South Africa Rainbow Route Safari
17 Days
South Africa isn't called the Rainbow Nation for nothing, as you'll discover on this stunning journey from Johannesburg to Cape Town. There's game viewing in Kruger, the magnificent Drakensberg Mountains plus the Garden Route with a Cape Town finale.
Limited participation:
On our accommodated adventures we will require a limited amount of participation from you. The guides will, when required, do the meal preparation and will ask for you for a bit of help cleaning up afterwards (on rotation). Where restaurant meals are included in the itinerary, obviously these will be served by the lodge and do not require your assistance. When everyone gets involved in the safari it makes the entire tour more successful.
from USD $2910pp
Home » 17 Day South Africa Rainbow Route Safari
Itinerary Highlights
- Kruger National Park – game drives
- eSwatini (Swaziland) – mountain walk
- Zululand – game drives & cultural village
- Drakensberg mountains – walk
- Wild Coast – beach walks & Xhosa villages
- Addo - game drives
- Tsitsikamma – forest walks
- Hermanus – beaches and whales
- Cape Town – Cape Point & Table Mountain
Itinerary in Brief
- Day 1: Johannesburg
- Day 2: Greater Kruger
- Day 3: Kruger National Park
- Day 4: Kingdom of eSwatini (Swaziland)
- Day 5 - 6: Zululand
- Day 7 - 8: Drakensberg Mountains
- Day 9 - 10: Wild Coast
- Day 11: Addo Elephant National Park
- Day 12 - 13: Knysna / Tsitsikamma
- Day 14: Hermanus
- Day 15 - 16: Cape Town
- Day 17: Tour Ends - Transfers
Day 1: Johannesburg
Departing from Johannesburg at 06:30am we head towards Mpumalanga where mountains, panoramic passes, valleys, rivers, waterfalls & forests characterise the landscape. We enjoy the views from God’s Window before descending off the escarpment and heading to our game lodge on the border of the Greater Kruger NP.
Day 2: Greater Kruger
The following morning, we are up early for a full day of game viewing in Kruger National Park. We will return to our lodge in the late afternoon to enjoy the sunset over the Drakensberg mountains, a swim in the pool and a hearty meal before falling asleep to the sounds of Africa.
Day 3: Kruger National Park
We stretch our legs on a short morning walk exploring the surrounding bush before we re-enter Kruger NP and head south. Kruger NP is the largest game reserve in South Africa, boasts the world’s greatest concentration of species, and has an amazing 16 different ecosystems. Exciting game drives provide us with excellent game viewing. Spot the “Big 5” (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo) and many other animals in this true African wilderness.
Day 4: Kingdom of eSwatini (Swaziland)
Malolotja Nature Reserve in the mountainous Kingdom of eSwatini (Swaziland) is our next attraction. Renowned for a great variety of habitats from short grassland, to thick riverine scrub, bushveld and moist forest, we explore the reserve on foot to enjoy the fantastic mountain views. Relax around a campfire dinner and stay in mountain cabins for the night.
Day 5 - 6: Zululand
We visit a craft market near Mbabane which has a range of handmade crafts and a local witchdoctor stall! We re-enter South Africa and head to our lodge on a private game reserve situated on the Msinene Nature Reserve, where our local guide will lead us on a walk through the bushveld and riverine vegetation of the Msinene River, bird watching and game tracking. Nyala, hippo and the elusive leopard are all found on the reserve. The next day we take a game drive in Hluhluwe Game Reserve, which is a safe haven for the embattled rhino, followed by a visit to a modern local Zulu community. Relax in the late afternoon with a cold drink while enjoying the views over the reserve from the lodge.
Day 7 - 8: Drakensberg Mountains
The Drakensberg Mountains or “uKhahlamba” - the Barrier of Spears, is a 200-kilometre-long mountainous wonderland and world heritage site. From Zululand we move further south to the base of these mountains where we overnight for two nights in quaint cottages. We will spend time walking along beautiful mountain stream paths, or just enjoying the spectacular views. En-route to the Drakensberg we visit the Nelson Mandela capture site museum and pay our respects to this great man.
Day 9 - 10: Wild Coast
The Wild Coast remains a relatively untouched paradise with unspoilt stretches of dramatically beautiful coastline, open spaces and pristine forest areas. We stay overnight in Kei Mouth and the next day is free to explore the area, meet local villagers or go down to the beach.
Day 11: Addo Elephant National Park
The Addo Elephant National Park was established in 1931 to protect the last 11 wild elephants from extermination. Today more than 600 elephants roam through the area. The park also offers excellent viewing of black rhino, Cape buffalo, lion and leopard, as well as a host of other large and small mammals and over 400 species of birds in the greater park area.
Day 12 - 13: Knysna / Tsitsikamma
For two nights we will stay in a lodge resort in Knysna, which is nestled on a tranquil lagoon. We will take a day trip to the Storms River mouth where there are walks up the gorge and along the rocky coast. The Tsitsikamma National Park incorporates 80km of spectacular sea and landscapes; a remote mountainous region with secluded valleys, coastal forests with deep river gorges leading down to the sea. There is also an option of the world’s highest bungi jump. Sample seafood at one of Knysna's great restaurants (own expense).
Day 14: Hermanus
Hermanus offers some of the best land based whale watching in the world. From June to November Southern Right whales come up from the southern oceans to calve and mate in the shallow waters around the Cape. In whale season we will take a walk along this beautiful coastline. In the summer months we will explore the flowering fynbos in Fernkloof Nature Reserve. Enjoy the evening meal out at a local restaurant (own expense).
Day 15 - 16: Cape Town
Cape Town is one of the most picturesque cities in the world, with the majestic Table Mountain providing its central focus. On our way into Cape Town, we visit Stellenbosch, South Africa’s renowned wine region, for wine tasting (own expense) and a cellar tour. The “mother city” has many attractions; we will visit the harbour at Hout Bay, visit Cape Point, enjoy the famous beaches and the V&A Waterfront. Optional visit to Robben Island (own expense). We sample the local fare at a variety of local restaurants (own expense).
Day 17: Tour Ends - Transfers
In the morning we climb Table Mountain, offering panoramic views over Cape Town reaching out into the bay and Robben Island. Having explored the highlights of the Rainbow Nation we take a last look at Cape Town and catch up on last minute curio shopping in the afternoon, before your tour ends at 18:00 at the hotel.
Dates | From | Special Offer |
---|---|---|
02 Nov 2024 - 18 Nov 2024 | USD $2910pp | Contact us |
16 Nov 2024 - 02 Dec 2024 | USD $2910pp | Contact us |
23 Nov 2024 - 09 Dec 2024 | USD $2910pp | Contact us |
30 Nov 2024 - 16 Dec 2024 | USD $2910pp | Contact us |
14 Dec 2024 - 30 Dec 2024 | USD $2910pp | Contact us |
21 Dec 2024 - 06 Jan 2025 | USD $2910pp | Contact us |
11 Jan 2025 - 27 Jan 2025 | USD $3104pp | Contact us |
18 Jan 2025 - 03 Feb 2025 | USD $3104pp | Contact us |
01 Feb 2025 - 17 Feb 2025 | USD $3104pp | Contact us |
22 Feb 2025 - 10 Mar 2025 | USD $3104pp | Contact us |
08 Mar 2025 - 24 Mar 2025 | USD $3104pp | Contact us |
22 Mar 2025 - 07 Apr 2025 | USD $3104pp | Contact us |
05 Apr 2025 - 21 Apr 2025 | USD $3104pp | Contact us |
26 Apr 2025 - 12 May 2025 | USD $3104pp | Contact us |
10 May 2025 - 26 May 2025 | USD $3104pp | Contact us |
24 May 2025 - 09 Jun 2025 | USD $3104pp | Contact us |
21 Jun 2025 - 07 Jul 2025 | USD $3104pp | Contact us |
05 Jul 2025 - 21 Jul 2025 | USD $3104pp | Contact us |
12 Jul 2025 - 28 Jul 2025 | USD $3104pp | Contact us |
19 Jul 2025 - 04 Aug 2025 | USD $3104pp | Contact us |
26 Jul 2025 - 11 Aug 2025 | USD $3104pp | Contact us |
09 Aug 2025 - 25 Aug 2025 | USD $3104pp | Contact us |
16 Aug 2025 - 01 Sep 2025 | USD $3104pp | Contact us |
23 Aug 2025 - 08 Sep 2025 | USD $3104pp | Contact us |
13 Sep 2025 - 29 Sep 2025 | USD $3104pp | Contact us |
04 Oct 2025 - 20 Oct 2025 | USD $3104pp | Contact us |
11 Oct 2025 - 27 Oct 2025 | USD $3104pp | Contact us |
01 Nov 2025 - 17 Nov 2025 | USD $3104pp | Contact us |
15 Nov 2025 - 01 Dec 2025 | USD $3104pp | Contact us |
22 Nov 2025 - 08 Dec 2025 | USD $3104pp | Contact us |
29 Nov 2025 - 15 Dec 2025 | USD $3104pp | Contact us |
13 Dec 2025 - 29 Dec 2025 | USD $3104pp | Contact us |
20 Dec 2025 - 05 Jan 2026 | USD $3104pp | Contact us |
**Prices are per person based on twin / shared accommodation.
**Single supplements may apply
Suggested Accommodation
City | Accommodation |
---|---|
Kruger | Makuwa Safari Lodge or similar |
Kruger | Kruger National Park Chalets or Tents or similar |
Swaziland | Hawane Lodge or similar |
Zululand | Zululand Lodge or similar |
Drakensberg Mountains | Lotheni chalets or similar |
Wild Coast | Areena Resort or similar |
Addo National Park | Addo National Park or similar |
Knysna | Lagoona Inn or similar |
Hermanus | Chesham House or similar |
Cape Town | City Lodge V&A Waterfront or similar |
Whats included?
- Accommodation with private facilities
- Hotel taxes
- Entrance fees
- Tours with English speaking guides
- Transfers
- Meals as specified
What’s not included?
- International Airfares
- Internal airfares
- Airport entrance/departure taxes
- Passport, visa, and immigration fees
- Additional hotel nights
- Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages
- Travel Protection Plan
- Gratuities
- Any items not mentioned as included
Notes
- Limited participation:
On our accommodated adventures we will require a limited amount of participation from you. The guides will, when required, do the meal preparation and will ask for you for a bit of help cleaning up afterwards (on rotation). Where restaurant meals are included in the itinerary, obviously these will be served by the lodge and do not require your assistance. When everyone gets involved in the safari it makes the entire tour more successful.