Cape Town, The Blue Train and Kruger National Park

Our holiday begins at London Heathrow, where we meet our Tour Manager and fellow travellers before boarding a flight to Cape Town, South Africa's oldest city and legislative capital.

This cosmopolitan city is a cultural melting pot with a fascinating history that dates back thousands of years to the Khoi-San people, the first inhabitants of the Cape. In 1488, the Portuguese explorer, Bartholomeu Dias was the first known European to sail around the Cape, and in 1652 the Dutch navigator Jan van Riebeeck established a settlement here. Dutch settlers were later joined by Asians from present day Indonesia, followed by French Huguenots, then the British. After decades of apartheid, South Africa held its first democratic elections in 1994 when Nelson Mandela was voted leader of the 'Rainbow Nation'.

We touch down in Cape Town after our overnight flight. Here we are met and transferred to our hotel in the heart of the city. Enroute, some of Cape Town's main sights are pointed out to us on an orientation tour.

After settling into our hotel, close to the famous Victoria & Alfred Waterfront and overlooked by the magnificent Table Mountain, this evening is free to begin exploring and to dine independently. You may like to wander down to the Waterfront, which has a variety of eateries offering fresh seafood, traditional South African dishes and North Indian cuisine. At night, the wharf is illuminated and atmospheric with several restaurants overlooking the water.

Please note - For departures 15/02/25 and 08/11/25 you wil stay at The Commodore Hotel.

We enjoy a full day tour of the Cape Peninsula today, beginning after breakfast with a drive to the magnificent Cape of Good Hope, heading to Cape Point, at the most southwestern tip of the continent. Here, we take the Flying Dutchman funicular railway, to just below the lighthouse at the top, where we can look out across the Atlantic Ocean, the waters of False Bay, and the stunning Cape Peninsula coastline.

We then travel along False Bay, to Simon's Town where we have lunch at a local restaurant, followed by free time to look around. We continue to Boulders Bay, a pristine beach which is home to a colony of African penguins. The penguins nest in the dunes and waddle down to swim in the sea, often gathering in family groups to sun on the rocks. Wander along the boardwalk between the dunes to see these lovely creatures in their natural habitat.

This evening you may like to take a taxi to Bree Street, a popular dining destination in Cape Town, where you could enjoy fusion food, Cape Malay dishes, Mediterranean cuisine or Asian flavours.

After breakfast, weather permitting, we visit one of South Africa's most familiar landmarks - Cape Town's iconic Table Mountain. We take a cable car to the top of this remarkably flat-topped mountain, enjoying panoramic city views on the way up. From the top you can follow trails among beautiful Cape 'fynbos', which includes varieties of coral-hued proteas, and spot animals such as the rock rabbit ('dassie' in Afrikaans) or the Table Mountain ghost frog. There is a café and coffee shop at the top of the mountain and there's free time to soak up this unique environment.

After descending the mountain we continue by coach out of the city and into the stunning mountain landscapes of the Cape winelands, to one of the country's most famous wine-producing areas, the beautiful Stellenbosch Valley. At a traditional Cape Dutch farmhouse and wine estate we enjoy a typical South African 'braai' (barbecue) of boerewors (spicy sausages) and other roasted meats, fish and vegetables.

Today you're free to explore Cape Town further. You may like to visit the brightly-painted Bo-Kaap neighbourhood, the historic Cape Malay quarter. Or take the ferry to Robben Island, a UNESCO World Heritage site which, along with Alcatraz, is possibly one of best-known prison islands in the world - where President Nelson Mandela was imprisoned during the last three decades of the apartheid regime. The island now houses a museum detailing the struggle for democracy in South Africa.

Nature lovers can enjoy the wonderful Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, one of the seven most magnificent botanic gardens of the world. Extending across the south east slopes of Table Mountain, this spectacular nature reserve has several trails and a fabulous Tree Canopy Walk.

At the nearby V&A Waterfront, there are many shops, an arts and craft market and the National Maritime Museum. It is also possible to take a short cruise around the harbour from here, to see the city sights or sail further out into Table Bay towards Cape Town's Green Point. As for dining out, in Cape Town you really are spoilt for choice.

After a leisurely breakfast in Cape Town, we transfer to the station for our iconic journey to Pretoria on The Blue Train. As we board the train, a butler escorts you to your opulent cabin and provides an orientation tour as we begin our two day journey. Once you have settled in to your five-star accommodation - which has a private ensuite bathroom, plush furnishings and a picture window - you may like to relax in one of the luxurious lounges before we take our seats for lunch at 1pm.

The service and standard of fine dining on The Blue Train is impeccable, all our meals and drinks are included on board - afternoon tea, aperitifs and, after a lavish formal dinner of local cuisine accompanied by a wide selection of wines from the Cape Winelands, a selection of post-dinner drinks.

High tea is served in the Lounge Car at 4pm and The Blue Train offers two dining sittings each evening, at 6.30 and 8pm.

Breakfast is served between 6 and 9 am this morning, and there are two sittings for lunch. Soon after lunch, The Blue Train arrives in Kimberley, the capital of the Northern Cape - a town with a prosperous past, due to the discovery of diamonds in the area. The renowned diamond merchants, DeBeers, made their fame and fortune here. After disembarking, we take a short coach ride to the Kimberley Open Mine Museum. The hill where diamonds were first found quickly disappeared under the pressure of over-mining and the resulting space became known as the 'Big Hole'. This open basin is now so large that it can be seen from space and is 215 meters, or 705 feet, deep - there is an enclosed ramp which allows us to view the Big Hole.

Although the mine is no longer in use, there is a fascinating museum detailing the history of the site, which includes preserved and restored period buildings from the early years of the diamond rush. We re-board the train before the second superb dinner of our trip, then we continue our journey through South Africa's vast and open landscapes.

After enjoying a delicious breakfast and a final lunch on board the Blue Train, our train pulls in to the administrative capital of South Africa - Pretoria, a handsome city where South Africa's government and presidential offices are based, in the historic Union Buildings.

We are transferred by coach to our hotel, the Southern Sun Pretoria, where we are welcomed with a refreshing drink before sitting down to dinner this evening.

This morning, we have an early transfer by coach to our luxury lodge-style hotel on the banks of the Sabie River, at the entrance to the Kruger National Park. Enroute, we stop at the Graskop Gorge to marvel at spellbinding views of the lush forest more than 150 feet below us. An elevator drops us gently down the cliff face as we admire the plummeting waterfall and indigenous vegetation.

Today's ultimate destination, Kruger National Park, is the largest park in South Africa and one of the world's most famous, all the 'Big Five' game animals can be found here: the lion, African elephant, Cape buffalo, leopard, and rhinoceros.

The rest of the day is free for you to settle in among the attractive surroundings, maybe making the most of the swimming pool and wonderful viewing deck where you might like to relax when we are greeted with a welcome drink before dinner.

Today we enjoy a full-day of game viewing, heading out after an early breakfast by Jeep, accompanied by a local, skilled ranger. Our guide's expertise allows us to visit the best locations to see different animals, and helps us to identify those whose camouflage makes them difficult to spot. We start by tracking the big cats, still out from their night spent hunting, while keeping an eye out for other species, including the 'Big Five'. We break our safari with a picnic lunch then continue driving into this wild, open bushland, where each day brings unpredictable but wondrous sights and surprises.

Returning to our hotel mid-afternoon, the rest of the day is yours to relax and enjoy the outdoor spaces and facilities, before dinner at our lodge this evening.

Today we enjoy a second full day on safari, discovering the incredible wildlife of Kruger on a game drive and hoping to see more of the marvellous 'Big Five'. There are many other species to be seen in the Kruger Park, large and small, as well as fascinating plants and colourful birds. We enjoy a picnic lunch again today, before continuing our Jeep journey through this wonderful game reserve.

We return to our hotel this afternoon when you could relax at the spa or by the swimming pool. Or, you might like to take advantage of the nature reserve beside the hotel and enjoy some extra game viewing. There is a fascinating variety of bird life here, and bush walks with a knowledgeable guide can be organised by the hotel (payable locally).

We enjoy the final dinner of our memorable holiday this evening, at our Kruger Park lodge.

We have time to relax this morning in the Kruger Park before we set off back to Johannesburg, so you could take the opportunity to enjoy the excellent facilities at our lodge. In the late morning, we are transferred by coach to Johannesburg's O.R. Tambo airport for our flight home. While waiting for our flight, you'll find a good choice of restaurants and cafés for a light meal before our overnight journey. The airport also has a great range of shops, selling curios and South African goods which you may like to take home with you as a memento of this special holiday.

After landing in London Heathrow early this morning, we say goodbye to our Tour Manager, travelling companions and new friends, and make our way home. While our holiday may be over, we are sure to treasure many memories of our South African adventure - from the beautiful mountains, winelands and beaches of the Cape and the stunning scenery we see from the splendid Blue Train, to our wonderful safari experiences in the amazing Kruger National Park.