Best of South Africa

Trafalgar (AU) · 15 days
Best of South Africa
15 Days
From AUD $7852 Was AUD $8725
Trip Type
Group Tour
Activity Level
Easy

Rating

Best of South Africa

Best of South Africa

Trafalgar (AU) · 15 days
Duration

15 days

Tour Type

Group Tour

Accommodations

Deluxe

Physical Rating

Easy

Guide Language

English

Experience Overview

Travel South Africa on a Small Group tour that brings together the country’s big-name icons and local connections. Search for wildlife on game drives in Kruger National Park, visit a Swazi Chief’s village and continue through the Eastern Cape towards the Garden Route.

Highlights

Dining Summary

  • 10 Dinner (D)
  • 14 Breakfast (B)
  • 1 Lunch (L)
  • 1 Be My Guest (BMG)

Must-see Highlights

  • Visit Bourke's Luck Potholes, Kruger National Park, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth), Tsitsikamma National Park, Knysna and Table Mountain by cable car (weather permitting) in Cape Town
  • View Blyde River Canyon, God's Window, the Drakensberg mountains and Storms River Mouth, South Africa's wildlife and birds on safari
  • See South Africa's wildlife and birds on safari

Iconic Experience

  • Hazyview: Take in the magnificent sights of Kruger National Park Area on your scenic drive. 
  • Kruger National Park: Explore Kruger National Park with a Local Specialist, learning how to read the bushveld through fresh tracks, distant calls and movement in the long grass. Look for the Big Five – lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo – and the Little Five, a clever safari twist that celebrates the smaller creatures of Kruger.
  • Eswatini: Step into the heart of Eswatini’s vibrant culture on a guided tour of a Swazi Chief’s village. You’ll feel the energy of this community as you watch an energetic dance performance, taste local pap and stew, and roll up your sleeves for a hands-on drumming class with the villagers. 
  • Durban: Enjoy the views of the tropical east coast hub in Durban.
  • Mpumalanga: Bask in the beautiful views of the Valley of 1000 Hills on your scenic drive. 
  • Gqeberha: Spend the day exploring Gqeberha, formerly known as Port Elizabeth, and all of its wonders.
  • Cape Town: Discover the iconic sights in Cape Town. 

Stays With Stories

  • Chintsa: Stay at Crawfords Beach Lodge, where a family-owned farm has grown into a welcoming Wild Coast retreat over three generations since the 1970s. Set between Chintsa’s rolling dunes, beach forest and the Indian Ocean, it connects you to the Eastern Cape’s natural beauty and easy coastal hospitality.

Be My Guest

  • Knysna: Join host Ella and friends for a traditional meal and insights into the local Xhosa culture, including traditional dress, language and songs.

MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®

  • Knysna: Emzini is a not-for-profit organisation supporting the local community providing education, food, clothing and a safe place to live. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 1 & 4: No Poverty & Quality Education.
Best of South Africa

Trip Details

Duration

15 days

Transportation

Private

Guide Language

English

Starts

Johannesburg, South Africa

Finishes

Cape Town, South Africa

Accommodations

Deluxe

Travel Style

Explorer, Budget

Physical Rating

Easy

Itinerary

1
Day 1: Welcome to Johannesburg
Your South Africa small group journey begins in Johannesburg, the country’s largest city and a place shaped by gold rush history, creative neighbourhoods and South Africa’s modern spirit. Known as Jo’burg or Jozi, its mining past, art spaces and evolving urban culture give you an immediate sense of the country’s contrasts. Settle into your hotel and take time to unwind after your travels. Later, meet your Travel Director and fellow travellers over dinner in a local restaurant to get a feel for the adventure ahead.

Accommodation: The Maslow
Meals: Dinner
2
Day 2: Journey to the Kruger National Park Area
The golden Highveld gives way to rolling green hills as we travel to South Africa's Lowveld. Admire the iconic sights along Mpumalanga's Panorama Route – the Blyde River Canyon, the heavenly landscapes of God's Window and Bourke's Luck Potholes. Before evening falls, you'll venture to our hotel near the famous Kruger National Park, your home for two nights.

Accommodation: Sabi River Sun Resort
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
3
Day 3: Safari in Kruger National Park
Set out on a Small Group safari through Kruger National Park, one of Africa’s great wildlife sanctuaries and South Africa’s oldest national park. With your Local Specialist guiding the way, follow the tracks, calls and movement of the bushveld as you search for the Big Five, the Little Five and everything in between. Scan the golden grass for lions, watch for elephants moving between the trees and look closer for the smaller wonders, from animal spoor in the dust to a golden orb spider waiting on her web. Spend your afternoon at leisure, with the sounds of Kruger all around you.

Accommodation: Sabi River Sun Resort
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
4
Day 4: Onwards to Eswatini
Travel to landlocked Eswatini and get a real feel for the local culture. You’ll visit a Swazi Chief’s village, meet the community and learn about their way of life before sampling some of the local pap and stew. Admire their striking crimson traditional dress up close and feel the beat of this vibrant culture during a spirited drumming class. You’ll come away with a deeper connection to the villagers and their traditions.

Accommodation: Hilton Garden Inn Mbabane
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
5
Day 5: Head to Hluhluwe
Venture to the 'garden of province' of KwaZulu-Natal and its northern wilderness. Traversing rolling sugarcane fields and lush valleys, you'll arrive at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi National Park, where there is an opportunity to embark on an optional 4x4 game drive. This evening, enjoy a delicious South African braai (weather dependent) – a perfect way to end the day.

Accommodation: Anew
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
6
Day 6: Venture to Durban (Umhlanga Rocks)
Explore St. Lucia, a relaxed coastal town surrounded by wetlands, wildlife and the warm Indian Ocean. Take in its easy pace before choosing to join an Optional Experience cruise on Lake St. Lucia, gliding past reed beds and mangroves as you look for hippos, crocodiles and rich birdlife along the water’s edge. Continue to Durban for an orientation of South Africa’s vibrant Indian Ocean city, where colonial buildings, beachfront energy and Indian heritage meet. End the day at the Oyster Box Hotel with a curry buffet, a local favourite that celebrates Durban’s famous spice-filled food culture.

Accommodation: Hilton Garden Inn Umhlanga
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
7
Day 7: Make Tracks for the Drakensberg Mountains
Journey through the scenic Valley of 1000 Hills, travelling towards the escarpment that winds north from the Eastern Cape to Mpumalanga. Stop at the Nelson Mandela Capture Site, where a sculpture and visitor centre mark the place where Mandela was arrested in 1962 before his 27 years of imprisonment. Continue through the Underberg, known for its arts and crafts scene and mountain setting, before arriving in the foothills of the iconic Sani Pass. The rest of the afternoon is yours to relax and take in the valley’s views.

Accommodation: Premier Resort Sani Pass
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
8
Day 8: A Day in the Drakensberg
Enjoy the freedom to explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site your way. You might choose to join an Optional Experience and head off-road on a 4x4 Sani Pass adventure, climbing to 2,874 m (9,429 ft) and crossing into Lesotho. Stop to take in the incredible mountain views from Africa’s highest pub, before enjoying lunch at another local spot en route. Prefer to keep things low-key? Stay grounded and soak up the Drakensberg’s dramatic beauty at your own pace.

Accommodation: Premier Resort Sani Pass
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
9
Day 9: On the Road to the Eastern Cape Beaches
Travel from mountain landscapes to South Africa’s untamed coastline, crossing the Eastern Cape and the green hills of the Transkei, dotted with Xhosa kraals and homesteads. Discover Nelson Mandela’s legacy in Qunu, where stories of his early life connect you to the rural landscapes that shaped him. Continue to Chintsa on the Wild Coast, where unspoiled beaches and rolling dunes set the scene for your Stays with Stories experience at Crawfords Beach Lodge. Settle in by the ocean and take in this remote stretch of coast.

Accommodation: Crawfords Beach Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
10
Day 10: Travel to Gqeberha
Wake to the sound of the ocean and spend time admiring pristine natural surroundings before your journey to Gqeberha. Once a British settlement known as Port Elizabeth, this port city holds the distinction of being South Africa’s friendliest city, a quality you'll experience first-hand as you explore it on your own terms this evening.

Accommodation: Boardwalk
Meals: Breakfast
11
Day 11: On to Tsitsikamma National Park and Knysna
Walk beneath the tranquil canopy of Tsitsikamma's giant and ancient Yellowwoods, then arrive at Storms River Mouth to peer into the depths of the gorge. Connect with locals during a Be My Guest experience in Knysna, where you’ll learn a few key Xhosa phrases and gain insights into Xhosa culture. Host Ella will share her life story and reveal the meaning behind some of the local songs that accompany your traditional Xhosa meal. The visit also contributes towards supporting Ella's work in the local community and is a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Our final stop today is the picturesque lagoon setting of Knysna, known as South Africa’s own Garden of Eden. It is famed for its indigenous forests, fresh oysters and the two landmark Knysna Heads, which stand as sentinels at the edge of the lagoon, shielding the town from the Indian Ocean.

Accommodation: Knysna Hollow Country Estate
Meals: Breakfast, Be My Guest
12
Day 12: Knysna Your Way
You’ll have a free day to explore the jewel of the Garden Route. Start your day with a leisurely coffee in the Knysna Quays overlooking the lagoon, then consider an Optional Experience to Featherbed Nature Reserve including a drive through the reserve to the top of the lagoon’s Western Head.

Accommodation: Knysna Hollow Country Estate
Meals: Breakfast
13
Day 13: Continue to Cape Town
Leave the Garden Route behind bound for the Mother City. You’ll wind your way through vibrant coastal towns and the Cape Winelands before arriving in Cape Town later this afternoon. Head straight to the most iconic site in the city and visit Table Mountain by cable car (weather permitting).

Accommodation: Southern Sun The Cullinan
Meals: Breakfast
14
Day 14: Cape Town Your Way
Capture the cosmopolitan energy of South Africa’s Mother City. Spend the day exploring its streets and squares in search of tucked-away restaurants, boutiques and galleries. Or consider joining one of our Optional Experiences to tour the scenic Cape Peninsula, sample the Cape’s finest wines in the Cape Winelands or visit the infamous Robben Island.  Spend your final evening at dinner with your travelling companions, indulging in delicious Cape Malay speciality dishes.

Accommodation: Southern Sun The Cullinan
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
15
Day 15: Farewell Cape Town
Bid a fond farewell to Cape Town after breakfast. Explore the city on your terms before your transfer to Cape Town International Airport.

Meals: Breakfast
Exclusions
  • Flights to and from origin and destinations
  • Airport transfers (unless otherwise stated)
  • Anything else not explicitly listed in tour inclusions
  • Recommended gratuities/tipping
  • Optional activities/tours
  • Personal expenses
  • Travel insurance
  • Visas, meals and beverages not stated in the list of inclusions.
Important Information
Meals

When meals are not included, your tour leader (where available) will be happy to help with restaurant recommendations, bookings, and directions. Please let us know if you have any dietary needs or preferences. We will do our best to accommodate these, though we cannot guarantee that every request can be met.

Luggage

You are responsible for your personal belongings throughout the tour. You will need to carry your own bags between the vehicle and your hotel room. Drivers will assist with loading and unloading luggage from the vehicle.

Mobility

Travellers requiring wheelchair access should contact our sales and service team, who can make enquiries on your behalf.

Fitness Level

This tour requires an average level of fitness. Activities are paced gently and include leisure time. You may be expected to join guided walks of up to one hour, navigate short stairways and mild inclines, and manage your own luggage. You should also be able to board and exit all transport without assistance.

Travellers are expected to be self-sufficient and capable of handling all aspects of their journey. Please discuss your circumstances and support needs with your booking agent to confirm this trip is suitable.

If you are unsure, we recommend consulting your doctor before booking or travelling.

Sightseeing

If a planned site visit is unavailable due to changes in operating hours or holiday closures, the itinerary may be altered, or a comparable activity will be substituted where possible and subject to availability.

Visas

Visa conditions can change. Once you receive your travel documents, check with the relevant embassy, consulate, or immigration office of your destination for the latest information.

  • It is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct and valid travel documents and to comply with all entry requirements.
  • Non-Australian citizens must also confirm visa and identification requirements with the appropriate consulate or visa agency.
  • Certain occupations (for example, journalists, government officials, or those working in charities) may face additional restrictions when applying for visas, which could affect the type of application required.
Departure Dates & Surcharges: See checkout for live dates and availability.

From
AUD $8725

AUD $7,852
(Tour only)
Offer ends 30 Sep, 2026 Per Person Twin
10% Off

Duration: 15 days

Trip Type: Group Tour

Activity Level: Easy

Travel South Africa on a Small Group tour that brings together the country’s big-name icons and local connections. Search for wildlife on game drives in Kruger National Park, visit a Swazi Chief’s village and continue through the Eastern Cape towards the Garden Route.

Check Availability Brochure

Price based on per person in Double Room for departure 08 May 2027

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Tour Operator

Family owned and run since 1920, The Travel Corporation (TTC) is the world leader in immersive travel experiences across an extensive range of travel categories. Each year TTC's 40 award winning hospitality and travel brands connect over 1 million happy travellers to the world. We give you access to the 12 DMC’s behind these brands, so you can build your business by capitalizing on the extensive experience, local expertise, and financial assurance of TTC. LOCAL EXPERTISE The world leaders in travel for over 100 years, we offer unparalleled local expertise with a global footprint. Our 12 DMCs, led by experienced in-destination teams, deliver experience rich travel solutions in more than 80 countries. Additionally, our market based teams are on hand to support across our 40 offices worldwide

In Business Since 1931

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