South Africa

Cape, Vines & Leopard Country

An 11-day South Africa itinerary: Cape Town, the Winelands and Kruger’s private reserves.

The route Cape Town → Cape Peninsula → Winelands → Sabi Sand Reserve

Day by day

The South Africa safari itinerary, day by day

An 11-day South Africa safari itinerary — Cape Town and the Winelands at a wanderer’s pace, then a light flight north to leopard-rich private reserves on Kruger’s western edge. It is one shape of everything a South Africa safari can include.

Nothing here is fixed — this is the shape we design most often. Tell us what to keep, stretch or swap, and your version arrives priced and complete.

Best time to go

September–November and March–May balance Cape weather with good bush viewing; May–September is peak safari.

US travelers: check current entry requirements for each country on travel.state.gov — we also walk you through visas at booking.

Days 1–3

Cape Town

Table Mountain, the V&A waterfront and Bo-Kaap with a private guide; dinner at the Cape’s best tables.

Day 4

Cape Peninsula

Chapman’s Peak, the penguins of Boulders Beach and the Cape of Good Hope.

Days 5–6

Winelands

Franschhoek and Stellenbosch — cellar tastings, mountain views and long lunches.

Days 7–10

Sabi Sand

Fly to the Sabi Sand, the private reserves that made leopard viewing famous — open-vehicle drives with a dedicated tracker, bush walks and star-lit dinners.

Day 11

Home

Fly out via Johannesburg.

Where you could stay

Camps & lodges we love on this route

Three of the properties we reach for first on this journey — your final camps depend on your dates, style and budget.

V&A Waterfront, Cape Town

All lodging & meals

Every camp night, all meals and house drinks on safari.

Private guide & vehicle

Your own expert guide and 4x4 throughout — never shared.

Fees & flights within Africa

Park fees, light-aircraft hops and meet-and-greet on every leg.

One transparent quote

Priced to your camps, season and style — no set packages, no surprises.

Good to know

Questions about this journey

Cape Town first — city energy, then the bush’s deep exhale, flying home rested. Flight schedules occasionally argue for the reverse; we’ll sequence it around them.

No — the Greater Kruger is a malaria area (low risk in winter). Families who want zero risk swap in Kwandwe or the Waterberg; the itinerary shape survives the swap.

Six nights Cape side (city, peninsula, Winelands) and four in the Sabi Sand is the tested ratio — wine country deserves the unhurried middle.

The practical detail

Who this journey suits

Travelers who want a city, a coastline and the Big Five in one trip, with short flights and no long road days. A strong first Africa journey for those who like good food and wine alongside the wildlife.

Guiding

Guided game drives in the reserve’s open vehicles, shared with a few other guests unless a private vehicle is reserved; private guiding and transfers in Cape Town.

Journey investment

Private, tailor-made journeys on this route typically begin at USD 12,000 per person, based on two travelers sharing. The final figure depends on the season, the camps chosen and the flights involved — we quote one clear price in writing, with no hidden extras.

Typically included

Accommodation throughout on a full-board basis; guiding as described above; park, conservancy and concession fees; internal flights and road transfers along the route; airport meet-and-greet; and direct access to the founders before and during travel.

Typically not included

International flights; visas and travel insurance; gorilla or chimpanzee permits unless stated; premium wines and spirits; spa treatments; gratuities; and personal items such as shopping and laundry where charged.

Every inclusion and exclusion is confirmed in writing in your proposal before you pay anything. Payment and cancellation terms are set out in our terms and conditions.

Make this journey yours.

Tell us when you want to go and how you'd bend this route — a specialist sends back your tailored, fully priced version within days. No pressure, ever.

Most of our travelers arrive the old-fashioned way — sent by someone who just came home.

Plan your safari Schedule a call