South Africa Luxury Safari & Cape

Arrive at O.R. Tambo International Airport. Connect to a charter flight to Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve — the flight reveals the vast bushveld landscape of Mpumalanga province. Check into Singita Ebony Lodge, where glass-walled suites open onto the Sand River and elephants drink below your deck. Afternoon game drive in open safari vehicles — Sabi Sands' unfenced border with Kruger means Big Five move freely. Dinner at the lodge as hippos grunt in the river.

Sabi Sands has the highest leopard density and best leopard viewing on Earth — your guide has tracked the reserve's resident leopards for years and knows their territories intimately. Dawn drive with coffee and rusks, searching for leopards returning from the night's hunt. Breakfast at the lodge, then a mid-morning walking safari with an armed ranger — tracking rhino spoor through the bush on foot. Afternoon drive targets lion, elephant, and buffalo. Sundowners in the bush as the African sky turns crimson.

Another extraordinary day in the bush. Morning drive focuses on whatever is most active — wild dog packs on the hunt, elephant herds at the river, or the reserve's dominant male lion patrolling his territory. Return for a leisurely brunch and pool time with views of the bush. Optional spa treatment using indigenous botanicals. Afternoon drive pushes into areas not yet explored — Sabi Sands covers 65,000 hectares of prime Big Five territory. Star-lit bush dinner in a dry riverbed, with lanterns marking the path.

Dawn game drive — your last chance for Big Five close encounters. The early morning is magical in Sabi Sands — mist rises from the river, impala graze nervously near a leopard's favourite tree, and hyena cubs play outside their den. Brunch at the lodge, then an afternoon game drive extending into a night drive. Spotlights reveal a hidden world — porcupine, aardvark, civet, bushbaby, and hunting leopards whose eyes glow amber in the beam. Final dinner at Singita celebrating the safari.

Morning flight from Sabi Sands to Cape Town. The transition is dramatic — from wild bush to one of the world's most beautiful cities. Transfer to Ellerman House, a 1912 mansion perched on the cliffs of Bantry Bay with panoramic Atlantic Ocean views and a private contemporary art collection including works by William Kentridge and Irma Stern. Afternoon at leisure — explore the house, swim in the clifftop pool, or stroll to the V&A Waterfront. Welcome dinner at a top Cape Town restaurant.

Full-day private tour of the Cape Peninsula. Drive the scenic Chapman's Peak coastal road, one of the world's most beautiful drives. Visit the Cape of Good Hope — where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet at the southwestern tip of Africa. Meet the African penguin colony at Boulders Beach. Lunch at a harbourside restaurant in Kalk Bay, browsing the antique shops and galleries. Return via Constantia Valley for an estate wine tasting at South Africa's oldest wine region.

Full-day private tour of the Cape Winelands. Begin in Stellenbosch, South Africa's second-oldest town, where oak-lined streets and Cape Dutch architecture frame world-class wine estates. Taste Pinotage, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chenin Blanc at two or three selected estates. Continue to Franschhoek — the 'French Corner' — settled by Huguenot refugees in 1688 and now home to South Africa's culinary capital. Long lunch at a Franschhoek estate with wine pairing. Return to Cape Town through the Helshoogte Pass.

Morning cable car to the summit of Table Mountain — a flat-topped sandstone massif offering 360-degree views of the city, ocean, and Cape Flats. Walk the summit plateau spotting dassies (rock hyraxes) and unique fynbos flora. Descend and explore the colourful Bo-Kaap neighbourhood, Zeitz MOCAA contemporary art museum at the V&A Waterfront, and the Neighbourgoods Market. Evening at leisure for an independent dinner exploration.

A free day to explore Cape Town at your own pace. Optional activities include a helicopter tour over the peninsula, shark cage diving in Gansbaai, a Robben Island ferry tour, or simply lounging at Ellerman House's clifftop pool. Your concierge can arrange any experience at short notice. Farewell dinner at one of Cape Town's top restaurants — La Colombe, The Test Kitchen, or Fyn — celebrating ten extraordinary days.

Final breakfast overlooking the Atlantic. Transfer to Cape Town International Airport for your departure flight. You leave South Africa having experienced both its wild heart — leopards, lions, and elephants in the bush — and its sophisticated soul — wine, art, and ocean. Two sides of one extraordinary country.