South Africa Escape

Welkom in Kaapstad! Welcome to Cape Town! The 'Mother City' is considered one of the most spectacular cities worldwide, thanks to many top attractions and the famous Table Mountain. It is also one of South Africa's three official capitals and the country's oldest city. After meeting your tour leader at the hotel, get right into a fun and informative orientation tour of the city. Drive and walk through the heartbeat of the city and see unmissable sights like Signal Hill, District Six and the colourful Bo Kaap. Meet back at the hotel after freshening up for an included dinner with the tour group. What a way to celebrate the first night on tour with your new travel companions!

• Take a driving and walking tour of the city of Cape Town

• Enjoy a welcome dinner in Cape Town

Make the most of the free day in Cape Town by exploring at leisure. Discover some of the city's top attractions, such as Robben Island, Table Mountain, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden and the Two Oceans Aquarium. Alternatively, choose to join the Cape Peninsula Day Trip along a scenic route to Cape Point. Take a peek at the penguins at Boulders Beach before stopping for lunch in Kalk Bay. Spend the rest of the day however you please or take advantage of the peninsula tour's stop at the V&A Waterfront after the tour. This is a fantastic spot to shop and grab a bite while local performers provide entertainment.

The Cape Winelands are calling! Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, then head out for a scenic exploration of the Cape Winelands region. Enter Stellenbosch, where Cape Dutch architecture, art galleries, bistros and boutiques wait to be explored. Enjoy lunch at a breathtaking local vineyard accompanied by a wine tasting, featuring South Africa's signature Pinotage varietal. Gain an understanding of Cape district wines with a local expert before heading off to the next tasting. Marvel at the magnificent coastal views en route to tonight’s accommodation in Hermanus. Enjoy some free time this evening to experience this idyllic coastal spot at leisure.

• Visit Stellenbosch; a picturesque university town

• Taste local wine in the Cape Winelands

• Explore Hermanus; a stunning seaside town

Adventure through the breathtaking Garden Route today! Why not opt for today's first optional excursion? After a short drive to Gansbaai, see great white sharks up close on a Shark Cage Diving expedition! Alternatively, join the optional Marine Eco tour to see marine life up close. Later, head to Riviersonderend to grab lunch before an orientation walk of Swellendam. Visit a Cape Aloe Vera farm next before concluding the day's drive in Mossel Bay. This popular holiday destination is home to tonight's accommodation. Visit the Pinnacle Point Caves after arriving and discover an archaeological site with fossils as old as 170,000 years! End the day with an included dinner at the hotel.

• Discover Swellendam; South Africa’s third-oldest town

• Explore an Aloe Vera farm in the Hessequa region

• Visit Pinnacle Point Caves in Mossel Bay

There's more of the Garden Route to discover today! Botlierskop Private Game Reserve is the morning's first stop for an African safari unlike any other. Make incredible memories and take stunning photos while encountering impala, wildebeest, rhinos, lions, giraffes and more! Knysna is up next with free time to roam the local shops and pick a spot for lunch – get a seat as close to the water as possible at the lively waterfront. After lunch, more incredible animal encounters await! Choose to wander around with the monkeys at Monkeyland or visit the biggest free-flight aviary and bird sanctuary in the world – Birds of Eden. After this evening's included dinner, kick back and relax for the night.

• Go on a Garden Route Game Drive

• Discover Knysna; a stunning seaside town

Today is the day to venture into the outdoors! Explore the wonders of the Tsitsikamma forest, part of the Garden Route National Park. With rivers, ravines, mountains and woodlands, there's no better destination for adventure! Use the morning to explore at leisure or, alternatively, choose to join one of the adrenaline-filled optional excursions. Opt for bungee jumping off Bloukrans Bridge (the world's highest), a tree-top canopy tour, a Kayak and Lilo Adventure or the Woodcutters Trail Drive. Thereafter, head to the Storms River Mouth in the Tsitsikamma National Park for a breathtaking coastal hike. Dare to traverse the 77-metre-long Storms River suspension bridge and pick a spot next to the ocean to enjoy lunch.

• Explore Tsitsikamma National Park and visit Storms River Mouth

Today, another South African region awaits! Say goodbye to the Garden Route in exchange for the scenic Route 62. The journey to the semi-desert Karoo passes through Langkloof Valley, an area between the Kouga and Tsitsikamma Mountains known for its stunning scenery. South Africa's ostrich capital Oudtshoorn is next. Upon arrival, explore a functioning ostrich farm on a guided tour and discover what makes these creatures so special before an included lunch. Venture into the Cango Caves on a guided walk and discover the dripstone caves and caverns that took over 20 million years to form! Enjoy a traditional Karoo dinner to end the day.

• Visit a Klein Karoo ostrich farm

• Explore the Cango Caves

• Sit down for a traditional Great Karoo dinner

This morning, the scenic journey back to Cape Town begins. Route 62 leads the tour to a comfort stop at a restaurant en route – one of many endearing spots on the way. Then, Robertson awaits. This excellent winemaking region is the perfect place for an included lunch before journeying to Paarl in the Cape Winelands, home to many acclaimed wineries, for a cheese and wine tasting. After arriving at the hotel back in Cape Town, enjoy a free evening to explore the city. Camps Bay is always bustling, and Cape Town is home to a host of incredible restaurants and bars.

• Explore Robertson; a beautiful wine-producing destination

• Enjoy a cheese and wine tasting in Paarl

The next adventure is calling, so today starts early. Journey to Cape Town's airport bright and early and take an included flight to Johannesburg, the "City of Gold", in Gauteng province. Later, travel to the Mpumalanga province in eastern South Africa. After arriving at the evening's accommodation on the boundary of the Kruger National Park, enjoy an included dinner illuminated by the stars in the African sky.

Explore the Kruger National Park on a full-day game drive today! With the safari vehicle boosted off the ground, travellers should be able to identify the animals with ease and maybe even spot the famous Big 5! The park is the perfect place to see these animals in their natural habitat. From cheetahs, wild dogs and leopards to elephants and the white and black rhino, there is plenty to see in the park! Visit rest camps like Skukuza, Tshokwane and Satara on the journey west to the safari lodge for a multi-night stay. Cool off and relax in the pool and enjoy a refreshment or two with tonight's included dinner.

• Embark on a full-day Kruger National Park game drive

Today offers even more opportunities to explore the Kruger National Park! Go on a full-day safari with local wildlife specialists and visit prime game viewing areas like waterholes and rest camps. Enjoy picnic-style snacks and lunch along the way while spotting as many of the antelope, birds and wildlife as possible. Hopefully, there aren't many more animals to tick off your bucket list! With the Kruger National Park being home to 114 different reptile species, 507 kinds of birds and 147 species of mammals, this is an incredible opportunity to discover African wildlife in their habitat. After an exciting day, cool off in the pool before an African-style, included dinner.

The safari options are aplenty today! Opt for a full-day, half-day or sunrise safari game drive. Take advantage of the most captivating time of day to explore the African bush on the sunrise game drive. As the morning sun greets the savanna, marvel at the symphony of wild animals ending their slumber. Follow the animals with your expert guide as they start looking around for food. Tuck into your final African dinner in the bush tonight and enjoy the campfire celebrations. Share some of your favourite South African stories as you sip Amarula, a local liqueur made from Marula fruit.

Say goodbye to the Kruger National Park as we journey on to the Mpumalanga province via the Panorama Route. The Three Rondavels viewpoint is our first stop with the most incredible views of the Blyde River Canyon. As part of the Drakensberg Ridge, Blyde River Canyon offers fairytale views! Discover a wild water feature comprised of potholes and plunge pools at Bourke’s Luck, the start of the Blyde River Canyon. The Kruger National Park and even Mozambique are visible from here on clear days. The last leg of the tour leads us back to Johannesburg for a parting meal with your new travel companions!

• Visit the Three Rondavels viewpoint

• Explore Bourke’s Luck Potholes

• Admire the scenery of the Blyde Canyon Viewpoint

• Enjoy a farewell dinner in Johannesburg

Today, the South Africa Escape tour wraps up right after breakfast. Enjoy one last meal with the tour group before going your separate ways. Choose to stay on for one last optional excursion and explore Johannesburg, or as the locals call it, Jozi.