Explore South Africa during this 10-day group tour and learn all about the rich culture and historical heritage of this diverse country. Take a safari ride into the middle of the wilderness and watch the ‘big five’ in their natural environment. Open your senses, uncover the country’s customs and traditions by exploring African cuisine in Cape Town, and taste the best wine and cheese from the Stellenbosch region. The spectrum of activities is wide and this tour offers you the perfect insight into this fruitful land.
What’s Extra
We depart the UK for our overnight flight to Hoedspruit via Johannesburg.
After landing at Hoedspruit Airport, we transfer to our private game lodge which sits in the Karongwe Nature Reserve, part of the famous Greater Kruger National Park. The rest of the day is free for us to spend at leisure. A perfect opportunity to store up some energy for the following day’s game drive!
A spellbinding experience awaits us this morning. Head out to explore the Karongwe Nature Reserve, part of the famous Greater Kruger National Park, often thought of as the world’s largest wildlife zoo. We wake up early in the morning and jump into a safari jeep with a specialised wildlife ranger-guide for our very first safari experience. Enjoy a thrilling game drive and try to spot all of Africa’s highly sought-after Big Five: elephant, lion, rhino, leopard and buffalo.
Rise and shine for another African morning in the wilderness and get ready for our second safari adventure. Today we can choose from an exciting array of activities, encompassed by comfortable accommodation, friendly staff, great food, and a professional health and beauty spa set in the most amazing bushveld gardens in South Africa, where birdwatching and fishing are two favourite pastimes. There are exciting activities suited to absolutely everyone’s needs, including but not limited to open-vehicle safaris, bush braai evenings in Kruger Park, guided walks in the bush, mountain bike trails, trips to animal rehabilitation centres and much more.
We begin the day with our last game ride before leaving for Hoedspruit Airport, where we will catch our onward flight to Cape Town. After landing, we take a transfer to South Africa’s ‘Mother City’ – Cape Town. Our accommodation is located right in the city centre, surrounded by shops and restaurants. We can enjoy some free time in Cape Town at our own pace, either hitting the streets to begin to familiarise ourselves with our new surroundings or putting your feet up in the hotel to the most of the available services.
After breakfast in the hotel, it’s time to put on our walking shoes and enjoy a full-day foodie tour of Cape Town on foot.
Our culinary journey begins at Bo Kaap Deli, where a local refreshment awaits. We wander amidst Bo Kaap’s vibrant, colourful houses, immersing ourselves in the charm of the area. Our next stop is Marcos African Café, where we’ll indulge in an African platter featuring traditional meats and vegetables, accompanied by the tasting of a ceremonial African drink.
Continuing on, we venture into the neighbouring ‘sister’ district of De Waterkant, aptly named for its proximity to the ocean. We prepare our taste buds for a delightful experience at the charming Charles Café, renowned for serving the best Bobotie in town!
Our journey takes us further to Fireman’s Arms, one of South Africa’s oldest bars, where we’ll have the opportunity to sample a tasting-size Bunny Chow and Malva pudding. Complementing these flavoursome treats, we can choose a local craft gin or beer to complete your tasting experience.
Waking up to breakfast at the hotel, we meet our guide in reception and get ready for our next African experience.
Today it’s time to explore the beautiful Cape Peninsula. The tour leads us through an ever-changing landscape of majestic mountains, vast oceans, rugged cliffs and indigenous ‘fynbos’ vegetation.
The route over scenic Chapman’s Peak Drive leads us through the rural villages of Noordhoek, Oceanview, Kommetjie and Scarborough to the entrance of the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve.
We visit the Cape of Good Hope, the most south-western tip of the African Continent. The Old Lighthouse at Cape Point offers a spectacular viewing platform over False Bay. It takes around 30 minutes to walk from the visitor’s car park to the Lighthouse summit or a few minutes on the funicular railway.
After breakfast, we meet our guide to start our day at the famous V&A Waterfront, where we will enjoy a 12-minute Helicopter Flip over the Mother City! After this exciting experience, we have the opportunity to spend some time discovering Cape Town’s Waterfront.
In the afternoon, we take a trip to the famous Robben Island, 12 kms away from Cape Town and a notorious prison during apartheid times. For over 30 years, political prisoners were kept here in isolation. One of the prisoners was Nelson Mandela. Today, Robben Island is a museum and World Heritage Site. Visits include the maximum security prison and the quarry.
Today we make our way to the beautiful Cape Winelands.
They consist of several wine growing regions producing a large variety of wines, using various methods of viticulture. These regions include Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl. The Wine Route was developed in the early 1970’s and allows visitors entrance into selected Private Estates to taste wines and visit cellars. We will first stop at the Afrikaans Taal monument, erected in 1975 and made up of a series of lofty obelisks joined by sweeping curves before moving on to enjoy a wine and cheese tasting at Fairview Wine Farm.
Founded in 1693, it remains a working farm, housing a collection of micro-businesses all striving towards a common goal: to create artisanal and sustainable produce, with a focus on fine wine and cheese.
We charge our batteries with breakfast at the hotel before we explore Stellenbosch and its foodie scene. Our morning includes a foodie walking tour in the historic heart of town where you’ll taste traditional specialties and artisan food products, unique handcrafted beers and top quality cured beef (biltong). The tour also includes a lunch stop with locally sourced goodies. It’s all about sharing ‘culture on a spoon’.
After breakfast, we can enjoy some free time in Stellenbosch before we head back to Cape Town for our journey home to the UK.
We stay in comfortable hotels throughout as details below (or similar);
Frequently Asked Questions
The transfer from Hoedspruit airport to the Kruger National Park is approximately 1 hour.
Compulsory vaccinations: None.
All clients are responsible for acquainting themselves with up to date health information of the countries being visited and where necessary take the required precautions. We recommend that you check with your doctor prior to departure as this information can change. You can also visit the travel health website for more information; Travel Health South Africa
South African Rand
The emphasis is on casual clothing for throughout. Comfortable shoes or walking boots are recommended. Dressing in layers and waterproofs to allow for changes in the weather is recommended. Please bring some warm clothing for example a fleece and warm outer jacket for the evenings and early mornings. On safari, it is advisable to wear long sleeves and trousers to provide protection against insect bites. On safari avoid clothes with very bright colours as this may irritate the animals, preferably wear clothes with brown, khaki or beige colours. Binoculars are also recommended. A cap or wide brimmed hat to protect from the sun and sunglasses are recommended.
There is often confusion on the question of gratuities, since it frequently depends on the type of holiday, location and, of course, your attitude towards tipping, as to what is normally expected. In order to give you a rough idea, we have given appropriate guidance below.
We suggest a group collection at the beginning of your holiday to cover drivers, guides, porters and hotel staff (including restaurant, kitchen and reception staff) of approximately £40 (or the equivalent amount in local currency). Your Tour Leader will collect this on your behalf and distribute it accordingly, thus relieving you of the burden of who, when and how much to tip. The tipping of bar staff and housekeeping will be left to your individual discretion (a small amount left in your room on departure should cover this and would be much appreciated). As is customary, ‘the hat’ will be passed around for the driver and guide on all optional excursions. For any meals that are not included in your itinerary, or taxi fares, your Tour Leader can advise of an appropriate add on.
Please note that the itinerary is subject to change based on local conditions.
A reasonable level of fitness/mobility is required for sightseeing. There is a lot of travelling and some early starts.
Average Temperatures
| Month(s) | Highest temperature | Lowest temperature |
|---|---|---|
| October | 23 °C | 13 °C |
“I’m sure you will enjoy it, I have been on three solos holidays to date and the people I’ve met have been great.”
“I’ve been travelling with Solos for nearly 20 years, on and off. The reason is for exactly what you want – you meet like minded people… and have loads of fun!”
“I’ve been on loads of trips with Solos over the years and can honestly say you will not regret booking your 1st one!”
“The feeling you have once you go away on your own is worth all the nerves before! I was so very anxious the first time but now having done it 4 times, I love it!”
