Cape Town to Johannesburg

Thoseon the group flight arrive in Cape Town and transfer to the hotel. Those not on the group flights can arrive at any time. The rest of the day is free to relax after the flight or explore the city at the bottom of Africa. Cape Town sits in one of the most beautiful locations of any of the world's major cities with the impressive bulk of Table Mountain as its backdrop and Table Bay in the foreground. The city is a melting pot of cultures as people from Europe, Africa and Asia have all settled (either voluntarily or forcibly) here over the centuries. The city is a blend of European and African and a great place to watch the world go by or visit its various sites and museums. Stay: InnsCape on Castle Hotel or similar.

After an early morning breakfast we drive via the coastal suburbs of Clifton, Camps Bay and Hout Bay and then over Chapman's peak drive to the famous Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, which covers an area of 7,680 hectares. The reserve is home to eland, bontebok, grysbok, springbok, wildebeest, baboon and ostrich. Rugged cliffs, unspoilt beaches, shipwrecks and beautiful flora are the main features of the reserve. We will also visit the famous Cape Point lighthouse.

In the afternoon we take a short (1 hour) walk that is almost entirely downhill. Our destination is the Cape of Good Hope with a detour to Diaz beach. The trail ends at the famous signboard 'Cape of Good Hope'. We then return to Cape Town passing through the former Royal Navy base town of Simonstown and a visit to the resident Penguin Colony (optional). Our driving time today will be approximately 3-4 hours (200km). Stay: InnsCape on Castle Hotel or similar (B).

The day is free and an optional trip to Robben Island, site of Nelson Mandela's incarceration during the apartheid period, is highly recommended. Weather permitting a cable car ride to the top of Table Mountain is a must for any visitor to this picturesque city. Stay: InnsCape on Castle Hotel or similar (B).

Leaving Cape Town behind, we drive out to the vineyard region of Stellenbosch where we have the option of visiting wineries and doing some wine tasting. We then continue towards Hermanus driving via Gordon's Bay. There is always a good chance of seeing whales when in season. Hermanus is an interesting little town, rightly famous for its delicious seafood and a visit to one of the great restaurants in the evening is highly recommended. It is also widely regarded as the best place in the world for land-based whale watching from August to November. Our driving time today will be approximately 3-4hrs (190kms). Stay: Baleens Hotel or similar (B/L).

Today we drive along the beautiful Garden Route coastline via the cultivated fields of the Western Cape Boland and the town of George towards the Tsitsikamma National Park. The route is stunning and follows the ragged coast passing through small fishing villages and seaside resort. This national park, at the mouth of the Storms River, protects the indigenous forests as well as the marine life 50km out to sea. We stay at a beautifully positioned camp with the waves breaking a stone's throw away. Our driving time today will be approximately 6-7hrs (500kms). Stay: Tsitsikamma Storms River Huts or similar (B/L/D).

Our second day in the Tsitsikamma N.P. is free to enjoy the beautiful setting. There are a range of optional activities including walks to the Storms River gorge and along the rocky coast, snorkelling, sea and river cruises and a tree canopy tour through the forests. In season, approximately August to October, the marine park becomes home to a population of migratory whales. Stay: Tsitsikamma Storms River Huts or similar (B/L/D).

We head over the Kouga Mountains and Baviaanskloof Mountains as we head towards Graaff Reinet. This small 19th century town is set in the middle of the Karoo National Reserve and is a stop-over on our way to Lesotho. Our driving time today will be approximately 4-5hrs (390kms). Stay: Obesa Lodge or similar (B/L/D).

Today is a long day's drive as we traverse the Great Karoo and enter Lesotho. This mountainous kingdom has been shielded from outside influence over the generations and the Bastho people historically used this strategic location as a defence against events on the plains below. The lodge situated in this rugged mountainous region provides us with an ideal opportunity to experience the Lesotho culture. Our driving time today will be approximately 7-8hrs plus time at the border (530kms). Stay: Malealea Lodge or similar (B/L/D).

The day is free to relax and experience the unique culture that Lesotho has to offer. Mountain ridges protrude into the town and an optional day pony trek to a local village is recommended. Alternatively the craft shops and markets can be an enjoyable way to pick up some African souvenirs. Stay: Malealea Lodge or similar (B/L/D).

Today is a long day's drive as we travel through Lesotho and exit at the Maseru border post. When then travel through the eastern farmlands of the Free State before driving through the Golden Gate National Park. We continue on to the Northern Drakensberg, our base for the next two nights. The Drakensberg is a basalt escarpment forming the border between Kwa Zulu-Natal and Lesotho and continuing into the Free State. It means 'Dragon Mountains', but the Zulu named it Ukhahlamba ('the barrier of Spears'). Our driving time today will be approximately 5-6 hours (400km). Stay: Berg House Cottages or similar (B/L/D).

We spend a full day in the mountains where our route will have us walking for approximately 5-6 hours into the natural amphitheatre, following the Tugela River past Protea trees. The Protea is the national flower of South Africa, as well as the name of their cricket team. Our driving time today will be approximately 1 hours (50km). Stay: Berg House Cottages or similar (B/L/D).

Today we drive through the Natal midlands and on to Dundee, en route we stop at Rourke's Drift and have a chance to learn about the famous battle at the local museum. Immortalised by Hollywood in the film Zulu! The events that took place here are well known and the small cluster of buildings isolated in the enormity of the African Bush is a moving reminder of this troubled time. Our driving time today will be approximately 4-5 hrs (250km). Stay: Battlefields Country Lodge or similar (B/L).

Today we head for the Indian Ocean and the small town of St. Lucia on the shores of a lake renowned for its hippos, crocs and birds. Our driving time today will be approximately 4-5 hrs (315km). Stay: Shonalanga Lodge or similar (B/L).

In the early morning we spend 2 hours exploring lake St Lucia by boat, with an excellent chance of seeing some of the many resident Hippo's, crocodiles and Fish Eagles. From here it's a short drive to Cape Vidal, a long stretch of beach along the Indian Ocean where we spend the afternoon relaxing on the beach or walking to Mission Rocks (please note the walk to Mission Rocks is only possible at low tide and can take about 4hrs return). Alternatively there are a number of optional activities available, including whale watching (in season: June-November), or sunset and night game drives on the western shores of the lake. Our driving time today will be approximately 2-3 hours (75km). Stay: Shonalanga Lodge or similar (B/L/D).

Today we head into our third country, Eswatini (Swaziland) and overnight in the Kings old hunting grounds, now the beautiful Hlane Royal National Park. In the afternoon there is the opportunity to leave the vehicle and enjoy a nature walk (optional). Seeing animals and tracks outside of the confines of a vehicle is a thrilling experience and gives us the chance to see and hear the variety of smaller animals and birds that are often passed by on game drives. Our driving time today will be approximately 4-5 hrs (300km). Stay: Ndlovu Lodge or similar (B/L/D).

We cross back into South Africa and head towards Africa's most famous national park: Kruger. The park was established by the president Paul Kruger in 1898. It has arguably the greatest variety of animals of any park in Africa, with lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, black and white rhino, as well as cheetah, giraffe, hippo and many species of antelope and smaller plains game. The total census includes 147 mammals, 507 birds and 114 reptiles as well as 336 different trees. The camps are also excellent and the general infrastructure good. If you see all the predators you will be very lucky, however you will almost certainly see some of the big five and a huge variety of smaller mammals.

We game drive through the park to the camps, where there will be a chance for a swim and hot showers. We have two days in the park and on Day 17 both morning and afternoon game drives in our vehicle are included to maximise our chances of seeing the plentiful fauna of this great Park. Our driving time today will be approximately 2-3 hrs (140km) to the entrance to the park plust time on safari inside the park. Kruger Park Huts or Permanent Tented Camp (B/L/D).

After game driving out Kruger National Park we continue to Letaba Ranch Reserve. This afternoon we go on an open, sunset game drive, returning after dark with the spot-light. Our driving time today will be approximately 4-5 hours (300km). Stay: Mtomeni Safari Camp or similar (B/L/D).

Today we head out of the park and make our way towards Graskop (Mpumalanga). En route we will drive through some spectacular countryside and we stop at scenic places like Bourke's Luck potholes and Blyde River Canyon, the third largest of its type in the southern hemisphere. Our driving time today will be approximately 5-6 hours (400km). Stay: Mogodi Lodge or similar (B/L/D).

On our final day we drive along good roads towards Johannesburg arriving at the airport in time for the flight home. For those not on the group flights, the tour ends upon arrival at Johannesburg Airport. Drive time around 5-6hrs (380kms) (B).