Welcome to South Africa! On arrival at OR Tambo (Johannesburg) airport, look out for our representative in the arrivals area. They will be holding a name-board with your surname on it. They will transfer you from the airport to your hotel.

A warm, hospitable welcome awaits you at The Residence, located in the historic suburb of Houghton, which is also home to many famous residents including former president Nelson Mandela. The Residence exudes a charming air of quiet dignity, with an abundance of bougainvillea blossoms cascading down the terraced gardens. This is a blissful oasis where guests are treated with personalized service and are invited to make themselves at home.

Apartheid Museum & Soweto Tour

This tour takes you to two of Johannesburg’s most popular attractions, giving you an opportunity to take a closer look at South Africa’s turbulent past. Starting with a drive across Johannesburg, to the south of the city to visit the Apartheid Museum, which opened its doors in 2002, this is where you embark on a historical voyage of discovery, a personal exploration of the past that examines the story of apartheid right up to the first democratic elections held in 1994. The tour of the museum lasts approximately two hours.

Then you continue to Soweto (SOuth WEstern TOwnship), the largest black residential area in South Africa. This sprawling “city within a city” is home to many who work in various parts of the greater metropolitan area of the Witwatersrand. Your guide will follow a route that takes you past all the major points of interest, including the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Baragwanath taxi rank, Regina Mundi church, Hector Pieterson Memorial and Nelson Mandela's former home. (This service is on a private basis.)

Today you will be transferred by your private driver to the OR Tambo Airport for your flight to Cape Town (flight not included - airfare can be arranged upon request).

On arrival at Cape Town airport, look out for our representative. They will be holding a name-board with your surname on it. They will then transfer you from the airport to your hotel. This will take approximately 30 minutes depending on traffic.

Welgelegen Guest House is a stylish boutique lodge set in two pretty Victorian buildings, in a quiet cul-de-sac in the Gardens area of Cape Town - adjacent to trendy Kloof Street with its inviting bistros, restaurants and shops. Welgelegen is perfect for those seeking stylish accommodation with a friendly ambiance. The lodge combines both the charm of the Victorian era, with wooden floors and well-preserved architectural details, with an understated contemporary style.

Half Day City & Table Mountain Tour

This morning at 9:00am, you will be picked up at your hotel by your guide to begin your private half day City and Table Mountain Tour (Optionally, you may choose to take the afternoon 2:00pm tour). You’ll begin with a journey by cable car, to the top of Table Mountain for a panoramic view of the entire Cape Peninsula. Your guide will point out the highlights of this world famous view. The cable car tickets are for your own account, as the ascent is dependent on the weather.

Afterwards, you travel into the city where you first see the Castle of Good Hope, the original fort of Cape Town built in 1652, that has since been painstakingly restored. From there, you continue to the historic center of Cape Town, with its many 18th century buildings. You will have the chance to visit two of Cape Town's museums and you may like to enjoy a stroll through the Company Gardens, past the Parliament buildings. Finally, you explore the picturesque Malay quarter, a historic sector of the city with original Malay buildings and narrow streets, before ending the tour back at the hotel approximately 4 hours later.

As this is a private excursion, you can vary the tour to some degree. For example, you may want more time on Table Mountain to enjoy a longer walk or even opt to do abseiling off the Mountain! Alternatively, you may want more time at the museums. Please note additional entrances will need to be paid on the day and you will only have 4-5 hours. Depending on what you want to do, we may suggest extending this to a full day tour.

*Please Note: Table Mountain tickets are NOT included in the tour price as they are weather-dependent. (This service is on a private basis.)

Robben Island Excursion

Afterwards, you will be provided with entrance tickets to Robben Island. This intriguing excursion begins at the Clock Tower, also known as the Nelson Mandela Gateway, in the V&A Waterfront. You will need to meet at least a half an hour before the ferry is scheduled to depart here. The Island was a training and defense station in World War II, and has also served as a place of banishment, isolation and imprisonment, which became world famous as the prison where Nelson Mandela was held for 18 years.

Today, it is a World Heritage Site and museum, which acts as a focal point of South African heritage. It runs educational programs for schools and facilitates tourism development - a poignant reminder of the price paid for freedom. As your ferry arrives at the Island, you will be joined by a local guide, someone who spent time there during the Apartheid years and is thus able to offer a very personal and often moving account of their experience. You will can also observe the cell where Nelson Mandela spent a large part of his life. After this fascinating and informative glimpse of 'behind the scenes' history, the ferry will take you back to the V&A Waterfront.

*Please note that any amendments made to your Robben Island ticket bookings prior to the tour are subject to a R50.00 administration fee. Weather permitting, the ferries depart at 9am, 11am, 1pm and 3pm. And during Winter months (May to August) ferries depart at 9am, 11am and 1pm. (This service is on a group basis.)

Footsteps to Freedom

This half day, 2.5 hour tour, is a unique opportunity to experience the historic heart of the city on foot, all while learning about South Africa’s dramatic history. You will start the day in the historic old city, where the Dutch and British ruled, slavery and apartheid took place, and eventually freedom and democracy conquered. You will meander through the Company’s Garden, explore the Grand Parade and the City Hall, experience the lively Greenmarket Square, which now home to a bustling African curio market, and the visit the Slavery precinct, which includes the Slave Lodge and Church Square.

You will also learn the story of District Six and visit the Bo-Kaap (Malay Quarter), with its colorful houses and quaint cobbled stone streets. Other places of interest include: St Georges Anglican Cathedral (Tutu Nobel Peace Prize-winner), Parliament (Mandela and De Klerk, Nobel Peace Prize winners) and Tuynhuis, where Mandela the prisoner had secret meetings with apartheid presidents Botha and De Klerk. The emphasis of this tour is on the historical stories and learning about the lives of people who changed the course of history in South Africa. It is not about crossing off each one of the sites in Cape Town, but rather coming to understand what role these prominent sites played in the history of the country, and stringing them together in one compelling story.

In the afternoon, you will be collected for your afternoon township tour at 14:00 at the Taj
entrance on Wale Street. This part of the day is devoted to meeting and getting to know the local township residents, becoming familiar with their hardships and triumphs and being inspired by their sense of community. To ensure your encounter is genuine and true, registered tour guides who are either resident in the townships or intimately involved in township life conduct our township tours.

Cape Point & Peninsula Tour

Today, you will embark on a full day tour of the Cape Peninsula. Marvel at the beaches of Clifton and Camps Bay, before crossing over to Hout Bay, where you may choose to join an optional boat cruise to Seal Island. From here, you will drive to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve via Chapman's Peak, one of the world's most breathtaking coastal drives. At the peak, you can board the optional funicular ride if you wish, however this ticket is not included in the tour. The tram will take you up to the top of the Peninsula, where you can admire an aerial view of where the Indian Ocean meets the Atlantic Ocean. This scenic spots offers a panoramic view over False Bay as well.

After stopping for lunch, which would be on your own account, you will continue to the naval base of Simonstown. Here, you will visit the African Penguin breeding colony at Boulders Beach, to admire these furry creatures waddling about. End this unforgettable day at the world-renowned Kirstenbosch Gardens, before being returned to your hotel at the end of the tour.

This morning you are collected by your guide for a private transfer to the Cape Town Airport for your early morning flight to Skukuza Airport in Kruger National Park (flights are not included - airfare can be arranged upon request).

On arrival at Skukuza Airport around mid-day, you will be met by our representative and transferred to the Nottens Bush Camp for your three night stay.

Kruger National Park

As you bump along the park roads, the sun warm upon your face and air dry in the back of your throat, your senses are on high alert. This is the real Africa, home to the Big 5. From the nervously twitching herd of impala following a night of predator action, to the wild dog prancing around like a domestic pet on the side of the road, Kruger is alive with activity.

With over 2 million hectares of pristine wilderness, the biodiversity in this National Park sustains many species of game and birds. The dry north consists of Baobab trees, scrubland and rocky outcroppings, which can be seen for miles, where animals tend to gather around water sources. As you journey south, the park gets busier, animal numbers increase and the backdrop changes to grassland and acacia woodlands.

Camp Activities

There is nothing as invigorating as watching Africa’s wildlife in their natural habitat. The place where nature dictates the rules and humans are mere observers. Located in the heart of the Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve, your chances of viewing the 'Big Five' at Notten's Bush Camp, as well as plenty of other game and bird life, are very likely. Game drives in an open land rover are organized early each morning and evening, and are led by highly experienced and knowledgeable guides. These guides all carry a passion for the bush and it's wildlife.

You can embark on a midday bush walk in the early afternoon proceeding breakfast, to make the very most of every day. Lazy hours throughout the day, can be spent taking a dip in the refreshing pool, while the massage deck offers a peaceful setting for relaxing treatments. Other facilities on property include a public lounge and dining area, with a large fireplace leading out to a wooden deck that overlooks the plains. A great place to enjoy a drink and soak up the view! The delicious cuisine at Notten's, is traditional South African bush cooking and you will have a chance to share stories and hospitality with other guests around the table. Your fully inclusive rate covers all meals, two game drives and one bush walk per day, local soft drinks, house wines and beers.

Today you will be met by your private driver and transferred to the Skukuza airport for your flight to Johannesburg (flight is not included - airfare can be arranged upon request).

On arrival, make your own way to the international departure to check into your outbound flight home.