DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrive in Johannesburg

You will be met at Johannesburg Airport and transferred to your airport hotel.

Check in and relax under warm blue South African skies in the city of gold.

Day 2: Fly to Madikwe Game Reserve

Take the free hotel shuttle to Johannesburg Airport and check in at the Federal Airlines kiosk situated in the bus terminal behind the Intercontinental Hotel. From there you will be transferred to their departure terminal for your light aircraft flight to the beautiful malaria-free Madikwe Game Reserve.

After checking in to your lodge, enjoy your first thrilling game drive in an open-top game viewing vehicle accompanied by a lodge ranger. Game viewing opportunities should present themselves almost immediately in this vast game sanctuary and hopefully you will see several species of antelope, zebra, wildebeest and maybe even wild dogs - as well as several of the Big Five today. Then dine under the stars in the African bushveld.

Note: As you will be flying in a light aircraft, you can take only soft sports bags that will fit into the aircraft baggage pods, with a maximum weight of 20 kg that is strictly enforced for safety reasons and not exceeding 16 x 12 x 24 inches (40 x 30 x 60 cm) in size. You can also take 5 kg in hand luggage. Rigid suitcases can be stored at the Fedair terminal in Johannesburg free of charge.

Days 3 & 4: Game Viewing

Rise at dawn to take advantage of the best game viewing conditions of the day, as you enjoy a thrilling open-top game viewing drive with your lodge ranger in the Madikwe Game Reserve. Explore the vast plains, which offer magnificent game viewing and the opportunity to search for all of the Big Five - lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhino - before returning to your lodge for breakfast.

The rest of the morning is free to relax by the swimming pool or enjoy bird watching, before setting out again in the late afternoon for another game drive. With numerous different species of mammals and reptiles in the park you can hope to see cheetah, giraffe, hippo, kudu, crocodiles, sable antelope, waterbuck, warthogs, baboons, wild dogs and many other interesting animals. Outstanding bird watching is also guaranteed!

After a beautiful African sunset, enjoy the balmy evening and pristine stars of the Milky Way as you have never seen them before – as well as the spectacular Southern Cross.

Note: Children under 6 years are not allowed on open-top game drives at most lodges, but child-friendly lodges are available on request.

Day 5: Fly to Johannesburg & transfer to Pretoria

Enjoy a final early morning game drive in Madikwe Game Reserve, before your light aircraft flight to Johannesburg.

You will be met at the Federal Airlines terminal and transferred 1 hour to Pretoria (now called Tshwane). This city is the administrative capital of South Africa and is renowned for its jacaranda trees that flower from September to November.

Day 6: Board the Blue Train

Transfer from your hotel to Pretoria Station to arrive in good time to board the luxury Blue Train departing for Cape Town at 14.00.

Luxury takes on a new dimension, as you relax and settle in to your elegant suite and enjoy the personal attention and devotion to detail for which the Blue Train is renowned.

Enjoy the fine wines and cuisine of the region, as well as outstanding personal service, during your journey to Cape Town, travelling over 1,000 miles through some of South Africa’s most diverse and spectacular scenery.

Dress code on the train is smart casual during the day and elegant for dinner (gentlemen are asked to wear a jacket). Comfortable walking shoes are needed for the off-train excursion.

Day 7: Blue Train

After breakfast this morning, we arrive in Kimberley around 09.30.

Here you will have the opportunity to disembark and visit the famous Big Hole and Diamond Open Mine Museum. With a surface area of over 40 acres and a perimeter of over 1 mile, this open-pit area was mined to a depth of over 3,000 feet at the height of the diamond rush – the largest hand-dug excavation in the world. At the museum view Eureka, the first recorded diamond discovered in South Africa.

At 13.00 we depart from Kimberley and continue travelling southwards through De Aar and Beauford West in the Great Karoo.

Day 8: Arrive in Cape Town

Awake this morning to the beauty of the Western Cape as we travel through the Hex River Valley, Touws River, De Doorns and Worcester.

Enjoy breakfast whilst travelling through spectacular mountain scenery and through the Cape Winelands.

View imposing Table Mountain as you arrive at Cape Town Station around 10.30. Here you will be met and transferred to your hotel in this beautiful city.

Day 9: Hop Off Bus

Today is free for independent sightseeing in Cape Town.

To orientate yourself, we suggest you purchase a pass onboard the convenient Red Route Hop-Off Bus, which stops at all Cape Town’s key sights and attractions, including the Table Mountain cable car (discounted tickets are sold on the bus). Here you can ascend and enjoy one of the world's most famous views.

Continue to trendy Camps Bay beach and the many attractions of the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront (pay all entrance fees locally).

Note: Don't let the colour of the bus confuse you. All buses are red, but they run two different routes - the Red City Route and the Blue Kirstenbosch Route.

Day 10: Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve

Today we recommend an optional full day shared tour to the beautiful Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, where you may see baboons, ostrich and perhaps even dolphins or whales in season (July/November).

Your tour travels through Hout Bay and along spectacular Chapman’s Peak Drive to the Cape Point peninsula, returning via Simon’s Town, Fish Hoek, Constantia and Kirstenbosch Gardens. This is a scenic tour of the whole Cape Peninsula, with the optional opportunity of visiting the penguin colony at Boulders Beach.

Day 11: Explore Cape Town

At leisure to relax and explore the "Mother City" of Cape Town.

Many optional activities are available in this beautiful city. You can visit Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned (advance booking essential in season) and explore the vibrant Victoria & Alfred Waterfront.

You can also take the Hop Off bus (Blue Route) to visit world famous Kirstenbosch Gardens, enjoy a city tour or simply relax on golden Camps Bay Beach.

Day 12: Stellenbosch Winelands

Today we recommend an optional full day shared tour to the renowned Stellenbosch Winelands, travelling through the scenic Franschhoek Valley where a handful of French Huguenot refugees started South Africa’s now famous wine industry.

Explore the historic university town of Stellenbosch and several wine estates on this famous wine route, which stretched from Paarl through to Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. Enjoy a cellar tour and some wine tasting, before returning to Cape Town in the late afternoon.

Day 13: Fly Home

Transfer to Cape Town Airport for your flight home.

PRICING

Price is based on two adults sharing en-suite accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis, with full board whilst on safari and on the train. All light aircraft flights, transfers, park fees and game drives are included. International flights are not included and will be quoted separately.

We offer a choice of hotels at different prices, so please discuss your requirements with us. All hotels are subject to availability.

It is essential that you have personal holiday insurance. The FCO should also be consulted.