Cape Town, Kruger and HESC

✈️ Day 01 – Arrival in Cape Town

🛬 Arrival at Cape Town International Airport.

🚐 Welcome by our guide and private transfer to the accommodation.

🏨 Arrival at the hotel, check-in and the rest of the day free to rest after the journey and start discovering the city at your own pace.

🌊 If arrival time permits, guests can visit the V&A Waterfront independently, one of Cape Town’s most iconic and lively areas, with a wide choice of restaurants and shops, as well as pleasant harbour views.

Those who wish can add a private visit to the V&A Waterfront to the programme, with a transfer and accompaniment by our guide.

🍽️ Lunch and dinner not included.

🏨 Accommodation: 4-star hotel in Cape Town.

🍽️ Meal plan: breakfast.

🌊 Day 02 – Cape Peninsula, Cape Point, Cape of Good Hope and Boulders Beach

🍽️ Breakfast at the hotel.

🚐 Departure for a full-day excursion around the spectacular Cape Peninsula, one of South Africa’s most impressive coastal routes.

🌊 We will explore Cape Town’s Atlantic coast, passing through Clifton and Camps Bay, known for their beaches, elegant residential areas and magnificent views of the ocean and the Twelve Apostles mountain range.

⚓ Continue to Hout Bay, a picturesque coastal village with a lively fishing harbour surrounded by mountains.

🛣️ From Hout Bay, we will follow the famous Chapman’s Peak Drive, considered one of the world’s most spectacular scenic roads. Its clifftop route offers impressive views of the Atlantic Ocean.

🌄 Arrival at the Cape of Good Hope, situated within Table Mountain National Park, where we will discover one of South Africa’s most iconic natural landscapes.

📍 Continue to Cape Point, with time to enjoy its impressive viewpoints, cliffs and ocean views.

🍽️ During the tour, we will stop for lunch. Lunch not included.

🐧 In the afternoon, we will visit Boulders Beach, home to an important African penguin colony. The visit allows us to observe this protected species up close in its natural habitat.

⚓ We will also pass through the historic coastal town of Simon’s Town, known for its naval tradition and pleasant seafront promenade.

🚐 At the end of the excursion, return to the accommodation in Cape Town.

✨ A full day combining nature, wildlife, beaches, mountains and some of South Africa's most impressive coastal landscapes.

🏨 Accommodation: 4-star hotel in Cape Town

🍽️ Meal plan: Breakfast.

🌆 Day 03 – Cape Town City Tour, Bo-Kaap and Table Mountain

🍽️ Breakfast at the hotel.

🚐 Departure for a guided tour of Cape Town to discover some of its most representative historical and cultural sites.

🏛️ Panoramic tour of the historic centre, passing the Parliament of South Africa, City Hall and other landmark buildings linked to the city's history.

🌿 Walk through Company’s Garden, one of the oldest and best-known green spaces in central Cape Town.

🎨 Continue to Bo-Kaap, the famous neighbourhood of colourful houses, known for its architecture, atmosphere and the important cultural heritage of the Cape Malay community.

💎 Visit to a diamond factory, where we will learn about the selection and cutting process for these precious stones, as well as the historical importance of this industry in South Africa.

🌊 The tour will continue through some of the city's best-known areas, such as Sea Point and the V&A Waterfront.

⛰️ Finally, we will head to Table Mountain. If weather conditions allow the cable car to operate, we will ascend to the summit to enjoy spectacular views of Cape Town, the Atlantic coast and the peninsula.

🕒 At the end of the visit, return to the hotel or free time to continue enjoying the city.

✨ The order of visits may change to adapt the ascent to Table Mountain to the weather conditions and make the most of the best available time.

🏨 Planned accommodation: 4-star hotel in Cape Town

🍽️ Meal plan: Breakfast.

✈️ Day 04 – From Cape Town to Kruger National Park and afternoon safari

🍽️ Breakfast at the hotel.

🚐 At the agreed time, private transfer from your accommodation to Cape Town International Airport.

✈️ Departure on a domestic flight to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA/MQP), located in Mpumalanga province and close to Kruger National Park.

🛬 On arrival, meet our guide and take a private transfer to a carefully selected 4-star lodge close to the park.

🏨 Arrival at the accommodation, check-in and time to rest and prepare for the first safari experience.

🍽️ Lunch not included.

🦁 In the afternoon, our adventure in Kruger National Park will begin with a safari lasting approximately three hours.

🚙 Aboard an open 4×4 vehicle and accompanied by a professional guide, we will explore the south of the park during the last hours of the day, enjoying excellent visibility for observing and photographing wildlife.

🌅 As temperatures fall, many animals become active again and move in search of water or food, creating very good opportunities for the first sightings of the trip.

🐘 During the tour, we will look for elephants, giraffes, zebras, buffalo and various antelope species, while keeping an eye out for lions, leopards and other large predators.

✨ After the first safari, return to the lodge to rest.

📌 The timing and order of activities may be adjusted according to the flight available for your travel dates.

🍽️ Dinner at the accommodation.

🏨 Accommodation: 4-star lodge next to Kruger National Park.

🍽️ Meal plan: dinner and breakfast.

🦁 Day 05 – Full-day safari through southern Kruger National Park

🌅 Departure from the lodge at dawn to begin a full-day safari in Kruger National Park, making the most of the hours when wildlife is most active.

📍 Planned entry to Kruger National Park through Crocodile Bridge Gate.

🚙 The tour will take place in an open 4×4 vehicle, accompanied by a professional guide specialising in the park's wildlife and ecosystems.

🌿 From Crocodile Bridge, we will explore different routes through southern Kruger, a region characterised by its savannahs, rivers and areas of vegetation that provide food and shelter for an extraordinary variety of animals.

🐘 During the safari, we may encounter large herds of elephants and buffalo, as well as giraffes, zebras, hippos, antelopes and numerous bird species.

🦁 We will also follow wildlife signs and movements to try to locate the Big Five: lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros and buffalo. The animals roam completely free, so every safari day offers a different experience.

🍽️ At midday, we will stop at one of the park's camps, such as Lower Sabie, to rest and enjoy the included lunch.

🔭 In the afternoon, we will continue exploring the south of Kruger National Park, adapting the route to sightings and the information available during the day.

✨ At the end of the safari, exit the park and transfer back to the accommodation.

🍽️ Dinner at the lodge.

🏨 Accommodation: 4-star lodge next to Kruger National Park.

🍽️ Meal plan: breakfast, lunch during the safari and dinner.

🐘 Day 06 – Safari from Malelane to Crocodile Bridge through Kruger National Park

🌅 At dawn, we will begin our second full-day safari in Kruger National Park, making the most of the early morning hours to observe wildlife during one of its most active periods.

📍 Planned entry through Malelane Gate and exit through Crocodile Bridge Gate, following an extensive route through the south of the park.

🚙 We will travel in an open 4×4 vehicle, accompanied by a professional guide who will interpret nature's tracks, sounds and signs to help us discover the animals present in each area.

🌿 From Malelane, we will travel through different habitats in southern Kruger, combining savannah areas, waterways, woodland and waterholes frequented by numerous species.

🦏 This region is home to a significant concentration of rhinoceroses, elephants, buffalo, giraffes, zebras and antelopes. It also offers good opportunities to look for lions, leopards, hyenas and other predators.

🍽️ During the day, we will stop at one of the park's camps to rest and enjoy the included lunch.

🔭 After the break, we will continue our safari through the south of Kruger National Park towards Crocodile Bridge. The route may be adapted according to animal movements and sightings recorded during the day.

✨ At the end of the tour, exit the park through Crocodile Bridge Gate and return to the lodge.

🍽️ Dinner at the accommodation.

🏨 Accommodation: 4-star lodge next to Kruger National Park.

🍽️ Meal plan: breakfast, lunch during the safari and dinner.

🦁 Day 07 – Safari from Crocodile Bridge to Paul Kruger Gate and transfer to Hazyview

🌅 Departure at dawn to enjoy the third full-day safari in Kruger National Park, increasing the opportunities to observe the Big Five and discover new landscapes in the south of the park.

📍 Planned entry through Crocodile Bridge Gate and exit through Paul Kruger Gate, making an extensive journey through different areas of Kruger National Park.

🚙 The tour will take place in an open 4×4 vehicle, accompanied by a professional guide specialising in wildlife. The route will be adapted to animal movements and the information available on the day's sightings.

🌿 From Crocodile Bridge, we will travel through savannahs, wooded areas, rivers and waterholes, exploring different habitats as we head towards the western sector of the park.

🐆 We will pay particular attention to areas frequented by lions and leopards, while also looking for elephants, rhinoceroses, buffalo, giraffes, hippos, antelopes and the extraordinary variety of birds that inhabit Kruger.

🍽️ At midday, we will pause at one of the park’s camps to rest and enjoy the included lunch.

🔭 In the afternoon, we will continue our safari through the south of Kruger National Park towards Paul Kruger Gate, making the most of our final day inside the park.

🚐 After finishing the safari and leaving through Paul Kruger Gate, transfer to Hazyview, a town close to Kruger and the Panorama Route.

🏨 Arrival at the lodge, check-in and time to rest before dinner.

🍽️ Dinner at the accommodation.

🏨 Accommodation: 4-star lodge in Hazyview.

🍽️ Meal plan: breakfast, lunch during the safari and dinner.

🐆 Day 08 – HESC and boat trip through the Blyde River Canyon

🍽️ Breakfast at the lodge.

🚐 Departure from Hazyview to the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre (HESC). The journey is approximately 80 kilometres and has an estimated duration of 1 hour and 30 minutes.

🐾 On arrival, we will visit HESC, one of the region's most renowned endangered wildlife conservation centres. During the guided visit, lasting approximately two hours, we will learn about its conservation, research and rehabilitation projects, as well as observe some of the species cared for at the centre, such as cheetahs, rhinoceroses, African wild dogs and protected birds. Official HESC information

🍽️ After the visit, we will take a break to enjoy the included lunch before continuing to the Blyde River Canyon nature reserve.

🚤 In the afternoon, we will take a guided boat trip on the Blyde River Canyon dam. This interpretive cruise, lasting approximately 90 minutes, allows you to discover the canyon from a completely different perspective.

⛰️ From the water, we will admire the vegetation-covered walls, the famous Three Rondavels and the extraordinary Kadishi Tufa Waterfall.

💧 At approximately 200 metres high, Kadishi is considered the second-highest tufa waterfall in the world. Its distinctive rock formation resembles a weeping face, which is why it is also known as “the weeping face of nature”.

🦛 During the boat trip, we will also have the opportunity to observe hippos, crocodiles, antelopes and numerous bird species, including the African fish eagle. As these are wild animals, sightings cannot be guaranteed.

🚐 After the boat trip, return to Hazyview, arriving at the lodge for dinner and rest.

🍽️ Dinner at the accommodation.

🏨 Accommodation: 4-star lodge in Hazyview.

🍽️ Meal plan: breakfast, lunch during the excursion and dinner.

🗺️ Day 09 – Panorama Route excursion and Blyde River Canyon viewpoints

🍽️ Breakfast at the lodge.

🌄 Today we will explore South Africa's spectacular Panorama Route, known for its deep canyons, impressive waterfalls and extraordinary viewpoints over Mpumalanga province.

🚐 Having cruised on the Blyde dam the previous day, we will now discover the Blyde River Canyon from its panoramic viewpoints, enjoying a completely different view of this impressive natural area.

📍 One of the main stops will be Three Rondavels, where we will admire the distinctive mountain formations that resemble traditional round African dwellings. This viewpoint offers one of the most famous panoramas of the Blyde River Canyon.

🪨 We will then visit Bourke’s Luck Potholes, an extraordinary collection of cavities and cylindrical formations created over thousands of years by the force of water at the confluence of the Blyde and Treur rivers.

🌄 The excursion will continue to God’s Window, a viewpoint on the Mpumalanga escarpment. When the sky is clear, you can enjoy sweeping views over the Lowveld.

💧 We will also discover Lisbon Falls and Berlin Falls, two of the Panorama Route's most representative waterfalls, surrounded by the mountain landscapes and vegetation characteristic of this region.

🍽️ During the tour, we will take a break to rest and enjoy the included lunch.

🌿 This day will allow you to discover the geological and scenic richness of the Panorama Route, complementing the Kruger experience with some of South Africa's most impressive natural settings.

🚐 At the end of the excursion to the Blyde River Canyon and its major viewpoints, return to Hazyview.

🍽️ Dinner at the accommodation.

🏨 Accommodation: 4-star lodge in Hazyview.

🍽️ Meal plan: breakfast, lunch during the excursion and dinner.

✈️ Day 10 – Departure from Hazyview and transfer to KMIA airport

🍽️ Breakfast at the accommodation.

🚐 At the agreed time, collection from the lodge and private transfer from Hazyview to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA/MQP). The journey is approximately 55 kilometres and has an estimated duration of one hour.

🛬 Arrival at KMIA airport, where this tour of South Africa and the services of Elephant Safaris Africa will come to an end.

✈️ From KMIA, guests can continue on a domestic flight to OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg or to the next destination on their trip.

🕒 For those connecting to an international flight in Johannesburg, it will be important to select a schedule that allows enough time for a relaxed connection.

🧳 We recommend allowing an adequate margin between flights, especially if they have been booked separately, as baggage handling and the connection may require more time in these cases.

✨ We conclude this 10-day journey through Cape Town, Kruger National Park, HESC, the Blyde River Canyon and the Panorama Route, hoping that all the experiences you have enjoyed will leave you with an unforgettable memory of South Africa.