Bucket-List South Africa

Hallo and welcome to South Africa. Bask in the views of Table Mountain and the sprawling coast as a private transfer escorts you from the airport into central Cape Town. After settling into your chic hotel, it’s time to meet your fellow Flashpackers. Against a backdrop of Table Mountain and South Africa’s oldest working harbor, you’ll sip on craft cocktails, sample tapas and look forward to your days ahead exploring the colorful cape.

Today’s agenda: conquering Table Mountain. One of South Africa’s most iconic landmarks, this flat-topped mountain (hence its name) towers majestically at 1,086 meters. Once you’re at the top and all kitted out, you’ll gather your courage and literally “step off” the edge of Table Mountain to abseil 110 meters down the face of the cliff. Having conquered fears and mountain-faces, you’ll enjoy lunch at a local restaurant to refuel for a short but steep hike up Lion’s Head Mountain for sundowners. As the South African sun sets, enjoy a free evening to explore the five shopping districts and more than 80 eateries of the famous V&A Waterfront.

Start the morning in the best way possible: by strapping on a snorkel to swim in the eerie kelp forests made famous by the Netflix documentary My Octopus Teacher (if you haven’t watched it, be sure to make time before you fly). Be the first to spot sharks, starfish and beautiful marine plants as your expert kelp forest guide takes you on a private tour away from the crowds. Afterward, stroll the boardwalk to take in colonies of African penguins at Boulders Beach. From here, you’ll continue along Chapman’s Peak Drive – one of the most spectacular scenic marine drives in the world – descending into the picturesque fishing harbor of Hout Bay, before journeying along the Atlantic Seaboard with its upmarket beachfront neighborhoods.

After a hearty breakfast, you’ll be whisked to the wine estates set within the rolling hills of the Stellenbosch wine region. Cycle through lush green hillsides on an e-bike as you follow an off-road path that winds through the spectacular patchworks of gardens and vineyards. En route you’ll experience two exclusive wine tastings, followed by a three-course lunch on the terrace at Boschendal Estate, a 17th-century Cape Dutch farmstead. Having sampled some of the best bouquets in the region, you’ll be free to enjoy a picnic in the garden or stroll through to shop the artisan products from local suppliers. Later, you’ll have a chance to soak in the last of Cape Town and prepare to journey onward into the wilderness.

Today you’ll start the trek toward Kruger National Park, one of the largest game reserves in the world.  Upon arrival at Mpumalanga Province, you’ll be treated to a gin tasting at Gin & Co distillery, with four varieties of flavors and botanicals. Suitably sated, you’ll carry on to your wild base for the night. Nestled in indigenous gardens close to the famous Sabie River, your boutique lodge is the start of the adventure that awaits over the next few days. Don’t be surprised if an elephant greets you there.

Begin the day with a heart-stopping adventure at the dramatic Graskop Gorge. Here you’ll descend 51 meters down the face of a sheer cliff in a glass-encased lift into the indigenous forest below. On your private tour, you’ll see the forest from wooden walkways and suspension bridges, then get your adrenaline pumping with a high-wire zipline over the abyss. You’ll grab lunch at The Chubby Pig eatery, a riverside rustic hotspot featuring local South African food before a rejuvenating drive through the Panorama Route. Home to stunning waterfalls, towering rock formations and canyons, you’re sure to fill your camera with unbelievable photos.

Today will see you setting up camp in the heart of Kruger Park, where you’ll stay in a boutique tented lodge on community land owned and operated by Mdluli royals. A truly special place and a highlight of the trip, the lodge is one of the first projects of its kind, where land restitution and tourism work together.  Enjoy a hearty lunch and prepare for your first game drive. Make sure you bring your binoculars and a serious camera lens so you can get the best look at some (hopefully all) of the Big Five: lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and African buffalo. Tonight, you’ll drift off to sleep lulled by the distant sounds of the savannah.

Following tea and rusks, you’ll head out to capture the diurnal wildlife of Kruger National Park. From your safari vehicle, you may spot a journey of giraffes, a dazzle of zebras, and some of the more elusive species like sable antelope, eland, and red duiker. Following a stop for lunch, you’ll hop back in the 4×4 for an afternoon game drive, where you’ll have another opportunity to glimpse the Big Five. Back at camp, it’s time for a sunset hike to Granite Rock, where you’ll enjoy the blazing colors with a 360-degree view of Kruger. There you’ll be served locally produced gin and authentic Bushveld canapés — an idyllic way to toast a perfect day in the wilderness. 

After a final dawn game drive, we’ve got a surprise waiting at breakfast, but you’ll have to wait and see exactly what this looks like… Afterwards, you’ll leave the wild bush behind and travel to the cosmopolitan culture of Johannesburg, a city pulsing with the Rainbow Nation’s diverse histories, arts, and cultures. Upon arrival, settle in at your boutique hotel and rejuvenate from your time in the wilderness. The City of gold is yours tonight. Your Flash Pack guide can recommend nearby restaurants for dinner – and with its fast-evolving food scene, Jo’burg offers eclectic options. 

For your final full day, you’ll delve into the city’s complicated past to understand how it developed from a dusty gold mine into Africa’s richest metropolis. You’ll take a walking tour through the once notorious township district of Soweto, now a thriving city in its own right, visiting Nelson Mandela’s house and exploring the Hector Pieterson Museum, dedicated to the 1976 Soweto uprisings. Quench your thirst with some local craft beer, before a truly unique lunch. The experience combines traditional potjie and braai with captivating stories and conversation with storyteller, Antoinette Sithole (Hector Pieterson’s sister).  Later, you’ll gather with your group for a farewell dinner and raise a toast to your adventure. 

Today your trip comes to an end. It’s time to round off your South African adventure and the start of your love affair with this wildly beautiful continent. It’s time to bid farewell to your new-found Flash Pack friends and make your way to the airport – fueled by memories of an epic 11 days of adventure.