Day 1:

Depart London Heathrow on the British Airways overnight flight to Johannesburg.

Days 2-3:

On arrival in Johannesburg, connect with your onward flight to Hoedspruit. On arrival, you will be met and transferred to the magnificent Royal Malewane Game Lodge in the Thornybush Game Reserve. You spend the next two nights here on a full board basis to include game viewing activities. Exquisite, elegant and super luxurious is this eight suite jewel on the western edge of the Kruger National Park. Each suite is spacious and gracious with a living and sleeping area as well as a large wooden deck, complete with its own plunge pool. The suites are furnished with antique furniture and rugs as well as satellite TV and every comfort a traveller should require. Completely separate from each other they are linked to the main lodge by wooden walkways as well as to the state-of-the-art Waters of Royal Malewane Bush Spa and gymnasium. Food is one of the highlights of a stay with gourmet dinners held under the stars in the boma, in the elegance of the main dining room or in the extravagance of a Bedouin tent in the bush.

Day 4:

Today you return to Hoedspruit for your flight to Johannesburg. On arrival, you will be met and transferred to the famous The Saxon where you overnight on a bed and breakfast basis. South Africa’s iconic hotel which became home to Nelson Mandela after his release from prison, and where he stayed to edit his autobiography. Not only do his paintings decorate the hotel, (there is even one in the spa), but also some of the finest modern African art can be found throughout. It is the chosen hotel of every political head, captain of industry or superstar visiting the country. Its 24 suites are elegant and spacious with every modern and technological amenity a guest might need while its six acres of lush landscaped gardens provide a haven of tranquillity in the city.

Day 5-6:

This morning you will be met and transferred to Pretoria Station where you board the Rovos Rail journey across South Africa to Cape Town, making stops in Kimberly and Matjiesfontein. Explore the heartland of South Africa on one of the most luxurious trains in the world which offers a 48 hour journey from Pretoria to Cape Town taking in lowlands, barren wastes, highveld and great dramatic mountain scenery. Two stops are scheduled during the journey, the first at the preserved Victorian village of Matjiesfontein and the second at Kimberley, with its fascinating Mine Museum. Passengers travel in supreme comfort on a beautifully rebuilt classic train, pulled on occasion by a genuine steam engine.

Days 7-9:

On arrival in Cape Town, your hire car will be waiting for you. Make your way to Kensington Place where you spend the next three nights on a bed and breakfast basis. Chic boutique epitomises the look and ethos of this exquisite and elegant hotel on the slopes of Table Mountain. Each of the suites at this ultimate urban hideaway has a private terrace or verandah with views of the city, the coast and the waterfront. Each suite is stylishly furnished in a contemporary fashion with cool neutral shades and elegant accessories.

Days 10-11:

Make your way to Hermanus today where you spend the next two nights at the boutique cliff-top coastal retreat of Birkenhead House on a full board basis. This 11 roomed boutique hotel high on the cliff tops of Hermanus is as lavish as it is luxurious. Each of the rooms has either an ocean or mountain view with private terraces or verandahs and is sumptuously furnished with deep four poster beds, the finest bed linen and huge bathrooms, while the public areas of bar, lounge and dining room are furnished with a mix of chic Africa design and sheer old-fashioned comfort. You may be able to spot whales from the huge terrace overlooking Walker Bay. There are also beaches and local shops and cafes nearby.

Day 12:

Return to Cape Town today and to the airport, arriving in time to drop off your hire car and check in for your scheduled British Airways overnight flight to London Heathrow.

Day 13:

Arrive London Heathrow.