Contiki, the social travel company for 18-35 year-olds, is launching its latest South Africa tour for 2024. The Sea, Safari, South Africa itinerary encompasses nine safari parks, plus Cape Town and Johannesburg for under US$200/per day.
The 14-day trip combines the diverse Garden Route with popular wildlife viewing spots Isimangaliso, Hluhluwe and Kruger National Park – where guests will get to sleep ‘under the stars’ on an exclusive Contiki campsite. Travellers will also experience South African city life in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban.
Wildlife experiences include seeing Africa’s gentle giants in Addo Elephant Park, hippo-spotting on a Lake St. Lucia boat cruise and meeting penguins at a rehabilitation center before they are released back into the wild. Travellers will embark on numerous morning and evening game drives and will also experience a walking and/or mountain bike safari.
Exploring South Africa's wildlife on a Contiki tour. (Photo Credit: Contiki)
Alongside the Big Five (lions, leopard, elephants, rhinos and African buffalo), travellers can expect to witness zebras, giraffes, wildebeest and meerkats in the wild. The trip also includes a marine safari in Plettenberg Bay, a visit to the coastal town of Hermanus, considered the best land-based whale-watching spot in the world, and even a shark conservancy visit.
Travellers will join a Township tour in Knysna, visit a local Zulu Village in St Lucia and even explore Eswatini – one of Africa’s smallest countries, to meet with the local community and learn about their culture, customs and everyday life.
This itinerary also includes a trip to the site of Nelson Mandela’s capture, a hike to the Stormsriver Bridge in Tsitsikamma National Park, plus visits to the Stellenbosch wineries and the Cango Caves – the continent’s largest underground cave system.
“It’s a wonderfully well-balanced trip,” says Natasha Lawrence, Commercial and Product Director at Contiki. “You visit some of the continent’s most famous wildlife parks, with our passionate guides who are both knowledgeable and approachable. But it’s also a celebration of South Africa’s wonderful people and culture. If variety is what you like from an adventure, this is definitely the trip for you.”
Contiki's new tour packs a lot of South Africa in a 14-day trip. (Photo Credit: Contiki)
Kyle Junkuhn, Contiki’s Operations Lead for Africa, adds:
“The trip gives travellers everything they could want from South Africa at an amazing price. There are plenty of land and sea-based wildlife experiences; plus three very different cultural tours. The township tour shows the effects of Apartheid and how the community is now thriving, the Zulu Village Tour and Swati Village Tour in Eswatini show everything from local witch doctors to traditional dancing and food preparation.
The trip is live and available to book for 2024 departures.
Elsewhere in Contiki’s new selection of trips for 2023/24 is Thai Island Hopper West Plus – an upgraded version of one of Contiki’s most popular Asian products.
The ‘Plus’ variation includes upgraded accommodation (twin share, centrally located with a view of the sea) and additional ‘Included Experiences,’ such as a half-day Phuket sightseeing tour and a visit to a well-known rum distillery.
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