Travel Type
Escorted Tour
Duration
14 Days/13 Nights
Country
South Africa
 

Highlights

  • Traverse the famous Long Tom Pass en route from Johannesburg to Mpumalanga.
  • Visit the spectacularly scenic Three Rondavels, Bourke’s Luck Potholes and God’s Window.
  • Experience an open vehicle game safari 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.
  • Visit Tsitsikamma National Park and the scenic Storms River Mouth.
  • Enjoy a delicious dinner at a delightful lagoon side restaurant in Knysna.
  • Experience a sunset cruise on the Knysna Lagoon.
  • Visit the ‘Dolphin Point’ lookout in Wilderness, with spectacular views of Wilderness beach and beyond.
  • Guided tour of the Cango Caves and a guided tour of a working ostrich farm in Oudtshoorn.
  • Visit a rural 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. School will be closed January 1 – 14; March 29 – April 7; June 28 – July 21; October 4 – 12; December 11 – 31, 2025.
  • Explore the small towns along the well-known Route 62.
  • Visit Hermanus, a seaside resort in the heart of the whale route.
  • 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’.
  • Meals included in this trip support sustainable food production with at least 30% of the food on the menu being sourced locally (within 50-80km) of where it’s prepared.
  • Enjoy a variety of carefully chosen optional MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences that positively impact our travellers and the communities we visit.


    • The South Africa Odyssey is an exceptional, long wandering journey through South Africa. From city life to adventure, wildlife to culture, breath-taking scenery to sun-soaked coasts, South Africa is a premier travel destination.

    Our Odyssey begins in Johannesburg and travels through Mpumalanga, with visits along the Panorama Route as well as the Kruger National Park, a safari extravaganza. Once you have encountered the wildlife of the country, you will then travel to the Kingdom of eSwatini, where a vibrant cultural journey inspires. Zululand is where ancient kings once hunted, where the Big Five now roam, conserved, and protected. The last leg of the odyssey is a Garden Route journey ending with a few days spent in the city of Cape Town.

    Inclusions

    13-night accommodation in double occupancy
    21 meals: 13 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 6 dinners including gratuities
    Transportation in air-conditioned vehicles
    Services of a professional English-speaking tour guide
    Entrance fees as specified in the itinerary
    Bottled water in eco-friendly packaging
    Porterage at the hotels

    Exclusions

    International airfare – Domestic flight Durban-Gqeberha – Visa – Optional excursions – Beverages – Gratuities to hotel personnel, guides and drivers – Insurance.

    Additional Information

    Note

    Recommended flight – FA421 departing Durban at 14h00, arriving Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) 15h30.
    Minimum 2 and maximum of 10 passengers.
    This tour travels through eSwatini (Swaziland). Please check visa requirements, as certain nationalities may require visas to travel through eSwatini (Swaziland).

    OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS

    Enhance your journey with optional excursions, available for pre-booking, subject to 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.

    DAY 1 –JOHANNESBURG – AFTERNOON SOWETO & APARTHEID MUSEUM TOUR – $CA 199 per person
    On this tour we will discover Soweto and the surrounding area, driving past Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Orlando Power Station, Mandela House Museum, Desmond Tutu’s House, the Hector Pieterson Memorial & Museum, the Regina Mundi Church, Maponya Shopping Mall, Kliptown, Walter Sisulu Freedom Square and Aldorado Park. Afterwards we will head towards
    the Apartheid Museum. Once there you will have the opportunity to discover the history of the Apartheid era on your own.

    DAY 4 – KRUGER NATIONAL PARK – AFTERNOON OPEN VEHICLE GAME SAFARI – $CA 79 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 – HLUHLUWE-IMFOLOZI PARK – AFTERNOON OPEN VEHICLE GAME SAFARI – $CA 89 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 – OUDTSHOORN – MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience – EARLY MORNING MEERKAT SAFARI – $CA 79 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 & KIRSTENBOSCH GARDENS – $CA 109 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 explore Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, acclaimed as one of the great botanic gardens of the world.

    DAY 12 – THURSDAY – CAPE TOWN – BABYLONSTOREN WINE FARM EXPERIENCE – $CA 139 per person
    Join us for an authentic, local experience on a day out in the picturesque Cape Winelands. Visit Fairview, a local cheesery that specializes in the production of handmade, full flavoured cheeses paired with a wine tasting, followed by a visit to Babylonstoren Wine Farm with its botanically diverse fruit and vegetable garden, incredible scenery, and warm hospitality for a
    second wine tasting.

    ** DAY 12 – CAPE TOWN – MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience – MARINE BIG FIVE SAFARI EXPERIENCE – $CA 339 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.

    1

    DAY 1 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 and unescorted. Why not enjoy an optional (own account) sightseeing tour of Soweto, learning more about the struggle for freedom in South Africa, or simply relax at your hotel? At 19h00 we will meet at reception for a briefing on the tour and a chance to meet fellow travellers.
    Distance travelled today: 35 kms

    Accommodation : Johannesburg for 1 night

    Optional Excursions : JOHANNESBURG – AFTERNOON SOWETO & APARTHEID MUSEUM TOUR – $CA 199 per person
    On this tour we will discover Soweto and the surrounding area, driving past Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Orlando Power Station, Mandela House Museum, Desmond Tutu’s House, the Hector Pieterson Memorial & Museum, the Regina Mundi Church, Maponya Shopping Mall, Kliptown, Walter Sisulu Freedom Square and Aldorado Park. Afterwards we will head towards the Apartheid Museum. Once there you will have the opportunity to discover the history of the Apartheid era on your own.

    2

    DAY 2 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.
    Distance travelled today: 425 kms

    Meals : Breakfast, Dinner

    Accommodation : Hazyview for 3 nights

    3

    DAY 3 MPUMALANGA

    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 breath-taking 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.
    Distance travelled today: 320 kms

    Meals : Breakfast, Dinner

    4

    DAY 4 MPUMALANGA

    The day begins with early morning coffee or tea, followed by a thrilling open vehicle game safari (with English speaking game ranger) through the 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 species. 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. An afternoon open vehicle game drive is available as an extension to the morning game drive (optional and for own account).
    Distance travelled today: 120 kms

    Meals : Breakfast, Dinner

    Optional Excursions : KRUGER NATIONAL PARK – AFTERNOON OPEN VEHICLE GAME SAFARI –$CA 79 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.

    5

    DAY 5 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 inclusive of lunch, introduces us to the charming people of eSwatini (Swaziland) and their traditions. We travel via the capital city, Mbabane, to the beautiful Ezulwini Valley for overnight in eSwatini (Swaziland) and a sumptuous dinner at your hotel.
    Distance travelled today: 310 kms

    Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Accommodation : eSwatini for 1 night

    6

    DAY 6 eSWATINI (SWAZILAND) - ZULULAND

    After breakfast we will continue south through eSwatini (Swaziland), 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 game 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 black and white rhino.
    Distance travelled today: 360 kms

    Meals : Breakfast

    Accommodation : Zululand for 1 night

    Optional Excursions : HLUHLUWE-IMFOLOZI PARK – AFTERNOON OPEN VEHICLE GAME SAFARI –$CA 89 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.

    7

    DAY 7 ZULULAND – DURBAN – GQEBERHA (PORT ELIZABETH) - TSITSIKAMMA

    The day begins with an early breakfast before departing for Durban, travelling past traditional Zulu Kraals, Eucalyptus
    plantations and sugar cane fields. We arrive at 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 head westwards along the Garden Route, which follows the Indian Ocean coastline, and is bordered inland by soaring mountain ranges and indigenous forests.
    Distance travelled today: 430 kms

    Meals : Breakfast

    Accommodation : Tsitsikamma for 1 night

    8

    DAY 8 TSITSIKAMMA - KNYSNA

    After breakfast, visit the spectacularly beautiful Tsitsikamma National Park and Storms River Mouth (weather permitting). The Tsitsikamma National Park incorporates 80 km of rocky coastline with spectacular sea and landscapes, a remote mountainous region with secluded valleys covered in mountain Fynbos and temperate high forests with deep river gorges leading down to the sea. Afterwards we’ll continue our travels to Knysna, known as the oyster box of South Africa, nestling on the banks of a beautiful lagoon, in the heart of the Garden Route. Enjoy a sunset cruise to the Knysna Heads, before sitting down for dinner at Drydock Restaurant, renowned for dishes with glorious aromas and flavours, using the finest local ingredients and freshly picked herbs from the region.
    Distance travelled today: 100 kms

    Meals : Breakfast, Dinner

    Accommodation : Knysna for 1 night

    9

    DAY 9 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 ‘Dolphin Point’, an extraordinary viewpoint in Wilderness. In Oudtshoorn, we’ll visit an Ostrich Farm for a fun filled interactive tour and light lunch that includes local specialities such as Ostrich Steak, 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.
    Distance travelled today: 210 kms

    Meals : Breakfast, Lunch

    Accommodation : Oudtshoorn for 1 night

    10

    DAY 10 OUDTSHOORN - HERMANUS

    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 via the Tradouw’s pass to Swellendam and then further to the seaside resort of Hermanus, known as the heart of the whale route, offering the best land-based whale watching (August-November) in the world.
    Distance travelled today: 365 kms

    Meals : Breakfast

    Accommodation : Hermanus for 1 night

    11

    DAY 11 HERMANUS – CAPE TOWN

    After a leisurely breakfast, depart Hermanus and continue to Somerset West, travelling via the spectacularly scenic coastal
    road and then onwards to Stellenbosch, set in the beautiful Cape Winelands. You’ll have some free time to explore the town’s oak-shaded streets, cafés, boutiques, and art galleries before travelling to Cape Town.
    Distance travelled today: 160 kms

    Meals : Breakfast

    Accommodation : Cape Town for 3 nights

    Optional Excursions : OUDTSHOORN – MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience - EARLY MORNING MEERKAT SAFARI – $CA 79 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.

    12

    DAY 12 CAPE TOWN (UNESCORTED)

    Enjoy a full day at leisure. Perhaps join a sightseeing tour of Cape Town and Table Mountain (own account) or join us for a Marine Big Five Safari (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, cafés, 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.
    Distance travelled today: 10 kms

    Meals : Breakfast, Dinner

    Optional Excursions : THURSDAY – CAPE TOWN – MORNING TABLE MOUNTAIN & KIRSTENBOSCH GARDENS - $CA 109 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 explore Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, acclaimed as one of the great botanic gardens of the world.

    THURSDAY – CAPE TOWN – BABYLONSTOREN WINE FARM EXPERIENCE - $CA 139 per person
    Join us for an authentic, local experience on a day out in the picturesque Cape Winelands. Visit Fairview, a local cheesery that specializes in the production of handmade, full flavoured cheeses paired with a wine tasting, followed by a visit to Babylonstoren Wine Farm with its botanically diverse fruit and vegetable garden, incredible scenery, and warm hospitality for a
    second wine tasting.

    ** CAPE TOWN – MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience - MARINE BIG FIVE SAFARI EXPERIENCE – $CA 339 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.

    13

    DAY 13 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) and Fish Hoek fishing village. Overnight in Cape Town.
    Distance travelled today: 200 kms

    Meals : Breakfast

    14

    DAY 14 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.

    Meals : Breakfast

    HOTEL OPTIONS OR SIMILAR

    Johannesburg: Southern Sun Sandton 4*
    Hazyview: Hazyview Sun Hotel 3*
    eSwatini: The Royal Villas 4*t
    Zululand: Anew Hotel Hluhluwe 3*
    Tsitsikamma: Tsitsikamma Village Inn 3*
    Knysna: Rex Hotel 4*
    Oudtshoorn: Hlangana Lodge 4*
    Hermanus: Auberge Burgundy Boutique Hotel 4*
    Cape Town: President Hotel 4*

    Rates in CA$, per person, starting from

    		Land Package
    Fixed departures 2025Double occupancySingle occupancy
    January 5, 19
    February 2, 9, 16, 23
    March 2,9, 16, 23
    April 6, 20, 27    		45795559
    May 4, 18
    June 1, 15
    July 6, 20
    August 3, 17, 24
    September 7, 21, 28    		43995289
    October 5, 12, 19, 26
    November 2, 9, 16, 23
    December 7    		46995749

    Minimum 2 / maximum 10 passengers.

    **Prices in this document are for information only; they were issued at press time, for the current year. Please note that due to exchange rates and temporary promotions, they can increase or decrease at any time. Contact your travel agent for the price and promotion of the moment. Prices include the contribution of customers to the Compensation Fund for clients of Quebec travel agents.

    *** PLEASE CAREFULLY READ OUR TERMS & CONDITIONS. ***

    South Africa Odyssey 2025 – Detailed itineraries
    South Africa Odyssey 2025 – Detailed itineraries