Johannesburg to Johannesburg

Day 1: Johannesburg

Arrive at Oliver Tambo International Airport where you will be met by your Fairfield Tours Tourguide. Transfer to your hotel where you check in and freshen up. Spend the rest of the day at leisure or partake in some optional excursions:

Depart on a Pretoria City Tour. Pretoria is the administrative capital of South Africa. It is called the “Jacaranda City”, renowned for its colourful gardens, shrubs and trees, particularly in spring when the more than 80 000 Jacaranda trees are blooming.

Visit the majestic administrative headquarters of the government, the Union Buildings. From Meintjieskop it provides lovely views of the city and the surrounding gardens.

Continue to the Kruger House - the house of the man that dared to challenge the might of the British Empire - Paul Kruger. Visit the Voortrekker Monument and Museum - commemorating the Great Trek of the white pioneers into the hinterland. Return to your hotel for dinner (own account) and overnight.

Overnight: Airport Grand Hotel, Johannesburg (BB)

Day 2: Johannesburg to Ohrigstad

Sunset Enjoy breakfast and check out. Depart for Mpumalanga via Witbank and Middelburg. A few kilometres north of the small town of Middelburg lies the museum village of Botshabelo. It preserves the culture of the Ndebele, who belong to the large group of Nguni peoples. They presumably came around the 15th and 16th century from Natal to live here in a quasi-peaceful co-existence with other Nguni groups. When the Boers settled in the 18th century north of the Vaal River, many Ndebele were employed as farm workers. The cultural heritage became marginalised. Only the communities in the south managed to preserve their traditional ceremonies and still show their identity through the unique colourful decoration of their houses. In their wall painting they abstractly depict items they saw when they first came into contact with white people. For example, they imitate the geometrical shapes of a razor blade or letters of the alphabet. Just as colourful as the wall paintings are the clothes and beaded jewellery of the women. They are a reflection of the family´s social status.

Continue to the Hannah Lodge Private Reserve, situated near Ohrigstad in a 7 000 hectare game reserve. The farm abounds with 28 species of antelope, including the rare Sable antelope, Tsessebe, Mountain Reedbuck, Springbok and Gemsbok to name a few.

For the avid bird watcher there are over 250 species of birds on the Reserve - do not forget to bring your binoculars! Expect to see Ostriches, Guinea fowl and if you are lucky - a Secretary Bird stalking its prey in the grass.

Depart on a one and a half hour afternoon game drive in open 4 x 4 vehicles. Return to the lodge for dinner. Meals are a lavish affair at Hannah Lodge. Weather permitting you will be treated to a traditional evening in the open-air boma, under the Milkyway, next to open fires. Alternatively enjoy a sumptuous dinner in the thatched Waterbuck Restaurant. The menu features a vast spread of South African-Malayan cuisine as well as a large variety of venison (included).

Overnight: Hannah Lodge, Ohrigstad (DBB)

Day 3: Ohrigstad to Hazyview

Enjoy a delicious buffet style breakfast. Today you can explore the Panorama Route. On to Blyde River Canyon, the largest Green Canyon in the world and the third largest overall. View the Three Rondawels, huge cylinders of rock with hut-like pointy 'roofs', rising out of the far wall of the canyon.

Continue to Bourke’s Luck Potholes where you throw a coin and make a wish at this magnificent water sculptured sandstone. Minor imperfections in the dolomite rock have been worn away by the swirling water with its load of grit and pebbles, causing “potholes” to appear. Thomas Bourke, an early owner of the farm on which this feature is situated, discovered gold at the bottom of the holes. Visit God’s Window for panoramic views.

Travel to Pilgrims Rest, the oldest mining town in South Africa, now a declared national monument. Take a stroll down the street of this old mining town and let your imagination take over. Soon your mind will transport you to yesteryear with golddiggers, oxwagons and the lively music from the canteens. Visit the beautiful Mac Mac Falls, one of the most photographed and unusual sites in the lowveld area. The Mac-Mac River plummets down 65 meters. It is named after Mac Mac village, the site of the gold rush of 1873.

Continue to Hazyview where you check into your hotel.

Overnight: Hippo Hollow, Hazyview (BB)

Day 4: Kruger National Park

Enjoy breakfast before you transfer to the Kruger National Park. You will now enter the largest Game Park in Africa. The Kruger National Park stretches north to south for about 350km, and is bordered by Mozambique to the east and Zimbabwe to the north. Its two million hectares of territory teem with life, including 147 mammal, 507 bird, 114 reptile, 34 amphibian, 336 tree and 49 fish species. You will have great opportunities to see the Big 5 animals of Africa, being the lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo, as well as a great deal of antelope and other African wildlife while travelling through the park in the luxury of your air-conditioned coach.

You have the option of an early morning safari on an open vehicle (own account). Expert guides should increase your chances of seeing all members of the “Big Five” plus other magnificent wild species. Return to your hotel. Enjoy dinner (own account) and overnight

Overnight: Hippo Hollow, Hazyview (BB)

Day 5: Hazyview to Swaziland

Travel to the magnificent little Kingdom of Swaziland. Enter Swaziland at the Jeppes Reef border post and travel in the direction of Piggs Peak. Travel to the Ngwenya Glass Factory (Open Monday – Friday) and experience how the talented Swazi glass blowers create a range of enchanting African animals, marine life and tableware from 100% recycled glass collected for Ngwenya by the children of Swaziland. Continue to your hotel where you check in and enjoy the afternoon at leisure.

Dinner (own account) at your hotel or the Royal Swazi Sun where you have the opportunity to win a lot of money at the casino.

Overnight: Lugogo Sun, Swaziland (BB)

Day 6: Swaziland to Badplaas

Enjoy breakfast and check out. Cross back into South Africa at the Oshoek Border Post. At the foot of Mpumalanga's Hlumuhlumu mountains, lies the Badplaas resort famed for its hot mineral springs and surrounding Emanzana Nature Reserve.

The modern Hydro offers an indoor swimming pool, cold splash pool, rheumatism bath and beauty treatments. Explore the 1 500 hectare Emanzana Nature Reserve accompanied by one of the rangers with a game drive, walks or horseback rides (all activities are for own account). The reserve is also a bird-watchers paradise with ±300 species of birds.

Overnight: Aventura Badplaas Resort, Badplaas (BB)

Day 7: Badplaas to Johannesburg

Enjoy breakfast and check out. Return to Sandton. A conducted tour of Soweto provides an insight into the contrasts of South Africas largest townships. The name SOWETO stands for SOuthern WEstern TOwnship. Learn first hand about the history of this city with more than 3 million people. Visit the Hector Peterson Memorial, and other historical sites such as Freedom Square, Regina Mundi Church and the Oppenheimer Tower. Drive past Winnie Mandela and other dignitaries’ homes such as archbishop Desmond Tutu. Experience the contrast of a Shanty Town versus Millionaire’s Row. Stop at Wandies Shebeen for a beer (own account).

Overnight: Airport Grand Hotel, Johannesburg (BB)

Day 8: Departure

Enjoy breakfast and spend the morning at leisure before transfering to Oliver Tambo International Airport for outbound flight.

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