Book this 16-day, self-guided trip through South Africa and experience the best the country has to offer. Visit some of South Africa's most important destinations and meet people of different cultures. Starting from Johannesburg, where you will get your rental car, this trip will take you through the Soutpansberg Mountains, Kruger National Park, Swaziland and St. Lucia before coming to an end in Cape Town.
From the respectful Venda of the far north to the communities of the southwest and from the colorful people of Swaziland to the proud Zulu nation, this trip will also give you the chance to meet people belonging to a variety of cultures.
Also included in the itinerary is a visit to Kruger National Park, where you will get the chance to sample the richness of South African wildlife. This tour comes to an end in Cape Town. For more details, please go through the itinerary below.
Camping, Resort, Home-stay, Eco Lodge, Guest House
Age Range
18-79 yrs
Operated in
English
Destinations
Cape Town, Johannesburg, Kruger
Cape Town, Johannesburg, Kruger National Park, Panorama Route, St. Lucia, Umhlanga, Dinokeng Game Reserve, Soutpansberg Mountain Range, Venda Village, Eswatini
Do not miss this chance to explore Southern Africa and its wonders during a 15-day, self-driving trip. Along with some of the highlights of South Africa, this trip also includes visits to eSwatini and Lesotho as well as Kruger National Park, one of the largest game reserves in Africa that is also famous for the Big 5.
After you are done with Kruger, it is time to cross the border into eSwatini, formally known as Swaziland, where you will enjoy a village tour. Head for Lesotho next, before you make your way back to South Africa, traveling to Addo Elephant National Park via Cradock and Grahamstown.
Enjoy a sunrise game drive in the national park before calling it an end to this trip. Please scroll down to the itinerary section for more information.
Johannesburg, Hermanus, Kruger National Park, Addo Elephant National Park, Port Elizabeth, Lesotho, Cradock, Grahamstown, Graskop, Eswatini, KwaZulu-Natal, Clarens
Welcome to South Africa. This 16-day, self-driving trip is for those who want to experience the amazing Cape Town and its surrounding areas and all that it has to offer, from its amazing, picturesque locations and delicious cuisine to friendly locals and dynamic cultures.
Your journey starts in Cape Town and takes you along the beautiful west coast to areas known for their stunning natural scenery and famous wineries. Along the way, you will get the chance to experience the unique culture of this region through our homestay programme.
Enjoy driving through West Coast National Park and visit Paternoster, one of the oldest fishing villages on South Africa's West Coast. Spend two nights in a homestay in the Breede River Valley and travel to Stellenbosch, a town known as much for its winery as for its Cape Dutch architecture.
Head back to Cape Town via Hermanus at the end of this tour. For more details, please go through the itinerary below.
Experience the wonderful Gauteng and Limpopo provinces while exploring the hidden gems of South Africa during this seven-day, self-driving tour. Starting from Johannesburg, this trip will take you to Bela-Bela, Makushu and Kruger National Park before coming to an end in Johannesburg.
Learn more about Venda culture while staying in Makushu. Take part in their day-to-day routines and experience their cultural practices. See the amazing variety of wildlife that call South Africa home during a visit to Kruger National Park.
Enjoy a warm welcome from friendly people in each destination you travel to.
Overall it was wonderful. So many sights and experiences to take in. Well planned and customer care was exceptional. Shaun has every good quality a tour guide needs? intelligence empathy patience, knowledge and a lot of humour. A Gem!
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Camping, Guest House, Resort, Tent
Age Range
12-100 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Cape Town, Matobo National Park
Cape Town, Matobo National Park, Hwange National Park, Victoria Falls, Kasane, Nata, Maun, Okavango Delta, Ghanzi, Windhoek, Etosha National Park, Swakopmund, Namib Desert, Fish River Canyon, Orange River, Lambert’s Bay, Johannesburg, Kruger National Park, Great Zimbabwe
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Book this guided trip and spend an amazing 5 days in and around Mkambati Natural Reserve. Explore one of the most pristine places on the South African coastline and uncover its mystique. Discover some of the secrets of the Wild Coast while Hiking along the beach past the Mzamba Fossils. Learn more about the rural Pondo communities.
Start your South African adventure from Wild Coast Sun, a popular resort in Port Edward, where you will meet both your guide and group members. Hike along a 14km coastal stretch to reach the Nyameni River. See Strandlooper and Mkambati falls. Enjoy a cultural tour to a traditional Xhosa village and get the chance to learn more about this community. Take a boat trip to the stunning Mtentu Estuary and visit Mkambati's best kept secret, Swallow Tail Falls.
See innumerable waterfalls, take refreshing dips in natural pools, and relax on the beach during this hike. Enjoy our full-board service except on the first and the last day of the hike. You will be driven back to Wild Coast Sun after the trip is over.
Enjoy a uniquely Zulu experience with a visit to a traditional Zulu oracle, diviner and herbalist.
An inyanga or a sangoma is a traditional medicine practitioner or shaman of the Zulu people in South Africa. They can communicate with your ancestors, work with plant-based medicines and use the power of prayer for healing.
While most practice all three forms, you will find others that work solely with one or any combination of these methods. Their training varies depending on family lineage and land location. However, what they all have in common is a calling to serve their families, their communities and the Earth.
The inyanga/sangoma stay in the picturesque area of Molweni. There you will have the opportunity to consult with a local inyanga/sangoma in a traditional Zulu experience. The consultation lasts about 45 minutes with the use of traditional methods like bone-throwing to connect with ancestors and convey the information he receives.
When one thinks of African wildlife, the image of the expansive savanna plains come to mind. On this guided day tour, experience the massive biodiversity of the continent through a different vantage point: St. Lucia coastline. Afterwards, experience Zulu culture unaffected by modernization at DumaZulu Cultural Village.
The tour departs from Durban along the coast to northern KwaZulu-Natal. The first stop is the small town of St Lucia inside the iSimangaliso Wetlands Park. There you will board a river boat for a two-hour guided tour of the estuary. A local guide will inform you of the park's history and inform you about its incredible wildlife whilst cruising along the estuary on a boat safari.
The iSimangaliso Wetlands Park was declared South Africa's first Natural World Heritage Site in 1999. Previously known as the Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park, the UNESCO site dates back over 120 years. Established in 1895 the reserve is considered South Africa's third largest park with its unique ecosystem spanning over 280 km of near pristine coastline and 328,000 hectares of expansive land. The protected area is home to one of the largest population of hippopotami in South Africa and an estimated 1,000 crocodiles.
iSimagaliso has a wealth of plant, bird and animal life, including lions, zebras, African elephants, leopards, giraffes, white rhinos and fish eagles. Then head to DumaZulu Cultural Village.
DumaZulu Cultural Village is located near the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve in the heart of Zululand. Translated to “Thundering Zulu,” DumaZulu is South Africa’s largest Zulu cultural village with over 50 Zulu locals who living and working in the area.
The village depicts Zulu culture before modernization and is considered a living museum. The village is laid out in the tradition Zulu design of beehive huts arranged in a circle around a cattle kraal. You’ll be welcomed to the village by a local DumaZulu tour guide who’ll explain and share interesting traditions and customs of the Zulu people.
You can observe the traditional basket-weaving, spear- and shield-making techniques from the locals as well as watch traditional bone-throwing and Zulu dancing and singing performances.
Roam among the exquisite wildlife of Africa at the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve. The reserve, established in 1895, is the oldest in South Africa and provides a rare opportunity to see the Big Five of Africa: lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo and rhinoceros, on a single safari. Afterwards, experience Zulu culture unaffected by modernization at DumaZulu Cultural Village.
Start the journey by heading north from Durban to KwaZulu-Natal. After almost three-hours’ drive, you’ll arrive at the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve. On this closed vehicle tour, your experienced guide will show you around a section of the 98,000 hectares of the park in search of diverse wildlife and Africa’s Big Five. The reserve's hilly topography is home to immensely diverse flora and fauna.
The Hluhluwe Game Reserve in the north and the Imfolozi Game Reserve in the south were joined to create the largest reserve in KwaZulu Natal. The Hluhluwe Imfolozi Reserve is noted for its white rhino conservation. Their Centenary Capture Centre is celebrated for its exceptional research in animal capture, rehabilitation and release as well their approach to sustainable ecotourism in South Africa.
You’ll stop for lunch at Hilltop Camp (at your own expense) giving you time to refuel and relax. The restaurant is situated on top of a hill and gives visitors the chance to enjoy the surrounding scenery. After lunch complete your safari and head to DumaZulu Cultural Village.
DumaZulu Cultural Village is located near the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve in the heart of Zululand. Translated to “Thundering Zulu,” DumaZulu is South Africa’s largest Zulu cultural village with over 50 Zulu locals who living and working in the area.
The village depicts Zulu culture before modernization and is considered a living museum. The village is laid out in the tradition Zulu design of beehive huts arranged in a circle around a cattle kraal. You’ll be welcomed to the village by a local DumaZulu tour guide who’ll explain and share interesting traditions and customs of the Zulu people.
You can observe the traditional basket-weaving, spear- and shield-making techniques from the locals as well as watch traditional bone-throwing and Zulu dancing and singing performances.
Are you interested in local African culture? This one-day popular tour is a culture tour dedicated to the culture and customs of the Zulu people. With pick up and drop off in Durban, this tour couldn’t be easier!
The tour’s first stop is the King Shaka Memorial. Here, you can enjoy a short presentation about King Shaka Zulu.
The next stop is Shakaland Zulu Cultural Village, the main attraction. Here, you will find the king’s royal homestead, which was built for the movie Shaka Zulu in the 1980’s. It is a life-sized replica of Shaka’s home, which now serves as a living museum for tourists and schools. The two-hour guided tour gives visitors an insight into Zulu Culture before colonisation and modernization. This includes an opportunity to taste authentic Zulu beer and culminates with a show of spectacular Zulu dancing.
We then travel to Dlinza Forest for a scenic, easy walk along the raised boardwalks that make their way through the beautiful reserve. The reserve is home to small duiker, monkeys and a wide variety of bird life. Keep your eyes peeled and you might spot something!
Explore the history of KwaZulu-Natal, the distant and the recent, on this guided tour. Learn about the struggles during and the triumphs over the apartheid as well as get a glimpse of Zulu culture before the dawn of the 20th century. End the day with a thrilling visit to a reptile park.
The tour departs from Durban for the capital of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg. Your guide will give you a short tour of the city, including Mahatma Gandhi’s statue by Pietermaritzburg City Hall.
Next stop will be the small town of Howick to visit its waterfall. KwaNogqaza or Howick Falls is approximately 95 metres in height and lies on the Umgeni River. The local Zulu people named it the “Home of the Tall” referring to its height. Next to the fall lies a quaint old section of Howick that houses a number of historical museums and antique stores.
Next, head to the Nelson Mandela Capture Site and Apartheid Museum. The Capture Site boasts a large sculpture of Nelson Mandela made up of multiple steel columns. Tourists at the Capture Site are required to stand 35 meters away the steel columns to clearly see the large bust of Nelson Mandela in focus. Facing west the impressive sculpture is a unique monument for the local Howick community. The Apartheid Museum is dedicated to Nelson Mandela’s life and his struggle against the Apartheid government.
Next is the "Valley of 1,000 Hills" to experience traditional Zulu culture at PheZulu Cultural Village and visit the Reptile Park. Visitors are taken into a traditional Zulu sibaya or homestead to experience traditional Zulu life before modernization. Inside a traditional Zulu homestead there are thatched huts placed in a circular position, with the cattle placed in the centre as a form of protection. At PheZulu homesteads the thatched huts are surrounding the auditorium which faces the beautiful valley.
The local PheZulu guide will take you on a guided tour of the PheZulu sibaya and explain the Zulu cultural practices to gain insight into Zulu traditions during the 1800’s. The local Zulu dancing show serves both educational and entertainment purpose as local performers sing and dance to beautiful traditional Zulu songs with complete Zulu attire.
PheZulu also has the Reptile Park. The local guides are very knowledgeable and eager to take you around the park and share interesting facts about the animals in the park. PheZulu Reptile Park has diverse reptilian wildlife on site, including crocodiles, alligators, snakes, tortoises and iguanas. The guides will let you touch or hold some of the animals, including a small crocodile and the giant Burmese python, just long enough to take a photo.
This is a half day tour of Phezulu Cultural Village and Reptile Park in the beautiful and scenic Valley of a 1000 Hills where you can enjoy a glimpse of local Zulu Culture and be mesmerized by some traditional Zulu dancing at Phezulu Cultural Village. The tour includes venture into traditional Zulu beehive shaped thatched huts where various artifacts, beliefs and rituals are explained.
You will then Embark on a scenic and guided tour of Durban and its surrounding areas. You will be fascinated by the variety of landmarks which highlights this great city’s diverse history and culture.
To name a few, you will be visiting the Victoria Street Market, Emmanuel Catholic Cathedral, City Hall In The City Centre, Kwa-Muhle Apartheid Museum, Botanical Gardens, University Of Kwa Zulu Natal Howard Campus, Moses Mabhida Staduim, Durban Harbour, Or Tambo Promenade Beach Front.
KING SHAKA MEMORIAL- SHAKALAND- DLINZA FOREST
This popular tour is dedicated to the culture and customs of Zulu people. We start the tour from your accomodation in Durban and move to our first stop which is King Shaka Memorial which is about an hours drive from Durban. Here we show you a short presentation about the history of King Shaka Zulu .
Our next stop is the main attraction which is Shakaland which was built for the movie "Shaka Zulu". It demonstrates the lifestyle replica of Shaka’s Royal Homestead which now serves as a living museum. The two hour guided tour is an educational insight into Zulu Culture before colonization and modernization. Here you get an opportunity to taste authentic Zulu beer and participate in a show of spectacular Zulu dancing.
We take an easy walk to the Dlinza Forest Reserve which has high raised board walks winding their way through this beautiful reserve. Small duiker and a wide variety of bird life is what you can expect.
After the tour we drive you back to Durban and drop you off to your accommodations.