Southern Africa Family Journey: In Search of the Big Five

Duration

11 days

Tour Type

Small Group

Accommodations

Moderate

Physical Rating

Light

Guide Language

English

Experience Overview

Boasting jaw-dropping scenery and some of the planet’s most iconic wildlife, Southern Africa makes for an unforgettable family adventure.

Includes

Activities

Your Family Journeys Moment: Jane Goodall Institute South Africa - Chimp Eden Tour, Nelspruit Your Family Journeys Moment: Cradle of Humankind Experience, Johannesburg Your Foodie Moment: Traditional South Africa Braai (Barbecue), Kruger
Arrival transfer
Excursion to Cape Point including the penguins at Boulders Beach
Kruger National Park wildlife safari drives in open vehicle
Tour of Victoria Falls
Internal flights
All tips included for activities and meals, except for Expedition Leader and porterage
All transport between destinations and to/from included activities

Accommodation

Hotel (3 nts), safari lodge (7 nts)

10 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 5 dinners

Transport

Air-conditioned touring vehicle, open safari vehicle, walking, plane

Group Leader

2 National Geographic Expedition Leaders throughout, including a local Expedition Leader in Victoria Falls, local guides/rangers

Highlights

Embark on a thrilling safari in Kruger National Park
Examine three million-year-old hominid fossils in the Cradle of Humankind
Visit rescued chimpanzees at a sanctuary run by the Jane Goodall Institute
Feel the thundering power of Victoria Falls

Southern Africa Family Journey: In Search of the Big Five

Trip Details

Duration

11 days

Transportation

Air-conditioned touring vehicle, open safari vehicle, walking, plane

Guide Language

English

Starts

Cape Town, South Africa

Finishes

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Accommodations

Moderate

Travel Style

Family, National Geographic Journey, Budget

Physical Rating

Light

Itinerary

Day 1: Cape Town

Welcome to Cape Town–your arrival transfer to the hotel is included. Check in and get excited to meet your fellow travelers during a welcome meeting this evening where all families can bond before the Journey ahead.

Exclusive inclusions: Activity - The adventure begins tonight. Feel free to explore before your welcome meeting, but make sure you’re back in time to meet the group. Check for the meeting time on the welcome note at the hotel. After introductions, your Expedition Leader will review the details of your tour. Please note that normal check-in times apply at our start hotels, but you can usually store your luggage for the day if you arrive early.Transport - You will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel to start your adventure.Accommodation - Southern Sun Waterfront

Day 2: Cape Town

This morning, set out on a daylong tour of the Cape Peninsula, a rocky headland jutting into the Atlantic Ocean. Begin at the spectacular Chapman's Peak Drive, which snakes its way along the Atlantic. Then visit the notorious Cape of Good Hope—where many an unfortunate ship met its watery doom during the Age of Exploration—and climb up to the lighthouse at Cape Point for fantastic views. Finish the tour at Boulders Beach and watch thousands of African penguins waddle about their business.

Meals included: Breakfast

Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Travel to Cape Point to enjoy a stunning vista and visit the penguins at Boulders Beach. Cape Point National Park is filled with varied wildlife. Many different kinds of birdlife, from sea birds to giant raptors wheeling overheard, can be easily seen. In the summer months (November-February) keep an eye out for southern right whales out to sea.Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Accommodation - Southern Sun Waterfront

Day 3: Cape Town

Spend the day at leisure, discovering the charms of Cape Town on a variety of optional excursions. Choose to hop on the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway for a quick ride to the summit, taking in incredible views of the Atlantic seaboard. Pay an eye-opening visit to the Iziko Slave Lodge—a museum devoted to the history of slavery in South Africa. Wildlife lovers can head to the Two Oceans Aquarium to gush over the variety of its marine residents—from adorable clownfish to translucent jellies.

Meals included: Breakfast

Exclusive inclusions: Free_time - Enjoy a day of your leisure in this cosmopolitan and charming city.Accommodation - Southern Sun Waterfront

Day 4: Cape Town/Greater Kruger Area

Fly from Cape Town to the Greater Kruger National Park and settle into your lodge, located at the gateway to the famed wildlife reserve.

Meals included: Breakfast,Dinner

Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Accommodation - Sanbonani Resort Hotel

Day 5: Kruger National Park

Rise early and climb aboard an open jeep for a safari in Kruger National Park—home to a mindboggling array of large mammals. Spot trumpeting elephants, swaggering lions, graceful giraffes, and perhaps elusive leopards as you ride through this epic wilderness. We'll criss-cross savanna, scrubland, and riverbanks on our daylong excursion, following the tracks of the majestic creatures that inhabit the park.
At over 19,000 sq km (7,500 sq mi), South Africa's Kruger National Park is one of the largest and most impressive animal reserves in the world. With 147 species, Kruger has more species of large mammals than any other park on the continent.

Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner

Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Hop in a 4x4 safari vehicle and get yourself one step closer to the surrounding nature. Be ready to spot elephants, giraffes, hippos, lions, zebras, and many other species in this impressive South African national park.Transport - Get a better view and take better snapshots aboard this off-road ride.Accommodation - Sanbonani Resort Hotel

Day 6: Greater Kruger Area

Venture out on another early morning safari drive, looking for the creatures you didn't get a chance to spot the day before. The afternoon is free to explore the Kruger region as you choose. Relax by the pool at our lodge, or opt to experience the area by zip-line.

Meals included: Breakfast,Dinner

Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Get a better view and take better snapshots aboard this off-road ride.Activity - Hop in a 4x4 safari vehicle and get yourself one step closer to the surrounding nature. Be ready to spot elephants, giraffes, hippos, lions, zebras, and many other species in this impressive South African national park.Free_time - Spend the day relaxing at the lodge or opt to see the area from above by booking the Tree-top challenge or the Aerial Cable trail.Accommodation - Sanbonani Resort Hotel

Day 7: Greater Kruger Area/Johannesburg

After breakfast, head to Chimp Eden for an encounter with our closest relatives in the animal world. Run by the Jane Goodall Institute of South Africa, Chimp Eden is the first and only chimpanzee sanctuary in the country, and harbors more than 30 rescued chimps. Legendary ethologist and National Geographic grantee Dr. Jane Goodall devoted her life to the study of chimpanzee behavior; at Chimp Eden, we'll get an opportunity to see rescued chimps living in a safe and secure sanctuary and learn why Jane was so captivated by them when she first began her research in 1960. Later, settle in for the drive to Johannesburg, arriving in the evening.

Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch

Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Activity - Chimp Eden, run by the Jane Goodall Institute South Africa as the first and only chimpanzee sanctuary in South Africa. This is a home for orphaned and rescued chimps as well as those displaced from their natural habitats in other parts of Africa. Tour the facility and visit viewing areas for two different 'camps' where a guide will introduce you to the chimps and tell you about their history and behaviour. If you're lucky, you'll get to see baby Amari, who is just a few years old.Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Accommodation - Zebra Country Lodge

Day 8: Cradle of Humankind

Step back millions of years in time on a visit to the Cradle of Humankind, where the fossils of some of our earliest known human ancestors were discovered. Here, National Geographic Explorer-at-Large Lee Berger excavated the Homo naledi, a recently defined species of hominin. Descend into the otherworldly Sterkfontein Caves, where the remains of “Mrs. Ples” and “Little Foot”—both more than two million years old—were found; then venture to the Maropeng Visitors Centre to gape at the actual skeletal remains and embark on an immersive journey through the evolution of our species. This evening, feast on a traditional South African braai (barbeque).

Meals included: Breakfast,Dinner

Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Activity - Just north of Johannesburg, the Cradle of Humankind is a UNESCO World Heritage site where some of the oldest hominin fossils ever have been found. Some date back as far as 3.5 million years. Visit the Sterkfontein Caves where “Mrs Ples”, a 2.1-million-year-old Australopithecus skull, and “Little Foot”, an almost complete Australopithecus skeleton that is more than 3-million years old, were both found. Then, spend time at the Maropeng Visitors Centre, where you can see fossils, view stone tools that are up to one million years old, and follow a self-guided, interactive tour of the centre.Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Activity - Enjoy a spread of grilled meats, vegetables, homemade salads, and the opportunity to taste some of delicious South African flavours as you become acquainted with the Kruger area.Accommodation - Zebra Country Lodge

Day 9: Johannesburg/Victoria Falls

Catch a flight to Zimbabwe and check in to your hotel. Set out with a local guide for a tour of Victoria Falls, one of the largest waterfalls on Earth. Scottish explorer David Livingstone named them after Britain's Queen Victoria, while their older, indigenous name is Mosi-oa-Tunya—“the smoke that thunders.” You can hear the falls' mighty roar from up to 24 miles away; and standing at one of the cascade's overlooks, you'll be drenched by its powerful spray.

Meals included: Breakfast

Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.Activity - Head out for an unforgettable experience at Victoria Falls. Explore the rainforest and learn about the geology, history, and local legends of this world wonder. After your immersion, get up close to the falls and discover the beauty of “the smoke that thunders.” Be sure to have your camera ready!Accommodation - Explorers Village Lodge

Day 10: Victoria Falls

The day is free to explore Victoria Falls and its surroundings. Embark on a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River; or embark on a canoeing excursion on the river. You can also take a day trip to Chobe National Park in Botswana to seek out its resident elephants. This evening, celebrate your journey with fellow travelers at a farewell dinner featuring a performance of local music and dance.

Meals included: Breakfast,Dinner

Exclusive inclusions: Free_time - With so much to see and do in Victoria Falls, we wanted to make sure that you had some time to take it all in. Feel free to relax or try optional activities like a helicopter ride, a full-day excursion to Chobe National Park, and a sunset cruise. Your Expedition Leader has more ideas if you need them. Just ask!Activity - Join your group for a traditional Boma dinner under the stars. Enjoy the sights and sounds of the drummers and dancers throughout the evening as you reminisce about the fantastic adventure you've had with new found friends.Accommodation - Explorers Village Lodge

Day 11: Victoria Falls

Depart at any time.

Meals included: Breakfast

Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Not ready to leave? Your Expedition Leader can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.

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.

AUD $7,149

(Tour only)

Per Person Standard

Duration: 11 days

Trip Type: Small Group

Activity Level: Light

Boasting jaw-dropping scenery and some of the planet’s most iconic wildlife, Southern Africa makes for an unforgettable family adventure.

Check Availability Brochure

Price based on per person in Double Room for departure 22 Mar 2027

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Tour Operator

G Adventures, founded in 1990 by Bruce Poon Tip, is a global adventure travel company specializing in small-group tours that emphasize authentic, sustainable, and culturally immersive experiences. Originally launched as GAP Adventures (“Great Adventure People”), the company pioneered the concept of community-driven travel by offering affordable trips that connect travelers with local communities while minimizing environmental impact. Today, G Adventures operates in more than 100 countries, offering a wide range of itineraries across themes such as active adventures, wildlife, wellness, family, and National Geographic–partnered tours, while maintaining a strong commitment to responsible tourism and social enterprise through its Planeterra Foundation.

In Business Since 1990

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