South Africa - Featured Trips

Discover the Marine Big 5 (whales, sharks, dolphins, seals and penguins), as well as the classic safari Big 5 (buffalo, elephant, rhino, lion and leopard) on this magical whale watching tour. The best time to travel is during South Africa's winter season from July to November, but don't be put of by this. Winters in South Africa are nothing like the European and North American winters. It is also a lovely quiet time of year and with low season rates great value for money.

At least 37 species of whales and dolphins can be found in the waters off South Africa, including Southern Right and Humpback whales. During the winter period Southern Right whales migrate into the coastal waters of the Western Cape to calve and nurse their young and therefore can often been seen up close along the coast.

This itinerary is suitable for both couples and families and offers a wide range of different activities to keep everybody interested and entertained. The accommodation used for both couple and families has been specifically chosen to suit their different requirements (couples=first named accommodation and families=second named accommodation).

Experience Cape Town's vibrant urban culture during this 5-day City tour that includes guided walks through the city centre and historical Bo-Kaap, a lesson in Cape Malay cooking and a visit one of Cape Town's urban townships. Choose from a variety of additional day tours, such as the beautiful Cape Point Nature Reserve, learn to make African beaded jewellery or participate in a music tour.

During your stay, you will be based at one of Cape Town's most exciting urban boutique hotels, within close proximity of the city's best restaurants, art galleries and theatres. The itinerary is flexible, and provides you with enough time to explore the sights and sounds of the Mother City. On arrival you will be provided with a calendar and information about cultural events and shows available during your stay, as well as a list of the best nearby restaurants.

This itinerary is ideal for those people interested in a vibrant inner city experience with a passion for culture, history, architecture and art. The ideal traveller will be independent and likes to explore art galleries and restaurants at their own pace, but enjoys the occasional guided excursions led by local guides to get a feel for the life and culture of the destination. This itinerary is not suitable for families with young children.

This Classic Cape & Garden Route itinerary is ideal for the first time visitors to the Western Cape & South Africa, and includes all the major Cape Town and Garden Route highlights. It offer time for shopping and good food in Cape Town, wine tasting in some of South Africa's most famous vineyards and visiting Table Mountain. But also plenty of opportunity for sightseeing, enjoying the natural environment and South Africa's Rainbow Nation's culture, good food, beach, and lots of different activities like whale watching (land and water based - seasonal), penguins and Big 5 wildlife safari in the malaria free Eastern Cape Game Reserve of Amakhala.

The trip and accommodation will suit couples, but can easily be tailored to accommodate families with children of varying ages. Although this trip is on a self-drive basis providing maximum flexibility, guided options are also available on request. To suit a range of budgets, we can tailor this trip with more standard accommodation or a nice mixture of both.

This trip is designed to showcase the success of biodiversity initiatives in the Western Cape and is an excellent example of an eco-tourism experience in South Africa. All participants in our Biodiversity & Wine Route are committed to conservation, sustainability and social upliftment. Discover the beautiful city of Cape Town and surrounds with visits to Kirstenbosch Gardens and Cape Point National Park. Explore an off-the-beaten track eco-wine route and visit boutique wine estates, who are all members of the Biodiversity & Wine Initiative. A guided tour of the natural vegetation communicates the wine producers' stories and the role of biodiversity conservation in sustainable wine production. The Cape Floral Kingdom is the smallest yet richest plant kingdom on earth, and has earned international recognition as a global biodiversity hotspot. Visit a luxurious nature retreat located on the Fynbos Route in the unspoilt Overberg region.

This itinerary is ideal for second time visitors to South Africa and those who want to avoid main tourist centres. The tour is designed for nature lovers with an interest in learning more about the diverse Cape Floral Kingdom and other biomes in the Western Cape. Wine lovers with an interest in sustainable wine production will have the opportunity to get to know a community of wine growers and grape producers with a common interest in conservation, sustainability and social upliftment.

Enjoy the unexpected pleasures of the Breede River Valley and Klein Karoo along Route 62, a scenic inland route which links the harbour cities of Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. Route 62 is a shorter, more interesting and uncrowded alternative to the N2 highway, and greatly affects the economy of smaller towns and communities which have been beautifully preserved. You will soon discover that the area offers the visitor an adventure, both in the physical sense, and visually, with a kaleidoscope of scenic experiences. The Robertson Wine Valley is one of the Western Cape's best kept secrets and the region produces some of South Africa's finest wines.

This itinerary is ideal for second time visitors, who have already experienced the Garden Route and Cape Winelands and are looking for a different experience. The ideal traveller prefers the freedom to explore sights and attractions at their own pace, have a sense of adventure, and appreciate the charm and quirkiness of small town culture. Accommodation offered is a mix of mid-range farm-style country houses, a luxury safari lodge and an intimate coastal guesthouse, and the itinerary can be tailored to accommodate families with children.

The safari location is selected for the beautiful setting, diverse ecosystems and variety of game, although not a Big Five experience. What makes the game experience at Samara also interesting is their Cheetah Conservation project.

Embark on an adventurous wildlife safari in a 12,000 hectare unspoiled wilderness concession area in the Kruger National Park, the largest game reserve in South Africa. Follow animal tracks on foot through this environmentally sensitive area that offers the traditional Big Five as well as a remarkable diversity of animal and plant life. Explore the vibrant culture and get to know the Swazi lifestyle during an interactive visit to some craft projects and homesteads in the area. Explore the iSimangaliso Wetland Park by boat or canoe, enjoy guided coastal forest walks in Northern Maputoland and go snorkelling in crystal clear rock pools along a deserted stretch of coastline.

This itinerary is ideal for well-travelled families with teenage children (pref. 12 yrs and older) and first time visitors to Africa. The nature of the activities ensures that you will get close to wildlife, accompanied by highly qualified guides who will share their wealth of bush knowledge. The itinerary is designed to include lots of activities and minimum driving time to keep teenagers stimulated and entertained. Children under 12 yrs old are unfortunately not allowed at Plains Camp and on guided walks, but alternative accommodation options can be used to accommodate younger children.

Limpopo is a land of beautiful and contrasting landscapes, a rich natural and cultural heritage and abundance of wildlife. The Greater Kruger private game reserves, home to the Big Five, offer exceptional game viewing without the distraction of large tourist buses on the busy tarred routes within the Park itself. Venture deeper into Limpopo to the Soutpansberg region, a magical place steeped in Venda mythology and legend. Explore the area's community art & craft routes and visit the Mapungubwe World Heritage Site at the confluence of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers, a landmark in the area.

This itinerary is ideal for the discerning, adventurous traveller who enjoys exploring distant lands and indigenous cultures. The route is simple to navigate and roads are fairly good and well signposted, but you will need to be willing to explore some of the sites independently, which requires a sense of adventure. Accommodation in the first part of the itinerary is rustic, but comfortable, exclusive and intimate. This safari is suitable for both couples and families with older children (preferably 12 years and older).

This trip takes you from the Kalahari right down to Cape Town, covering some of the most amazing scenery in Southern Africa. This part of South Africa is still relatively unknown to international tourists yet offers some stunning arid landscapes and less well known wildlife such as the Oryx and Jackal. The cultural heritage of the Eastern Cape is also rich as these open landscapes are the traditional hunting grounds of the San people. This tour contrasts both the modern international city life of Cape Town with the traditional lifestyles of the San whose culture is thousands of years old.

What better way to treat yourself to an action-packed reef & shark scuba-diving and Big 5 wildlife safari extravaganza in the glorious and diverse KwaZulu Natal? Starting with diving on Aliwal Shoal & Protea Banks, described by Jacques Cousteau as the best shark diving site in the world. Followed by diving in Sodwana Bay, South Africa's diving Mecca and marine reserve within the World Heritage Site St Lucia Wetland Park, and the icing on the cake a wildlife safari in Hluhluwe/Umfolozi National Park.

This Shark & Seal Scuba-Dive Safari showcases some of the best diving in South Africa. Starting with an exciting dive programme in the Western Cape with shore & boat dives (incl. seal & wreck dives), shark tank dive in Cape Town's Two Oceans Aquarium and a Great white shark cage dive in Gansbaai.

For the second part you will fly to Kwa-Zulu Natal and dive the famous Aliwal Shoal and Protea Banks. The excitement keeps coming! During June to October you are sure to see the Ragged Tooth Sharks as they congregate to mate. It is not uncommon to find 15-150 of these ferocious looking, but docile animals on one single dive. During November to February you can expect to see Hammerheads and the Zambezi sharks, the latter staying on until about May-June.

The Mehloding guided hiking trail is a Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa (FTTSA) accredited and community owned. The trail is located in the relatively unexplored southern Drakensberg, at the junction of the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu Natal, and southern Lesotho.

The trail covers 7 days with 6 overnight stops at simple, but comfortable lodges constructed by local people with traditional designs and materials. A local guide accompanies all hikes and provides information on the sights, attractions, local customs, and language.

The hiking trail takes you on a path of rich and diverse natural and cultural heritage of Xhosa and Sotho communities. The route traverses spectacular mountainous foothills and rural villages, taking in visits to ancient rock-art, sparkling streams, indigenous trees, medicinal plants, craft projects, and top of the world views.

Please be aware that the Mehloding hiking trail is of moderate nature and the accommodation is simple, but clean and comfortable.

Stay Another Day in Cape Town and get to know the real Mother City. Extend your itinerary to include interesting and off-the-beaten track experiences, such as the Cape Malay Cooking Safari, Walking with Baboons and a Township Cycling Safari. Below you will find more examples of activities and excursions that you can add to your Cape Town itinerary to extend your stay and learn more about its natural environment, people and cultures.

All of the below Stay Another Day suggestions create jobs & social upliftment and are as environmentally friendly as possible. They are also carefully chosen for their sustainability and many are FTTSA accredited. For more information and prices, please contact us.

Stay Another Day and get to know the real Garden Route. Change or extend your itinerary to include interesting and off-the-beaten track experiences, such as the Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour, Homestays in the Knysna area and township tours in Port Elizabeth. You will find more activities and excursions below that you can add to your Garden Route itinerary to extend your stay and learn more about its natural environment, people and cultures.

All of the below Stay Another Day suggestions create jobs & social upliftment and are as environmentally friendly as possible. They are also carefully chosen for their sustainability and many are FTTSA accredited. For more information and prices, please contact us.

Stay Another Day in the diverse and beautiful province of KwaZulu Natal and get to know the real Zulu Kingdom. Extend your itinerary to include interesting and off-the-beaten track experiences, such as the Mehloding Adventure Trails, St Lucia Hippo & Croc Cruise and a Battlefield tour. Below you will find more examples of activities and excursions that you can add to your KwaZulu Natal itinerary to extend your stay and learn more about its natural environment, people and cultures.

All of the below Stay Another Day suggestions create jobs & social upliftment and are as environmentally friendly as possible. They are also carefully chosen for their sustainability and many are FTTSA accredited. For more information and prices, please contact us.

Stay Another Day in hidden gem of Limpopo and get to know the real Land of Legends. Extend your itinerary to include interesting and off-the-beaten track experiences, such as the Mapungubwe World Heritage Site, Baobabwe Peace Trail or Art & Craft Workshops. Below you will find more examples of activities and excursions that you can add to your Limpopo itinerary to extend your stay and learn more about its natural environment, people and cultures.

All of our Stay Another Day suggestions create jobs & social upliftment and are as environmentally friendly as possible. They are also carefully chosen for their sustainability and many are FTTSA accredited. For more information and prices, please contact us.

Stay Another Day and get to know the real Western Cape region. Change or extend your itinerary to include interesting and off-the-beaten track experiences. Whale Watching Boat Cruise, Shark Cage Diving and !Khwa ttu San Culture are just some of the examples of activities and excursions that you can add to your Western Cape itinerary to extend your stay and learn more about its natural environment, people and cultures.

All of the below Stay Another Day suggestions create jobs & social upliftment and are as environmentally friendly as possible. They are also carefully chosen for their sustainability and many are FTTSA accredited. For more information and prices, please contact us.