20 Day Swaziland, Lesotho and South Africa Tour Package
Min:
Duration:
Price:
20 Day Swaziland, Lesotho and South Africa Tour Package
Package Overview
20 Days to discover Kruger, Swaziland, KwaZulu-Natal and our neighbouring country Lesotho to end in Cape Town. Look out for the big and small five while on safari in Kruger National Park and wind down at Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary where zebra and warthog are likely to casually wander into your camp. On this trip, you will travel through the warm sub-tropical climate of the Durban area to the majestic Drakensberg range and the spectacular sandstone formations of Golden Gate Highlands National Park, marvel at the beauty of Lesotho; the Mountain Kingdom, look for elephants in Addo Elephant National Park and rare birds in the Tsitsikamma National Park. Taste wine in Stellenbosch and explore the bustling city of Cape Town. With time to explore on your own, you’ll soak up the beauty and diversity of South Africa. Several nights of comfortable accommodation and transport in a smaller Premium Sprinter / Premium Overland Safari Vehicle, ensure that you’ll get close to the land and experience the best this region has to offer.
Day wise Itinerary
-
Day 1 : Johannesburg
Welcome to Johannesburg, also known as Egoli, or The City of Gold, referring to the gold mining history of South Africa’s biggest city. If you have time why not book a day or two prior to the tour to explore this fast-paced city. There are plenty of options for you to do independently on day 1. A visit to Gold Reef City, the amusement park and museum built on an old mine shaft will give you the opportunity for a ride on the Shaft of Terror, a vertical-drop roller coaster that is known as the tallest and fastest roller coaster in Africa due to its sheer 47-metre drop. For the historically inclined there is the ever-popular Soweto tour or just jump on a Hop-On-Hop-Off bus to discover Johannesburg at your own pace. A welcome meeting will be held at 18:00 at your hotel to officially start your tour. Your Tour Leader will brief you on the route and provide information on optional activities along the way. Afterwards, you will have the evening free to have dinner in one of the many excellent restaurants the city has to offer.
-
Day 2 : Johannesburg to Kruger National Park
Today you travel to the famous Kruger National Park, now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park which forms with parks in Mozambique and Zimbabwe a natural sanctuary for a huge variety of animals. Here they live a natural life where they must fend for food and territory the same way they did for thousands of years. Here they can start following ancient migratory routes again because fences are coming down between these parks. En route to your accommodation, enjoy a game drive in your Premium Sprinter / Overland Safari Vehicle and get ready to spot hippo, giraffe, elephant, zebra, lion, and many other species in one of Africa’s greatest wildlife areas. You’ll have the option to book an open vehicle night game drive if available.
-
Day 3 : Kruger National Park
Today enjoy another full day’s game drive in Kruger National Park, with approximately 2,000 plant, 53 fish, 34 amphibian, 118 reptile, 517 bird and 147 mammal species ready for you to discover. You will experience first-hand why Kruger National Park is known as the flagship of South African national parks. In the evening, back at camp you can sit around a campfire with your sundowner and enjoy the African night sounds drifting into the accommodation area.
-
Day 4 : Kruger National Park to Swaziland
Another day and another country, this time entering Swaziland, a tiny country, landlocked within South Africa. After a final game drive in Kruger, you will continue to Swaziland for two nights at Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary. The journey is just as rewarding as the destination, driving along rolling green hills, vast sugarcane plantations and countless mango trees. En route you will stop at some of the local markets where you can buy colourful batik or beaded jewellery, amongst others. Arriving at Mlilwane you will soon feel comfortable and at home in your “beehive village” – traditional grass huts on the outside but all western comfort on the inside. Sometimes animals such as zebra, impala and warthog casually wander into the premises, giving you the opportunity for that unique picture!
-
Day 5 : Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary
Known as Swaziland’s pioneer conservation area that covers 4,560 hectares, Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary gives you the opportunity to experience some of Africa’s wildlife while on either the back of a horse, bicycle or on foot. Since there are no big predators, you will be safe to walk around and just enjoy the beautiful landscapes and pure, fresh air. Besides all the optional wildlife activities, you can also enjoy a hands-on cultural experience by visiting one of the local tribes. Learn more about the secrets of this small kingdom, such as the traditional but controversial annual reed dance where the king has the opportunity to choose a new wife.
-
Day 6 : Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary to St Lucia
Today you drive through Swaziland in a southern direction and enter South Africa again. You continue towards the Indian Ocean and the Greater St Lucia Wetlands, also known as the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. This UNESCO recognized area includes lakes, beaches, coral reefs, wetlands, woodlands, coastal forests and grasslands supporting a wide variety of animal, bird and marine life. Included in your tour is an afternoon sunset boat cruise on the St. Lucia Estuary, one of the largest in Africa. You can expect to see hippo, Nile crocodiles and hundreds of bird species.
-
Day 7 : St Lucia
Start your day early with an optional open vehicle game drive through Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve known for its Save the Rhino campaign and of course trying your luck at finding the big five. This game reserve used to be a prime royal hunting ground for the Zulu king, King Shaka but now it is a protected area teaming up with a huge variety of fauna and flora. Other optional activities available in St. Lucia are night drive safaris, snorkeling, birdwatching, fishing and much more.
-
Day 8 : St Lucia to Umhlanga Rocks
Travel further south along the coast to Umhlanga Rocks, a holiday resort village on the coast. Umhlanga offers the best of two worlds, on one hand, you have everything that a city offers and on the other hand, you have the relaxed atmosphere of a holiday town. Make your choice from a variety of grill and seafood restaurants.
-
Day 9 : Umhlanga Rocks (Durban) to Golden Gate Highlands National Park
Your tour will depart after breakfast. The journey takes you past Pietermaritzburg and Bergville before reaching the Drakensberg mountain range and the Golden Gate Highlands National Park in the early afternoon. Witnessing a sunset in this National Park will make you realize how fitting the name is. The magnificent sandstone cliffs take on all hues of gold and orange during sunrises and sunsets. Explore the numerous caves and shelters displaying San (Bushmen) rock paintings and spot wildlife such as mongoose, eland, zebra and over 100 bird species. Opt for a self-guided hike or simply relax at the accommodation.
-
Day 10 : Golden Gate National Park to Lesotho
Today you will travel to Lesotho, a small landlocked country in South Africa and home to the friendly Basotho people. Also, called the Kingdom in the Sky, or the Mountain Kingdom, Lesotho is the place where you can walk along spectacular mountain passes, cool your feet in icy cold mountain streams and fill your soul with the endless peace the endless mountains represent. Once you have settled in, you have the afternoon and next day to just relax and enjoy the spectacular surroundings or you can do some of the many exciting optional activities that Malealea offers. You can do a pre-school visit, village walk and vegetable garden visit, do hiking trails, pony treks or even visit a sangoma (traditional medicine man). For those who want to have a truly authentic experience, a homestay with a local family can be arranged.
-
Day 11 : Malealea Lodge
Sleep in or wake up early to enjoy the most of the fresh mountain air and one of the many optional activities. On the longer activities, such as horse riding or a hiking trail you might get the opportunity to wave at young herd boys in their traditional gumboots and blankets, and marvel at the remoteness of some of the round thatched roofed huts, nestled high against a mountain slope.
-
Day 12 : Malealea Lodge to Graaff – Reinet
Journey to Graaff-Reinet, the fourth oldest town in South Africa. It’s a long drive but a comfortable bed awaits. The beautiful historical town of Graaff-Reinet boasts more national monuments than any other town or city in South Africa. Apart from museums, there are also several art galleries and craft shops to cater for the tastes of the artistically inclined. Once you arrive, you’ll have time to explore the town on foot and enjoy a meal at one of the many local restaurants. Hunt for culinary experiences, true to the area. Try Karoo lamb with its unique flavour coming from the Karoo bushes the sheep feed on, ostrich steak or boerewors, the juicy South African sausage. Round off your meal with sweet delicatessens such as koeksisters, melktert or the famous malva pudding.
-
Day 13 : Graaff-Reinet to Addo Elephant National Park
From Graaff-Reinet you head south, traveling through the open semi-desert Karoo landscapes with its distinctive flat-topped hills or “koppies” and picturesque wind pumps in the distance. Your destination is Addo Elephant National Park. Enjoy an afternoon game drive, in your Premium Sprinter / Premium Overland Safari Vehicle or do an optional open vehicle game drive. Have your camera ready while looking for elephant, buffalo, lion, kudu, vultures and many of the hundreds other species of animals and birds.
-
Day 14 : Addo Elephant National Park to Tsitsikamma National Park
After an early morning game drive, you will head to Tsitsikamma National Park which is located on the scenic Garden Route, the stretch of coast from Mossel Bay in the Western Cape to Storms River in the Eastern Cape. The national park covers large swaths of indigenous forest, commercial plantation and Fynbos (natural shrubland). The climate is mild all year around, which lends itself to outdoor activities. Choose from self-guided hikes, black water tubing, Bloukrans bungee, a treetop canopy tour, abseiling and much more.
-
Day 15 : Tsitsikamma National Park
You have the day free to enjoy some optional activities from self-guided hikes, black water tubing, Bloukrans bungee, a treetop canopy tour, abseiling and much more. Take the short hike that crosses the famous hanging bridge across the dark and brooding Storms River or do the longer adventurous hike over boulders and through stretches of forest to a waterfall where the tannins from the trees colour the water dark reddish brown. Other trails offer the opportunity to search for the Knysna turaco (Knysna lourie) a beautiful blue and green bird if you want to tick some birds off your birding list.
-
Day 16 : Tsitsikamma National Park to Mossel Bay
Today you take a short drive along the Garden Route, so named for the ecologically diverse vegetation found in the numerous lagoons and lakes along the coast. After settling in, visit the Diaz Museum, which features a 500-year-old Post Office Tree, a life-size replica of the Diaz Caravel, a shell museum and aquarium and an ethnobotanical garden. Afterwards, enjoy the rest of the day and evening free. You can enjoy dinner at one of the many restaurants nearby.
-
Day 17 : Mossel Bay to Stellenbosch
This morning we continue to Stellenbosch, the second oldest European settlement in the Western Cape. Stellenbosch is a town that became known as ‘The City of Oaks’ or ‘Eikestad’ in Afrikaans and Dutch due to the large number of Oak trees planted by founder Simon van der Stel. Explore the town’s numerous curio shops, museums, coffee shops and restaurants all within walking distance.
-
Day 18 : Stellenbosch to Cape Town
Celebrate today with a wine tasting at one of the numerous wine farms that Stellenbosch is known for. This also offers an excellent opportunity to buy wine direct from the farm it was produced at and which you might not always find in supermarkets. Then continue to Cape Town, the most popular tourist destination in Africa. Settle in at your hotel, and spend the rest of the day at leisure exploring this cosmopolitan city. Highlights include Table Mountain, V&A Waterfront & Aquarium, The Castle of Good Hope, Cape of Good Hope, Clifton’s 4th beach, Cape Malay Bo-Kaap, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, Mostert’s Mill and the Groote Kerk. Overnight at the Breakwater Lodge close to the V&A Waterfront.
-
Day 19 : Cape Town
After breakfast, you depart for the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve at the tip of the Cape Peninsula. Rugged rocks and sheer cliffs tower more than 200m above sea level. Cape of Good Hope is part of the Cape Floral Kingdom, the smallest of the six recognized floral kingdoms in the world. Despite being the smallest, it is regarded as the richest, mostly made up with Fynbos, the hard-stemmed and fine-leaved plants indigenous to the south-western corner of South Africa. Little wonder the Cape Floral Region Protected Areas was proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2004. The elegant Protea flower is probably the most famous of all fynbos species and the emblem of the national cricket team. After lunch, we visit a colony of the endangered African Penguin at Boulders Beach in Simonstown. Here you will be able to come quite close to these upright walking birds while they nest, swim, play and do the things penguins do every day.
-
Day 20 : Cape Town
Today marks the end of your tour. We recommend you book extra days in Cape Town to make the best of all the delights this cosmopolitan city offers. Cape Town offers a staggering variety of experiences, tastes and sightseeing. Try a variety of exotic delights, like some of the delicious Cape Malay curries, the famous local dish Bobotie, or the freshest seafood at one of exquisite seafood restaurants at the V&A Waterfront. You can take a boat to the world-famous Robben Island where former President Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison, visit Cape Point or go up Table Mountain with a cable car to enjoy a panoramic view of Cape Town from the top.