This holiday takes in some of the true gems of South Africa! Starting in the stunning Greater Kruger National Park you will have the chance to see the big five game animals, learn about the flora and fauna and even practice your game tracking skills during some incredible walking safaris. Staying in fixed, unfenced camps there is no way of getting closer to nature!

It is then straight to Cape Town. This magnificent city has so many activities available that we have left the majority of the options up to you. You will meet the residents of the townships and visit Robben Island but will also have the option to go wine tasting, abseiling, hiking…….. the list goes on so we've given you a hire car to explore with.

Next you head along the famed Garden Route for your date with the Indian Ocean… and some of its inhabitants. Great White Shark cage diving is an absolute must when visiting this area and whether you do decide to dive or just want to go for the trip it is something that will never be forgotten.

You will then experience the delightful coastline for the Tsitsikamma region. Why not do the world's highest bungy jump or an exhilarating canopy tour before you set off on the Dolphin Trail. The trail is newly opened and allows you to do a great hiking trail without being lumbered with your luggage and you certainly don't need to rough it as you overnight in luxury chalets.

We think that this holiday allows you to see the highlights of South Africa in a very special way and also give you the freedom to tailor it to your own tastes.

Thursday: Arrivals and transfers

You will be greeted on Arrival at OR Tambo International Airport before being transferred to your accommodation at the Airport Grand Hotel, a short drive away.

Friday – Sunday: Greater Kruger National Park

This morning you will be picked up bright and early for your transfer to Greater Kruger National Park. Although the journey is fairly long, there will be plenty of stops along the way and your end destination is truly special. You will arrive at a bush pub on the edge of the reserve where you will meet your guides and enjoy lunch. The pub is not only a favourite watering hole for the local people, but also the local elephants!!

You will now experience an amazing transfer as you board your open safari vehicles and head out into the bush! Your guides appear to have the eyes of hawks as they will point out game you would never know was there – practically all of the big five have been known to disrupt transfers to the bush camp.

The choice of camp is dependent on the best game viewing, although both options offer exceptional opportunities. Your tents are raised on platforms and have two twin beds with an electric light. The camp is completely open to the animals and so vigilance is required however your guides are always on watch duty and fully armed. At night the camp is lit by lanterns and dinner is served in the central pavilion. There are clean and simple outdoor toilet and shower blocks with hot water facilities and incredible views!

The bush camp is your base for the next three nights and is likely to give you some of the best game experiences you could hope to have!

In the mornings you will be woken at first light, snacks, tea and coffee are available (and a warm fire on chilly mornings). You then break camp as early as possible heading out on foot from camp or by vehicles if the guides wish to go further into the park before starting the game walk.  You will take in the cool morning air and your ranger will decipher the footprints left by the animals that passed by in the night. The thrill of walking, tracking and getting up close to any of the creatures, no matter how big or small, is an unforgettable experience. On the walks the emphasis is on learning about the entire ecosystem you are visiting from the insects, elephants, plants and birds and how they intertwine. A big breakfast is prepared for your return to camp. There is then time to unwind and relax during the heat of the day. Lunch is then served and you will head back out.

The afternoon is more of a walk – drive combination where you will head to other areas of the park to search for the tracks.  Sundowners will be served at a beauty spot from where the Africans unset can be observed – very civilized indeed!

As the sun loving animals and birds rush to cover and sleep, the nocturnal world is just waking up, the change is almost instantaneous. This when the spotlight is switched on, any eyes in spotted glowing in the dark send chills of excitement down the spine and the game viewing can be incredible. A hearty supper and blazing camp fire await back at base and after a long day in the wilds there is nothing more rewarding than sneaking off to bed and listening to the sounds of the night under the blanket of African stars!

Monday - Greater Kruger to Cape Town

On your last morning in camp you will head out for one last walk, sniffing the scents and realizing how much you have learned about this environment!  After breakfast you pack and return to the bush pub to say goodbye, before catching your transfer back to Johannesburg in time for your evening flight to incredible Cape Town!

You will be greeted on arrival in Cape Town and transferred to your accommodation at the Mandela Rhodes Place in central Cape Town.

Tuesday - Robben Island and townships

This morning you will be transferred from the hotel and taken by your local guide to the outskirts of the City. Today provides an incredible introduction to the whole of Cape Town, something that many people never get to experience. You will drive to some of the largest townships and be told in detail about the history of this City and its turbulent past. The townships can leave you lost for words due to their scale but the people that you will be taken to meet will also leave you speechless due to their positivity and incredible attitude to life.

After this you are driven to Victoria and Albert docks for the catamaran (weather permitting) trip out to one of South Africa's most infamous destinations, Robben Island. You will be shown around the island prison by people who were once incarcerated and who have remained as guides. The experience is one that you are unlikely to forget but the island has played such a part in the modern South Africa that a visit is a must.

Wednesday and Thursday – Leisure

There is so much to do in and around Cape Town that we thought it was crazy to determine the activities for you.  Your car will be delivered first thing and the options are then endless! You will drive the rest of the route yourselves.

You can drive to the Cape of Good Hope, the most southern point in Africa and visit a penguin colony en route or stop off at some of the Cape vineyards.  It is almost mandatory to head up Table Mountain but we can arrange a guided hike on top or an abseil straight off it! You can go canyoning, sandboarding, horse riding, surfing, hiking, biking, wine tasting or simply explore the shops of the docks.

You will stay in the Mandela Rhodes for the duration of your stay and it is the ideal base, in a quiet neighbourhood with easy access into central Cape Town and out of the city.

Friday - Cape Town to Hermanus

This morning you wave goodbye to Table Mountain and head along the garden route to the seaside town of Hermanus. The route is beautiful and the roads are nice and easy to follow! You have some free time to explore the town and take in the views. You will overnight in the Quarters Hotel which. If you are visiting between June and December Hermanus is one of the best places in the world for land based whale watching so keep your eyes open!

Saturday - Shark Cage Diving

You will be picked up from the lodge this morning and transferred to Kleinbaai, great white territory!!

You will have breakfast at the base and will receive a short lecture from the boat Skipper with regards to how the company work with the sharks and gives some background on the behaviour of these fish and their anatomy.

You then board the boat and will spend between 2 and 4 hours at sea depending on how often the sharks visit the boat.

Out at sea it is time to do what many may consider insane!!! Get into the water!! The cages are secured to the side of the boats and take four people at a time. With snorkels on you will spend around 20 minutes in the cage each. A truly remarkable experience. After this amazing experience you will head back to shore where you can watch and buy a DVD of your adventures.

Sunday - Drive to Plettenburg Bay

Today you continue the drive along the garden route. There are some great places to stop en route for biltong and breaks and you should also stop off in the town of Knysna for a spot of shopping by the harbour. You will arrive in Plettenburg late afternoon and check in to the NH Plettenburg just out of town. This hotel is a short drive from the town and offers a quiet place to rest and relax after the drive. You can of course drive into town and dip your toes in the Indian Ocean.

Monday - Tsitsikamma National Park

This morning you drive to the Tsistikamma area home of two very exciting activities!! You can either have a free day to explore yourselves or visit one of two major attractions. The Bloukrans Bridge in Tsitsikamma is the home of the world's highest commercial bungee jump. Just the walk under the bridge will be enough to make some knees buckle but if you get to the jump site then it could be three, two, one bungee – a mere 216 metres of head first free fall!!!

Alternatively you can visit the canopy tour nearby, an exhilarating but less extreme alternative to the bungy.

In the afternoon you check in to the Park reception and move into the quaint Dolphin Trail chalets. At 7pm you will meet your guide at the restaurant. They will answer any questions that you may have regarding the trail and you will have dinner with the group whilst listening to the Indian Ocean.

Tuesday - Dolphin Trail - Day one

Breakfast will be served at 8am today and luggage will be collected for transportation at 8.45. You will meet your guides and depart along the Storms River mouth and walk the boardwalk to Koisan Cave. Weather permitting there will be a short boat trip into the gorge and after crossing the suspension bridge you will follow the steep and rocky path to Lookout Point where you will get incredible views over the National Park. You must keep your eyes peeled here as you may see whales and dolphins. The hike continues level and then descends through indigenous forests the ideal spot for a picnic lunch. It is then a tough ascent which can be taken at a leisurely pace before an easy stretch to reach your next accommodation at Misty Mountain. You will check in to your luxury accommodation and stare out at the Indian Ocean.  Dinner will be served at 7.30 pm.

Wednesday - Dolphin Trail - Day two

After breakfast you will follow a steep trail down to the rock pools. This morning's route is spectacular and a quick dip in a pool is a must. The route requires some scrambling over rocks and then a fairly steep climb. At the top however lunch will be served and there will be time to relax before continuing on to the Fernery and the end of the trail. A delicious 4 course menu d'hôte will be served tonight in the restaurant.

Thursday - Port Elizabeth and departure

All good things must come to an end and today you leave the fernery and head to Port Elizabeth airport for you return flights to Johannesburg and then onwards to the UK leaving your car at the airport you will leave S Africa with some incredible memories.

Additional activities

Table mountain abseil.

You meet your instructors at the top of the mountain and after tuition and instruction you step off the top, at 1000 metres above sea level, and rappel into pure vertical space. This is the world's original highest commercial abseil. You are surrounded by awesome views and the deep blue Atlantic at your feet.

Approximately: £50 pp

Table Mountain Summit Walk

You meet your guides at the top of Table Mountain from where you will head off on a walk up to the highest point at Maclear's beacon.

Approximately: £30pp

Canopy Tour

This fantastic operation in Tsitsikamma is unique to South Africa. After a detailed safety briefing you are kitted up for your tree top tour and after a short drive into the forest it is time to go! 2 guides escort you as you zip wire from tree to tree. Unbelievable views are available throughout the tour and your guides will also explain the fantastic flora and fauna of the region. Your tour will last approximately 3 hours

Approximately: £37

Bloukrans Bungy Jump

This pace really needs no introduction. This is the world's highest commercial bungy jump and for adrenaline junkies there is no where better to jump. The Bloukrans Bridge is the highest single span bridge in the world and for many people the walk out under the bridge is enough to buckle the knees. If however you do manage to make it to the middle then there are 216 metres of thin air beneath you. 3, 2, 1………….

Approximately: £55

Winelands Tours

South African wine is famed and if you are going to go wine tasting then the Cape is the place to do it!  We can arrange both half and full day tours from Cape Town which allow you to visit a selection of the Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschoek estate vineyards and taste up to three wines and, during the full day tour,  some delicious local cheese. You will also be given a full tour of the cellars and learn about the processes involved in its production. An excellent way for you to experience yet another face of this fantastic country.

Half day tours, culinary tours, city tours, helicopter rides and trips the Cape of Good Hope can all also be arrange don request the list goes on and on so please contact us with your requirements and we will tailor your time to fit you.

All optional tours are subject to availability and prices are subject to change.

Although this holiday follows part of the well known Garden Route we have ensured that our clients are taken off the traditional route and meet the people of South Africa as well as enjoying and learning about the magnificent environments which they visit.

The tour starts in the North and visits Kruger National Park. The bush camps in which the clients stay are powered for short periods by a generator however in general they are lit by solar lights. The facilities are all designed to enable to have the least impact on the environment. The camp is open to the game reserve and therefore does not disturb the local animals.

Our suppliers employ local people, a vital source of employment in such a rural area and tourism in general is allowing the protection of the magnificent environment and the animals which inhabit it. The education of the local people about the benefits which can be gained from protecting the local environment has enabled the levels of poaching and habitat destruction to be greatly reduced as people have found new sources of income.

The owners of the bush camp have a true passion for the area and spend much time researching the local species in order to gain better knowledge of them as well as helping to keep alive the traditions of using many plants for medicinal purposes. They also play a huge role in preserving the culture of local communities.

The game reserve is private and numbers are limited. This benefits both the tourist and the environment as impacts are kept to a minimum, animal disruption is lessened and holiday makers are able to gain a more private experience. Strict passenger limits are adhered to and therefore as is the level of vehicle access to the reserve. Many of the safaris take place on foot and are low impact. The safaris are led by expert guides who have a great deal of respect and knowledge for the environment and ensure that no trace is left after the visit. They also share their knowledge with the visitors to ensure that they learn as much as possible about the fragile environment and how it is protected. All visitors must pay a conservation fee of R200 to contribute to Conservation Levies. This money is used in anti-poaching campaigns, animal monitoring and further research.

Although our accommodation is owned by a chain it is a South African operation and recognizes the vital importance of corporate social investment into South Africa. All of their developments are designed with the long term interests of communities in mind and they invest heavily in community and social projects. The central location of the hotel also allows our clients easy access to many quarters of Cape Town and a wide range of local restaurants ensuring that the economic benefit of any spend is spread more widely.

We also ensure that all visitors to Cape Town are able to experience the townships. An area of the city which is often overlooked and we feel should not be forgotten.

We work with the Tourism Community Development Trust which arranges guided visits to the townships and to projects which the trust supports. The benefits of tourism rarely meet these areas and we want to ensure that this situation is rectified. The Trust focuses on community development and our guests will have the opportunity to meet some incredible people in areas that few tourists ever get to visit and quite easily forget. They are a huge part of Cape Town are a vital inclusion.  The trust has trained and employs local people principally from the townships and is a true trail blazer and we are proud to be involved with them.

We have also included a visit to the infamous Robben Island as we feel that this experience is something which gives a great insight into the history of the country and its people.

There is another opportunity to gain conservation knowledge whilst onboard the shark cage diving boat. There is an onboard marine biologist on each trip available to answer any questions, provide detailed information about Great White Sharks and their conservation and carry out research. The shark boats provide an excellent research tool as well as an incredible experience for guests.

The dolphin trail has been set up and starts at the edge of the magnificent Tsitsikamma National Park. A lesser known area of coast line to the more visited Otter Trail. The trail has meant that local accommodation providers are able to benefit greatly from an increase in visitors in an area where previously many just drove through. The trails are led by fully qualified guides with a great knowledge of the environment and clients will gain a great deal from their time with them.

Indeed all the activities we have available, whether included in the price or not, are provided by partners whose environmental policies and social credentials are similar to our own. There is a leave no trace policy throughout this holiday and wherever possible our suppliers have invested heavily in training local people and ensuring that the benefit of tourism, in some very rural areas, is felt by the local people and there are no detrimental effects, socially, economically or environmentally.