- Tour code
ZAFADV01
- Start
Hoedspruit
- End
Cape Town
- Min. age
16 years old
- Group size
Max 6-16 travellers
- Trip style
Explorer
- Trip pace
Active
- Language
English
This ten-day trip pairs two very different sides of South Africa: the bush of the Greater Kruger region and the vineyards, mountains and coastline of the Western Cape.
You'll begin in Hoedspruit with four nights at a safari lodge. Days are shaped around the bush: a guided walk, an elephant encounter, a full day inside Kruger National Park, a short tour of the Panorama Route and game drives at the start and end of the day, with dinners around the fire in the lodge's boma.
A flight south takes you to the Western Cape. In Stellenbosch you'll taste your way through the winelands, then move on to Cape Town for a guided city tour, a Cape Malay lunch in a Bo-Kaap family home and a day on the Cape Peninsula with the penguins at Boulders Beach. Keen walkers can take on Lion's Head for views over the city and the Atlantic.
Your Soca Islands Host is with you from the bush to the farewell dinner, so the logistics are covered and you can focus on the experiences. Groups are small, from 6 to 16 travelers.
Why This Journey
Many first visits to South Africa mean choosing between a safari and Cape Town. This trip does both properly, with four unhurried nights in the bush rather than a quick drive-through, followed by time in the winelands and five days in and around the Cape.
It suits travelers who want wildlife, food, wine and city life in a single trip, and who'd like to hear the country's story first-hand, from a guided walk through Cape Town's history to lunch at a family table in Bo-Kaap.
Where You'll Stay
Hoedspruit (4 nights): Kapama River Lodge, in the Kapama Private Game Reserve. Stellenbosch (2 nights): Oude Werf Hotel, in the historic town center. Cape Town (3 nights): Pullman Cape Town City Centre, close to the V&A Waterfront. Proposed accommodation (or similar), subject to confirmation. Rooms are based on two people sharing a double room with two beds.
Getting There
International Flights Not Included. International airfare to and from the destination is not included in the package price. Travelers are responsible for arranging their own flights and ensuring their arrival and departure align with the trip itinerary. Fly into Hoedspruit Airport (HDS) and out of Cape Town International Airport (CPT); arrival and departure airport transfers are included. Please share your confirmed flight details with Soca Islands so we can coordinate applicable arrival and departure arrangements.
What you will see and do
Scan the Kruger bush for buffalo, rhinos, leopards, lions and elephants
Wander Bo-Kaap's candy-colored houses and soak up Cape Town's coastline
Taste Cape wines with local food pairings among Stellenbosch's vineyards and mountains
What's included
All activities mentioned on the itinerary
Accommodations in double rooms
Experienced Soca Islands Host with you throughout the trip
One farewell group activity when possible
Max 16 travellers per group
Arrival and departure airport transfers
Group transportation
What's excluded
- International flights (travellers arrange their own)
- Travel insurance (required)
- Meals not listed in the itinerary
- Optional activities, such as the helicopter flight over Table Mountain
- Single room supplement (single rooms on request, subject to availability)
- Extra hotel nights before or after the trip
Group itinerary
Touch down at Hoedspruit, meet your Soca Islands Host and the group, and transfer to your safari lodge on the edge of the Kruger region.
In the afternoon a guide leads you on foot through the bush, reading tracks and pointing out the smaller details you'd miss from a vehicle. Dinner is a traditional braai (barbecue) in the boma, an open-air enclosure built around a fire, with the night sounds of the bush all around.
The morning brings an up-close encounter with elephants in a protected reserve, with time to learn about their behavior and the conservation work behind their care.
Then you'll head into Mpumalanga for a short Panorama Route tour, stopping at the Three Rondavels above the Blyde River Canyon and the swirling rock formations of Bourke's Luck Potholes. Back at the lodge, dinner is potjie, a slow-cooked stew made in a cast-iron pot over the fire.
It's an early start for a full day inside Kruger National Park, one of Africa's largest game reserves. Your guide will be watching for buffalo, rhinos, leopards, lions and elephants, plus the antelope, birds and giraffes that cross the road between them.
Lunch is at one of the park's rest camps, then you're back out for the late-afternoon light before returning to the lodge for dinner around the fire.
Shape today around what you enjoy most. Join a morning game drive or guided nature walk, or stay back and cool off in the lodge's plunge pool.
An afternoon drive gives you a last chance to find hippos in the water, monkeys in the trees or perhaps a leopard, before a final night in the bush with the group.
After a slow morning, fly to Cape Town and drive out to Stellenbosch, the heart of South Africa's food and wine country, framed by mountains on almost every side.
Take a walk through the old town's oak-lined streets and Cape Dutch buildings, then spend the evening tasting local wines together.
Today is dedicated to the Cape Winelands. Explore historic Stellenbosch, visit vineyards and gardens, and enjoy tastings paired with local cheese, charcuterie and olive oil.
Winemaking here goes back more than three centuries, and the mountain backdrops make every stop worth a photo.
Back in Cape Town, a guided tour walks you through the city's story: the San and Khoekhoe who lived here first, Dutch and British colonial rule, Robben Island and Nelson Mandela's legacy.
In Bo-Kaap you'll see the brightly painted houses on the slopes of Signal Hill and sit down to a Cape Malay lunch in a local family's home. Energy left? Hike Lion's Head in time for sunset.
Follow the Cape Peninsula coast road, with mountains on one side and the ocean on the other. Stop at Muizenberg for its colorful beach huts and surf scene, then continue to Boulders Beach to see the African penguin colony.
After lunch in a seaside town, return to Cape Town for a free evening: rooftop bars, live music or a quiet night, your call.
Spend your final full day however you like: the beaches at Clifton or Noordhoek, a stroll through the historic center and the Company's Garden, or an optional helicopter flight over Table Mountain and the coast.
In the evening the group comes together for a farewell dinner.
Share one more breakfast with the group before your departure transfer to Cape Town International Airport, or carry on with your own travels.
Accommodations
Here's a glimpse of the hotels we selected for this adventure.
Kapama River Lodge
A safari lodge in the Kapama Private Game Reserve, a short drive from Hoedspruit and its airport, in the Greater Kruger region. Suites are spread through riverine bush, with lawns, pools and a boma for dinners around the fire.
Its size and setting suit a small group well: there is space to come together in the evenings, and Kruger National Park is within reach for a full day of game viewing.
Hotel websiteOude Werf Hotel
A historic hotel in the old heart of Stellenbosch, on the site of South Africa's first church. It describes itself as the country's oldest continuously operating hotel, and the oak-lined streets, galleries and cafés of the old town are right outside.
With 58 rooms, a mix of antique-furnished and modern styles, it is an easy, walkable base for the Cape Winelands.
Hotel websitePullman Cape Town City Centre
A modern hotel in Cape Town city center, close to the V&A Waterfront and within easy reach of Bo-Kaap, the Company's Garden and the cable car to Table Mountain.
Rooms are contemporary and generously sized for the city, and twin-bed rooms are available in every main category, which helps keep a group together.
Rooms are 30 m² (323 ft²).
Hotel websiteRooms
You'll stay at Trip Hotel.
- Included
Shared double
Shared with the person you book with, or a fellow traveller of the same sex.
- +$1,978 per person
Single room
A room to yourself, subject to availability.
Room prices are per person for the Apr 9, 2027 departure and can differ on other dates. You choose your room when you book.
Tour FAQS
Fly into Hoedspruit Airport (HDS) and out of Cape Town International Airport (CPT).
Proposed accommodation (or similar), subject to confirmation: Kapama River Lodge near Hoedspruit (4 nights), Oude Werf Hotel in Stellenbosch (2 nights) and Pullman Cape Town City Centre (3 nights).
International Flights Not Included. International airfare to and from the destination is not included in the package price. Travelers are responsible for arranging their own flights and ensuring their arrival and departure align with the trip itinerary. Please share your confirmed flight details with Soca Islands so we can coordinate applicable arrival and departure arrangements.
Yes. Your arrival transfer at Hoedspruit Airport (HDS) and departure transfer to Cape Town International Airport (CPT) are included. Please share your confirmed flight details with Soca Islands so we can coordinate applicable arrival and departure arrangements.
9 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 5 dinners are included. Meals not listed in the itinerary are at your own cost.
Extra nights can be requested, subject to hotel availability; contact our Customer Experience team for a quote.
There are no scheduled activities on the final day, so feel free to book your departure at your own convenience.
We recommend arriving before 3 pm on Day 1 to make it in time for the welcome event. But don’t worry no matter when you land, we’ll have an airport transfer ready for you.
Please Refer to your government’s travel advice or consult your local consulate. Remember, passport and visa requirements can change, so make sure to stay updated.
Excluding alcohol, we suggest budgeting around USD $40.00 per day for extras.
While we’re not medical professionals, we want to help you prepare for a safe and healthy adventure. Here are some tips:
- Consult with a healthcare professional: Schedule an appointment with your travel nurse or doctor at least eight weeks before your adventure to get any necessary vaccines or medications.
- Up-to-date medical advice:
- US residents: Check the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
- UK residents: Visit the NHS Fit For Travel website.
- Australian residents: Refer to the Smart Traveler Health website.
3. Government travel advice:
- US residents: Consult the US Department of State Travel Advice.
- UK residents: Check the FCDO Travel Advice.
- Australian residents: Visit the Smart Traveler website.
4. Medication tips: If you take prescription medication, bring enough to last the entire trip, plus a few extra days in case of delays. Carry a copy of your prescription in case you need to visit a clinic abroad.
We hope this helps you prepare for a safe and enjoyable adventure.
Please keep in mind that our itinerary, activities, and hotels might change. These adjustments could happen with little notice due to factors like availability, weather conditions, seasonal shifts, or other circumstances beyond our control. Rest assured, we always aim to minimise any impact on your experience. Occasionally, we may tweak the itinerary to try out fresh ideas and keep the adventure exciting.
We believe solo travelers shouldn’t have to pay extra to explore the world. That’s why our group trips are designed around shared accommodation and do not include a single supplement. Solo travelers joining our group trips are paired in twin or multi-share rooms with another traveler of the same sex for the duration of the trip.
Some of our Independent trips are structured differently. For these itineraries, solo travelers will need to book at the single occupancy rate.
Tips are not included in the cost of this tour. Remember, tipping is entirely at your discretion and based on what you feel comfortable with.
Would you like to learn more or customise our The South Africa Trip trip?
Have questions about accommodations, accessibility, group preferences, or dietary needs? Complete the form below and our team will get back to you shortly.
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