21 Day Safaris/Tours
South Africa – Swaziland
Day 1: On arrival at Johannesburg International Airport, you will be met by experienced and registered tour guides from Pride Safaris and Tours. From the airport you will be transferred to the capital of South Africa, Pretoria. After a brunch, a guided tour through Pretoria will start. We will visit places such as the Union Buildings, Church Square, Kruger House, Melrose House, the Voortrekker Monument, University of South Africa and scenic suburbs. We will depart for Buffelspoort, a holiday resort at the foothills of the Magaliesberg range. After checking into your rooms, you can relax in a hot spa before you end the day with a delicious dinner.
Day 2: After breakfast we will depart for the cultural village of Lesedi. Lesedi means the place of the sun. Here we will experience various traditions regarding life style and habits of four different South African cultures, the Venda, the Xhosa, the Basotho and the Zulu. We will dance with them and enjoy a traditional lunch with the Chief in the boma. After lunch we depart for Klein Kariba, another resort, north of Pretoria. While dinner is prepared, you can relax in a hot spa or go for a walk trough the bush. (It is very safe).
Day 3: The drive will take us over the savannahs of the old Transvaal, as well as the highest tarred road in South Africa, to Lydenburg, the old mining town of Pilgrims Rest, then God’s Window, Burkes Luck Potholes and the Blyde River Canyon. We overnight in a guesthouse in Mpumalanga.
Day 4: Early wake up call and after breakfast, we head directly to the Kruger Park. We will enter the Kruger Park at Phalaborwa Gate. In the Park you will have the opportunity to see wildlife in their own environment. The day will end when we overnight in luxurious guesthouses or bungalows, as well as dinner at the restaurant.
Day 5: Early morning rise, we will enjoy a nice cup of coffee and rusks. After this we depart for an early game viewing session. A brunch will be enjoyed at a picnic spot along the route with some more game viewing and overnight accommodation in another camp in the Park. A night game drive is included.
Day 6: Another day in the Kruger Park, and believe it or not, you have only seen a portion of what is going on in the park after two days. Accommodation at another camp in the Park.
Day 7: Departure for Swaziland, Swaziland is one of South Africa’s neighboring countries with great environment. On the border of South Africa and Swaziland we will enjoy the dances of the Swazi people. We will visit the famous Ngwenya Glass works. Over night at a lodge in the Ezulwini Valley in Swaziland.
Day 8: We say farewell to Swaziland and depart for the Kingdom of the Zulu’s. We overnight at a country lodge at the top part of Lake St Lucia. St Lucia is part of South Africa’s world heritages sites.
Day 9: After breakfast, we report to the skipper of the Advantage, a riverboat, on Lake St Lucia, that will take us on a cruise really close up to hippos and crocodiles. After lunch we depart for the Durban and further on to Natalia Holiday resort to overnight. Weather permitting, a swim in the sea can be arranged.
Day 10: We depart from Natalia and follow the road to the Drakensberg. This mountain range resembles the teeth of a Dragon, hence the name. We will drive over the scenic Oliviershoek Pass, through the Golden Gate Nature Park to the art village of Clarence. We overnight at a lodge in Clarence.
Day 11: Today’s journey takes us to Bloemfontein, the capital of the Free State. We will visit the “Vroue Monument” in memory of the women that died in the Anglo Boer War, as well as a scenic drive through the city of roses. We will overnight at a guest farm just outside Bloemfontein. This farm is renowned for its excellent cuisine.
Day 12: The drive will be long through an area with beauty of its own. The Karoo is a semi desert region with typical Karoo bush on which the animals feed. We will overnight in the historical town of Cradock.
Day 13: After breakfast, we depart for a short visit to the Addo Elephant Park and we head on through the Garden Route with frequent stops at scenic places, such as the Van Stadens Bridge, Storm River Bridge and the Big Tree. We overnight at Hartenbos, a holiday resort near Mossel Bay.
Day 14: The tour of the Knysna Lake and Heads can be considered a highlight. We will have the opportunity to experience the unique fauna and flora of the nature reserve around the heads. The afternoon is spent on the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe, as steam train from Knysna, all along the coast to George. We overnight at the same holiday resort.
Day 15: After breakfast we take the road to Oudtshoorn, experiencing the beauty of the Outeniqua Pass, to visit the ostrich farm and the Cango Caves. Then take Route 62, through the Robertson Valley to overnight at Goudini, holiday resort in the Hex river Mountains.
Day 16: After a late breakfast we depart for Cape Town via the Huguenot tunnel. We visit Table Mountain, weather permitting and a drive around Cape Town. We overnight in a guesthouse in Cape Town.
Day 17: We enjoy a visit to Robben Island. The afternoon we visit Castle of Good Hope. Shopping at the Victoria and Albert Waterfront.
Day 18: Today we visit the scenic small port of Houtbay. We go on a boat cruise to Island and the seal colony. Over night at the same guesthouse.
Day 19: After breakfast we depart for Stellenbosch to visit the wine farms and a brandy distiller. Sundowners on Signal Hill will end the day. Overnight in Cape Town.
Day 20: We visit Cape Point, the penguin colony at Simon’s Town and spend the afternoon driving through the peninsula. Over night in Cape Town. We also visit the great botanical gardens of Kirsten Bosch.
Day 21: This is your last day of your visit to South Africa and time to do the last shopping and make sure the final flight arrangements are in order for your flight back.
This itinerary is only a guideline and can change to accommodate your specific needs.