providing education, food, clothing and a safe place to live.
Optional Experiences
Optional Experiences are subject to change. Your Travel Director will supply you with a final list of Optional Experiences available on your trip. Optional Experiences cannot be booked online; they can be purchased during your trip through your Travel Director.
Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Drive (Available on Day 5)If you visit KwaZulu-Natal, you can't leave without visiting Big Five country in the oldest park in South Africa: Hluhluwe-iMmfolozi. This is the legendary park where a dedicated team made worldwide conservation history with their successful efforts to bring the white rhino back from the brink of extinction. You won't simply be enthralled with this game-rich reserve and the extraordinary beauty of the terrain, but also with the sense of history having been made here. Our specialist tours are all conducted in specially modified open safari vehicles to enhance your game viewing, and give photographers the very best vantage point to capture that perfect image. We only tour with qualified, experienced guides, so you will not only be one step ahead because of their intimate knowledge of the animal movements and habitats, but you'll learn more than you could have imagined possible about everything from trees, to animal spoor, to the rich bird life.
Adult Price: R1170 Child Price: R888 St. Lucia Boat Cruise (Available on Day 6)All aboard the comfortable Santa Lucia, a spacious double-decker boat on St Lucia Estuary, with ample room for everybody to have the best view possible. We're off on a two-hour relaxed interpretative cruise from the smartest vantage point - the water. We'll get up close to the sight and sounds of hippo, crocodiles and other game species, and if we're lucky, we'll be serenaded by the haunting cry of the fish eagle...perhaps even watch one catch a fish. The boat has a coffee, snack and full bar on board, so relaxation is the order of the day.
Adult Price: R310 Child Price: R173 Sani Pass 4 X 4 Tour (Available on Day 8)The Tour departs at 09h30 and takes approx. 2.5 hours to reach the summit, climbing a grand 2874 meters above sea level, stopping at breath taking view sites along the Sani Pass and the two border posts i.e. The South African Border Control and Lesotho Border Control. Once at the Top of the Sani Pass, we enjoy lunch at the highest Pub in Africa - The Sani Mountain Lodge. After lunch the Tour continues into a living Basotho village, where our experienced mountain guide will interest you on Lesotho and its people - the hardy mountainous Basotho folk. Traditional beer and homemade bread offered on request .We wind down the Sani Pass after this cultural experience and arrive back in Underberg between 16h00- 16h30 depending on the wildlife spotted along the way.
Adult Price: R1362 Child Price: R1275 Featherbed Nature Reserve Eco Experience with lunch (Available on Day 12)Cruise on Knysna Lagoon over to Western Head where you'll join a tour through Featherbed Nature Reserve, a South African Heritage site. You'll make stops along the way to take in spectacular viewpoints, whilst your specialist guide will give plenty of information on the flora and fauna that surround you and explain how the reserve has recovered following the devastating fires in 2017 and is once again flourishing. Take the guided walk through the coastal forest and fynbos into ancient sea caves, before relaxing over lunch.
Adult Price: R1080 Knysna Lagoon Sunset Dinner Cruise (Available on Day 12)Take to the waters of Knysna Lagoon aboard a unique paddle cruiser vessel for a lesiurely dinner cruise. Depart as the sun sets and travel to the famous Knysyna Heads whilst enjoying a delicious Mediterranean cuisine buffet. Note: Drinks are not included and bills must be settled directly with the onboard staff.
Adult Price: R830 Child Price: R231 Cape Peninsula Tour - Full Day (Available on Day 14)Cruise along Millionaire's Paradise from Clifton to Camps Bay. Wind along Chapman's Peak Drive with lunch (own account) at Cape of Good Hope Section of the Table Mountain National Park before meandering back along the coast, visiting Simon's Town and the penguin colony at Boulder's Beach.
Adult Price: R1635 Child Price: R950 Cape Winelands Tour - Full Day (Available on Day 14)A superb day dedicated to celebrating the glorious grape, the exceptional winelands region, and the heavenly scenery. The area's rich with history, and guests can't help but feel it as you move through the region to experience a wine cellar tour and tasting, where you'll learn all about the process of winemaking, from grape to goblet. Visit the exquisite little town of Franschhoek, pass by the impressive Huguenot Monument, and in a town with a reputation for gourmet fare, where else could you choose to enjoy lunch. Wind your way to the heady heights of the Helshoogte Mountain Pass to meet the charming university town of Stellenbosch on the other side. Stroll through this little town, absorbing the quaintness, and sneaking into the odd shop or two (on Sundays not all galleries and shops are open). Enjoy a wine tasting at two different wine estates where you'll be able to purchase your favorite wine to take back home.
Adult Price: R1295 Child Price: R705 Robben Island Tour (Available on Day 14)
Journey to the famous Victoria and Alfred Waterfront to board a ferry to Robben Island (weather permitting), a home of our icon Nelson Mandela for more than a quarter of a century. It’s a highly charged and emotional moment when you visit the site of this suffering, and realise how far South Africa has come from those days. During the apartheid years Robben Island was used to isolate opponents of apartheid and to crush their morale. Freedom fighters, like Nelson Mandela, spent many years in this prison for their beliefs. Take the ferry to this historic site, pass buildings and a high wall built by prisoners during the 1960s before meeting your guide, a former political prisoner from the Island, fully conversant and knowledgeable about the Island's multi-layered 500 year old history. Your route, aboard a bus, includes the graveyard of people who died from leprosy, the Lime Quarry, Robert Sobukwe's house, the Bluestone quarry, the army and navy bunkers and the Maximum Security Prison where thousands of South Africa's freedom fighters were incarcerated for years culminating with a viewing of Nelson Mandela's cell. The round trip is approximately 3.5 hours long, including the two half-hour ferry rides, and is subject to weather conditions.
Spectacular views and a different perspective of the city await you on this 12 minute helicopter flight that showcases Cape Town's iconic sights. Keep your eyes peeled for sightings of whales and dolphins below you in the Atlantic ocean, as you take off and return to the V & A Waterfront. Fly over the city's famous Green Point stadium, built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Then your route tracks the Atlantic coastline, showing you a birds-eye view of Robben Island on your right and Table Mountain and the Cape Town City Bowl on your left. Admire the beaches of Clifton and Camps Bay and the Twelve Apostles mountain range before your pilot turns around and follows the same route back to the launchpad. Note: this activity is subject to weather conditions on the day being suitable for the helicopters to operate.
Adult Price: R1835 Child Price: R985