Highlights of South Africa with the Victoria Falls add-on 2013

Day 1: UK/South Africa
Depart on your scheduled overnight flight to Cape Town via Johannesburg.

Day 2: Cape Town
You’ll arrive this morning in the vibrant city of Cape Town, where your sightseeing starts straight away as you take in a selection of its highlights en route to your hotel – including a cable car ride up Table Mountain (weather permitting). You’ll stay for three nights in a central location.

Day 3: Cape Town
Enjoy a day at leisure, or why not head into the world-renowned Winelands countryside on an optional full-day tour. You’ll get to sample the superb vintages and tour a cellar, giving you a wonderful insight into this productive industry.

Day 4: Cape Town
Today you are free to continue your independent explorations of Cape Town, or why not join your Tour Manager on an optional full-day tour to the spectacular Cape Peninsula, which includes a visit to the stunning Kirstenbosch Gardens and an opportunity to see the penguins on Boulders Beach.

Day 5: Hermanus
South Africa is known for its spectacular vistas, and you’ll see plenty today. Your scenic coastal journey takes you from Cape Town to Betty’s Bay, Pringle Bay and the Stoney Point penguin colony before you arrive in Hermanus. Spend the afternoon exploring this former fishing village, or simply take a spot on the cliff-front and keep your eyes peeled for the southern right whales that ply the waters just off the coast between July and October. You will stay in Hermanus overnight.

Day 6: Montagu
Today your journey takes you northwards to the unique destination of Montagu, located along the famous Route 62, the dramatic inland road between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. En route, you’ll enjoy a visit to the charming town of Swellendam. On arrival in Montagu, where you will stay tonight, discover beautiful architecture, gorgeous views and the national monuments in Long Street. Enjoy dinner at your hotel this evening.

Day 7: Knysna
Sit back and enjoy South Africa’s beautiful scenery as your journey continues along Route 62 through the scenic Outeniqua mountain pass to Knysna, where you will stay for the next two nights. This afternoon is free for you to discover the lagoon and waterfront area.

Day 8: Knysna
Smaller than Cape Town but bursting with charm, Knysna is a great place to explore. Alternatively, you can choose to join our optional excursion to the Featherbed Nature Reserve, where you can enjoy lunch in beautiful surroundings and find out for yourself why Knysna was voted South Africa’s favourite town.

Day 9: Port Elizabeth
More fabulous views await today as you drive along the coastal Garden Route, stopping to take photos and admire the views at Plettenberg Bay, Tsitsikama Coastal Park and Storms River Bridge. The day comes to a close at the end of the Garden Route, Port Elizabeth, where you stay overnight.

Day 10: Johannesburg
Today, you will fly to Johannesburg, visiting the world-famous township of Soweto for a traditional lunch at Chez Alina and to visit the former home of Nelson Mandela. You will stay in Johannesburg overnight.

Day 11: Kruger National Park
No visit to South Africa would be complete without experiencing the incredible Kruger National Park. Today’s journey to the park from Johannesburg is long but it is certainly worth it. On the way, you will experience the wonderful Panorama Route, including Blyde Canyon, Bourke’s Luck Potholes and waterfalls. After arriving at your Kruger hotel, there will be time to relax before dinner this evening. The next three nights are sure to be a highlight of this holiday full of highlights!

Day 12: Kruger National Park
Wake up to the incredible sights and sounds of nature, with an included early-morning game drive. Return to your accommodation and spend the rest of the day at leisure, perhaps take the opportunity to laze by the pool with a cool drink.

Day 13: Kruger National Park
This morning, take the opportunity to get up before sunrise to experience a magical game drive. Keep your eyes peeled for elephant, buffalo, lion, zebra, rhino, impala, cheetah and hippo, and whatever you do, don’t forget your camera or spare batteries and memory cards – you’ll kick yourself if you do! This afternoon, you are free to enjoy another optional game drive, interact with an elephant, or take a ride on one of these majestic mammals.

Days 14 – 18: Victoria Falls add-on
This five-night add-on, with four nights in your resort and one night in Johannesburg beforehand, has been carefully planned to give you a real African experience in Zambia.

you will overnight in Johannesburg before transferring to the airport for a flight to Livingstone, in Zambia.

This is home to the Victoria Falls, one of the most spectacular wonders of the world. ‘Discovered’ by Dr Livingstone on 16 November 1855, they are twice the height of Niagara, 5,600ft wide and have the capacity to push 150 million gallons of water per minute over the mile-wide basalt cliff. This is a truly awesome sight. During this add-on you will have the opportunity to visit a traditional Mukani village, take a tour of the Zambian side of the falls and cruise along the Zambezi river at sunset, as well as enjoying free time to explore at your own pace.

Day 19: Johannesburg/UK
It’s time to head to Johannesburg airport for your overnight flight back to the UK.

Day 20: UK
Arrive in the UK

Please note
To maximise your enjoyment of this holiday a certain amount of walking is essential.
Accommodation throughout is in hotels of a comfortable standard, typical of the hotels you will stay in are:

4-star Protea Hotel Victoria Junction in Cape Town
3-star Windsor Hotel in Hermanus
3-star Country Hotel in Montagu
4-star Protea Hotel Knysna Quays in Knysna
4-star Protea Hotel Marine in Port Elizabeth
4-star Protea Hotel Wanderers in Johannesburg
4-star Protea Hotel Kruger Gate close to the Kruger National Park.
All hotels feature air conditioning where appropriate and all guest rooms have en suite facilities.

In Zambezi you will stay in:

3-star Zambezi Sun Hotel
Part of the Sun International Group and situated on the banks of the Zambezi, the hotel has views towards the Victoria Falls, which are just a short walk away.

The Zambezi Sun is built around a large landscaped central pool which allows you to cool off in the heat of the day and the two-storey rooms have private balconies with lovely views of either the morning sunrise or the evening sunset. Guest bedrooms include air conditioning, satellite TV, safe, telephone and en suite facilities.

Please note the Falls are impressive at any time of year. However the volume of water cascading down depends on the amount of rainfall in any particular month. Between July and January water levels tend to be lower, whilst in high season, from February to June there are likely to be heavy mists.

All hotels will be confirmed in your final documentation.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Included excursions and visits

Orientation tour of Cape Town
Visit the penguin colony at Stoney Point
Scenic drive along the Garden Route
Scenic Panorama Route
Soweto tour in Johannesburg
Game drive at the Kruger National Park
Mukani village visit
Victoria Falls
Zambezi River cruise at sunset

Optional excursions

Cape Peninsula
Winelands visit, cellar tour and tasting
Featherbed Nature Reserve, Knysna

Your holiday includes

Scheduled flights and internal flights
Overseas transfers and other transportation
12 nights’ accommodation with breakfast, plus 1 lunch and 4 dinners
5 nights’ accommodation with breakfast during add-on
The services of a Travelsphere Tour manager and Local Guide
Hotel porterage (one bag per person)
All airport taxes and security charges
UK Airline Passenger Duty
All state and local taxes

With 50 years’ experience in arranging escorted tours to exciting destinations across the globe, Travelsphere have built an excellent reputation founded on quality and value.

By choosing a Travelsphere escorted holiday you can travel with confidence, knowing that every aspect of your holiday has been carefully planned and arranged from start to finish. Further to this they are ATOL bonded and members of ABTA.

Travelsphere’s thorough planning of travel arrangements, itineraries and accommodation combined with the unique insight of their knowledgeable Tour Managers and Local Guides will enable you to experience the culture, traditions and hidden away places less accessible to other travellers.

Our Opinion
“Travelsphere are one of the biggest names in the Escorted Tour market. Finely tuned over the last 50 years their tours have been tried, tested and refined by thousands of customers.”