Sawubona! Welcome to South Africa. Your adventure begins in Johannesburg with a welcome meeting at 6 pm. If you arrive early, maybe visit the eye-opening Apartheid Museum to start your journey with some crucial history before meeting up with your group. After your meeting, why not head out for an optional group dinner and get to know your fellow travellers. Your leader can point you in the right direction with the best bar and restaurant recommendations. It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance and emergency contact details at this time. If you are going to be late, please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.

Leave Johannesburg early this morning and drive to Bourke’s Luck Potholes. These unusual, cylindrical rock formations have been carved by water erosion over centuries. Then, take in the views over Blyde River Canyon, the third largest canyon in the world, and the Three Rondavels – a trio of peaks named for their resemblance to the traditional beehive-shaped dwellings found throughout Africa. Continue to Kruger National Park, keeping an eye out for wildlife along the way. There’s the option to go on a 4WD safari at sunset to see more of the local wildlife – sprawling over two million hectares, this is one of the best wildlife destinations in all of Africa. Your travel time today will be approximately 6 hours.

Head out early this morning to embark on a full-day 4WD safari in Kruger National Park. With an expert local guide, you’ll search for elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos, buffalo, elands and a variety of other iconic African wildlife across the park’s diverse landscapes, dotted with baobabs, wild date palms and fever trees with their distinctive yellow-green bark. Don’t forget to keep your eyes on the sky – you might see African hawk-eagles, lappet-faced vultures and martial eagles. This evening, get an introduction to an important part of South African cuisine when you head into the bush for a traditional braai (barbecue) dinner.

After breakfast, travel south, crossing the border into Eswatini. Continue to Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, where you’ll settle into your accommodation, set among the sanctuary’s ancient hardwood trees in the lush Ezulwini Valley. This afternoon, you can opt to visit a Chief Village to learn more about traditional Swazi culture and gain insight into the way of life in rural Eswatini. Try your hand at braiding lutindzi grass or grinding maize and learn a few phrases in siSwati. Your travel time today will be approximately 7 hours. The border crossing between South Africa and Eswatini is generally very smooth, but occasionally there are delays. Come prepared with a good book just in case.

This morning is free for you to explore Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary at your own pace. You might like to join an optional 4WD safari to see even more wildlife. This afternoon, join an expert ranger to explore the sanctuary on foot. Venture through the grasslands, forest and mountainside in search of rhinos, giraffes, elephants, wildebeest, impala and smaller critters like snakes, spiders, aardvarks and porcupines.

Leave Mlilwane early this morning and cross the border back into South Africa, headed to the St Lucia Estuary. Part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed iSimangaliso Wetland Park, St Lucia is home to a vast diversity of wildlife, including hippos, crocodiles, leopards, monkeys and baboons. More than 500 bird species have been recorded here, including giant kingfishers, whiskered terns and African fish eagles. When you arrive, hop on a boat cruise along the estuary and look out for wildlife in the water and along the banks. Your travel time today will be approximately 5 hours.

Embark on a 4WD safari through the eastern shores of iSimangaliso Wetland Park, keeping watch for rhinos, elephants, buffalo, antelopes and others. Next, continue to Cape Vidal, where forested dunes meet the Indian Ocean. You’ll have some time to relax on the sand or maybe go for a refreshing swim. This evening, you’ll have dinner with a local family. Get to know each other and learn about daily life in the area as you tuck into a home-cooked meal.

Say goodbye to St Lucia and make the scenic drive towards Drakensberg, passing rolling green hills, sugarcane fields and traditional Zulu homesteads. Along the way, you’ll make a stop at the Nelson Mandela Capture Site to learn about his arrest here in 1962 – a pivotal moment in South Africa’s history. Continue the drive, watching the landscape shift from lush valleys and farmland to wide-open grasslands and dramatic rocky peaks. Arrive at your lodge in the afternoon. You’ll have some time to relax or stretch your legs on one of the short walking trails nearby. Your travel time today will be approximately 9 hours.

Set off on a full-day hike through the unforgettable landscapes of Drakensberg. Follow the Mahai Forest Loop through indigenous forest and sweeping mountain scenery, then stop at Gudu Falls. Descending into the Mahai Valley, pass through a cool forested area where the Mahai River flows. There will be plenty more spots where you can pause to take in the views of the surrounding peaks and valleys as you hike. Return to your lodge later this afternoon. Today's hike follows well established trails through indigenous forest, river valleys and mountain landscapes. The trail includes some steep and uneven sections and requires a reasonable level of fitness. Sturdy, comfortable walking shoes with good grip are recommended.

After breakfast, make the drive to Johannesburg, where your trip comes to an end. If you’d like to extend your stay, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time to organise additional accommodation. Your travel time today will be approximately 5 hours. You’ll be dropped off at the finishing point hotel listed in the Essential Trip Information. No accommodation is provided for tonight, but this can be arranged at the time of booking if you wish. You'll arrive in Johannesburg at approximately 1 pm, and the airport is around a 30‑minute drive from the city. If you're catching an outgoing international flight today, we recommend booking flights departing no earlier than 5 pm to allow for any delays on the journey back to Johannesburg.