Best of South Africa with Victorias

Your seamless South African journey begins with an airport transfer from O.R. Tambo International Airport to your hotel. Settle in to the pace of Africa’s most energetic city before meeting your Travel Director and fellow travelers for dinner.

The golden Highveld gives way to rolling green hills as we travel to South Africa's Lowveld. Admire the iconic sights along Mpumalanga's Panorama Route – the Blyde River Canyon, the heavenly landscapes of God's Window and Bourke's Luck Potholes. Before evening falls, you'll venture to our hotel near the famous Kruger National Park, your home for two nights.

Connect with nature and explore South Africa's oldest and most iconic national park in the company of a Local Specialist. Uncover the secrets of the bushveld and keep a lookout for the magnificent Big Five, the Little Five and everything in between. See the glistening yellow golden orb spider waiting on her web, smell the damp scent of acacia trees in the early morning and keep your head down in search of animal spoor. Spend your afternoon at leisure.

Travel to landlocked Eswatini and get a real feel for the local culture. You’ll visit a Swazi Chief’s village, meet the community and learn about their way of life before sampling some of the local pap and stew. Admire their striking crimson traditional dress up close and feel the beat of this vibrant culture during a spirited drumming class. You’ll come away with a deeper connection to the villagers and their traditions.

Venture to the 'garden of province' of KwaZulu-Natal and its northern wilderness. Traversing rolling sugarcane fields and lush valleys, you'll arrive at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi National Park, where there is an opportunity to embark on an optional 4x4 game drive. This evening, enjoy a delicious South African braai (weather dependent) – a perfect way to end the day.

Board an optional morning cruise on Lake St. Lucia and get up close to the hippos, crocodiles and birdlife residing in the estuary. Alternatively, explore the town of St. Lucia. Continue south to Durban for an effortless encounter with this tropical east coast hub, beginning with a delicious curry buffet at The Oyster Box Hotel, one of Trafalgar’s Stays With Stories – a seaside hotel that captures the nostalgia of a bygone era.

Venture through the scenic Valley of 1000 Hills bound for the spectacular escarpment that winds north from the Eastern Cape to Mpumalanga. The Underberg’s vibrant arts and crafts scene and stunning setting provide a beautiful backdrop for a morning drive. You’ll continue to the foothills of the iconic Sani Pass where you’ll have the rest of the afternoon at leisure and stay overnight.

Enjoy the freedom to explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site your way. You might choose to join an Optional Experience and head off-road on a 4x4 Sani Pass adventure, climbing to 2,874 m (9,429 ft) and crossing into Lesotho. Stop to take in the incredible mountain views from Africa’s highest pub, before enjoying lunch at another local spot en route. Prefer to keep things low-key? Stay grounded and soak up the Drakensberg’s dramatic beauty at your own pace.

From enigmatic mountain landscapes to South Africa’s untamed coastline, venture through the Eastern Cape and the green hills of the Transkei, dotted with Xhosa kraals and homesteads. Discover the legacy of Nelson Mandel at his birthplace in Xunu, then enjoy the unspoiled Wild Coast beaches of Chintsa, where the only footprints in the sand will be yours.

Wake to the sound of the ocean and spend time admiring pristine natural surroundings before your journey to Gqeberha. Once a British settlement known as Port Elizabeth, this port city holds the distinction of being South Africa’s friendliest city, a quality you'll experience first-hand as you explore it on your own terms this evening.

Walk beneath the tranquil canopy of Tsitsikamma's giant and ancient Yellowwoods, then arrive at Storms River Mouth to peer into the depths of the gorge. Connect with locals during a Be My Guest experience in Knysna, where you’ll learn a few key Xhosa phrases and gain insights into Xhosa culture. Host Ella will share her life story and reveal the meaning behind some of the local songs that accompany your traditional Xhosa meal. The visit also contributes towards supporting Ella's work in the local community and is a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Our final stop today is the picturesque lagoon setting of Knysna, known as South Africa’s own Garden of Eden. It is famed for its indigenous forests, fresh oysters and the two landmark Knysna Heads, which stand as sentinels at the edge of the lagoon, shielding the town from the Indian Ocean.

You’ll have a free day to explore the jewel of the Garden Route. Start your day with a leisurely coffee in the Knysna Quays overlooking the lagoon, then consider an Optional Experience to Featherbed Nature Reserve including a drive through the reserve to the top of the lagoon’s Western Head.

Leave the Garden Route behind bound for the Mother City. You’ll wind your way through vibrant coastal towns and the Cape Winelands before arriving in Cape Town later this afternoon. Head straight to the most iconic site in the city and visit Table Mountain by cable car (weather permitting).

Capture the cosmopolitan energy of South Africa’s Mother City. Spend the day exploring its streets and squares in search of tucked-away restaurants, boutiques and galleries. Or consider joining one of our Optional Experiences to tour the scenic Cape Peninsula, sample the Cape’s finest wines in the Cape Winelands or visit the infamous Robben Island.  Spend your final evening at dinner with your traveling companions, indulging in delicious Cape Malay specialty dishes.

Welcome to Zimbabwe! Meet your Trafalgar representative on arrival at Victoria Falls Airport and transfer to your accommodation. Buckle up for an exhilarating small group encounter with Victoria Falls, an untamed natural wonder that has captured the imagination of explorers and adventurers since David Livingstone declared it the most wonderful sight he had seen in Africa. Board a cruise and navigate one of Africa’s mightiest rivers, cruising past islands of basking crocodile and hippo pods lazing in the waning African sun, before returning to your lodge for dinner.

Join a Local Specialist on a guided tour of the world's largest waterfall. Admire the powerful curtain of water from various vantage points in Zimbabwe – feel the fine spray and hear the thunderous roar as water crashes over a hundred meters into a swirling mass in the gorge below. Spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure with the sound of the 'Smoke that Thunders' never far from your ears. Tonight you may choose to join an Optional Experience Boma dinner and interactive drum show.

Cross the Botswana border for a day-trip into Chobe National Park, where large herds of African elephants roam. Board your Chobe River cruise, watching herds of elephants and buffalo come to the edge of the river to drink. See the flash of a kingfisher hovering over the water to catch its next meal, then enjoy an included lunch at Chobe Safari Lodge on the banks of the mighty Chobe River. Later, return to Victoria Falls Safari Lodge for your last night in Zimbabwe.

Bid farewell to the 'Smoke that Thunders' and return to Zimbabwe's Victoria Falls Airport for your onward journey.