What Makes it Special?
- Explore Cape Town, with its beaches, colourful neighbourhoods & world-class restaurants.
- Visit Robben Island with a guide who lived there, for a powerful insight into South African history.
- Drive one of the world’s most scenic drives, Chapman’s Peak and visit the penguins on Boulders Beach.
- Learn about real life in South Africa’s townships & make a difference with a Uthando community visit.
- Sip your way through the Winelands by tram, bike or guided tour.
- Spot lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo on a classic Big-5 safari in the park of your choice.
Your tailor-made holiday will be as unique as you are. These itineraries are just a starting point, a bit of inspiration to show what’s possible. Your own trip all starts with a conversation with one of our South Africa experts, who’ll take the time to understand what matters most to you and design the perfect holiday to match.
If you only have the time to visit three places on your South Africa holiday, they should be Cape Town, the Winelands, and a safari lodge, and we've designed this 11-day adventure to do just that. You'll get a whistle-stop taste of the South African highlights on this trip, but South Africa is a big, amazing country that's packed to the rafters with opportunities for adventure, so we'd hazard a guess that you'll be flying home already craving your return for more.
Cape Town is a world-class city with a real buzz about it. It has top sights, great culture, and seriously delicious food; it should be the cornerstone of any visit to South Africa. Next up, it's time for a wine. You'll head to the beautiful Wineland region to explore the historic vineyards, amble around the quaint towns, stay in some idyllic accommodation and, most importantly, taste some of the world's very best wines. South Africa's wine region is one of the most picturesque parts of the country and boasts some outstanding restaurants as well. It's the perfect spot to unwind for a few days and indulge yourself a little. Last, but absolutely not least, is the ultimate in excitement of any South Africa holiday – a Big-Five safari. You'll drop your hire car at Cape Town airport and hop on a domestic flight to the safari destination of your choice. The Eastern Cape, Kruger National Park and Madikwe are all easily reachable within a day, and we'll be sure to help you choose the very best safari spot for you.
12 hours from London
When to go
- All year round
Average temperature
- 14-25°C
Average rainfall
- 45mm/month
Itinerary at a Glance
Day by Day
Here's a summary of what you might get up to day-to-day on this South Africa holiday. As always, this is just an idea. Every single day of your trip will be tailored to suit you.
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The first part of your South Africa adventure is an overnight flight to Cape Town. You'll arrive the next morning, ready to hit the ground running and squeeze the most out of your 11-day South Africa holiday.
Welcome to Cape Town! After touchdown, you'll collect your hire car or be met by one of our friendly local team on the ground and driven to your hotel in the city. Cape Town has such an impressive array of hotel options, there really is something to suit everyone. Whether you'd prefer a grand, luxurious hotel or a small, characterful guesthouse run by a local family, we'll make sure your four nights in Cape Town are spent in the best place for you.
There's an endless list of things you could do to fill your day in Cape Town today. From heading up to take in the views from the top of Table Mountain, to walking in the footsteps of Nelson Mandela on Robben Island (two of our favourite highlights!) and everything in between. Cape Town is known as one of the foodie capitals of the world, thanks to the many phenomenal restaurants that have popped up over the years. We love a good meal here at HA, so rest assured we'll be ready and raring to make some top dinner recommendations for you.
Today you'll be driving down to the Cape Peninsula. This beautiful region just south of Cape Town is packed full of undiscovered corners and secluded beaches. There are so many highlights worthy of pulling the car over, from the lighthouse at Cape Point and the penguins of Boulder's Beach, to the staggering beauty that lingers around every corner of the famous Chapman's Peak Drive.
For us, travel is all about people. When we travel, we believe it's so important to make connections, learn about life and experience the reality of the destinations you visit. So, one of our favourite things to do in and around Cape Town is visiting Uthando and one of the many community projects they're a part of. Uthando work closely with the townships and the people who live there, helping to improve their lives in many ways. You'll leave with a greater understanding of life in the townships, and knowing that your visit has directly supported those who need it.
The next few days are all about rest, relaxation and some serious indulgence. The Winelands region is one of the most beautiful spots in South Africa, with the quaint towns of Franschhoek and Stellenbosch boasting so many top restaurants, independent cafes and shops to browse. We can't not mention the pièce de résistance though... the wine. The whole region is peppered with stunning wine estates, where the landscapes are as beautiful as the wine is delicious. There are so many different ways to explore, by bike, wine tram, on foot or with your very own wine buff, Pietman Retief. We'll design your perfect two days of R&R in South Africa's wine region.
Today, you'll head back to Cape Town, drop your car and hop on a flight to the safari destination of your choice. Whether you choose a safari adventure on the Eastern Cape, Madikwe, or the iconic Kruger National Park, you'll be treated to plenty of close encounters with Africa's big game over the days ahead. Of course, we're here to help you figure out where the best safari destination would be for you. Kruger is a favourite for a reason, but the Eastern Cape has the added benefit of being malaria-free, so great for families.
Everyone should experience the magic of safari at least once in their lives. Few feelings come close to that moment when a baby elephant and her mum cross your path, or you spot a pride of lions bathing in the sunshine. We love every single element of a South Africa holiday, but your time on safari really will be hard to beat. Whichever national park you choose to visit, we'll make sure you're staying in a lodge that's perfect for you. Whether you want an off-the-beaten-track adventure complete with walking safaris and nights under canvas, a slice of luxury in the African bush or the romance of dining out under the stars, your last few days will be unforgettable.
Sadly, it's time to leave the Rainbow Nation. You'll head back to Johannesburg airport to begin your journey home.
Places you'll visit
We have hundreds of partner hotels across the world, with our tailor made trips you can pick from our range of beautiful hotels
What You're Saying
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Our recent family holiday to South Africa, expertly organised with the assistance of Holiday Architects, was an unforgettable experience. The journey exceeded all expectations, offering phenomenal moments from start to finish. The service provided by their team was exceptional, with a special mention to Catherine, who was absolutely outstanding. I wholeheartedly recommend Holiday Architects to anyone looking for a meticulously planned and extraordinary travel experience. Their team’s expertise and commitment to excellence truly set them apart.
Gurkirat Sidhu
Trustpilot
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Excellent company to deal with. Lisa Dyboll pulled together an exceptional South African itinerary for us and was available to us throughout our trip. We had one tiny issue and she dealt with it swiftly and effectively. Lisa totally understood our requirements and put together a perfect trip. I would highly recommend Holiday Architects and we will certainly use them for future trips and a special mention for Lisa Dyboll who has incredible knowledge of South Africa.
Sue Atherton
Trustpilot
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We had a wonderful 2-week trip to South Africa organised by Kirsty from Holiday Architects. Everything was perfect: the fact that she listened to our vague ideas of what we wanted to do and then came back with very thoughtful suggestions. We followed her guidance and could not have been more delighted with our experience! It was all very personal and the attention to detail was excellent - from pre-trip briefings to a lovely welcome back phone call seeking feedback. The accommodation throughout our road trip was top quality and the suggested activities were brilliant. We would definitely recommend!
Ange
Trustpilot
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We had a fabulous holiday in South Africa. Catherine at Holiday Architects really listened to what we wanted to achieve in our 10 days there and planned an itinerary that was pitched perfectly for us. The hotel in Cape Town, Bed and Breakfast in Franschoek and the lodge in Amakhala were all extremely comfortable and the transfers between the three and the airports were like clockwork. We were provided with links and information to book tours and trips while we were there. We will definitely be using Holiday Architects again, the only problem will be picking the destination as there are many exciting trips to chose from!
Mrs Helen Watts
Trustpilot
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We have just returned from a 6 week epic adventure in South Africa and Mozambique , put together by Lisa Dyboll at Holiday Architects . She put up with my endless changes and requests and the end result was outstanding . To have a company take such time in ensuring we got exactly the trip with the right balances of budget and experience was amazing. Lisa gave us excellent advice and steered us away from potentially stupid ideas! We will absolutely use them again as their expert knowledge and service was invaluable.
Rona Hulbert
Trustpilot
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The most amazing and memorable trip to South Africa. Catherine organised the perfect itinerary for us, listening to our requirements and booking accommodation which completely suited our needs. The attention to detail from initial phone call with Catherine, to the final documents listing detailed driving instructions, restaurant recommendations, excursion recommendations etc etc was first rate. We had an issue with the hire car on day 2, this proved no problem at all and Catherine arranged (with local ground team) to replace the car first thing the following morning. This was our second trip with Holiday Architects and I look forward to booking our third trip sometime soon!
LennonJ
Trustpilot
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Kirsty @ Holiday Architects helped us to plan an amazing trip to Kwazulu-Natal in South Africa. We'd found the area we wanted to visit but were uncertain about the self-drive suitability but Kirsty was able to give first hand insight and experience of the area and many of the places we ended up visiting which was invaluable, giving us a really good balance of mountains, safari, lakes & coast that suited us perfectly. Everything went very smoothly - we would absolutely use Holiday Architects again.
Nick Trowell
Trustpilot
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Top marks go to Lisa who arranged our holiday to Cape Town and the Garden Route. All the places we stayed were amazing and the driving directions were perfect. I would definitely recommend this company to anyone who wants a great holiday.
Richard
Trustpilot
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We used Holiday Architects to book our honeymoon to South Africa last May. We honestly couldn't recommend them enough. Kirsty was so knowledgeable and helpful. She listened to exactly what we wanted and planned the perfect itinerary for us. Kirsty planned everything - flights, accommodation, draft excursions, restaurants and tips & advice. Kirsty is a regular visitor to SA and so her recommendations were personal and well-thought out which we really appreciated. We would definitely use the company again and would recommend them to anyone. Holiday of a lifetime thanks to Kirsty!!
Jemma Coulter
Trustpilot
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Holiday Gallery
Meet our South Africa experts
We offer tailor-made holidays to suit a wide range of tastes. Our experts Catherine, Kirsty, Lisa and Paul are dedicated to all things South Africa and are here to help you plan your perfect trip.
Catherine Williams
Destination Manager
Catherine fell for Africa in 2000 and has been back countless times ever since. With South Africa being one of her favourite spots, she’s your go-to for everything from self-drives to safaris, hikes and vineyards.
Kirsty Leggate
Destination Manager
With family living just outside Kruger National Park, Kirsty’s been travelling to South Africa for more than 20 years. From solo trips to family adventures, she knows the country inside out, and always finds new reasons to return.
Lisa Dyboll
Destination Manager
Our resident South African, our Lisa really has spent a lifetime exploring the country. Especially fond of Kruger, coastal drives and any excuse for a well-earned sundowner with a view, she brings real passion and knowledge to every holiday she plans.
Paul Turner
Destination Manager
It's the sheer variety that first enticed Paul to South Africa. The wine, the landscapes, the wildlife. He's full of ideas for how to pair the highlights with the lesser-known corners to make your South Africa holiday extra special.
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