Intimate South Africa

Welcome to Africa! On arrival you will be met at the plane and escorted through immigration and customs and transferred to your hotel. The remainder of your evening is at leisure to explore the city, eat at one of the famous restaurants, enjoy the night life, or take a well-deserved rest. Overnight in Cape Town

This morning, you will be collected from your hotel for a full day discovery of Cape Town with your private guide, who will bring this beautiful city to life and also share with you all aspects of it, including the historic city center and urban rejuvenation taking place here, the Company Gardens and Houses of Parliament and the Castle, South Africa’s oldest building. You will also visit the Malay Quarter with its brightly colored houses and cobbled streets, and then continue to Table Mountain, where you ascend the cableway and admire incredible views over the city and Table Bay (weather permitting). Afterwards, transfer by helicopter from the V&A Waterfront to the top of the Helshoogte Pass between Franschhoek and Stellenbosch where you will enjoy lunch. After lunch, spend time exploring the Winelands with our Winelands specialist, where you will enjoy multiple wine tastings. Overnight in Cape Town

This morning you will be collected from the hotel and transferred to the V&A Waterfront in time to catch your ferry across to Robben Island. You will be joined by a local guide – someone who spent time on the island during the Apartheid years and thus able to give a personal and often moving account of time spent there. After lunch at the Waterfront (own account), you join a tour with Uthando, an umbrella charity organization which supports numerous community projects in the townships around Cape Town. The work being done is varied – from orphanages to old age homes to environmental projects – but it is in all cases humbling and remarkable what individuals are doing for the poorest parts of South African society. After this memorable day, transfer to your new resort. Overnight at Tintswalo Atlantic

Tintswalo Atlantic

Today you will embark on a sea kayaking experience from the Waterfront, where you can paddle past the Naval Harbor and out to Boulder’s Beach to visit the penguins. A stop on a semi-private beach with refreshments will be provided, along with snorkeling equipment. During whale season from July to December, it is possible to see the Southern Right Whale, which frequents Cape Town’s shores. After lunch at a seaside restaurant (own account) you will travel to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, then along the coast via Noordhoek, Chapman’s Peak Drive, Hout Bay and the Atlantic Seaboard, before heading back to your hotel. Overnight at Tintswalo Atlantic

An early departure from Cape Town Airport will take you to Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, South Africa’s largest privately-owned game reserve situated in the heart of the Northern Cape Province. The game-viewing opportunities provide a wonderful contrast to the game of eastern South Africa, and have more in common with the game found in semi-arid areas such as Namibia. It is home to black-maned lion, black rhino, wild dog, cheetah, bat-eared foxes and meerkats, which can also be tracked on foot across silent red dunes. Drives in open-sided safari vehicles traverse the Kalahari wilderness and stop at the most scenic spots to allow visitors to enjoy an impressive sunset or splendid bush dinner. Overnight at Tswalu Kalahari Reserve

Tswalu

Tracking cheetah or black rhino on daily game activities, bird-watching, star-gazing and exciting visits to the habituated meerkat dens of Tswalu are just some of the activities offered. If you want a break from game-related activities, book a hot air balloon ride over the dunes of the Kalahari or pamper yourself with the signature Sanctuary Tswalu Touch treatment at the Spa – where African instruments add an aurally African dimension to your whole experience (own expense). Overnight at Tswalu Kalahari Reserve

Following your early-morning game activity, transfer to the airstrip for your flight to Johannesburg. You will be privately transferred to your hotel, The Saxon Boutique Hotel, chosen for its peace and tranquility in the midst of this bustling city and also famous for being the location where Nelson Mandela wrote the final pages of his book “Walk to Freedom.” The remainder of the evening is at your leisure. Overnight at The Saxon Boutique Hotel

Spend the morning on a private tour of two of Johannesburg’s most popular attractions, the Apartheid Museum and the South Western Township (Soweto), giving you an opportunity to take a closer look at South Africa’s turbulent past. This tour shows you the major points of interest, such as the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Baragwanath taxi rank, Freedom Square, Hector Pieterson Memorial, and Nelson Mandela’s former home. After your tour, you are dropped off at Johannesburg Airport for your Federal Air flight to Lion Sands in the Sabi Sands. Overnight at Lion Sands Ivory Lodge

Lion Sands Ivory Lodge

The Sabi Sands reserve is completely untouched and home to such a variety of wildlife that each and every day presents new and exciting interactions in an environment, where all levels of the ecosystem fight for their survival. This area has one of the highest densities of wildlife per square hectare, with regular and close sightings of some of Africa’s most elusive predators and big game are common. The Lion Sands guides are expertly trained to not only provide you with an encyclopedia of information on all aspects of the ecology, but are also well versed in being incredible hosts, passionate about making sure your highest expectations are met. There is an option here to spend a night in one of the luxury tree-houses. Overnight at Lion Sands Ivory Lodge

After your game drive this morning at Lion Sands, say goodbye to the African bush. Your Federal Air flight to Johannesburg will depart in time for your connecting flight home.