
Tour · 20 nights · with Explore Worldwide
An escorted small-group tour with Explore Worldwide through South Africa’s national parks, Eswatini’s cultural heart, and the winelands and coastline of the Garden Route over 20 nights.
Highlights
Big 5 safari in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park
Stay in beehive huts at Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary
Game drives in Kruger National Park
Hiking and whale watching on the Garden Route
Wine tasting in Stellenbosch
Starting in Johannesburg, this tour heads straight to the Drakensberg Mountains, where ridge-lines famously resemble their ‘Dragon Mountains’ namesake. After walks and mountain views, the group visits the historic Zulu battlefield at Rorke’s Drift, followed by a Big 5 safari in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, known for its dense rhino population.
Journeys
A couple of days in Eswatini provide a chance to meet the Swazi people, stay in distinctive beehive huts at Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, and spot zebra and wildebeest on foot or by bicycle. The journey then enters Kruger National Park, where waterholes attract lions and elephant herds among diverse habitats.
The last week explores South Africa’s famed Garden Route, walking parts of Robberg Nature Reserve and staying near Tsitsikamma and Addo Elephant parks. Vineyard visits around Stellenbosch provide a softer change of pace, while coastal Hermanus offers shore-based whale watching between June and November. The tour alternates wildlife, culture and landscapes with overland drives that don’t shy away from long days on the road.
Itinerary
Johannesburg
Drakensberg Mountains
Rorke's Drift
St Lucia
When to go
Lowest price each month, per person.
Explore Worldwide confirms exact dates, availability and prices when you book.
Need to know
For full details of what’s included, check with Explore Worldwide. See the full details on their site
The operator
Small-group adventures, walking and wildlife
Small groups with local leaders, and a fondness for the places at the end of the road. Trips are graded so you know how active they are.
You book with Explore Worldwide directly. They confirm your place, take payment, and look after you from the moment you leave home; Atlas & Passage’s part ends when you click through.

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Mbabane
Kruger National Park
Cape Town
Stellenbosch
Hermanus
Oudtshoorn
Knysna
Plettenberg Bay
Tsitsikamma National Park
Addo Elephant National Park
These are the places the trip visits, in order. Explore Worldwide publishes the day-by-day itinerary on its own site.