This tour samples much of South Africa’s luxurious hospitality! The magnanimous wildlife is your consummate host and provides an exclusive treat to the privileged few who visit.

Your Great Adventure combines the best of all worlds — safari and sea, and a special trip back time while you experience the decadence of luxury rail travel.

As with our “Elite Safari’ tour, you will travel by bush plane to your oasis in South Africa — Sir Richard Branson’s Private Game Reserve, Ulusaba — a place we feel at home and are delighted to share with our guests! A place where your pulse quickens, heart races and senses arouse … and you haven’t arrived to your room yet!! You will spend 5 nights in your private luxurious suite.

Your time will be filled with exciting adventure whilst in the reserve. You will experience amazing sunrises and breathtaking sunsets. Star gaze from private observatory! Take twice-daily games drives where you will no doubt get up close and personal to the Big 5 (cape buffalo, lion, rhino, leopard and ellies) not to mention cheetahs, giraffe, warthogs, wilddogs and so much more! BEWARE! The animals will take your breath away and people will steal your heart.

Also at your pleasure: daily game walks, luxury spa treatments, tennis, helicopter flips and a community tour

One adventure ends and another begins! After the morning game drive, your Ranger and Tracker will escort you back to the private airstrip to bid you a farewell. Be sure to watch out the window as they wave good-bye! 

Let the indulgence continue! Spend two nights at Illyria House in Pretoria, South Africa. Allow your private butler attend to your every need, and every whim! Relax and enjoy. Do everything or nothing at all — the day belongs to you. 

Also at your pleasure: Spa treatments, historical, cultural or nature day tour — visit Soweto, home to Nelson Mandela and Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu, golf, hot air balloon ride, and individualized guided shopping.

All aboard! Recapture the romance and atmosphere of a bygone era when privileged travelers experienced the magic and mystery of Africa in a relaxed and elegant fashion as you step aboard Rovos Rail, the Pride of Africa and also known as “The Most Luxurious Train in the World.” You will travel overnight from Pretoria to Cape Town in your luxurious private railcar suite. En route to Cape Town, there is a stopover and excursion where you will take another step back in time to the day of the diamond rush. The day’s smart-casual attire gives way to a parade of elegant eveningwear to compliment your fine dining experience, complete with crystal, china and award-winning culinary dishes and fine wines. At your request, your butler will transform your accommodations from a comfortable den to a relaxing bedroom.

Shortly after enjoying breakfast on the train, you will arrive in CapeTown and be transferred by private car to your exclusive accommodations at Grootbos Private Nature Reserve. Enjoy the utter indulgence of your spacious luxury suite with finely appointed bathrooms. Strolling between your suite and the main lodge are winding pathways guiding past the largest Milkwood forests in the world! You will have plenty of time to enjoy the vast array of activities during your 5 night stay. 

As with our Western Cape Wonders tour, you will enjoy a tour of Dyer Island and whale watch. On the following day, a second trip out to sea will bring you face to face with the mighty great white shark. For the brave, don a wetsuit and climb in the shark cage. No worries, for those a bit more reserved, there is plenty of room on deck for a spectacular view! You might also see: Great white sharks, Bryde’s whales, Humpback whales, Southern giant petrels, Cape gannets and Dolphins. Of course, we’ll make sure you get a DVD of your adventure to show your friends!

You might also enjoy a visit to Cape Agulhas (southern most point of Africa and where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet!) or a visit to the market in Hermanus where local artisans display their hand-crafted wares. You will want to have Rand on hand for this visit as the locals do not accept credit cards!

Also at your pleasure:  Luxury spa treatments, horseback riding and golf

Saving what some might consider the best for last, you will spend the final 5 nights of your adventure at the beautiful and world-famous Cape Grace Hotel located in Cape Town’s Waterfront district. En route, we will take a bit of a tour, taking the eastern False Bay coastal road. We’ll stop for a fabulous lunch before we continue on to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope — be prepared to be groomed and de-fleed as we visit with the resident baboons of Cape Point (a unique experience and not dangerous!)!   

On two separate day trips, we will be welcomed on board for an exclusive and private tour of False Bay with Chris Fallows!  Chris is world renowned for his expertise on shark behavior and especially for his spectacular photos and filming of great white sharks. You might recall seeing Chris and his work on The Discovery Channel. Most certainly only the fortunate few have witnessed the magnificent great white breach and launch itself completely out of the water, or witness the natural predation of the cape seal by the great white. This spectacular event is best viewed from May through September. Another day on board the boat with Chris will treat us to the Southern Right Whale annual migration. As we anchor at sea, you will witness the whales come right up to boat without fear or intimidation. Yet another spectacular moment where nature and its beasts honor us for a few moments with their presence giving us raw beauty and memories.

Another day will take you by cable car high atop Table Mountain where you will enjoy the stunning views of the city and surroundings below. You will also enjoy a private tour where you will visit Cape Town highlights such as The Castle, Company Gardens, and Greenmarket Square. We will also visit historic Robben Island for a guided tour of apartheid history by a former inmate of this historic site. Humbly view Nelson Mandela’s cell where he spent the majority of his 27-year imprisonment. Your day’s tour will conclude with a Township Cultural Tour and visit the District Six Museum and the informal settlements. 

Of course, the tour would not be complete without a least one visit to a local vineyard! We will be visiting Stellenbosch  with a walk down Church Street with its art and craft galleries, stop at Franschoek and have lunch in town, with a chance to browse the interesting mix of craft shops and galleries! 

On your last day — Sleep in! Enjoy the sun, pool & spa! Walk mere steps away to the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront shopping mall. The day is yours to spend it as you like or your host will make arrangements as requested.

Also at your pleasure:  Golf, luxury spa treatments, and aquarium tour

Group Departure:  May, June, August

Along with a few trinkets and souvenirs of Africa, we also hope that you have taken with you fond memories, new friends, and a desire to return again and again.