South Africa safari, culture, and wine trip - 17 days

Welcome to South Africa. On arrival at OR Tambo Airport, meet your personal guide in the arrivals hall and pause for a complimentary drink at a nearby café.

You will receive your detailed itinerary, maps, vouchers, and local tips before beginning your South Africa travel experience with a panoramic tour of Johannesburg.

Take in city views from the Top of Africa viewing deck at the Carlton Centre, see the striking 11 Diagonal Street and Ponte City Towers, and learn about Johannesburg’s gold rush history and Gandhi’s connection to the city.

After breakfast, continue to Pretoria, known as the Jacaranda City, for a guided tour of South Africa’s administrative capital.

Explore Church Square, Paul Kruger House, and key landmarks that trace the story of the old Transvaal Republic and modern democratic South Africa. Visit the Voortrekker Monument, set within a scenic reserve, and learn about the Great Trek through its granite friezes and historic statues.

End at the Union Buildings, where terraced gardens, grand architecture, and the towering Nelson Mandela statue create one of the city’s most memorable viewpoints.

Step into Johannesburg’s gold rush past at Gold Reef City, South Africa’s largest theme park, built on the site of the historic Crown Mines.

Visit the Gold Reef City Museum, descend into an authentic mine shaft, see the exposed gold reef, and watch a live gold pour that brings the city’s mining origins to life.

Later, spend time at Sandton City and Nelson Mandela Square, where premium shopping, restaurants, cafés, and the iconic Nelson Mandela statue offer a lively contrast to the day’s history.

Pick up your rental car in Muldersdrift and begin the scenic drive toward Blyde River Canyon, one of the best places to visit in South Africa.

Stop at viewpoints to take in wide panoramas of subtropical slopes, red sandstone cliffs, and the immense canyon below. Continue to Bourke’s Luck Potholes, where centuries of swirling water at the meeting of the Blyde and Treur rivers have carved striking cylindrical rock formations.

In the evening, arrive in the Kruger area and unwind over a relaxed dinner at Casa Do Sol.

Spend a full day exploring Kruger National Park at your own pace, from sunrise to sunset. A highlight of any South Africa itinerary, this self-drive safari gives you the freedom to follow quiet backroads, pause at waterholes, and watch wildlife without rushing.

Stop at rest camps for a cooked breakfast or lunch, or arrange packed meals with your lodge so you can spend more time in the bush.

For a different perspective, you can also add a locally booked open-vehicle game drive with an expert guide.

Arrive at Karongwe Private Game Reserve, a lesser-known gem in Limpopo, east of Kruger National Park.

Set among rolling hills, lush bushveld, and iconic African trees, the reserve offers a beautiful setting for wildlife viewing and photography. In the afternoon, head out on a 4x4 game drive in search of giraffes, wildebeest, rhinos, zebras, and other plains game.

As your guide points out tracks and shares stories of the bush, the day shifts into evening. After dark, look for nocturnal species such as aardvarks, bushbabies, genets, and porcupines before relaxing beneath star-filled skies.

Begin the day with one last sunrise 4x4 game drive in Karongwe, listening as the bush comes to life and tracking wildlife with your expert ranger.

After breakfast, return to Johannesburg and drop off your rental car, taking in the changing landscapes as you look back on your safari highlights. Then fly to Cape Town, where your personal guide meets you at Cape Town International Airport for a relaxed transfer to your handpicked accommodation.

After check-in, ease into the next chapter of your South Africa trip with time at leisure. Stroll along the waterfront, sample local cuisine, or begin discovering the city’s distinctive mix of culture, coastline, and wine.

Cruise from Hout Bay Harbour to Duiker Island, where Cape fur seals and seabirds gather in the Atlantic swells.

Continue to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve for dramatic cliffs, wide ocean views, and stories of early explorers at Cape Point. At Boulders Beach, meet endangered African penguins from the boardwalks and sheltered coves, getting close without disturbing their nesting areas.

End the day at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, wandering fragrant slopes filled with proteas and native Cape flora.

Stroll through Stellenbosch, taking in oak-lined avenues, Cape Dutch architecture, and the energy of this historic university town.

Visit Neethlingshof Wine Estate for a tasting of six varietals in a contemporary cellar beside a classic Cape Dutch manor. Continue to Paarl for a vineyard walk at Nelson’s Creek, where you learn about the vines and winemaking process before sampling estate wines among historic buildings and peaceful gardens.

In Franschhoek, explore the area’s Huguenot heritage before ending with an intimate tasting at Boschendal, either inside the Cellar Door or beneath ancient oaks in the valley.

Discover Cape Town’s layered history on a city tour that passes the Castle of Good Hope, City Hall, and the leafy Company’s Garden. Along the way, learn how the city’s culture, architecture, and colonial past have shaped its identity.

Ride the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway for rotating views of Devil’s Peak, Lion’s Head, Robben Island, and the Atlantic Ocean, then take time to walk the plateau’s scenic trails.

Later, unwind at the V&A Waterfront, with harbor views, local design boutiques, live entertainment, and a wide choice of restaurants.

Begin the day with a scenic drive from Cape Town to Cape Agulhas, the southernmost tip of Africa and the official meeting point of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

Explore the rugged coastline and wild fynbos of Agulhas National Park before visiting the historic Cape Agulhas Lighthouse, the second-oldest working lighthouse in South Africa. Modeled on the ancient Egyptian Pharos, it has long guided ships through this dramatic stretch of coast.

Step inside the museum to see Khoisan fishing relics, then climb the narrow staircase for sweeping ocean views and a deeper sense of the shipwreck history that gave this coastline its “Cape of Storms” reputation.

Continue your South Africa trip into the Klein Karoo and arrive in Oudtshoorn, known as the ostrich capital of the world.

Explore the surrounding rivers, waterfalls, and scenic hiking or biking trails before visiting the Cango Caves, where vast chambers and limestone formations reveal one of the region’s most impressive natural wonders.

At Safari Ostrich Show Farm, learn about every stage of ostrich life, from fluffy chicks in the nursery to breeding birds in the camps. Stand on an ostrich egg, tour the Welgeluk “ostrich palace,” browse ostrich leather boutiques, and watch an ostrich derby as local jockeys show off their skills.

Explore the legendary Cango Caves near Oudtshoorn, walking through vast illuminated chambers filled with ancient stalagmites and limestone formations.

Continue to Cango Wildlife Ranch, home to crocodiles, cheetahs, and more than 90 other species. Walk through Cheetahland, see Nile crocodiles from a unique viewing point, and learn about the ranch’s conservation work.

Later, travel toward Knysna and unwind in Wilderness, a peaceful coastal village known for wide beaches, forested cliffs, and viewpoints where you may spot dolphins and whales.

Discover Plettenberg Bay, one of the Garden Route’s most stylish seaside towns. Stroll along golden beaches, explore rocky peninsulas and quiet lagoons, and take in sweeping views across the Indian Ocean.

Continue to Knysna, set between coastal forests and a calm lagoon guarded by the dramatic Knysna Heads. Spend time on the water with a relaxed boat cruise or kayaking, look out for birdlife, or explore nearby Featherbed Nature Reserve and Garden Route National Park on scenic forest walks.

Enjoy a relaxed breakfast in Knysna before traveling to George Airport for your flight to Durban.

On arrival, meet your local guide and continue by road through changing landscapes toward the majestic Drakensberg Mountains.

Settle into your mountain setting, breathe in the fresh air, and enjoy the slower pace after your time on the coast.

Start the day in the Royal Natal Conservation Area, part of the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park World Heritage Site.

Take in towering peaks, deep valleys, and views toward Tugela Falls, with the dramatic Drakensberg Amphitheatre as your backdrop. Look out for bearded vultures, black eagles, and antelope as you explore this mountain landscape.

Choose from gentle walks, full-day hikes, or horse-riding trails. You can also visit caves with ancient San rock art, discover native flora such as proteas and yellowwoods, relax beside clear streams, swim in natural pools, or try trout fishing.

Savor your final morning in the Drakensberg, with time to take in the mountain views and reflect on the safaris, culture, and wine experiences that shaped your South Africa trip.

Your private driver will then take you back to Johannesburg in comfort, giving you time to enjoy the changing landscapes and capture a few last photos along the way.