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Ultimate South Africa

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New Release Fully Guided Adventure Small Group Wildlife
Our Price From 4,164 Per Person
Exclusive Savings 735 Per Person
 Trip Length
18 Days
 Trip Starts
Cape Town
 Trip Finishes
Cape Town
18 Day Ultimate South Africa Itinerary (G Adventures)
Countries Explored: South Africa
Trip Style
Classic
Departures
Budget
Affordable
Max. Group Size
18
Pace
Moderate
Guide Level
Fully Guided
Trip Code
DSCA

Overview

Book online and enjoy exclusive savings on G Adventures 18 Day Ultimate South Africa. You can see the best of South Africa in just under three weeks on this epic 18-day adventure from Cape Town and back. Spend a week in Greater Kruger and Kruger National Park with thrilling bush walks, safari drives, and unforgettable bush braais. Then, head south to hit the iconic Garden Route, trekking through national parks and spotting wildlife at every turn. Treat yourself to delicious South African cuisine and raise a glass (or two!) in the vineyards of Franschhoek. Finish your journey right where it began...read more — back in Cape Town — guided every step of the way by your awesome local CEO. It’s the full South African experience, and it’s calling your name.

Itinerary

Arrive at any time. Attend an evening welcome meeting at the joining hotel before an optional group dinner. Stay: Inn on the Square

Enjoy breakfast and then depart for Table Mountain. Ride to the time on the cable car and explore the area on hiking trails leading to scenic views before riding back down. Spend the afternoon on your own partaking in one of the many optional activities in the area. Tonight, choose to attend another group dinner to celebrate your beautiful day in this vibrant city. Stay: Inn on the Square (B)

Transfer to the airport in the morning and fly from Cape Town to Johannesburg. Enjoy an included Braai dinner to get a taste of South African fare for the next leg of your adventure. Stay: Onomo Johannesburg Sandton Hotel (B/D)

Depart Johannesburg early to get a jump start on today's long drive. An included lunch along the way will break up the drive and give you a chance to stretch your legs. Arrive to your lodge accommodations in the late afternoon, just in time to freshen up for dinner with the group. Stay: Awelani Lodge (B/L/D)

Wake up bright and early today for an included bush walk. Take this opportunity to get up close and personal with the incredible nature that surrounds you. Enjoy a picnic lunch after the walk and then a few hours of well earned rest back at the lodge. In the later afternoon set off on a safari drive to the wildlife in Kruger National Park. Stay: Awelani Lodge (B/L/D)

Enjoy an early start this morning to enter the park and enjoy the full-day safari drive through Kruger in search of the Big Five. After an exciting day out in the wild, arrive late afternoon to your lodge and enjoy some local fare during dinner this evening. Stay: Umbhaba Eco Lodge (B/D)

Another full day in Kruger awaits. Hop into a 4x4 to enjoy a more intimate wildlife safari drive, one offering a fresh perspective of the scenery and animals around you. Finish the day with a delicious dinner with your fellow travelers. Stay: Umbhaba Eco Lodge (B/D)

Spend a free day in the area and choose which optional activities are best for you. Possible options include a morning or afternoon safari drive in Kruger National Park, or a full-day tour along the Panorama Route to set those photography skills to the test. The route offers unbelievable views at every turn and traverses the Great Escarpment via thrilling mountain passes. Stay: Umbhaba Eco Lodge (B/D)

After breakfast at the lodge, witness first-hand the large role conservation plays in Kruger and the surrounding areas on an educational visit to The Jane Goodall Institute Chimpanzee Eden, commonly referred to as Chimp Eden. This animal sanctuary for rescued chimpanzees is located in the Umhloti Nature Reserve and a tour here is the perfect way to celebrate a visit to South Africa. Arrive to the lively city of Johannesburg in the early evening and enjoy a group dinner at the hotel. Stay: Onomo Johannesburg Sandton Hotel (B)

Depart Johannesburg in the morning and board a flight to Port Elizabeth. Transfer the hotel before a free afternoon in Port Elizabeth. Join an optional group dinner in the evening. Stay: The Kelway Hotel (B)

Experience the wildlife and landscapes of Addo Elephant National Park during a morning safari drive with knowledgeable guides in search of rhinos, lions, buffalo, leopards, and of course, elephants. Have a picnic breakfast out in the bush and finish the drive in the afternoon. There will be free time to have lunch in the area before returning to Port Elizabeth to spend a leisurely evening on your own. Stay: The Kelway Hotel (B)

After breakfast depart for Tsitsikamma National Park, part of the famed Garden Route on the South Coast of South Africa. The area is valued for its diverse natural and cultural heritage. Enjoy a CEO-led hike along the Mouth Trail and wander along a winding boardwalk through the forest. In the afternoon partake in the Big Tree walk with your CEO, which will take you through indigenous forest to an eight hundred-year-old Yellowwood towering over the rest of the canopy. The remainder of the evening is at your leisure. Stay: Tsitsikamma Village Inn (B/L)

Enjoy an entire free day in the Tsitsikamma area. Choose between optional activities like, the Woodcutters’ Journey, a tree canopy tour, a seasonal whale watching excursion, or whitewater tubing. Your opportunity to remain active awaits. Have dinner with the group back at the hotel in the evening. Stay: Tsitsikamma Village Inn (B/D)

In the morning the group will visit the Robberg Nature Reserve featuring stunning coastal scenery and some of the best hiking in the country. Walk along the Gap Circuit and see evidence of the prehistoric break-up of the supercontinent of Gondwanaland some 120 million years ago. Travel onwards to Knysna for an orientation drive along the waterfront, through the town centre, to the hip eateries and shops on Thesen Island, and through the lush landscapes of the Knysna Forest full of indigenous trees. Arrive back in town for a free afternoon to enjoy optional activities or to simply relax in the beauty of your surroundings. Stay: Knysna Log-Inn Hotel (B)

Breakfast will be had at the hotel before an included visit to The Knysna Heads, which enclose and form the Knysna River Estuary. Visit some of the main attractions on the Eastern Head, walk along a pathway at the foot of the cliffs and learn about the importance of the land to the local population. Spend the remainder of the day as you wish and try some of the optional activities, like an oyster tour which the area is known for. Stay: Knysna Log-Inn Hotel (B)

Rise early for a long, but jam-packed day of epic scenery and unforgettable sights as you drive the more scenic way from Knysna to Franschhoek. First stop is the harbour town of Mossel Bay to visit the lighthouse and walk in the area. Drive along Tradouw Pass next, through the lesser-known gem of Gatplaats Nature Reserve for a short walk and enjoy hilly views to reach the town of Barrydale. Have an included outdoor lunch at a local restaurant and enjoy a wine tasting. Arrive to Franschhoek in the evening and have dinner on your own. Stay: Protea Hotel Franschhoek (B/L)

Start the morning off with a CEO-led orientation walk along Franschhoek’s main street. The remainder of the day is free for optional activities like a guided bike tour Stellenbosch, a history and art tour, or perhaps a winery visit in a region celebrated for its delicious grape varieties. Dinner this evening will be on your own. Stay: Protea Hotel Franschhoek (B)

Leave the picturesque winelands of Franschhoek behind this morning and depart for Cape Town. Stop along the way to walk up the city’s iconic Signal Hill and site of the Noon Gun, one of Cape Town’s oldest living traditions. Enjoy the fantastic views from the top and catch a full glimpse of Cape Town's many landmarks. The tour ends upon arrival in Cape Town around 1:30pm. (B)

Trip Inclusions

  • Ride the cable car up Table Mountain.
  • Sit down to a traditional South African braai (barbecue).
  • Take part in a wildlife bushwalk.
  • Embark on wildlife safari drives inside Kruger National Park.
  • Visit the Jane Goodall Institute’s Chimp Eden.
  • Enjoy traditional dancing and dinner.
  • Spot wildlife on Safari drives in Addo National Park.
  • Explore Tsitsikamma National Park with your CEO.
  • Walk in Robberg Nature Reserve on the Gap Circuit.
  • Head overland on a scenic drive between Knysna and Franschhoek with stops at Mossel Bay and Barrydale.
  • Dig into Lunch and wine tasting at a vineyard in Barrydale.

  • Your Welcome Moment: Meet Your CEO and Group
  • Table Mountain cable car ride and visit
  • Nature Walk
  • Wildlife Safari Drive
  • Traditional Dinner and Local Dancing
  • Kruger National Park Open Vehicle Wildlife Safari Drive
  • Jane Goodall's Chimp Eden Tour
  • Free time in Cape Town
  • Addo National Park Safari drives
  • CEO-led hike in Tsitsikamma National Park
  • Big Tree Visit Tsitsikamma
  • Walk in Robberg Nature Reserve on the Gap Circuit
  • Driving and walking orientation tour of Knysna
  • Knysna Heads Visit
  • Scenic drive between Knysna and Franschhoek with stops at Mossel Bay and Barrydale
  • Lunch at a vineyard in Barrydale
  • CEO-led orientation walk of Franschhoek
  • Signal Hill walk
  • Free time in Tsitsikamma, Knysna, and Franschhoek
  • All transport between destinations and to/from included activities

  • Hotels (12 Nights), Tented Camp (2 Nights) Lodges (3 Nights)
  • Start and end hotels on this tour offer comfortable accommodations with en-suite bathrooms, standard facilities, and wifi. Additional amenities vary from location to location. Please see the hotel listings on the Full Itinerary if you would like to learn more about the offerings of your accommodations. Please remember that hotel/lodge/camp standards can be different from what you are used to in your home country, which is part of the appeal of adventure travel. Note: Under certain circumstances, we reserve the right to change accommodation and provide something slightly different to what is described, though it will always be of similar or better standard/level.
  • Camping in Africa is truly an adventure. You will be able to get off the beaten track to get a first-hand experience of the beautiful wilderness and nature. While camping, we stay at designated campsites in national parks and outside towns. Campsite facilities in southern Africa are generally good, but can be basic in certain places. There are generally small restaurants and/or bars, flush toilets, showers (generally outdoors, some with simple reed enclosures), washing facilities and telephones available. Additionally, warm water is available at most sites, but it is not guaranteed to always be warm when you take your shower; the warm water may be used up by others who also use the camp. We usually set-up camp within close proximity to the toilet facilities, though occasionally to reach them you may have to walk a short distance.
  • We sleep in good quality, durable, industry-standard 2-person safari canvas tents. Please note that most adults will not be able to fully stand up inside the tents, though most travellers find these more than adequate, as they have a base area of approximately 4 square meters. These tents are regularly treated with a waterproofing agent, but under certain rainy conditions, the tent fabric may become saturated to the point where seepage or leakage may occur. All tents have built-in mesh insect netting on the windows and doors.
  • We travel with our own portable camp chairs with a comfortable back-rest, and we utilize our own cooking equipment to provide the group good quality camp meals.
  • In camping within the national parks and conservation areas, some camp sites are enclosed for keeping the resident wildlife out. Other camps are open to the natural environment – care must be taken, especially at night, when a torch/flashlight is recommended when walking around the camp area.
  • Please note that due to the high demand for accommodation in the parks, sometimes we will arrange alternative accommodation outside of the park.

  • CEO (Chief Experience Officer) throughout, local guides

  • 17 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 7 dinners

  • Private vehicles, safari vehicles, walking

  • Accommodation, itinerary and inclusions subject to change.
  • Price is for land, cruise and internal flights as specified. Flights not specified are not included

Brochure

G Adventures Earth (2025) Brochure

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Getting the most out of every single day — that’s living life to the fullest. It’s squeezing in as many moments as you can that make you laugh, make you feel, make you scream, that make you see the world a little differently. It’s trying something new just to prove you’ve got it in you. Then waking up, and doing it all over again.

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Note
A definite departure means minimum numbers have been reached for this departure to operate. Your Global Journeys Travel Advisor will check the availability of your departure date when you enquire. Additional savings may apply. We guarantee the lowest price in USA. T&C’s apply.
Note
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Pricing and trip details are correct at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by G Adventures. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from G Adventures. These should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.

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