Grand tour of South Africa

Grand Tour of South Africa

21 August – 6 September 2024

VISITING

Pretoria, Hazyview, Kruger National Park, Eswatini-Swaziland, Hluhluwe, St Lucia, Port Elizabeth, Tsitsikamma National Park, Knysna, Oudtshoorn, Franschhoek & Cape Town

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

MAGNIFICENT PANORAMA ROUTE, BOURKE’S LUCK POTHOLES, SAFARI EXPERIENCE, SWAZILAND -MULTICULTURAL EXPERIENCE, HLUHLUWE-UMFOLOZI GAME RESERVE, FEATHERBED NATURE RESERVE, CAPE TOWN CITY, CAPE POINT & PENINSULA & WINELANDS TOURS

WEDNESDAY, 21ST AUGUST/THURSDAY, 22ND AUGUST

We meet at the airport at 12.30pm for our Emirates flight that leaves Malta at 3.35pm and arrives in Dubai at 1.05am. We then board our flight to South Africa departing at 4.05am and arriving in Johannesburg at 10.15am. Transfer to our hotel in Dullstoom & check-in at Walkersons Hotel & Spa (or similar). Welcome dinner included.

FRIDAY, 23RD AUGUST

Breakfast, check-out and then we make our way to Hazyview, visiting the magnificent Three Rondavels, Bourke’s Luck Potholes (included) and God’s window on the way. This is referred to as the Panorama Route. Our overnight stay in Hazyview is at Hippo Hollow Country Estate (or similar). Dinner – included.

SATURDAY, 24TH AUGUST

Early wake-up call. We depart at about 5.30am for the Kruger National Park in search of the Big 5. Our safari in open 4×4 vehicle safari-vehicles will end at about 4.00pm back at the hotel. (Today packed breakfast will be provided). The world-renowned Kruger National Park offers a wildlife experience that ranks with the best in Africa, remaining white rhinos, together with other animals such as buffalo, elephants, black rhinos, leopards, cheetahs, African wild dogs & giraffes and one of the few viable lion populations in southern Africa. Our overnight stay in Malelane is at Pestana Kruger Lodge (or similar). Dinner – included.

SUNDAY, 25TH AUGUST

Breakfast and we check out. We make our way to the Royal Kingdom of Eswatini. At the border we will stop at a cultural village where we understand the way natives live and enjoy dancing, drumming and singing with them (extra). Entering through Jeppe’s Reef Border Post, we will continue to the Ngwenya Glass Works for a quick lunch (extra). Our next stop is at the Swazi Candle Factory with colourful handmade products.  We continue our journey and cross over the second border at Golela and travel to Mkuze, a small town situated in Northern KwaZulu-Natal. Overnight at Ghost Mountain Inn. Dinner – included.

MONDAY, 26TH AUGUST

Early check-out with breakfast boxes to meet our rangers in 4×4 safari vehicles this morning at Memorial Gate for a 4–4.5 hour game drive. Enjoy the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve, proclaimed as the oldest reserve in Africa. 96,000 hectares of wilderness, rolling hills and magnificent wildlife awaits you. Lunch (included) at Dumazulu, South Africa’s biggest Cultural Village – situated in the heart of Zululand (show not included). Onward journey to St Lucia was primarily known as a fishing destination before the establishment of the iSimangaliso Wetland World Heritage site in 1999. Overnight stay at Elephant Lake hotel (or similar) in St Lucia.

 TUESDAY, 27TH AUGUST

After breakfast, you will free time for optional excursions.  Possible boat trip for whale watching. Lunch opportunity in the town of St Lucia or at the Hotel. Later in the afternoon, we proceed to St Lucia Estuary, also South Africa’s first world heritage site, where we will embark on a 2-hour hippo and croc cruise safari. The Estuary is home to 800 Hippos and approximately 1200 Nile Crocodiles and abundance of bird-life. Dinner – included.

WEDNESDAY, 28TH AUGUST

Today, we have breakfast, check out and we are transferred to King Shaka Int Airport, Durban, for our domestic flight. We drive along the Dolphin Coast of KwaZulu-Natal for the Eastern Cape, Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha). Our overnight will be at Radisson Blu port Elizabeth Hotel or The Boardwalk Hotel (or similar). Dinner – included.

THURSDAY, 29TH AUGUST

After breakfast we will check out. We travel via the coastline to the beautiful Tsitsikamma National Park ‘garden of the Garden Route’. One can enjoy a walk along the suspension bridge across the Storms River mouth gorge which offers incredible views. We then proceed to visit Kay & Monty Vineyard in Plettenberg Bay for a wine tasting. Upon arrival at Knysna, we proceed to our hotel – Belvedere Manor Estate (or similar) and check in, Dinner – included

FRIDAY, 30TH AUGUST

Breakfast and transfer to Knysna Waterfront where we will board a ferry in order to visit Featherbed Nature Reserve, situated on the Western Head of Knysna, for a 3-hour eco-experience. Return ferry trip – 4×4 vehicle & trailer drive – Reserve Walk followed by lunch (included) under the milkwood trees on this small Island. Dinner (extra) either at the Hotel or overlooking the sunset at Brenton-on-Sea. This afternoon option to enjoy an optional whale watching boat cruise or relax on the beach (weather permitting).

SATURDAY, 31ST AUGUST

We enjoy breakfast and later we make our way to Oudtshoorn – the ‘ostrich capital’ of the world. Oudtshoorn is a small town situated with the Swarberg mountains to its north and the Quteniqua Mountains to its south. We stop at an ostrich show farm in the Schoeman’s Valley for a guided tour where we will learn about different kinds of ostriches and have the possibility to buy some ostrich products. Time permitting, we will also visit to the Cango Caves, a cultural and natural heritage of South Africa, for a standard one-hour tour. Dinner – included. Overnight stay in Oudtshoorn at De Opstal Country Lodge (or similar).

SUNDAY, 1ST SEPTEMBER

Opportunity before breakfast for an optional excursion to enjoy a 1-1.5-hour meerkat experience at Buffelsdrift. Check out and transfer to Franschhoek situated in the Winelands via Barrydale, on a scenic Route, referred to as 62. Barrydale is a village located on the border of the Overberg and Klein Karoo regions of the Western Cape Province. Upon arrival in Franschhoek, we check in at Protea Hotel by Marriott Franschhoek (or similar). Dinner – included.

MONDAY, 2ND SEPTEMBER

Breakfast and check-out. Today we will explore the Winelands. Our first stop chocolate tasting at Hugenote Chocolate Factory Shop in Franschhoek. We will then proceed to Tokara Wine Estate for olive tasting as well as their flagship wine tasting. Opportunity for own lunch and shopping in Stellenbosch with all its street cafés, antique shops, art galleries and much more. Transfer to Cape Town for our last overnight at the V&A Waterfront. Dinner included at our Hotel, The Commodore (or similar).

TUESDAY, 3RD SEPTEMBER

After breakfast we transfer to Table mountain (weather permitting) where we have access (extra) to one of eight natural wonders of the world with a cable car. The panoramic views from the top of its 3,563-foot (1,086-meter) peak are well worth the visit (extra). We will then travel to Constantia where you will enjoy a drumming show followed by lunch.  This afternoon at leisure at the V&A Waterfront.

WEDNESDAY, 4TH SEPTEMBER

After breakfast, we travel along the Atlantic Seaboard via Sea Point, Clifton and Camps Bay to Hout Bay (optional boat trip to Seal Island). We later continue via Chapman’s Peak (weather permitting) to Cape Point and the Good Hope Nature Reserve (funicular included) and then to historic Simon’s Town – a village with charming Victorian architecture, a naval base. We will stop at the beautiful Boulders Beach where we can enjoy watching a large colony of penguins wobbling along the beach and diving for fish. Today’s lunch is included.

 THURSDAY, 5TH SEPTEMBER/FRIDAY, 6TH SEPTEMBER

On our last day in South Africa, we have a leisurely breakfast and check out. Transfer to Cape Town International Airport after lunch (extra) for our flight back to Malta that departs at 6.20pm to Dubai, this is followed by the flight from Dubai to Malta departing at 8.00am (6th September) and arriving at 2.05pm.

PRICE INCLUDES

Return flights with Emirates to Johannesburg / from Cape Town via Dubai

Internal flight from Durban to Port Elizabeth (Ggeberha)

14 nights accommodation in hotels as indicated (or similar)

12 buffet breakfasts, 2 packed breakfasts, 3 lunches and 8 dinners

All excursions guided by an English speaking guide as per itinerary

All the entrances, as mentioned in the programme

All transfers as per programme

Service of a tour leader

All taxes Insolvency fund

 NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRICE

Isimangaliso Eastern Shore Sunset Drive / Night drive Safari on 26 Aug R520/€29

Close encounter Whale watching R1365/€75

Table Mountain, Cape Town cable car R420/€22

Circle Launces, Seal Island & Sentinal Mountain boat trip R120/€8

PRICE PER PERSON

Adult in Triple                    (on request)

Adult in Twin                      €4173

Adult in Single                   €4653

Minimum group size is based on 20 passengers

Note: A Maltese passport with a validity date of 6 months beyond departure date

Vaccines: Kindly check with the National Immunisation Service at Floriana Health centre.