• 13 Breakfast (B)

• Marrakesh: A modular trip means fellow travellers will join and leave at various locations. There’ll be some goodbyes, sure, but there’ll also be plenty of hellos with new like-minded travellers.
• Cape Town: Generally, the tap water in most of the locations we visit is safe to drink (and readily available too!) We don’t provide bottled water due to our sustainability promise, but your Trip Manager will sort you out for anything you might need during the trip.
• Cape Town: The question should be – when is it not the best time to travel to South Africa?In the summer (October to April), you’ll find perfect beach weather at our coastal destinations, and lush green landscapes everywhere. It also tends to be the birthing season (baby animals!!!). Winter (May to August) in South Africa is probably the best time for safaris since you’ll find wildlife gathering around waterholes.Luckily, the chances of spotting the Big 5 is equally good throughout the year. And if you’re here for the whales, visiting between June to November would be your best bet.
• Cape Town: You can book your flights with departure times after 7pm on our last day. We’ll arrive at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg at around 4pm.
• Cape Town: We recommend that you book an Uber from the airport. It’s the easiest and most convenient way to get to the start locations on our trips.
• Chobe National Park: As the name suggests, a Special Stay ain’t your ordinary accommodation – it’s much more than that. Think of it as an experience in its own right. On this trip, you’ll be able to camp under the stars (all while being surrounded by wildlife) at your Special Stay.
• Amboseli: Nope, you’re all good! All equipment (tents, sleeping bags, etc) will be provided for you.
• Amboseli: You don’t have to. Your road crew will set up camp, cook meals, and clean up afterwards – but you’re always welcome to help!
• Amboseli: You’ll have access to proper bathrooms with real toilets, hot showers and everything you need – just shared with the crew.

• Cango Caves: Tour Africa’s largest limestone caves system. At over 20 million years old, it makes our nan look like a spring chicken.  
• Addo Elephant National Park: See these gentle giants in their natural habitat as you cruise in our Contiki coach through this scenic National park. Also be on the lookout for giraffes, antelopes, buffaloes, warthogs and all of Africa’s incredible wildlife.
• Jeffreys Bay: Known for its waves, its calamari and its natural beauty, there’s no beach quite like Jeffreys Bay Beach. Don’t forget your sunscreen!
• Knysna: If you’re looking for dramatic scenery, a trek through Tsitsikamma National Park will give you plenty of ops to fill up your memories and Insta feed. 
• Knysna: Stretch out on the golden sands and enjoy some sea air at one of South Africa’s best beaches.  
   
• Hermanus: Sensational scenery plus your favourite seabird, is this the detour of your dreams or is this the detour of your dreams?
• Stellenbosch: Get to know the photogenic wine town of Stellenbosch. Rich in vineyards, but even richer in history.
• Cape Town: Bo-Kaap. The City Centre. V&A Waterfront. This tour takes in all the historical sites & attractions of the Mother City.  
• Cape Town: Stroll around the scenic harbour and enjoy some Insta-worthy views, at South Africa’s most-visited attraction. 
• Mbabane: We’ll cross the border to Eswatini and travel to a local village where we’ll meet some locals, spend time with them and find out all about their culture and everyday life.
• Kruger: Our Special Stay is located right inside one of Africa’s most famous National Parks and is also within one of its most popular Main Camps – Lower Sabie. The fenced-in camp is perched on the banks of the Sabie River with a shop, swimming pool and riverside restaurant (to look out for wildlife coming down to drink!). Our exclusive camp comprises of canvas dome tents with stretchers, mattresses, linen and towels plus charging outlets and a communal firepit to sit around late into the night gazing at the stars and listening to the calls of nocturnal animals.
• Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary: Traverse through Mlilwane on your own two feet, keeping your eyes peeled for antelope, wildebeest and more as you go. With a local guide on hand to make sure everyone is going the right way.
• Kruger National Park: We’ll go on an adventure in the world famous Kruger National Park, keep your eyes peeled for animal sightings!
• Kruger National Park: Wanna know how K9 Dogs protect wildlife? Come meet one of our Rangers who’ll tell you all about the K9 Watchdog Project, their fight against poachers, and how your donations from the MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience helps them save Africa’s wildlife from extinction.
• Kruger National Park: Keep your eyes peeled and those binoculars close. We’re heading out to spot more magnificent wildlife (cross those fingers for rhino’s!) and stunning scenery with our last game drive as we say goodbye to Kruger.

Walk the boardwalks at Stony Point Nature Reserve to observe African penguins in their coastal breeding habitat. Watch them gather among the rocks, tend nests and make their way between the colony and the sea.

This protected site near Betty’s Bay supports one of the few mainland African penguin breeding colonies. The boardwalk provides viewing opportunities while helping limit disturbance to a species whose survival depends on protected places like this.

Get into the water for an optional surfing lesson at Jeffreys Bay, learning the basics of handling a board and catching a wave at one of South Africa’s best-known surf destinations.

J-Bay’s long, rolling breaks have made its name around the world, but a lesson focuses on experiencing the sport for yourself rather than watching from the sand. This optional activity is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Set out on a marine safari from Plettenberg Bay to look for dolphins, seals and other ocean wildlife. Whales may also be seen when conditions and seasonal movements allow; sightings are never guaranteed.

Seeing the Garden Route from the water reveals its headlands and open bay while bringing attention to the life beneath the surface. This optional wildlife experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Cruise Knysna Lagoon at sunset and watch the evening light settle across the water. From the boat, take in the lagoon’s shoreline and the scenery that gives this Garden Route town its waterside character.

Knysna’s estuary opens towards the Indian Ocean between the rocky Knysna Heads, creating a sheltered setting with broad views. This optional cruise is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Join a walking safari in iSimangaliso Wetland Park and scan the landscape for antelope and other wildlife. Travelling on foot encourages attention to sounds, tracks and vegetation as well as larger animal sightings.

The park protects a diverse patchwork of habitats on KwaZulu-Natal’s coast. Elephants, buffalo and rhinos live within its wider protected landscape, although encounters cannot be promised. This optional guided experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Explore Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park on a half-day game drive, looking for rhinos and other members of the Big Five across its hills and valleys. An early outing offers a chance to observe wildlife as the day begins.

This KwaZulu-Natal reserve played an important role in the recovery of the southern white rhino, lending particular meaning to a possible sighting. This optional game drive is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Set out on a sunset game drive in Kruger National Park, watching the bush as afternoon light softens and evening approaches. Keep an eye out for elephants, antelope, predators and other animals moving through the landscape.

A drive at this hour reveals a different side of Kruger from a daytime outing, with changing light and sounds adding to the search. Wildlife remains free-ranging and sightings cannot be assured. This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Gather for a traditional South African braai at the Kruger camp, sharing food cooked in the spirit of a local barbecue alongside regional sides and desserts. It is a social dining experience rather than a routine included meal.

In South Africa, a braai is as much about time spent together around the fire as the food itself. The camp setting adds the sounds of the bush to the evening. This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Explore the Cango Caves on an included guided tour near Oudtshoorn. Walk through vast chambers and admire limestone formations shaped over millions of years beneath the Swartberg Mountains.

This extensive cave system is one of South Africa’s best-known natural landmarks. Your guide brings its geology and human history into focus, including evidence of people using the caves long before they became a visitor attraction.

Search for wildlife on an included drive through Addo Elephant National Park from the elevated vantage point of the tour coach. The park is renowned for its large elephant population, with opportunities to watch herds moving through the bush.

Keep an eye out for buffalo, antelope, warthogs and other animals as the landscape changes around you. Addo’s protected habitat offers a first introduction to the patience and excitement of wildlife spotting in the Eastern Cape.

Head into the Eastern Cape’s private game reserves for two game drives across a varied landscape of plains, valleys and river corridors. Watch the bush carefully for elephants, antelope and, with luck, members of the Big Five.

Travelling through a reserve offers a closer look at the region’s wildlife habitats than a roadside sighting can provide. Each drive brings different light, animal movement and possibilities; sightings remain wonderfully unpredictable.

Visit Jeffreys Bay’s celebrated beach and take in the long sweep of sand, sea air and rolling Indian Ocean surf. There is time to enjoy the shoreline at your own pace while the group stops in this Garden Route coastal town.

Known internationally as J-Bay, the town draws surfers for its powerful, exceptionally long waves. Even from shore, the surf gives this beach a character distinct from the quieter bays farther along the coast.

Take a scenic hike in Tsitsikamma National Park towards the Storms River crossing, with opportunities to photograph the river mouth, forested slopes and rugged coastline. The walk makes the landscape itself the main attraction.

Tsitsikamma is part of the Garden Route National Park, where indigenous forest meets steep cliffs and the Indian Ocean. Walking here reveals the scale of the gorge and the shifting sounds of river, wind and surf.

Spend time on Plettenberg Bay’s main beach, stretching out on its golden sand or strolling beside the Indian Ocean. This organised coastal stop gives you space to enjoy the water and open views without committing to an additional activity.

Known locally as Plett, the town sits beside a broad bay framed by the Garden Route’s green hills. Its relaxed seaside atmosphere offers a vivid contrast to the rocky gorges and forests elsewhere on the route.

Discover Stellenbosch, a historic Cape Winelands town, surrounded by vineyards and mountain scenery. Spend time getting to know its streets and browsing a local food market, where regional produce offers a taste of the area even without a wine tasting.

Established in the 17th century, Stellenbosch is closely tied to South Africa’s winemaking heritage. Its oak-lined streets and Cape Dutch architecture lend the town a distinctive sense of place.

Ride the cable car to the top of Table Mountain and take in sweeping views across Cape Town, the Atlantic coast and the surrounding mountains. At the summit, the city’s harbour and beaches form a striking panorama below the mountain’s broad plateau.

Table Mountain is Cape Town’s defining natural landmark and part of a protected national park. Its height and exposed position make conditions changeable, adding to the drama of looking out over the Cape from above.

Join a short guided tour of Cape Town taking in the colourful Bo-Kaap, the city centre and the V&A Waterfront. Hear an introduction to the Mother City’s landmarks while seeing how its neighbourhoods meet the harbour and mountains.

The Waterfront combines a working port setting with public spaces, shops and dining. Time to explore its quayside lets you appreciate the views and maritime atmosphere beyond the guided orientation.

Meet residents of a local village in Eswatini and spend time learning about their culture, language and everyday life. This included MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® experience centres the people sharing their own perspectives.

Conversation offers a more personal understanding of the country than a scenic drive alone. Approach the visit with curiosity and respect: its value lies in listening to local voices and learning about contemporary life alongside enduring customs.

Explore Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary on foot with a guide, watching for antelope, wildebeest and warthogs as you move through the landscape. Walking makes it easier to notice tracks, vegetation and the smaller details that a vehicle might pass by.

Mlilwane offers a different style of safari from the Big Five reserves elsewhere on the tour. Its trails invite a quieter, ground-level encounter with Eswatini’s wildlife and scenery.

Stay inside Kruger National Park at the Lower Sabie safari camp, sleeping in furnished canvas tents within a fenced main-camp area. Gather around the communal firepit, look up at the stars and listen for the calls of nocturnal animals.

Lower Sabie sits beside the Sabie River, where wildlife may come to drink. This included special stay pairs the atmosphere of camping in the bush with provided bedding, charging outlets and access to the main camp’s facilities.

Meet a Kruger ranger to learn about the K9 Watchdog Project and the role trained dogs play in protecting wildlife. Hear how rangers work against poaching and why conservation involves people and specialised teams as well as protected land.

This included MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® experience gives context to the wildlife you hope to see on safari. It is a chance to understand a practical aspect of safeguarding animals for the future.

Search for animals on an included game drive through Kruger National Park as the group travels out of the reserve. Keep binoculars close for elephants, antelope and, if luck allows, some of the park’s more elusive wildlife.

Kruger’s vast mix of bushveld, river corridors and open ground supports a remarkable range of species. An ordinary-looking stretch of road can change in an instant when an animal appears; every sighting depends on nature rather than a set schedule.

Choose a scenic bike ride or drive along Swartberg Pass, followed by a Karoo braai on a local farm near Oudtshoorn. The mountain route brings expansive views of steep slopes and the dry Klein Karoo landscape.

The Swartberg Mountains form part of a UNESCO World Heritage landscape, while a braai brings people together around South Africa’s tradition of cooking over a fire. This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Paddle a kayak at the mouth of the Storms River, seeing Tsitsikamma’s rocky gorge and waterside scenery from a different angle. The activity adds an active, close-to-the-water perspective to this Garden Route setting.

Here, the river reaches the Indian Ocean beneath steep, forested slopes. Light, water and rock make the landscape feel different from the nearby walking route. This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Visit a Knysna township and meet local residents for an opportunity to learn about community life beyond the town’s lagoon-front setting. The experience is presented as a chance to connect with people and support children in the community.

Knysna’s neighbourhoods hold stories that differ from those visible in its visitor areas. Take part with respect and a willingness to listen. This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Take a helicopter flight over Cape Town’s coast and peaks for a bird’s-eye view of the city’s dramatic setting. From above, the meeting of ocean, urban shoreline and mountains comes into focus.

Cape Town’s geography is unusually striking, with Table Mountain rising close to the Atlantic. A flight offers a perspective quite different from its streets or summit viewpoints. This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Visit Stellenbosch wine farms and sample Cape wines in one of South Africa’s established wine regions. Tasting offers a way to explore local varieties while spending time among vineyards framed by the Cape mountains.

Generations of winemaking have shaped Stellenbosch’s landscape and identity, making the setting part of the experience. This optional tasting is at additional cost and bookable on tour; travellers who prefer not to taste wine can still enjoy the town visit.

Join a hands-on cooking class in Cape Town, preparing food you can taste yourself while enjoying music and drinks. It is an opportunity to share a kitchen rather than simply sit down to a restaurant meal.

Cooking with others brings conversation and flavour together, offering a social introduction to food traditions during your time in the city. This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Take a boat cruise near St Lucia to look for hippos in the waterways beside iSimangaliso Wetland Park. Watching from the water offers a chance to see these powerful animals in the habitat where they spend much of their time.

iSimangaliso is a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognised for its varied wetland and coastal ecosystems. Wildlife sightings depend on the animals, but the waterways are rewarding in their own right. This optional cruise is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Visit a local Zulu village near St Lucia to meet residents and learn about their customs, traditions and daily life. This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® experience is an opportunity for conversation and cultural exchange.

KwaZulu-Natal is closely connected to Zulu history and living culture. Hearing directly from local people adds a human dimension to the region beyond its beaches and wildlife. This optional visit is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Head out on a marine safari from the St Lucia area in search of dolphins, whales and other ocean life. The outing puts the focus on the Indian Ocean and the wildlife found off KwaZulu-Natal’s coast.

Species seen vary with season, sea conditions and luck, so the experience is about watching carefully rather than expecting a particular sighting. This optional marine safari is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Take a sunset game drive near St Lucia, watching for wildlife as daylight fades, and enjoy a traditional South African buffet dinner as part of the outing. The changing light gives the landscape a different character from a daytime safari.

Evening is an engaging time to listen and look for animal movement while sharing a regional meal. Sightings remain unpredictable. This optional combined experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Take a guided mountain bike ride through Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary for an active way to experience Eswatini’s open landscape. Watch for antelope and warthogs while moving along the sanctuary’s trails.

Unlike a Big Five safari area, Mlilwane offers opportunities to explore its wildlife setting by bike. The pace brings you closer to the terrain without the enclosure of a vehicle. This optional guided ride is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Head into Kruger National Park on an optional sunrise game drive, scanning the bush in the cool early light. This is a chance to look for predators and other wildlife while the park shifts from night to day.

Morning conditions can make animal activity especially compelling, though no species or sighting is guaranteed. Sunrise drives are offered during the Kruger stay, including a final early outing. They are at additional cost and bookable on tour.