Name: Treasures of South Africa Tour: Cape Town, Kwazulu Natal, Safari
Brand: Zicasso
Price: 748 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.9 (282 reviews)

What to expect on this itinerary

Immerse yourself in South Africa's luxury on a 12-day South Africa tour that connects the country's premium highlights. Revel in the delights of Cape Town, relax on the Indian Ocean coastline, feel the serenity of the Drakensberg, then enjoy thrilling African safari in two distinctive reserves. Centered on the country's finest five-star accommodation, this is an inspiring journey through nature, culture, safari, and the finer side of South Africa.

Countries Visited

South Africa

Places Visited

Cape Town, Durban, Kwazulu Natal, Drakensberg Mountains, Thanda Private Game Reserve, Winelands

Suggested Duration

12 Days

Day 1

Cape Town – Majestic First Impressions

Land in Cape Town and Table Mountain is grandiose, towering above the city with its sense of majesty. This is your compass for four days, a dramatic expanse of rock that cascades down towards the tip of Africa. Naturally carved into its side are the Twelve Apostles. With the mountain range as its backdrop, the city stands enchantingly facing the Atlantic Ocean. Relaxed hospitality provides the ambiance to the stirring setting, welcoming you to South Africa and the luxury you'll grow to expect.

Transfer

Accommodation

Dinner

Day 2

Cape Town – Exploring the Sublime Cape Winelands

Vineyards cover the valley northeast of Cape Town, with endless rows of grapes tumbling towards 19th-century farmhouses and boutique cellars. There are hundreds of different wine farms, and your private guide will tailor the experience towards your tastes. Start the day with bubbles and delicate whites, tour 200-year old vineyards famous around the world, and meet the winemaker at small historic farms. Tasting is accompanied with sublime views over the rugged landscape, and a gourmet lunch is enjoyed in one of the region's most luxurious farms. Sampling a few Pinotage wines is usually the highlight, a chance to try South Africa's signature grape in its lush homeland. Complex on the nose but smooth on the palate, Pinotage is the unmistakable taste of hot summers and a cooling winter breeze. Return to Cape Town at your leisure.

Accommodation

Activity

Breakfast, Lunch

Day 3

Cape Town – Free Day to Discover Cape Town

Cape Town dances with color and character. Street markets are filled with the faces of the continent, gourmet cafe terraces spill onto waterfront views, and history is dotted with museums and islands while long white beaches flow into Atlantic rollers. Today is free for you to discover your side of the city; choose the history of Robben Island and reliving Mandela's incarceration, explore the vibrant hues of the Waterfront, take the cable car to Table Mountain and dozens of viewing points at the summit, or head into the city's tranquility in Kirstenbosch. A day in Cape Town isn't enough to see it all. But the city is smaller than most people realize and most attractions are within a 15-minute drive. A driver is provided, and you can handpick the pieces of Cape Town you'd like to explore.

Transfer

Accommodation

Activity

Breakfast

Day 4

Cape Town – Touring the Cape Peninsula in a Vintage Sidecar

Head south from Cape Town and the road is carved into the mountain, an engineering marvel that hangs over the ocean and offers panorama after panorama. It's an hour's drive south to the southeastern tip of Africa, a journey made exhilarating by traveling in a vintage WWII sidecar. Put on the goggles and follow the curves, stopping for photos at Chapman's Peak then soaking up the atmosphere of the fishing village of Hout Bay. Continue further, passing vast open beaches then admiring the hundreds of penguins that waddle around Boulders Beach. You can almost get close enough to touch them, a sign of things to come on your African safari. Some dive off the cliffs, others walk comically across the sand, while couples guard eggs beneath the bushes. Onwards, across the expanse of the Cape Peninsula to the two lighthouses that mark the edge of Africa. Gaze out from here and the next piece of land is Antarctica. It's a gentle drive back to Cape Town and the hotel.

Accommodation

Activity

Breakfast

Day 5 - 6

Durban – Culture, Character, and Beaches on the Tropical Kwazulu-Natal Coast

Durban is a seductive melting pot of styles and faces. Victorian architecture now houses Indian markets; Zulu traditions fuse with surf beach culture, and there's a harmonious mix of colonial influence and modern African design. And then there's the beach, stretching for endless miles as it spills into the Indian Ocean. Every coastal view is an urban tropical postcard, Durban not just being a city on the coast, but a city that's practically built upon the sand. You'll be transferred to Cape Town Airport for the two-hour flight, where you're greeted at King Shaka Airport and taken to your hotel.

For these two days, you're free to enjoy the beaches, relax in the tropical warmth, and soak up the culture of the city. A driver can be made available for guided excursions to the city's historical sights. Or it's possible to head out on the waves and sail the Indian Ocean waters. While Cape Town is dominated by the must-sees, Durban envelops you in its character and gently builds a poignant impression of a relaxed city, one filled with different faces that all have the same smile.

Accommodation

Flight

Transfer

Breakfast

Day 7 - 8

Drakensberg Mountains – Evocative History and a Timeless Atmosphere

A drive into the Drakensberg always immerses you in heritage. Circular Zulu huts dot the landscape, perched along flowing green hills and surrounded by wandering goats. Bushman rock art is dappled across caves and coves while vast battlefields reveal the Anglo-Boer war. Then there's the giraffe that roams freely and the myriad of wild antelope that graze across the slopes. Nature meets traditions and the 3,000-meter peaks of the Drakensberg stand unanimous in the distance. This rural area is one of Africa's most sublime, an expanse of mountains and fields that's occasionally broken by a tiny village.

On many days, it's possible to glimpse giraffe, antelope, and even white rhino wandering along the nearby horizon. Today is one of relaxation and leisure, enabling you to explore the natural splendor of the area. The following day, you enjoy a specialized tour of the Second Anglo-Boer War, accompanied by a historian who's a preeminent authority of the 1899-1902 conflicts. Battlefields come alive with stories of famous casts meeting on the Spioenkop. The lives of Gandhi, Winston Churchill, and Louis Botha collided, and the tales are fascinating.

Transfer

Activity

Accommodation

Breakfast

Day 9

Hluhluwe-Umfolozi – Exploring Africa's Oldest Game Reserve

Your South African journey concludes with three days of safari, based at two very different destinations and styles. Hluhluwe-Umfolozi is Africa's oldest game reserve, a place where conservation on the continent began. Around 1,000 white rhinos roam through its thick bushland, stopping on the trails as you explore with fascination. Cheetahs and leopards hide amidst the high grass, beguiling sights when you take a game drive in the late-afternoon coolness. Elephants rumble around; giraffes speckle the horizon, and hundreds of bird species signal their arrival with a call.

Over the decades, many animals have seen their range diminished. Hluhluwe-Umfolozi has provided a haven for over a century, enabling many unusual species to flourish within proximity. You'll discover bizarre antelope getting warned of predators by vibrant tropical birds; hippos dominating waterholes with their theatrical antics, and lions resting on the trail and then controlling the evening with their throaty roars. Enjoy a full-day game drive through the park in an open-top safari vehicle, and then settle in to a night on the park's outskirts. From your lodge, the safari continues. Perched on a clifftop, your chalet provides stunning views into the wilderness and the procession of life that's constantly wandering past.

Activity

Accommodation

Dinner, Lunch, Breakfast

Day 10 - 11

Thanda Private Game Reserve – Unrivaled Luxury Safari

Hluhluwe-Umfolozi offers you scale and diversity. The nearby Thanda Private Game Reserve elevates the intimacy and opulence of the safari experience. Private plunge pools provide views of wildlife; villas are surrounded by the sounds of nature, and you drive off the trail, so the famous mammals are seen at an unflinching proximity. Thanda doesn't share the same wildlife abundance, but the expression of luxury and exclusiveness more than compensate. For most of your two days, there's no other tourist or safari vehicle in sight. Radio calls alert your guide to a leopard kill, buffalos continually charge across the savanna, while there's something unforgettable about drinking champagne on a verandah as zebra herds canter past.

Thanda offers two accommodation options. The safari lodge is a hideaway full of decadence and excess, an opulent getaway centered on your 220 square meter villa. The tented camp is simpler and with very little artificial light, a complete immersion in the bush atmosphere and the sounds of nature. With both, you spend days enjoying a full range of safari activities. Game drives unveil Africa's big mammals while nighttime excursions reveal the landscape in its most primitive splendor. Enjoy game walks around the camp, an idolized way to appreciate the true scale of the Great Plains animals. Tailored wildlife photography drives are also a possibility and there's always the game viewing that continues when you're relaxing on the verandah.

Activity

Accommodation

Dinner, Lunch, Breakfast

Day 12

Johannesburg – Departure

Today you leave South Africa, but there's time for a final morning game drive and a chance to encounter Africa's famous mammals one final time. Buffalos roam as you enjoy breakfast, elephant herds unmistakably roam across the savanna, and different antelope species hang around the park gate. From Thanda, it's a one-hour transfer to Richards Bay where you board a domestic flight to Johannesburg and connect with your international departure.

Transfer

Breakfast

Trip Highlights

Immerse yourself in the wonders of Cape Town with four nights in the Mother City
Explore the Cape Winelands and visit a handful of boutique cellars and vineyards
Tour Cape Point and the southeastern tip of Africa in a vintage sidecar, stopping to spot penguins on the beach and springbok skipping across green cliffs
Bathe in the culture of Durban and spend two days relaxing on its white tropical beaches
Travel back in time and enjoy the timeless atmosphere of the Drakensberg Mountains
Go on a safari in Africa's oldest reserve, Hluhluwe-Umfolozi, a haven for white rhinos and big predatory cats
Complete the trip with two days of safari at one of Africa's most luxurious game reserves – Thanda
Enjoy some of Africa's finest luxury accommodation

Starting Price

$9,000 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

Accommodations
In-country transportation
Some or all activities and tours
Expert trip planning
24x7 support during your trip

Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.

4.9

Verified Traveler Reviews

Based on 282 reviews

Travel Review: Africa Safari, South Africa, Pretoria, Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope, Stellenbosch, Sabi Sands Game Reserve

We are fairly seasoned travellers, and did a lot of homework before planning this trip. Nothing really prepared us for how fabulous it would be. I'd say it was the trip of a lifetime, except that we fully intend to go back.

From first contact to last, this travel agency was a pleasure to deal with. They were responsive to our ideas about what we wanted to do and see, and put together several itineraries which also included many suggestions that we had not thought of.

Ours was a private 3 week tour, beginning in Durban, then to the Sabi Sands game reserve (where we stayed at the Londolozi Founders Camp). We took the Blue Train from Pretoria to Cape Town where we stayed a few days at the very lovely Cape Grace Hotel, and spent 3 wonderful days at the a wine estate near Stellenbosch.

Our travel agency arranged all of our transportation and excursions. Everything went like clockwork: all of our guides or transports were right on time, and without exception they were extremely pleasant and knowledgeable people. We learned a lot about the country from each of them.

South Africa is a long way from Canada. What made us feel very secure was that we had the personal cell phone number of our agent and knew that we could call her at any hour if something went awry.

The very best thing is that we never had to call!

I would recommend this tour company highly, and would definitely use them again,

Review: Luxury Africa Safari & Tour, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Zulu Nyala Safari Lodge, Cape Town

The following is what we wrote to the travel agency directly:

I am writing this in lieu of the survey and hope that we cover the questions. First of all, THANK YOU!!! Our agent was wonderful and accomodating in reference to the scheduling and the itinerary. She was charming and friendly and was quick to respond to my questions and requests.

Upon arrival, the woman from our tour company was nice, accomodating.

The Faircity Hotel was just what we ordered, easy and near to a couple of things. Our guide from the tour company was nice and informative. I highly recommend the Cradle of Humankind and wish we had spent a little longer there but we arrived too late. We went to the Sterkfontein Caves and would not recommend it for people of our age although it was interesting. (We're not really cave people anyway) The Apartheid Museum was good but not outstanding. We had done a lot of reading before the trip.

Next, we got our car and drove to Hazyview. Oh, we added a GPS in the rental. We had brought our own but you should recommwend to people that they make sure that their GPS has South Africa in it. I had checked it at home trying to find Johannesburg and our GPS found it so I assumed they had S Africa, but somebody later told me that there is a Jburg in the US that GPS pick up! The driving wasn't bad at all, in fact, very good and easy even for us Americans. The Tanamera Lodge was out of this world--beautiful and well managed. We drove up to Bourne's Pothole, etc, etc, which shouldn't be missed.We stopped for lunch in Graskop on the way, a cute little touristy town.

Our next leg was a long trip from there to Swaziland. Uneventful and easy to get thru the borders. Since we stopped at other craft places on the way, we didn't make it in time to see the candles or glass. The Mountain Inn accomodation was OK. We had dinner there amongst throngs of tourists but the food was good.

Then on to St Lucia Amazulu Lodge. We had been given a note at the Mountain Inn that the front office closes at 6 and we could call when we got there. Problem is--no phone!! Luckily, some other tourists were there and let us in and told us where to park the car--and therre was a night watchman who found the key for us (non-English speaking) We walked around St Lucia which is a nice town and walked out to the estuary.

We next drove to Hluhluwe the Zulu Nyala Safari Game Lodge--very good experience. The rental car was picked up the next day.

Our transfer to Durban went smoothly as did the transfer from the CT airport. We stayed at the Underberg Guesthouse, which we would recommend highly. Fortunately, our in country contact had discovered that I had booked one day short there and scrambled for us and found another guesthouse for the last night--Wergelen--terrific!!!!!!!!

CT: Robben Island (good), Greenmarket Sq--fun market and lots of cafes around; District 6 Museum, a little disappointing but we're glad we went, the V and A Waterfront for a nice lunch. Oh, and the Red and Blue buses which are hop on hop off buses touring CT and environs. Oh, our trip to Cape Point which had been arranged by the Underberg was wonderful and beautiful, stopping by several small towns. The penguins were delightful! (There was a major fire on the Cape for a couple of days, which was really sad but interesting watching the helicopters trying to put it out with seawater)

Our car was delivered to Wergelen. And we decided that we had too much stuff for the remainder of the trip so Fiona, the owner of Welgelen helped us find a shipper for our suitcases which should arrive in the PHL airport soon.(!?)

The drive to Stellenbosch and Franshoek was wonderful. The River Manor Boutique Hotel was a great find, easy walk into town, good breakfast, nice staff. We went to Oppie Dorp, good food and not expensive and to Ernie Eels restaurnat, the Big Easy--again good food. We drove thru Franshoek on the way to Hermanus since it had been recommended and the trip is FANTASTIC. (I am glad we had gotten used to driving on the left side by then thru the mountains!) We went to several wineries, including the one owned by Ernie Eels (beautiful views!!) and some others.

\Hermanus was a cute town, touristy, good for one night. Beautiful seaside.

\Oudtshoorn was very interesting as a one time deal. Not a must but good for once. The Mooiplaas GH was a good accomodation. Not much to do in the town.

Driving to Plettenberg Bay was nice. Enrico's Restaurant is about 15 mins out of town and a really nice place, highly recommended for beauty and food. By the water. Also stopped for oysters in Knysna, asking at the tourist office where good oysters were. (Quay Four), an informal place on the water with great oysters. Driving to Port Elizabeth was uneventful. We arrived late at the No 5 Boutique Art Hotel and left very early for our flight, but the hotel was magnificent and we wished we had spent a couple of nights there.

Flight to Joburg and onto Maun were fine. At that point Desert and Deltas Safaris took over and WOW--we were treated royally and it was so interesting and lots of fun and LOADS of pix. I'm glad you chose the combination of venues thru DDS, water, Okinavango Delta, Moremi, Xugana. We saw lots of animals and birds. The weather was great (a little too dry for them) but good (and hot) for us.

Victoria Falls: Transits went well and timely. We booked the sunset cruise thru the tour company that picked us up in Kusane to V Falls. We went to Zambia and Zimbabwe sides of the falls.(walking and taxi) There's a competition between the countries as to which side is better. We loved both. Zimbabwe gave a better overview but Zambia felt intimate and more into the falls. My camera shorted out in the falls in Zimbabwe, our last day :((( but it had put in 6 weeks of great pix.

All in all, a TERRIFIC trip which we would recommend to anyone (who can afford it :( ) We want our adult children to go someday. Our travel agency did a wonderful job of making sure we were well taken care of and getting us to absolutely great places.

Thank you!!!!

Barbara and Loren C

Review: Luxury Africa Family Safari, South Africa, Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Kruger National Park

I like to think of myself as a low maintenance girl, but the truth is, I’m not. And that’s ok. Work hard play hard. So when I, with my parents, husband and daughter decided to take the trip of a lifetime to South Africa, every detail was really important. We knew we wanted a mix of a Safari vacation with a visit to Capetown. For the Safari, all I had heard about was Kruger National park and then nothing else. My entire view of SA was really what I knew through friends I met during their visits to the US. I found this travel agent on Zicasso and, although she didn’t have that many reviews, she beat out two other well-known companies because of her attention to detail, her exceptional hotel recommendations and her anticipation of what we might need.

For example, when looking for Safari lodges to stay at, she asked whether we were ok being in the malaria zone because my daughter is 10 and parents are older. I had no idea the park was in the malaria zone and none of the other travel agents mentioned this to me! Instead, our agent found us a fantastic 5 star lodge in Welgevonden reserve (Mhondoro Game Lodge) where we had the absolute best guide and staff ever. She also booked us on a charter flight from Johannesburg to the reserve and back, and then the domestic flights from Johannesburg to Capetown and back (we had already booked the international flights on our own). During our trip, our agent even went online and checked us in for our flights! She also arranged for executive meet and greet services for all our intra-country transfers which helped a ton. Our travel agent also did an excellent job of booking all road transfers for us and every driver was at least 10 minutes early - we never had to wait - and super friendly and helpful. She told all hotels, restaurants, etc. that I was gluten-free, she was always available via WhatsApp during our vacation and we even met her for lunch while out for a day tour of Stellenbosch & the winelands - so nice to put her pretty face to a name.

All in all, I would HIGHLY recommend this agent and this travel team for any travel in Southern Africa (in addition to S. Africa, I believe she also does Botswana, Kenya, Zimbabwe, and some other southern African countries). This travel agent has set an extremely high standard and I wish I could just take her back home with me to organize the rest of my life!

Review: Luxury Africa Safari, South Africa & Tanzania, Zanzibar, Dulini Private Game Reserve, Franschhoek Wine Tours

Our safari travel company and our tour designer were the perfect choice for our 3+ week southern Africa vacation. We have used Zicasso referrals for several monthlong vacations, including Vietnam [2015], and this 27 day trip to southern Africa [2 Tanzania safari locations, Zanzibar Island for a beach stay, then into South Africa's Cape Town and Franschhoek in the Winelands, and finally several days the Dulini Private Game Reserve in the Sabi Sands section of Kruger National Park. Our travel agent recommended terrific lodgings (save one, more on that later) and arrangements including transfers were flawless. We have already begun a conversation with her about a future trip to the Maldives or Seychelles. She wisely steered us to the right regions for safari for our January/February travel, knowledgeably aware of where to have the best viewing opportunities, she listened to our preferences and understood our style of travel perfectly. I cannot recommend this agent and her safari travel company highly enough.

Travel Review: Luxury South Africa Safari with Zambia - Cape Town, Victoria Falls (Toka Leya Camp),...

Travel Review: Luxury Africa Safari, South Africa, Mozambique, Cape Town, Robben Island, Kruger National Park, Victoria Falls

Our trip was planned by this agent and her travel company. We loved the accommodations she chose for us. Our safari at Londolozi was the highlight of our entire trip. We were so glad we got to experience that particular camp. Our private driver/guide in Cape Town was wonderful.

I would say that our driver/guide to the Drakensburg mountains was only fair but we enjoyed our day. The weather did not co-operate so that may have flavoured our opinion.

All transfers and travel connections were easy and well-planned. Our agent was very responsive and answered all of our questions.

We were extremely pleased with our trip to South Africa.

Zicasso in the News

Treasures of South Africa Tour: Cape Town, Kwazulu Natal, Safari

What to expect on this itinerary

Countries Visited

Places Visited

Suggested Duration

Customizable Itinerary

Cape Town – Majestic First Impressions

Cape Town – Exploring the Sublime Cape Winelands

Cape Town – Free Day to Discover Cape Town

Cape Town – Touring the Cape Peninsula in a Vintage Sidecar

Durban – Culture, Character, and Beaches on the Tropical Kwazulu-Natal Coast

Drakensberg Mountains – Evocative History and a Timeless Atmosphere

Hluhluwe-Umfolozi – Exploring Africa's Oldest Game Reserve

Thanda Private Game Reserve – Unrivaled Luxury Safari

Johannesburg – Departure

Trip Highlights

Starting Price

What's Included

Verified Traveler Reviews

Customizable Itinerary

South Africa Bush & Beach Vacation: Durban, KwaZulu Natal & Thanda Private Game Reserve

Luxury Cape Town & Winelands Tour

Cape to Kruger: Classic Winelands, Cape Town & Sabi Sands Safari

South African Safari: Sabi Sands & Cape Town

Exploring the Wilderness & Winelands Tour of South Africa

African Safari to Coast Explorer: A Loop Across South Africa Tour