Cape Town to Johannesburg

Name: Cape Town to Johannesburg
Brand: Exodus
Rating: 4.7 (13 reviews)

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20 Days from

22 Days from

~~USD 5,449~~ USD 5,149

USD 7,134

4.7/5 from

Culture

Ways to Travel :

Guided Group, Private Group Adventures

Activity :

Culture

Activity Levels :

2 out of 7 - Leisurely / Moderate

Group Size :

4 - 16

Ages :

16+

Trip Code :

AZJR

Safari, mountain kingdoms, world-class wine and dramatic coastline of Southern Africa

This epic journey explores the different facets of four very diverse countries. In South Africa we go on game drives in the Kruger National Park, walk in the spectacular Drakensberg Mountains, travel along the Garden Route, enjoy wine tasting amid the country’s renowned vineyards and visit exciting Cape Town and journey through the mountain kingdoms of Eswatini (Swaziland) and Lesotho.This three week trip has something for everyone: prolific wildlife, incredible scenery, beautiful beaches, awe-inspiring mountains and, of course, the rich culture which makes these countries what they are today.

Highlights

Kruger and the Drakensberg
Eswatini (Swaziland) and Lesotho
Cape Town and the Garden Route

Key Information

18 nights log cabins/chalets/hotel, 1 night permanent tented camp
Travel is by minibus or overland truck
Mainly good roads with some long drives

Countries visited: Eswatini (Swaziland), Lesotho, South Africa

What's Included

All breakfasts, 16 lunches, 13 dinners
All accommodation (see below)
All transport and listed activities
Tour leader throughout
Flights from London (if booking incl. flights)

What's Not Included

Travel insurance
Single accommodation
Visas or vaccinations

Responsible Travel

At Exodus we believe in the power of Responsible Travel.

Every time we travel, we are part of a global movement that creates jobs, builds more sustainable societies, encourages cultural understanding and safeguards common natural and cultural heritage. To learn more about what Responsible Travel means to Exodus click here…

Itinerary

Thoseon the group flight arrive in Cape Town and transfer to the hotel. Those not on the group flights can arrive at any time. The rest of the day is free to relax after the flight or explore the city at the bottom of Africa. Cape Town sits in one of the most beautiful locations of any of the world's major cities with the impressive bulk of Table Mountain as its backdrop and Table Bay in the foreground. The city is a melting pot of cultures as people from Europe, Africa and Asia have all settled (either voluntarily or forcibly) here over the centuries. The city is a blend of European and African and a great place to watch the world go by or visit its various sites and museums.

InnsCape on Castle Hotel or similar

After an early morning breakfast we drive via the coastal suburbs of Clifton, Camps Bay and Hout Bay and then over Chapman's peak drive to the famous Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, which covers an area of 7,680 hectares. The reserve is home to eland, bontebok, grysbok, springbok, wildebeest, baboon and ostrich. Rugged cliffs, unspoilt beaches, shipwrecks and beautiful flora are the main features of the reserve. We will also visit the famous Cape Point lighthouse. In the afternoon we take a short (1 hour) walk that is almost entirely downhill. Our destination is the Cape of Good Hope with a detour to Diaz beach. The trail ends at the famous signboard 'Cape of Good Hope'. We then return to Cape Town passing through the former Royal Navy base town of Simonstown and a visit to the resident Penguin Colony (optional). Our driving time today will be approximately 3-4 hours (200km).

InnsCape on Castle Hotel or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast

The day is free and an optional trip to Robben Island, site of Nelson Mandela's incarceration during the apartheid period, is highly recommended. Weather permitting a cable car ride to the top of Table Mountain is a must for any visitor to this picturesque city.

InnsCape on Castle Hotel or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast

Leaving Cape Town behind, we drive out to the vineyard region of Stellenbosch where we have the option of visiting wineries and doing some wine tasting. We then continue towards Hermanus driving via Gordon's Bay. There is always a good chance of seeing whales when in season. Hermanus is an interesting little town, rightly famous for its delicious seafood and a visit to one of the great restaurants in the evening is highly recommended. It is also widely regarded as the best place in the world for land-based whale watching from August to November. Our driving time today will be approximately 3-4hrs (190kms).

Baleens Hotel or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Today we drive along the beautiful Garden Route coastline via the cultivated fields of the Western Cape Boland and the town of George towards the Tsitsikamma National Park. The route is stunning and follows the ragged coast passing through small fishing villages and seaside resort. This national park, at the mouth of the Storms River, protects the indigenous forests as well as the marine life 50km out to sea. We stay at a beautifully positioned camp with the waves breaking a stone's throw away. Our driving time today will be approximately 6-7hrs (500kms).
Tsitsikamma Storms River Huts or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Our second day in the Tsitsikamma N.P. is free to enjoy the beautiful setting. There are a range of optional activities including walks to the Storms River gorge and along the rocky coast, snorkelling, sea and river cruises and a tree canopy tour through the forests. In season, approximately August to October, the marine park becomes home to a population of migratory whales.

Tsitsikamma Storms River Huts or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We head over the Kouga Mountains and Baviaanskloof Mountains as we head towards Graaff Reinet. This small 19th century town is set in the middle of the Karoo National Reserve and is a stop-over on our way to Lesotho. Our driving time today will be approximately 4-5hrs (390kms).

Obesa Lodge or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today is a long day's drive as we traverse the Great Karoo and enter Lesotho. This mountainous kingdom has been shielded from outside influence over the generations and the Bastho people historically used this strategic location as a defence against events on the plains below. The lodge situated in this rugged mountainous region provides us with an ideal opportunity to experience the Lesotho culture. Our driving time today will be approximately 7-8hrs plus time at the border (530kms).

Malealea Lodge or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The day is free to relax and experience the unique culture that Lesotho has to offer. Mountain ridges protrude into the town and an optional day pony trek to a local village is recommended. Alternatively the craft shops and markets can be an enjoyable way to pick up some African souvenirs.

Malealea Lodge or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today is a long day's drive as we travel through Lesotho and exit at the Maseru border post. When then travel through the eastern farmlands of the Free State before driving through the Golden Gate National Park. We continue on to the Northern Drakensberg, our base for the next two nights. The Drakensberg is a basalt escarpment forming the border between Kwa Zulu-Natal and Lesotho and continuing into the Free State. It means 'Dragon Mountains', but the Zulu named it Ukhahlamba ('the barrier of Spears'). Our driving time today will be approximately 5-6 hours (400km).

Berg House Cottages or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We spend a full day in the mountains where our route will have us walking for approximately 5-6 hours into the natural amphitheatre, following the Tugela River past Protea trees. The Protea is the national flower of South Africa, as well as the name of their cricket team. Our driving time today will be approximately 1 hours (50km).

Berg House Cottages or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today we drive through the Natal midlands and on to Dundee, en route we stop at Rourke's Drift and have a chance to learn about the famous battle at the local museum. Immortalised by Hollywood in the film Zulu! The events that took place here are well known and the small cluster of buildings isolated in the enormity of the African Bush is a moving reminder of this troubled time. Our driving time today will be approximately 4-5 hrs (250km).

Battlefields Country Lodge or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Today we head for the Indian Ocean and the small town of St. Lucia on the shores of a lake renowned for its hippos, crocs and birds. Our driving time today will be approximately 4-5 hrs (315km).

Shonalanga Lodge or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

In the early morning we spend 2 hours exploring lake St Lucia by boat, with an excellent chance of seeing some of the many resident Hippo's, crocodiles and Fish Eagles. From here it's a short drive to Cape Vidal, a long stretch of beach along the Indian Ocean where we spend the afternoon relaxing on the beach or walking to Mission Rocks (please note the walk to Mission Rocks is only possible at low tide and can take about 4hrs return). Alternatively there are a number of optional activities available, including whale watching (in season: June-November), or sunset and night game drives on the western shores of the lake. Our driving time today will be approximately 2-3 hours (75km).

Shonalanga Lodge or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today we head into our third country, Eswatini (Swaziland) and overnight in the Kings old hunting grounds, now the beautiful Hlane Royal National Park. In the afternoon there is the opportunity to leave the vehicle and enjoy a nature walk (optional). Seeing animals and tracks outside of the confines of a vehicle is a thrilling experience and gives us the chance to see and hear the variety of smaller animals and birds that are often passed by on game drives. Our driving time today will be approximately 4-5 hrs (300km).

Ndlovu Lodge or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We cross back into South Africa and head towards Africa's most famous national park: Kruger. The park was established by the president Paul Kruger in 1898. It has arguably the greatest variety of animals of any park in Africa, with lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, black and white rhino, as well as cheetah, giraffe, hippo and many species of antelope and smaller plains game. The total census includes 147 mammals, 507 birds and 114 reptiles as well as 336 different trees. The camps are also excellent and the general infrastructure good. If you see all the predators you will be very lucky, however you will almost certainly see some of the big five and a huge variety of smaller mammals. We game drive through the park to the camps, where there will be a chance for a swim and hot showers. We have two days in the park and on Day 17 both morning and afternoon game drives in our vehicle are included to maximise our chances of seeing the plentiful fauna of this great Park. Our driving time today will be approximately 2-3 hrs (140km) to the entrance to the park plust time on safari inside the park.

Kruger Park Huts or Permanent Tented Camp

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After game driving out Kruger National Park we continue to Letaba Ranch Reserve. This afternoon we go on an open, sunset game drive, returning after dark with the spot-light. Our driving time today will be approximately 4-5 hours (300km).

Mtomeni Safari Camp or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today we head out of the park and make our way towards Graskop (Mpumalanga). En route we will drive through some spectacular countryside and we stop at scenic places like Bourke's Luck potholes and Blyde River Canyon, the third largest of its type in the southern hemisphere. Our driving time today will be approximately 5-6 hours (400km).

Mogodi Lodge or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

On our final day we drive along good roads towards Johannesburg arriving at the airport in time for the flight home. For those not on the group flights, the tour ends upon arrival at Johannesburg Airport. Drive time around 5-6hrs (380kms)

Meals Included: Breakfast

Essential Info

Visa

South Africa

Travellers from the UK, US and most (though not all) EU states normally do not need a visa to enter South Africa. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/africa/south-africa
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/south-africa
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/south-africa/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/SouthAfrica.html

Please note, all travellers to South Africa who require a visa need at least two consecutive blank pages in their passport (ie a left- and right-hand page) to enable an entry visa to be issued.

Additionally, any child under 18 travelling to South Africa needs to be in possession of an unabridged birth certificate with the names of both parents. If a child under 18 is only travelling with one parent, they will also have to have an affidavit, no less than three months old, from the absent parent confirming the child can travel with the other parent; a court order granting full legal guardianship of the child; or a death certificate of the deceased parent.

Eswatini (Swaziland)

Travellers from the UK, US and most EU states normally do not need a visa to enter Eswatini. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

Lesotho

Visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.
Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

Vaccination

South Africa

There are no required vaccinations. However, recommended vaccinations include hepatitis A, tetanus, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, rabies and tuberculosis. You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate if you're arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission or transiting for more than 12 hours through a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

Malaria prophylaxis is essential if travelling in the greater Kruger area; seek advice from your doctor or travel clinic about which tablets to take. The rest of South Africa, including the Garden Route, has a low risk of malaria.

Dengue fever, a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes, is also a known risk in places visited. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, so we recommend taking the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Eswatini (Swaziland)

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for hepatitis A, tetanus, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, rabies and tuberculosis. You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate if you have travelled from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic. There is also a risk of malaria in Eswatini, please confirm the recommended course of action with your doctor or travel clinic.

Lesotho

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for hepatitis A, tetanus, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, rabies and tuberculosis. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

Eating and Drinking

All breakfasts, 16 lunches, 13 dinners

Your guide and driver/assistant generally prepare the meals included in this trip. A rough idea of what the meals will consist of is as follows: Breakfast - cereals, coffee, tea and toast. The occasional full cooked breakfast too. Lunch - cheese, cold meats, salads, bread or rolls, fresh fruit. Dinner - potjies (stew), braais (barbecue), stir fries, pasta. with fresh vegetables. Most generally cooked on the open fire. Please be aware that we need at least two weeks notice to deal with special dietary requirements (e.g. vegetarian or allergies.) For this reason if you did not indicate these on your booking form please advise the Exodus office as soon as possible. The tour leaders do all the shopping and meal planning and cooking for each group. He/she will always try to obtain fresh produce wherever possible. We also supply the following drinks: fruit squash served with breakfast and tea or coffee served with breakfast and dinner. All other beverages will be at your own expense. We do not supply bottled drinking water although it is available at many shops on tour if you want to buy it yourself.

The water provided on this trip is safe and clean drinking water, normally coming from bore-holes. It is not bottled water, however. If you would rather have bottled water then this will be at your expense, though we would encourage you to make use of the safe drinking water provided as this helps diminish plastic consumption.

Weather

Although the greater part of South Africa lies north of the tropic of Capricorn, the altitude moderates the temperature. Summer months are from October to April and the average daytime temperature is 25ºC to 30ºC. The average night time temperature is 10ºC to 20ºC. The winter months are from May to September and average temperatures are about 10ºC colder at this time of year. In and around Cape Town, most of the rainfall is in the winter but it is frontal rain, which comes off the Atlantic. Therefore it can rain solidly for 2 days, and in between there will be warm sunny days! There is likely to be very little rain inland between the months of April through October and in July, August the nights can be very cold, especially in the Drakensberg where temperatures can drop below freezing. However the days are warm and crisp with generally cloud free skies. During the months of November through February rain can sometimes be expected and the temperature will be higher. However, as anyone who has travelled to these parts will say, rain is often a blessing; it manifests the local colours, drops the sometimes sweltering temperatures and never generally lasts too long. It also means the night times are incredibly clear. Due to the ocean's proximity to the mountains and the winds, it is fairly common to experience tabletop clouds on the higher mountains in and around Cape Town.

Weather Charts

Cape Town

Is this trip for you?

Due to the nature of this trip there are some long driving days as we cover a lot of the country but there is lots to do and see along the way, we do, however, stop regularly for toilet breaks, refreshments, photographs and leg stretches. Drive times on a lot of the days will be 4-5 hours but a couple may be in excess of 7 hours (not including time for stops).Drive times below are only approximations and do vary.

This trip is classed as leisurely/moderate grade. It is designed for people in good health who enjoy the outdoors. It is a varied trip, with sightseeing, city tours, game viewing, beach activities and walking. The moderate grading is given as some of the walks, especially in the Drakensberg, require a reasonable level of fitness.

Yes this is the second trip whereby the trip notes are badly (years) out of date. No excuses..... since covid Exodus has really gone done hill as far as its people knowledge of the trips and its trip notes were always wrong when it came to things like currency values and even simple things like having to buy your own water...... to a stop being a permanent camp no light bulbs.... in fact no other guests for months but supported by EU funding (10 years ago perhaps) that was not worth a 8 hour drive to arrive at night and leave in the morning.....??

Suggestions

Unfortunately I have 2 further trips deposits with yourselves.... but you really need to get your staffs knowledge up to date as trips like this (especially the cost) are meant to be once in a lifetime.

Frances Burman-Mueller

Reviewed February 2019

What does this mean?

Varied itinerary, unusual overnights.

Food quality very mixed.

Most Inspirational Moment

The game drives

Thoughts on Group Leader

Very good. Pleasant, helpful, everything went to plan

Advice for Potential Travellers

You definitely need a torch: no electricity in some places. Be prepared for very infrequent Wi-fi Some laundry opportunities are in fact self service launderettes.

Gwen Trott

Reviewed January 2019

Johannesburg to Cape Town Reverse

Accommodation was good.
Scenery excellent.
Wild life excellent.

Most Inspirational Moment

Close encounter with the Cheetah

Thoughts on Group Leader

Group leader started very well.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Would recommend this trip

Suggestions

The 16 seater vehicle was adequate for our group of 8. Would be too cramped for group any larger. To be able to have the option to travel in open vehicles for safaris was a blessing. The schedule was to stay in Tsitsikamma National Park but our accommodation was 40k away which meant our time in the park was limited and we were not able to take full advantage of the activities. We were due to depart for an early morning safari meeting at 04.15 a.m. for drinks and snacks for departure at 04.30 a.m. The guide did not appear until about 05.00 a.m., we were unable to contact him because his phone was off and the driver did not know where he was. He loaded up the vehicle and we departed at 05.15 a.m. there was no drink or snacks and no apology/explanation. The guide did not talk to us all morning and we were not able to get a drink until after 08.00 a.m. It is none of my business what the guide does in his own time but affects others when he fails to deliver.

Reply from Exodus

We would like to thank Gwen for her feedback, although we are sorry that she was disappointed with the start of the game drive in Kruger National Park on New Year’s Day. While we would like to explain that this group’s game drive took place earlier than normal, due to the public holidays and a much higher volume of visitors to the park than usual, we appreciate it would have been disappointing that the excursion was delayed. Following client feedback from this trip, we have spoken with the tour leader, and moving forward we do not anticipate future clients encountering similar issues. We were pleased to read that Gwen overall enjoyed her time in South Africa and has awarded it a five-star rating, and we hope to welcome her on another Exodus holiday in the not too distant future. John Penge – Product Manager.

Karen Wallace

Justin, the tour leader was excellent. He was friendly and accomodating. He was knowledgeable and had a very good knowledge of wildlife. Fiona consistently magicked up lovely food, wherever we were.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Prepare for variable weather.

Reviewed October 2015

Sylvia Herd

This was a great trip, showing off the main sights of South Africa, with the added bonus of Lesotho & Swaziland. Although there were some long driving days, we were a small group of 6 who gelled really well & had a very competent staff of 3. Personally I felt the Garden Route was overrated, so I was pleased that I’d done the reverse itinerary as this saved the best until last. But I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the trip.

Most Inspirational Moment

I really enjoyed St Lucia (which I'd never even heard of before!). Also Lesotho, the Drakensburg Mountains &, of course, the various safaris.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Both our group leader & our cook were really knowledgeable, friendly & helpful & great fun to travel with.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for some long days on the bus. The camping was fun, fully supported so you're not allowed to do anything to help, & the S African camp facilities are very good.

Suggestions

A fun, if sometimes tiring, trip.

Read All Reviews

Covid-19 refund commitment

You will get a refund if you have to cancel your trip due to COVID-19.

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