DAY ONE

DEPARTURE

After a snowy journey to London, I arrived at Heathrow Terminal 3. I met the rest of the group, all ready for South Africa. We were met by Rachel and Jack from Travelsphere, who work within their trade team. We flew out with Virgin Atlantic, and after a super quick check-in and boarding, our flight started smoothly. With no delays, we landed 11 hours later in beautiful Cape Town.

DAY TWO

TABLE MOUNTAIN

As soon as we landed, our knowledgeable South African tour guides, Daryl and Simone, greeted us. We headed straight to Table Mountain, one of the world's seven natural wonders, taking advantage of the clear weather for breathtaking views. The cable car ride to the top was a unique experience, with its slowly rotating floor offering panoramic sights.

After soaking in the incredible scenery, we drove to Nikkei for lunch, a Japanese-Peruvian fusion restaurant where we enjoyed a variety of dishes, from sushi rolls to beef ragu.

Later, we checked into the Anew Green Point Hotel in Cape Town. It features spacious rooms, a rooftop pool, and a gym, perfectly located just 10 minutes from the V&A Waterfront.

Our evening took us to Gold, a traditional African restaurant offering a 15-course meal of small, flavourful portions, including ostrich fillet and peri-peri chicken wings. The immersive experience included drumming, face painting, and vibrant performances that brought everyone together in celebration. 

DAY THREE

BOULDERS BEACH

We started our day with the Cape Peninsula Tour at 8 am, with stunning views at Chapman's Peak lookout. From there, we explored the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, stopping at the most southwestern point of Africa for breathtaking beach views. Next, we went to the Cape Point Lighthouse, a steep 20-minute walk to the top. If the funicular is running, I'd recommend taking it up to save time and energy for those incredible views!

My tour highlight was Boulders Beach, where we watched penguins fishing and interacting up close; it was truly unforgettable!

We headed for lunch to Live Bait in Kalk Bay, a charming seaside village. The fresh seafood and ocean views were fantastic. If you're on a tight schedule, the guide may offer a "grab-and-go" lunch so you can spend more time at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.

In the evening, we explored the lively V&A Waterfront, which was filled with street entertainment, shops, and amazing harbour views. We dined at Quay Four, a versatile restaurant with great service and an elegant vibe. Later, we discovered the Irish Bars, which had a fantastic, inclusive atmosphere, perfect for all ages to enjoy.

DAY FOUR

WINELANDS AND SPICE ROUTE

Today, we travelled to the Winelands, a favourite for many on the trip. We started a drive through Stellenbosch, an extremely beautiful town, home to one of the highest-achieving universities on par with Oxford and Cambridge. We then went to the first wine tasting at a winery called "Rickety Bridge"; we sat around two tables and tasted two whites, one rose, and two reds paired with a cheese, cracker and fruit platter on the table for everyone to enjoy. The staff were very informative about how the wine is created and why each tastes different; everyone enjoyed their wine so much that we all bought a bottle (or two) to bring home. 

Next, we travelled along the Spice route; this experience was different from the last as we did the wine tasting with a different meat that matched each one, leading to beer and gin tasting. It was nice having a split between the wine. Similarly, the staff here were just as informative. I preferred the wine tasting at Rickety Bridge as it was more of a relaxed experience, and you could chat while tasting. In contrast, the spice route felt a bit more formal. After a fully packed day, we returned to the hotel for a buffet meal and packed before leaving for Kruger.

DAY FIVE

KRUGER

We had an early start to the day, flying from Cape Town to Kruger and sadly saying goodbye to our guide Simone; Darly stayed with us throughout. Once we landed, we transferred to our home for the next 4 days, Muluwa Lodge, located in the Likweti resort, home to another lodge, Ndhula Lodge, generally used on the tours. 

We did a site visit, and this lodge felt more upmarket. Our lodge was outstanding; we all had a private luxury tent with some of the most amazing views of the land; there were even some Impalas and Zebras roaming around the open area. Then, onto the first game drive of the trip, a 2-hour night drive. The weather wasn't on our side. However, we managed to see one of the big 5, Buffalos, and many other animals such as Zebras, Impalas, Hippopotamus, and even a crocodile, which made everyone even more excited for the next safari.

DAY SIX

PANORAMA ROUTE

Today, we began with the Panorama route, a circuit of mostly natural attractions and amazing views. Our first stop was God's window, aptly named for being high in the clouds. Unfortunately, it was extremely cloudy on the day we went, so the views were muted.

We then drove past the Three Rondavels, natural rock formations on the edge of Blyde River Canyon. Once again, the views were incredible! We stopped at a viewing point for some well-needed photos. Then, we walked around the 3rd largest Gauge in the world. Some of us decided to do the zip wire across the Gauge, which was a fantastic experience.

We returned to the lodge for a quick dip in the pool before dinner at the hotel and an early night for the game drive tomorrow. 

DAY SEVEN

GOOD WILL FOUNDATION

We had a 4 am Wake-up call today for our first-day Game drive. We entered Kruger at a different gate today to try and catch the rest of the Big Five. This was the most amazing experience ever!

We saw Zebras, Lions, Giraffes, Elephants and so much more! We had an open-sided vehicle, which usually seats nine people; however, we had six people in each car, giving everyone a window to look out for the animals. The highlight of the drive was watching the Lions have their breakfast. 

One of the best things is that the guides have radios, so if someone spots an animal, they have codes to know where to drive. 

After this, we visited the Good Will Foundation, a charity Travelsphere and You work with. The one we visited was almost like a school setting, in which children up into adulthood come in and learn IT skills and job skills in industries that will most likely need people, i.e., housekeeping, baristas, etc. This is a great thing as there aren't a lot of jobs in South Africa, so this is giving them a head start on grabbing the jobs that do come about. 

We then went back to the lodge for a sunset drink and dinner. 

DAY EIGHT

LAST DAY

Once again, it is an early start for a full-day safari. We had the same driver as the day before, and we were all so pleased about him as he was very knowledgeable. We managed to see all the animals again; however, out of the big 5, we didn't see any rhinos.

We had lunch in the park today, which was great as we didn't need to leave and re-enter, wasting time that could be spent searching for Rhinos.

We ended our last evening with a boma meal in the hotel: a barbecue with traditional food.

The next day, we left the lodge and travelled to Johannesburg airport to catch our flight home to Heathrow. On the way, we stopped for lunch and luckily saw some rhinos! They were in a protective area, and their horns were removed, so they weren't a target for any poachers. This was an amazing end to our trip.