South Africa Whale Watching Tour and African Safari

What to expect on this itinerary
Relish the rich natural beauty and diversity that South Africa has to offer, and enjoy the finest marine viewing experiences on this 13-day vacation . Get up-close-and-personal to marine mammals in their natural environment – experience the thrill of watching humpback whales lobtailing, southern right whales breaching, dolphins jumping and seals playing, and be awed by great-white sharks. Then shift your search from the sea to the land and scout the African bush for the Big Five – this vacation is packed with wildlife viewing for your enjoyment.
Customizable Itinerary
Cape Town – Arrive in South Africa
Today, you arrive in Cape Town - world renowned for award-winning wines and spectacular natural beauty. Collect your rental vehicle from Cape Town International Airport and begin exploring the breath-taking views across False Bay. Travel onto Simon’s Town and the lodge where you’ll be spending the night. The lodge is ideally positioned near Boulders Beach – home to approximately 2,000 African Penguins.
What's Included:
Cape Town – Explore the City, Table Mountain, Township Tour, Walk with Baboons
Cape Town – Cape Peninsula Guided Tour
Hermanus – En route to discover whales
Hermanus – Dyer Island Cruise
Oudtshoorn – Exploring Cango Caves
Plettenberg Bay – Breath-taking Outeniqua Pass
Plettenberg Bay – Garden Route exploration
Plettenberg Bay – Bungee Jump or Canopy Tour
Port Elizabeth – Calabash Township Tour
Amakhala Game Reserve – Discover the Big 5
Amakhala Game Reserve – Walk through the African bush
Port Elizabeth – Depart Home
Trip Highlights
- Come face-to-face with Africa’s Big Five at Amakhala Game Reserve
- Search for the Marine Big Five - namely: whales, sharks, seals, dolphins and penguins
- See as many as three different whale species
- Interact with, and ride, the world’s largest bird – the ostrich
- Relish a once-in-a lifetime opportunity to ‘walk with baboons’
- Discover the underground wonders of the Cango Caves - Africa’s largest show cave system
- Cultural tour: meet local South Africans first-hand by taking a township tour
- Leap off the highest commercial bungee jump in the world (optional) - a plunge that Prince Harry took while in South Africa
- Appreciate that on your vacation you’ll use companies recognized by the Fair Trade Tourism organization for their commitment to ethical, social and environmental processes and the promotion of responsible tourism
Starting Price
$15,900 per person (excluding international flights)
What's Included
- Accommodations
- In-country transportation
- Some or all activities and tours
- Expert trip planning
- 24x7 support during your trip
Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.
Verified Traveler Reviews
Based on 1120 reviews
Wow, I ran out of superlatives–fantastic, awesome, amazing. Everything was well organized and the recommended accommodations were all top-notch. The guides were so expert in their field. Every activity was well worth the time. Every meal was delicious.
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Our first trip to southern Africa was amazing, exceeding all expectations. We saw everything we came to see, and more. The game rides were well structured and safe, the visuals were unbelievable, and taking a side trip to Victoria Falls was a great idea. The accommodations were quite luxurious, despite being considered mid-range. There was always someone there to greet us and guide us at every travel point.
Zicasso's tour operator tailored our itinerary to our wishes and was wonderful to work with. Things couldn’t have gone better.
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We had an awesome trip. Zicasso's travel expert was amazing. She accomplished everything.
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Zicasso's trip planner arranged the most fabulous trip for my family. She knew exactly what I wanted and delivered a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Africa! She always answered my questions promptly. She chose memorable experiences for us, our lodgings were top-notch, and she "kept in touch, behind the scenes," to ensure all elements were going smoothly. I would not hesitate to recommend her to anyone planning a trip to Africa!
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It was very well planned. Zicasso's travel specialist was responsive and flexible in the planning process and throughout the final details.
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The trip was amazing. Zicasso's trip expert did an awesome job planning the trip. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and exceeded all of our expectations. The “in-country” travel was seamless. Our accommodations and tours were all top-notch. I can‘t thank her enough for planning this awesome experience.
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