Itinerary
- Day 1
Durban
You'll arrive in Durban where a welcome meeting happens at 6 pm. If you get in early, there's time to walk along the golden beaches and see uMhlanga Lighthouse on the uMhlanga coastline. Later on, meet your group for dinner on Florida Road where you can try traditional Bunny Chow or fresh seafood.
Optional Activities
- Visit Durban Art Gallery (Free)
- Bay Cruise (ZAR240)
- Visit Juma Masjid Mosque (Free)
Landmarks uMhlanga Lighthouse - Day 2
Durban to Drakensberg
From Durban, you'll head inland toward the Drakensberg mountains. Along the way, stop at the Nelson Mandela Capture Site to learn about the history there. Once you reach Drakensberg, you'll settle into your backpacker lodge with an ensuite twin room and can use the thatched-loft lounge, pool, jacuzzi, and fire pit.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Nelson Mandela Capture Site visit
Landmarks Nelson Mandela Capture Site Drakensberg Mountains - Day 3
Drakensberg
This morning you'll hike through Drakensberg, which reaches 3,482 metres and forms the border between South Africa and Lesotho. Locally it's called the Barrier of Spears or the Dragon Mountains. You'll see great views and get good photos of the landscape and high peaks.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Drakensberg day hike
Landmarks Drakensberg Mountains - Day 4
Drakensberg to Lesotho
After leaving Drakensberg, you'll cross into Lesotho, a small mountain kingdom surrounded by South Africa and known as the Kingdom in the Sky. The border crossing is typically straightforward though delays can happen. From there, you'll drive past Golden Gate Highlands National Park with its sandstone rock formations where elands, zebras, mongooses, and many bird species live.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Landmarks Golden Gate Highlands National Park - Day 5
Lesotho
You'll spend the day hiking in the Lesotho Highlands with options for different fitness levels. The trails let you see mountain landscapes and choose routes that match your experience, so whether you're new to hiking or more experienced, there's something suitable.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Bushman Painting Hike (ZAR60)
- Pitseng Canyon Hike - 6 hours (ZAR120)
- Village and Museum Walk (ZAR50)
- Day 6
Lesotho to Cintsa
You'll travel to Cintsa on the Wild Coast, a coastal town home to Xhosa communities with deep tribal traditions. Arriving in the late afternoon gives you time to rest and freshen up before dinner with your group.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Village Tour (ZAR235)
- Canoe Hire (Free)
- Day 7
Cintsa
The day is free for you to do what you want. Walk around town, relax on the beaches, or check with your group leader about optional activities like hiking, mountain biking in the hills, paddling a canoe on the Cintsa River, or taking a surfing lesson.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Hiking in the hinterland
- Mountain biking
- Canoe rental on Cintsa River
- Surfing lesson
- Day 8
Cintsa to Addo Elephant National Park
You'll travel to Addo Elephant National Park, started in 1931 to protect eleven remaining elephants. Now it has over 450 elephants and also Cape buffalo, black rhinos, antelopes, and the flightless dung beetle. In the afternoon, you'll take a game drive in an overland vehicle to see what animals you can spot.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Addo Elephant National Park afternoon game drive
Optional Activities
- Addo Elephant National Park night game drive (ZAR480)
Landmarks Addo Elephant National Park 
- Day 9
Addo to Tsitsikamma
You'll wake early for another game drive at Addo, then begin traveling along the Garden Route. You'll stop at Tsitsikamma National Park where old forests meet the Indian Ocean and it's great for walking and wildlife viewing. Your group leader will show you a local activity centre where you can arrange things to do on your free day tomorrow.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Addo Elephant National Park early morning game drive
Optional Activities
- Stormsriver Mouth Hike (Free)
- Waterfall Trail (Free)
Landmarks Tsitsikamma National Park - Day 10
Tsitsikamma
You have more time to explore Tsitsikamma National Park and its landscape. Watch for Cape clawless otters, dolphins, tortoises, southern right whales (depending on the season), baboons, monkeys, and lots of birds. You can hike different trails including ones to Stormsriver Mouth and waterfalls.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Stormsriver Mouth Hike (Free)
- Waterfall Trail (Free)
Landmarks Tsitsikamma National Park Stormsriver Mouth - Day 11
Tsitsikamma to Oudtshoorn
You'll travel across the Karoo toward Oudtshoorn and stop in Knysna to walk around this town with its nice lagoon. Then visit the Cango Caves with a local guide who'll show you rock formations like Cleopatra's Needle, which is 29 feet high and at least 150,000 years old. After that, you'll head to Oudtshoorn, known as the ostrich capital where wealthy feather barons lived long ago.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Cango Caves guided tour with rock formations exploration
Landmarks Knysna Cango Caves Cleopatra's Needle 
- Day 12
Oudtshoorn to Cape Town
You'll start very early to spend time with wild meerkats at their burrow. Sit in a chair, have coffee as the sun rises, and watch these habituated animals (never fed or handled) go about their day foraging and playing. Then you'll drive to Cape Town where you'll stay for two nights. Later you might check out views of Table Mountain or find hip restaurants and bars.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Meerkat experience
Optional Activities
- Table Mountain Aerial Cable Car (ZAR380)
- Robben Island tour (ZAR550)
- Harbour cruise (ZAR200)
- Table Mountain Hike (ZAR1600)
- Best of the Cape Combo Tour - Full Day (ZAR2000)
- Cape Peninsula and SUP Tour - Full Day (ZAR2100)
- Robben Island Ferry & Table Mountain Tour - Full Day (ZAR1800)
- Winelands Tour - Full Day (ZAR1800)
- Winelands Tour - Half Day (ZAR1350)
- Cape Peninsula & Table Mountain Tour - Full Day (ZAR2000)
- Cape Malay Cooking Tour - Half Day (ZAR1200)
- Township Experience - Half Day (ZAR965)
- City and Waterfront Tour - Half Day (ZAR1100)
- Cape Peninsula & Kirstenbosch Tour - Full Day (ZAR2000)
- District Six & Bo-Kapp Cultural Tour - Half Day (ZAR965)
Landmarks Table Mountain 
- Day 13
Cape Town
You'll go to Boulder's Beach to see resident penguins walking on the sand between granite boulders. The rest of the day is yours to explore Cape Town however you'd like. You could take the cable car up Table Mountain for sweeping views of the city and ocean, go hiking instead, or just relax by the ocean, try local wines, and eat at a restaurant overlooking the water.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Boulder Beach penguins visit
Optional Activities
- Table Mountain Aerial Cable Car (ZAR380)
- Table Mountain Hike (ZAR1600)
- Robben Island tour (ZAR550)
- Harbour cruise (ZAR200)
- Best of the Cape Combo Tour - Full Day (ZAR2000)
- Cape Peninsula and SUP Tour - Full Day (ZAR2100)
- Robben Island Ferry & Table Mountain Tour - Full Day (ZAR1800)
- Winelands Tour - Full Day (ZAR1800)
- Winelands Tour - Half Day (ZAR1350)
- Cape Peninsula & Table Mountain Tour - Full Day (ZAR2000)
- Cape Malay Cooking Tour - Half Day (ZAR1200)
- Township Experience - Half Day (ZAR965)
- City and Waterfront Tour - Half Day (ZAR1100)
- Cape Peninsula & Kirstenbosch Tour - Full Day (ZAR2000)
- District Six & Bo-Kapp Cultural Tour - Half Day (ZAR965)
Landmarks Boulder's Beach - Day 14
Cape Town
Your South African trip ends after breakfast. There's no accommodation included for tonight, but you can arrange this ahead of time if you contact the tour operator when you book your trip.
- Meals
- Breakfast
