South Africa general information and map
Capital: Johannesburg
Getting there: There are regular flights from the UK to Johannesburg and Cape Town every day of the week, most are overnight flights arriving into Africa the following morning. The flying time from London to Johannesburg is approximately 11 hours and from London to Cape Town 11 hours and 30 minutes.
Time: GMT plus two hours
Try not to miss: The Kruger National Park, a vast region of rolling plains interspersed with mopane woodland and riverine forest that is hope to all of the continent’s Big 5, as well as a selection of exclusive and private reserves found on the periphery These include Sabi Sands, one of the best places in the world to watch wild leopards, the Madikwe Game reserve, which is home to both black and white rhino as well as a pack of endangered wild dogs, and the Thorneybush Game Reserve.
Cape Town for her cutting edge hotels, fine cuisine and lovely climate during the English winter, not to mention the surrounding winelands. Visit nearby Hermanus between June and November to watch the whales or cage dive amongst great white sharks. Mossel Bay marks the start of the famous Garden Route, which shadows the Southern Coast all the way to Port Elizabeth, passing through a scenic landscape of sensational beaches, forests and lakes as well as the historic settlements of George, Kynsa and Plettenberg Bay.
On the opposite side of the Cape and approximately one thousand miles to the North, Rocktail Bay in Kwa-Zulu Natal lies within a private concession of the Maputuland coastal forest reserve, a unique World Heritage Site where loggerhead turtles emerge from the Indian Ocean each summer to lay their eggs amongst the sand dunes. Activities here include world class diving on pristine reefs. Kwa-Zulu Natal is also home to Fugitives Drift the setting for internationally acclaimed battlefield tours.
Phinda Reserve is a special favourite of ours, a small gem of a reserve in unique sand forest environment close to Richard Bay that is home to rare indigenous wildlife where our guests can track rhinos and enjoy walking safaris.
Visas: No visa is required for visits of up to 90 days for UK citizen but there are strict requirements for children travelling to and from South Africa:
Two parents travelling with children (under the age of 18 years) will need to show the child’s Unabridged Birth Certificate (UBC). (This does not need to be translate)
One married parent travelling with a child will need to show the UBC and either a Parental Consent Affidavit (PAC) from the parent not travelling or a letter of special circumstances, or a copy of Court order in terms of section 18(5) of the Children’s Act, 2005, authorising a minor to enter or depart from the Republic in the absence of parental consent of either parent
Widowed parent travelling with a child will need to show the UBC and a death certificate of deceased parent.
Children travelling with family friends will need a UBC, PCA, copies of parents passports, and contact details of parents.
Airlines will forbid children to fly without the correct documentation. We recommend that you speak to the South African Embassy if in any doubt.
Why South Africa: South Africa is celebrated for its magnificent and diverse landscape, and the quality of her wildlife viewing. South African guides enjoy an enviable reputation and are acknowledged to be amongst the best in the world.
Wild and Exotic would be delighted to compose a bespoke itinerary for your trip to South Africa. Please contact info@wildandexotic.co.uk or 01439748401 to discuss your requirements.
Wild and Exotic best of South Africa sample itinerary
Day 1: You will be met off your flight on arrival at Johannesburg international airport and transferred to Fairlawns Boutique Hotel & Spa, which is built in the 18th century Palladium style, for an overnight stay. Apart from the beautiful surroundings and warm ambience the emphasis here is on personal service. The hotel offers 19 highly individual suites consisting of 12 Courtyard suites, 6 Premier suites and a Presidential suite. Facilities include private dining, swimming pool, gym membership, and spa treatments.
In the afternoon you will be taken on a tour of the largest black urban residential city in the country. Soweto is a place of contrasts: pitted roads and littered sidewalks offset by green parks; a mishmash of tin shanties adjacent to government houses; some them original grey or red brick, others beautifully renovated and others converted into luxurious mansions. Soweto’s rich political history has guaranteed it a place on the world map. Infused with the history of the struggle against apartheid and abuzz with the energy of Johannesburg – the city of gold – it is also the most metropolitan township in the country, setting trends in politics, fashion, music, dance and language. The area is also the birthplace of many political, sporting and social luminaries, including Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu.
Day 2: This morning you will collected from your hotel and transferred to Johannesburg airport for the 60 minute scheduled flight to Londolozi for a 3 night stay. Spectacular Londolozi Game Reserve is located in the Sabi Sands Reserve on the edge of the Kruger National Park. Set in its own 17,000-hectare park, Londolozi provides the archetypal safari experience – close encounters with the wildlife kingdom combined with luxury accommodation in the African bush.
Founders Camp is an intimate safari camp offering stylish accommodation in air-conditioned suites that feature beautiful glass-walled bathrooms. There are also comfortable sitting areas and an elevated wooden walkway leading to a viewing deck that is perfect for watching herds of waterbuck grazing on the riverbank. Delicious Pan-African cuisine is served in the boma (outdoor dining area), or on the dining deck overlooking the river.
Day 3 and 4: At your leisure in the stunning Londolozi game reserve where all of the big 5 species of wild game await – buffalo, elephant, lion, leopard and rhino. You will explore the reserve and its diverse wildlife on morning and afternoon safari drives, or you may prefer to join a fascinating bush walk in the company of an experienced ranger.
Day 5: This morning you will be transferred to Londolozi for the 25 minute flights to Nelspruit. On arrival you will connect with a scheduled flight to Cape Town where you will be met and transferred to the elegant Cape Grace Hotel. All 121 rooms have views of the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront and yacht marina with the iconic backdrop of Table Mountain. The Bascule whisky, wine & cocktail bar is the perfect setting to take in the sights and sounds on the water’s edge of the yacht marina .
Day 7: Today you will be taken on a tour of the beautiful Cape Peninsular. A sandstone mountain range stretches like a spine across the Cape Peninsula, from the iconic Table Mountain through the towering Twelve Apostles and down, southwards, to Cape Point. The journey to the edge of Africa will take you to beautiful white sandy beaches and scenic fishing villages of the Cape Point Nature Reserve. Dazzling flora and fauna unveil an incredible display of variety within the world’s smallest floral kingdom. Cape Point is not only stunningly beautiful, it is also an icon of great historical interest rich in maritime history. This afternoon you will return to Cape Town for a second night at the fabulous Cape Grace hotel.
Day 8: This morning you will be collected from your hotel for a winelands tour through charming towns and celebrated wine estates that date from 1659, when the first wine was pressed from Cape grapes. Wine estates are clustered around the historic towns of Paarl, Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. The day finishes with an overnight stay at Babylonstoren, which nestles amongst rolling hills of the Cape’s lush wine region. This working farm is well known for its impeccable sense of style, contemporary accommodation, culinary delights, reservoir pool, glass conservatory and unique garden setting.
Day 9: This morning you will be collected for a full day tour of the Cape coastline ending up at Hermanus, a small and friendly town offering beautiful beaches, spectacular landscapes, a temperate climate and ‘champagne air’. “Heaven on earth” is the English translation of the Hemel en Aarde wine region, which is certainly one of South Africa’s most beautiful areas that produces premium quality wines such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Hermanus is also famous for offering some of the best land based whale watching in the world, especially between the winter months of August and November when the Southern-Right whales come into Walker Bay to mate and to calve. You will spend this evening at Birkenhead House high on the cliffs of Hermanus overlooking the whale watchers’ paradise of Walker Bay. Only 90 minutes drive from Cape Town, Birkenhead House is named after a British troop ship that sank in Walker Bay in 1852 and is well furnished with rare maritime antiques. Spectacular mountain trails and breathtaking cliff path walks are also in easy reach of the hotel, and guests can also explore the thriving floral kingdom, which has a higher diversity of species than anywhere else in the world.
Day 10: This morning you will be collected and transferred to Kleinmont for a whale watching excursion that lasts up to two and a half hours.. Once you have arrived at The Great White House, you will receive a brief introductory talk about the route, safety, and what to look out for. Passengers are fitted with comfortable life-jackets and waterproof jackets. All cruises depart from Kleinbaai harbour near Gansbaai. Adjacent to Dyer Island is Geyser Rock, home to a 60,000 strong Cape fur seal colony that has an all year round presence. The cruise explores the world famous shark alley between Dyer Island and Geyser Rock in addition to whale hot-spots in the bay. After the cruise you will be transferred back to stylish Birkenhead House for the final night of your stay in the magical country of South Africa.
Day11: This morning you will be transferred to Cape Town international airport for your flight home.
Notes: Please note this is a sample itinerary only and can be modified and refined according to your requirements. Guests wishing to extend their stay by visiting other region of South Africa should please contact us for further information and a sample itinerary for their preferred extension.
The price of this holiday will be based on double accommodation and will be inclusive of all activities and transfers described including the services of a private guide on all tours except the whale watching expedition. Unless otherwise stated the price will include breakfast at all destinations, leaving you to have lunches and dinners at the restaurants of your own choice. The price does not include items of a personal nature, gratuities, etc.
Neither Wild and Exotic nor the operators or suppliers can accept any responsibility for changes to itineraries or dates that may arise due to weather or unforeseen circumstances such as changes, disruptions or delays to airline flights for whatever reason. This holiday is subject to Wild and Exotic’s terms and conditions, a copy of which is available on this website under the general info tab.
