Welcome to South Africa! Upon arrival at the Cape Town International Airport, continue through Immigration and Customs. A local representative will be waiting in the arrivals area, holding a sign with your name on it. They will transfer you directly to your hotel in the city, making for a smooth and easy start to your adventure in Africa! (This service is on a private basis.)

Cape Town

Cape Town is one of the most beautifully situated cities in the world. Cradled by Table Mountain, it has immense charm and historical interest, while it's unique cultural blend of part African, part European and part Asian, makes for a cosmopolitan dining experience. Take the cable car or walk up Table Mountain, visit the colorful Malay quarter or meander through the wonderful Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Browse through the vibrant Greenmarket Square, take a boat trip to Robben Island or simply relax on the beach. When you want to explore further, the Cape Peninsula offers one of the finest coastal drives in Africa to the Cape of Good Hope. Here, you might see whales breaching just off the bay or quirky African penguins on Boulder's beach. With so much to do and see in Cape Town, adventure truly awaits!

City & Table Mountain Tour

Today, you will head out on a half day private exploration of Cape Town, known affectionately as the Mother City. During this tour, you will visit the Houses of Parliament, the Castle, which was built between 1666 and 1679 and is South Africa’s oldest building, the vibrant Greenmarket Square and the beautiful Company Gardens. Of course, no tour of the city is complete without a trip up Table Mountain. From the top of this magnificent attraction, you are rewarded with spectacular aerial views over the city and the scenic Peninsula. Please note that the cable car ride up Table Mountain is not included in the tour, as it is a weather dependent activity.

After descending the mountain, you will be transferred to the colorful Bo-Kaap neighborhood, to learn about the heritage of the Cape Malay community. Follow your guide through the brightly colored houses and charming cobblestone streets. At the end of this cultural experience, you can decide whether you want to be dropped back off at your hotel, or taken to the Waterfront to further explore on your own. The beautiful Waterfront features several trendy shops, fine dining restaurants and lively pubs, that would make for a fun rest of your afternoon! (This service is on a private basis.)

African Cooking Experience

Start the day with a visit to the District 6 Museum in Cape Town. This is Cape Town’s apartheid museum. This museum represents the memories of a community on the outskirts of Cape Town where over 60 000 people were forcefully removed from the mid 1960’s to the mid 1980’s. This visit allows you the opportunity to discuss what led to apartheid in this country and to discuss how it was implemented. From here, travel to Langa township to cook at a small cookery school that provides the local residents with the skills needed to get jobs in the kitchens of the top hotels in Cape Town.

This is one of only a handful of full time cooking schools based in a Cape Township. The students are not from privileged homes and as such the fees charged cannot be very high. Money needs to be raised in order to provide these kids with tuition, which is done through a variety of entrepreneurial ventures. They have created a restaurant out of shipping containers and here they serve traditional African cuisine to the local community and to visitors. This facility is also used to cater for functions in the local area, as well as for the cooking classes and brings much needed revenue into the school. A visit to the school and restaurant is a unique opportunity for you to interact with a community initiative that is really working. Here you learn about African and Xhosa culture and cuisine; have the opportunity to interact with the locals and for you to also leave your mark on your journey to Cape Town.

Your visit means that you are contributing in a small way to this project. 90% of the graduates secure a job (incredible in a country with an approximate 40% unemployment rate). Highlights on your half day tour include a welcome drink of ginger beer while you listen to a talk on African cuisine and culture; a hands-on cooking lesson where you learn to cook dishes like pap (similar to polenta), chakalaka, samp and a typical meat stew before settling down to enjoy your dishes at the restaurant. (This service is on a private basis.)

Today, you will be picked up at your hotel in 4:00PM and transferred to your accommodations in 4:00PM. (This service is on a private basis.)

Lodge Activites

Nestled within an ancient milkwood forest, Forest Lodge is found in the Grootbos Nature Reserve’s picturesque mountain and seascape region. Glittering in the sunlight, the lodge shows off sweeping views over a natural paradise and its luxurious accommodation is an invitation to soak up the tranquil atmosphere. Grootbos is an eco reserve, where highly professional, specialist guides, qualified botanists and scientists, are excited to share their passion for the region's plants, birds and small game, which inhabit this slice of heaven.

Your fully inclusive stay at the Grootbos Forest Lodge covers breakfast, a light lunch, 5 course dinner, welcome drink upon arrival, water, soft drinks, tea, coffee, minibar and fresh fruit served daily in your suite. The lodge also offers an irresistible variety of guided adventures. These excursions include horse back riding, guided walks & nature tours, coastal drives, cliff hikes, cave explorations and even seasonal land-based whale watching excursions (especially between June and December). With everything there is to choose from, Grootbos is guaranteed to keep you entertained, enthralled and engaged!

Today, you will be picked up at your hotel in 4:00PM and transferred to your accommodations in 4:00PM. (This service is on a private basis.)

Franschhoek

The picturesque village of Franschhoek is set in a beautiful valley surrounded by mountain. Enjoy some of its many interesting shops and boutiques and visit a second wine estate for some more wine tasting. The origins of this village date back to 1688 when some of the French Huguenots fleeing religious persecution settled in the valley, then known as Elephants Corner. As the settlers increased the elephants ceased their annual migration to the valley, which later became known as French Corner or 'Franschhoek' in Afrikaans.

Full Day Cape Winelands Tour

This delightful drive winds its way to the heart of the Cape Winelands, through superb mountain ranges, vineyards and Cape Dutch homesteads. Head off to the wine country via the N2 to the heart of South Africa's wine industry, Stellenbosch, boasting great beauty and culture that is steeped in South African history. Walk down the canal-lined avenues, in the shade of giant oak trees and beautifully preserved historic buildings. With the sheer vastness of wine estates on offer, you are truly spoilt for choice when you enjoy your first wine tasting of the day at the Waterford Estate (or similar).

Travel over the Helshoogte Pass to the town of Franschhoek, historically dating back to the 17th century when the French Huguenots arrived. Billed as the Gourmet Capital of South Africa, this charming town, in a most picturesque valley, retains a French Huguenot style.

Enjoy a wine tasting before taking time to enjoy the fabled culinary skills of the Franschhoek chefs at one of the many award winning restaurants (lunch not included in cost). Onward to Paarl, one of the Cape’s first farming districts. The town is set at the foot of the cluster of remarkable granite domes from which it takes its name. Our last stop for the day is at a wine estate on the Paarl wine route. Return to the bustle of city life after an enthralling day in the countryside, arriving back at the hotels at approximately 5:30 PM.

Note: Alternative estates may be visited over weekends and public holidays. (This service is on a private basis.)

Today, you will be picked up at your hotel in Franschhoek and transferred to the Cape Town Airport in good time to board your domestic flight to Skukuza Airport. Upon arrival in 4:00PM, you will be greeted at the airport by your driver and transferred to your hotel. (This service is on a private basis.)

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.

Lodge Activities

During your stay at the intimate Lion Sands River Lodge, you can look forward to both morning sunrise and late afternoon safari adventures with FGASA qualified ranger & trackers. Kick off and finish off every day out in the wild, in search of the many animal species who call this place home.

Today, you will be picked up at your hotel in 4:00PM and transferred to the Skukuza Airport in good time to board your domestic flight to 4:00PM. Upon arrival in 4:00PM, you will be greeted at the airport by your driver and transferred to your hotel. (This service is on a private basis.)

Johannesburg

Welcome to the City of Gold. Johannesburg is the pulsating heart of South Africa's industrial and commercial life, where more than a mile below the bustling city traffic, miners still dig for the world's most precious metal. This city may not be known for its natural beauty, but there is certainly enough to keep you entertained. From its botanical gardens, picturesque lakes, historic museums, art galleries and variety of cultural excursions to Soweto, Lesedi, Pretoria or the Cradle of Humanity, the possibilities are endless. Johannesburg is also known for its world class design in gold and diamond jewelry, ethnic fashion, arts and crafts.

Apartheid Museum Tour & Soweto

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 met and transferred to the airport for your international departing flight. We hope you enjoyed your experience and we wish you a safe and pleasant flight home.