Welcome to Enchanting Journeys

Welcome to Rainbow Kingdom – the Gateway to Africa - a country on the southernmost tip of the African continent, marked by several distinct ecosystems. Inland safari destination Kruger National Park is populated by big game. The Western Cape offers beaches, lush winelands around Stellenbosch & Paarl, craggy cliffs at the Cape of Good Hope, forest & lagoons along the Garden Route, and the city of Cape Town, beneath flat-topped Table Mountain. Traveling in Africa can be challenging, but the smiles of the people & the sounds of the animals make it worthwhile.

Arrive in Jo’burg or ‘Jozi’ as it’s more commonly known.

After you exit in the Arrival Hall at Terminal? - Johannesburg Oliver Tambo International Airport, subsequent to Immigration & Customs & you will be welcomed by The Journeys representative who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to the hotel. He / she will provide assistance during Check-in & also discuss the program for the next few days.

If, for any reason you are unable to make contact with our representative within 30 minutes of waiting, please call the local Emergency telephone # listed on your Contact List. Please follow the advice given by our 24 / 7 Duty Officer.  Please do not exit the Airport & make your own way to the hotel unless advised.

Reach the hotel & Check-in.

*Check-in time is 02.00 pm. For earlier arrivals in the morning, we will request the hotel for a complimentary early Check-in but cannot be guaranteed unless reserved & paid for ‘immediate occupancy’.

The city of the gold - the biggest metropolis in South Africa., is without a doubt the great big beating heart of South Africa, and has long played a Jekyll-and-Hyde role in the global consciousness. Often the stage on which the epic of this extraordinary nation has been played out, the colossus of Jo’burg - with all its thrills and foibles - is today a fascinating, multitudinous city, where all the ups and downs of 21^st  century South Africa can be witnessed in  multicolour dimensions. With its 3.2 million citizens the city on the Witwatersrand is the predominant commercial centre and the economic motor of the Republic of South Africa.

In the past, the city’s darker personality proved the most enduring. The Jo’burg of the newsflash was a city where fear & loathing reigned supreme; a city where spiralling gun crime & poverty had manifested itself in a society where one half of the population stagnated, while the other looked on impassively through coils of razor wire.

As ever, there is an element of truth to the stereotypes. Jo’burg does bear scars of the country’s turbulent 20^th century, and may take time to heal. Stark inequalities persist, but armed with a new self-confidence - ironically most pronounced in the infamous township of Soweto - Africa’s giant hub is beginning to introduce itself to a healthier diet of urban renewal and social regeneration. 

Balance of the day at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Overnight.  

Morning, you will be picked up at 09:00 am to embark for a 6 hour tour to experience Johannesburg.

We first take a look around the northern suburbs, then continue to the hustle & bustle of Hillbrow & Braamfontein, home to the Constitutional Court of South Africa.

Drive through the downtown area to the Carlton Centre, to view a "mini-Manhattan" from the viewing deck on the 50^th floor.

The sightseeing drive includes all the major points of interest, such as Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Baragwanath taxi rank, Freedom Square, Hector Peterson Memorial & Nelson Mandela’s former home.

Onward to Soweto (South Western Township), largest black residential area in South Africa, where you will see a fascinating contrast to Rosebank & Sandton in the north and get a taste of the vibrant street life this township is famous for. This sprawling “city within a city” is home to approximately 2-million people, many of whom work in various parts of the greater metropolitan area of the Witwatersrand.

More of a city than a township, Soweto has its roots in the gold mines that drew workers to Johannesburg in the beginning. However, after the National Party was voted into power in 1948, Soweto grew rapidly as apartheid tightened its grip on the country & forced black people out of “white areas”.

The township significant for its role in the struggle against apartheid, has transformed from a legacy of the apartheid era to a vibrant, energetic hub that will ignite your senses & immerse you in true South African culture.

After a lunch stop (direct payment), continue on to visit the Apartheid Museum.

The Apartheid Museum illustrates the rise & fall of South Africa’s era of segregation & oppression, and is an absolute must-see.

The 6,000 square metres Museum on a 7-hectare site which consists of natural recreated veld & indigenous bush habitat containing a lake & paths, alongside its stark but stunning building is located next to the Gold Reef City Casino, 5 km south of the city centre.

It uses a broad variety of media to provide a chilling insight into the architecture and implementation of the apartheid system, as well as inspiring stories of the struggle towards democracy. It is invaluable in understanding the inequalities & tensions that still exist today and his extraordinarily powerful Museum has already become the city's leading tourist attraction, an obligatory stop for visitors & residents alike.

The sheer volume of information can make it an overwhelming experience; particularly distressing is a small chamber in which hang 131 nooses, representative of the 131 government opponents who were executed under anti-terrorism laws. The Museum, with its large blown-up photographs, metal cages & numerous monitors recording continuous replays of apartheid scenes set in a double volume ceiling, concrete & red brick walls and grey concrete floor,

After spending an hour inside, return to the hotel.

Balance of the day at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Overnight.   B

Early morning, transfer to Johannesburg Oliver Tambo Airport for your flight to the northern Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve located in the Kruger National Park.

Meeting on arrival at the Sabi Sabi Airstrip & transfer to the Lodge.

Check-in and enjoy a late afternoon Lunch.

Kruger is one of the world's greatest wildlife-watching destinations. Try to imagine a National Park the size of Israel with huge tracts of acacia, sycamore figs and bush willow interrupted by open savannah, rushing rivers and the occasional rocky bluff. Now fill it with lions, leopards, elephants, Cape buffaloes & black rhinos (the Big 5), plus cheetahs, giraffes, hippos & many species of smaller animals, and you will start to have some notion of what it is like to visit Kruger National Park.

Try to imagine a national park the size of Israel with huge tracts of acacia, sycamore figs and bushwillow interrupted by open savannah, rushing rivers and the occasional rocky bluff. Now fill it with lions, leopards, elephants, Cape buffaloes and black rhinos (the Big Five), plus cheetahs, giraffes, hippos & many species of smaller animals, and you’ll start to have some notion of what it’s like to visit Kruger National Park.

Kruger National Park was established in 1898 to protect the wildlife of the South African Lowveld & encompasses nearly 2 million hectares. It is home to an impressive number of species: 336 trees, 49 fish, 34 amphibians, 114 reptiles, 507 birds and 147 mammals. Man's interaction with the Lowveld environment over many centuries - from bushman rock paintings to majestic archaeological sites like Masorini & Thulamela - is very evident in the Kruger National Park.

It has an extensive network of sealed roads and comfortable camps, but if you prefer to keep it rough, there are also 4WD tracks, and mountain bike and hiking trails. Even when you stick to the tarmac, the sounds & scents of the bush are never more than a few metres away. Southern Kruger is the most popular section of the park, with the highest animal concentrations & the easiest access. Kruger is at its best in the far north. Here, although animal concentrations are somewhat lower, the bush setting & wilderness atmosphere are all-enveloping.

The Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve is the best known of the Game Reserves in the Kruger National Park area. An exclusive Reserve, its unfenced border joins that of the Greater Kruger National Park so the wildlife roams freely.

The Sabi Sands is without a doubt the best area in the world to view leopard - one of the legendary Big Five which are also present in large numbers. It is not uncommon to spot all the members of the Big Five family in one game drive in this astounding safari reserve.

The lodges within the Sabi Sands have managed to completely outclass & outshine many of Africa’s safari destinations when it comes to luxury accommodation, quality rangers & game viewing experiences. Coordination between the various lodges has established considerate game viewing practices & the ranger-tracker teams who take you out on your early morning, evening and even night safaris in the open 4x4 safari vehicles are experts in the surrounding bush and offer you the best chance of getting close to the big game in the area.

The Park offers some of the best game & wildlife viewing opportunities in the world, and early morning is an optimal time of day.

The success of viewing leopards in the Sabi Sands is legendary. The leopards have become accustomed to the 4x4 vehicles & are not bothered by their presence. This means that you can follow the leopards in critical situations like hunting – something you can do nowhere else in the world. Mating, very young cubs, hunting, kills and all the other behaviours that make up a leopard's life can be seen in astonishingly close proximity to these elusive cats. The other animals such as elephant, rhino, lion, buffalo, cheetah, zebra, giraffe and a variety of antelope and a vast number of other species can also be observed closely within their own ranges, though big herds of game are less prominent in this area - it is famed more for the unrivalled sightings of big cats.

Later in the afternoon, you will meet up with others at the lodge & embark, in open safari vehicles, on your thrilling 5 hour game drive in the world famous Park, unrivalled in its diversity of flora & fauna for amazing sightings of predators & prey animals as they enter the new night.  Sunrise & sunset are when the animals are most active. The experienced Rangers & Shangaan Tracker are great at interpreting all the animal behaviours you see & whose endeavour will be to spoil you with sightings of the “Big 5”, general game & prolific bird life. 

Spend a couple of hours searching for the Big 5 & enjoy Sundowners in the bush after which, the safari continues into the early evening, affording the opportunity of viewing nocturnal game.

Return to the lodge.

Evening at leisure.

Overnight.  B L D

Before first light, you will depart from this luxury safari lodge into the wilderness, either by open Land Rover or on foot for a walking safari, accompanied by your armed & knowledgeable Game Ranger & Shangaan Tracker whose endeavour will be to spoil you with sightings of the “Big Five”, general game & prolific bird life. 

Spend a couple of hours observing the animals before returning back to the lodge for a hearty breakfast.

Relax at the lodge and after lunch and a short siesta, depart again on a late afternoon game drive in open safari vehicles.

Return to the lodge.

Before first light, you will depart again from the safari lodge into the wilderness, either by open Land Rover or on foot for a walking safari, accompanied by your armed & knowledgeable Game Ranger & Shangaan Tracker whose endeavour will be to spoil you with sightings of the “Big Five”, general game & prolific bird life. 

Spend a couple of hours observing the animals before returning back to the lodge for a hearty breakfast.

Relax at the lodge & after lunch and a short siesta, embark on another late afternoon game drive in open safari vehicles.

Return to the lodge.

Rest of the evening at leisure.

After yet another early morning open vehicle safari & a scrumptious breakfast, transfer from the lodge on a light Aircraft to Nelspruit Kruger Mpumalanga Airport from where you connect for your onward flight to Cape Town.

Arrive in Cape Town.

After you exit in the Arrival Hall at Terminal? - Cape Town International Airport, you will be met by The Journeys representative who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to the hotel in Franschhoek, a picturesque village with spectacular vineyards covering the mountain slopes, help you settle in & provide you with some useful tips for exploring the area as well as discuss the program for the next few days.

World renowned for its spectacular beauty, superb Cape wines and world class restaurants, the beautiful village of Franschhoek is a definite must-visit destination on any trip to the Western Cape of South Africa, with centuries-old vineyards and Cape Dutch architecture.

Founded in 1688 by French Huguenots, the scenic gem nestles in a rich & fertile valley, between glorious towering mountains, right in the beautiful Heart of the Cape Winelands. Trails wind through flowers & wildlife at Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve to views over Franschhoek Valley. The Huguenot Memorial Museum & neighboring monument honor the area’s French settlers, who arrived in the 17^th & 18^th centuries. Franschhoek Motor Museum displays vintage cars amid mountain farmland.

Franschhoek is a wine lovers delight… the valley has a deep vigneron tradition, dating back to the 16th century. Some of South Africa's oldest & most famous wine estates are found here. Food connoisseurs & gourmands also, will find a delicious choice of restaurants in & around the village and many of these eateries are internationally acclaimed.

Check-in at the hotel.

Balance of the day is at leisure to explore the charming village.

Morning, Check-out & depart for Cape Town.

Enroute you will explore the glorious winelands & learn more about the region’s history and the process of winemaking when you visit renowned Wineries.

Pass through the charming university town of Stellenbosch.

A university town in South Africa's Western Cape province, surrounded by the vineyards of the Cape Winelands and the mountainous nature reserves of Jonkershoek & Simonsberg. The town's oak-shaded streets are lined with cafes, boutiques and art galleries. Cape Dutch architecture here gives a sense of South Africa's Dutch colonial history, as do the Village Museum's period houses and gardens.

Stop in at 2 Wineries for informative wine tastings (included).

Continue your drive.

Arrive in Cape Town, South Africa’s “Mother City” & Check-in at the hotel.

A coming-together of cultures, cuisines & landscapes, there is nowhere quite like Cape Town, a singularly beautiful city crowned by the magnificent Table Mountain National Park.

Occupying one of the world's most stunning locations, Cape Town is the 2^nd  most populous city in South Africa, famous for its harbour as well as its natural setting in the Cape floral kingdom, including such well-known landmarks as Table Mountain & Cape Point.

African Landscapes | People & Culture| Culinary Feast | Art & Design

Long before the Dutch took a fancy to the Cape Peninsula in the 17^th century, the land was home to the Khoisan people who valued the spiritual power of the mountains and their life-providing water. While the European immigrants & the slaves they brought here, have all shaped the physical environment of South Africa's third-largest city, Table Mountain - now protected within a national park that covers some 75% of the peninsula - remains at Cape Town's heart. This ever present backdrop is the city's adventure playground, as well as a source of legend & continuing spiritual nourishment. Under the Khoisan name of Hoerikwaggo - meaning 'Mountain in the Sea' - the national park is promoting a new series of trails that will allow visitors, for the first time, to sleep on the mountain top while hiking a world-class trail from Cape Point to the City Bowl. There are many other equally gorgeous natural landscapes within the park’s extensive boundaries. Cultivated areas, such as the historic Company’s Garden, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden & Green Point Urban Park, also make exploring the city a pleasure. Follow the lead of locals by taking full advantage of the abundant outdoor space: learn to surf; go hiking or mountain biking; tandem-paraglide off Lion’s Head; abseil off the top of Table Mountain - just a few of the many activities on offer.

Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu & traditional African beliefs coexist peacefully in this proudly multicultural city. Given South Africa’s troubled history, such harmony has been hard-won & remains fragile: nearly everyone has a fascinating, sometimes heartbreaking story to tell. It’s a city of determined pioneers - from the Afrikaner descendants of the original Dutch colonists & the majority coloured community to the descendants of European Jewish immigrants & more recent Xhosa (isiXhosa) migrants from the Eastern Cape. They all bring unique flavours to Cape Town’s rich melting pot.

Human creativity is also self-evident here - it's one of the things that made the city a World Design Capital in 2014. From the brightly painted facades of the Bo-Kaap and the bathing chalets of Muizenberg, to the Afro-chic decor of its restaurants & bars and the striking street art & innovation incubators of the East City and Woodstock, this is one great-looking metropolis. The informal settlements of the Cape Flats are a sobering counterpoint, but these townships also have enterprising projects that put food from organic market gardens on tables, or stock gift shops with attractive souvenirs

Wrenching yourself away from the magnetic mountain and all the delights of the Cape Peninsula is a challenge, but within an hour you can exchange urban landscapes for the charming towns, villages and bucolic estates of Winelands destinations, such as Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. Hermanus is a prime whale-watching location, and also a base from which to organise shark-cave diving. Further afield, the delights of the Garden Route unfold, with more inspiring scenery to be viewed on thrilling drives down the coast and over mountain passes.

As beautiful as the surrounding beaches and vineyards can be, it is the rugged wilderness of Table Mountain, coated in a unique flora that grabs everyone's attention

Balance of the day at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

You will have a full day at leisure to enjoy & explore one of the most beautiful cities in the world (we will be happy to offer suggestions for Optional programs & arrange).

Morning, you will be picked up at around 08:30 am depart on a relaxing 8 hour journey to the Cape Peninsula, an area of wild natural beauty with breathtaking scenery, wildlife & vegetation around every corner.

Complementing the mountain's natural beauty is Cape Town's eye-catching way with design & colour in everything from the brightly painted façades of the Bo-Kaap & the Victorian bathing chalets of Muizenberg, to the contemporary Afro-chic décor of the many excellent guesthouses, restaurants & bars. The city is crammed with galleries displaying amazing artworks & shops selling wonderfully inventive craftwork. It is also getting a reputation as the fashion nexus of South Africa. This creativity seems to spring naturally from the city's multi-ethnic population, proof of South Africa’s status as the rainbow nation & a visual record of the country's tumultuous recorded history of over 350 years.

For all the city centre's visual harmony & cosmopolitan atmosphere, you don't need to be in Cape Town for long to realise that the scars of modern South Africa's violent birth & apartheid adolescence still run deep. Seeing life in the townships may shock & upset, but you will also discover it's not a one-note story of grim survival. And there is ubuntu, true African hospitality & care for fellow human beings. Look across the city & you will also see people of all skin colours working together to make Cape Town a better place for everyone. Discovering the Mother City's true diversity & spirit is all part of getting the most out of a visit here.

Reality check aside, Cape Town is an old pro at showing visitors a good time. There may not be game parks on Kruger's scale, but there are plenty of great wildlife-spotting opportunities, from the penguins at Boulders to the antelopes, buffaloes and black rhino at Solole Game Reserve. The restaurants & bars compare favourably with those of other cosmopolitan cities. There is a lively cultural scene, particularly when it comes to music, which pervades every corner of the city, and if outdoor activities & adrenaline buzzes are your thing, you have come to the right place.

The capital of Western Cape province and the parliamentary capital of the republic, Cape Town works in a way that so few cities on the African continent do. Historic buildings have been saved, businesses are booming, inner-city crime is coming under control and you will seldom be stuck for a parking space. Factor back in those stunning mountains, magnificent surf beaches & outstanding vineyards & you will soon discover - like many before you - that it is easy to lose track of time while exploring all the wonders of this unique Southern African city. Now don't you think it's time you made a date with Cape Town?

On this full day tour of the Cape Peninsula, we take in the beaches of Clifton and Camps Bay, before crossing over to Hout Bay, where you may choose to join an optional boat cruise to Seal Island.

From here, drive to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve via Chapman’s Peak, one of the world’s most breathtaking coastal drives, where you will board a funicular to the top of the Peninsula to witness the symbolic meeting of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans as well as have spectacular views over False Bay.

Enjoy lunch near here (direct payment) before continuing to Simonstown, the naval base, and visiting the African Penguin breeding colony at Boulders Beach.

On the way back, you'll pass the beautiful scenery of Simon's Town, Fish Hoek, the popular holiday resort of Muizenberg and stopping briefly at the world renowned Kirstenbosch Gardens.

Come back to the hotel be early evening.

Balance of the evening is at leisure & if you are still in the mood to out, let us know (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Alas, the experience comes to an end & it is time to say good-bye to Africa’s warm hospitality & go home. It is the spirit of the people - pushing, shoving, sweating, dancing, singing & laughing - that infects so many visitors with a travel bug so powerful they will never stop coming back, sometimes against all sense or reason.

Check-out of the hotel by 12:00 noon (if the departure time is later in the evening, we will request the hotel to allow the use of the hotel facilities & leave the luggage at the Bell Desk, if you have the time to walk out). 

An astonishingly diverse region fused by its prolific wildlife, breathtaking landscapes & remnants of ancient culture, Africa’s natural history alone would make a dozen visits worthwhile - where else on earth can you fall asleep to the sound of lions roaring, or watch a million flamingos take off from the waters of a remote soda lake? Parts of Africa boast scenery so spectacular they will damn near blow your mind, but the essence of this incredible continent isn’t in any desert, mountain or lake. Southern Africa is Africa at its most memorable. Black-maned lions framed against Kalahari dunes; powdery beaches lapped by two oceans; star-studded desert skies; jagged, lush mountains - this truly is a region of astounding diversity.

“When you leave Africa, as the plane lifts, you feel that more than leaving a continent you are leaving a state of mind. Whatever awaits you at the other end of your journey will be of a different order of existence.”  – Francesca Marciano

In time, you will be met by a Journeys Rep, who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to Terminal? - Cape Town International Airport, for your onward journey. And we are sure South Africa or Africa will tempt you to come again.  B

 .

***        End of Services      ***