Best of South Africa with Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls, Johannesburg & Cape Town, 3 game drives in Kruger and a private conservancy, plus a bush walk; stay in upscale hotels throughout.
Overview
Also see Best of South Africa
Style | Small Group TourTravel with a small, intimate group of no more than 16 likeminded travelers (and often much fewer), escorted by an English speaking guide and/or tour manager for some or all of your journey. (Some exceptions, including special promotional packages, may accommodate up to 30.) More of these packages
Dedicated tour escorts & guides throughout |
||
Departures | January – December 2025 | Group Size | 16 travelers max |
Themes | Active, History & Culture, Grand Tours, Nature & Wildlife | ||
Activity Level | Recreational | ||
What to Expect | This moderately-paced, escorted South Africa tour includes a reasonable amount of walking or hiking and requires an average level of physical fitness. This tour also includes long scenic drives between destinations and may have limited rest stops. Travel safely and confidently with our new health & safety protocols. | ||
Already booked? | Find everything you need to know before you go, including information about passport & visa requirements, flights, luggage, and more. |
Check prices & book now
Get updates about this package
Explore deeper into South Africa on our comprehensive Best of South Africa small group escorted tour. Begin your tour by visiting majestic Victoria Falls. Then, travel to cosmopolitan Johannesburg, South Africa's largest metropolis, also know as "Egoli" or City of Gold. Head north to begin your safari in Karongwe Private Game Reserve, where you'll embark on a late morning bush walk with an experienced ranger. Continue your game viewing in Kruger National Park, one of the world's oldest and most famous game reserves. Rest assured, you'll have ample opportunities to spot the Big 5! Finally, end your tour in scenic Cape Town, exploring the city's vibrant neighborhoods, storied past and incredible cuisine; then look down on it all from the top of Table Mountain. Your ticket is pre-purchased, so you won't spend hours waiting in line to buy one.
Package includes
- Flights
- Coach
- Transfers
- Hotel
- Meals
- Guides
- Round-trip flights from New York via wide-bodied jet service, including taxes & fees
- Flights, ground transportation and transfers within South Africa
- 13 nights in superior first class and deluxe hotels
- 22 meals: 13 breakfasts, 4 lunches, & 5 dinners, including welcome and farewell dinners with wine
- Professional English-speaking tour directors
- Comprehensive touring program and safaris, including entrance fees
Optional add-ons
- Flights from other cities are available. Request pricing when making your reservation.
- Optional excursion to Chobe National Park, Botswana.
Why you'll love it
- Visit South Africa's largest and most populous city, Johannesburg, and learn about the country’s poignant past at the Apartheid Museum.
- Experience a close-up look at daily life in the bustling neighborhood of Soweto.
- Come face-to-face with lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, buffalo and more during 2 game drives and a bush walk in Karongwe Private Game Reserve and a full-day game drive in Kruger National Park.
- Enjoy the jaw-dropping view of the Blyde River Canyon, one of the world's largest canyons, during your drive along the astonishing Panorama Route.
- Bask in the scenic and historic highlights of beautiful Cape Town, including a trip to Table Mountain by cable car.
- Explore Cape Point including Hout Bay, Boulders Beach and Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.
- Standing in the presence of the majestic Victoria Falls, surround yourself with the thunderous roar of the powerful water and the constant mist rising above.
- Cruise along the Zambezi River and marvel at the stunning African sunset.
Itinerary at a Glance
- 1 Depart USA
- 2 Arrive Johannesburg
- 3 Johannesburg
- 4 Johannesburg & Karongwe Private Game Reserve
- 5 Karongwe Private Game Reserve
- 6 Karongwe Private Game Reserve & Kruger National Park
- 7 Kruger National Park
- 8 Kruger National Park & Cape Town
- 9 Cape Town
- 10 Cape Point & Cape Town
- 11 Cape Town
- Optional Excursion: Half-Day Stellenbosch Winelands
- 12 Victoria Falls
- 13 Victoria Falls
- 14 Victoria Falls
- Optional Excursion: Chobe National Park, Botswana, $210
- 15 Zimbabwe & Depart Johannesburg
Videos
Dates & Prices
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 Depart USA
- Depart New York on your overnight flight to Johannesburg, South Africa
Day 2 Arrive Johannesburg
- Arrive in Johannesburg, South Africa, meet your guide, and transfer to your hotel
- This evening, meet your fellow travelers at a welcome dinner
Sandton Sun or similar Dinner
Full Day ItineraryArrive today in Johannesburg, South Africa's largest and most populous city. Upon arrival at OR Tambo International Airport, your guide will meet and transfer you to your hotel. En route, enjoy a panoramic orientation tour of this cosmopolitan city, affectionately referred to as "Jo'Burg" or "Jozi" by the locals. Check in at your hotel and enjoy the balance of the day at leisure.
This evening, get to know your fellow travelers during a welcome dinner with wine.
Day 3 Johannesburg
- Experience daily life in the Soweto neighborhood
- Learn about the rise and fall of apartheid at the Apartheid Museum
- Visit the urban Maboneng Precinct
Sandton Sun or similar Breakfast
Full Day ItineraryThis morning, embark on a fascinating tour to Soweto (short for Southwestern Township), a sprawling metropolis on the outskirts of Johannesburg. Get a close-up look at daily life in this bustling neighborhood, the most prominent black urban settlement in Africa and the center of political campaigns aimed at the overthrow of the apartheid state. On the way, drive past the Hector Pieterson Memorial. Then, visit the Apartheid Museum for an in-depth historical look at the system of extreme racial segregation that plagued South Africa from 1948 until 1994, when it was finally dismantled. Later, visit the Maboneng Precinct, an innovative urban neighborhood filled with urban art galleries, chic restaurants, and unique office spaces for creative, like-minded people.
Return to your hotel in the late afternoon.
Day 4 Johannesburg & Karongwe Private Game Reserve
- Depart for Karongwe Private Game Reserve
- Enjoy an afternoon game drive in the Karongwe Private Game Reserve
Shiduli Private Game Lodge or similar Breakfast & dinner
Full Day ItineraryDay 5 Karongwe Private Game Reserve
- Enjoy an early morning game drive in open safari vehicles
- Join a bush walk with an experienced local ranger
Shiduli Private Game Lodge or similar Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Full Day ItineraryAfter an early morning wake-up call and a fresh cup of coffee or tea served with rusks, a traditional South African biscuit, head out in open safari vehicles for your African bush game drive. Search for the Big Five - lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo - and some of the smaller fascinating creatures such as chameleons, scrub hare, and more. Return to the lodge for a full breakfast.
Later, set off on foot for a bush walk with your experienced ranger, who will teach you some bush skills such as animal tracking as well as bird and plant identification. Return to your lodge to relax and enjoy the facilities.
Day 6 Karongwe Private Game Reserve & Kruger National Park
- Drive along the awe-inspiring Panorama Route
- Stop at Graskop Gorge and take the lift to the forest below
- View the spectacular Blyde River Canyon
Angels View Hotel Breakfast & lunch
Full Day ItineraryAfter breakfast, relax on a scenic journey through the Limpopo province. Stop for breathtaking views of rolling mountains, verdant valleys, the Three Rondavels, Bourke's Luck Potholes, and God's Window. Next, stop at Graskop Gorge and descend 51 meters along the face of the gorge into the forest below. Wooden walkways and suspension bridges meander along a 600-meter trail through the indigenous forest with interactive exhibits. Later, view the Blyde River Canyon, one of the world's largest canyons. En route, enjoy lunch at the ever-popular Harries Pancakes.
Continue to your hotel. On arrival, check-in and take some time to relax in the beautiful surroundings.
Day 7 Kruger National Park
- Enjoy a full-day game drive in open 4x4 safari vehicles in Kruger National Park
Angels View Hotel or similar Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Full Day ItineraryAfter an early morning wake-up call, depart for an exciting full-day safari in open 4x4 safari vehicles into the Kruger National Park, one of the world's most famous game reserves. You'll see the ever-present impala and be on the lookout for wildebeest, zebras, giraffes, and many other types of antelopes.
Day 8 Kruger National Park & Cape Town
- Transfer to the airport in Johannesburg for your afternoon flight to Cape Town
- Spend the balance of the evening at leisure
The Capital 15 on Orange or similar Breakfast
Full Day ItineraryAfter breakfast, leave the bush behind as you transfer to the airport for your flight to Cape Town, a beautiful jewel nestled between stunning Table Mountain and a dramatic coastline. Cape Town is a modern, bustling, and vibrant city boasting gorgeous scenery, fabulous restaurants, hotels, and beaches, bursting with history and culture. Upon arrival at Cape Town's airport, transfer to your centrally located hotel.
Enjoy the remainder of the evening at leisure.
Day 9 Cape Town
- Witness the scenic and historical highlights of Cape Town on a half-day panoramic city tour
- Weather permitting, ascend by cable car to the top of Table Mountain
- Spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure
The Capital 15 on Orange or similar Breakfast
Full Day ItineraryThis morning, enjoy a panoramic tour of Cape Town showcasing this vibrant city's scenic and historical highlights. Weather permitting, travel by cable car to the top of Table Mountain, Cape Town's most striking landmark and recently announced as one of the world's New Seven Wonders of Nature.
Continue through the Malay Quarter (Bo-Kaap). Lined with brightly colored houses and decorative mosques, this historic neighborhood was founded by formerly enslaved people from Malaysia, whose Islamic culture gives the area a distinct character and contributes to Cape Town's rich cultural diversity. The final stop on your tour is the lively Cape Town Waterfront, where numerous restaurants and entertainment options abound.
Spend the rest of the afternoon leisurely to become better acquainted with Cape Town.
Note: Table Mountain Cableway will shut down for annual maintenance from July 15 – September 1, 2024. It will re-open, weather permitting, on September 2, 2024. If Table Mountain Cableway is closed, we will visit Signal Hill instead.
Day 10 Cape Point & Cape Town
- Enjoy a full-day excursion to Cape Point National Park, including a cruise along Hout Bay
- Visit Boulders Beach and see the African jackass penguins
- Tour the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
- Enjoy dinner paired with a drum performance
The Capital 15 on Orange or similar Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Full Day ItineraryBegin your full-day excursion to Cape Point National Park this morning with a cruise along Hout Bay, where you'll see the seals of Duiker Island. Enter the nature reserve covering the peninsula's southern part and drive through the unique scenery toward Cape Point. Travel by funicular railway to Cape Point, where you can enjoy stunning views of the Cape of Good Hope.
After lunch, make a brief stop to visit the African jackass penguins at Boulders Beach, and then continue to the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, where you'll have a magnificent display of indigenous South African flora. Return to your hotel late this afternoon.
Enjoy dinner and drum performance with your fellow travelers.
Day 11 Cape Town
- Explore Cape Town at leisure, or join an optional excursion to Stellenbosch Winelands
The Capital 15 on Orange or similar Breakfast
Full Day ItineraryToday is your last day to leisurely explore Cape Town or join an optional excursion to Stellenbosch Winelands.
Optional Excursion: Half-Day Stellenbosch WinelandsThis afternoon, depart to glorious Stellenbosch in the heart of the Cape Winelands. Take a leisurely drive through this beautiful, world-renowned region before venturing into the wine-making process in a fascinating cellar tour with wine tasting. Then, explore the region's fine art galleries, architecture, history, and quaint shops.
Note: Purchased locally.
Day 12 Victoria Falls
- Transfer to the airport for your flight to Victoria Falls
- Meet your local guide and transfer to your hotel
- Spend the remainder of the day at leisure
Victoria Falls Safari Club or similar Breakfast
Full Day ItineraryToday, fly to Victoria Falls. You'll soon discover why this UNESCO World Heritage Site is considered one of the greatest natural wonders—and the world's largest curtain of falling water!
Check into your award-winning resort, located high on a plateau bordering the Zambezi National Park. Enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure at one of the hotel swimming pools or game-viewing platforms. Elephants, buffalo, and other wild animals often graze on hotel lawns.
Day 13 Victoria Falls
- Enjoy a guided tour of Victoria Falls
- Embark on a Zambezi River sunset cruise
Victoria Falls Safari Club or similar Breakfast
Full Day ItineraryYour exploration of the falls begins with a guided tour of the Zimbabwe side. Located at the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia, Victoria Falls consists of numerous falls separated by islands in the river below. The Zambezi River spills more than 2 million gallons per second over the Bakota Gorge, casting multiple rainbows and resulting in an awe-inspiring display of raw power unrivaled by other natural wonders. The water's tremendous roar and the ever-present spray cloud give the falls their local moniker, "Smoke that Thunders."
Later today, have the opportunity to witness a breathtaking sunset while enjoying a cruise along the Zambezi River. Be on the lookout for hippos, monkeys, elephants, and crocodiles that frequent the waters and the surrounding areas.
Day 14 Victoria Falls
- Spend the day leisurely or join an optional full-day excursion to Chobe National Park
Victoria Falls Safari Club or similar Breakfast
Full Day ItineraryEnjoy a full day at leisure to explore this magnificent natural wonder on your own. Wander along the well-marked trails through the rainforest that winds up to and around the falls. The trails allow for excellent picture-taking from various vantage points (be sure to protect your camera if it's not waterproof). A wide range of optional excursions are available locally on a request basis, including game drives, walking safaris, bungee jumping, and more. We recommend the full-day tour of Chobe National Park in Botswana.
Optional Excursion: Chobe National Park, Botswana, $210Take advantage of an optional full-day excursion to the Chobe National Park in Botswana, renowned for its large elephant population. Begin the day with a safari boat cruise on the Chobe River. Afterward, enjoy lunch at the Chobe Game Lodge and end the day with an afternoon game drive in an open vehicle.
Note: This optional excursion requires a passport, a double-entry Zimbabwe visa, and a minimum of 2 passengers to operate.
Day 15 Zimbabwe & Depart Johannesburg
- Enjoy the morning at leisure
- Transfer to the airport for your return flight
Breakfast
Full Day ItineraryBid farewell to Zimbabwe & South Africa as you transfer to the airport for your overnight return flight to the USA via Johannesburg.
Your memorable South African adventure ends as you touch down tomorrow morning in New York.
Hotels
In the unlikely event that a particular hotel is not available, a similar or better hotel may be substituted.
Reviews & Photos
We love hearing your stories and seeing your photos! Here are some moments other travelers captured on this package. Or check out our entire fan photo gallery.
Trip Details
- What should I know before I go? We've compiled a comprehensive checklist, including information on how to pay your balance due, flights & transfers, packing & luggage, and more.
- Do I need a visa or other documents? Are there any entry requirements? Travel visas are required for this package. Please review the visa & entry requirements.
- Can I make changes to my trip? Want to upgrade your seats? Depart from another city? Stay a few extra days? Something else? Just ask!
- Can I bring my kids? Are there any age restrictions? To book this package, you must be 18 or older. Your traveling companions must be 8 or older at time of travel.
- Should I purchase travel insurance? Yes! We recommend you purchase travel insurance to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected. For your convenience, we offer a plan provided by Travelex Insurance Services.
- What's the fine print? Review the terms & conditions for this package.
- What should I know about South Africa? Check out our guide for practical travel tips, the best time to go, videos, and more.
- What should I know about Zimbabwe? Check out our guide for practical travel tips, the best time to go, videos, and more.
- What should I know about Botswana? Check out our guide for practical travel tips, the best time to go, videos, and more.