South Africa is one of the most beautiful and diverse destinations in the world and offers many travel options- from big city life to untouched beaches, breathtaking scenery and an opportunity to view wildlife in its natural habitat. The country is a melting pot of many different cultures, peoples and languages that this ‘Rainbow Nation’ is truly a fascinating travel destination.
We have included so much in your vacation- wonderful hotels and lodges (one with an “Out of Africa” feel) two safaris in the world famous Kruger National Park, city tours of Capetown and other towns and quaint townships, a cable car ride up Table Mountain, ferry to famous Robben Island, a full day trip to the Cape Peninsula to see the Cape of Good Hope and penguins, a full day trip to the wine country with wine tasting, and many dinner shows and African entertainment and so much more…..!
With professional guides you’ll see and do a lot as you learn about the history of this exciting country of South Africa!

Come join your fellow travelers on our Group Air from New York to start your
Unforgettable Vacation of a Lifetime!

Price includes all of the following...........

• Roundtrip International Flights from JFK (everyone meets here)
• Group Meet & Greet at Cape Town Airport and O.R. Tambo Airport
• Airport/hotel transfers if purchasing international air flights package
• Transport in a luxury air conditioned coach as specified in itinerary
• Registered and qualified South African guides including
• guide for Cape Town
• guide to meet the group in Nelspruit and travel through to Johannesburg.
• 9 Nights Accommodations in nice hotels and lodges
• 4 nights at Protea President Hotel– sea facing rooms
• 3 nights at Hippo Hollow Country Estates
• 1 night at Critchley Hackle  Lodge
• 1 night at Protea Melrose Arch Hotel
• Total  15 Meals
• 9 Breakfasts (B)
• 2 Lunches (L) including:
• traditional township shebeen (pub) meal
• lunch at Fairview Wine Farm
• 4 Dinners (D) including:
• Dinner and show of Shangaan dance & songs at the Shangaan River Club
• Farewell dinner at world-renowned Moyo Restaurant with local dancers & musicians

Sightseeing and special inclusions as noted in itinerary and below………..

• Cape Town tour- entrances to SA Museum, Castle; enjoy Green Market Square Flea market; Malay Quarter
• Cable car up Table Mountain
• Tour to Robben Island
• Full day Peninsula tour including Chapmans Peak, Hout Bay, Funicular, Cape Point, Boulders Beach
• Full day Winelands tour with wine tasting & lunch at Fairview, wine tasting at Verdenheim & at Spier
• Stellenbosch: capital of the Winelands- tour, known for its old thatched & whitewashed Cape Dutch Buildings
• 1 Full day game drive in 4x4 vehicle in the Kruger Park including conservations fees
• 1 Half day game drive in 4x4 vehicles in the Kruger Park 
• Visit to Bourke’s Luck Potholes
• Tour of Pretoria including entrances for Voortrekker Monument and Kruger House
• Half day Soweto tour with entrances into Nelson Mandela home and Hector Peterson Memorial
• Singles Travel Company representative (restrictions apply)
• Roommate matching if requested and booked before final payment
• Optional opportunity (fee) to visit Elephant Whispers to experience up close encounters and ride an elephant

 Itinerary 
Click here to downlaod (pdf)

 Day 1 Sat. Oct 16                                Leave U.S. for South Africa
Meet at New York (JFK) airport as we leave late morning for our overnight flight to Johannesburg with a connection onto Cape Town, where we start our South African Adventure and Safari!

Day 2  Sun. Oct 17                              Arrive Cape Town
Upon arrival at Cape Town Int. Airport, we’ll be met by our driver and guide for our transfer to our hotel. After check-in start exploring until our evening group get-together and then the evening is at leisure-maybe dinner with your fellow travelers. 
Our Hotel: Protea President  (4 Nights) The atmosphere at Protea President is relaxed, yet professional. The accommodation is luxurious, yet extremely affordable. It's a resort in the city. Most of the exclusively spacious rooms and suites overlook the Atlantic Ocean or Lion's Head, offering facilities one would expect of a world-class hotel.

Day 3 Mon. Oct 18                             Cape Town City tour & Robben Island Cruise
After breakfast, we depart on our half-day city tour of Cape Town- The ultimate Mother City experience! We pass by the Houses of Parliament, and the Castle - South Africa’s oldest building. Bargain hunt at Green Market Square flea market in the heart of the city centre, and then take a cable car up Table Mountain (subject to weather) to see this famous flat-topped mountain tourist attraction and National Park. We then descend to savor the spicy aromas of the Malay Quarter, one of the most interesting parts of Cape Town with its rich history and culture. 
In the afternoon we board the ferry to Robben Island, an island about 7 kilometers from Cape Town, for a 3 hour tour. In past history the island served as a prison and Nelson Mandela spend 27 years here. Today it is a World Heritage Site and museum.
We return to our hotel later to relax and maybe enjoy a dinner at leisure with friends from the group. (B)

Day 4 Tue. Oct 19                              Full Day Peninsula Tour
This morning after breakfast we meet our guide for our full day Cape Peninsula Tour.  We travel along the Atlantic Seaboard, to Hout Bay, then to Noordhoek, through Ou Kaapse Weg and proceed to the Cape Point Nature Reserve, where we ride the Funicular to the viewpoint where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet. The Cape Peninsula is the thin finger of land in the southwestern most corner of Africa with the city of Cape Town at its head. Traveling south towards Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope, the land gets narrower until the great Indian and Atlantic Oceans combine into one vast southern ocean, with nothing beyond except Antarctica.  In 1578 Sir Francis Drake described it as “The fairest cape in the whole circumference of the globe”.
On leaving the Nature Reserve, we proceed to Simonstown, and stop at Boulders Beach. Nestled in historic Simon's Town in South Africa, Boulders Penguin Colony is part of the Cape Peninsula National Park. Almost 3000 African (jackass) penguins, so called because their call resembles the bray of a donkey, reign supreme amidst rounded rocks and fish-filled False Bay. These endangered, flightless birds are free to roam the seas and return to their private haven - Foxy Beach at Boulders.
On our return later today, your evening is at leisure to enjoy a relaxing dinner. (B) 

Day 5 Wed. Oct 20                             Full Day tour of the Winelands
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before we venture out to spend the day on a Cape Winelands tour-we’ll be escaping to the beauty and tranquility of the Paarl and Stellenbosch Winelands. Our first stop is Spier where we’ll have a wine tasting. Then we’ll visit Fairview Wine Farm for a cheese and wine tasting, followed by lunch. Our route will take you back through to Stellenbosch, the capital of the Winelands and it was the second town to be established by the Dutch settlers. On our guided tour of the town you’ll see how attractive the town is with its old thatched and whitewashed Cape Dutch buildings and historic national monuments. En route back to our hotel we’ll stop at Verdenheim Wine Estate for a wine tasting of their finest wines. (B,L)

Day 6 Thur. Oct 21                            Cape Town to Hippo Hollow
After breakfast, travel to Cape Town for your flight to Nelspruit and upon arrival, transfer to Hippo Hollow, where the rest of the afternoon is your leisure.  
Tonight we’ll follow the sound of the beating drums through a path of flaming torches to experience an exciting evening in the unique Shangaan way with a night of Shangaan dance, song and an unforgettable African banquet. We’ll be welcomed by the Chief Numzaan with a traditional brew, and then learn of the rich heritage and customs of the Shangaan people. (B,D)
Our Hotel: Hippo Hollow Country Estate (3 nights) is nestled amongst lush indigenous gardens on the banks of the Sabi River in Hazyview, only ten minutes from the world famous Kruger National Park. It has an “Out of Africa” feel about it, and leaves you feeling totally relaxed and refreshed.

Day 7 Fri. Oct 22                                Day in Kruger Park Safari Drive
Today we set off in open 4x4 safari vehicles to explore the world-renowned famous Kruger National Park in search of lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino, leopard, and all manner of wondrous wildlife, birds and plants. There’s magic in this enormous wilderness in the flagship of the South African national parks where many life forms blend with historical and archaeological sites.
Return to Hippo Hollow in Hazyview at about 3pm this afternoon. Dinner is together this evening. (B,D)

Day 8 Sat. Oct 23                                Half Day Kruger Park Safari
This morning we take one more morning drive into Kruger Park to spot the Big Five and to enjoy this park.
This afternoon you may want to relax or take an optional afternoon excursion to Elephant Whispers. ($95pp). Experience the thrill of being close to these magnificent creatures and witness their intelligence, their compassionate nature and sheer delight interacting with their human counterparts. You’ll get the opportunity to touch the elephant, exchange trunk greetings and offer tasty treats. Experienced elephant handlers share their in-depth knowledge of fascinating elephant behavior. And you’ll get to ride one!
Dinner tonight is together to enjoy our fellow travelers. (B,D)
                                                                      
Day 9 Sun. Oct 24                               Hippo Hollow to Critchley Hackle – Panorama Route
We leave Hippo Hollow and travel through the panoramic route of Mpumalanga-see the beautiful Blyde River Canyon, the vistas of God's Window, and the deep cavities at Bourke's Luck Potholes (water erosion has formed one of the most remarkable geological phenomena of eroded rocks which have created unusual potholes along the course of the river- (a top tourist attraction).
Also visit the historical town of Pilgrims Rest, a village from Gold Rush times, then onto Critchley Hackle  in the beautiful, quaint and peaceful town of Dullstroom with its sprawling farms, trout rivers and dams- it has a distinctly Scottish theme. (B)
Our Hotel: Critchley Hackle (1 night) is a Mpumalanga lodge. Built in pointed stone and set around a beautiful garden lake, the setting is breathtaking. Stay in one of the comfortably appointed bedrooms built at the lake's edge at this Mpumalanga lodge. Rooms are spacious and delightful.  Sip a vintage wine in the bar or enjoy fine dining by candlelight to the sight and sound of water flickering in the night. Swimming pool, trout fishing, clay pigeon shooting, falconry displays and of course shopping in Dullstroom are just some of the activities that can be enjoyed at this Mpumalanga lodge.
 
Day 10 Mon. Oct 25                           Critchley Hackle to Johannesburg, Tour Pretoria
After breakfast, depart for the nation’s capital Pretoria. Pretoria’s imposing museums and monuments is to trace this country’s extraordinary history. Visit the best of them, from the Voortrekker Monument to Kruger House, Church Square, the City Hall and the Opera House, not forgetting the crescent-shaped architectural masterpiece, the Union Buildings, scene of Nelson Mandela’s emotional inauguration as President in 1994. Travel through to Johannesburg and check into your hotel.
This evening, meet your guide and travel through to the world-renowned Moyo’s Restaurant, Melrose Arch, for your African farewell dinner. During the evening we’ll be entertained by the local dancers and musicians. (B,D)
Our Hotel: Protea Hotel Melrose Arch (1night) is situated in the vibrant Melrose Arch Precinct and will be opening in the 1st quarter of 2010. Relax in comfort, whilst still being able to enjoy the many amenities. Every one of the 117 rooms offers an opulent blend of modern décor with warm natural tones and luxurious personal touches . The sleek lines of the designer furniture are beautifully complemented by relaxing ambience and mood-enhancing lighting. The hotel also offers its own restaurant and a deli.

Day 11 Tue. Oct 26                            Tour Soweto & Depart Johannesburg for Home
Our morning is at leisure, then check-out and travel to Soweto. Get a true taste of African cuisine as we stop off for lunch at a traditional township shebeen (pub).  After lunch, enjoy a tour of Soweto, the largest township in Southern Africa. (Soweto is an acronym for South West Township). Experience the excitement and goodwill of the inhabitants of Soweto as they work towards creating a better South Africa; enjoy the sights and sounds of the typical African township. We visit the site of the June 16, 1976 massacre that gave birth to the rise of the anti-apartheid era that would eventually see the downfall of the oppressive government regime of the apartheid (segregation) era. Also visit the Hector Peterson Museum, a monument to a schoolboy shot by the police in 1976 and the only street which was once home to two Nobel Peace Prize winners, Nelson Mandela and Bishop Desmond Tutu.
Later, your guide will take you through to O.R. Tambo for your evening overnight flight back to New York.  (B,L)

Day 12 Wed. Oct 27                           Arrive New York
Arrive in the U.S. at JFK airport early morning and connect with your flights home. (Or spend some time in New York!)                                       “Hamba Kahle Uphinde Ubuye
                    As we say in Africa: Go well and come back again soon!”
Price: 

$3899.00         Air/land from New York (JFK), per person, based on double occupancy
(roommate matching available)
$  599.00            Add to above for a private room to yourself.