South Africa highlights holiday
Prices based on 2 adults sharing.
Single supplement available.
Mimimum age 16.
Description of South Africa highlights holiday
Discover the highlights of South Africa with this cross-country tour of its beautiful cities, exciting wildlife and dramatic scenery, all washed down with some delicious local wine.
Our journey begins in Johannesburg, the urban heart of South Africa and a hub of historically important sites. It's the perfect introduction to our tour, and we'll spend our time here meeting the local people of Soweto, a huge township on the outskirts of Jo'burg, and visiting the Mandela House Museum.
Just beyond the city is a wild landscape of mountains, waterfalls and some of Africa's most famous animal inhabitants. For wildlife lovers, the highlight will be a day's safari in Kruger National Park, where lions prowl the grasslands in search of antelope, zebra and buffalo. Stunning views of Blyde River Canyon from God's Window viewpoint make this an unmissable part of our itinerary, alongside memorable evenings under the clear starry skies.
Just as spectacular is South Africa's famous Garden Route, a paradise for wildlife spotting where we may spot dolphins dancing offshore and penguins pottering around the beaches. There's world-class whale watching to be had in Hermanus and incredible array of attractive birdlife at the Birds of Eden aviary.
Our holiday wouldn't be complete without a visit to the Winelands of Stellenbosch, where tours and tastings are a must. Try it alongside some of the freshly caught seafood or a typical braai, a South African barbecue, before enjoying some sightseeing in the spectacular coastal city of Cape Town.
Map
Price information
Prices based on 2 adults sharing.
Single supplement available.
Mimimum age 16.
Check dates, prices & availability
Travel guides
Reviews
1 Reviews of South Africa highlights holiday
Reviewed on 12 Nov 2019 by Janet White Spunner
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Seeing all the animals
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
It’s not safe to leave your tent in the night! I brought a Uriwell with me!! Brilliant! Others used a cut down 5 litre water container. A leopard walked through our camp one morning at 5am!Best shopping was at the Falls in Livingstone and I was the only one that had time there. Everyone else was walking the Falls. I took the helicopter ride over the Falls
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Not really. I expected we would all be using filter bottles for our water. Mine had a faulty lid I expected they would have a spare bottle I could buy but Bibi our driver did not approve of them and only one other person had one hot water for tea and coffee was supplied but no drinking water. We had to buy all our own water. I thought this was a foolish policy in heat of 38-40! When we needed to drink at least 3 litres a day each. If someone had become dehydrated the operator might have been blamed. We did reuse plastic bottles filling from 5 ltr containers. We had no chance to buy locally made items as souvenirs except at the airport. I did not walk at the Falls and opted to spend time at the excellent array of stalls of locally made objects and purchased a number of lovely items. I think this could be included as a stop on the tour and help money go back to the villages. I thought we might have had fish one night when we were on the boat, in fact we saw a catch of fish and I was very disappointed when we had supermarket mince!!
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
The game viewing was excellent. People should be warned that climbing on to
the jeep is not easy!!!The literature told us we’d have a welcome drink and sundowner on the boat and that we’d be able to buy drinks at their bar. No bar, no drinks!! Also on the long drive through Namibia our guide had no local cash so would not stop in the town we passed through to use a toilet We stopped soon after the town to use the ‘bush’
Read the operator's response here:
Responsible Travel
Planet
Wildlife:During this trip there will be amazing safari opportunities in Kruger National Park. We have taken care to ensure we are game-watching in the most responsible way. We use a trusted and experienced guides who understand the importance of protecting the wildlife. The crew will educate groups about the wildlife within the national park.
Water:
The West Cape region of South Africa is going through it's worst ever drought and after a research trip in January 2018 to understand the extent of the issue locally, we have been working together with suppliers, hotels and our ground team to ensure our groups are using the minimal amount of water possible without negatively impacting our itineraries. All leaders brief groups on arrival about the importance of conserving water, offer top tips on how to do so and explain the current situation locally to aid understanding.
As a travel company we are continually looking for ways to improve and are proud to be ‘Responsible in everything we do’. Education is key, and so all staff, Tour Leaders and partnering suppliers are trained in responsible and sustainable tourism. At our Head Office, we continually strive towards a sustainable and planet-friendly working environment, including having solar panels installed and a company commitment to reducing our plastic usage.
People
Friends and Neighbours:This trip includes a Soweto Township Tour in Johannesburg which is an ideal opportunity for visitors to learn about the controversial history of the apartheid from those who lived through it, as well understand current, urban living in one of South Africa's largest cities. There is also a later opportunity to visit another township while in Knysna along the Garden Route. The aim of township tours within our itinerary is to educate visitors, empower residents and invest back into the communities.
During the trip three national parks are visited; Kruger, Tsitsikamma and Table Mountain and 1% from all entrance fees and any activities booked will go to the community levy. The levy will be invested in clinics, schools and other much needed infrastructure to benefit communities within and surrounding park boundaries, with a long-term aim to build sustainable relationships between residents and visitors.
As a company we have valuable and longstanding partnerships with UK charities Toilet Twinning and Send a Cow, plus many smaller initiatives and projects around the world. We’re members of the UK travel industry body AITO because we believe it’s important to share our knowledge and experience, as well as learn from other operators.
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