South Africa 360: The Grand Tour

Breakfast at the hotel. Afterwards, head to Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, a small landlocked monarchy in Southern Africa known for its wildlife reserves and cultural festivals. Eswatini boasts a range of ecosystems, including towering mountains, low-lying savannas, tangled rainforests, and lush river valleys.

After crossing the border, visit the Ngwenya Glass Factory, renowned for its commitment to using locally sourced materials and supporting the local community. Here, a team of skilled Swazi artisans creates enchanting glass interpretations of African animals and birds. Witness the glassblowing process from an overhead balcony (weekdays only). All items are handmade from 100% recycled glass. Afterward, proceed to your hotel for an evening at your own leisure. If you’d like to continue learning about Eswatini’s fascinating culture, we recommend joining the optional Umphakatsi Experience*, where you’ll have the opportunity to meet a local chief in person. Overnight stay in Eswatini.

*Umphakatsi Experience: Visit a traditional village for an informative and enjoyable experience of rural life in Swaziland. Learn a few words of siSwati from the local chief, and try your hand at plaiting Lutindzi grass or grinding maize.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today you’ll visit Swazi Candles, a vibrant manufacturing company based in Eswatini, known for its colorful, handmade candles. Their product range includes traditional paraffin wax candles, 100% organic soy candle tea lights, wax-encased LED lights, pure vegetable glycerin soaps, and Marula oil body balm. Founded in 1982, Swazi Candles invites guests to interact with artisans as they work.

Following your visit, make your way to the Santa Lucia/Hluhluwe region. Upon arrival, check in at your hotel. Overnight stay in the Santa Lucia/Hluhluwe region.

Total transfer time: Approx. 7 hours.

Breakfast at the hotel. The morning is free for you to explore the area. We recommend either a half-day game drive in Hluhluwe–Imfolozi Park* or an Ocean Adventure**. In the afternoon, embark on a Hippo & Crocodile Boat Cruise in the Santa Lucia Estuary. Glide through tranquil waters and observe hippos, Nile crocodiles, and a variety of birdlife. Your experienced guide will provide insights into the local ecology and wildlife behavior. Overnight stay in the Santa Lucia/Hluhluwe region.

*Half-Day Game Drive in Hluhluwe–Imfolozi Park: Enjoy an exciting tour through this stunning park in an open game drive vehicle, where you’ll have the chance to spot the Big Five. The park is also home to the world’s largest population of white rhinoceros.

**Ocean Adventure: Embark on a fun boat trip, an unforgettable adventure where you’ll discover and learn about the area's most beautiful marine life. This includes playful dolphins, magnificent humpback whales, and adorable sea turtles (in season: June–November).

Please note: You can only book one of these two morning activities, as they take place at the same time.

Breakfast at the hotel. Then, head to Durban, a multicultural city with a rich history influenced by early colonial settlers, the indigenous Zulu population, and the Indian community, who arrived as laborers in the 19th century.

En route to your hotel, stop at a Zulu Living Museum, where you can experience traditional Zulu culture through a village tour, music, and dance. This is your last day with your tour leader. Take a moment to say farewell and enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure. Overnight stay in Durban.  

Total transfer time: Approx. 4 hours.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, board the famous double-decker Durban Rickshaw Bus for a 3-hour panoramic city tour, covering major sights such as Victoria Street Market, Francis Farewell Square, the beachfront, Berea, Florida Road, Mitchell Park, Morningside, Cube Viewpoint, Wilson's Wharf, and the city center. The rest of the day is free for you to explore the attractions that interest you. Overnight stay in Durban.

Breakfast at the hotel. At the indicated time, transfer to the airport to catch a flight to Cape Town*. This vibrant and picturesque city, located at the southwestern tip of South Africa, is known for its stunning natural beauty, diverse cultures, and rich history.

Arrive and transfer to your hotel for check in. Overnight stay in Cape Town.

*You will have the option to add early check-in on arrival in the next step of the booking process. To guarantee optional services, we recommend that you add them to your current booking, as they are subject to availability

Make the most out of your time in South Africa! Why not add one of the optional excursion packages to your itinerary during the next step of the booking process (please choose only one package, either Gastronomic OR Adventure, as the activities overlap):

• Gastronomic Package: Day 2: Dinner & drumming experience at Gold Restaurant. Day 4: Oyster tour. Day 8: Traditional Karoo lunch. Day 10: Full-day winelands visit with wine tasting.
• Adventure Package: Day 4: 1.5-hour boat trip for dolphin and whale watching. Day 6: 2-hour sandboarding excursion. Day 7 (Morning): Guided walk with giraffes. Day 7 (Mid-day): Open-truck game drive in Addo Elephant National Park. Day 9: Cango Caves Adventure Tour.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, you have free time to explore the city at your own pace with a City Sightseeing Bus ticket. Use your hop-on, hop-off ticket to visit your preferred stops. You also have a ticket for the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway, which takes you to the summit of Table Mountain, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and a site of great ecological value. From the top, enjoy breathtaking views of Cape Town, the Atlantic Ocean, Robben Island, and the Cape Peninsula. After soaking in the stunning sights, hop back onto the bus to return to the city. Overnight stay in Cape Town.

Breakfast at the hotel before heading to the charming town of Wilderness. En route, we’ll stop in Mossel Bay for a guided walk through this historically significant coastal town. Mossel Bay is famous as the site where Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias first landed in 1488, marking the first recorded European contact with the southern African coast.

The walking tour will take you to the fascinating Postal Tree, dating back to 1500, which represents one of South Africa’s earliest mail systems. The tour continues to The Point, where you’ll visit the War Memorial and take in breathtaking coastal views. You’ll also get a unique view of the iconic Mossel Bay Lighthouse, one of the oldest in the country, known for its historical and strategic importance. Your walk will conclude at the Cape St. Blaize Cave, a significant archaeological site with evidence of early human habitation, dating back up to 800,000 years.

Arrive in Wilderness in the late afternoon for a brief guided orientation walk, followed by some free time. Overnight stay in Wilderness.

Distance covered during the day: 450 km (approx. 8 hours).

Breakfast at the hotel before continuing your journey along the stunning Garden Route, heading towards the Plettenberg Bay and Tsitsikamma area. The route offers breathtaking views, with lagoons, beaches, forests, and mountains at every turn.

Make a brief stop in Knysna to explore the Waterfront, and take a photo stop for a scenic view of the Knysna Lagoon and the famous Knysna Heads. These sandstone cliffs flanking the lagoon were once deemed the most treacherous harbor entrance in the world by the British Royal Navy.

Enjoy a free afternoon to relax or join an optional experience: a boat tour to spot dolphins and whales* or a delicious oyster tasting**, featuring the region’s famed oysters. Overnight stay in Tsitsikamma/Plettenberg Bay.

Distance covered during the day: 160 km (approx. 3 hours).

*Optional boat tour to view dolphins and whales: Embark on an exciting boat ride to spot dolphins and, seasonally, whales in their natural habitat. Enjoy stunning coastal views while expert guides provide insights on local marine life.

**Optional oyster experience: Taste oysters on Knysna Lagoon, exploring wild versus cultivated varieties while cruising to the Heads. Savor white wine, oyster tastings, and the option to pre-order extra oysters on board.

Important: You can only choose one optional afternoon activity.

Breakfast at the hotel before setting off to visit Port Elizabeth. En route, stop at Monkeyland, the world’s first free-roaming multi-species primate sanctuary. Its mission is to educate and raise awareness about primates and the threats they face. During a guided tour, you'll have the opportunity to see over 550 primates from various species. The 128-meter suspension bridge through the forest canopy offers a unique perspective of these primates in their natural habitat.

Next, visit Tsitsikamma National Park, known as the “place of much water.” This park protects a rich diversity of intertidal life, reefs, and deep-sea fish. Dolphins can often be seen surfing in the breakers, and during the season, the southern right whale comes inshore to breed. Enjoy a 2 km walk to the suspension bridges while taking in the stunning coastal views. Continue on to Port Elizabeth, arriving in the afternoon. Overnight stay in Port Elizabeth.

Distance covered during the day: 250 km (approx. 7.5 hours, including time for activities).

Breakfast at the hotel. Prepare to start your day early with a morning safari in Addo National Park. As the third-largest game reserve in South Africa, Addo is renowned for its large herds of elephants and offers excellent opportunities to see the Big 5 and much more. After the game drive, return to Port Elizabeth, where you’ll have free time in the afternoon to relax Also, we recommend you to join our optional Sandboarding adventure at Alexandria Dune Field.* Overnight stay in Port Elizabeth.

*Optional Sandboarding adventure at Alexandria Dune Field: Explore Africa’s largest coastal dunes with sandboarding or sandsledding. Cruise the Sundays River, learn from expert guides, and cool off in the water.

Distance covered during the day: 200 km (approx. 3 hours, —1 hour outbound, 1.5 hours return).

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, you have a free day, and to make the most of it, we recommend joining our optional excursions: a morning walk with giraffes*, a safari in Addo National Park**, or a whale, dolphin, and penguin island cruise***.

*Morning walk with giraffes: Embark on an unforgettable journey walking alongside giraffes with our expert guides, tracking these gentle giants and observing their natural behaviours up close.

**Safari in Addo National Park: Join an exciting game drive in an open safari truck through Addo National Park. See elephants, lions, and more while your expert guide provides fascinating insights.

***Whale, dolphin & penguin island cruise: Set sail on a catamaran cruise to see whales, dolphins, and African penguins around St. Croix and Brenton Islands.

Important: You can combine the morning walk with giraffes and the safari in Addo National Park. However, if you choose the cruise, it will be your only activity for the day, as it cannot be combined with any other excursion.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, we’ll travel to the town of Oudtshoorn, famously known as the ostrich capital of the world due to its many ostrich farms. To make the most of your visit, you’ll explore one of these farms and learn more about the world’s largest bird. Overnight stay in Oudtshoorn.

Distance covered during the day: 360 km (approx. 5 hours).

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, you’ll explore the spectacular Cango Caves, Africa’s largest show cave system. This ecological hotspot is where three distinct plant biomes (succulent karoo, cape thicket, and fynbos) converge. Before leaving Oudtshoorn, you’ll visit this underground wonder, which has been inhabited since the early Stone Age. The 20-million-year-old cave system features a series of hidden chambers carved deep into a thick limestone rock layer. Remember, for the bravest, you can also add the unforgettable Extra Adventure Cango Caves tour* to your experience.
After your visit, you’ll head to Cape Town. Overnight stay in Cape Town.

*Extra Adventure Cango Caves tour: Start with the Heritage tour and then explore the cave’s deeper sections. Experience crawling, sliding, and climbing through narrow passages for an adventurous challenge.

Distance covered during the day: 450 km (approx. 6 hours).

Please note:  If you haven’t booked the Adventure Package or the Extra Adventure Cango Caves tour, you’ll have an additional 30 minutes of free time to explore, relax at the café or restaurant, browse the souvenir shop, or visit the interpretation center during your visit.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, you have a free day, and to make the most of it, we recommend joining our optional excursions: Aquila Safari*, Full-Day Cape Peninsula tour**, Stellenbosch wine tasting experience*** or Robben Island tour****. Overnight stay in Cape Town.

*Aquila Safari: Take a guided game drive through a private reserve, with chances to see the Big Five and other wildlife, while your guide shares insights about the local environment.

**Full-Day Cape Peninsula tour: Explore the natural beauty, vineyards, and coastal wildlife of Cape Peninsula, visiting iconic spots like Clifton, Camps Bay, and the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve.

***Optional Cape Winelands excursion: Savour award-winning red and white wines from Stellenbosch’s renowned wineries and experience the region’s rich winemaking tradition.

****Robben Island Tour: Take a ferry from the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront and explore Robben Island’s key historical sites, including the prison, Lime Quarry, and Nelson Mandela’s cell.

Important: You may choose only one optional activity. Before selecting any optional excursions, please check the inclusions of the optional excursion packages to ensure you are not selecting an excursion already included in your chosen package.

Breakfast at the hotel*. Sadly, it’s time to say goodbye to your South African adventure. A driver will collect you and transfer you to the airport for your back home flight. Night on board**.

*Depending on the return flight schedule and the hotel breakfast service, you may not be able to enjoy the included breakfast on the last day