South African Coastal Jewel

Discover the famous "Garden Route" with Close Encounters as your guide. Mountain passes, forests, spectacular ocean scenery - a must see for all visitors to the country. Come and be seduced by the natural beauty of the best of South Africa.

$3850 per person
The price above excludes international airfare, and is valid for travel between January 1 and December 31 2020

16 nights

Johannesburg - 2 nights

The Soweto Tour, a fully-guided trip deep into township culture, will allow you to experience this vibrant and lively part of Johannesburg. Highlights include Kliptown (where the Freedom Charter was drawn up), Vilakazi Street (Nobel Peace Prize winners Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu both had homes here), the Hector Pieterson Memorial site, the Regina Mundi church, and the mining hostels. You can also sample traditional African fare at one of the many “shebeens”, or have a beer at a local brewery. The tour will conclude with a visit to the Apartheid museum, acknowledged as the pre-eminent museum relating to 20th century South Africa, at the heart of which is the apartheid story.

Walkers River Camp - 5 nights

Walkers is without a doubt one of the best private game reserves in the country. It is located adjacent to the Kruger National Park, and, as there are no fences between the reserves, animals can move freely throughout this huge conservation area. Your group will have exclusive use of this very comfortable riverside lodge, as well as the full-time services of an experienced ranger and a tracker. Game drives (at least 2 drives per day are included) are all conducted using open-topped 4x4 game viewing vehicles, which allows for very close up and personal animal interactions. You will be pampered and taken care of by the guides, and all meals, snacks and drinks are part of the package.

Knysna - 3 nights

Knysna has been consistently voted as the best town in South Africa for many years, and it is easy to see why when you first arrive in this beautiful coastal village. Located on a vast lagoon that is hemmed in by the impressive Outiniqua mountains and lush forests, Knysna is always ready to welcome visitors to this stunning little corner of the country. Within the town, craft shops, flea-markets and cosy cafés beckon with small-town charm and hospitality, and the area around the village is a veritable Garden of Eden. There are many activities and attractions close by, some of the most popular being a cruise on the lagoon and picnics and walks in the indigenous woodlands. You might even get to spot one of the elusive forest elephants!

Oudtshoorn - 1 night

Oudtshoorn is situated in the Klein Karoo, a semi-arid area located between two massive mountain ranges. Although the town is best known as the Ostrich capital of the world (more than 200,000 of these birds are farmed in the area), it is also home to many other attractions, one of which is the breathtaking Cango Caves. You can elect to go on the Adventure Tour (not for persons with claustrophobia) or on the more sedate Heritage Tour. Also not to be missed is the Meerkat Experience, which will introduce you to these shy little members of the mongoose family. Although it means getting up before sunrise, going on a guided tour to see the Meerkats is very special and unique, and something that you will always remember.

Gansbaai - 1 night

Gansbaai ("Goose Bay"), a sleepy little fishing village on the southern coast of South Africa, is reputed to be the best location in the world to see Great White Sharks. Dyer Island, only a short distance away, is home to about 50,000 Cape Fur Seals, and they are the preferred prey species for the apex predator in this area. To see these magnificent creatures from the safety of a cage is a bucket-list experience that you will not want to miss! Wetsuits are supplied to all participants, and there is no requirement to be SCUBA certified. If you prefer not to get in the water, viewing these beautiful sharks from the boat can be just as rewarding. Please note that this activity is sometimes weather-dependent.

Cape Town - 4 nights

Cape Town is recognized as one of the most beautiful cities on earth, a coming together of culture, cuisine and magnificent landscapes. The area has an overwhelming number of natural attractions, including Table Mountain, the Cape Point National Park, and the penguins at Boulders Beach. You can browse through hundreds of shops and stalls at the V&A Waterfront, take a sunset cruise in Table Bay, visit a couple of the harbors and enjoy some fresh fish for lunch, or simply relax with a cocktail at one of classy beachside cafes. No trip to Cape Town would be complete without a visit to a wine estate or two, where you can indulge yourself by tasting some of the finest export wines in the world.