South African Explorer (13 Days)
Rate: From ZAR 67,185 pp
How does a 13-day South African holiday sound? Filled with safaris to the Kruger National Park and other top safari destinations, new experiences and stunning sights, our South African Explorer tour is a dream trip … trust us! From Kruger Park to Cape Town and everything in between, this is the ultimate way to see our country.
Let’s be honest, when you want to see EVERYTHING that South Africa has to offer, three, four or five days just isn’t enough. That’s why this safari holiday package lets you experience not only several natural wonders, including Kruger Park, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve and Addo Elephant National Park, but also destinations like Durban, Agulhas, Cape Town, and Swaziland, which is situated just outside South Africa’s borders.
Travel around South Africa and enjoy all that this beautiful country has to offer with a 13 Day holiday tour. Not only will you get to see the renowned Kruger National Park but also many other top safari destinations … talk about an all-encompassing experience..
Gauteng to Kruger National Park
- We normally leave on our South African safari holiday from Johannesburg between 06:00 and 07:00 to allow for various collection points. The shuttle/transfer is an additional cost. As for the route … think a drive through the scenic wide open spaces of the Highveld, down the escarpment and through the lovely Lowveld area! To appease those rumbling tummies, we also stop for lunch en-route (own expense) and reach the camp in the afternoon.
- After settling into your accommodations in the Kruger National Park, you’ll get to jump straight into your exciting safari holiday experience with our first game drive. To allow you to enjoy a truly memorable South African safari, we conduct all our game drives in specially-adapted 4×4 open vehicles.
- After this, you’ll have some free time, which you could use to explore the camp, catch up on the sleep you missed in the morning, or peruse the Kruger Park’s shop for souvenirs for the family, yummy food items, and even stuff like international adapters.
- Then, it’s onto an appetising dinner. Enjoy a delicious three-course meal, served al fresco (weather permitting) at our camp. (Dinner included)
Enjoying Kruger National Park
- The bushveld always enjoys an early start and so do you. After all, safari holidays are all about getting up early, and getting out there and seeing animals! After your wake-up call (this time varies depending on the seasons and park gate opening times), you’ll get to warm up with a cup of tea or coffee, and snacks. Then, it’s time for the morning safari (it takes approximately 3-4 hours). Lucky for you, your guide will have an intimate knowledge of the Kruger National Park … this contributes a great deal towards memorable sightings!
- On your return to camp, brunch will be ready, and after this, you’ll have some free time. We then set off on the afternoon game drive. No Kruger Park holiday is complete without getting to know your fellow guests so, in the evening, we’ll share safari stories under the stars, after dinner served at the camp. (Breakfast and Dinner included)
Kruger Park to Swaziland
- As the golden sun rises over our final day in the Kruger National Park, we have one last chance to find the animals and/or Big 5 wildlife that have eluded us thus far. We then enjoy breakfast en-route to our next exciting destination – the landlocked Kingdom of the Swazis.
- You’ll get to admire the view and observe the variation in landscape as we move into a more mountainous region. We also stop for lunch en-route (own expense).
- In the evening, you’ll get to spend the night in one of the Swaziland Royal National Parks, where all the animals belong to the king. Your guide will also prepare dinner under the stars and the evening is spent sharing travel stories around the fire. (Breakfast and Dinner included)
Swaziland to Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve
- On this day of your African holiday, we enjoy a later start! After breakfast, we depart for KwaZulu-Natal through ever-changing landscapes, and stop for lunch en-route (own expense) to the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve. It’s actually been made famous for its breeding program of both black and white rhino, something that brought these magnificent creatures back from the brink of extinction!
- We spend the first afternoon in search of wildlife on the way to our camp, where we’ll enjoy a scrumptious dinner.
A Day in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve
- This day is incredibly special as it is filled with finding fascinating wildlife! Besides the Big 5, you can also expect to see animals like bush buck and nyala as well as many interesting bird species.
- The great thing about this safari package is that after dinner, we’ll join a night drive conducted by KZN Parks, which gives us the opportunity to perhaps see some of the nocturnal species out and about. (Breakfast and Dinner included)
Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve to Dolphin Coast
- After a final game drive and an amazing breakfast, we continue to South Africa’s first World Heritage Site – the iSimangaliso Wetland Park.
- Upon arrival in the village of St Lucia, we join a two-hour Hippo and Crocodile Boat Cruise on the St Lucia Estuary – it’s sure to be a highlight on your South African safari holiday. Many crocodiles, hippos and birds make the estuary their home and you’ll have ample photographic opportunities (so be sure to bring your camera along!).
- After lunch at one of the restaurants in the village (own expense), we continue along to the Dolphin Coast. Accommodation here is in rooms with en-suite bathrooms.
- We then enjoy dinner with the sound of waves crashing in the background. (Breakfast and Dinner included)
Dolphin Coast to Durban and Port Elizabeth to Addo Elephant National Park
- After breakfast, you will have time to go for a walk along the beach or to enjoy a swim in the warm Indian Ocean. We will reach Durban’s King Shaka International Airport around 12:00.
- After a yummy lunch at one of the airport restaurants, you check in for your 90 minute flight. Taking care of you on the next part of your South African holiday tour will be your Garden Route guide. After meeting them, we depart from Port Elizabeth and drive directly to Addo Elephant National Park, and then check into our accommodation.
- By then, it’ll be time for dinner, which is a delightful two-course meal, prepared by your guide and served al fresco outside one of the chalets … it’s the perfect way to end an evening. (Breakfast and Dinner included)
The Wonders of Addo Elephant Park
- Today, we’ll spend time exploring Addo Elephant Park and learning more about the unique ecosystem, which is home to a variety of wildlife (think the Big 5, the black backed jackal, tortoises and dung beetles … who definitely have right of way!).
- After this, it’ll be time for dinner. (Breakfast and Dinner included)
From Addo to Tsitsikamma
- As a new day dawns on our safari holiday, we’ll enjoy one last game drive on our way out of the park. As for breakfast, we will stop in one of the small villages along the way.
- Our route then takes us along the stunning scenic coastal forests lining the national highway en-route to Tsitsikamma (aka the jewel of the Southern Cape) … and just in time for lunch (own expense).
- After this, there will be time to explore the beauty of the rare indigenous forest and impressive South African coastline on a hike to a waterfall. And if we’re lucky, we may even spot the Cape clawless otter hunting in the streams. We’ll then enjoy a delicious dinner in the evening. (Breakfast and Dinner included)
Tsitsikamma to Oudshoorn
- Do you know how to start off the morning on a high? With a hike, of course! We will set off in search of the beautiful but elusive Knysna Turaco and after breakfast, travel along the world renowned Garden Route, too.
- Our morning route also takes us past picturesque coastal towns to the town of Knysna. After lunch, the scenery on our South African holiday tour changes dramatically as lush green coastal forests become wetlands, lakes and lagoons, and then mountains. Afterwards, it’s on to the Klein Karoo (with its impressive and stark landscapes, we might add). The Klein Karoo, which is nestled between the Outeniqua and Swartberg Mountain ranges, is renowned for its agriculture, and, in particular, ostrich farming.
- We then spend the night in Oudtshoorn, the ostrich capital of the world. Dinner on this leg of our safari holiday is a two course meal, served al fresco at one of the chalets. (Breakfast and Dinner included)
Oudtshoorn to Agulhas
- After a leisurely breakfast, we’ll travel through the beautiful semi-arid regions of the Swartberg and Langeberg and onto the rolling grasslands of the Southern Cape, known to be home to the endangered blue crane (hopefully, we’ll be fortunate enough to spot this beautiful bird).
- Following lunch, we then head to the exact point where the African continent sinks into the ocean as well as keep a sharp eye out for the Cape grysbok in the fynbos or Cape fur seals and dolphins playing in the surf. We’ll also reach our overnight destination in time to appreciate one of the most spectacular sunsets in the world from the patios of our fisherman’s’ cottage … and just in time for dinner! (Breakfast & Dinner included)
Agulhas to Cape Town
- After filling up our tummies with great food, we’ll start our journey along the Coastal whale route, through one of the most scenic parts of South Africa. We stop en-route in the town of Hermanus to have lunch (own expense) and will hopefully spot the southern right whales (seasonal) that visit this coast to breed.
- Then it’ll be time for lunch, and we’ll continue through the scenic fruit and wheat producing regions of the Overberg and Langeberg (with beautiful views of False Bay and Table Mountain), and on to Cape Town. We plan to arrive around 17:00 at our hotel.
- With some of the best restaurants in South Africa only a short distance away, dinner at this point of your safari holiday will be at a restaurant of your choosing and at your own expense. Better still … your guide will assist you in making your decision and accompany you, if desired. (Breakfast included)
Exploring Cape Town
- After breakfast, we’ll kick off our final, fun-filled day on our South African safari holiday and explore the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, the Boulders Penguin colony and Table Mountain (weather dependent, and remember – cableway tickets are at your own expense).
- We stop en-route in the town of Houtbay to have lunch (own expense) and may spot some of the Cape fur seals that inhabit the area. The tour ends at 17:00 at the airport and guests are reminded not to book domestic flights departing earlier than 19:00 or international flights departing earlier than 20:00.
- Guests staying in Cape Town will be transferred to their hotel after our stop at the airport. (Breakfast included)
INCLUDED
- Professional drivers/guides (FGASA registered – Field Guides Association of Southern Africa)
- Meals as specified per itinerary
- All game drives in the Kruger National Park in an open game drive vehicle
- All entry fees and daily conservation levies
- Accommodation as per chosen option
EXCLUDED
- Meals and drinks not specified in itinerary
- Pick up and drop off in Johannesburg/Pretoria
- Items of a personal nature
- Gratuities
On our safaris, we make use of facilities and accommodation situated inside the Kruger National Park and do not stay outside the Kruger, unless forced to do so because of availability.
We have a permanent camp in Kruger Park, which is also where our open game drive vehicles are based. Safaris with accommodation in multiple rest camps are available on request.
It is important to note that this is not a private safari and more than likely there will be other guests joining you on the game drive vehicles, air-conditioned mini bus transfer vehicles as well as in the dining facility.
alt=”Outlook Travel”>hough we welcome children on our safaris, we reserve the right not to allow younger children on our normal game drives. This will be entirely up to the guide’s discretion and will be in order to ensure a pleasurable game drive for all our guests (including the parents). Should this be the case, a bush bumble (kiddies game drive) will be conducted after the normal game drive, especially for the kids. We do not offer babysitting and as such one of the parents will have to stay behind to watch the children. Private game drives for families can be arranged at an extra charge.
Guests flying out of O.R. Tambo Airport on the last day are reminded to not book any flights earlier than 19:00 (domestic) or 20:00 (international) in order to give us enough time to get you to the airport. We recommend that you rather stay over in Johannesburg if possible. Since we cannot guarantee our arrival time in Johannesburg on the last day we will not be held responsible for reimbursements of flight tickets, should we arrive later than expected. Guests flying out of Nelspruit on the last day may, depending on their flight details, not have enough time to see the Panorama Route. Private transfers for guests with early flights can be arranged in advance at an extra charge.
13 Day SA Explorer Safari | |
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2 to 3 guests | ZAR 67 185 per person |
4 to 6 guests | ZAR 54 297 per person |
7+ guests | ZAR 54 297 per person |