South Africa Highlights 12 or 18 days

Platinum Class Tours
Private Guided
Optional extension with Garden Route 18 days and 17 nights

12 days / 11 nights

• Kruger National Park
• Johannesburg
• Rovos Rail
• Cape Town

Day 1:

Singita Game Reserve is situated within the Sabi Sand Game Reserve bordering the Kruger National Park. The exclusive 18-bed Ebony Lodge, set amidst giant ebony trees, on the Sand River, is an ideal venue for intimate getaways or private groups. Singita enjoys traversing rights over 19 000 hectares of big game territory, ensuring one of the lowest people densities in the Lowveld. The luxurious double suites contain air-conditioning for the summer and a double-sided fireplace for winter evenings, feature separate dressing areas, a private swimming pool, a private lounge and leisure deck overlooking the Sand River.

Designed in stone, slate, wood and thatch, the Lodge blends in with the ancient boulders on the banks of the Sand River.

Depart on Flight from Johannesburg Airport to MQP Airport ( near the Kruger National Park )

Flight arrives at MQP Airport ( near the Kruger National Park )

On arrival at the Airport, you will be collected by a lodge representative and transferred to the lodge for overnight.

Late afternoon Game Drive in open Safari vehicles with experienced rangers to view The Big Five. Dinner at the lodge

Overnight: Ebony Suite - Singita - Full Board

Singita Ebony epitomises the last word in colonial elegance. Since it opened its door in 1994 it has revolutionised the experience of staying in a luxury game lodge. From the moment you arrive you will sense that Singita Ebony is the ultimate in refined and traditional living. Sink into comfortable leather sofas and feel your soul soothed by the rich tapestry of textured fabrics and furnishing. Bowls of ostrich eggs, carved wooden chairs, antique spice chests help to give this lodge its unique charm. Built in the shade of large Jackleberry trees, all the suites are completely private, cool and spacious, and have their own plunge pool and outdoor decking. Ebony 's large air-conditioned library houses old books on South Africa and wildlife, and the extensive wine cellar houses almost 12 000 award winning wines. Return from the bush to a gourmet dinner under the stars alongside a blazing log fire in the Singita Ebony boma.

Day 2:

Early morning Game Drive with your ranger, followed by a hearty breakfast at the lodge.

Game walks available, and may be arranged with your ranger.

Lunch at the lodge.

Late afternoon Game Drive in Safari vehicle.

Dinner at the lodge.

Overnight: Ebony Suite - Singita - Full Board

Day 3:

Early morning Game Drive with your ranger, followed by a hearty breakfast at the lodge.

Game walks available, and may be arranged with your ranger.

Lunch at the lodge.

Late afternoon Game Drive in Safari vehicle.

Dinner at the lodge.

Overnight: Ebony Suite - Singita - Full Board

Day 4:

Early morning Game Drive followed by breakfast.

Check-out of lodge, and transfer to MQP Airport by road for your flight to Johannesburg.

13h15 Check in for flight
14h15 SA 8131 departs MQP Airport
15h20 Flight arrives in Johannesburg

On arrival at Johannesburg Airport, met by our representative and transferred to your hotel for overnight.

Overnight: The Saxon Hotel - Egoli Suite - Bed and Breakfast.

Day 5:

Rovos Rail ***** Note: This may be replaced with The Blue Train - duration 2 days / 1 Night OR Victoria Falls 2 Nights

Breakfast, followed by your transfer to Capital Park station for your Rovos Rail departure to Cape Town

Overnight: Rovos Rail - Full Board

Day 6:

Rovos Rail

Overnight: Rovos Rail - Full Board

Day 7:

18h00: Arrival at Cape Town Station.

On arrival at Cape Town Station, collection by our representative and transferred to your hotel for overnight.

Overnight: Rovos Rail - Full Board

Day 8: City and Table Mountain

Morning at leisure, exploring the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront with it's many restaurants and shops.

After lunch, collection by our representative for your Half Day City Tour and Table Mountain.

On a clear day, the distinctive shape of Table Mountain can be seen from up to 200km out to sea, while its summit provides spectacular views of the city, its Waterfront and Harbour below, the majestic Hottentots Holland mountains to the East and Cape Point to the south.

The Table Mountain cableway underwent a R90 million upgrade in 1997 and the new system - a combination of Swiss and South African Engineering - boasts revolving floors in the new cable cars, giving passengers a 360 degree panoramic view on their way up the mountain.

The excursion is strictly weather permitting. After descending the mountain, you will depart on a tour of the "Mother City"

The tour of the City takes one past Lion's Head to Signal Hill with its dramatic views of Cape Town, Table Bay, Robben Island, Sea Point and Camps Bay. Signal Hill was first used as a semaphore post for communicating with ships at sea and is still home to the Noon Day Gun, which is fired at midday every day except Sunday. The tour continues past the Grand Parade and City Hall to take in the South African Cultural History Museum, which is housed in a former slave lodge. The tour passes through the colourful Bo-Kaap or Cape Malay Quarter with its quaint buildings and cobbled streets.

Return to your hotel late afternoon.

Overnight: The Cape Grace Hotel - Bed and Breakfast

Day 9:

Spend a day relaxing or visiting one of our superb beaches in the area.

Or

Collection by our representative for a Half Day Township Tour.

Experience another facet of Cape Town, one revealed to very few tourists. This intimate interactive tour will expose you to some of Cape Town's multi-cultural life - see how our spirit of Kanalah, Ubunthu and reconciliation is being played out by Capetonians.

Highlights:

• District Six and Museum
• Bo-Kaap
• Manenberg
• Cape Flats
• Khayelitsha

This is a positive and interactive tour, which will afford the visitor the opportunity to meet and speak to the local people. On arrival, tourists often discover that they did not understand the extent to which previous race classification laws fragmented our society. Many people who the visitor originally assumed were defined as Black were in fact classified as Coloured or Indian and did not live in the townships, but in other designated areas. We take our visitors into the Townships, but preserve the integrity of our tour by also introducing them to the traditional Malay Quarter known as Bo-Kaap, as well as Athlone, Rylands and District 6. These areas were defined as Coloured areas with Rylands having being defined.

Day 10: Winelands of the Cape

We depart toward the wine areas of South Africa. This country is the world's 8th largest producer approx.twice the size of Switzerland's wine industry. SA has about 100 000 ha under vine concentrated in the Western Cape. The best areas are Stellenbosch, Paarl, Franschoek and the Swartland.

On toward the town of Paarl and visit of Paarl nature reserve and Taal monument.

Passing Zandwijk (the only kosher wine estate in SA) we make our way to Fairview for a wine tasting. This estate has 240 ha under vine and has won numerous medals especially for its excellent Chardonnay.

They also have over 500 Swiss Saanen goats with which they make excellent cheese. This will also be available for tasting.

On toward the French Huguenot town and visit of the memorial. Followed by a wine tasting at La province cellars (18 ha 770 cases)

Lunch in this charming town. (Le Ballon Rouge or Clos Cabriere)

After lunch we visit the oldest Huguenot wine estate Boschendal for a tasting. This vineyard was the 1 st to introduce Blanc de noir in SA. 80 % of their production is white wine although they have a very good red called Lanoy.

Wine Tasting at Boschendal.

Down the lovely Helshoogte pass for a visit to Stellenbosch, a charming 17th century town famous for its Cape Dutch architecture.

Visit of the excellent Dorp st museum.

Late afternoon return to hotel.

Overnight: The Cape Grace Hotel - Bed and Breakfast.