Active South Africa: Beaches to the ‘Berg
Overview
South Africa is blessed with some of the best beaches and some of the best hiking trails in the world. So we thought we’d build a trip that celebrates just how remarkable the landscapes of this country are. You’ll be able to dip your toes in the icy waters of the Atlantic on Cape Town’s pristine beaches before taking on some of the Drakensberg’s most sensational and scenic treks.
Starting in Cape Town (surely a contender for the title of best city in the world?) you’ll get plenty of time to explore with five nights at a guesthouse within a short stroll of the city centre. We’ve included a bunch of stuff to help you find some of the funkiest spots, tastiest food and best views but there’s also heaps of free time to explore at your own leisure. You’ll cycle along the seafront, kayak with penguins on Boulders Beach, hike up Table Mountain (although we’ll sort you out with the cable car on the way down!) and saunter through the city’s streets on a food tour.
It’s then off to the Winelands where you’ll pedal your way around Stellenbosch to find your favourite drop of vino. A day hiking in the Franschhoek valley will give you another perspective of this amazing landscape and give you a healthy appetite (and thirst) for some of the best restaurants in South Africa which can be found in the region.
And then we’ll take you to the Drakensberg. Words can’t do it justice. Well, perhaps a proper writer might be able to but not us. Let’s just say it’s a spectacular place and you’ll get to hike your way around mountains, valleys and rivers before we take you back to Jo’burg and say our goodbyes.
What's Included?
- Airport Transfers & Local Transport
- Expert Local Driver
- 12 Nights' Accommodation
- Flight from Cape Town to Johannesburg
- 12 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches & 5 Dinners
- Park Fees, Entrance Fees & Permits
- Cooking classes, food tours, cycle trips, day tours and more!
- International Flights
- Travel Insurance
- Soft Drinks, Alcohol or Drinking Water
- Tips for Guides
- Personal Equipment & Clothing
- Souvenirs
Trip Highlights
Kayak With Penguins: The famous penguins of Boulders Beach will provide the backdrop as you kayak on Cape Town’s Atlantic coast.
Hike the Winelands: You’ll hit the wineries on bike but the highlight of your time in the winelands is a day hiking in the sensational valley surrounding Franschhoek.
Trek to the Top of Table Mountain: We’ll let you catch the cable car down but the best way to get to the top of Table Mountain is with your own two feet! We’ll take you up on a guided hike.
Explore the Drakensberg: Even with all the time in the world you’d be hard-pressed to discover all the nooks, crannies, valleys and peaks of this incredible region!
Daily Itinerary
Howzit and welcome to South Africa! One of our trusty team will be waiting to whisk you back to your city centre accommodation. If your flight gets in in-time then we'll head up to Signal Hill for a drink and some South African snacks so you can get the lay of the land (and sea) as the city sprawls in front of you. The rest of the day and evening is free for you to explore but we'll be sure to give you a few recommendations for great places to eat. Meals Included: None
We hope you've woken up with an appetite as you'll be going on a walking food tour of the city this morning to check out a few of the locals' favourite spots. Save a bit of room though as the walk will finish in the colourful neighbourhood of Bo Kaap where you'll enjoy a lunch of some of the tastiest Cape Malay food you can think of. In the afternoon you can work off some of the eating with a gentle cycle through the suburbs of Seapoint and Greenpoint, ending with a tasty tipple at a local market. Meals Included: Breakfast & Lunch
It's another full day of active exploration today so tuck into a tasty breakfast at your charming guesthouse before setting off in the morning. You'll be heading down the peninsula to check out some of the incredible suburbs that lie to the south of the city centre. The ultimate goal is the Cape of Good Hope National Park where there's opportunity to hike around - just watch out for the baboons and ostrich! The highlight of today though is probably the opportunity to take to the ocean by kayak and spend some time drifting off Boulders Beach with some of the most photogenic penguins you'll ever see. You'll also drive through Kalk Bay, Simonstown and along Chapman's Peak Drive. Meals Included: Breakfast
And relax... Nothing planned for today so you've got the entire day free to explore this incredible city. We could have packed more in but there's plenty of choice on how to spend the day. Perhaps get some culture in with a trip across to Robben Island (be sure to book it well in advance), head over to the Constantia wineries via the Botanical Gardens in Kirstenbosch, have a day at one of the surrounding beaches (Clifton and Camps Bay always a favourite) or find a hike to do (and there's plenty to choose from!). Meals Included: Breakfast
This morning you'll be collected for a trip up Table Mountain. And we're only going to give you a one-way ticket on the cable car as you'll be walking up this iconic mountain. Our guide will be able to point out some of the different spots you've visited over the last few days as you get a great perspective of the city and surrounding area on the way to the top. Once back down, it's a slight change of pace as you get an opportunity to explore the funky suburb of Woodstick on an art and culture tour run by a community project. Meals Included: Breakfast & Lunch
Unfortunately it's time to say goodbye to Cape Town today but we're pretty confident you'll love the next stop on this active adventure across South Africa. Franschhoek is a picture-perfect town nestled in a valley filled with wineries - what's not to love? On the way, you'll peddle your way (we'll be friendly and provide an e-bike!) around some of the wineries around the town of Stellenbosch and sample some of their best produce. Meals Included: Breakfast
You'll be up early for a guided hike that can be completely tailored to how active you want to be (and how much wine you drank the night before...). We love the hiking around Jonkershoek and the routes around the Franschhoek Pass so that's what we'll aim for but you just tell us how long you want to go for a we'll take you to the best spots. Prepare to be amazed by the views. Spend the afternoon and evening relaxing and exploring the town and surrounding wineries. Meals Included: Breakfast
It'll be another early start this morning and a bit of a travel day. It's a relatively short drive to the airport and a couple of hours flight to Jo'burg. It's then a long drive down to the Drakensberg but the scenery will keep on getting better and better. You'll arrive by early evening so settle into your new surroundings - a stunning mountain lodge. Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner
We've designed your time in the Drakensberg to be entirely tailored to each individual traveller. You'll have access to a private guide and you're also free to join in with any of the guided group hikes leaving from the lodge each day. If you've done your research and have got a specific route in mind then let us know otherwise we'll be happy to recommend some based on how you're feeling and what you're up to taking on. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
There is one hike we'd definitely recommend though and that's the famous Tukela Gorge Hike. It's of moderate difficulty and will take around five hours culminating in magnificent views of the Drakensberg Amphitheatre and the Tugela Falls. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Same again today! Let us know what kind of hike you're in the mood for and to echo a famous South African saying, "we'll make a plan". Or, if you're feeling like doing something a bit different then there's plenty of other activities to choose from, including mountain biking, trail running, fishing, horse riding and zip-lining. Or just kick-back, relax and enjoy the views with a good book and a glass (or bottle) of wine. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Unfortunately that's a wrap on your time in the 'Berg. Today youll be driven back to Johannesburg. It's another long drive but you'll be able to break the journey up with some scenic stops along the way before arriving at your accommodation - a relaxing lodge not far from OR Tambo airport. Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner
And that's your time in South Africa come to an end (but we're pretty sure you'll be back...). After breakfast, we'll take you to the airport for your flight home or to your next destination. After such an active couple of weeks, hopefully you'll have no problem falling asleep on the plane home! Meals Included: Breakfast
Where We'll Stay
We’ve carefully selected a range of accommodations for your trip to South Africa. In Cape Town you’ll stay in well-located, safe and characterful local guesthouses that will provide a great base from which to explore.
Heading through to the Winelands you’ll be based in Franschhoek. Think rustic, rural and well setup to relax after long hikes and leisurely trips around the wineries!
For your time in Drakensberg you’ll be based in a stunning property with multiple activities to choose from, views for days and some South African hospitality to enjoy.
Like the sound of this trip, have a question or want to check something before you book? Maybe even have a great idea to customise this itinerary? Get in touch and start your adventure!
Interactive Route Map
Check out the interactive map of this trip below. You can simply zoom in and have a look at the route.
Or, if you’re wanting to get a feel for the route or to dive into the daily details then click on any of the steps and you’ll be redirected to our Polarsteps page.
What is Polarsteps?
We’ve loaded all of our itineraries onto Polarsteps. It’s an app that can help you plan, track and relive your travels. We’ve used it to display our trips in all their glory but anyone can easily create on-the-go mementos of their adventures.
Carbon Emissions
This trip emits approximately 844 kg of carbon per person. This includes emissions from transport, accommodation, food, activities, and the operations behind the scenes to run the trip.
What does this mean?
This is roughly equivalent to driving a typical petrol car about 2,800 miles.
It’s similar to the carbon emissions from heating an average UK home with a gas boiler for about 35 days during winter.
Our Approach
We are committed to offering eco-conscious travel experiences. By participating in this itinerary, you support local communities, contribute to sustainable tourism initiatives, and help preserve Vietnam’s cultural and natural heritage. This carbon estimate helps you understand your travel footprint and consider ways to offset it responsibly.
More Information
What's the fitness level required for this trip?
We grade all of our trips to try and make it easy to understand the fitness levels required. These are broad guidelines however so you’re welcome to chat to us about any specific concerns you might have.
You’ll find more information about these levels here and you can find the difficulty rating for this specific trip at the top of the page.
Is travel insurance mandatory?
Yes, it is. We run adventurous trips and it’s mandatory that you have suitable travel insurance in place to cover overseas medical treatment as well as evacuation or repatriation.
We can’t recommend which provider you use but the main things we’d encourage you to look out for is that you’re fully covered for the activities you’re taking part in (i.e., covers you up to the altitude you’ll be trekking at) and that it covers cancellation in the event that illness or other circumstances prevent you from travelling.
How do I find out which hotels, meals and activities are included?
Unfortunately we can’t provide an exhaustive list of everything included in the ‘What’s Included’ section of this page as we include a whole bunch of stuff on our trips!
If it’s in the itinerary and we’ve not explicitly said that it’s an optional activity, then yes – it’s almost certainly included. If you’re not sure, please ask.
The meals that are included are all listed on the daily itinerary.
For the accommodation, we’ve got a shortlist of properties that we use. You can get a sense of the types of accommodation we use higher up the page in the ‘Where We’ll Stay’ section. We cannot guarantee any specific properties for your trip as it’s based on availability. If you are wanting to specifically request a property then please get in touch as we’re able to customise our trips.
What are your payment terms and is my booking financially protected?
Yes, absolutely. Here’s a link to where you can read more about how we are an ABTOT member and have an ATOL licence and what this means for your financial protection when booking a trip with us.
Deposits vary from destination to destination and from trip to trip. Generally speaking we require a deposit of 25%. This amount may be higher for certain trips where more services that usual need to be booked and paid for in advance (such as gorilla permits in Rwanda). Deposits are non-refundable.
Balance payments are required up to 70 days prior to travel.
If you need to cancel your booking, the following fees will apply based on the time before your scheduled departure:
- Immediate loss of deposit (25% of total cost) upon cancellation.
- 50% of the total cost if cancelled after the balance is paid and up to 45 days before departure.
- 75% of the total cost if cancelled 30 to 45 days before departure.
- 100% of the total cost if cancelled within 30 days of departure.
These fees compensate for expenses and bookings made on your behalf in anticipation of your trip.
Can I customise this trip in any way?
- adding in extra days or cutting out a day here or there;
- squeezing in other destinations or removing them;
- starting or finishing the trip in a different place;
- staying in a hotel or guesthouse that we don’t list as an option.
What if someone under the minimum age wants to travel?
It might not be an issue. Some destinations such as Rwanda have firm rules in place about how old people should be in order to visit the gorillas. In other destinations it’s more of a guideline.
Please do contact us and we’ll be happy to help.
What information will I receive after I book?
After you book, we’ll get to work confirming that the dates you’ve selected are completely available.
There are extremely rare circumstances that may mean we’re unable to confirm your booking. These circumstances are limited to events beyond our control or not being able to secure the services that you wanted to book.
In the extremely rare event that we’re unable to confirm your booking you will be offered an alternative itinerary or a full refund without any fees. Please do not book any non-changeable travel plans until you receive the confirmation from us. This will be within 72 hours.
A detailed Trip Dossier will then be sent to you after you make your booking. It’ll contain all the information you might need to help you pack and get prepared for your trip, including information on visas, vaccinations, packing and training.
We encourage you to refer to the UK Government’s official travel advisory service when planning your trips. You can find the FCDO advice here.
And when you travel, we work closely with local experts to put together the best itineraries. We’ve worked with them exhaustively to provide safe adventures at great value. They know their destination better than we ever could so you’ll be in good hands! You can read a bit more about why we will only ever have locally-led trips here.
How much should I tip in South Africa?
Tips are not included in any of our trips. They are entirely discretionary but in most cases are expected by the teams that will be looking after you. We know it can be daunting to work out exactly what to give so whilst this guideline hopefully helps, please remember that it’s a completely personal choice and you should feel free to tip more or less based on the quality of service that you receive.
Driver-Guide: $20-30 USD per day
Game Drive Guide: $10-15 USD per day
Again, tipping is not compulsory and please only do so if the service you’ve received warrants it. It’s hugely appreciated and a way for the teams looking after you to supplement their income.
And in general, tipping is common-practice in South Africa. Similar to the UK, it’s standard to leave 10-15% for good service when eating in a restaurant or cafe.
Which airport do I need to fly into and out of for my trip to South Africa?
Our trips to South Africa often start and finish in different locations. Please speak with us if you’re unsure or if you’d like help booking your flights (we are ATOL registered).
Cape Town International Airport (CPT) is the most common arrival point for our trips. Johannesburg OR Tambo (JNB) and Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport (PLZ) are the most common finishing points.
It’s possible to book open-jaw tickets (into one destination and out of another) with airlines. This is often cheaper than trying to book two one-way fares and more time-efficient than adding in domestic flights to return to your starting location.
Whether you’d like more information about this itinerary or to customise it to exactly what you want to do, drop us a line and let us know your plans!
