8-Day Kruger National Park and Cape Town Tour
(Self-Drive option also available)

Johannesburg to Cape Town

Day 1 – Drakensberg Escarpment (D) 
We will collect you from the Airport or from your overnight accommodation in Johannesburg and travel through Highveld industrial, mining and agricultural areas. Our guide will make this section interesting, adding value with his interpretation of the local history and sights. The scenery is pretty flat but this changes as we approach the Drakensberg Escarpment where we drop down to the Lowveld through scenic passes. This Drakensberg Escarpment area is really beautiful and has scenic vistas over the Lowveld of the Kruger National Park. We will visit the Panorama Escarpment and some of the view-sites such as God’s Window, Blyde River Canyon, Berlin and Lisbon waterfalls, Bourke’s Luck Potholes, etc. and overnight at Hannah Lodge (or similar). Hannah is a reflection of Africa in its entire natural splendour, a captivating tapestry of African sounds, smells and colours. The rising sun showers the valley with shades of pink, red and orange. Here the visitor can experience a rare sense of freedom and renewed inspiration.

Day 2, 3, 4 – Kruger National Park (Breakfast, Dinner) 
After breakfast we make our way to the nearby Kruger National Park. Kruger Park is an excellent venue with good sightings of lion, elephant, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, warthog, baboon, monkey, hippo and impala regularly seen. The more elusive animals like leopard are an exciting find. We will go on a night drive in an open safari vehicle on one of the evenings, this to enhance the possibility of seeing the nocturnal species such as leopard (always difficult to find), lion, hyena, genet, bush babies and then the other nocturnal animals such as the smaller cats, owls and nightjars. You also get to see most of the diurnal animals, with their eyes lighting up like a little town in the reflection of the spotlights when you chance on a herd of Impala. These drives are conducted by SANParks, the organisation tasked with running this Park.
We will spend our nights in Kruger in bungalow accommodation inside the Kruger Park - subject to availability. Although not graded, these bungalows are of a two or three star standard. Here the rooms have twin beds, each with a private shower, toilet and hand basin en-suite. The brick under thatch rooms are equipped with air-conditioning, some also with ceiling fans and a fridge. There is insect proof screening on the doors and windows. You will be provided with bath and hand towels as well as soap. In the game reserve we will have breakfast and dinners in the restaurants. Breakfast and dinners are generally buffet style. We enjoy a full game-viewing programme for the balance of the days. Depending on which camps we will be staying at so the mid-day siesta period could be spent at the swimming pool - Kruger Park is pretty hot and humid in summer - or to visit one of the camp interpretation centres, which are always interesting. Your guide in his vehicle conducts the remainder of the game drives.
We encourage an early start to make the most of the best time of day to view the animals. So first one out at dawn - this to see if we are able to sight some of the nocturnal predators returning to their daytime resting place and then to have breakfast possibly at a different locality. We recommend staying at different camps to make the most on what the Kruger Park has to offer and to get the best game viewing.

Day 5 – Cape Town (Breakfast)
This morning we fly from Nelspruit to Cape Town where we overnight at the Breakwater Lodge (or similar). Just minutes away from the Waterfront, the Breakwater Lodge was once a 19th Century prison, and today provides comfortable Cape Town hotel accommodation in a spectacular setting that looks over the bay and up onto Table Mountain.

Day 6 – Cape Town (Breakfast)
Today, we depart from the hotel and travel along the Atlantic Seaboard through Sea Point, Bantry Bay, Camps Bay and Llandudno before visiting the fishing village of Hout Bay. From here we make our way via Chapman's Peak drive to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve where we visit Cape Point to explore the diversity of plant species in this reserve first hand and hopefully to view the rare bontebok and zebra, eland, baboon and other wildlife of the reserve. The scenery here is stunning and one has the option of getting to the view site by foot or by the less strenuous Funicular, (own account). We will have lunch at the Two Oceans Restaurant (own account) before proceeding to the African penguin colony at Boulders Beach to view and learn more about these fascinating birds.                                                                                      
We then travel through the naval-base town of Simon's Town along the False Bay Coastline, and should time allow we would visit the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, which is world-renowned for the beauty and diversity of the Cape flora it displays and for the magnificence of its setting against the eastern slopes of Table Mountain. Kirstenbosch grows only indigenous South African plants. The estate covers 528 hectares and supports a diverse fynbos flora and natural forest. The cultivated garden (36 hectares) displays collections of South African plants, particularly those from the winter rainfall region of the country.
Overnight Breakwater Lodge.

Day 7 – Cape Town (Breakfast)
This morning, we depart on a full day tour of the Cape Winelands. We make our way directly to the Cape Winelands where we visit various wineries and other venues for the full day. Towns we may visit include Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschoek.

Overnight Breakwater Lodge.

Day 8 – Cape Town (Breakfast)
This morning you will be taken on a short orientation tour of this magnificent city. This is a city with a diverse range of attractions, sights and activities on offer; Cape Town has something for everyone. From the landmark beaches of Clifton and Camps Bay to the vibrant Victoria & Alfred Waterfront and Cape Town city centre, the scenery of the Cape Peninsula and more - time spent in Cape Town will not be forgotten.
For your own account, should you wish, and with weather permitting, we can visit Table Mountain before proceeding to the airport in time for your flight departure.