I have often been told that South Africa is the perfect introduction to African travel — not only does it offer excellent safari opportunities, but it’s also home to the iconic city of Cape Town, world-class wine country and plenty of other diverse offerings.
So, as a first-time visitor to not only the country, but also the continent, I jumped at the chance to experience Exoticca’s Cape & Kruger Explorer tour. The 11-day itinerary features eight nights spent in destination (the rest are spent in transit), including one in Johannesburg, three near Kruger National Park and four in Cape Town. With this spread, I knew I would be well positioned to hit all the major highlights on my to-do list.
Off on Safari
Though travelers arrive in Johannesburg, clients should know that they may not actually see the city; my direct flight from Atlanta landed after dark, so I merely overnighted there.
Our group’s transfer set out early the next morning for the Mpumalanga province, which would be our base of operations for exploring Kruger National Park, one of Africa’s most famous wildlife reserves. The drive takes most of the day, but intentionally so — not only did we stop for a local lunch in the charming town of Dullstroom, but we also took in the scenic Panorama Route, making stops to see the natural wonders of Blyde River Canyon and the Three Rondavels, a real geological stunner.
After an evening at our lodge, 4x4 safari vehicles met my group the next morning at the crack of dawn. From this area near the small town of White River, it takes an hour or more to get to Kruger National Park, but the in-park experience is so worth the early start.
Ndhula Luxury Tented Lodge is one of the hotel options on the luxury version of the itinerary.
Credit: 2023 Ndhula Luxury Tented LodgeOur guide explained that because Kruger has had roads and vehicles for decades, the resident animals are accustomed to cars and don’t get scared off easily — a special perk of game drives in this park that was on full display for my visit. Over the next two days, I saw more wildlife than I had dared to hope for, from elephants and zebras to giraffes, wildebeest, Cape buffalo, lions, hippos, hyenas, warthogs and so much more. To my absolute delight, a few extra-special sightings occurred on the second day, including a leopard, three cheetahs (a rarity), a rhino with her baby and a pack of wild dogs, one of the world’s most endangered mammals.
While one full-day safari is included in the itinerary, a second can be added for an additional fee, and I would highly recommend that clients do so. Given that Kruger spans 7,523 square miles, our guide insisted we would need 10 days to do it justice, and sightings can vary significantly from day to day.
In and Around Cape Town
Coming off my safari high, it was hard to imagine the rest of the trip would live up to Kruger. But, after a drive back to Johannesburg (with a short stop in the capital city of Pretoria) and a quick flight to Cape Town, I found so much more to love.
Included on the first day here is a hop-on, hop-off city bus ticket, allowing travelers to easily get a feel for Cape Town. For me, that meant taking the cable car to the top of Table Mountain, enjoying a scenic drive along the gorgeous coastline and sampling wine at two expansive wine estates — all accessed via the bus lines.
Cape Town’s Beau Constantia winery offers stunning views.
Credit: 2023 Beau ConstantiaHow travelers choose to spend their next two days is up to them, thanks to built-in free time. But if they’re anything like me, they’ll want to take full advantage of the diverse attractions around Cape Town.
On Exoticca’s full-day Wine Route Excursion (an optional itinerary add-on), for instance, I visited the Stellenbosch region, stopping for a wine-and-cheese pairing at Fairview — a charming winery and working farm — before hitting Lanzerac for a stellar lunch paired with (what else?) more wine.
And naturally, I could not leave South Africa without seeing its famed penguin colony. To visit these adorable creatures at their beachy home, I suggest adding Exoticca’s full-day Cape Peninsula excursion. During a stop at the colony, I took my time meandering along raised boardwalks built for up-close (yet non-invasive) penguin viewing. The daytrip also includes Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve — the scenic, most southwestern point of the African continent.
Travelers can see penguins not far from Cape Town.
Credit: 2023 Uryadnikov Sergey/stock.adobe.comClients interested in these and other experiences can consider adding either the Gastronomic Package of four excursions (including the Cape Winelands daytrip; an African meal and cultural drumming experience at the very cool Gold Restaurant in Cape Town; and more) or the Adventure Package of three excursions (with an extra Kruger game drive, a shark cage-diving experience and a quad bike activity) to their itinerary.
With all these ways to tailor an Exoticca trip, clients can easily find what speaks to them in South Africa — or they can take a page out of my book, and try a little bit of everything.
Booking With Exoticca
Travel advisors should note that Exoticca’s itineraries are pre-set and cannot be changed, though many can be booked in a variety of categories, with corresponding rates and accommodations. The Cape & Kruger Explorer, for instance, starts at “Charm” (Exoticca’s base level) and goes up to “Superior” and “Luxury.”
Within each category are a few accommodation options that meet the company’s standards for the ranking. Advisors and travelers don’t necessarily know which properties will be assigned to a particular departure at the time of booking; this information is available about one month before the trip, according to the brand.
My luxury-level departure, for one, featured stays at Sandton Sun in Johannesburg; Ndhula Luxury Tented Lodge near Kruger (the only tented lodge among the offerings for this trip); and a residential-style apartment at Cape Town’s Romney Park, though clients can wind up at a number of other similarly ranked hotels.
Some trips, including this one, can also be privatized.
“The Exoticca experience was pretty seamless from start to finish,” said Lori Foster, a luxury travel advisor with Dream Vacations, who traveled on my fam trip. “I liked how it was a basic itinerary that you could customize for your perfect trip. You weren’t with a large group in a motorcoach where everyone does the same thing every day.”
Exoticca itineraries are also noteworthy for their value — the Cape & Kruger Explorer, for example, starts at $1,799 per person, including flights, accommodations, transfers, select activities and some meals.
Foster added that the pricing model is attractive because “you can add on as much or as little as you like to make it a more customized trip.”
