The Grand Tour of South Africa (Small Groups Tour)

There will be a pre-tour stay in Johannesburg. As soon as you arrive at Johannesburg International Airport, our representative will pick you up and assist with a comfortable and smooth hotel transfer. The rest of the day will be at your leisure. Your 1-night stay with complimentary breakfast.

Note: This pre-tour stay will not be included in the itinerary. 

Today, you will meet your tour guide at the Hotel OR Tambo Airport at 07:30 a.m. You will travel from Johannesburg to Mpumalanga, the picturesque “Land of the Rising Sun,” following the scenic Panorama Route. Along the way, you will get to admire the Blyde River Canyon, beginning at Bourke’s Luck Potholes and ending at the famous Three Rondavels, with a possible stop at God’s Window if conditions allow.

You will arrive at your hotel in the late afternoon to settle in before dinner. In Graskop Gorge, you can enjoy optional adventures, such as the Next-Level Walk, the thrilling Cliff Walk with a zipline, the Big Swing, or the wheelchair-accessible Suspension Bridge, all of which offer unforgettable views throughout your visit today. You will be staying for the next 2 nights here, the stay with dinner and breakfast will be covered in the holiday.

Get ready for an early morning journey as you head to the famous Kruger National Park for an open-air safari. This iconic reserve spans almost two million hectares and provides some of Africa’s most remarkable wildlife encounters, featuring an impressive range of plants and animals. After exploring on your morning game drive, you return to your hotel in the afternoon to unwind before enjoying dinner at the lodge that evening.

After finishing your breakfast, you will journey to the Royal Kingdom of Swaziland, a mesmerising destination known for its deep-rooted traditions and breathtaking scenery. Also, you will be getting a chance to experience an energetic display of Swazi heritage before enjoying a flavorful traditional lunch at Matsamo Cultural Village.

Afterwards, you will continue to Ngwenya Glass Works to watch skilled artists shape beautiful creations from glowing glass. Once you browse through nearby craft markets, you will then head to your hotel in the scenic Ezulwini Valley, where dinner will be served for your relaxing evening at the comfortable property tonight. Your stay with 3 meals will be covered by us.

Once you are done with your scrumptious breakfast, set off for a morning tour of the Swazi Candle Factory, where artisans shape distinctive candles by hand using the traditional millefiore method. Each piece features its own blend of colours and patterns, making every creation truly one of a kind. You then travel through Big Bend into KwaZulu-Natal, reaching your hotel later in the day. From there, you embark on a thrilling scenic drive up the Ubombo Mountains, rewarded with sweeping views over Lake Jozini. As evening approaches, you pause for sundowners and visit an authentic Zulu homestead to experience modern Zulu culture before returning for dinner at your welcoming hotel tonight, too. Your stay and 2 meals will be covered by us.

Enjoy a wildlife excursion through Hluhluwe Game Reserve, Africa’s oldest protected park, originally created to safeguard the white rhino from extinction. This remarkable sanctuary spans 96,000 hectares and shelters around eighty mammal species, including the Big Five, as well as more than three hundred bird species, ensuring a memorable outing. After the adventure, return to your hotel by early afternoon to relax before ending the day with a delicious dinner.

From Ghost Mountain, you may also choose added experiences: a scenic Lake Jozini cruise beneath the Lebombo Mountains with chances to see elephant, rhino, hippo, and crocodile; an atmospheric night drive revealing nocturnal wildlife; or a gentle 1-2 hour Mkuze River Bird Walk featuring diverse species and striking mountain views for an unforgettable South African escape for every visitor.

Another thrilling day ahead, as today you will travel along KwaZulu-Natal’s spectacular Elephant Coast toward St Lucia, positioned at the southern end of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, you join an estuary cruise that gives you rare opportunities to view hippos, crocodiles, and abundant birdlife, possibly even the African Fish Eagle. You may appreciate the shifting coastal landscapes along the drive as you make your way south. Afterwards, you continue on to Umhlanga, arriving in the afternoon to check into your hotel. The evening is yours to enjoy, with dinner left to your personal plans. Your stay with breakfast will be included in the holiday.

Begin your day with a guided exploration of Durban, a vibrant blend of cultures and history. Travel along the famous Golden Mile, taking in its Art Deco architecture and views of uShaka Marine World, before continuing toward Victoria Embankment. Here, you will discover notable heritage sites, including the Natal Museum and the grand City Hall. After completing your city exploration, you will proceed to King Shaka International Airport to check in for your domestic flight to Port Elizabeth (not included).

When you land, an SA360 Travel representative will meet you and arrange your transfer to your hotel, giving you the remainder of the day to unwind at your own pace after your journey, ensuring a relaxing start to your stay ahead.

Begin your journey in Port Elizabeth, following the scenic coastline toward the awe-inspiring Tsitsikamma section of the Garden Route National Park, often called the “garden within the Garden Route.” Here you can wander across the iconic suspension bridge stretching over the Storms River mouth gorge, where sweeping views and superb photo moments await. After taking in the dramatic landscape, continue to Plettenberg Bay for dinner and an overnight stay, giving you time to relax and think back on the day’s discoveries.

For added excitement, you may choose from several optional activities in the area, glide through ancient Tsitsikamma rainforest on a zip line canopy tour anchored to colossal 700-year-old Outeniqua Yellowwoods; face the adrenaline rush of the Bloukrans Bungy from Africa’s tallest bridge; or join a two-and-a-half-hour Kayak and Lilo trip that leads you deep into the serene, cave-lined Storms River Gorge for an unforgettable and deeply immersive experience. Your breakfast and dinner during the stay are included.

Today, you can immerse yourself in the calm beauty of Birds of Eden, the world’s largest free-flight aviary, where a remarkable range of African bird species moves freely in a serene, forested setting. You then head to Monkeyland, the pioneering multi-species primate sanctuary that allows monkeys to roam naturally without enclosures. In the afternoon, you have time to explore the Knysna Waterfront before enjoying an early dinner at a restaurant overlooking the water. Optional adventures include hiking through Robberg Nature Reserve, known for its dramatic coastal scenery and seal colony viewpoints, or experiencing the high, sweeping Knysna Ziplines that span deep forested gorges.

Today will be travelling to Oudtshoorn, which is celebrated as the world’s “feather capital,” and the place where you join an engaging tour of a working ostrich farm before enjoying lunch at your own cost. Afterwards, you continue to the remarkable Cango Caves for a guided exploration of this famed natural attraction. By late afternoon, you arrive at your accommodation to settle in and relax. The evening is yours to enjoy dinner wherever you choose, allowing you to unwind at your own pace.

After a relaxed late breakfast and check-out, you head out on Route 62 toward Barrydale, where you can stop for lunch at your own expense. Continuing your journey, you reach Cape Town at approximately 5 p.m., wrapping up a day rich with memorable moments. The evening is yours to decide where and how you’d like to enjoy dinner that night as well. A day’s stay with breakfast will be included.

This morning, you will be picked up for a full-day exploration of Cape Point and the Peninsula. You will trace the dramatic Atlantic coastline, moving through Sea Point, Clifton, and Camps Bay before pausing at a striking viewpoint in Llandudno. The journey continues to Hout Bay, a character-filled fishing village where you can choose to join an optional boat excursion to Seal Island. From there, travel over the spectacular Chapman’s Peak Drive en route to Cape Point and the Good Hope Nature Reserve.

After enjoying lunch at a nearby restaurant at your own cost, you’ll head to Simon’s Town, admired for its Victorian buildings and the famous penguin colony at Boulders Beach. As an added adventure, you may take a brief local train ride from Fish Hoek to Muizenberg, a scenic coastal stretch lasting under fifteen minutes, then enjoy ice cream among locals on Muizenberg Beach before returning to your hotel today.

Begin your morning with breakfast before setting off on a captivating full-day journey through the Cape Winelands. The route winds past dramatic mountains, rolling vineyards, and elegant Cape Dutch residences as you make your way to Stellenbosch, the vibrant centre of South Africa’s wine culture, where your first tasting awaits.

You will then continue over the Helshoogte Pass to Franschhoek, famed for its cuisine, to enjoy another sampling and lunch at a renowned local restaurant at your own cost. Conclude the experience with a final tasting at a Paarl estate before returning to Cape Town for a memorable end today.

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before joining a morning tour showcasing Cape Town’s heritage and culture. If the weather cooperates, ride the cable car up Table Mountain. Visit Company Gardens, the South African Museum, the Castle of Good Hope, Greenmarket Square, and Bo-Kaap before returning by 12:30 p.m.