20 Days South Africa Explored Accommodated Adventureafrica4us.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/20-Days-JCL.pdf · Tsitsikamma National Park. Taste wine in Stellenbosch and explore the

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20 Days South Africa Explored Accommodated Adventure

This Adventure Tour offers you 20 days to explore South Africa and eSwatini (Swaziland).

Go in search of 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. Visit the capture site of Nelson Mandela and experience the largest artwork in the country using this methodology of laser-cut

metal beams. 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 will soak up the beauty and diversity of South Africa.

Several nights of comfortable accommodation and transport in a luxury midi-bus

ensure that you will experience the best this region has on offer.

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Tour Highlights

Kruger National Park: Enjoy a full day’s game drive in Kruger National Park, with approximately 2,000 plant, 53 fish, 34 amphibia, 118 reptile, 517 bird and 147 mammal species ready for you to discover.

eSwatini (Swaziland): Known as eSwatini’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.

St Lucia: 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.

Golden Gate Highlands National Park: This area is home to numerous caves and shelters displaying San (Bushmen) rock paintings, you might spot wildlife such as mongoose, eland, zebra and over a 100 bird species.

Addo Elephant National Park: Two days filled with game viewing opportunities

Tsitsikamma National Park: Located in the scenic Garden Route - choose from self-guided hikes, black water tubing, Bloukrans bungee jumping, treetop canopy tours, abseiling and much more.

Cape Town: Most popular tourist destination in Africa. 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 to name a few.

Stellenbosch: The second oldest European settlement in South Africa. Celebrate a great holiday with a wine tasting at one of the many wine farms that Stellenbosch is known for.




Accommodation Grade: 3 Star graded hotels, lodges and tented rooms Overnight in comfort 3-star graded lodges, hotels, and bungalows with twin shared en suite rooms. Most rooms in Southern Africa don’t have mosquito nets, as it is not needed. Some establishments will have fans instead of air-conditioning. All breakfasts and most dinners are included and will be served by your overnight hosts. All accommodation is shared between (same gender) members of the tour group unless you booked with partner/friend/family member or a single supplement.

Physical Rating / Trip Pace: Medium / Adventurous Our tours are of an adventurous nature and some activities could require a person to be actively involved, so we require all participants to be "young at heart", in good health and have a flexible outlook on problem-solving and participation in a group setting. You need to be fit enough to take your own luggage in and out of the vehicle and carry it to and from your room. You need to be able to travel long distances on some days and you must be able to get in and out of the vehicle with ease and un-assisted.

General: Tour code: JCL Style: Premium Accommodated Adventure Tour Comfort level: Comfortable Group size: Max 12 Days: 20 Start: Johannesburg End: Cape Town Distance: 3700km




Included:

Transport: Midi-bus

Meals: 19 Breakfasts, 9 Dinners

Accommodation: Hotel/Bungalow/Lodge (19 nts)

Entrance fees: Kruger National Park, Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, Golden Gate Highlands National Park, Addo Elephant National Park, Tsitsikamma National Park, Cape Point, Boulders Beach

Activities: Game Drive in own Vehicle in Kruger National Park, St. Lucia – Boat Cruise, Game Drive in Addo Elephant Park, Wine Tasting Tour, Cape of Good Hope, Boulders Beach

Airport transfer: Inclusive of your arrival transfer. Please see “Joining Instructions” for more details

Crew: Services of a Tour Leader and Driver for the duration of the tour, local guides as per activities included.




Excluded:

Visas: It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel documentation. Visa requirements for your trip could vary depending on where you are from and in some cases where you have been prior to visiting us. Please contact us if you require an invitation letter for your visa application.

Optional Activities: Activities included as per itinerary. Please contact us for the optional activity list.

Departure Airport Transfer: Departure airport transfer is bookable via Africa4us. Our departure transfer is a private transfer. Some hotels and lodges might have a shuttle service.

Flights: For flights, we have partnered with Flight Centre. Please let us know if we can assist with your flights.

Travel and Medical Insurance: It is compulsory to have medical and travel insurance when joining us for our adventure tours.




Route Map:

Joining Instructions

On arrival in Johannesburg, you will make your way to the joining hotel. As an added service to our travellers, your arrival airport transfer is included. Walk out of the international arrivals area and look for a transfer person holding Africa4us signage and your name. Ask him/her what hotel he/she will be taking you to (do not volunteer this information). Then present your passport for proof of identity. The tour departs in the morning of day 2. A brief departure meeting will be held in the hotel reception area in evening on day 1 of your tour at 6 PM. Upon arrival, the reception will provide information from your Tour Leader regarding the meeting place and time. NB: As a precondition we require your arrival flight details no later than four weeks prior to the start date of your tour. Kindly e-mail this information to: [email protected]. Please make sure that you receive your travel voucher confirming the transfer. The transfer in non-refundable if not used. If you have not met our representative within 30 minutes of clearing customs and immigration, please call the 24-hour emergency number at +27 (0) 82 556 4562.





Itinerary:

Day 1: Johannesburg Spend the day exploring Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city, also known as Egoli, or The City of Gold, referring to the gold mining history of this fast-paced city. Book a day or two pre-tour to explore this fast-paced city. For the historically inclined traveller there is the ever-popular Soweto tour or just jump on a Hop-On-Hop-Off bus to discover Johannesburg at your own pace. Please be back in time to meet your group at 18:00. After introductions, your Tour Leader will review the details of your trip.

Meals Included: None

Travel time: N/A

Activities Included: Airport Transfer, Welcome Meeting at 18:00 Activities Optional: N/A

Entrance Fees Included: N/A

Lodge/Bungalow: Johannesburg City (please refer to the final rooming list)




Day 2: Johannesburg to Kruger National Park Today you travel to the famous Kruger National Park, now part of the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Park, together with Parks in Mozambique and Zimbabwe. The animals live in their natural habitat where they must fend for food and territory the same way they did for thousands of years. Enjoy a late afternoon game drive en-route to your overnight camp and get ready to spot hippo, giraffe, elephant, zebra, lion, and many other species in one of Africa’s greatest wildlife areas.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Travel time: 8 hrs

Activities Included: Afternoon Game Drive Activities Optional: Night Drive

Entrance Fees Included: Kruger National Park

Lodge/Bungalow: Skukuza/Berg-en-Dal or similar

Day 3: Kruger National Park Enjoy a full day’s game drive in Kruger National Park, with approximately 2,000 plant, 53 fish, 34 amphibia, 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 camp area. Book an optional night game drive.


Travel time: Full Day Game Drive




Activities Included: Game Drive with Midi-bus

Activities Optional: Open Vehicle Game Drive, Night Game Drive

Entrance Fees Included: Kruger National Park

Lodge/Bungalow: Skukuza/Berg-en-Dal or similar

Day 4: Kruger National Park to eSwatini (Swaziland) After a final morning game drive in Kruger, we continue to eSwatini 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 we will stop at some of the local markets where you can buy colourful batik or beaded jewellery, amongst others. Sometimes animals such as zebra, impala and warthog casually wander into the premises, giving you the opportunity for that unique picture.


Travel time: 8 hrs

Activities Included: Game Drive AM Activities Optional: Various Optional Activities

Entrance Fees Included: Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary

Lodge/Bungalow: Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary or similar




Day 5: eSwatini (Swaziland) Known as eSwatini’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 can choose a new wife.


Travel time: N/A

Activities Included: N/A Activities Optional: Various Optional Activities

Entrance Fees Included: Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary

Lodge/Bungalow: Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary or similar

Day 6: eSwatini (Swaziland) to St Lucia Today we drive through eSwatini in a southern direction and enter South Africa again. We 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.

Meals Included: Breakfast




Travel time: 6 hrs

Activities Included: Boat Cruise Activities Optional: Game Drives, Guided Hikes, Cultural Experiences, Wetlands Boat Tours, Snorkelling

Entrance Fees Included: iSimangaliso Wetland Park

Lodge/Bungalow: Elephant Lake or similar (photos)

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 this protected area is beaming with a wide variety of fauna and flora. Other optional activities available in St. Lucia are night safaris, snorkelling, birdwatching, fishing and much more.


Travel time: N/A

Activities Included: N/A

Activities Optional: Game Drives, Guided Hikes, Cultural Experiences, Wetlands Boat Tours, Snorkelling


Lodge/Bungalow: Elephant Lake or similar (photos)




Day 8: St. Lucia to Umhlanga Rocks (Durban) Travel further south along the coast to Umhlanga Rocks, a popular holiday destination. 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.


Travel time: 6 hrs

Activities Included: Golden Mile Walk Activities Optional: N/A


Hotel: Garden Court Umhlanga or similar (photos)

Day 9: Umhlanga Rocks (Durban) to Golden Gate Highlands National Park Your tour will continue 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. This area is home to numerous caves and shelters displaying San (Bushmen) rock paintings, you might spot wildlife such as mongoose, eland, zebra and over a 100-bird species. En-route we visit the capture site of Nelson Mandela and experience the largest artwork in the country using this methodology of laser-cut metal beams.





Travel time: 7 hrs

Activities Included: Nelson Mandela Capture Sight Visit Activities Optional: N/A

Entrance Fees Included: Golden Gate Highlands National Park

Hotel: Golden Gate Hotel or similar

Day 10: Golden Gate National Park An entire day to explore this beautiful, breath-taking park is on the cards today. You have the freedom to choose from wide selection of optional activities. From various hikes that includes a Basotho cultural experience and a ‘herbal trail’ that educates visitors on the medicinal uses of plants that are still being used by African Traditional Healers to horse riding, abseiling, white river rafting, fly fishing and much more, you will have a day filled with awesome scenery and experiences.


Travel time: N/A

Activities Included: N/A Activities Optional: Horse Riding, Abseiling, White River Rafting, Fly Fishing, Various Hikes

Entrance Fees Included: Golden Gate Highlands National Park

Hotel: Golden Gate Hotel or similar




Day 11: Golden Gate National Park to Smithfield Rise early for a beautiful drive through the Free State and Eastern Cape province. The Free State Province lies in the heart of South Africa, with the Kingdom of Lesotho nestling in the hollow of its bean-like shape. Lying between the Vaal River in the north and the Orange River in the south, the region is one of flat, rolling grassland and crops fields, rising to lovely sandstone mountains in the northeast. Tonight, we will overnight at the stunning Letsatsi Game Lodge which has been designed, constructed and furnished in harmony with its natural surroundings. The landscape has been disturbed as little as possible in order to preserve the natural springs and water features, the unique rock formations as well as the native fauna and flora.


Travel time: 5 hrs

Activities Included: N/A Activities Optional: Game Drive, Quad Biking, Hiking


Lodge/Bungalow: Letsatsi Game Lodge or similar

Day 12: Smithfield to Addo Elephant Park From Smithfield 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. Our destination is Addo Elephant National Park. Enjoy an afternoon game drive, in own 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 of other species of animals and birds.


Travel time: 8 hrs

Activities Included: Game Drive in Own Vehicle Activities Optional: Open Vehicle Game Drive, Night Drive

Entrance Fees Included: Addo Elephant National Park

Lodge/Bungalow: Addo Elephant National Park or similar

Day 13: Addo Elephant National Park A day filled with game viewing opportunities! Head out for an early morning game drive and return to the lodge for lunch and a siesta or relax next to the swimming pool. In the afternoon, you will go out on another great wildlife experience on the search for Africa’s giants and if you are lucky, you might spot one of South Africa’s most endangered insects - the flightless dung beetle.


Travel time: Full Day Game Drive

Activities Included: Game Drive in Own Vehicle Activities Optional: Open Vehicle Game Drive, Night Drive

Entrance Fees Included: Addo Elephant National Park

Lodge/Bungalow: Addo Elephant National Park or similar




Day 14: Addo Elephant National Park to Tsitsikamma Depart after breakfast to Tsitsikamma located in the scenic Garden Route, the stretch of coast from Mossel Bay in the Western Cape to Storms River in the Eastern Cape. The area covers large swaths of indigenous forest, commercial plantation, and Fynbos (natural shrubland). The climate is mild all year round, which lends itself to outdoor activities. Choose from self-guided hikes, black water tubing, Bloukrans bungee jumping, treetop canopy tours, abseiling and much more.


Travel time: 4 hrs

Activities Included: Morning Game Drive Activities Optional: Tree Top Canopy Tours, Bungee Jumping, Segway Tours


Lodge/Bungalow: Tsitsikamma Village Inn or similar

Day 15: Tsitsikamma On this morning we visit the Tsitsikamma National Park. Take the short hike that crosses the famous hanging bridge over the dark and brooding Storms River. 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. We return to Storm River Village to enjoy various optional activities or a hand-crafted beer.





Travel time: N/A

Activities Included: Hiking Trail Activities Optional: Tree Top Canopy Tours, Bungee Jumping, Segway Tours


Lodge/Bungalow: Tsitsikamma Village Inn or similar

Day 16: Tsitsikamma National Park to Oudtshoorn Today you take a short drive along the Garden Route, named for the ecologically diverse vegetation found in the many lagoons and lakes along the coast. You will cross over the Outeniqua Mountains into the Klein Karoo biome. From the lush forests into South Africa’s semi desert region. Oudtshoorn is known as the ostrich capital of the world, however, the biggest bird in the world is just one of the many attractions in the Klein Karoo.


Travel time: 5 hrs

Activities Included: N/A Activities Optional: Ostrich Farm Visit


Hotel: Oudtshoorn Hotel or similar




Day 17: Oudtshoorn to Stellenbosch We continue via the famous R62 to Stellenbosch, the second oldest European settlement in South Africa. Stellenbosch 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. Celebrate a great holiday with a wine tasting at one of the many wine farms that Stellenbosch is known for. Offering an excellent opportunity to buy wine directly from the farm where it was produced and which you might not always find in supermarkets. Explore the town’s many curio shops, museums, coffee shops and restaurants all within walking distance.


Travel time: 7 hrs

Activities Included: Wine Tasting Activities Optional: Cango Caves, Explore Town & Craft Market


Hotel: Rivierbos or similar

Day 18: Stellenbosch to Cape Town Continue to Cape Town, the most popular tourist destination in Africa. Settle in at your hotel and spend the rest of the day 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.





Travel time: 2 hrs

Activities Included: N/A Activities Optional: Table Mountain, Robben Island, V&A Waterfront


Hotel: Sun Square Cape Town City Bowl or similar (please refer to the final rooming list)

Day 19: Cape Town After breakfast, we depart to 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 of 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 has been proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2004. The elegant Protea flower is 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.


Travel time: Full Day Excursion

Activities Included: Cape of Good Hope, Boulders Beach Activities Optional: N/A




Entrance Fees Included: Cape Point, Boulders Beach

Hotel: Sun Square Cape Town City Bowl or similar (please refer to the final rooming list)

Day 20: Cape Town Our last goodbye, a healthy breakfast, and the end of another incredible tour.


Departure Airport Transfer: Your departure airport transfer is bookable through Africa4us.

Post-night Accommodation: We recommend booking a post-night to make the most of your stay. Post-night accommodation is bookable through Africa4us. Please note - your pre/post-night accommodation might be different compared to the joining or ending establishment that is part of the tour schedule. In this case, as part of our addon services, Africa4us will provide the transfer between the pre/-post and joining/ending establishment.

We would love to hear about your experience! Please review us on one of our various social media accounts, website or TripAdvisor.

We have designed this itinerary to ensure that you get the best possible experience from this tour and region. Please note that if the itinerary on your trip differs slightly from the online itinerary or brochure, be assured that any change has been made after careful consideration and with the goal to provide you with the most rewarding experience. Changes considered necessary will usually be due to change in service levels, road conditions, recommendations from past clients etc. The goal of any change will be to give an improved experience. You will be informed in writing of any major changes prior to departure.




Some changes might also be totally beyond our control, like changes in visa fees and procedures, available activities etc. and might differ to what we have advised on our website. If changes take place while you are on the road, our adventure crew will be informed immediately, and this information will be conveyed to you. The adventure crew will give you all possible assistance to manage these changes.

Africa4us Pty Ltd reserves the right to change or use similar accommodation. Please take note that the Final Rooming List (which will be sent 30 days prior to departure) overrides the website details

and Itinerary details.


Documents

20 Days South Africa Explored Accommodated Adventureafrica4us.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/20-Days-JCL.pdf · Tsitsikamma National Park. Taste wine in Stellenbosch and explore the