This private tour offers a little over two weeks of unbridled luxury, amazing destinations, and unforgettable wildlife encounters.
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ItineraryGuests are met upon arrival at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. This excursion focuses on Jacaranda City (Pretoria), so named for the thousands of Jacaranda trees that line its streets. Pretoria is South Africa's capital and the city where Elon Musk was born. We visit the Union Buildings, the official seat of the South African president and government. The building is an architectural masterpiece designed by Herbert Baker, from which sweeping views of the city can be enjoyed.
Your tour then briefly stops at Waterkloof House Preparatory School and Pretoria Boys High School, where Elon attended primary and secondary school. He and Nelson Mandela are arguably the most famous people born in South Africa. The brief school stops will offer insight into where the genius who created two major companies and several smaller ones hails from. Following these brief visits, we travel to our overnight destination for check-in, after which the remainder of the day is spent relaxing.
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Itinerary After breakfast, the tour heads east through the Highveld and the rolling hills of Mpumalanga to the village of Dullstroom. Before reaching the town, we visit the Dullstroom Bird of Prey and Rehabilitation Centre, where many different raptor species can be observed. The highlight of the visit is a demonstration where visitors can observe the flight patterns and hunting behavior of various raptors, including eagles, hawks, falcons, and owls. You will also gain insight into these species' important role in the ecosystem.
We then reach the town, wandering through the main street before enjoying lunch. Guests then enjoy a tasting at Wild About Whiskey, which stocks 1200 different whiskeys from 20 countries. The road then leaves town as we head to our overnight destination of Walkersons, an elegant country estate offering open grassland vistas, rolling hills, and unrivaled serenity.
ItineraryYour day is devoted to gentle country pursuits on the magnificent 1500-hectare estate. The estate offers beautiful forest, river walks, and walking trails into the nature reserve, where indigenous game abides in a mountain wilderness renowned for its bird life and prolific flowers. The estate is a haven for fly fishermen, and if you are so inclined, some time may be devoted to the pursuit of the rainbow and golden trout in clear mountain streams.
Alternatively, unwind with a spa treatment or spend more time in the sleepy town of Dullstroom, which has numerous galleries, chocolatiers, and antique stores.
Distance Itinerary We leave Walkersons Estate as the tour travels to the heavily wooded eastern escarpment and Graskop. Not far from Graskop, we visit God's Window, from which spectacular views of the Lowveld can be enjoyed. We then follow the Panoramic Route to the Three Rondavels lookout over the Blyde River Canyon. This unique geological feature is the world's third-largest canyon and one of the most viewed attractions in South Africa.
The tour then crosses the escarpment and descends into the Lowveld and the heart of South Africa's Big Five country, where the Timbavati Private Game Reserve is reached during the mid-afternoon. Check-in, a late lunch, and time for relaxing are followed by a first open 4x4 safari in the wilderness of Greater Kruger National Park. The park is home to the greatest diversity of mammal species on the African continent and is one of the world's largest and most important conservation areas. On each day of your stay, you will enjoy three full meals, snacks with morning and afternoon tea, light treats when stopping for morning coffee on the game drive, and drinks around sunset on the afternoon game drive.
ItineraryA sky colored gloriously by the rising sun greets guests on an early morning game drive. Admire the antelope of Africa as they ready themselves for a day of grazing or browsing after the nervousness of night when they are most vulnerable to the many predators in the area. Highlights of the day will surely include sightings of one or more of the Big Five. The rhino, lion, leopard, buffalo, and elephant received this well-known collective name in times past when the first European hunters in Africa regarded them as the most dangerous animals on the continent.
A game drive conducted during the late afternoon and early evening may offer the opportunity to spot one of the big cats readying themselves for the hunt. Both the leopard and lion are nocturnal and would mostly be more active during this period of the day. Upon returning from the game drive, a dinner feast will be enjoyed.
ItineraryThe African dawn is filled with bird song and the sounds of a land awakening to the new day as your experienced ranger and tracker conduct a first open 4x4 safari. The possibility of finding predators on a kill made during the night adds to the excitement. The safari returns to camp for a late breakfast, after which guests can relax or partake in a bush walk. An armed ranger and tracker accompany these walks, offering a unique immersion into the African wilderness.
Time spent in camp is ideal for relaxing with a book, admiring the avian life in the giant trees, spotting the occasional animal wandering by, or drinking at the waterhole. The late afternoon is again devoted to an open 4x4 game drive admiring the fauna and flora that create this unique ecosystem in one of Africa's wild corners.
Distance ItineraryThe last morning safari is followed by breakfast, after which guests are transferred to Hoedspruit Airport for a flight to Cape Town. Upon arrival, they will be met, accompanied to the hotel, and assisted with check-in. Time is then spent relaxing.
Your guide will meet you later for a short trip to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront for a cruise in Table Bay. As the sun begins its descent beyond the seemingly endless horizon of the Atlantic, a warm red glow spills onto the water and the sandstone folds of Table Mountain, setting the world afire. Marine wildlife, such as Cape fur seals and dolphins, are frequently spotted in the bay, and the occasional shark is also seen. The spectacular views go down even better with a glass of champagne - a perfect end to the day!
Distance Itinerary Breakfast is followed by a short drive to Table Mountain, where you embark on a cable car ride to the top of the mountain. Table Mountain has come to be synonymous with Cape Town and is one of the world's most recognizable landmarks. Standing 1 086m tall, the mountain's summit offers guests unsurpassed views of the city, Robben Island, and the peninsula. Unique fynbos species are displayed, and the Table Mountain National Park is home to several mammal species. After the descent from Table Mountain, lunch is enjoyed.
In the afternoon, we visit Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. The gardens cover an area of 528 hectares, including 36 hectares of cultivated gardens, and celebrate South African flora, showcasing only indigenous South African plants. Fynbos, proteas, cycads, and rolling lawns are intermingled with streams and ponds. The gardens are home to a great diversity of birds and some incredible views from its upper slopes that may be enjoyed across the Cape Flats. Following the Kirstenbosch visit, we make our way back to our accommodations.
Distance ItineraryThe day's agenda includes short visits to three notable Cape Wineland Towns and sampling wine at one estate on the three top wine routes: Paarl, Franschhoek, and Stellenbosch.
Traveling along the N1 highway, your tour makes its way to Paarl, where we visit Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve to view the impressive granite formations, including the massive Paarl Rock, before a visit to Fairview for a wine and cheese tasting. Then, it's on to Franschhoek in the beautiful Drakenstein Valley, where a visit is made to the Huguenot Memorial before strolling down the town's main street with its unique character and historic buildings and subsequently visiting Leeu Estates for a winemaking demonstration, wine tasting, and cellar tour before time is allotted to enjoying lunch.
The tour then heads to Stellenbosch via the impressive Hellshoogte Pass. Here, we devote some time to exploring the historic town by walking down Dorp Street to savor the character and unique architecture of South Africa's second-oldest town and then visiting Bergkelder, "Cellar in the Mountain," a unique underground cellar beneath the Pappagaaiberg on the outskirts of Stellenbosch. Here, award-winning Fleur du Cap wines are sampled before returning to Cape Town in the late afternoon.
Distance Itinerary This morning, we journey to Cape Point, a drive that is itself an adventure. The reserve is reached via some of the world's most spectacular coastal routes, characterized by shear cliffs with steep drops into the deep blue waters of the Atlantic. Cape Point is in the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, home to diverse fauna and flora, and forms part of Table Mountain National Park. The reserve offers several secluded beaches on a coastline with impressive ocean swells. We use the Flying Dutchman Funicular to reach the old lighthouse at Cape Point, standing guard upon a towering cliff. Guests may enjoy lunch at the Two Oceans Restaurant before we embark on the next leg of the day's trip.
A trip of just over 25 km now brings us to Boulders Beach, home to a colony of critically endangered African penguins, also known as 'jackass penguins' due to their strange call. They inhabit the beach dotted by ancient granite boulders, which separate the sandy coves. Elevated wooden walkways meander through the dunes and nesting sites, ensuring minimal impact on the colony. Following the visit to the boulders, we return to Cape Town.
Distance ItineraryAfter breakfast, the tour travels through Somerset West and over Sir Lowry's Pass to Swellendam, beautifully displayed at the foot of the Langeberge. Here, we visit the Drostdy Museum for an overview of the area's history before strolling through the historic part of town with its quaint shops and eateries, where clients may enjoy lunch.
A drive of just over an hour brings us to the De Hoop Nature Reserve, one of the finest coastal conservation areas in South Africa. The reserve is part of the Cape Floral Kingdom, a UNESCO World Heritage Site covering an area of 34000 hectares. It has the distinction of protecting 1500 plant species that may be endemic to the area. A mix of habitats and ecosystems can be found here, ranging from an untouched coastline to fynbos-covered dunes and unique wetland areas. It is one of the best places to enjoy land-based whale watching in the Southern Cape (June to November). Upon arrival at De Hoop, guests are assisted with check-in, after which a short drive is enjoyed, or guests can relax and enjoy the stunning views of De Hoop Vlei.
Itinerary Your guide will meet you shortly after breakfast for a morning of hiking in the reserve. Several options of varying lengths, durations, and difficulty levels are available; your guide will discuss these, and a suitable suggestion will be made for your party. The shortest is a stroll of just over two 2 kilometers, and the longer hikes that can be completed in the morning are no more than about 9 km. This nature activity will allow you to fully appreciate the diversity of fauna and flora on the reserve, with sightings of antelope like bontebok, eland, and red hartebeest a near certainty. You will also likely spot large numbers of the rare Cape mountain zebra. Following this nature activity, you may enjoy lunch at Bite's Cafe on a rocky outcrop with magnificent ocean views.
You then have the opportunity to relax before enjoying a guided eco-boat trip on De Hoop Vlei, a Ramsar-listed wetland. On the excursion, you will see many bird species, including pelicans and flamingos, ducks and geese, terrestrial and grassland species, and raptors. Wildlife is also spotted in this serene environment. Snacks and drinks are available throughout. Following this memorable activity, you will return to your overnight accommodation.
Distance ItineraryAfter breakfast, the tour follows the N2 highway in an easterly direction to Mossel Bay. It is generally considered the southern entry point to the beautiful Garden Route region. The Portuguese explorer Bartholomew Diaz first set foot on these shores in 1488, and we dedicate some time to visiting the museum, which bears his name. The museum stands near the Milkwood Tree and fountain, which served as a post office and watering hole for seafarers in centuries past. It is also home to a replica of the vessel in which Bartholomew Diaz reached these shores, a gift from the Portuguese to South Africa upon commemorating the 500th anniversary of his voyage.
We traverse George before stopping for lunch in Wilderness. The majestic beauty of the Garden Route is apparent in this village between lush forested hills and a long stretch of beach with lakes and rivers dotting the landscape. After lunch, we visit the Map of Africa viewpoint before continuing to our overnight destination in Knysna via Sedgefield. Here, guests are assisted with check-in.
Distance Itinerary After breakfast, the tour crosses the Knysna Lagoon by ferry to the Featherbed Nature Reserve. It is a unique 150-ha private nature reserve encompassing the entire Western Head of Knysna. The reserve boasts spectacular views across the lagoon and the ocean and the treacherous passage between the two, which claimed many a ship during Knysna's days as an exporter of timber. The reserve is one of South Africa's heritage sites and is one of the highlights of any tour that visits the region. It is home to two of the Garden Route's natural icons, namely the Knysna Loerie and the Blue Duiker, one of Africa's smallest antelope species. The visit to the reserve includes a 4x4 journey to the top of the 'head' and a short hike through forest and fynbos before enjoying lunch under a canopy of ancient Milkwood trees.
In the afternoon, we visit Plettenberg Bay, where the finest beaches on the Garden Route offer the perfect sunning experience. Relax on the beach or brave the waves. After a wonderful sun-soaked afternoon, we return to Knysna.
Distance ItineraryThe Outeniqua Mountains form the barrier that divides the semi-arid interior from the lush coastal plains of the Garden Route. The tour crosses this barrier via the Outeniqua Pass to Oudtshoorn, the world's ostrich capital. The town is located in the great valley which is known as the Little Karoo, with the Langeberge and Outeniqua ranges forming its boundary to the east and the Swartberg Mountains forming its Western boundary. Your first stop is the Cango Caves, which lie in the foothills of the Swartberg Mountains. It is a great cave system, amongst the world's largest, and is blessed with elaborate dripstone formations, the highest of which stands 12.6m tall. The caves extend up to about 1 600m into the limestone-rich hills and are imposing.
After lunch, guests will be taken on a short drive to an ostrich farm, which focuses on farming the largest of the world's birds. Great fortunes were built in the industry's heyday when the feathers were prized fashion accessories. Today, the meat, with its delicious low-fat content, is sought-after in a world evermore preoccupied with healthy living. Leather is a prized raw material in the production of fashion accessories. During the visit, you will gain insight into the life cycle and behavior of the birds. We return to Knysna in the mid-afternoon.
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FlightsAfter breakfast, guests will be transferred to George Airport for a flight to Johannesburg, where they will be met and assisted in transferring to a flight back to their country of origin after a memorable tour of South Africa.
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