South Africa Odyssey 2023

From R48285

per person

Experience the best of South Africa on this two-week itinerary.

Spend two weeks discovering the very best of South Africa. Highlights include Big 5 safaris in the Kruger National Park, a trip through the Kingdom of eSwatini (Swaziland) and time spent meandering along South Africa’s scenic Garden Route, finalising your journey in beautiful Cape Town.

14 Days

Adventure

City

Culture

Departure

Johannesburg, South Africa
Include

3 lunches

13 breakfasts

3 dinners

Porterage

Accommodation

Professional English-speaking Guide

Transportation

Sightseeing
Not Included

Guided tours of the Company Gardens and the Arderne Gardens

3 x Mittagessen

13 x Fruhstuck

6 x Fruhstuck

5 x Fruhstuck

2 x Mittagessen

1 x Abendessen

4 x Abendessen

1 x Mittagessen

11 x Fruhstuck

Besichtigungen laut Reiseplan

Gepacktragergebuhren

Transport

Ubernachtung

3 x Fruhstuck

3 x Abendessen

2 x craft beer tastings and brewery tours

1 wine tasting at Buitenverwachting Wine Estate

Kliptown Open Air Museum

11 breakfasts

1 x cheese & wine pairing

1 wine tasting and a BBQ (Braai) lunch)

2 x Craft Beer Tastings & a Beach BBQ (Braai) dinner

Boulders Beach

1 wine tasting of five wines at Groot Constantia Wine Estate

Visit to V&A Waterfront

Muizenberg Beach

Table Mountain (excludes the cost of the Cable Way ticket & weather permitting)

USB charging ports onboard vehicle

Wifi onboard vehicle

1 wine tasting and a 2 course winelands lunch

Entrance to the Franschhoek Motor Museum

Surface Tour at the Cullinan Diamond Mine

Professional English Commentary only

2nd Wine Tasting (time permitting)

Shore-based Whale Experience

Carlton Centre

Entrance into Cradle of Humankind and Sterkfontein

Hector Peterson Memorial site (photo opportunity only)

Lilliesleaf Farm

Entrance to Sun City Resort

Closed vehicle game drive in PIlanesburg Game Reserve

Visit to Paul Kruger House

Visit the Voortrekker Monument

Visit the Apartheid Museum

Visit to Hector Peterson Memorial

Regina Mundi Church

Visit to Constitution Hill

Return transfer from main Sandton / Rosebank Hotels

Entrance fees: God’s Window, Three Rondawels and Bourkes Luck Potholes

Bottled water

Kruger National Park Conservation Fees

Return transfers from central Hazyview Hotels

Entrance fee in to Addo Elephant National Park

Closed vehicle game drive in Addo Elephant National Park

Electric mountain bikes, helmets & water bottles

Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens

1x wine-tasting at Stellenbosch Wine Estate

Cape Point Nature Reserve

3 x wine tastings and 1 x cellar tour

Estate is closed on Sundays, a visit to the Stoney Point Penguin Colony will be included instead.

1 x wine-tasting at Bouchard Finlayson Wine Estate

Welcome drink on arrival

English-speaking game ranger

2 -3 hour open vehicle game drive

Guided tours at Zeits MOCCA and the Norval Foundation

Guided tours of Company Gardens and Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens

3 x gin tastings

2 hour cruise accompanied by marine biologists

Chocolate and wine pairing

Cloete Cellar

Cape Dutch Manor House at Groot Constantia

Groot Constantia Wine Estate

Entrance fees for guided tour of the Heart Museum

2 x wine tastings

Passage on the wine tram

Entrance to the Oranjezicht City Farm Market and Neighbourgoods Market at Old Biscuit Mill

Interactive djembe drumming session and set menu dinner

Return transfers to / from Cape Town City Center Hotels with English driver only

High tea buffet

An accredited fully licensed guide and use of riding gear

1 x craft beer or 1 x wine tasting

Return transfers to / from Cape Town City Centre Hotels

National Park permits

2 wine tastings

Interactive Djembe drumming session & set menu dinner

Show, 4-course dinner and a glass of sparkling wine

Riding gear

1 craft beer tasting or 1 wine tasting

Kruger National Park Conservation Fees

Lunch

Complimentary collection service from select hotels*

Return transfers from Port Elizabeth city centre hotels

Full board at Chobe only

4 breakfasts

Return airfare ex Johannesburg

14 breakfasts

4 dinners

10 breakfasts

2 dinners

2 breakfasts

6 breakfasts

2 lunches

1 dinner

1 lunch

5 breakfasts

Accommodation

3 breakfasts

Entry Fees

From Our Gallery

South Africa Odyssey - Cullinan Guided Journeys

Kruger Park Uncovered - Cullinan Guided Journeys

Day 1: Sunday - Johannesburg

On arrival in Johannesburg at OR Tambo International Airport, you’ll be met by your representative and transferred to your hotel. Johannesburg is the largest and most populous city in South Africa. It is also the source of a large-scale gold and diamond trade, due to its location on the mineral-rich Witwatersrand range of hills. The remainder of the day is at leisure & unescorted. Why not enjoy a sightseeing tour or simply relax at your hotel. At 19h00 we will meet up at reception for a briefing on the tour and a chance to meet fellow travellers. Distance travelled today: 35 kms

Day 2: Monday - Johannesburg - Mpumalanga

Depart Johannesburg after breakfast and head for Pretoria, South Africa’s capital city, for a short orientation tour, before continuing to the Mpumalanga Province, known as “Paradise Country”. Dropping several hundred feet into the lush subtropical region of the Lowveld, we travel via the historic towns of Dullstroom and Lydenburg. After traversing the famous Long Tom Pass, we travel via Sabie and arrive late afternoon into Hazyview, the safari hub of the Kruger National Park. [Breakfast] Distance travelled today: 425 kms

Day 3: Tuesday - Mpumalanga - Panorama Route

After an early morning breakfast, we’ll drive along the spectacular “Panorama Route”, offering views of amazing scenery including the 26 kilometre-long Blyde River Canyon (home to the Three Rondavels), Bourke’s Luck Potholes’ and historic God’s Window, a breathtaking view (weather permitting) of the edge of the escarpment taking in the Kruger National Park. We arrive back in Hazyview in the late afternoon, where the remainder of the day is at leisure to relax. [Breakfast] Distance travelled today: 320 kms

Day 4: Wednesday - Mpumalanga - Kruger National Park

The day begins with early morning coffee or tea, followed by a thrilling open vehicle safari (with English speaking game ranger) through Kruger National Park with pre-packed breakfast. Kruger is one of the world’s greatest national parks, home to a stunning array of wildlife. Search for the ‘Big Five’ (rhino, buffalo, lion, leopard, and elephant) as well as prolific birdlife and numerous other game. The game safari includes an introduction to the Anti-Poaching Dog Unit (Project Watchdog), that was established because of the increase in rhino poaching worldwide. Learn about the dogs that are trained to track poachers in the field, detect firearms, ammunition and wildlife products that enter and exit through the Kruger National Park gates. A portion of the trip price of this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience goes towards ensuring that these dogs receive the best possible care in support of the vital work they do. The experience directly advances UN Global Goal 15: Life on Land. The afternoon is at leisure at your hotel. Late afternoon open vehicle game drives are available (optional & for own account). [Breakfast] Distance travelled today: 120 kms

Day 5: Thursday - Mpumalanga - eSwatini (Swaziland)

This morning we travel to eSwatini (Swaziland), an independent Kingdom within the borders of South Africa, known for its lovely scenery, crafts and colourful indigenous culture. An interactive cultural experience introduces us to the charming people of eSwatini and their traditions. We travel via the capital city, Mbabane, to the beautiful Ezulwini Valley for overnight in eSwatini. [Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner] Distance travelled today: 310 kms

Day 6: Friday - eSwatini (Swaziland) - Zululand

After breakfast we will continue south through eSwatini, before re-entering South Africa. Travel into Zululand, passing traditional round huts and endless vistas. There is an option to enjoy an afternoon open vehicle safari (optional and for own account with an English speaking game ranger) in the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve, which contains an immense diversity of fauna and flora and is particularly famous for its conservation of white rhino. Overnight in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi region. [Breakfast] Distance travelled today: 360 kms

Day 7: Saturday - Zululand - Durban (Umhlanga)

This morning we will join a cruise on Lake St Lucia (depending on favourable weather conditions) before departing for Durban. Our journey takes us past traditional Zulu Kraals, Eucalyptus plantations and sugar cane fields. We arrive early afternoon and the remainder of the day is at leisure to enjoy the golden beaches of the Indian Ocean. Overnight in Durban (Umhlanga). [Breakfast] Distance travelled today: 275 kms

Day 8: Sunday - Durban (Umhlanga) - Knysna

After breakfast, transfer to Durban (Umhlanga) airport for the short southward flight to Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), where we will be met by our representative and once everyone has arrived, we set off to explore the magnificent beauty of the indigenous Tsitsikamma Forest. Visit the spectacularly beautiful Tsitsikamma National Park and Storms River Mouth (weather permitting). We’ll arrive at our hotel in Knysna, known as the oyster box of South Africa, nestling on the banks of a beautiful lagoon in the heart of the Garden Route. Overnight in Knysna. [Breakfast] Distance travelled today: 360 kms

Day 9: Monday - Knysna

After breakfast, journey into the magical Knysna Forests, the stamping ground of the elusive Knysna elephants. Discover the stories of the woodcutters who worked the forests, the elephants that were hunted to extinction and the discovery of gold. Our expedition into the forest starts with a visit to the Dalene Matthee Big Tree Memorial. The enormous Yellowwood tree of over 880 years was named after Matthee, best known author of four books on the Knysna Forest. Enjoy a delicious lunch, before visiting the Forest Legends Museum, that exhibits tools and household items used by the woodcutters, the colourful Old Suzie steam engine, that was used to generate power, and the stately Old Forester's House, home of forester David Ernest Hutchins, who was the first person to manage the indigenous forest in a sustainable manner. Overnight in Knysna with dinner included. [Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner] Distance travelled today: 100 kms

Day 10: Tuesday - Knysna - Oudtshoorn

Travel through the Outeniqua Pass to Oudtshoorn, known as the “ostrich capital” and the centre of the world’s Ostrich farming industry. Along the way, visit the 'Map of Africa', an extraordinary viewpoint in Wilderness. In Oudtshoorn, we’ll visit an Ostrich Farm for a fun filled interactive guided tour and light lunch, before taking a tour of the spectacular limestone caverns of the Cango Caves, one of the world’s great natural wonders, sculpted by nature through the ages. We will arrive at our hotel in the late afternoon, in time to check in and relax before dinner (for own account). Overnight in Oudtshoorn. [Breakfast & Lunch] Distance travelled today: 210 kms

Day 11: Wednesday - Oudtshoorn - Cape Town

There is an option (for own account and subject to availability) to enjoy an early morning Meerkat Safari. Witness these incredible wild habituated creatures emerging out of their burrows, in time to soak up the sun before they head about their daily activities (weather permitting). A portion of the monies paid by guests for this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience go towards the Buffelsdrift Foundation, that focusses on Wildlife conservation in the Klein Karoo region, habitat conservation and the local community. The experience directly advances UN Global Goal 15: Life on Land. After this thrilling experience, head back for a delicious breakfast. After breakfast, the journey continues through the ‘Little Karoo’ to Barrydale, where you will have the opportunity to visit a local farm school, to interact with the children and teachers, spending time with them in the classroom, learning more about this rural community. A portion of the trip monies go towards our Barrydale Farm School Development Fund, that supports local education of underprivileged children in rural communities. (The school visit is subject to the school being open). Continue straight through to Cape Town, spectacularly set at the foot of Table Mountain. Overnight in Cape Town [Breakfast] Distance travelled today: 468 kms

Day 12: Thursday - Cape Town (unescorted)

Enjoy a full day at leisure. Perhaps join a sightseeing tour to Table Mountain (own account) or join us for a Marine Big Five Safari (for own account), where you may see great white sharks, whales, Cape fur seals and a variety of seabirds on a 2-hour boat cruise with marine biologists on hand to explain more about these amazing animals that visit our shores. Although a small city, Cape Town is packed with sightseeing attractions, excellent bars, cafes and restaurants as well as colourful craft markets. Enjoy a fun filled evening with interactive entertainment and delectable food at Gold Restaurant. Overnight in Cape Town. [Breakfast & Dinner] Distance travelled today: 10 kms

Day 13: Friday - Cape Town

Enjoy a full day tour of the Cape Peninsula, offering some of the most spectacular coastal scenery in the world. Drive through Sea Point, the seaside village of Hout Bay (where you can enjoy an optional and for own account seal island boat cruise) and then on to Cape Point where (by tradition) it is said that the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. We'll return to Cape Town by way of Simon's Town, where we visit the Penguin colony at Boulders Beach (entrance fee for own account), Fish Hoek fishing village and Muizenberg. Overnight in Cape Town. [Breakfast] Distance travelled today: 200 kms

Day 14: Saturday - Cape Town

Enjoy some last minute shopping (unescorted) or sightseeing (own account). The Robben Island Tour (for own account & time permitting), which departs from the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, offers a fascinating excursion or perhaps just wander through the variety of shops and boutiques catering for all tastes and budgets. Later you will be transferred to the airport, harbour or railway station for your onward journey. [Breakfast]

FRANSCHHOEK WINELANDS OPTION

FRANSCHHOEK WINELANDS OPTION
- If you've always dreamed of experiencing an overnight in the scenic Cape Winelands, then this option is for you. You will have the opportunity to maximise your experience of picturesque vineyards, breath-taking scenery, warm hospitality and fine wines, thereafter, rejoining the tour with minimum disruption.
- Day 11: Wednesday - Oudtshoorn - Franschhoek
- Travel to Franschhoek, a picturesque village surrounded by spectacular vineyards, where French Huguenots settled more than 300 years ago, bringing with them their age-old French wine and food culture. Overnight in Franschhoek. [Breakfast]
- DAY 12: Thursday - Franschhoek - Cape Town
- After a leisurely breakfast, meet your tour guide and set out to the picturesque Winelands of Paarl and Stellenbosch, surrounded by awe inspiring scenery. With extraordinary wine estates and fascinating historical landmarks to explore, your knowledgeable guide will create a memorable Winelands experience. Enjoy two wine tastings and a cellar tour before continuing to Cape Town, where you'll re-join the main tour. [Breakfast & Dinner]

OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS

Enhance your journey with optional excursions, available for pre-booking, subject to availability and a minimum of 2 adults travelling: ** MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences seek to encourage the greatest community benefit from travel and tourism, while also educating guests about The UN Global Sustainable Development Goals and the local community actions being taken to advance them. Rack Rates valid 01/01/23 – 31/12/23: DAY 1 – SUNDAY – JOHANNESBURG – AFTERNOON SOWETO TOUR – R 1 000.00 per person Soweto is unlike any suburb you’ve ever seen or been to, yet the history of struggle encapsulated here is a cornerstone of the South African story. DAY 4 – WEDNESDAY – KRUGER NATIONAL PARK – AFTERNOON OPEN VEHICLE GAME SAFARI – R 990.00 per person For the wildlife enthusiasts a second open vehicle safari, as an extension to the morning safari, in one of the world’s most renowned game reserves. DAY 6 – FRIDAY – HLUHLUWE-IMFOLOZI PARK – AFTERNOON OPEN VEHICLE GAME SAFARI – R 990.00 per person Enjoy an afternoon, 3-hour open vehicle game safari into the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, Africa’s oldest game reserve and world renowned for its highly successful white rhino conservation programme. ** DAY 11 – WEDNESDAY - OUDTSHOORN – MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience - EARLY MORNING MEERKAT SAFARI – R 840.00 per person There is an option to enjoy an early morning Meerkat Safari. Witness these incredible wild habituated creatures emerging out of their burrows, in time to soak up the sun before they head about their daily activities (weather permitting & subject to availability at the time of booking). A portion of the monies paid by guests for this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience go towards the Buffelsdrift Foundation, that focusses on Wildlife conservation in the Klein Karoo region, habitat conservation and the local community. The experience directly advances UN Global Goal 15: Life on Land. DAY 12 – THURSDAY – CAPE TOWN – MORNING TABLE MOUNTAIN & CAPE TOWN CITY TOUR - R 690.00 per person, excluding the cost of the Table Mountain cable way ticket. Travel by cable car to the top of Table Mountain (weather permitting), then descend to further explore the city. ** DAY 12 – THURSDAY – CAPE TOWN – MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience - MARINE BIG FIVE SAFARI EXPERIENCE – R 2 990.00 per person Join us for a marine safari where you may see great white sharks, whales, Cape fur seals and a variety of seabirds. On a 2-hour cruise from Gansbaai, Marine Biologists will be on hand to explain more about the amazing animals that visit our shores. A portion of the monies paid by guests for this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience go towards the Dyer Island Conservation Trust that delivers conservation and research programmes to protect the biodiversity of the marine eco-system surrounding Dyer Island. The experience directly advances UN Global Goal 14: Life below Water.

Our Gallery

South Africa Odyssey - Cullinan Guided Journeys

South Africa Odyssey - Cullinan Guided Journeys

Magnificent Garden route - rocky beach and mountains

2023 English Departure Dates

January - 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
February - 5, 12, 19, 26
March - 5, 12, 19, 26
April - 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
May - 14, 28
June - 18, 25
July - 2
August - 13, 27
September - 17, 24
October - 8, 15
November - 5, 12, 26

2024 English Departure Dates

January - 7, 14, 21, 28
February - 4, 11, 18, 25
March - 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
April - 7, 14, 21, 28
May - 5, 19
June - 2, 16
July - 7, 21
August - 4, 11, 18, 25
September - 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
October - 6, 13, 20, 27
November - 3, 10, 17, 24
December - 1, 8

Tour Highlights:

Traverse the famous Long Tom Pass en route from Johannesburg to Mpumalanga
Visit the spectacular scenic Three Rondavels, Bourke’s Luck Potholes and God’s Window
Experience an open safari vehicle game drive in the Kruger National Park including an introduction to the KNP anti-poaching Dog Unit
Meet the friendly people of eSwatini (Swaziland) and experience their culture through singing and dancing
Boat game cruise on Lake St Lucia
Visit Tsitsikamma National Park and the scenic Storms River Mouth
Enjoy a delicious dinner at a delightful lagoon side restaurant in Knysna
Immersive journey into the mythical Knysna Forests, discovering the legends build around woodcutters, elephants, steam trains and gold miners
Visit the ‘Map of Africa’ viewpoint in Wilderness, a unique sight that is quite literally a Map of Africa
Guided tour of the Cango Caves in Oudtshoorn
Guided tour of a working ostrich farm in Oudtshoorn
Visit a local farm school in the Barrydale area with the opportunity to interact with the children. This visit supports our Barrydale Farm School Development Fund that encourages local education of underprivileged children in rural communities
Explore the small towns along the well-known Route 62 between Oudtshoorn and Cape Town
Authentic African dinner experience with a 14-dish taste safari paired with entertainment
Three overnights in Cape Town, spectacularly set at the foot of Table Mountain
Full Day Cape Peninsula Tour including the Cape of Good Hope, ‘the fairest cape in the whole circumference of the earth’
Enjoy a variety of carefully chosen optional MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences that positively impact our travellers and the communities we visit

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

All departures are in English commentary
This Small Group Tour requires a minimum of 2 Guests to operate and will not exceed a maximum of 10 Guests
Transport will be in a Cullinan Guided Journeys branded vehicle with 2-10 guests travelling in a 13-seater vehicle

Visa Requirements:

This tour travels through eSwatini (Swaziland). Please check visa requirements, as certain nationalities may require visas in order to travel through eSwatini (Swaziland).

EXCLUDES FLIGHT: DURBAN (UMHLANGA) - GQEBERHA (PORT ELIZABETH) (DUR/PLZ) and departure tax on Day 8

Recommended flight - FA421 departing Durban at 14h05, arriving Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) 15h35

2023 RATES valid:

01/01/23 - 30/04/23
- R 51 960.00 per person sharing twin/double accommodation
- R 62 665.00 per single person
01/05/23 - 31/07/23
- R 48 285.00 per person sharing twin/double accommodation
- R 57 375.00 per single person
01/08/23 - 31/12/23
- R 52 830.00 per person sharing twin/double accommodation
- R 63 900.00 per single person

Accommodation included:
- Protea Hotel Balalaika in Johannesburg or similar x 1 night
- Perry’s Bridge Hollow Boutique Hotel in Hazyview or similar x 3 nights
- The Royal Villas in Ezulwini (eSwatini) or similar x 1 night
- Anew Hotel Hluhluwe in Hluhluwe or similar x 1 night
- Protea Hotel Umhlanga in Umhlanga or similar x 1 night
- Rex Hotel in Knysna or similar x 2 nights
- Hlangana Lodge in Oudtshoorn or similar x 1 night
- President Hotel in Cape Town or similar x 3 nights

2024 RATES valid:

01/01/24 - 30/04/24
- R 56 265.00 per person sharing twin/double accommodation
- R 67 920.00 per single person
01/05/24 - 31/07/24
- R 53 175.00 per person sharing twin/double accommodation
- R 63 385.00 per single person
01/08/24 - 31/12/24
- R 57 530.00 per person sharing twin/double accommodation
- R 69 820.00 per single person

Accommodation included:
- Protea Hotel Balalaika in Johannesburg or similar x 1 night
- Hazyview Sun Hotel in Hazyview or similar x 3 nights
- The Royal Villas in Ezulwini (eSwatini) or similar x 1 night
- Anew Hotel Hluhluwe in Hluhluwe or similar x 1 night
- Protea Hotel Umhlanga in Umhlanga or similar x 1 night
- Rex Hotel in Knysna or similar x 2 nights
- Hlangana Lodge in Oudtshoorn or similar x 1 night
- President Hotel in Cape Town or similar x 3 nights

ADDITIONAL:

There is an opportunity to maximize your experience of the Cape Winelands, with an optional overnight stay (at a supplementary cost) in the picturesque village of Franschhoek on Day 11, rejoining the main tour on Day 12.

FRANSCHHOEK WINELANDS OPTION:
- - RATES are valid 01/01/23 - 31/12/23 as a supplement to the tour price:
  - Accommodation based on Protea Hotel Franschhoek or similar (the option is subject to availability at the time of booking)
    - R 3 145.00 per person sharing twin/double accommodation
    - R 3 340.00 per single person
  - FRANSCHHOEK WINELANDS OPTION:
    - - RATES are valid 01/01/24 - 31/12/24 as a supplement to the tour price:
      - Accommodation based on Protea Hotel Franschhoek or similar (the option is subject to availability at the time of booking)
        
        R 3 220.00 per person sharing twin/double accommodation
        
        R 3 415.00 per single person

South Africa Odyssey 2023