South Africa Essentials

A Pilanesberg game drive, Sun City's wave pool, Table Mountain and the Cape Peninsula in one week.

Your route

1. 1 Johannesburg 1 night
2. 2 Sun City 2 nights
3. 3 Cape Town 3 nights

1. Day 1 Johannesburg

   Arrive, check in, free time.

   Welcome to South Africa. On arrival at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, our driver meets you for a private transfer to your hotel in Sandton, the city's modern business and shopping district. Check in and rest after the flight. In the evening, walk around Nelson Mandela Square, with its tall bronze statue of Madiba, and Sandton City mall, where you will find restaurants serving many cuisines, including Indian food. Keep valuables out of sight and use hotel taxis at night. Overnight in Johannesburg.

2. Day 2 Sun City

   Drive to Sun City resort.

   After breakfast, drive north-west to Sun City, about 170 km and two and a half hours, through the farmland of the North West province. Sun City is a large resort with hotels, a casino, golf courses and the Lost City, built around the legend of an ancient African palace. Check in and spend the afternoon at leisure. Walk across the Bridge of Time, which shakes and rumbles every hour, and explore the resort's gardens. Afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer. Overnight in Sun City.

3. Day 3 Sun City

   Pilanesberg game drive, Valley of the Waves.

   Wake before dawn for a morning game drive in Pilanesberg National Park, set inside the crater of an ancient extinct volcano right next to Sun City. The park is home to the Big Five: lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo, along with giraffes, zebras and hippos. Pilanesberg is malaria-free, which makes it ideal for families. Return for breakfast, then spend the afternoon at the Valley of the Waves, the resort's water park with a wave pool and sandy beach. Overnight in Sun City.

4. Day 4 Cape Town

   Fly to Cape Town.

   After breakfast, drive back to Johannesburg airport, about two and a half hours, for your flight to Cape Town, which takes around two hours. Our driver meets you on arrival for the transfer to your hotel. Cape Town sits between Table Mountain and the Atlantic Ocean and is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Spend the evening at the V&A Waterfront, a lively harbour area with shops, restaurants and views of Table Mountain at sunset. Overnight in Cape Town.

5. Day 5 Cape Town

   City tour and Table Mountain.

   A guided tour of Cape Town. Ride the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway, whose cars rotate as they climb, to the flat top of the mountain for views over the city, Robben Island and the Cape Peninsula. The cableway runs only in clear weather, so we plan around the forecast. Then visit the colourful houses of the Bo-Kaap, the historic Cape Malay quarter, and the Company's Garden in the city centre. Evening free at the waterfront. Carry a light jacket for the windy summit. Overnight in Cape Town.

6. Day 6 Cape Town

   Cape Point, Boulders Beach, Seal Island.

   A full day around the Cape Peninsula. From Hout Bay, take a boat to Seal Island, home to thousands of Cape fur seals. Drive along Chapman's Peak, one of the world's great coastal roads, to Cape Point. Ride the Flying Dutchman funicular up to the old lighthouse and walk to the Cape of Good Hope. On the way back, visit Boulders Beach to see the colony of African penguins walking on the sand. Return to Cape Town by evening. Overnight in Cape Town.

7. Day 7 Cape Town

   Departure.

   After breakfast, check out of your hotel. Depending on your flight time, enjoy some last shopping at the V&A Waterfront for rooibos tea, African crafts or South African wine. Our driver transfers you to Cape Town International Airport for your flight home. Please reach three hours before departure, and claim VAT refunds on eligible purchases at the airport. Pack wine bottles well in checked baggage. Your South Africa holiday ends here, with memories of safaris, mountains, penguins and two oceans meeting at the Cape.

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