• Luxury South Africa

From city to safari: the best of South Africa, experienced in the utmost luxury

Days: 11 | From: $23,490/per person

  • Accommodations at best-in-class luxury hotels and safari lodges
  • Curated tours with superb private guides
  • Safari in two distinct private reserves for the ultimate game viewing

Seek out big game and rare wildlife in the Kalahari at Tswalu, then fly to Cape Town to discover secret beaches, rugged mountains, art and fine dining. Finish your adventure with a safari in the world renowned Sabi Sands Private Reserve and a stay at Singita, one of Africa's most luxurious lodges.

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1 (844) 881-1305

We tailor itineraries to your dates and interests, adjusting hotels, excursions and length as desired.

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At a glance

  • Johannesburg
    1 night: Discover South Africa's vibrant economic hub, the gateway to your safari adventure
  • Tswalu Kalahari
    3 nights: Safari in the red sands of the Kalahari, home to some of the rarest creatures on earth
  • Cape Town
    3 nights: Enjoy fine dining and world-class wine as you navigate this gorgeous and sophisticated city
  • Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve
    3 nights: Experience world renowned game viewing and luxury at Singita, in the famous Sabi Sands Reserve

  • All itineraries are fully customizable. We will send you a personalized variation that reflects your interests and travel dates at no extra cost. Call to discuss your travel plans with one of our Specialists who know this region firsthand.

Customize this trip
1 (844) 881-1305

Sample itinerary

Day 1:

Welcome to Africa!

Arrive to Johannesburg, South Africa’s economic hub. This city bursts with art, history, and culture and is a great place to add some extra time to explore. Joburg combines a modern, metropolitan sophistication with historic townships, creating an ambience that has given life to some of South Africa’s greatest icons and creative minds. Your private guide will be waiting to transfer you to your boutique hotel set in the lush, upmarket suburbs of town.

Accommodations: Fairlawns Boutique Hotel and Spa

Set among landscaped gardens, the Fairlawns Boutique Hotel & Spa is an urban sanctuary in the heart of Johannesburg. The hotel offers exceptional service and an intimate atmosphere. The upscale suites are individually decorated in varying themes ranging, from Eastern influences to French provincial. The hotel also caters to a variety of culinary tastes, with an array of elegant dining experiences to choose from.

*Includes: Breakfast

Day 2:

Fly to Tswalu Kalahari

Eye-level with a cheetah cub in South Africa's Tswalu Game Reserve.

Board your flight to Tswalu. Set against the backdrop of the Korannaberg Mountains, the Tswalu Private Game Reserve comprises 100,000 hectares of pristine red Kalahari Desert and swaying savannah grasslands. It is home to over 80 mammal species, including some of the rarest and most unusual on earth, such as the desert black rhino, the black-maned Kalahari lion, the aardwolf, and herds of tsessebe and sable antelope. The area also hosts roughly 240 varieties of birds, including endangered raptors, and is on the leading edge of conservation and research in Africa.

Over the next few days, explore this unforgettable region in a private safari vehicle with a dedicated expert ranger, enjoying a safari experience like no other.

Accommodations: Tswalu Kalahari, 3 nights

Tswalu is a unique lodge that lets you reconnect with the richness of the earth and offers an escape to a place that’s governed by the ancient rhythms of the seasons, rather than the clock and the calendar. The cool breeze carries both myths and promises - by making good on them we can fulfil our founding family’s vision of restoring the natural environment and empowering people and bringing together conservation, research and an unrivalled safari experience.

Everything here is centred around the creed: To leave our world better than how we found it. With your own dedicated guide and vehicle, you can experience Tswalu exactly the way you want to. There are no fixed schedules or time limits at special sightings – during your stay, the dunes and grasslands are yours to explore the way you want to, and each wildlife encounter can unfold at its own pace. In the shelter of the mountains – which also provide a dramatic backdrop to wildlife sightings – you can encounter Tswalu’s 240 kinds of bird and 80 mammal species, including Hartmann’s mountain zebra, wild dog, black maned lion, pangolin and aardvark.

*Includes: All Inclusive

Day 3:

A day on Safari in the Kalahari

close-up of a group of meerkats (suricates) at late afternoon in the Kalahari, Namibia

Set out as the sun rises in search of some of the reserve’s best known inhabitants. Iconic black-maned lions, elusive and increasingly endangered pangolins, brown hyenas, aardvarks, aardwolves, and bat-eared foxes are among the extraordinary sightings you may have on your twice-daily private game drives.

Aside from exciting game drives, there are numerous ways to experience this vast wilderness. Take to the skies on a scenic helicopter flight for a totally exclusive perspective on game viewing. Venture out on foot with your private guide to discover the subtler details of the bush and its complex ecosystems. Explore the dunes and savannahs on horseback with an specialized equestrian guide who will lead you on a ride alongside antelope, buffalo, zebra and giraffe, or show you how to watch them from a distance without detection.

Accommodations: Tswalu Kalahari, 3 nights

*Includes: All Inclusive

Day 4:

Another day at Tswalu

Discover more of Kalahari’s wonders. You may choose to spend the morning with a colony of curious meerkats, or join your guide in studying the ancient San petroglyphs, searching for hidden meaning in millennia-old rock engravings.

Indulge in some well-earned relaxation: pamper yourself with a treatment at the award-winning spa, or unwind by the pool or in your spacious suite. Savor a private, lantern-lit dinner on the sand as the sun sets over the desert. If the mood takes you, sleep out under millions of stars on a private viewing deck. There are endless ways to indulge in the exclusive pleasures of Tswalu.

Accommodations: Tswalu Kalahari, 3 nights

Day 5:

Fly to Cape Town

Iconic Cape Town, South Africa

Take your charter flight to Cape Town after an early morning game drive and breakfast at the lodge. A city famous for its colorful markets, historic sites, vibrant waterfront, dramatic landscapes, and world-class dining, Cape Town has something for everyone.

Scenically beautiful, Cape Town is a compelling mix of trendy modern and old-world elegance. Malay and African heritage is evident in the cuisine, traditions and entertainment while the architecture reveals a strong Dutch, German and English influence.

Your private guide will be waiting to transfer you to your luxury hotel with endless sea views.

Accommodations: Ellerman House, 3 nights

Ellerman House is located in Bantry Bay and offers spectacular Atlantic Ocean views against the dramatic backdrop of Lion’s Head Mountain. Clifton’s sheltered beaches are within walking distance, while local attractions such as the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway, Camps Bay, and V&A Waterfront are 10 minutes by car. Originally a private residence, the historic Cape Edwardian-style mansion features shaded verandas and terraced indigenous gardens overlooking the ocean. There are 13 individually decorated rooms and suites complemented by two ultra-modern villas.

*Includes: Breakfast

Day 6:

Penguins and the Peninsula

Meet the endangered African Penguin today as you explore the rugged coastline. Your private guide will take you to the penguin colony and to other key sites away from the typical tourist crowds, where you can engage with the local history and culture of the region.

Drive up Chapman’s Peak, considered one of the world’s top scenic coastal drives, with the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the Cape Peninsula Western Mountains on the other. Experience the meeting of the two oceans at the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. Visit charming fishing villages and stop for an included lunch at the restaurant of your choice. Explore historic Simon’s Town, and see African Penguins in their natural habitat from the boardwalks of Boulder’s Beach. Your private guide will help tailor the day to meet your interests.

Accommodations: Ellerman House, 3 nights

Day 7:

Table Mountain and the Winelands

See Cape Town spread at your feet from atop Table Mountain, where a trip up the rotating cable car will give you a unique perspective on this gorgeous city. From there, make the brief, scenic journey to nearby Cape Winelands for an afternoon of wine pairings and fine dining.

The charming towns of Franschhoek and Stellenbosch are full of boutique shops and art galleries. Arguably the culinary headquarters of the country, this area is home to the creative genius of a number of resident chefs. Discover the stunning valleys and vineyards of the Cape Wine Route with your knowledgeable private wine guide. Sample unique food and wine pairings that showcase the cultivar of the region. A visit to the Winelands is all about stepping back from the hectic pace of modern living and appreciating the finer things in life, in some of the most gorgeous and tranquil locations this country has to offer.

Accommodations: Ellerman House, 3 nights

*Includes: Breakfast

Day 8:

Fly to your Sabi Sands Safari

Jet off to your next destination and the final leg of your journey, a safari in the world-famous Sabi Sands.

Perhaps the best-known of the Kruger area reserves, Sabi Sands is deserving of its many accolades. As it is one of the oldest privately protected pieces of land, the wildlife here has truly had the opportunity to flourish. Most noted for its abundance of leopard sightings, it is home to an incredible variety of animals, and boasts one of the best luxury lodges in the world – your home for the next three nights.

Situated on the banks of the Sand River, Singita Boulders Lodge effortlessly blends the beautiful natural light, colors and textures of the surrounding nature into sumptuous interiors that spill onto expansive, private wooden decks.

Accommodations: Singita Boulders, 3 nights

Set along the boulder-strewn banks of the Sand River, Boulders Lodge seamlessly blends the beautiful light, colors and textures of its surrounds into vast interiors that spill onto expansive wooden decks. Simplifying the essence of comfort, it welcomes complete unwinding in ultimate luxury

Providing access to 45,000 acres of untouched wilderness in the famed Sabi Sand reserve in South Africa, Boulders Lodge is known for frequent leopard sightings and exceptional game-viewing while exploring the rich animal and birdlife on guided game drives and bush walks.

*Includes: All Inclusive

Day 9:

Safari in Sabi Sands

Giraffes viewed in the wild while on safari in Sabi Sands Game Reserve, South Africa.

Revel in your front row seat to what is sure to be an abundance of exceptional wildlife encounters, as you set out on a series of expertly-guided morning and afternoon game drives. Leopards are the star sightings of this area, which is also home to the remainder of Africa’s Big Five and a huge host of other wildlife, big and small. The bushveld, forests and rivers of this region are a completely different atmosphere from the Kalahari, allowing for a whole new safari experience.

Accommodations: Singita Boulders

*Includes: All Inclusive

Day 10:

A Final Day on Safari

A wild leopard spotted on the Okavango Delta in Botswana.

Indulge in unparalleled luxury and unforgettable adventure. Game drives and bush walks are just two of the options at this opulent lodge. For something at bit more active, arrange a visit with the canine antipoaching unit, an integral part of ongoing conservation. If you prefer to unwind, plan a tailor-made treatment at the spa for a completely personalized wellness experience. Enjoy a yoga session on the wellness deck as you keep an eye out for wildlife, or lounge by your private infinity pool.

The best wines and an ever-changing, creative, and personalized menu will be part of each day, as you dine under the stars or overlooking the river.

Accommodations: Singita Boulders, 3 nights

*Includes: All Inclusive

Days 11:

Farewell Africa

Pride of lions making their way to the waterhole. They must have sensed that the pride were about to stumble upon the fresh carcass of a massive elephant bull!

Photographed him in Savuti. They are part of the elephant eating marsh pride that were featured in the BBC documentary called

Say goodbye to your safari guide as they take you to the airstrip for your flight back to Johannesburg and your onward connection home, or to your next destination. Should you find yourself with a long layover we are happy to arrange for a day room where you can freshen up and relax before your flight.

More Photos From This Trip

Popular Ways to Customize This Itinerary

  • Step back in time with a journey on a restored luxury train, the most unique way to travel in South Africa. Rovos Rail and the Blue Train harken back to a more elegant era.

  • Customize your Cape Town touring to suit your interests; there is something for everyone in this vibrant city.

  • Add a few days to explore South Africa’s whale coast at a luxury eco-lodge. With flower safaris in the Fynbos and miles of untouched beaches, this is one of the country’s most beautiful and exclusive places to spend time.

  • Extend your trip and head to the pristine white sand beaches of the Indian Ocean: the lush islands of Seychelles, Mauritius or Maldives are just a short flight away.

  • Speak to your Vaya Specialist about restaurant recommendations and reservations in both Johannesburg and Cape Town, and experience one of the world’s most interesting culinary destinations.

  • Journey up to Victoria Falls and spend a few days at these iconic waterfalls.

  • Contact us to learn about more options for designing and customizing your trip.

Call us to start planning your journey today:

1 (844) 881-1305

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Why Travel with Vaya?

We're TRUE specialists

We’ve not only traveled there, we’ve lived there. Our smart and engaging specialists are all current or former expatriates with years of experience in the region.

Uplifting service

From the first phone call to after you get back, we're here for you every step of the way. We listen, create, customize and advocate for you, and design experiences that go beyond the expected.

Thoughtful travel

Our discerning sensibility and good taste go beyond just choices in hotels and top guides; we have a walk the walk commitment to the environment and are genuine leaders in conservation efforts.