CAPE TOWN & KRUGER NATIONAL PARK SAFARI

On arrival into Cape Town International Airport you will be met and transferred to your first hotel / guesthouse for your 6-night stay.

Described by Sir Francis Drake in 1580 as ‘the fairest cape in all the world’, the ‘Mother City’ of Cape Town is one of the world’s top tourist destinations. The oldest city in the country, nestled in the shadow of Table Mountain, Cape Town is a vibrant and colourful city.

With plenty to offer the traveller you should never get bored. Table Mountain is the iconic backdrop of Cape Town rising over 1000m above sea level - it can be seen from all over the city. Taking the revolving cable car up to the top is a must or if you’re feeling adventurous there are several hiking routes to the summit.

The Victoria & Alfred (V&A) Waterfront is a prime attraction in the city, a working harbour and tourist attraction offering world class shopping, a huge variety of restaurants, cafes & bars and the Two Oceans Aquarium. The ferry trip to Robben Island, the site of Nelson Mandela’s incarceration for much of his 27 years in prison, leaves from here.

The park-like botanical gardens at Kirstenbosch, Cape Town’s beaches and the city centre with its outdoor street markets, boutique shops & stylish restaurants are all added attractions.

Just a 45-minute drive from Cape Town and you’re in the scenic mountains and valleys of the Winelands. Experience the historical and cultural heritage of the region while visiting quaint villages and vibrant townships, outdoor museums and galleries, open-air theatres and outdoor art and craft exhibitions.

For the more adventurous visitor there are activities such as canoeing, 4x4 trails, horse-riding, hiking, mountain biking, rock pool swimming, abseiling and kloofing.

This morning you will be transferred back to Cape Town airport for your 3 hour flight across this vast country to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport. Collect your rental car and using the directions provided head for Rissington Inn in Hazyview, your home for the next 3 nights. Rissington Inn is the perfect base from which to explore the attractions of the lowveld, the Panorama Route and Blyde River Canyon. This is a very interesting and scenic area of the country and Rissington Inn are experts in assisting their guests on planning their days out.

The Panorama route in Mpumalanga is well known for its cultural heritage as well as its dramatic scenery. Scenic landmarks with evocative names like God's Window, Wonder View, the Pinnacle, Bourke's Luck Potholes and the Three Rondawels beckon. Thread your way along the cliff tops 800m above the Blyde River Canyon, and at God's Window, be sure to walk in the thick, indigenous mist forest that's often among the clouds. Being in such close proximity to the Kruger National Park and its surrounding private reserves, this is a great itinerary to combine the self-drive scenic splendours with world-renowned game viewing.

The world renowned Kruger National Park offers a wildlife experience that ranks with the best in Africa. Kruger National Park is unrivalled in its diversity and a world leader in advanced environmental management techniques and policies. A normal day on safari is an early morning game drive, breakfast or brunch, maybe a mid-morning walk, followed by lunch and then a siesta or just time relaxing around camp. Then back into the bush after tea, for an afternoon drive and (depending on your choice of lodge) a night drive. And finally dinner, possibly al fresco or in the boma. And then do it all again!

Stretching 350km along the Mozambique border, Kruger National Park claims a diversity of animal, plant & bird species greater than any other park in Africa - 336 types of trees, 49 fish species, 34 amphibian species, 114 reptile species, 507 bird species and 147 mammal species. It's easy to see why Kruger National Park is the flagship National Park and safari destination in South Africa. In general most of the park consists of grass and bush covered plains, better known in South Africa as savanna or bushveld (hence, ‘the bush’).

Return your vehicle to the closest airport in time for your overnight flight, via Johannesburg, to Ireland.

Just over 150km north-west of Johannesburg lies a true South African playground on the edge of Pilanesberg Game Reserve. Sun City is a visually dramatic complex of luxury hotels and restaurants offering unending activities, and Vegas-style shows. Opportunities abound in this "Lost City", there is something enjoyable, exciting, relaxing, or adventurous around every turn, suitable to every mood or taste. This is a City dropped directly into the South African bush. Multiple Hollywood movies have been created within this amazing setting, the most memorable being the 2014 romantic comedy, "Blended", with Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore, where a vast portion of the movie demonstrates much of the expected experience.

Although this leg of the itinerary is optional, we would certainly suggest this as an option for all, a truly unforgettable experience awaits. Enjoy a South African Safari, or spend a day at one of Sun City's most fabled attractions - the Valley of the Waves, essentially a gigantic waterpark resembling a seaside resort, hundreds of kilometers from the nearest ocean. Adding a further 4 days at Sun City to this itinerary can be included at under £ 1,000 pps.