19-Day Dicover South Africa

Day 1: Journey to the Greater Kruger National Park

As we bid farewell to the vibrant energy of Johannesburg—its skyline fading in the rearview—we embark eastward through the undulating coalfields of Mpumalanga, where the earthy scent of red dust mingles with the faint, acrid whisper of distant mines. Our route traces ancient trade paths to the lush Lowveld, alive with the distant trumpet of elephants and the golden glow of acacia-dotted savannas, heralding the iconic Kruger National Park.

Accommodation: Umbhaba or Nkambeni Reserve or Hotel Numbi or Timbavati Safari Lodge

Facilities: Twin-share in permanent tents with en-suite bathrooms

Route: Johannesburg to Nkambeni Reserve

Meals: Dinner

Day 2: Immersed in Kruger National Park

Dawn breaks with the symphony of birdcalls and the soft rustle of grass underfoot as we enter Kruger National Park for a full day of exhilarating game viewing. The air hums with anticipation—the musky scent of wild herbs, the warm breath of the earth rising from sun-baked tracks. In Africa's premier sanctuary, spot the Big Five amid astonishing biodiversity: 336 tree species rustling overhead, 49 fish glinting in hidden pans, 34 amphibians croaking at dusk, 114 reptiles slithering through underbrush, 507 birds flashing iridescent wings, and 147 mammals prowling with primal grace. Our open-sided 4x4 vehicle rumbles over rutted paths, wind whipping through as lions roar in the distance.

Accommodation: Nkambeni Reserve or Umbhaba or Hotel Numbi or Timbavati Safari Lodge

Facilities: Twin-share in permanent tents with en-suite bathrooms

Route: Within Kruger National Park

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Included Highlight: Kruger National Park 4x4 game drive

Day 3: Kruger's Majesty and the Panorama Route

For optional morning walkers, the crisp pre-dawn chill bites the skin, dew-kissed grass crunching under boots; the rest awaken to steaming coffee as we wind to the Panorama Route. Along the escarpment—where cool mist clings to sheer cliffs separating plateau from lowlands—the air fills with the roar of cascading waters. Marvel at Bourke’s Luck Potholes, their swirling cauldrons echoing with frothy splashes; the Three Rondavels rising like ancient sentinels against a canvas of blue; and God’s Window, where breezes carry the sweet tang of fynbos and infinite vistas unfold in golden afternoon light.

Accommodation: Nkambeni Reserve or Umbhaba or Hotel Numbi or Timbavati Safari Lodge

Facilities: Twin-share in permanent tents with en-suite bathrooms

Included Highlight: Panorama Route—Bourke’s Luck Potholes, Blyde River Canyon, God’s Window

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 4: From Kruger to the Kingdom of Eswatini

The rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee and crunchy traditional rusks awakens the senses as we depart early, traversing Kruger’s southern expanses. The vehicle hums over gravel, offering glimpses of giraffes silhouetted against the rising sun, their long necks swaying like periscopes amid the dry, earthy perfume of thornveld. Exiting the park, a swift border leads into Eswatini’s mist-shrouded mountains, where pine-scented forests whisper secrets and winding roads reveal valleys blanketed in emerald green, culminating in the serene Ezulwini Valley.

Accommodation: Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary (Rest Camp) or Hlane Royal National Park (Ndlovu Camp) or Mbuluzi or Mantenga Lodge

Facilities: Twin-share in rooms with en-suite bathrooms

Route: Kruger to Mlilwane

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Included Activity: Game drive in Kruger National Park (in your Nomad vehicle)

Border Post: South Africa: Jeppes Reef (Tel: +27(0)13 781 0382, Open: 07h00–20h00); Eswatini: Matsamo (Tel: +268 323 2137, Open: 07h00–20h00)

Day 5: Discovering Eswatini's Timeless Charms

In the Kingdom of Eswatini—encircled by South Africa, its air crisp with highland freshness and the faint smoke of village fires—greet locals with Sawubonaamid the rhythmic clap of hands and the earthy scent of thatch-roofed rondavels. Explore rolling hills alive with wildflowers' sweet perfume and the distant lowing of cattle, immersing in this cultural gem's vibrant heritage.

Accommodation: Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary (Rest Camp) or Hlane Royal National Park (Ndlovu Camp) or Mbuluzi or Mantenga Lodge

Facilities: Twin-share in rooms with en-suite bathrooms. Please visit the accommodation provider’s website for a full list of facilities.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Optional Activities: Game drives, mountain biking, and hiking

Day 6: Eswatini to the Zulu Heartlands of St Lucia

Parting Eswatini’s cool highlands, where morning fog lingers like a veil, we re-enter South Africa, sweeping into Zululand’s humid embrace—the air thick with the spicy scent of wild sage and echoes of Shaka’s warrior drums. Coastal breezes soon carry the salty tang of the Indian Ocean, drawing us to St Lucia’s lagoon-fringed shores.

Accommodation: Forest Lodge or Shonalanga

Facilities: Twin-share in rooms with en-suite bathrooms

Route: Eswatini to St Lucia

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Border Post: South Africa: Golela Border Post (Tel: +27(0)34 435 1070, Open: 07h00–22h00); Eswatini: Lavumisa Town Board (Tel: +268 20 790 93, Open: 07h00–22h00)

Day 7: Wildlife Wonders of Hluhluwe-iMfolozi and St Lucia Estuary

Dawn’s golden light filters through acacia thorns as we enter Hluhluwe-iMfolozi, the air alive with rhino grunts and the musky trail of fresh dung—a bastion where endangered horns gleam under the sun. Midday siesta brings relief from the heat, before an afternoon boat cruise on St Lucia estuary: water lapping gently, hippos yawning with cavernous splashes, crocodiles' eyes glinting like emeralds amid fishy breezes and flocks of flamingos tinting the sky pink.

Accommodation: Forest Lodge or Shonalanga

Facilities: Twin-share in rooms with en-suite bathrooms

Meals: Breakfast

Included Highlights: Game drive in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi National Park; St Lucia boat cruise

Day 8: Along the Dramatic Drakensberg to uKhahlamba

The uKhahlamba Drakensberg looms like jagged spears, their basalt faces etched by wind and rain, air crisp with pine resin and the distant thunder of waterfalls. En route, Howick Falls plummet with a deafening roar, mist cooling the skin; the Mandela Capture Site evokes quiet reflection amid blooming proteas and the faint echo of history's chains.

Accommodation: Monk’s Cowl

Facilities: Twin-share in rooms with en-suite bathrooms

Route: St Lucia to Drakensberg

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Included Highlights: Visit to the Mandela Capture Site; Howick Falls

Day 9: Hiking the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Peaks

Morning sun warms granite underfoot as we hike, boots crunching on lichen-crusted paths, the air filled with the sweet nectar of wildflowers and the sharp cry of eagles soaring overhead. Trails unveil hidden san rock art—ochre figures dancing in the light—catering to every pace in this paradise of cascading streams and echoing valleys.

Accommodation: Monk’s Cowl

Facilities: Twin-share in rooms with en-suite bathrooms

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Included Highlight: Guided hike in uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park

Day 10: Crossing into the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho

Winding through Golden Gate’s sandstone cliffs aglow in amber hues, the pass fills with the clean bite of alpine air and the distant tinkle of shepherd bells. Entering Lesotho, Maseru’s bustle fades into high-altitude silence, our climb rewarded by the thin, invigorating oxygen of Maluti peaks.

Accommodation: Malealea Lodge or Semonkong

Facilities: Twin-share in rooms with en-suite bathrooms

Route: Drakensberg to Malealea

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Border Post: South Africa: Maseru Bridge (Tel: +27(0)51 924 4300, Open: 24hrs); Lesotho: Maseru Bridge (Tel: +266 22 313 796, Open: 24hrs)

Day 11: Lesotho's Rugged Trails and Cultural Echoes

Crisp mountain air carries the woolly scent of Basotho blankets as we trail through basalt canyons, rivers roaring below and the faint charcoal aroma of village fires. Bushman paintings glow in ochre under torchlight, waterfalls cascading with icy spray on our skin.

Accommodation: Malealea Lodge or Semonkong

Facilities: Twin-share in rooms with en-suite bathrooms

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Included Highlight: Waterfall and Bushman paintings activity with your Nomad guide

Pre-Bookable Optionals: Pony trekking or village tour (minimum numbers may apply)

Day 12: Traversing the Vast Karoo to Graaff-Reinet

Descending, the air warms with the dry, herbal tang of Karoo bossies, vast plains shimmering under relentless sun. Crossing the Orange River’s muddy rush, Graaff-Reinet’s whitewashed Cape Dutch gables emerge, scented with jasmine and history.

Accommodation: Profcon Resort or Camdeboo Cottages (no website available)

Facilities: Twin-share in rooms with en-suite bathrooms

Route: Malealea to Graaff-Reinet

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Border Post: Lesotho: Vanrooyenshek (Tel: +27 51 583 1525, Open: 06h00–22h00); South Africa: Vanrooyenshek (Tel: +27 51 583 1516, Open: 06h00–22h00)

Day 13: Sunrise over the Karoo and Addo’s Elephants

Optional dawn at Valley of Desolation: chill air, first rays painting spires in rose gold, the vast plains below exhaling cool mist. Coastward, Addo’s succulent thicket releases a peppery aroma as elephants trumpet, their leathery hides dusted in red earth during our rumbling game drive.

Accommodation: Garden Court Kings Beach Hotel or Africanos Country Estate

Facilities: Twin-share in rooms with en-suite bathrooms

Route: Graaff-Reinet to Gqeberha/Great Addo area

Meals: Breakfast

Included Highlights: Valley of Desolation sunrise tour; Afternoon game drive in Addo National Park (Nomad vehicle)

Day 14: Deeper into Addo Elephant National Park

Morning drives stir the subtropical thicket’s humid breath, alive with meerkat chirps and the rustle of dung beetles rolling treasures, leopards’ spots flickering in dappled shade.

Accommodation: Garden Court Kings Beach Hotel or Africanos Country Estate

Facilities: Twin-share in rooms with en-suite bathrooms

Meals: Breakfast

Included Highlight: Morning game drive in Addo National Park

Day 15: Surf's Edge to Tsitsikamma's Wild Coast

Jeffreys Bay’s salty spray crashes with thunderous applause, surfboards wax-scented underfoot in the museum. Westward, Tsitsikamma’s ancient forests exhale damp moss and ocean brine, waves pounding cliffs in rhythmic fury.

Accommodation: Tsitsikamma Village Inn or Storms River Lodge or Storms River Village Lodge

Facilities: Twin-share in rooms with en-suite bathrooms

Route: Gqeberha/Great Addo area to Tsitsikamma

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Included Highlight: Stop in the surfing town of Jeffreys Bay

Day 16: Trails of Tsitsikamma National Park

Coastal trails crunch with salt-crusted pebbles, ferns dripping dew, the ocean’s roar echoing through Storms River Mouth’s suspension bridges swaying gently. Optional Woodcutters Journey: harness creaking in canopy, leaves whispering indigenous lore amid floral sweetness.

Accommodation: Tsitsikamma Village Inn or Storms River Lodge or Storms River Village Lodge

Facilities: Twin-share in rooms with en-suite bathrooms

Meals: Breakfast

Included Highlight: Tsitsikamma National Park entrance and guided hike

Optional Activities: Woodcutters Journey tour; Treetop Canopy Tours; Bungee jumping

Day 17: Over the Mountains to Oudtshoorn's Ostrich Capital

Knysna’s lagoon mirrors misty forests, oyster brine on the breeze. Outeniqua passes fill with eucalyptus sharpness; Oudtshoorn’s caves drip with cool, mineral echoes, stalactites gleaming like frozen chandeliers under headlamp glow.

Accommodation: De Denne Country Guest House or De Zeekoe

Facilities: Twin-share in rooms with en-suite bathrooms

Route: Tsitsikamma to Oudtshoorn

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Included Highlight: Cango Caves basic tour

Day 18: The Little Karoo to Africa's Southern Tip and Hermanus

Little Karoo’s lavender fields scent the warm air; Cape Agulhas’ waves crash in dual-ocean fury, salt spray stinging cheeks at the continent’s edge. Hermanus evenings: whale song rumbling through harbor waters, optional dinner’s fresh seafood sizzling with garlic and ocean views.

Accommodation: Windsor Hotel or Arniston Spa Hotel

Facilities: Twin-share in rooms with en-suite bathrooms

Route: Oudtshoorn to Hermanus

Meals: Breakfast

Included Highlight: Cape Agulhas (southernmost tip of the African continent)

Day 19: Whale Coast Wonders and Cape Town Finale

Hermanus boardwalk: whale blows echoing like distant thunder, salty gusts tousling hair. Stony Point’s penguins honk amid guano tang; optional Winelands detour: grape-sweet air, vineyard earth underfoot. Arrival in Cape Town pulses with urban energy, Table Mountain’s silhouette against a fiery sunset.

Accommodation: Own arrangements

Route: Hermanus to Cape Town

Meals: Breakfast

Included Highlights: Cliff Path Hermanus boardwalks; Stony Point Penguin Colony

Premium Tour- Max 12 (Avg 10)

3–5 star en-suite lodges with hearty meals, crafted for shorter travel days and longer moments to enjoy each destination.

Toyota Quantum

Toyota Quantum is ideal for 2 to 12 clients and designed with your comfort in mind, offering spacious seating, climate control, and large windows for unobstructed views. Both these semi-lux vehicles can come with or without a trailer. Key features included: Large Windows, Luggage Trailer, Comfortable Individual Seats, Air-Conditioning

Departures Dates 2026