SOUTHERN AFRICA

When you land you will meet your guide at the Tourism Information Desk in Terminal A. You’ll jump in the car for your transfer to your accommodation and get a glimpse of the City of Gold – Johannesburg – before entering the world-renowned township of Soweto. Get settled before meeting up with the group during the welcome dinner.

After breakfast, leave your accommodation for a bike tour of Soweto that will take you to some of the most interesting historical sites in the township. Some of the highlights include a workers’ hostel, Meadowlands, the site of the 1976 student uprising, the Hector Pieterson Memorial, Nelson Mandela’s former home and a local pub called a shebeen. You can spend your afternoon at Soweto community park, playing with the kids and engage in daily activities in our Youth Club. ​

Today you will explore the Maboneng Precinct on foot with a guided tour. Maboneng Precinct is an urban regeneration project in downtown Johannesburg, that turned this neighborhood in one of the coolest on the planet. The tour will tell the story of this unique and innovative place and there are many amazing shopping and eating options to enjoy. Expect to be back at the hostel in the late afternoon. The rest of the day is yours to spend at leisure. ​

After breakfast jump into the tour vehicle and your guide will take you eastwards to the Lowveld and the world-famous Kruger National Park! On arrival at the Kruger entry gate you will be met by open safari jeeps for the start of your 2 night Kruger Safari. Jump into the open safari vehicles and enjoy a 3-hour game drive to Lower Sabie Camp. After the safari drive you will be taken to your tents for tonight, but it´s by no means a basic camp! Use the remaining time to relax, have a swim in the sparkling pool and then settle down for dinner around the fire. 

Get up at sunrise and head out for a full day Kruger safari in open game viewing vehicles. Kruger is considered one of the best places in Africa to spot the Big 5 (lion, leopard, African elephant, rhino and buffalo) but there is also so much more to see in this reserve. Compared to other African national parks, there´s a greater variety of wildlife to see here. On this game drive you will explore the south-eastern plains of Kruger. You´ll arrive back at camp in the late afternoon to relax and recharge before having a sunset drink on the deck overlooking the Sabie River.

Depart Lower Sabie Camp at sunrise for a final 2-hour safari as you leave the park. Leave South Africa and enter the beautiful Kingdom of Eswatini stopping at the Mantenga Cultural Village for a short tour to learn all about the cultural history of this fascinating country (the last true Kingdom of Africa). From here the tour enters Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary (the birthplace of nature conservation in Eswatini). After a fun filled day exploring Eswatini enjoy the evening around the campfire at Sondzela Backpacker Lodge which is located within Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary.​

Since you´re staying inside a game reserve, you don´t need to go far today! After breakfast, there will be a range of optional outdoor activities to take part in within the park. Mlilwane is an amazing widlife park with beautiful views and lots of animal encounters. There are no dangerous animals in the park so it is safe to walk and cycle, which we really recommend. Alternatively, enjoy the swimming pool at your accommodation, where you can relax and soak up some African sunshine. Enjoy your final night in Eswatini around the Sondzela camp fire. ​

After an early breakfast, depart Mlilwane and stop at Malandela´s Lifestyle Centre to explore the world-famous House on Fire sculpture and botanical gardens. The final stop in Eswatini will be at the bustling Manzini Market where you can buy from local vendors. Say goodbye to Eswatini and enter Mozambique, arriving in Maputo City the early evening. ​

After breakfast, join an optional Maputo City Tour and learn about the fascinating cultural history of the city. After the tour depart Maputo and transfer south along the coast to Ponta d´Ouro (Ponta). Ponto d´Ouro means "The Gold Point", after the miles and miles of stunning golden sand beaches. On arrival, settle into your beachside accommodation and then head out to the beach to swim in the warm Indian Ocean. Ponta has a nice selection of restaurants and beach bars to choose from to enjoy your evenings here!

Two free days to relax and reset in this quiet beach paradise. Wake up in Ponta and spend the day on the beautiful beaches or join any of the following optional extra activities: Dolphin Snorkel (Ocean Safari), Sunset Cruise, Adventure Quad Biking or the Lighthouse Scenic Walk. Ponta is a beach paradise. Your guide can assist you with arranging any activities you may be interested in. After a fun-filled day enjoy another night out at Ponta´s restaurants and beach bars. ​

After an early breakfast, depart Ponta and transfer to Durban. This is 6-hour journey, so sit back, relax and enjoy the scenery. Arrive around midday and then have the afternoon exploring the Durban City beach front. There´s plenty to see and do here!

This morning you´ll leave Durban, and head for the Northern Drakensberg mountains. Once you´re near your destination, you´ll visit the Royal Natal National Park. Join a 6 km return hike to the Sigubudu/Ungiyeza cave painting site. Here you will see several animals, such as eland and mountain rhebuck. Before sunset you´ll be back at your accommodation for dinner.​

After an early breakfast, you´ll head towards the Monantso Pass Border Post, which separates South Africa from the highest country in the world, Lesotho! Once in Lesotho, you´ll visit a remote area in a magical and hidden part of this incredible mountain kingdom. We follow cattle paths up Golden Gate sandstone cliffs, where local herdsmen in traditional coned hats and blankets tend their sheep and cattle on horseback. Lunch is a picnic in caves where the herdsmen still sleep and the walls have their forefather´s paintings on them. In the afternoon, you´ll be taken to the local village where you´ll sleep in a homestay for the night. 

We leave Lesotho after saying goodbye to our hosts and travel, via Witsieshoek, up the side of the Sentinel Peak. The start of the trailhead is already at 2500m altitude. From here your guide will lead you up Sentinel Peak to reach the summit for lunch. The Amphitheatre is widely regarded as one of the most impressive cliff faces on earth being more than 10 times the size of El Capitan´s in Yosemite National Park in the States. You´ll also find the highest waterfall in the world here,  called the Tugela Falls. This is an absolutely breath-taking place to enjoy your lunch, with awe-inspiring views. 

Today you will head to Johannesburg again. On arrival in the city your guide will take you back to the famous Maboneng Precinct to your accommodation, where you will have two nights to relax and explore on your own before this adventure comes to an end. After arrival, the remainder of the day is free to relax or get out there and explore more of the city.​

Wake up in the City of Gold and enjoy a relaxed free day. Spend time lounging around the lodge or shopping in the amazing retail outlets of Maboneng. There are many museums scattered around the city, and many markets like ‘The Playground’ which can offer some unique items. ​

Today is a transfer day to Windhoek, Namibia. You will be taken to the airport where you´ll board a flight to get you to your destination. On arrival, you’ll be transferred to your accommodation. The rest of the day is at leisure for you to settle in to your new surroundings and explore on your own.

Today you have a free day but there are optional experiences to choose from if you like.

You could join a Township tour that will give you an overview of modern day Windhoek while you get to know the comprehensive history of Windhoek and Namibia from colonial era to today. You’ll visit the Christ Church, Ink Palace, Parliament Gardens, and the Old Fort. You’ll also visit Katatura, Windhoek’s informal settlement and estimated to be home to more than two thirds of Windhoek’s 325,000 people. The township is a vibrant and exciting place to visit and a great chance to get a bit of insight into some of the more traditional Namibian cultures.

Alternatively, you could explore the city on your own, check out some of the shops and restaurants, or take it chill.

Begin your transfer to Sesriem, on the way you will see scenery like you´ve never seen before. On the way you´ll stop at the small town of Rehoboth for essential supplies, back on the road we pass via the small community at BűellsPort and from here we continue on through the desert landscape.

On arrival you’ll settle into your campsite which sits under a huge, ancient camelthorn tree. From where we can get a glimpse of the towering red dunes of the world’s oldest desert. We enjoy a late afternoon picnic-style lunch after setting up camp. If you’re feeling up for it, you can choose to go on a trip to Ellm Dune, the oldest desert. Here you can explore the dunes on foot while the sun is setting before returning back to your accommodation for the night.

Sunrise in the dunes is the name of the game this morning and that means a pre-dawn start. Our first stop will be at dune 45, so named because it is 45 km from Sesriem, and we cover this first distance in darkness and early morning twilight.

The best time to photograph the dunes is around sunrise and sunset. This is when you can see towering sand dunes illuminated a glowing orange, apricot red on one side and swathed in shadow on the other. We arrive at Dune 45 and climb to a vantage point for sunrise, watching as the colours grow and change with the ever-altering light. After a quick breakfast we carry on for the last few kilometers to the 2×4 car park, where we enter the ancient Tsauchab Riverbed for the last 5km leg to the Sossusvlei via 4x4 shuttle.

We will visit Dead Vlei, an ancient pan completely surrounded by sand, that is strikingly populated with dead, skeletal camelthorn trees. These trees have been a feature of this landscape for over 1000 years. Here, there is time to explore the area on foot and to climb one of the highest dunes in the world, some towering 300 m above us, the views are breathtaking and justly famous. Drive back to Sesriem for lunch and perhaps a dip in the swimming pool and in the afternoon, we take a short excursion to see the Sesriem Canyon, that´s been carved out of the landscape by the Tsauchab River.

Departing after an early breakfast we head west into the desert. We first cross the Namib gravel plains, large areas of flat and seemingly barren terrain broken up by huge mountain inselbergs. Our first stop this morning is the tiny town of Solitaire where we can stretch our legs and sample the apple pie that has made this homestead famous. We cross the Tropic of Capricorn at 23.5 south degrees. There is a signpost at the exact spot and we stop along the road for photos.

We have two mountain passes to cross this morning, first is the smaller canyon of the Gaub River, a tributary of the Kuiseb river Kuiseb Pass. We continue to follow the road to the top of the mountains, dropping steeply down into the canyon, before heading towards the ocean at the port town of Walvis Bay. We have lunch at Walvis Bay lagoon and complete the final leg of our journey to Swakopmund where you´ll stay the night. Swakopmund is an interesting place to say the least, bounded to the north, the east and the south by the mighty sand dunes of the Namib Desert and to the west by the Atlantic Ocean. There are still many examples of colonial German architecture to be seen and the German language is still widely used.

Today you´ll depart for Etosha National Park. Etosha is huge, just over 22,000 square km and is home to 114 species of mammal, 350 species of bird, 110 species of reptile, uncountable numbers of insects and, somewhat bizarrely, one species of fish. After setting up our campsite, depending on time, we will head out for a short late afternoon game drive in search of big game. Elephant, rhino, giraffe and the big cats are often seen in this area. We also look for the smaller species, several types of antelope and gazelle abound, zebra are common and the bird life can be spectacular.

All visitors must be back in camp at sunset, but the ‘game show’ doesn’t stop when the sun goes down. Okaukuejo camp is famous for its flood-lit waterhole where you get the chance to see all of Etosha’s treasures without moving around yourself. Big cats, elephant and the whole spectrum of smaller game, but in particular, this is our best chance of getting up close to a black rhino. Namibia is the last stronghold of these critically endangered creatures but here, at Okaukuejo, they are regular visitors.

You´ll have the whole day to explore Etosha and you will really make the most of it. The park gates open at sunrise and after a quick cup of coffee and a snack you´ll be on your way as the sun rises. Early morning is usually a great time for game viewing, especially to catch big cats returning from the hunt. Along the way, you will make a stop at a designated picnic area for a quick breakfast before continuing our game drive en route to the camp at Halali. At Halali you´ll have lunch, and there´s also time to visit the Halali camp waterhole before you´ll head back out into the park for an afternoon game drive.

On our way back to Okaukuejo there will be a stop to have a closer look at the Etosha Pan. The name Etosha translates as ‘great white space’ but this name does not do justice to the immensity of the pan. Over 4,700 square km of the dazzling white mineral pan, is so big that it can be seen from space. Keep your eyes sharp, you never know what you can spot!

After breaking camp for the last time, we will game drive to the park exit, hoping to catch sight of some magnificent predators before heading south to Windhoek. On the way there´s a brief stop at the small town of Okahandja.

This is also where Namibia’s largest woodcarving market is located. Craftsmen from all over Namibia come here to showcase a wide variety of items both large and small. Once you get back to Windhoek, the remainder of the day is yours to relax or explore on your own.

Today you will be transferred from your accommodation to the airport for your flight to Cape Town! On arrival you’ll be welcomed at Cape Town International Airport and transferred to your hostel. Depending on your flight time, you’ll have a few hours to settle in and relax or explore your surroundings. Your accommodation, SaltyCrax Backpackers, is a hub for SAVE volunteers from around the world, assisting with projects in Cape Town.

On arrival you’ll be informed of the time you should meet up with the SAVE ambassador in the evening. The ambassador will take you to a weekly social evening where you’ll have the chance to meet up with other travellers and volunteers visiting the area.

Rise and shine for your first full day in Cape Town! After breakfast, a SAVE staff member will meet you at reception for a briefing about their local volunteering initiatives and the impact they have. You will then depart your accommodation for a day of exploring the various volunteer sites, getting a glimpse into the lives of volunteers and the projects they participate in.

You may even get the chance to get involved in activities like school renovations, maintaining vegetable gardens, community clean-ups or other similar activities depending on the needs of the day! Whatever you do, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of various initiatives happening within the community and will have the chance to interact with locals and volunteers making a difference.

The rest of your tour consists of free time in Cape Town, meaning you don’t have a guide with you. But if you need assistance with experiences or activities, talk to your accommodation! We recommend checking out the Pan African Market on the famous Long Street.

Here you can browse different art, craft, and artefacts sold by multi-ethnic retailers that represent the wares of a least 14 African countries. While on Long Street, you can also check out the Long Street Baths that consist of steam heated indoor pools. Of course, it’s not a trip to Cape Town without checking out Table Mountain. So be sure to depart for a short (or long hike) or ride the cable car!

Pack your bags and bid farewell to the strangers who have now become good friends during your travels in Southern Africa. Today you will be transferred to the airport for your flights home, or elsewhere if you´re continuing your adventure.