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Essence of South Africa
10 Day South Africa Tour from Cape Town to Johannesburg
Bush, beach and two vibrant cities - capture the essence of South Africa on this culmination of a Cape Town to Kruger experience, including Johannesburg, the 'City of Gold'.
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Trip code
AFES
Essence of South Africa
10 Day South Africa Tour from Cape Town to Johannesburg
Bush, beach and two vibrant cities - capture the essence of South Africa on this culmination of a Cape Town to Kruger experience, including Johannesburg, the 'City of Gold'.
South Africa's 'Mother City' and her iconic Table Mountain extend a warm welcome as you embark on a small group journey that will reveal the highlights of South Africa. Spend the day delving into Cape Town's cosmopolitan surrounds before joining your fellow travellers and Travel Director for a Welcome Reception.
Trip Summary Accomodation IconHotel - Southern Sun Waterfront
This morning, we encounter Table Mountain first-hand, ascending via aerial cableway to its vast flat top - a rocky wonderland of rich Cape fynbos and curious dassies (hyraxes). Peer over the bustling City Bowl and Atlantic Seaboard keeping a keen eye out for the landmarks your Travel Director will show you during this morning's city tour, including Company Gardens, Bo-Kaap and the Castle of Good Hope. The rest of the day is yours to explore Cape Town at leisure. Ramble up Bree Street to sample the city's vibrant coffee culture or take a stroll along the Sea Point promenade with the fellow outdoor enthusiasts. Consider joining our Optional Experience to explore infamous Robben Island, with your guide revealing its turbulent past and the cell where Nelson Mandela spent the majority of his prison term.
Trip Summary Meals IconIncluded Meals - Breakfast
Optional Experience
Cape Town Helicopter Flight - 12 Minutes
Spectacular views and a different perspective of the city await you on this 12 minute helicopter flight that showcases Cape Town's iconic sights. Keep your eyes peeled for sightings of whales and dolphins below you in the Atlantic ocean, as you take off and return to the V & A Waterfront. Fly over the city's famous Green Point stadium, built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Then your route tracks the Atlantic coastline, showing you a birds-eye view of Robben Island on your right and Table Mountain and the Cape Town City Bowl on your left. Admire the beaches of Clifton and Camps Bay and the Twelve Apostles mountain range before your pilot turns around and follows the same route back to the launchpad. Note: this activity is subject to weather conditions on the day being suitable for the helicopters to operate.
Adult Price: R1,615.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
Optional Experience
Cape Town Sunset Champagne Cruise
Board a vessel at the V & A Waterfront and sail across Table Bay to take in city views of Cape Town and Table Mountain that are even more spectacular from the water. Your captain will navigate to the best sunset spot, usually in Granger Bay in the shelter of Table Mountain where, with a glass of bubbly in hand, you'll watch the sun gently sink and toast to the perfect way to end a day in the Mother City. This 90 minute cruise will be on board either a catamaran sailing boat or motor vessel. The sailing route may vary according to the season and vessel.
Adult Price: R905.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
Optional Experience
Mount Nelson Afternoon Tea
Step inside one of Cape Town's most famous and iconic hotels for a luxurious afternoon tea in surroundings steeped in history and tradition. The world-renowned afternoon tea is set in the elegant lounge overlooking the manicured garden. Enjoy the sumptuous selection of chocolate éclairs and petit-fours, mini cakes and classic carrot, chocolate and cheesecakes, savoury sandwiches and empanadas, scones and succulent fresh fruits. With over thirty loose leaf teas to try, from Rooibos and Lapsang Souchong, to Earl Grey and Darjeeling, you are bound to discover your favourite one.
Adult Price: R1,020.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
Optional Experience
Robben Island Tour
Journey to the famous Victoria and Alfred Waterfront to board a ferry to Robben Island (weather permitting), a home of our icon Nelson Mandela for more than a quarter of a century. It’s a highly charged and emotional moment when you visit the site of this suffering, and realise how far South Africa has come from those days. During the apartheid years Robben Island was used to isolate opponents of apartheid and to crush their morale. Freedom fighters, like Nelson Mandela, spent many years in this prison for their beliefs. Take the ferry to this historic site, pass buildings and a high wall built by prisoners during the 1960s before meeting your guide, a former political prisoner from the Island, fully conversant and knowledgeable about the Island's multi-layered 500 year old history. Your route, aboard a bus, includes the graveyard of people who died from leprosy, the Lime Quarry, Robert Sobukwe's house, the Bluestone quarry, the army and navy bunkers and the Maximum Security Prison where thousands of South Africa's freedom fighters were incarcerated for years culminating with a viewing of Nelson Mandela's cell. The round trip is approximately 3.5 hours long, including the two half-hour ferry rides, and is subject to weather conditions.
Adult Price: R1,300.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
Day 3
Cape Peninsula Tour
Circumnavigate the Cape Peninsula, from trendy Camps Bay to Cape Point and back. The crashing waves of the Atlantic to your right, the rocky 12 Apostles to your left, wind your way along one of the world's most magnificent coastal roads towards the outcrop that is Africa's most extreme south-western tip. Say a quiet hello to the shy penguins of Boulders Beach, see the Cape of Good Hope and travel through charming coastal towns along the way.
Trip Summary Meals IconIncluded Meals - Breakfast
Day 4
Cape Winelands and Hermanus Excursion
Venture to the town of Franschhoek and see during your orientation why it is proclaimed as one of the most beautiful wine valleys in the world. Take the scenic Franschhoek Pass to the coastal town of Hermanus for your 'Be My Guest' experience. 'Connect With Locals' when you meet local business owner Stefan, who will treat you to a delicious traditional braai (barbecue) featuring deliciacies such as boerewors, pap and melktert. Over a glass of his homemade wine he'll share stories of his life in South Africa's whale watching capital. Return to Cape Town via a scenic driving route, arriving in the late afternoon. Enjoy your evening at leisure.
Trip Summary Meals IconIncluded Meals - Breakfast, Be My Guest
Day 5
Cape Town – Greater Kruger National Park Area (3 Nights)
This morning you'll bid farewell to the 'Mother City' and fly to Hoedspruit where a private game reserve near South Africa's great Kruger National Park beckons. Kick back, relax and settle in to one of Trafalgar's 'Stays With Stories', Becks Safari Lodge, your home in the bush for the next three nights.
The action begins as we embark on an early morning game drive through Karongwe Private Reserve with a 'Local Specialist' game ranger and Shangaan tracker-guide. The rising sun awakens the birds and insects that share your journey into the bush, as you scour the dense brush for signs of the Big 5. After lunch, and time for a siesta and a swim, return to the bush for an afternoon safari drive.
Today enjoy another full day of game drives through Karongwe Private Reserve. Continue to scour the dense brush with your Local Specialist for incredible encounters with Africa's iconic wildlife. End the day with a traditional sundowner drink overlooking the Game Reserve, keeping your eyes peeled for signs of wildlife that emerge from their cover of darkness.
Greater Kruger National Park Area – Johannesburg (2 Nights)
Our time in the South African bushveld comes to a close with a 'Dive Into Culture' visit to a local Shangaan village. Learn about the traditions and customs of the Shangaan people and how the Eco Academy there provides eco and wildlife education. The visit includes a simple meal of grilled chicken, pap, Shangaan style cabbage, and for the brave, the opportunity to try mopani worms! Fly to Johannesburg (flight purchased separately, not included in the trip price) and check into your hotel in the heart of Sandton that's well located for exploring the nearby restaurants and shopping during your free evening.
Unlock the secrets of the 'city of gold' on a full-day tour to view several iconic sites including the Regina Mundi Church and Mandela's house in Soweto. 'Dive Into Culture' during a visit to the Hector Pieterson Museum and the Apartheid Museum, which chronicles South Africa's tumultuous Apartheid years.
Our epic encounter with South Africa's iconic sites comes to an end today. Transfer to Johannesburg International Airport for your onward flight.
Trip Summary Meals IconIncluded Meals - Breakfast
All optional experiences for this trip
Book with your travel director when you travel
Available on day 2
Cape Town Helicopter Flight - 12 Minutes
Spectacular views and a different perspective of the city await you on this 12 minute helicopter flight that showcases Cape Town's iconic sights. Keep your eyes peeled for sightings of whales and dolphins below you in the Atlantic ocean, as you take off and return to the V & A Waterfront. Fly over the city's famous Green Point stadium, built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Then your route tracks the Atlantic coastline, showing you a birds-eye view of Robben Island on your right and Table Mountain and the Cape Town City Bowl on your left. Admire the beaches of Clifton and Camps Bay and the Twelve Apostles mountain range before your pilot turns around and follows the same route back to the launchpad. Note: this activity is subject to weather conditions on the day being suitable for the helicopters to operate.
Adult Price: R1,615.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
Available on day 2
Cape Town Sunset Champagne Cruise
Board a vessel at the V & A Waterfront and sail across Table Bay to take in city views of Cape Town and Table Mountain that are even more spectacular from the water. Your captain will navigate to the best sunset spot, usually in Granger Bay in the shelter of Table Mountain where, with a glass of bubbly in hand, you'll watch the sun gently sink and toast to the perfect way to end a day in the Mother City. This 90 minute cruise will be on board either a catamaran sailing boat or motor vessel. The sailing route may vary according to the season and vessel.
Adult Price: R905.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
Available on day 2
Mount Nelson Afternoon Tea
Step inside one of Cape Town's most famous and iconic hotels for a luxurious afternoon tea in surroundings steeped in history and tradition. The world-renowned afternoon tea is set in the elegant lounge overlooking the manicured garden. Enjoy the sumptuous selection of chocolate éclairs and petit-fours, mini cakes and classic carrot, chocolate and cheesecakes, savoury sandwiches and empanadas, scones and succulent fresh fruits. With over thirty loose leaf teas to try, from Rooibos and Lapsang Souchong, to Earl Grey and Darjeeling, you are bound to discover your favourite one.
Adult Price: R1,020.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
Available on day 2
Robben Island Tour
Journey to the famous Victoria and Alfred Waterfront to board a ferry to Robben Island (weather permitting), a home of our icon Nelson Mandela for more than a quarter of a century. It’s a highly charged and emotional moment when you visit the site of this suffering, and realise how far South Africa has come from those days. During the apartheid years Robben Island was used to isolate opponents of apartheid and to crush their morale. Freedom fighters, like Nelson Mandela, spent many years in this prison for their beliefs. Take the ferry to this historic site, pass buildings and a high wall built by prisoners during the 1960s before meeting your guide, a former political prisoner from the Island, fully conversant and knowledgeable about the Island's multi-layered 500 year old history. Your route, aboard a bus, includes the graveyard of people who died from leprosy, the Lime Quarry, Robert Sobukwe's house, the Bluestone quarry, the army and navy bunkers and the Maximum Security Prison where thousands of South Africa's freedom fighters were incarcerated for years culminating with a viewing of Nelson Mandela's cell. The round trip is approximately 3.5 hours long, including the two half-hour ferry rides, and is subject to weather conditions.
Adult Price: R1,300.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
All Optional Experiences
The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
9 breakfasts, 5 lunches (including Be My Guest), 5 dinners
Trip Summary Transport Icon
On-trip Transport
All transport shown. VIP private door-to-door UK airport transfers included. *This service is excluded from UK-based trips.
The Trafalgar difference
Connect with Locals
in Hermanus, joining a local business owner for a traditional braai (barbecue) and some of his homemade wine against a clifftop backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean. (Day 4)
Dive into Culture
Hear first hand about the traditions and cultures of the Shangaan people and how their village promotes eco and wildlife education. (Day 8) Learn about South Africa's turbulent past on an interactive Johannesburg and Soweto Freedom tour. (Day 9)
Local Specialist
Join an experienced tracker-guide on 4x4 safari game drives
Stays with Stories
Your stay at Becks Safari Lodge in Karongwe Private Game Reserve contributes to the area's environmental sustainability and community development. (Day 5)
Sightseeing highlights
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CITY TOUR in Cape Town
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VIEW the Castle of Good Hope, Boulder's Beach penguin colony, Mandela House in Soweto
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VISIT Table Mountain, Bo-Kaap, Cape of Good Hope, Franschhoek, Hermanus, the Karongwe Private Game Reserve, Hector Pieterson Museum in Soweto, the Apartheid Museum
Air conditioned coach, mini coach or safari vehicle transportation
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Cherry-picked hotels and lodges all tried and trusted
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Optional Experiences and free time
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All porterage and restaurant gratuities
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Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
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An expert Travel Director and professional Driver, or Driver Guide
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All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
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Handcrafted Highlights
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LIVE, UNEDITED & INDEPENDENT TRAVELLERS REVIEWS
Essence of South Africa Trip Reviews
Our guests are at the heart of everything we do, their feedback fuels our innovation, inspiring us to improve continuously and craft Simply The Best vacations. That's why we ask each of our guests to leave a third-party verified, independent review after every trip. As testament to our commitment we have been given the Trusted Service Award from Feefo, recognising we deliver exceptional experiences as rated by real guests.
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Based on 26 independent reviews
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Once in a lifetime, that I want to do again. Great Trip.
Trip Rating
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5
The hotels were all 5 star diamond quality with excellent locations. the travel guides were knowledgeable and friendly. They seemed to truly go out of their way to make sure the whole group had an outstanding experience.
I definitely recommend Trafalgar Tours. Their choice of hotels, guides, and activities were outstanding and had something for everybody. I was a little nervous about some of the thing in the itinerary, but it was overall great. There were two reasons why I gave this a 4 star instead of 5. The first. We had to book our flights extremely early. The tour itinerary was not final until a week or so before the trip. The Welcome reception on day one was not announced that it was a dinner. We did not want to miss anything, so we flew in the night before the trip. Although Trafalgar says they cover the transfers, because we came in a day early, we were on our own. I felt that was misleading, and we had to pay out of pocket to get from the airport to the hotel. The hotel did not have a free shuttle. The second issue was the Manager at Beck's Safari lodge was unpleasant. He never smiled, and although he never said or acted grabby, he seemed off put when we asked about extra excursions that took us away from Beck's during the day on down time from the safari. However, besides those two inconveniences, the tour was outstanding!! I would do it again. I never felt unsafe or out of place.
Air: Airfares are not included in the prices above. Land Only price requires the following intra-trip flights to be purchased separately in order to fulfil the trip itinerary: Day 5 from Cape Town to Hoedspruit - 4Z657; Day 8 Hoedspruit to Johannesburg - 4Z874. Trafalgar guarantees to quote you the lowest possible airfare available to us on the day that you book.
Shared Rooming: Guaranteed Room Share and Triple Rooms are not available on this trip.
Table Mountain: The Aerial Cableway closes annually for maintenance, usually during the months of July and/or August. Departures affected by the closure will have an alternative inclusion.
Children: We are unable to accept children under the age of 12 on this itinerary.
Festive Departures: During the safari portion of the trip, the 27 December 2020 departure will celebrate New Years Eve, the 19 December 2021 departure will celebrate Christmas and the 26 December 2021 departure will celebrate New Year.
Unless otherwise stated, trip prices are per person, land only, based on double occupancy and reflect applicable discount. Discounts are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice.
Trip prices are correct at the time of the products going live, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking. All trip information is correct at time of trips going live, however are subject to change - please confirm all details at time of booking.
Twin-share option not available for trips to South America, Costa Rica, Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, South Africa, Kenya & Tanzania, Botswana, Zambia or for any holiday & cruise combination, or in Asia and Eastern Mediterranean except Highlights of Turkey (without cruise) & Best of Turkey. It's also not available on Small Group trips. Guided Vacations included in this restriction are Newfoundland and Labrador (DNLA). Does not apply to trips operated by Inspiring Journeys & our Mini-stays.
For trips that are part of our Guaranteed Room Share, please note that there is a no smoking policy in all shared rooms. Solo travel is not accepted on guided Family Experiences holidays unless travelling as part of a family group.
VIP private door-to-door UK airport transfers included. *This service is excluded from UK-based trips.
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