Essence of South Africa
10 Day South Africa Tour from Cape Town | Operated by Trafalgar
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10 Days
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1 Country
South Africa -
6 Cities
Cape Town, Cape Peninsula, Cape Winelands, Hermanus, Hoedspruit, Johannesburg -
19 Meals
4 Dinners, 9 Breakfasts, 1 Be My Guest, 4 Lunchs, 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
South Africa’s ‘Mother City’ and her iconic Table Mountain extend a warm welcome as you embark on a small group journey that will reveal the highlights of South Africa. Spend the day delving into Cape Town’s cosmopolitan surrounds before joining your fellow travelers and Travel Director for a Welcome Dinner.
Venture to the town of Franschhoek and see during your orientation why it is proclaimed as one of the most beautiful wine valleys in the world. Take the scenic Franschhoek Pass to the coastal town of Hermanus for your Be My Guest experience. Connect With Locals when you meet local business owner Stefan, who will treat you to a delicious traditional braai (barbecue) featuring deliciacies such as boerewors, pap and melktert. Over a glass of his homemade wine he’ll share stories of his life in South Africa’s whale watching capital. Return to Cape Town via a scenic driving route, arriving in the late afternoon. Enjoy your evening at leisure.
This morning you’ll bid farewell to the 'Mother City' and fly to Hoedspruit where a private game reserve near South Africa's great Kruger National Park beckons. Kick back, relax and settle in to one of Trafalgar’s Stays With Stories, Becks Safari Lodge, your home in the bush for the next three nights.
The action begins as we embark on an early morning game drive through Karongwe Private Reserve with a Local Specialist game ranger and Shangaan tracker-guide. The rising sun awakens the birds and insects that share your journey into the bush, as you scour the dense brush for signs of the Big 5. After lunch, and time for a siesta and a swim, return to the bush for an afternoon safari drive.
Today enjoy another full day of game drives through Karongwe Private Reserve. Continue to scour the dense brush with your Local Specialist for incredible encounters with Africa’s iconic wildlife. End the day with a traditional sundowner drink overlooking the Game Reserve, keeping your eyes peeled for signs of wildlife that emerge from their cover of darkness.
Our time in the South African bushveld comes to a close with a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience visit to a local Shangaan village. Learn about the traditions and customs of the Shangaan people and how the Eco Academy there provides eco and wildlife education. The visit includes a simple meal of grilled chicken, pap, Shangaan style cabbage, and for the brave, the opportunity to try mopani worms! Fly to Johannesburg and check into your hotel in the heart of Sandton that's well located for exploring the nearby restaurants and shopping during your free evening.
Unlock the secrets of the 'city of gold' on a full-day tour to see several iconic sites including the Hector Pietersen Memorial. Dive Into Culture during a visit to the Constitutional Hill, Mandela House Museum and the Regina Mundi Church, which chronicles South Africa's tumultuous Apartheid years.
Our epic encounter with South Africa’s iconic sites comes to an end today. Transfer to Johannesburg International Airport for your onward flight. Find out more about your free airport transfer at trafalgar.com/freetransfers.
Price Includes
What's Included- - All transport and transfers shown
- - An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
- - Cherry-picked hotels and safari lodges, all tried and trusted
- - All porterage and restaurant gratuities
- - All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
- - Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
- - Air-conditioned coach or Quantum bus
- - Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
- - Optional Experiences and free time
- - On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized.
- - 4 Dinners (D)
- - 9 Breakfasts (B)
- - 1 Be My Guest (BMG)
- - 4 Lunchs (L)
- - 1 Farewell Dinner (FD)
- Spend the day discovering the wonderful views of Table Mountain.
- Take in the landmarks of Cape Town during a city tour with your Travel Director. See the Company Gardens, Bo-Kaap and the Castle of Good Hope.
- Discover the incredible views of the Twelve Apostles.
- Spend the day surrounded by penguins on Boulders Beach.
- Take in the spectacular wine valleys of Franschhoek.
- Have your camera ready to capture the beautiful scenery and fascinating wildlife on your Reserve Tour with a Shangaan tracker-guide.
- Spend the day marvelling at Africa's iconic wildlife on your Karongwe Private Reserve Visit.
- Spend the day seeing the iconic sight of Mandela's house on your Johannesburg City Tour.
- Join a local Hermanus business owner for a traditional braai (barbecue) and some of his homemade wine against a clifftop backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean.
- Your stay in Karongwe Private Game Reserve contributes to the area's environmental sustainability and community development.
- Support a local Shangaan village, its Eco Academy and work in the local community with your visit.
- Learn about South Africa's turbulent past on an interactive Johannesburg and Soweto Freedom tour.
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.
Cape Town Sunset Champagne Cruise (Available on Day 2)Board a vessel at the V & A Waterfront and sail across Table Bay to take in city views of Cape Town and Table Mountain that are even more spectacular from the water. Your captain will navigate to the best sunset spot, usually in Granger Bay in the shelter of Table Mountain where, with a glass of bubbly in hand, you'll watch the sun gently sink and toast to the perfect way to end a day in the Mother City. This 90 minute cruise will be on board either a catamaran sailing boat or motor vessel. The sailing route may vary according to the season and vessel.
Adult Price: R905 Child Price: R640 Robben Island Tour (Available on Day 2)
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