Best of South Africa
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Experience Overview
Connect with the culture of South Africa as you travel from the north to south to encounter the legacy of Mandela and the cosmopolitan spirit of Cape Town. Then, the power and beauty of Africa’s wilderness is revealed as you take in the thrill of Victoria Falls and visit Chobe National Park, Botswana’s home of the elephants.From 2027, this tour will become a Small Group tour, with an average of 16 guests. Enjoy a smaller group setting while discovering the places, people and stories that make each destination special.
Highlights
Dining Summary
- 12 Dinner (D)
- 17 Breakfast (B)
- 3 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
- Explore Victoria Falls and Chobe National Park with a Local Specialist
How You'll Travel
- Selected hotel dinners plus a locally hosted meal
Iconic Experience
- Hazyview: Take in the magnificent sights of Kruger National Park Area on your scenic drive.
- Kruger National Park: Travel to the most iconic national park in South Africa and marvel at its wildlife.
- 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.
- Chintsa: Venture along the beautiful coast of Xunu and discover its rich historic roots.
- 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.
- Victoria Falls: Experience the beauty of Africa's islands on your Zambezi River Cruise.
- Victoria Falls: Admire the cascading waters at Victoria Falls.
- Chobe National Park: Have the experience of a lifetime as you explore Botswana's Chobe National Park.
Trafalgar Difference
- Durban: Durban’s award-winning, five-star Oyster Box Hotel is one of South Africa’s finest. Enjoy unmatched service, elegant charm, a garden terrace, and stunning ocean views over Umhlanga Beach and Lighthouse.
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 organization 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.
Trip Details
Product Code: 34611
Tour Type: Group Tour
Accommodation: Deluxe
Transport: Private
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
Explorer, Budget
Tour Operator:
Trafalgar (CA)
Supplier Code: 375.2167A
Starts: Johannesburg, South Africa
Finishes: Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe), Zimbabwe
Duration: 18 days
Departures: Not Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Easy
Includes
Whats Included
- Flight from Cape Town to Victoria Falls
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $13461 ($748 /day)
Itinerary
Your seamless South African journey begins with an airport transfer from O.R. Tambo International Airport to your hotel. Settle in to the pace of Africa’s most energetic city before meeting your Travel Director and fellow travelers for dinner.
Accommodation: The Maslow
Meals: Dinner
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
Connect with nature and explore South Africa's oldest and most iconic national park in the company of a Local Specialist. Uncover the secrets of the bushveld and keep a lookout for the magnificent Big Five, the Little Five and everything in between. See the glistening yellow golden orb spider waiting on her web, smell the damp scent of acacia trees in the early morning and keep your head down in search of animal spoor. Spend your afternoon at leisure.
Accommodation: Sabi River Sun Resort
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
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: Royal Swazi Spa
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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
Board an optional morning cruise on Lake St. Lucia and get up close to the hippos, crocodiles and birdlife residing in the estuary. Alternatively, explore the town of St. Lucia. Continue south to Durban for an effortless encounter with this tropical east coast hub, beginning with a delicious curry buffet at The Oyster Box Hotel, one of Trafalgar’s Stays With Stories – a seaside hotel that captures the nostalgia of a bygone era.
Accommodation: The Oyster Box
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Venture through the scenic Valley of 1000 Hills bound for the spectacular escarpment that winds north from the Eastern Cape to Mpumalanga. The Underberg’s vibrant arts and crafts scene and stunning setting provide a beautiful backdrop for a morning drive. You’ll continue to the foothills of the iconic Sani Pass where you’ll have the rest of the afternoon at leisure and stay overnight.
Accommodation: Premier Resort Sani Pass
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
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
From enigmatic mountain landscapes to South Africa’s untamed coastline, venture through the Eastern Cape and the green hills of the Transkei, dotted with Xhosa kraals and homesteads. Discover the legacy of Nelson Mandela at his birthplace in Xunu, then enjoy the unspoiled Wild Coast beaches of Chintsa, where the only footprints in the sand will be yours.
Accommodation: Crawfords Beach Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
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
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
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
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
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 traveling companions, indulging in delicious Cape Malay specialty dishes.
Accommodation: Southern Sun The Cullinan
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Welcome to Zimbabwe! Meet your Trafalgar representative on arrival at Victoria Falls Airport and transfer to your accommodation. Buckle up for an exhilarating small group encounter with Victoria Falls, an untamed natural wonder that has captured the imagination of explorers and adventurers since David Livingstone declared it the most wonderful sight he had seen in Africa. Board a cruise and navigate one of Africa’s mightiest rivers, cruising past islands of basking crocodile and hippo pods lazing in the waning African sun, before returning to your lodge for dinner.
Accommodation: Victoria Falls Safari Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Join a Local Specialist on a guided tour of the world's largest waterfall. Admire the powerful curtain of water from various vantage points in Zimbabwe – feel the fine spray and hear the thunderous roar as water crashes over a hundred meters into a swirling mass in the gorge below. Spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure with the sound of the 'Smoke that Thunders' never far from your ears. Tonight, you may choose to join an Optional Experience Boma dinner and interactive drum show.
Accommodation: Victoria Falls Safari Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Cross the Botswana border for a day-trip into Chobe National Park, where large herds of African elephants roam. Board your Chobe River cruise, watching herds of elephants and buffalo come to the edge of the river to drink. See the flash of a kingfisher hovering over the water to catch its next meal, then enjoy an included lunch at Chobe Safari Lodge on the banks of the mighty Chobe River. Later, return to Victoria Falls Safari Lodge for your last night in Zimbabwe.
Accommodation: Victoria Falls Safari Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Bid farewell to the 'Smoke that Thunders' and return to Zimbabwe's Victoria Falls Airport for your onward journey.
Meals: Breakfast
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Tour Operator
Trafalgar (CA)
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
Reviews
Gary Thompson - Traveled, October 2023
Extremely experienced and knowledgeable tour director along with an excellent driver. They worked well together which enhanced the experience. All accommodation was excellent and, I suspect, the best available at the various locations.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/21/2023
Helen Gutcher - Traveled, September 2023
All our accommodation hotel were very nice and comfortable, Our tour director was a wealth of knowledge and the people we met especially be my guest were so kind. We got a taste of all different parts from city to rural to beach and safari was awesome.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/15/2023
Trusted Customer - Traveled, October 2023
South Africa. Wonderful locations. Great accommodation. The bus was a bit snarl and uncomfortable though. Great locations and experiences.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/20/2023
Trusted Customer - Traveled, October 2022
Great service, however approximately 2,250 miles by coach was long stretches of riding. We had some really high end accommodations most of the trip.. There were a few that I would consider sub-standard in comparison to past experiences.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/20/2022
Kathleen Patacsil - Traveled, October 2023
The Best of South Africa. It was a trip of a life time! Craig Oliver was an amazing tour director, one of the BEST! Truly appreciated all the great hotels we stayed at. So grateful for the help at the airports. The itinerary was superb. Can't believe we saw so much in 2 weeks. Best trip ever. Loved everything about the trip. The only down side was the coach. When you were asked to sit in the back of the bus you couldn't hear the tour guide.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/16/2023
Emeterio Patacsil, Jr. - Traveled, October 2023
Best of South Africa was outstanding. Outstanding! Met us at the airport and everything was handled very efficiently. The accommodations were stellar. All the places we stayed were no less than 4 star quality.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/18/2023
Brenda Smith - Traveled, October 2022
South Africa Amazing! I would definitely buy from Trafalgar again. This was our third trip and we have loved each one. Great leadership with amazing knowledge. Thank you Hupu. Very well planned and great leadership from Hupu. We were disappointed in the small bus as we have been used to kneeling bus and toilet on board. I do understand that the group was small but the seats were uncomfortable especially for the number of kilometers we travelled. No toilet was also a concern. The Farewell dinner was a real downer. We’d had enough of cultural and would have liked a nice intimate dinner where we could have said our goodbyes and swapped personal contacts. There was absolutely no opportunity to do that in a room with about 300 people with drums and all manner of noise. So bad that two of the men had to leave the venue which was really sad.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/17/2022
Trusted Customer - Traveled, October 2022
Great tour director, coach driver and hotel accommodations. The tour director, coach driver and hotel accommodations were very good. In general the food was good (especially the breakfast), but the dinners were typically made up of similar buffet items. I would have like to seen more "African" buffet offerings. There was only "one" dinner that specialized in African cuisine. However, it was presented in a very "tourist" setting. Great tour with lots of variety (e.g. safari's, boat cruises, 4x4 mountain rides, scenic ocean vistas and a mix of the cosmopolitan. A little too much "coach riding". SA is a big country. Would suggest mixing in a flight to get to Cape Town which would allow more time at some of the locations. Too many "one-night" stops. Add a pre and post trip option.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/19/2022
Trusted Customer - Traveled, November 2022
Very good Trip. The customer service and information that Saboni (The Tour Guide) and Ricky (The Driver) both combined to provide to make it a great trip. and a wealth of information about South Africa and the culture. It was a very good trip. Lots to see and do. I wish we had come in a day early for more time in J'burg.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/15/2022
Trusted Customer - Traveled, September 2022
Excellent guide, amazing driver, wonderful lodging . I would recommend utilizing buses that have charging capabilities for devices (initially did not have this, but they did change the bus that did not have broken seats and did have USB ports. Also recommend having wifi on buses since we spent over 8 hours a day on the bus.) You spend a lot of time on a bus getting between destinations. Many hours of the day in fact, so be prepared. The locations were amazing, and the hotels were very nice.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/20/2022
