Embark on an unforgettable 9-night solo safari, combining the best of South Africa and the iconic Victoria Falls. This tour offers incredible savings on accommodation, with the single supplement waived by three properties. Our guests love this itinerary because it allows them to witness over 30 years of conservation efforts by and beyond at Phinda Private Game Reserve, benefiting Zulu communities, wildlife, and the environment.
Your adventure begins at Phinda Private Reserve, home to Africa’s Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino). Enjoy exclusive game viewing in this spectacular wilderness setting, where 436 bird species also thrive.
Next, explore Cape Town—the rainbow nation in all its glory. From beautiful Cape Dutch homesteads to traditional dancers with painted faces performing on the streets, you’ll experience the rich cultural tapestry. Don’t miss Table Mountain, accessible by cable car or challenging hiking routes, and the stunning Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.
Finally, discover one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the World’: Victoria Falls. Known as ‘The Smoke that Thunders,’ spend your last three days exploring this majestic natural wonder.
Take this extraordinary journey and immerse yourself in the beauty of Southern Africa!
You will be met on arrival by our representative and assisted with connecting on your scheduled domestic flight to Richards Bay Airport where the lodge driver will be in attendance to transfer you together with fellow guests to Phinda Game Reserve.
Once at the lodge, enjoy a refreshing drink while completing check-in procedures. Settle into your chalet with all the luxury amenities that this brand is known for. Depending on your arrival time enjoy lunch or afternoon tea.
Your accommodation for the following 3 nights is either at Phinda Mountain or Forest lodge, the choice is yours.
The reserve is renowned for hosting some of the continent’s finest game-viewing experiences and profound wide-ranging conservation initiatives.
Around 15h30, gather for a decadent high tea during which you will be introduced to your ranger who will share great pointers on how to spot the wild animals in the bush. After your briefing, Board on the lodge’s luxury 4×4 Open Landcruiser before setting off on your first safari drive in the private game reserve where you will not any other outside game vehicle giving you the exclusivity of an impressive 29 866 hectares (73 800 acres) of protected wildlife land to explore on 4×4 game vehicles or by foot on bush walks.
The absence of windows on the game vehicle and the elevated vantage position allows for excellent photographic opportunities. You will have an amazing chance not only to view the game but also to listen to and smell the African bush and its denizens.
While on Game Drive, you will stop for Sundowners at a magnificent location and toast the splendour of Africa as you watch the sunset. As darkness falls, nocturnal animals of the bush get excited as they celebrate “their dawn” and come out. Your skilled tracker will scan the landscape using a spotlight, which illuminates animals’ eyes. A variety of completely different species can be seen on the night drive back to the lodge. Arrival at the lodge is usually around 7 pm, allowing time to freshen up before enjoying dinner around a campfire with the sounds of the crackling fire and night noises discussing the afternoon highlights.
Room Type: Suite
Meal Type: Fully Inclusive (All meals, two game drives, and guided bush walk per day, local soft drinks, house wines, and beers are included)
With its seven distinct habitats, Phinda is often described as the ‘Seven Worlds of Wonder’, a magnificent tapestry of woodland, grassland, wetland, and forest, interspersed with mountain ranges, rivers, marshes, and pans. Home to 1 000 hectares (2471 acres) of Africa’s remaining rare dry sand forest, the reserve is situated in close proximity to the unspoiled beaches and spectacular coral reefs of the Indian Ocean, offering an unmatched combination of bush and beach adventures.
During your stay, you will experience exciting twice daily day and night game drives, where each safari offers an iconic set of wildlife and some of KwaZulu-Natal’s endemic species, which you won’t encounter anywhere else in South Africa.
Be captivated by incredible days filled with exciting activities (some of which are at an additional cost). A range of &BEYOND Phinda Adventure options includes black rhino tracking on foot, a Zulu Village Tour, or turtle nesting trips (in season).
Other optional adventures include an ocean safari and a trip to nearby Sodwana Bay beach.
In between Game drives, guests are encouraged to take part in walking safaris which will provide them with an opportunity to experience the beauty and fascination of Africa’s flora and fauna.
Strap on your walking shoes for a Specialist Walking Safari or if booked ahead and also at an additional cost, experience a pangolin conservation activity, or even a life-changing elephant or rhino conservation activity.
16h00: A high tea is served on the open plan deck before leaving for another game drive. Enjoy this tea whilst watching zebra, and kudu … around the lodge. Satisfied, guests leave the tea table and board the Land Rover for the sunset game drive/evening drive. Driving through the bush at night in search of nocturnal predators, eyes are captured by the tracker’s spotlight as he scans the bush. A leopard, a herd of impala, a wary hyena… the element of surprise is always there. Every sound and every movement captures one’s attention. The bush at night has a life of its own.
Back again at the lodge after an exhilarating afternoon of unforgettable bush life. Get ready for dinner and time to share tales around the campfire and make new friends. After another evening under the African stars enjoys your last night in the wild.
Room Type: Suite
Meal Type: Fully Inclusive (All meals, two game drives, and guided bush walk per day, local soft drinks, house wines, and beers are included)
After your morning game drive and breakfast, you will be driven to &Beyond Phinda Airstrip for your scheduled domestic flight to Cape Town.
On arrival at Cape Town International Airport, you will be met by our representative and transferred to The Winchester Boutique Hotel, your base from which to explore the beautiful Cape Town.
The Winchester Boutique hotel is a 4-star accommodation in Sea Point Cape Town. It has a combination of a spectacular location overlooking the sea and fantastic service which make this an excellent hotel. The Sea Point Promenade invites guests to enjoy a stroll along the coastline that is located right in front of the hotel.
The Winchester Boutique Hotel stands out with bold appeal on the edge of the ever-vibrant Sea Point Promenade. The splendour of this 1920s Cape Dutch-style icon is rivalled only by the views of Table Mountain and the Atlantic Ocean that frame the establishment.
Guests at The Winchester Boutique Hotel are spoiled with delicious food from the in-house Harveys Restaurant which serves gourmet diners a delightful taste of traditional Cape cuisine. The beautiful colonnaded Courtyard at the hotel is reminiscent of a welcoming Italian piazza.
The rest of the afternoon is at leisure to get ready for your first Cape Town activity tomorrow.
Room Type: Junior Sea Suite
Meal Type: Bed and Breakfast
This morning after breakfast at the hotel, you will be picked up for your scheduled half-day city and Table Mountain tour. To get a feel of the thriving center of Mother City, sheltered by Table Mountain, the Cape Town city tour is not to be missed.
Enjoy the incredible views from atop Table Mountain, and after descending, we take a scenic coastal drive through Camps Bay, Clifton, and Sea Point. We drive past the Cape Town Stadium and through the V&A Waterfront to the city center where we visit Green Market Square. We’ll stretch our legs with a walk through the Company Gardens.
Step out onto the flora and fynbos-framed trails to explore our staggeringly beautiful setting, with iridescent sunsets that are known as the best in Cape Town. Our complimentary shuttle service to Camps Bay and V&A Wate
The tour continues with a drive past the Houses of Parliament, the City Hall, The Castle, and the Slave Lodge, before entering the “Bo Kaap”, also known as the Malay quarter. Learn about the history of this area of brightly painted houses and quaint cobbled streets. We finish with a dazzling diamond tour before returning to your hotel.
The rest of the afternoon is at leisure. In the Afternoon you may embark on a Robben Island Tour to see the cell where the South African prisoner icon, Nelson Mandela spent 27 Years incarcerated. The boat cruise departs from the Waterfront.
The following day you will head out on a scheduled full-day Cape peninsula tour, which takes you to Cape Point along the scenic Atlantic seaboard coastal road. We will pass the pristine beaches of Clifton and Camps Bay and the formidable 12 Apostles Peaks. We make our way to Hout Bay, over Chapman’s Peak, which offers amazing photo opportunities, and onto the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. This area is home to magnificent ‘fynbos’, many different species of antelope and birds, the Cape Mountain Zebra, and mischievous baboons.
We then visit Boulders Beach to see the African penguins, before arriving at the naval base of Simonstown, and then to our last stop of the day at the simply stunning Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Take the time to browse this spectacular Garden, showcasing a treasure of indigenous South African plants.
On Day 7, you will head out on a full-day Cape Winelands tour, packed with wine tastings, Cheese & Chocolate pairing, a cellar tour, and more. We will start by visiting Franschhoek, one of the most beautiful wine villages in the world which stands out as the premier wine and food region of South Africa. On the way there you will stop for a photo opportunity at the Groot Drakenstein Prison where Nelson Mandela was released in February 1990.
Visit the village of Franschhoek and see the Huguenot monument.
Wine tasting in Franschhoek – free time in the village for lunch at one of the wines Estates (own account)
Then visit Stellenbosch known for its restored Cape Dutch architecture dating from the 18th and 19th centuries and for its streets lined with majestic oaks. Walk through the historical town of Stellenbosch.
Enjoy more wine tasting in the area.
Return to Cape in the late afternoon.
Room Type: Junior Sea Suite
Meal Type: Bed and Breakfast
After a leisurely breakfast at your hotel followed by check-out procedures, it is time to wave goodbye to Table Mountain as you are transferred to Cape Town Airport for your scheduled domestic flight to Victoria Falls Airport.
You will be met on arrival by our representative and transferred to The Stanley & Livingstone Boutique Hotel, 5-star luxury accommodation located in the private, wildlife-rich Victoria Falls Game Reserve, close to the mighty waterworks.
The hotel comprises 16 luxury Suites and welcomes guests to pause on a spectacular Southern African itinerary. Our Suites are set apart in tranquil gardens and fronted by furnished terraces. Each is private and elegantly appointed, no one better than the last, with a fresh approach to colonial style that encourages you to make yourself at home. Two sets of Suites are inter-leading, and each set includes a triple Suite.
Victoria Falls International Airport is just a 20-minute drive from the hotel and the Official Natural Wonder of the World Victoria Falls is a mere 15-minute drive away on the hotel’s free shuttle.
This afternoon you will be picked up for your scheduled sunset cruise along the mighty Zambezi River. On this cruise, you will sail up the mighty Zambezi River as the sun goes down, so you can immerse yourself in the natural delights of the golden Zimbabwean sunset. It is a superb way to relax and enjoy the spectacular beauty of the river and offers great photo opportunities against often-spectacular African sunsets. Flocks of birds skim the waterline as the sun sets behind the African skyline. Expect to see a variety of games such as hippo, crocodile, and elephant as well as many different bird species.
The Sunset Cruise is very popular and includes finger snacks, beer, wine, local spirits, and soft drinks.
Transfer back to your lodge after the Sunset Zambezi River Cruise.
Enjoy Dinner at your own account at the lodge.
Room Type: Suite
Meal Type: Bed and Breakfast, scheduled, shared Victoria Falls town transfers, 15% VAT, 2% Government Levy, Emergency Medical Evacuation, Wi-Fi, Mack & Madi Kids’ Adventure Explorers experiences.
This morning after breakfast, get ready for your scheduled guided tour of Victoria Falls.
Victoria Falls is one of the most compelling sites in the world. The cascading column of sheer energy powers its way down a 100-meter chasm, taking your breath away as you gaze in awe, mesmerized by its strength and incredible beauty.
The rest of your stay in Victoria Falls is at leisure, giving you the freedom to partake in the many activities on offer in “Africa’s adventure capital”.
Watch the watering hole for passing creatures, or ask the concierge to arrange a game drive, bushwalk, or horse ride: alongside the rhinos, elephants, zebra, springbok, kudu, giraffes and varied flocks of birds go about their business over the 6,000 acres of savannah and bushland in the Victoria Falls Private Game Reserve. The star spot is the endangered black rhino, who thrives here as a result of a successful conservation campaign; you can spy this portly fellow on a special game drive with a guide schooled in rhino facts.
Room Type: Suite
Meal Type: Bed and Breakfast, scheduled, shared Victoria Falls town transfers, 15% VAT, 2% Government Levy, Emergency Medical Evacuation, Wi-Fi, Mack & Madi Kids’ Adventure Explorers experience.
This morning your luxury Solo safari comes to an end. After a leisurely breakfast followed by check-out procedures, you will be transferred to Livingstone or Victoria Falls Airport for your flight to Johannesburg from where you will connect for your flight back home.
