Charming, elegant and mysterious, South Africa awaits you on an exciting safari of cultural and natural treasures. Feel the warmth of the African sun while exploring Cape Town’s immense cache of unrivaled beauty and exotic botanical gardens, up the Cape Peninsula to the Cape of Good Hope and the endearing penguins of Boulder Beach. Explore Table Mountain and the verdant winelands, richly complemented by Dutch colonial architecture. Feel the rush of seeing Africa’s Big 5 up-close in Kruger National Park while surrounded in comfort. South Africa’s tumultuous struggle to end apartheid is on display when you visit the Nelson Mandela House and Apartheid Museum. The post extension takes you to Zimbabwe and the glorious roar of Victoria Falls. Explore and rejuvenate the soul in South Africa.
Degree of Difficulty –
Your journey begins as you board your overnight flight to Cape Town, arriving the next evening. Your home for the next four nights has over 200 years of history within its walls and is situated in six acres of attractive landscaped parkland on the banks of the Liesbeeck River. Located in the lush leafy suburb of Newlands, the hotel is within easy walking distance of the up-market Cavendish Shopping Centre and is just 10 minutes away from the City Center and the popular Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. This beautiful establishment comprises the original home of Lady Anne Barnard and new bedrooms designed by highly acclaimed architects Jack Barnett and Revel Fox and is filled with works by leading South African artists. VINEYARD HOTEL & SPA.
Meals Aloft
Discover a cornucopia of culture, natural beauty and history around every bend on your drive to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. See quaint seaside towns, rugged shorelines and majestic rock formations. At Cape Point, see rare proteas, the endangered sago-belly frog and endemic species such as Cape grysbok, Cape mountain zebra and Cape fox. Get up close to African penguins at Boulders Beach. Explore world-renowned Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Enjoy a welcome dinner at the Mint Restaurant. VINEYARD HOTEL & SPA.
(Breakfast, Lunch, Welcome Dinner)
Visit one of the most symbolically significant and moving sights in South Africa, Robben Island, a place of banishment and exile during Apartheid. Some freedom fighters, including former President Nelson Mandela, spent more than a quarter of a century in prison for their beliefs. Enjoy lunch in a local restaurant, sampling typical African food and hospitality in an authentic setting. Then, head to the settlement of Khayelitsha (new home) on the Cape Flats and meet your guide to gain insight into the community and learn more about the area in which they live. VINEYARD HOTEL & SPA.
(Breakfast, Lunch)
Ascend Table Mountain in a cable car and experience the magnificent views. This World Heritage Site features some 1,470 plant species. Afterwards, leave Cape Town behind and delve into another world: A tapestry of vineyards interwoven with the historic towns of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek at the base of the Boland Mountains is the cradle of the South African fruit and wine industries. Visit Waterkloof Estate where as an option (at additional cost) you can experience the winelands on horseback and enjoy a 3-course lunch in the cellar in the sky, inspired by the seasons. At the Waterford Estate, enjoy a unique wine and chocolate experience. Your exclusive hotel is situated at the foot of the magnificent Paarl Rock and has the award-winning Bosman’s Restaurant on the premises, one of South Africa’s best. Overlooking vineyards and mountains, there’s also a golf course nearby. The unique, individually named suites are spread over landscaped gardens in the midst of a working wine farm. You can walk to the nearby village to shop, or just relax by the pool and take in the beautiful views and fantastic service. GRANDE ROCHE HOTEL.
(Breakfast, Lunch;Breakfast)
Return to Cape Town and fly to Skukuza, and transfer through the southern portion of Kruger National Park to your secluded and tranquil lodge. Safaris are conducted either on foot or in open-sided game-viewing vehicles and led by professional rangers and Shangaan trackers. The reserve is home to the great cats – lion, leopard and cheetah, as well as elephant, buffalo, black and white rhino, zebra, giraffe and a host of antelope. Night drives may afford you a glimpse of elusive nocturnal animals such as the armadillo like pangolin and African wildcat. Animal tracking, bird watching and stargazing are other available activities. Your luxury lodge is comprised of 16 spacious suites that meander along the banks of the river Lwakahle and offers every creature comfort, and more! LUKIMBI SAFARI LODGE.
(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Daily)
A last chance to discover the wildlife of South Africa before your flight to Johannesburg and your luxury hotel, THE FAIRLAWNS, situated in the heart of Sandton. Set in an attractive, landscaped garden with an outdoor swimming pool, the hotel provides an informal atmosphere which is combined with efficient service. Next day, immerse yourself in South Africa’s complex history at the Mandela Family Museum, the Apartheid Museum and Hector Peterson Square. Reflect on the fight for equality as you view eye-opening photographs, artwork and exhibits with memorabilia from world leaders and scholars, and enjoy lunch in a traditional shebeen in Soweto. Late this afternoon, transfer to the airport for your return flights home, arriving the USA next day.
(Breakfast; Breakfast, Lunch)
Prices vary by season and package. Please inquire by phone at (800) 627-1244 or email info@classicescapes.com for more information and a pricing estimate.
Maximum group size: 32 travelers. Lukimbi has 16 suites.
YOUR JOURNEY INCLUDES:
- Roundtrip flights between Johannesburg & Victoria Falls on the extension.
- Superior accommodations throughout at hotels and lodges as listed in the itinerary, or similar.
- Breakfasts daily, all meals while on safari and other meals as indicated in itinerary.
- All transfers in Southern Africa in deluxe motor coaches.
- All wildlife viewing by 4×4 open-air vehicles in South Africa.
- Specialist guide will accompany the group with 10 travelers.
- Complimentary bottled water in vehicles and during meals.
- All applicable hotel/lodge gratuities and taxes.
- All park entry fees.
- Complimentary baggage tags and passport wallet.
- Complimentary emergency evacuation insurance.
No matter when South Africa is visited, it is a stunning country and one is sure to delight in its offerings. South Africa is affected by the waters surrounding the country on three sides, and thus there’s variation in the weather pattern depending on what part of the country visited. In Cape Town, the winter months (June-August) are mild and changeable; this is also the time when most of the rainfall occurs in the Cape. Summer months (January-March) around Cape Town are generally dry. On the high veld, in the center of South Africa around Johannesburg, there are sharp differences of temperature between day and night and it can be quite cold during the winter months. During the summer months at Kruger (December-March,) there can be sporadic rainfall in the form of quick thunder showers, but wildlife viewing is superb no matter when visited. April through August represent the winter months in Southern Africa which in turn means very little rain in most of the country, except for the Cape. South Africa is incredible to visit, particularly the Cape, during the Spring, when the wildflowers are in bloom – generally midAugust through September. Marine enthusiasts should consider visiting between June and November when the Southern Right Whales congregate in the waters.
