Grand Tour of South Africa

We fly from London Heathrow to Johannesburg, arriving on the morning of Day 2. We stay at the Courtyard Hotel Arcadia in Pretoria for 1 night. Our sightseeing begins with a visit to the Voortrekker Monument, an enormous structure dedicated to the history of South Africa set in a nature reserve close to Pretoria. We pause en route for lunch, dining in a local restaurant.

Today, we board the Pride of Africa train at the Rovos Rail Station in Capital Park, Pretoria. Our journey on this elegant train, in luxurious air-conditioned suites, spans 9 nights and takes us across the African plains while we enjoy fine china, crisp linen, and 5-Star service. All on-board meals and drinks are included, as are our meals during off-train excursions.

This morning, we wake up early for a highlight of our holiday - an excursion to Kruger National Park, the largest park in South Africa where all of the 'Big Five' game animals can be found. Here, we pursue antelope and track the herds of elephants that make this huge wilderness their home. We might catch a glimpse of a leopard as it stalks its prey, or enjoy the thrill of viewing a lion from close range. We enjoy lunch in Kruger National Park before re-boarding the train.

Today, aboard the Pride of Africa, we pass through Hluhluwe Game Reserve, one of the oldest of its kind in South Africa. In the afternoon, we enjoy a game drive in the park for a chance to spot some giraffes, zebras, hippopotamuses, and cape buffaloes. After re-boarding the train, we head towards Durban, passing through the incredible and verdant scenery of the St Lucia Wetlands.

We arrive in the city of Durban today, where we take a guided city tour and enjoy lunch in a local restaurant. After re-joining our train, we continue through the Valley of a Thousand Hills, an area of incredible natural beauty. On Day 7, we take a tour of Spionkop, or 'Spy Hill', discovering the historic battlefield with a local expert. In 1900, this was the site of a bloody battle between Boer farmers and British troops, whose miscalculated tactics led to their embarrassing defeat. Following our time here, we embark on a game drive in Nambiti Game Reserve, with another chance to spot Africa's incredible wildlife. Later, the train makes its way through the Drakensberg Mountains, a stunning area characterised by soaring peaks and lush green forests. Day 8 is spent at leisure on board.

This morning we travel to Addo Elephant Park for a game drive in open-top vehicles. The park is inhabited not only by elephants, but also lions, leopards, cape buffaloes, and rhinos. We return to the train in Port Elizabeth for lunch onboard. After some free time this afternoon, the Pride of Africa continues towards Oudtshoorn, home to the world's largest population of ostriches. We enjoy a visit to an ostrich farm here on Day 10, before continuing to the town of George. We take a short drive to Fancourt Golf Estate for our dinner tonight.

We enjoy a scenic drive down the coast to Knysna this morning, famed for its picturesque setting on the shores of a large estuary. Here, we take a ferry out to explore Featherbed Nature Reserve. Re-boarding the train, we travel through the magnificent scenery that characterises South Africa's famous 'Garden Route' to Riversdale. Day 12, our last day on board the Pride of Africa, takes us through the wild scenery of the Cape Fold Mountains, where we enjoy some time at leisure before the final leg of our journey to Cape Town, set against the backdrop of Table Mountain. Here we check into the 5-Star Radisson Blu Waterfront Hotel, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

Today, we travel by coach around 2 of South Africa's finest wine producing areas: the Franschhoek and Stellenbosch Valleys. Here, we enjoy a delicious 'Boerebraai' lunch, a unique South African social event where family and friends gather together to create a memorable dining experience. On the morning of Day 14, we make the cable car ascent of Table Mountain, enjoying panoramic city views (weather dependant). The cliffs are home to a number of different animals and plants, as well as a stunning range of fauna, some of which, like the Table Mountain Ghost Frog, are found in no other place in the world. Following some time for lunch, this afternoon we take a ferry across Table Bay for a guided tour of Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned between 1964 and 1982. Today, the site is a UNESCO World Heritage listed attraction. We also visit Kirstenbosch, where we enjoy a guided tour of the botanical gardens nestled at the foot of Table Mountain.

We journey to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope via the stunning Chapman's Peak coastal road today. At Cape Point we ride the Flying Dutchman funicular railway up to a vantage point, where we enjoy some inspiring views of the gorgeous cape before we continue to Boulders Beach, home to an incredible penguin colony native only to Africa.

Today is spent at leisure before we transfer to the airport this evening. We fly back to London Heathrow, arriving on Day 17.