Classic South Africa Tour

12 Days – 11 Nights: Departure: Every day: Departure times can be adapted to suit customers needs.

HIGHLIGHTS:

Pretoria – Johannesburg – Soweto – Panorama Route – Kruger National Park – Swaziland – Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Park – iSimangaliso Wetland Park (St Lucia) & Durban,

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Touraco Travel Services-Blyde River Canyon

Burkes Luck Potholes

Touraco Tours - Classic South Africa Tour

Burchell’s Zebra

Touraco Tours - Classis South Africa Tour - Zululand

Zulu Cultural Village

Itinerary

12 Days – 11 Nights

HIGHLIGHTS:
Pretoria – Johannesburg – Soweto – Panorama Route – Kruger National Park – Swaziland – Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Park – iSimangaliso Wetland Park (St Lucia) & Durban,

Ideal to combine with Garden Route & Cape Town

Day 1: Pretoria
Your Tour Guide will meet you upon your arrival at the OR Tambo Johannesburg International Airport, from where you’ll drive to Pretoria, the Administrative Capital of South Africa and informally known as the “Jacaranda City”. During your Pretoria City Tour to visit the highlights of this city: the historical Voortrekker Monument, Church Square and the Union buildings, before you reach the Touraco Guesthouse were you can relax or enjoy an afternoon at the pool. (BB, Touraco Guesthouse, Pretoria)

Day 2: Johannesburg & Soweto
Experience the all-time high of the Carlton panorama, a view of the city from the highest office building in Africa, the 50 storey Carlton Centre at 223 m (731 ft). Drive past the financial empires of the Randlords in central Johannesburg, also the historical heart and Museum Africa as well as the old Johannesburg Stock Exchange. We also visit the poverty stricken area of Hillbrow, drive over the Mandela Bridge, go past the Old Fort and Mandela’s last home in the suburb of Houghton. From here we travel to Soweto (abbreviation for SOuth WEstern Townships) where we travel past Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Regina Mundi Catholic church and visit Vilakazi Str. were houses of former Noble Prize winners Mandela and Tutu are situated. Visit the inspiring Hector Peterson memorial and museum.

(BB, Touraco Guesthouse, Pretoria)

Day 3: Pretoria – Mpumalanga, Panorama Route

Today we travel through the beautiful Mpumalanga Province to Graskop, exploring living history in the form of Pilgrim’s Rest, the old mining village where gold was first discovered in 1873. We carry on to visit the Panorama Route, where we enjoy the spectacular view from God’s Window, drive through forested mountains and fertile plains; visit the famous “Three Rondavels” in Blyde River Canyon, one of the natural wonders of Africa and the Bourke’s Luck Potholes.
(Accommodation, dinner & breakfast – Graskop Hotel or similar)

Day 4: Kruger Park
After breakfast we travel on to the well known Kruger National Park in search of the “Big Five”. Established in 1898. this Reserve of over two million hectares (20 000km²) is unrivalled in the diversity of its flora and fauna, offering all the classical African big game, including elephant, black and white rhino, hippopotamus, giraffe, zebra, buffalo, and warthog. Large carnivores include lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog and spotted hyena. There are also many equally enticing species of smaller mammals..
For lunch (own account) we’ll stop at one of the rest camps; at sunset we’ll arrive at Satara, our over-night camp in time for a visit to the well stocked park shop.
The Central portion of Kruger consists of extensive open grass land areas or savannah. This results in the high number of predators drawn to the area due to big herds of plains game like zebra, wildebeest & buffalo.
At 19:00 we can enjoy a typical South African dinner in the restaurant (own account).
(Accommodation & breakfast – Kruger National Park)

Day 5. – Kruger Park
Early in the morning we’ll leave on our early morning drive, hoping to witness lion pack at last night’s zebra kill, or meet hyenas returning from their night encounters.
Optionally you could join a guided bush-walk in the company of two very experienced South African National Parks game rangers. On foot you might experience breathtaking encounters with lion’s, rhino, elephants and the like!
Later we’ll enjoy breakfast in the rest camp or at one of the beautiful picnic spots, depending on our early morning game encounters.
After breakfast we’ll drive south, via Tshokwane picnic site, in the direction of Skukuza. Lunch (own account) can be enjoyed in the rest camp, or you can relax at the pool.
In the late afternoon we’ll take a leisurely drive along the Sabi River on the lookout for herds of elephants, hippo and the ever entertaining troops of baboons.
(Accommodation & breakfast – Kruger National Park)

Day 6. – Kruger Park
Again we’ll leave on our early morning drive, hoping to meet hyenas returning from their night encounters.
Breakfast will be enjoyed at one of the parks exiting, unfenced picnic spots, or in one of the rest camps, depending on our early morning game encounters.
After breakfast we’ll continue our drive. Lunch (own account) can be enjoyed in the rest camp, or you can relax at the pool, before we depart for our afternoon drive in search of the elusive leopard. As an option you might decide to join an optional night game drive.

The extensive park shop allows you to stock up on cool drinks & biltong.
The southern part of Kruger is the most popular area of the park due to its proximity to Johannesburg /Pretoria, the extensive roads and the multitude of game, including birds, generally found here.
(Accommodation & breakfast – Kruger National Park)

Day 7. – Swaziland
Again, as the sun rises on the last morning we rise early to see the last of the nocturnal animals return from last night encounters. Breakfast will be enjoyed along the way before we’ll continue our drive down south. Hopefully we’ll see some of the from extinction threatened rhino, before we leave the park towards the enchanting Kingdom of Swaziland. Swaziland is known for its vibrant markets packed with woven baskets, beadwork and carvings. We visit the Ngwenya Glass Factory to see master craftsmen fashion collectable figures and functional art out of molten glass. (DBB Swaziland) approx. 380 km

Day 8: Zululand
After breakfast we visit some craft shops and the colorful Manzini market, before we drive through the lowveld of Swaziland towards Zululand in northern KwaZulu-Natal. The area is rich in historical and cultural significance. Zulu kraals or villages in the region display the traditional Zulu way of life to visitors. (Accommodation & breakfast – Hluhluwe area) approx 190 km

Day 9: Hluhluwe
Today we spend game viewing in the Hluhluwe–Umfolozi Game Reserve, the oldest proclaimed nature reserve in Africa. It consists of 960 km² (96,000 ha) of hilly topography 280 kilometres (170 mi) north of Durban in central KwaZulu-Natal, where all the big five game animals occur. The park is known for its conservation efforts to protect one of the largest populations of white rhino in the world. The area was originally a royal hunting ground for the Zulu kingdom, but was established as a park in 1895.

Should you wish, you can take part on a game drive in open vehicles (own account). In the afternoon we drive on to St. Lucia. (BB St. Lucia)

Day 10: St Lucia
iSimangaliso Wetland Park (until 2007 the Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park) is a World Heritage Site. The region contains the highest vegetated dunes in the world, extensive and diverse wetland systems, as well as coastal grasslands with an associated fauna which includes Africa’s highest density of common reedbuck. Numerous waterfowl, grassland, forest and sea birds provide an attraction to birdwatchers from around the world. Enjoy a river cruise on the estuary (own account) where you are likely to see pelicans, fish eagles, hippos and crocodiles from nearby.

In the afternoon you can relax on the beach, or at the pool or take part in a Zulu cultural show (own account)(BB St. Lucia)

Day 11: Durban

We enjoy breakfast before we carry on with our journey past endless sugar cane plantations towards Durban, where we drive past numerous historical buildings and visit the Golden Mile Beachfront and the colourful Indian market. An optional visit to the uShaka Marine World (aquarium) is possible. (BB – Umlodti Beach/Umhlanga area)

Day 12: Tour ends or joins up with another Tour
After a relaxing Breakfast you’ll be taken to the uShaka Durban international Airport for a flight to Cape Town, Port Elizabeth or Johannesburg, or we drive back to Johannesburg/Pretoria for your flight back home.

can also be booked as self-drive tour:

Further Tour information:

12 Days – 11 Nights: Departure: Every day: Departure times can be adapted to suit customers needs

Guided Tours: (Prices are “Per person sharing”, based on 4 participants traveling together. Prices for more or fewer participants are available on request)

Included:
* Pick-up at OR Tambo airport (Johannesburg), or your Hotel in Johannesburg/Pretoria
* 11 nights accommodation in a Guest House/Hotel with breakfast or National Parks in en-suite Chalet or Safari Tent.
* Guided tour, including game drives in Kruger Park & Hluhluwe in Air-conditioned vehicle, conducted by a SA Tourism registered guide.
* Kruger & Hluhluwe entrance fees (conservation fees)
* Tourism Levy
* Value Added Tax

Not included:
* All flight costs
* All Entrance Fees and meals other than specified above
* Optional night game-drive
* Optional Bush-walk
* Meals not indicated
* All Gratuities
* Medical Aid or Travel Insurance

Tour Info:
Tours are generally conducted in English. Surcharge applies for foreign language guides.
Daily drives, selection of breakfast sites, etc. are decided by the Tour Guide, dependent on opening times of camp gates, game availability & weather.

Tour can also be booked as Self-Drive Tour

In your booking requests kindly provide us with the following info:
1. Number of persons in your group (no minimum number, published tours are priced for 4 participants)
2. Start date (Safaris start daily)
3. Place of departure (early morning, from Pretoria/Johannesburg)
4. Number of nights preferred
5. Optional Bush-walk or Night Game Drive

Price information:
All prices are quoted in South African Rand (ZAR), including Value Added Tax (VAT).