Compare Cape Town to Kruger Adventure by Great Value Vacations vs South Africa: See & Experience it ALL in 12 Days, 1st Class Custom Tours by Charlie The Traveler
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| Trip |
4 | Great
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 10 days | 12 days |
| Price From | $ 3,271 | $ 2,686 |
| Price Per Day | $ 327 | $ 224 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Group tour | Private guided tour |
| Lodging Level | Premium | Luxury |
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| Travel Themes |
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| Countries Visited | ||
| Cities and Attractions |
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| Flights & Transport | Airfare included | Ground transport included |
| Activities |
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| Meals Included |
8 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches and 3 Dinners |
N/A |
| Description |
South Africa is one of the world’s most fascinating and diverse destinations. This 9-night guided vacation offers the ideal combination of nature, wildlife, adventure, culture, heritage and vibe, in one package! Your journey will begin in cosmopolitan Cape Town – one of the most beautiful cities in the world, known for its stunning mountain backdrop, dramatic coastline, rich cultural heritage and laidback lifestyle. Your time will be well spent discovering this fascinating city and its exceptional surroundings – including the iconic Table Mountain, the UNESCO-accredited Cape Point and Good Hope Nature Reserve, the charming penguin colony at Boulders Beach, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, as well as the picturesque Winelands region, with its quaint towns of Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, and Paarl. |
You absolutely will not find another tour out there as packed with activities and attractions as this one, provided by CharlieTheTraveler. You will also not find another tour out there that offers it all ""FIRST CLASS,"" yet for a relatively low price. We have thousands of travelers taking this specific tour every year-and that's because no competitor can beat us on quality, price and substance. |
Day 1: Welcome to Cape Town!
Accommodation: Pepperclub Hotel & Spa
Upon arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel. The remainder of the day is yours at leisure. Overnight in Cape Town at the Pepperclub Hotel.
Day 2: Cape Town
Meals: Breakfast
Enjoy some more time at leisure this morning. This afternoon you’ll be collected from the hotel by your tour guide, for a scheduled City Tour – a geographical and cultural extravaganza showing you Cape Town from its historical beginnings to modern buildings and malls. The tour commences with a tour of the iconic Table Mountain (weather permitting; cable car fee not included). In the city itself, we visit the Company Gardens (a treed haven in the center of the city), the S.A. Museum, the Castle of Good Hope (the oldest surviving building in South Africa) and the vibrant and arty flea market, Greenmarket Square. Return to the hotel by 5:30. Dinner will be on your own. Overnight in Cape Town.
Day 3: Cape Town
Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast you’ll embark on a scheduled full-day Cape Winelands Tour. This is a delightful drive, which winds its way to the heart of the Cape Winelands through superb mountain ranges, vineyards and Cape Dutch homesteads. Head off to the wine country via the N2 to the heart of South Africa's wine industry, Stellenbosch, boasting great beauty and culture that is steeped in South African history. With the sheer vastness of wine estates on offer, we are truly spoiled for choice when we enjoy our first wine tasting of the day. Travel over the Helshoogte Pass to the town of Franschhoek. Billed as the Gourmet Capital of South Africa, this charming town, in a most picturesque valley, retains a French Huguenot style. We enjoy a wine tasting before taking time to enjoy the fabled culinary skills of the Franschhoek chefs at one of the many award-winning restaurants (lunch on own account). Time permitting, a visit to a Paarl region estate would be included to round off the day’s wine-tasting experiences before heading back to Cape Town. Dinner on own, and overnight in Cape Town.
Day 4: Cape Town
Meals: Breakfast
This morning, after breakfast at the hotel, you will be collected for your scheduled full-day Cape Point & Peninsula Tour. We travel along the Atlantic Seaboard via Sea Point, Clifton and Camps Bay, stopping at a Llandudno look-out point before continuing to Hout Bay, a quaint village and fishing harbor with magnificent mountain views and beach (you’ll have the option to enjoy a boat trip to Seal Island – on own account). Continue via Chapman’s Peak, one of the world’s most breathtaking coastal drives, to Cape Point and the Good Hope Nature Reserve. After lunch at a nearby restaurant (not included), we go on to historic Simon’s Town – a village with charming Victorian architecture, a naval base and a large penguin colony at the beautiful Boulders Beach. Boulders Penguin Colony is home to a growing colony of the vulnerable African Penguin. Wooden walkways allow visitors to view the penguins in their natural habitat, and there is also a new information center. End the day with a visit to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, which is world-renowned for the beauty and diversity of the Cape Flora it displays, and for the magnificence of its setting against the eastern slopes of Table Mountain. The tour ends upon return to your hotel during the late afternoon. Dinner on own, and overnight in Cape Town.
Day 5: Cape Town – Johannesburg
Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast you will be transferred to Cape Town International Airport for your flight to Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport.
On arrival in Johannesburg, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. In the afternoon, you’ll be collected from your hotel for a scheduled afternoon Johannesburg City Tour. Johannesburg is a booming, happening city and the area close to City Hall, Newtown Cultural Precinct and Maboneng Precinct, which has completely transformed the Market Theatre and surrounds, now forms the heart of urban revival. Visit the Ghandi Memorial, see how art is being used to revitalize and uplift the inner city of Johannesburg, and get a bird’s eye view of Johannesburg from the top of Carlton Centre. Return to your hotel for remainder of the evening at leisure. Overnight in Johannesburg.
Fly to Johannesburg
Day 6: Johannesburg
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Protea Hotel Balalaika Sandton
After breakfast this morning you’ll be picked up for your scheduled morning half-day Soweto Tour. Soweto is a cluster of townships located at the South Western flank of Johannesburg. It is from here that most of the struggle was fought against the injustices of the apartheid regime, and it is home to sites of historical importance. The tour ends with lunch at a local township tavern before proceeding to spend the remainder of the afternoon exploring the exhibit at The Apartheid Museum.
The legendary Apartheid Museum provides an interactive voyage of discovery, one which takes you from the dark days of ‘whites only’ privilege, through to Nelson Mandela’s historic release. The Apartheid Museum is a multimedia experience, with documentary film snippets, texts, sound clips and live accounts, recapturing life in the dark days of South Africa. For anyone wanting to understand and experience what apartheid South Africa was really like, a visit to the Apartheid Museum should not be missed. Overnight in Johannesburg.
Day 7: Panorama Route to Hazyview
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Today we will depart Johannesburg and travel to the “Land of the Rising Sun” – Mpumalanga – via the magnificent Panorama Route (also known as the gateway to the country’s premier wildlife reserve). The most spectacular stretch of the Panorama Route is the Blyde River Canyon. From many well-positioned vantage points one has a view of the 20 mile-long gorge, which starts at "Bourke's Luck Potholes" and ends at the "Three Rondavels." Time and weather permitting, stop at God’s Window. Arrive at your hotel by late afternoon, in time to freshen up for dinner (included). Overnight in the Kruger Lowveld.
Day 8: Hazyview - Kruger Private Reserves
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Perry’s Bridge Hollow Boutique Hotel
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the Manyeleti Reserve, sharing unfenced borders with the Kruger National Park, for an authentic African bush stay. The camp offers a breathtaking wildlife experience while still pampering the senses with meticulous service and superb cuisine.
Morning and evening game tracking drives with highly experienced guides in open 4x4 vehicles bring you into close contact with the “Big Five” as well as the wide variety of other animals and birdlife.
Day 9: Kruger Private Reserves
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Enjoy a full day of being treated like African Royalty while creating a memorable safari experience on the scheduled game viewing activities on offer.
Day 10: Depart South Africa
Your South African adventure comes to an end today. Time permitting, embark on your final early morning game viewing activity before returning to camp for breakfast. You will be transferred to Hoedspuit Airport for your flight to Johannesburg, and continued journey home.
Day 1: Arrival & Night Safari
Our tour starts at the Kruger National Park, officially at 8:00pm. Please be in the lobby at this time, as your tour guide and driver should be waiting for you there. We are to be taken into the park for a night safari. Animals often seen at this hour include lions, cheetahs, wild dogs, zebras, elephants and buffaloes.
Day 2: Exploring One of the Largest Game Reserves in Africa
We spent the day exploring Kruger National Park by Jeep. Kruger has more species of large mammals than any other game reserve in Africa. All the so-called ‘big five’ game animals roam within this park. They are the lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and Cape buffalo. Following the full-day safari, we relocate to the village of Hazyview.
Day 3: A Postcard-Perfect River Canyon Site & God’s Window
We make a daytrip today to Blyde River Canyon. If to compare canyons worldwide, Blyde is one of the largest on earth. It has some of the deepest precipitous cliffs of any canyon on the planet. It is also the second largest canyon in Africa. Attractions we visit include Graskop Gorge, God’s Window cliffs, Lisbon Falls, Bourke’s Luck Potholes and a viewpoint called Three Rondavels.
Day 4: The Subtropical Climate & Extensive Beaches of Durban
We relocate to Durban. We have a private tour guide and driver who shows us the highlights of South Africa’s third largest city. One of the many attractions we visit is the Golden Mile beachfront.
Day 5: Rhinos in a Park & Seeing Hippos & Crocodiles by Boat
We go on a daytrip today. First is Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park. It is the oldest proclaimed nature reserve in Africa and has the largest population of white rhinos in the world. What’s more, each of the big five game animals can be found there. Next is iSimangaliso Wetland Park, where the Saint Lucia Game Reserve serves as our focal point. The park is home to around 1,200 crocodiles and 800 hippos. Other animals roaming around include elephants, leopards, rhinos and buffalos. Sea animals include whales, dolphins and marine turtles. We explore the reserve by boat.
Day 6: Traditional Beer, Prehistoric Cave Paintings, Hanging Out with Natives & an Incredibly Scenic Drive
We go on another daytrip today. The first stop is uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park. It is known for exceptional beauty, ancient caves and rock shelters. In fact, this park has the largest and most concentrated group of prehistoric paintings in Africa south of the Sahara. Some of the cave paintings may date back to 100,000 years ago. Next is South Africa’s most scenic drive, known as the Sani Pass. The last destination for today is the country of Lesotho. There we meet natives as well as are offered traditional beer and homemade bread.
Day 7: Zip Lining, Bungee Jumping, a Suspension Bridge Walk & a Charming Coastal Town
We relocate from Durban to Knysna, making several stops en route. From the airport in Port Elizabeth, we are taken to Tsitsikamma National Park. The first stop within this park is Storms River. There we go on a guided zip lining tour. Next, we go on a suspension bridge walk. Afterwards, we head to Bloukrans River Bridge. It is home to one of the world’s highest commercial bridge bungees. You do not have to jump! It is an optional activity (with an additional charge). Last but definitely not least is the coastal town of Knysna. Before checking into the hotel, we are taken to a fantastic viewpoint at Knysna Heads and then walk around the waterfront.
Day 8: Crawling Through Caves & a Sunset Boat Cruise
We go on a daytrip today. We start at the Cango Caves. We are provided with two different options for exploring. There is a Standard Tour and an Adventure Tour. The Adventure Tour consists of crawling through narrow passages and climbing up steep rock formations guided by small lights. Both tours feature halls and limestone formations. Following our tour, we are taken to the Cango Wildlife Ranch. There we are provided with a guided tour. The ranch is home to around 90 different species of animals. Lastly for today, we head to the Knysna Waterfront Pier. There we take the sunset boat cruise. The boat is called John Benn. It is best described as a double-decker floating restaurant offering lagoon cruises to the Knysna Heads.
Day 9: One of the Most Notorious Prisons on Earth & the Country’s Showcase City
We relocate from Knysna to Cape Town. An attractive city resting upon natural beauty, surrounded with fine scenery and dominated by Table Mountain, this relatively prosperous metropolis is the undisputed architectural gem of South Africa. Cape Town is not only the most popular international city destination in the country but in Africa as a whole! This is due to its good climate, its intimate setting and the plenty of historic landmarks dating from colonial times. No trip to South Africa is complete without a visit to Cape Town.
From the city, we are taken on a boat ride to Robben Island. There we are provided with a guided tour. Nobel Laureate and former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela was imprisoned on this island. Once used for the isolation of mainly political prisoners, Robben Island is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Following our tour, we return to Cape Town’s Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. It attracts more than 23 million visitors a year. The complex houses over 450 retail outlets. It is also still a working harbor.
Day 10: The Heartland of South Africa's Wine Production
We make a daytrip today to Cape Winelands. This area, famous for its vineyards, is only a 1-hour drive away from Cape Town. Thanks to Cape Winelands, South Africa ranks among the top wine producing countries in the world. Wine tasting is included on our tour, specifically in the estates.
Day 11: Classic Sites, an Island Overtaken by Seals, Greeting Penguins, Nice Beaches & Stunning Viewpoints
Today we explore in and around Cape Town. Highlights include a beach stretch called Sea Point, Camps Bay Beach, Maiden’s Cove, Hout Bay, Duiker Island (seals are everywhere), Chapman’s Peak, Noordhoek Beach, Cape Point Nature Reserve, Cape of Good Hope, False Bay, Simon’s Town, Boulder’s Penguins Colony (home to approximately 2,500 breeding penguins), Muizenberg Beachfront (home to colorful beach huts) and Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden.
Day 12: Our Tour Ends Today
Transportation will be arranged for you to reach the airport in Cape Town.
Note that if you can extend your trip, consider doing so. Give yourself another day or two to explore inside the city. Upon request, we can provide you with a private tour guide and driver.
