21 minute read
On Safari in South Africa – Kruger National Park
This very special tour includes an all-inclusive sixnight stay at a luxury tented safari camp by Kruger National Park.
Leopard
Meerkats Kruger National Park
Available Jul to Dec 2022, Jan to Dec 2023 & Jan to Dec 2024 Fly from (flight upgrades available). Prices from
• Heathrow £1,859 (UK connecting flights available – call us for details) Personalise your holiday
• Night Safari – from £100 • Sunset Cruise and Blyde Dam – from £60 Room for Sole Use from £333
Please note: The order of the itinerary is only a suggestion. At the tour manager’s discretion, activities that are weather dependent may need to be moved around. Zimbabwe
Hippo
Botswana Mozambique
Kruger National Park Camp Bethel
Irene Country Lodge Johannesburg Eswatini
South Africa Lesotho
• Go in search for the Big Five as you take three safaris in the famous Kruger and
Greater Kruger National Park • Family friendly tour • Visit a wildlife rehabilitation centre • Picturesque tour, of the Lowveld and the
Blyde River Canyon’s best sights • Guided nature walk at Camp Bethel • Fascinating Nyani cultural village tour • Traditional South African braai (barbeque) on your last night • Nature walk at the African Pride Irene
Country Lodge • Exciting optional tours, including a night safari and boat cruise on the Blyde River • Six nights’ carefully chosen all-inclusive three- and five-star accommodation, one night full board plus two nights on the aircraft • 21 meals, including seven breakfasts, seven lunches and seven dinners • Included water, coffee, tea and juice, together with local beers and wines during your stay at Camp Bethel • Return flights to Johannesburg, with coach travel and transfers throughout • Fully escorted by a friendly, experienced tour manager and wildlife specialist Your Hotels
From your authentic safari base, you’ll head out into Kruger National Park on three fantastic open-air safaris, visit a nearby animal rehabilitation centre, enjoy a wonderful panoramic tour, which takes in some of South Africa’s most dramatic scenery, and much more! Camp Bethel is an intimate, family run – and family friendly – safari camp, with just six canvas-style luxury tents on elevated platforms amongst the pristine African bush – an essential part of the African safari experience!.
Kruger National Park
Day One – Fly to Johannesburg Overnight flight. Day Two – Arrival Upon arrival, meet your tour guide and transfer to your five-star lodge near Pretoria. Enjoy lunch, then perhaps join your guide for a brief tour of the sumptuous lodge grounds, before an included dinner. Day Three – Transfer to Camp Bethel and optional night safari Make the scenic transfer to Camp Bethel, your home for the next six nights. When you arrive, you’ll have the chance to freshen up, followed by a late lunch and brief camp orientation. At dusk, why not join the optional night safari, giving you the unique opportunity to witness how the bush changes as the sun goes down, and a different animal kingdom emerges? Keep an eye out for caracals, bush babies, porcupines and ant bears! Enjoy a first night in the African bush, perhaps with a sundowner in hand, as the sunset turns the sky a vibrant patchwork of red, orange and yellow. Day Four – Included full-day Kruger National Park safari Rise and shine early this morning, for the short journey to Kruger National Park, home to some truly majestic animals, including the iconic Big Five – lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffalo – together with birdlife such as vultures and eagles. Today you’ll explore the southern part of Kruger, which covers almost 2 million hectares of unspoilt terrain overall. The south of the park is lush and green, with plenty of knob thorn and bush willow trees, whereas the north is arid and sparse. We’ll stop to enjoy lunch at a rest camp, where you can choose from a delicious variety of meals. After a full day’s exploring, you might fancy an early night. A relaxing dinner will be served to an atmospheric campfire backdrop. Day Five – Included wildlife rehabilitation tour and nature walk Head out to a local wildlife rehabilitation centre where they take care of injured and poisoned animals that, sadly, will not be released back into the wild. Watch a film presentation before you head out into the centre’s grounds on a two-hour tour, where you will have the chance to get up close and personal with animals including cheetahs, African wild dogs and vultures. Later this afternoon, join your guide for a fascinating nature walk around the camp, which sits on its own private reserve. Keep an eye out for wonderful creatures such as zebras, kudu, nyala and warthog that frequently wander through the camp. Day Six – Included morning safari to Kruger National Park and optional Blyde River Canyon boat cruise Rise and shine early once again, as you head back to Kruger National Park for a wonderful morning safari. Keep your eyes peeled for buffaloes and elephants, as your guide shares their expert wildlife knowledge. After an exciting morning, a well-deserved lunch will be served in a dry riverbed back at camp. This afternoon, you’ll have the chance to join the optional boat cruise, which will take in some of the Blyde River Canyon’s most picturesque sights, including the ‘living’ Kadishi Tufa Waterfall. Snacks and refreshing soft drinks will be available on the tour, adding to the enjoyment of a wonderful afternoon. Day Seven – Included panoramic mountain tour After a sumptuous breakfast, set out on a stunning panoramic mountain tour of the Drakensberg Mountain Range, taking in the Blyde River Canyon and God’s Window, named for its sweeping panoramic views of the Lowveld and lush forest-clad ravines below. We’ll make a lunch stop at Graskop, a small town known for pancakes and curio shops, before starting our scenic journey back to camp. Day Eight – Included morning safari to Greater Kruger National Park and Nyani cultural village tour, followed by farewell dinner This morning, enjoy a final included safari into a private game reserve that forms part of the Greater Kruger National Park as you savour every second spent in this unique natural paradise. This afternoon, head to the Nyani cultural village on a fascinating excursion, where you’ll learn about the local culture as you watch a performance, featuring music and dance from local tribes. Return to the camp for your final night in the African bush, where you will feast on a braai later – a traditional South African barbeque. Day Nine –Departure Bid farewell to the wonderful staff at Camp Bethel as you transfer to Johannesburg airport for your return flight. Day 10 – Arrive in the UK Arrive early in the morning after an unforgettable wildlife adventure. African Pride Irene
HHHHH Country Lodge, Pretoria night 2
This charming, five-star lodge is set amongst sweeping, private grounds and even has its own lake. Rooms are decorated in English country style, with wooden furnishings emphasising the lodge’s connection with nature, together with a private terrace and a TV. The lodge also boasts an outdoor pool, hot tub and restaurant.
Camp Bethel,
HHH near Kruger National Park nights 3-8
This family-friendly, intimate tented safari camp features just six canvas-style tents and is located amongst the pristine African bush. From your spacious, well-equipped safari-style tents with private viewing decks, you’ll be surrounded by South Africa’s most astonishing nature and wildlife – it’ll feel like you have the whole place to yourself! Your stay at the Camp Bethel will be all-inclusive, which covers all meals as well as water, tea, coffee, soft drinks and local beer and wines.
Cape Town, the Garden Route & Big Five Safari
Experience one of the world’s most beautiful cities, some startling scenery, and the giants of the animal kingdom.
Elephants outside the Garden Route Game Lodge
Knysna, South Africa Cape Town
Available Sep to Nov 2022, Jan to Jun, Sep to Nov 2023, Jan to Jun & Sep to Nov 2024 Fly direct (flight upgrades available). Prices from
• Heathrow £2,409 (UK connecting flights available, call us for details) Personalise your holiday
• Robben Island (full day) – from £69 Room for Sole Use from £459
Please note: The order of the itinerary may sometimes vary but the overall content and tour duration in South Africa will always be maintained. In 2023 the itinerary will operate in reverse.
Stellenbosch
South Africa
WINELANDS
Cape Town Stellenbosch
Hermanus Albertinia
Mossel Bay Knysna
• Four game drives in search of the ‘Big Five’ • Ride Table Mountain’s rotating cable car • Spend two nights in the privately owned
Garden Route Game Lodge • Tour the beautiful Cape Peninsula • Visit whale-watching town of Hermanus • Discover South Africa’s Cape Winelands and beautiful Western Cape • Wine tasting on a Franschhoek estate • See the extraordinary Cango Caves and visit an ostrich farm • Journey to Knysna, on the Garden Route • Take a cruise on Knysna Lagoon • Tour of Stellenbosch with included bubbly and nougat experience • A spectacular whale-watching cruise (Sep to Nov departures only) • Nine nights’ carefully chosen bed and breakfast accommodation, plus two nights on the aircraft • Three lunches and four dinners • Return flights to Cape Town via
Join us for a perfect introduction to South Africa, one of the world’s most beautiful countries, on an extraordinary-value tour crammed with unforgettable highlights. Discover spectacular Cape Town in its glorious setting beneath Table Mountain, see rugged Indian Ocean-washed shores, cross the arid plain of the Little Karoo, go in search of the Big Five in a private game reserve, and relax in the sun-kissed surroundings of some of South Africa’s finest vineyards.
Your Hotels
Male Lion
Ilita Lodge, Mossel Bay
Day One – Fly to Cape Town Fly from the UK, via Johannesburg, to Cape Town. Day Two – Free day at leisure Today you’re free to relax in one of the world’s most stunningly located cities. Perhaps take a stroll along the V&A Waterfront, where you’ll find several cultural landmarks, including the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary African Art. This evening, you might choose to join the optional sunset cruise on the bay. Day Three – Included Cape Town city tour Meet your tour manager for an orientation tour of the city. You’ll see historical landmarks like the Castle of Good Hope, the House of Parliament, and the leafy Company’s Gardens. You’ll also enjoy a stroll past the colourful Bo Kapp colonial district before returning to your hotel by lunchtime. This afternoon, you can choose between enjoying some time at leisure or joining the optional tour to the infamous Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned. Day Four – Included Cape Peninsula tour and Table Mountain cable-car ride Enjoy a fascinating full-day tour on which you’ll visit treacherous Cape Point, where the Atlantic meets the Indian Ocean, Kirstenbosch, famous for its Botanical Gardens and Hout Bay, and – weather-permitting – breathtakingly scenic Chapman’s Peak Drive. This afternoon, ascend Table Mountain in a rotating cable car that offers a 360-degree panorama as it climbs to the 1000-metre high summit. Day Five – Included Winelands tour and visit to Franschhoek Head east into the verdant Cape Winelands region and to wine-producing Franschhoek for lunch and a wine tasting in the fabled Franschhoek Wine Valley, before continuing to Stellenbosch, deep in the heart of this scenic landscape. Enjoy a guided introduction of Stellenbosch, followed by a glass of bubbly and some local nougat. With its oak trees and picturesque, European-style Cape Dutch houses, Stellenbosch is a delightful place to spend a night. Day Six – Included visit to the Cango Caves and the Little Karoo Travel on to Oudtshoorn, the Ostrich Capital of the World, in the heart of the Little Karoo plain. The world’s strangest, largest and often most valuable bird has been farmed here for 130 years. Enjoy a taste at your barbecue lunch, before visiting the worldrenowned Cango Caves. Later, you’ll continue to the coastal Garden Route resort of Mossel Bay for a two-night stay. Day Seven – Knysna Lagoon and the Garden of Eden This morning, you’ll travel to coastal Knysna for a cruise on the beautiful lagoon. After the cruise, you’ll travel in a 4x4 up to the headland for some spectacular views, listening as your expert guide tells you about the local history, flora and fauna. A buffet lunch will be served at an outdoor restaurant under a picturesque canopy of milkwood trees. After some free time to explore Knysna’s charming waterfront, enjoy a guided walk around the Garden of Eden in the Harkerville Forest, before returning to Mossel Bay for a traditional South African barbecue. Day Eight – Included game drive at the Garden Route Game Lodge Journey via the historic, sleepy harbour town of Mossel Bay to the Garden Route Game Lodge, in the heart of a privately operated reserve where you’ll spend the next two days. During your stay here, in the shadow of the Langeberg mountains, you’ll enjoy all the wonders of safari game drives to see the Big Five while staying in comfortable lodges and enjoying typical African dinners looking out over the reserve. This afternoon, enjoy your first game drive, then perhaps enjoy a sun-downer before dinner. Day Nine – Two included game drives A second day at the lodge begins with a pre-breakfast game drive. Enjoy some free time for a siesta before setting off on a second evening game drive. Upon your return to the camp, enjoy a complimentary refreshment beside the authentic boma (campfire), before you savour another memorable dinner under the stars. Day 10 – Travel to Hermanus After a final early morning game drive, you’ll journey west to Hermanus, a famous whale-watching centre from July to November. Departures between September and November will include a whalewatching cruise. Later, enjoy a sumptuous dinner with a panoramic view of Walker Bay at La Pentola restaurant. Day 11 – Travel to Cape and return flight Begin your last scenic day of touring as you make the dramatic descent from Sir Lowry’s Pass onto the Cape Flats. Return to Cape Town airport, via Stony Point Nature reserve to see the penguin colony, for your overnight flight home via Johannesburg. Day 12 – Arrive in the UK You’ll land back home this morning, at the end of a wonderful holiday in South Africa. Bantry Bay Suite Hotel, Cape Town nights 2-4
The boutique hotel is situated in a prime seafront location. The hotel boasts a choice of two restaurants and spacious suite accommodation that come with kitchenette facilities. De Zalze Lodge Hotel, Stellenbosch night 5
This Dutch vernacular-style lodge is opposite the golf course. There is a pool and restaurant, a bar and all en-suite rooms have TV and tea/ coffee-making facilities. Ilita Lodge, Mossel Bay nights 6-7
Offers panoramic Southern Ocean views on a hill overlooking Great Brak River. A sun terrace with sun-loungers surrounds the pool. Airconditioned rooms feature private balconies with sea views, and seating areas with satellite TV. Each has a mini-bar.
Garden Route Game Lodge
Garden Route Game Lodge, Albertinia nights 8-9
Here you’ll find a host of wildlife, including, the Big Five at this private game reserve. There is a restaurant, bar, pool and spa. Rooms are air conditioned and have a balcony or patio, tea/ coffee-making facilities, afridge and a microwave. Marine Hotel, Hermanus night 10
Perched on top of the cliffs overlooking Hermanus’s Walker Bay, the rooms are stylishly decorated and have magnificent views of the sea, and mountains or the beautiful courtyard and gardens.
Please note: On selected departures, you’ll stay at the Windsor Hotel in Hermanus.
Classic South Africa
Uncover the whole world in one country – stunning sights, Big Five game, the Garden Route, the Winelands and beautiful Cape Town.
Male Lion
Hectorspruit
Hazyview
Blyde River Canyon Johannesburg Eswatini
Newcastle Paulpietersburg
Giraffe Cape Winelands
Available Sep to Nov 2022, Jan to Mar, May, Jun, Sep to Nov 2023, Jan to Mar, May, Jun & Sep to Nov 2024 Fly from (flight upgrades available). Prices from
• Heathrow £2,439 (UK connecting flights available – call us for details) Personalise your holiday
• Morning Nature Walk – from £49 • Featherbed Eco Experience with lunch – from £75 • Robben Island – from £69 Room for Sole Use from £555
Please note: *On selected departures you will stay at the Casa do Sol on night 4. The order of the itinerary may sometimes vary but the overall content and tour duration in South Africa will always be maintained. In 2023 the itinerary will change and has been renamed Classic South African Adventures, please refer to the website for further details. The order of the itinerary may sometimes vary but the overall content and tour duration in South Africa will always be maintained. Lesotho
KNYSNA
Oudtshoorn
WINELANDS Stellenbosch
Mossel Bay Port Elizabeth
Cape Town Hermanus
• Experience the colourful traditions of the
Lesedi Cultural Village • Visit the Apartheid Museum and Lilliesleaf • Enjoy a full day’s game drive in the Kruger
National Park • Stunning scenery on the panoramic route, including God’s Window • Visit tiny Eswatini • Learn about the battles of Isandlwana and
Rorke’s Drift • Visits to charming Knysna and Hermanus • See the extraordinary Cango Caves and visit an Ostrich Farm • Stay in the heart of the scenic Winelands • Enjoy a wine tasting tour • Journey through the Cape Peninsula to enjoy three days in Cape Town • Included cable car ride to Table Mountain and visit to Kirstenbosch Botanical
Gardens • 14 nights’ carefully chosen bed and breakfast accommodation, plus two nights on the aircraft • Two lunches and five dinners • Outbound flight to Johannesburg, returning from Cape Town via
Johannesburg, an internal flight, with coach travel and transfers throughout • Fully escorted by a friendly, experienced tour manager Your Hotels
Cape Town
Discover extraordinary and totally absorbing South Africa on this tremendous value, hugely exciting escorted tour. Encounter the traditions and cultures of ancient people before discovering some truly awe-inspiring scenery en route to the famous Kruger National Park to search for the ‘Big Five’. Visit tiny Eswatini and the Zulu War battlegrounds before flying to friendly Port Elizabeth and the exquisite ‘Garden Route’. The verdant Winelands and the glorious Cape complete an unforgettable holiday.
Day One – Fly overnight to South Africa Fly south to Johannesburg. Day Two – Arrival and cultural evening Fly to Johannesburg, and upon arrival meet your tour manager and transfer to the Lesedi Cultural Village for a two-night stay in the World Heritage Site of the Cradle of Humankind. Enjoy dinner and your first night under the African sky. This evening, enjoy the hospitality of your Lesedi hosts, Zulu, Xhosa, Pedi, Basotho and Ndebele tribes-people. Day Three – Johannesburg – historic Lilliesleaf and the Apartheid Museum Visits to the awardwinning Lilliesleaf Farm site and Johannesburg’s moving Apartheid Museum will provide the historical background to today’s democratic South Africa. Return to Lesedi for a second evening. Day Four – Transfer to Mpumalanga Following an early breakfast, bid farewell to Lesedi and journey into Mpumalanga, bordered by the vast Kruger National Park. Upon arrival, enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure. Day Five – Scenic drive along the Panorama Route Make sure you take your camera as you head out for a scenic day’s drive on the famous Panorama Route with sweeping views over the Blyde River Canyon. Stop for lunch at Graskop (payable locally), then continue to your lodge near the Kruger. Day Six – In search of the Big Five in the Kruger National Park Begin the day early and drive to Africa’s oldest wildlife conservation area. Enjoy a full-day game drive with a packed picnic breakfast and the chance to buy lunch at a reststop. Return to your lodge and enjoy an evening at leisure. Day Seven – Eswatini Today you’ll cross the border into the Kingdom of Eswatini. En route, you’ll stop at curio shops and cultural centres before continuing on to Kwazulu-Natal for an overnight stay at a wonderful hot springs resort. Day Eight – Zululand battlegrounds Join a specialist battlefields guide who will introduce you to the history of the Zulu Wars and the battlefields of Isandlwana. A fascinating day includes lunch before you head to the hotel in time for dinner. Day Nine – Fly to Port Elizabeth An early start sees you return to Johannesburg airport and fly to Port Elizabeth. Upon arrival, meet your tour manager and transfer to your overnight hotel. Day 10 – Along the Garden Route Begin your journey along the scenic Garden Route to Mossel Bay, pausing in the seaside town of Knysna. Take an optional cruise across the lagoon to the Featherbed Nature Reserve if you wish, or enjoy the town before continuing to Mossel Bay. Day 11 – The Cango Caves and an ostrich farm This morning, visit the Cango Caves. You’ll then head to Oudtshoorn, the ‘Ostrich Capital of the World’, in the heart of the ‘Little Karoo’ plain. Enjoy an included lunch, after which you’ll return to Mossel Bay for a second evening. Day 12 – Via Hermanus and Stony Point’s penguins to the Winelands Head along the Garden Route to the Atlantic coast town of Hermanus, a famed whale-watching centre from July to November. Pause at Stony Point for a glimpse of its penguin colony before heading into the Cape Winelands region. Day 13 – Through the Winelands to the Cape Enjoy today’s tour of rolling vineyard-covered valleys. After exploring Stellenbosch, you’ll call at Franschhoek. Then journey to Cape Town. If the weather allows, enjoy an included cable car ride to stunning Table Mountain, alternatively this can be enjoyed on another day. Day 14 – Tour the scenic Cape Point Peninsula Weather permitting, take the Chapman’s Peak Drive into the Cape Point Peninsula. After a lunch stop in Simon’s Town, head back into Cape Town, where you’ll call at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. Day 15 – At leisure Today is free to rest and relax. Perhaps visit the Bo-Kaap district, the Company’s Gardens, catch a catamaran to infamous Robben Island or go up Table Mountain. Day 16 – Afternoon transfer to the airport Make the most of your last day before transferring this afternoon to the airport for the return overnight flight. Day 17 – Arrive back in the UK Arrival back in the UK, at the end of a truly wonderful experience.
Lesedi Cultural Village
In the heart of the bushveld, the village offers a restaurant, bar and beautifully decorated rooms. Hannah Game Lodge, Limpopo*
night 4
25 minutes from the Kruger, features a pool, lush gardens and a Spanish-style restaurant. Boulders Safari Lodge, Malelane
nights 5–6
Close to the Kruger, this lodge includes airconditioned chalet accommodation, a pool, lounge, dining room and traditional boma firepit. Goodersons Spa, KwaZulu-Natal
night 7
In a bush setting with beautiful Bivane River views, this hotel offers two restaurants, bars and a pool. Grey Goose Lodge, Newcastle
night 8
Close to the city centre, boasts beautiful gardens, a pool, bar and a restaurant.
Kelway Hotel
Kelway Hotel, Port Elizabeth night 9
A short distance from the beach, this hotel has a restaurant, rail-themed bar and an outdoor pool. Ilita Lodge, Mossel Bay* nights 10–11
Air-conditioned rooms with private balconies, seating areas with a TV, mini-bar and ocean views.
Aha Harbour Bridge Hotel
De Zalze Lodge, Stellenbosch night 12
A Dutch-style lodge surrounded by greenery and vineyards. There’s a pool and restaurant – both with stunning views. Aha Harbour Bridge Hotel & Suites, Cape Town* nights 13–15
Close to the famed Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, this hotel boasts modern rooms, a rooftop pool with spectacular views, a restaurant and a bar.
