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Highlights of South Africa
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A Group tour of South Africa |
Ref: SA01
16 days
from £2439 (minimum 1 passengers)
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Destination:
South Africa
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This tour is one of the most popular in the country. You start in beautiful Cape Town and travel in comfort along the scenic Garden Route, with plenty of time to explore all that this famous route has to offer. From the friendly city of Port Elizabeth you then fly to Durban with its exotic mix of cultures, then continue onto the heart of Kwa-zulu Natal. Then you are off to Swaziland to learn of the heritage and traditions of these proud people. "Big Five" country is next en route when you visit the Kruger National Park and enjoy the magnificent scenery of the Mpumalanga escarpment before finally ending the tour in Johannesburg.
Cape Town, set between Table Mountain and the sparkling waters of the Atlantic Ocean, is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The oldest city in South Africa, Cape Town is the country’s legislative capital. Cobblestone streets, colourful street markets and an array of excellent shops and restaurants make the town a delight to explore.
From Cape Town east to Port Elizabeth lies an area of extraordinary scenic beauty. Tranquil winelands give way to craggy mountains, small bays and golden beaches, towering cliffs and primeval forests of the Garden Route.
Further north is one of South Africa’s smallest provinces - Kwa Zulu Natal. An area of subtropical vegetation, untamed wilderness, golden beaches and colourful rickshaws. To the west rise the magnificent Drakensberg Mountains. Known to the Zulu people as Quathlamba, the barrier of spears, the peaks are snow capped in winter and offer spectacular walking during the summer months.
Johannesburg is South Africa’s largest city, and for many the gateway to the country. Some 2 hours drive north west of Johannesburg lies the world famous resort of Sun City, a paradise for golfers and gamblers.
From Johannesburg the highveld of the Trasnvaal stretched for hundreds of miles, until in the east it reaches the northern manifestations of the Drakensberg Mountains and then terminates in breathtaking abruptness to firm an immense escarpment, which plunges hundreds of metres down into the lowveld. Both Mpumalanga -the land of the rising sun and the Northern Province abound with legend and history. This is an area of great natural beauty with spectacular waterfalls and forests, panoramic passes and magnificent mountains. This is also ‘Big Game Country’, home to a plethora of private game reserves and the world renowned Kruger National Park.
The size of Wales, the Kruger National Park stretches from Zimbabwe in the north some 300 kilometres south. It is bounded to east by Mozambique and to the west by the private games reserves of Umbabat, Timbavati, Manyeleti and Sabi Sand. The Kruger supports one of the greatest diversities of wildlife to be found anywhere in Africa and covers a multitude of ecosystems. No excitement can quite match the thrill of seeing wild animals in the natural habitat for the first time and the private game lodges of the Sabi Sand are renowned for their sightings of the ‘Big Five’.
Whale watching is best in the winter months, and during this time proteas can be seen growing wild in the Riviers-Onderend and Outeniqua mountains.
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 | Click map to enlarge |
Day 1 | Depart the UK in the evening. | Day 2 | On arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure to explore the city, Table Mountain or the Waterfront. | Day 3 | You have the chance to take an optional tour on the second day to visit the Cape of Good Hope or the Winelands. | Day 4 | You leave Cape Town today in the morning and head east through the Strand to Hermanus, a popular town with fine safe beaches on the shores of Walker Bay. These waters are famous for whale watching from June to November when the whales come into the bay to calve. You then continue on through Stanford to Riviersonderend and then onto Swellendam, the third oldest town in South Africa. After winding your way through the breathtakingly beautiful Tradouw Pass you enter the Little Karoo at Barrydale. The next destination is Ladismith set against the imposing Swartberg Mountains. Then it’s on through Calitzdorp to Oudtshoorn, the ostrich feather capital of the world where you overnight. | Day 5 | The Cango Caves are your first stop, vast limestone caverns that have only been partially explored. You then visit an ostrich farm and have lunch where you can choose to have ostrich eggs if you wish. You then take a guided tour of the farm tracing the life of these remarkable animals from egg to adulthood. You then travel through the Outeniqua Mountains to the coast and the town of George. You then continue onto Wilderness one of the most fashionable holiday resorts in the country and where you overnight. | Day 6 | After breakfast you take the scenic route to Knysna including a ride on the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe Steam train. You also cruise the Featherbed Nature Reserve and enjoy a trailer ride to the top of Western Head returning for lunch under the milkwood trees. You then cruise back to Knysna and have dinner at the overnight hotel. | Day 7 | You head eastwards through the Tsitsikamma Forests and cross the deep gorge of the Groot Bloukrans River. You then view the highest bungee jump in the world (supposedly) at the truly spectacular Storms River. After lunch you continue on through farmlands to Port Elizabeth your next overnight stop. | Day 8 | You fly from Port Elizabeth to Durban today and on arrival you get an orientation tour of the city en route to the hotel. | Day 9 | Enjoy a day at leisure in Durban. You can relax on the beach, go shopping, visit the Botanical Gardens or take an optional day trip into the surrounding countryside on a tour (not included). | Day 10 | You leave Durban for the rural calm of Zululand where you are entertained to a cross-cultural ethnic programme at a Zulu village. This includes presentations of Zulu history, etiquette and tradition. You can have either a western style lunch or sample some local ethnic dishes for those who want to try some of the authentic Zulu cuisine. You continue your journey to Hluhluwe where you will go on a game drive. You then overnight at a lodge. | Day 11 | You depart early today and make your way to stunning Swaziland through beautiful countryside, taking time to meet the friendly local people and visit some of the craft markets. | Day 12 | Today you take the scenic route via Pigg’s Peak to Malelane where you check into your hotel just outside the Kruger National Park. There is time to enjoy a late afternoon game drive in the coach in the park before dinner at the hotel. | Day 13 | Today you enter the world famous Kruger game Park early in the morning. You should encounter both big and small game and also gain an understanding of the challenge of managing this unique reserve. During the course of the late afternoon there will be a special effort to see the “Big Five”. You leave the Kruger in the late afternoon and reach Hazyview in time for dinner. | Day 14 | After breakfast you leave for the Panorama Scenic Route and Blyde River Canyon. You view the unusual weathered Bourke’s Luck Potholes and take a look (weather permitting) through God’s Window. You will pass through highly cultivated agricultural areas as well as extensive plantations of pine trees. You return to Hazyview for the night and you have the opportunity to enjoy your last game drive in the evening before dinner. | Day 15 | You enjoy an easy drive today though the rolling highveld landscape to Johannesburg taking a city tour of historic Pretoria en route. Your tour ends in Sandton in the late afternoon. Transfer to the airport for your flight. | Day 16 | Arrive UK. |
Departures Between | Price from | 01 Jan 05 - 20 Apr 05
25 Aug 05 - 11 Dec 05 | *£2439 | 21 Apr 05 - 10 Jul 05 | *£2379 | 11 Jul 05 - 24 Aug 05 | *£2549 | | *Prices subject to confirmation |
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FLIGHT INCLUSIVE PRICE
Price is per person and is based on two sharing and includes:
· International and domestic flights
· All transport
· Guide
· Accommodation in 3* Hotels on bed and breakfast basis and 8 dinners.
Not included: Drinks, meals as stated.
This holiday is offered by and booked with Real Africa ATOL 6115.
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Highlights of South Africa
A Group tour of South Africa
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