This group tour can depart from the UK on any Friday. It is a smaller group than the South Africa Essential tour and stays in superior properties.

You start on the Panoramic Route, with visits to Blyde River Canyon and Hazyview. After safari in the Kruger National Park with experienced rangers, you continue to Swaziland and Zululand. There is time to see Durban and explore the Drakensberg Mountains (with the option of a day visit to Lesotho) before flying to Port Elizabeth and driving the world-famous Garden Route. The tour ends in Cape Town.

You travel in a luxury sedan , minibus or mini-coach, depending on the numbers and are accompanied by a THETA registered driver/guide throughout. In the game-parks you game view with qualified rangers.

This tour departs the UK every Friday.

Group size varies from 2 – 24.

Please let us know you preferred dates and we will forward a full tailored itinerary with confirmed price to you by e-mail and/or post.

Day 1 Depart the UK in the evening.

Day 2 On arrival in Johannesburg, you are met and transferred to your hotel.Half day Johannesburg City Tour including the downtown historical buildings and the arty suburb of Melville. Return to your hotel via the Johannesburg Botanical Gardens in Emmarentia and the suburb of Rosebank.

Protea Hotel Wanderers or similar - bed and breakfast basis

Day 3 Depart from Johannesburg and travel to the Province of the Rising Sun, Mpumalanga, via the historic towns of Witbank, Dullstroom and Lydenburg. Travel over the famous Long Tom Pass on to the small town of Sabie. Visit the Lone Creek Waterfall before arriving at your elegant hideaway. Enjoy a delectable dinner that can only be described as a culinary masterpiece.

Lone Creek River Lodge (Timber Cottages) or similar - dinner, bed and breakfast basis

Day 4 After breakfast, visit the Mac Mac Waterfalls. Pay a short visit to the historic town of Pilgrim's Rest, where the richest alluvial gold deposits in South Africa were discovered in 1873. Continue exploring the Panorama Route featuring the Blyde River Canyon, Three Rondavels, Bourke's Luck Potholes, Gods Window and various waterfalls. Continue to your private game lodge near the Kruger National Park. Arrive in time for afternoon tea, followed by your evening game drive in an open safari vehicle. Return to the lodge for a diverse selection of eclectic cuisine.

Makalali Private Game Reserve or similar - dinner, bed and breakfast basis + 2 game viewing activities.

Day 5 Early morning game drive followed by breakfast. Enter the world famous Kruger National Park established in 1898 at Orpen Gate. This national park which covers over two million hectares is unrivalled in the diversity of its flora and fauna. Spend the day looking for the Big Five, general game and prolific bird life. After a late afternoon arrival at your hotel, relax and enjoy dinner in the elegant dining room.

Casa Do Sol Hotel or similar - dinner bed and breakfast basis.

Day 6 After breakfast travel via Nelspruit to the Kingdom of Swaziland. Drive through North-Eastern Swaziland along the Lebombo Mountains. Leave Swaziland and continue via the town of Pongola to your lodge in the Ubizane Game Reserve, arriving in the late afternoon. Dinner served in the boma under the African sky (weather permitting).

Ubizane Game Reserve or similar - dinner, bed and breakfast basis + 1 game viewing activity.

Day 7 After an early safari in Hluhluwe Game Reserve followed by breakfast, visit St Lucia a World Heritage Site, and enjoy a river cruise on the estuary. Here we view prolific wetlands bird life, fish eagles, hippo and crocodiles. After driving through sugar cane plantations along the Indian Ocean seaboard, arrive in the bustling city of Durban for drop off at hotel.

Protea Hotel Umhlanga or similar - bed and breakfast basis.

Day 8 Optional full day tour of Shakaland. Depart Durban and travel to Eshowe and the authentic Zulu Kraal of Shakaland. Feel the pulsating rhythm of Africa as you re-live the excitement and romance of the days of Shaka, King of the Zulus. Experience the sight of assegaai wielding warriors, share the fascinating secrets of Sangomas and witness traditional customs such as tribal dancing, spear making and the beer making ceremony. Traditional Zulu lunch will be served. For those not taking the tour, enjoy the day at leisure. Please note that this excursion is not included in the package price.

Protea Hotel Umhlanga or similar - bed and breakfast basis.

Day 9 Morning at leisure. Semi-private transfer to Durban International Airport for your flight to Port Elizabeth (not included). On arrival at Port Elizabeth Airport, semi-private transfer to your beachfront hotel.

Protea Hotel Marine or similar - bed and breakfast basis.

Day 10 Departing Port Elizabeth, enter the Garden Route via the high forests of the Tsitsikamma Mountains. Attractions to be visited through the Tsitsikamma Forest area include the Big Tree. Remember to keep an eye out for the rare Knysna Loerie. Gaze in awe at the scenery whilst crossing the bridge over the Storms River where photographic opportunities abound. After lunch at the scenic Storms River mouth (not included), continue via the millionaires playground of Plettenberg Bay to South Africas Oyster Capital, Knysna. After a short refreshment stop at Knysnas East Head we continue via Sedgefield to the quaint seaside village of Wilderness. Enjoy a superb dinner at the hotel or at one of the nearby restaurants, located within walking distance.

Protea Hotel Wilderness Resort or similar - bed and breakfast basis.

Day 11 From our hotel in Wilderness, we travel to Knysna to embark on the Featherbed Nature Reserve ferry from the Knysna Waterfront. On arrival we take a Unimog (tractor driven wagon) ride to the top of the Western Head. An optional hike can be taken through the indigenous Knysna forest to the restaurant area where lunch (included) is served. On our return to Knysna we depart for an elephant experience, where we are able to enjoy a very close encounter with these gigantic mammals. Finally we take the scenic drive back to Wilderness for drop off at your hotel.

Protea Hotel Wilderness Resort or similar - bed and breakfast basis including lunch.

Day 12 Experience the stunning views of the Outeniqua Pass as we travel towards the Klein Karoo's capital - Oudtshoorn. Here we visit the Safari Ostrich Ranch where we are given fun and detailed information about these strange flightless birds and their magnificent plumage. After enjoying a traditional ostrich lunch (included), we proceed on to the world famous Cango Caves, where a guided tour allows us to explore the ancient stalagmites and stalactites. We are then introduced to some rare and endangered animals on a fully guided tour at the Cango Wildlife Ranch. The day concludes with a scenic drive back to Wilderness where you will be dropped off at your hotel.

Protea Hotel Wilderness Resort or similar - bed and breakfast basis including lunch .

Day 13 After a sumptuous breakfast, our journey to Cape Town begins. After a visit to Mossel Bay, we travel over the majestic Tradouws Pass toward Barrydale. Enjoy a wine tasting before you sit down to a real South African lunch in a typical country restaurant in Barrydale. Continuing through the Little Karoo we drive through Montagu, a quaint country village. After leaving we traverse Kogmanskloof Pass through to the town of Robertson and then on to Worcester. We continue over the Du Toits Kloof Pass with stunning views over the Paarl valley to Cape Town.The adventure ends by being dropped off at your hotel.

Protea Hotel Fire and Ice or similar – bed and breakfast basis.

Day 14 Full day Cape Highlights tour, including Camps Bay, Chapmans Peak, Cape of Good Hope Reserve, Simonstown, Wine-tasting and Stellenbosch.

Protea Hotel Fire and Ice or similar – bed and breakfast basis.

Day 15 Free morning. Transfer to the airport in time for your flight.

Day 16 Arrive UK