South Africa – 10 Days in Cape Town, Kruger & Victoria Falls

On arrival into Cape Town, you’re met by a representative and driver for your private transfer to your hotel, which should take around half an hour, depending on traffic. The rest of the day is at your leisure to relax at your hotel or explore the city. You could take a stroll along the Victoria & Albert Waterfront, home to a variety of shops and high-quality restaurants overlooking the harbour.

On your first full day in Cape Town, you can explore the city and its culinary highlights. You will taste a wide variety of local food, at street cafes and markets whilst learning about the history and importance of food in the South African culture. Alternatively, we can arrange a guided city tour, with a private guide leading you through the historic Bo-Kaap area, home to the city’s Malay community, and to the District Six Museum for an insight into the city’s turbulent past. You’ll also take a ferry over to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent much of his prison sentence.

We suggest heading to the summit of Table Mountain today. We can arrange for a private guide to lead you up along one of the many hiking trails – they’ll be able to select the most suitable route for you, but all give you fantastic views over the city, ocean and surrounding landscape. Alternatively, take the cable car, which rotates 360º to ensure views from every angle. Once at the top, you can take photographs and simply take in the panorama, gazing for miles in all directions. There’s also a restaurant and numerous walking trails you can follow along the mountain’s distinctively flat top – look out for the hamster-like rock hyraxes that make the mountain their home.

You have a half hour private transfer back to the airport this morning for your two and a half hour flight to the Kruger. On arrival, you’re met by your private driver and transferred to your safari lodge in Sabi Sand Wildtuin. The two and a half hour journey takes you north through Mpumalanga’s plantations and rural communities before reaching the reserve, where you have a chance of spotting game even before reaching your lodge. This afternoon, begin your safari adventure with a game drive out into the bush on the lookout for elephant, lion and rhino.

Spend a full day on safari. You can join an early morning game drive to experience the reserve coming to life as animals such as leopard, wild dogs and rhino head out to feed. You then head back for a hearty breakfast and can relax at your lodge during the heat of the day, perhaps sitting on the deck to observe any passing wildlife. Another game drive in the late afternoon gives you a chance to see other wildlife and watch as the sun sets over the bush, enjoying a sundowner with your guide.

Spend another day on the lookout for the reserve’s game and other wildlife. As well as the two game drives, you may also wish to join a guided bush walk with an experienced ranger, who’ll point out some of the reserve’s smaller species such as reptiles, insects and birdlife as you follow animal tracks on the ground. Driving back from the afternoon game drive, spotlights help you to see nocturnal species such as bush babies and chameleons.

This morning you’re collected and transferred by private vehicle to Kruger Airport. The journey takes around two hours through Mpumalanga’s rural areas. At the airport, you board your hour and a half flight to Livingstone, Zambia ready for the final stretch of your adventure – Victoria Falls. Upon arrival, you’re met by an Audley representative and driven in a shared vehicle to your lodge. The journey takes around an hour, cutting through Mosi Oa Tunya National Park, so keep your eyes peeled for any passing wildlife. You will arrive at the lodge in time for an afternoon activity and we would recommend a sunset boat cruise on the Zambezi.

Today you can choose from a range of activities, from guided fishing and birdwatching trips to white water rafting or a guided walk through one of the local villages. However, a highlight should be visiting the Victoria Falls where you can use the knowledge of a local guide to learn all about the history of this natural wonder.

Enjoy your last day at the Falls – a great way to round off your trip is seeing them from the air, either on a helicopter or a micro light flight. It gives you a completely different perspective and a true sense of scale as you gaze over the largest waterfall in the world.

Today you’re driven for around an hour back to Livingstone airport in time for your onward flight.