Splendours of South Africa & Victoria Falls

This South Africa tour—from the fascinating cities to the enthralling game drives and breathtaking scenery—is sure to offer you an experience of a lifetime. Start in Cape Town, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Ride a cable car to the top of iconic Table Mountain (weather permitting) for stunning views over the city and venture outside the city to see a colony of African penguins and beautiful Cape Point Nature Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its rich and unique flora. You’ll also visit Bo-Kaap, a lively area founded by former slaves to learn more about their culture—a Globus exclusive!

Your journey continues in Makalali Private Game Reserve near Kruger National Park. Here, enjoy six game drives in an open-air, 4-wheel-drive Land Rover. Your professional ranger and skilled tracker will help you search for a remarkable number of species, including 42 mammal species and 350 bird species. You’ll have a great chance to see the “Big 5”—lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and Cape buffalo. Have your camera ready because you may also see impala, giraffe, hippo, spotted hyena, cheetah, wildebeest, and more. Even stop for sundowner drinks in the bush! Other highlights include Johannesburg’s unforgettable Apartheid Museum and Soweto, the country’s largest township, where you will visit the former home of Nelson Mandela and stunning Mosi-oa-Tunya (the smoke that thunders) also known as Victoria Falls, spanning the border of Zimbabwe & Zambia. Take a guided walk along the falls, which is roughly twice the height of Niagara Falls, and cruise on the Zambezi River at sunset.

And you’ll be part of a small-group, with no more than 20 total guests, ensuring personalized service from start to end! All of this—and much more—are waiting for you on this South Africa tour. You’ll return home with plenty of stories and photos to share with your friends and family.

What's Included:

• Return flights from London
• All airport taxes
• Transfers
• Services of a tour director
• Central hotel accommodation
• VIP access to all the sites and their specially arranged "Local Favourites" experiences
• Selected meals (See itinerary)

Highlights:

• CAPE TOWN- Guided walking tour of Cape Town’s highlights and the colorful Bo-Kaap area; visit the Bo-Kaap Museum, Cape Point Nature Reserve, and a colony of African penguins; cable-car ride up Table Mountain; funicular ride to old Cape Point lighthouse

• MAKALALI PRIVATE GAME RESERVE- Six game drives in an open-air, 4-wheel-drive Land Rover; sundowner drinks

• JOHANNESBURG- Guided tour of Soweto, including Mandela House; visit the Apartheid Museum

• VICTORIA FALLS- Cruise on Zambezi River; guided walk of the falls

Day 1: Arrive in Cape Town, South Africa

Welcome to South Africa! Check in to your hotel and prepare for a fascinating journey.

Day 2: Cape Town

This morning, sightseeing starts at the Grand Parade, the city’s main public square, to see the Castle of Good Hope and City Hall. Afterward, a WALKING TOUR introduces you to more of Cape Town’s famous and historic landmarks. Stroll along Government Avenue to see St. George’s Cathedral, Parliament, and much more. Next, you’ll enter The Company’s Garden, a beautiful oasis in the city, en route to Green Market Square, which at different times has been a fruit and vegetable market and even a slave market. Today, it is a great meeting place, where curios from all over Africa can be found. Visit the BO-KAAP MUSEUM before continuing your walk in BO-KAAP, also known as the Malay Quarter. Founded by former slaves in the 1750s, this lively area is a true melting pot of cultures. Colorful historic houses range from lime-green and pink to orange, reflecting Dutch and British architecture, and the area has been declared a national monument. After a traditional Malay lunch, visit Table Mountain for a CABLE-CAR RIDE to the top (weather permitting) for stunning views of the city and its surroundings. This evening, join your traveling companions for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. NOTE: Each year, generally in early August, the Table Mountain cableway closes for maintenance. During this time, we will visit Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Day 3: Cape Town. Cape Peninsula Excursion

Today, enjoy a full day of sightseeing, starting with an orientation tour of Cape Town. Then, take a scenic drive south through the fishing village of Hout Bay before ascending Chapman’s Peak Drive, which skirts the rocky coastline and is one of the most scenic drives in the world. Continue on to CAPE POINT NATURE RESERVE for stops at the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point, the southwesternmost point on the African continent. Here, take a FUNICULAR RIDE to the steps of the old lighthouse for spectacular panoramic views. Afterward, visit Boulders Beach to see a COLONY OF ENDANGERED AFRICAN PENGUINS, known for the unique sound they make. Return to Cape Town and enjoy the evening at your leisure. Meals included: Breakfast Lunch

Day 4: Cape Town

Enjoy a full day at leisure for your own discoveries. Perhaps explore the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, take an excursion to the stunning Cape winelands for wine tasting, or take a guided tour of Robben Island—where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison. Your Tour Director has suggestions to help you make the most of your day. Meals included: Breakfast

Day 5: Cape Town - Hoedspruit - Makalali Private Game Reserve

Today, leave beautiful Cape Town behind and fly to Hoedspruit and transfer to MAKALALI PRIVATE GAME RESERVE to begin your safari adventure! This area, near Kruger National Park, is famous for its abundance of wildlife, and you will have a great chance of seeing the “Big 5”—lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and Cape buffalo. Enjoy your first GAME DRIVE this afternoon. Your skilled tracker and professional Ranger work together as a team, so you can learn more about the ecosystem as you view wildlife up close. Sip SUNDOWNER DRINKS prior to returning to your lodge for dinner. Meals included: Breakfast Dinner

Day 6 & 7: Makalali

Rise between 5 am and 5:30 am for coffee and tea before your EARLY MORNING GAME DRIVE. If the timing is right, you might spot some of the big cats after a night of hunting. Other animals you may see include kudu, impala, giraffe, hippo, cheetah, spotted hyena, wildebeest, and more. Great bird watching is also possible—some 350 species having been recorded in the area. Return for breakfast mid-morning, followed by time to relax and enjoy the lodge and its surroundings. Perhaps take a swim in the pool, visit the wellness center for one of its many spa treatments, or simply sit back and watch the animals. Consider an optional excursion to the nearby cheetah breeding facility. In the mid-afternoon, tea will be served prior to your AFTERNOON GAME DRIVE. Step out of your safari vehicle for SUNDOWNER DRINKS and watch as the sun sets over the Drakensberg Mountains. As darkness descends, your tracker will bring out a spotlight to help you spot nocturnal animals—if you are lucky, maybe even a leopard! Return to your lodge in time to freshen up before dinner. Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Day 8: Makalali - Hoedspruit - Johannesburg

Enjoy one last GAME DRIVE this morning before transferring to the airport for your flight to Johannesburg. The remainder of the day is at your leisure. Meals included: Breakfast

Day 9: Johannesburg

Today’s sightseeing starts with an enriching visit to SOWETO (South Western Township), the largest township in the country. Soweto is a part of South Africa’s turbulent past, but this multicultural area is also a reflection of today and hope for tomorrow. Along the way, see the neighborhood that was home to two Nobel Peace Prize winners: Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela. Gain some perspective of life here at MANDELA HOUSE, where Nelson Mandela lived from 1946 to around 1960, when he was forced underground to elude arrest. You will also see the Hector Pieterson Memorial, dedicated to the 12-year-old boy killed by police during a demonstration in 1976. This led to the Soweto Uprising, an important event in the long struggle to end apartheid some 14 years later. Next, visit the unforgettable APARTHEID MUSEUM to learn about the founding of South Africa before delving into the apartheid era. Using photos, video, and print, the museum takes you on an extraordinary journey through the apartheid years to the 1994 democratic elections that named Nelson Mandela president. Meals included: Breakfast Lunch

Day 10: Johannesburg - Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Today, leave South Africa and fly north to Zimbabwe. This evening, enjoy a CRUISE on the Zambezi River, which affords you a great opportunity to photograph wildlife and a spectacular African sunset! Meals included: Breakfast Dinner

Day 11: Victoria Falls

Today, visit mighty VICTORIA FALLS for an awe-inspiring experience. Enjoy a GUIDED WALK, where you will learn the history of the falls and hear fascinating details about the surrounding flora and fauna. This evening, your Tour Director hosts a special riverside farewell dinner. NOTE: During the dry season (September-December) and during particularly dry years, water flow to Victoria Falls may be low. Meals included: Breakfast Dinner

Day 12: Victoria Falls - Johannesburg - Departure

Your tour ends with a flight back to Johannesburg to connect with your homebound flight. Book homebound flights after 5:30 pm. Meals included: Breakfast