Victoria Falls and Cape Town

Our adventure begins in London Heathrow, as we board our flight to Cape Town. On arrival on Day 2, we transfer to the Sun Square City Bowl Hotel, where we enjoy a welcome drink and some time to settle into our new surroundings.

We're introduced to Cape Town on a guided tour of its highlights today. We travel to the summit of iconic Table Mountain by cable car, where we're afforded outstanding views across the city. Our next visit is to the Diamond Works, where we witness the art of diamond cutting first hand, seeing the expert craftsmanship that is required to create the jewellery and learning the history of gold and diamond trading in South Africa. The rest of the afternoon is free. Surrounded by pristine beaches and verdant vineyards, Cape Town is one of the most thriving destinations in South Africa. The city is known as a cultural hotspot, and from cafés and bars to boutique shops and art galleries, there's plenty here to occupy you.

We head to South Africa's southwest promontory for a tour of the Cape Peninsula, discovering the breathtaking coastal beauty of the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and Chapman's Peak. Later, we pay a visit to Boulders Beach, a spectacular area of white sands and clear waters that's home to a colony of African penguins.

After breakfast, we make the journey to Oudtshoorn along the magnificent Garden Route. Named for the remarkable natural beauty of the lush scenery it cuts through, this famous stretch of coastline runs between Port Elizabeth and Cape Town, at the southernmost tip of Africa. We visit the Cango Caves where we take a tour of the eerie caverns, adorned with beguiling rock formations, before continuing to our hotel for the night in Oudtshoorn.

Oudtshoorn is famed for its ostrich population, and we encounter these fascinating birds on a guided tour of an ostrich farm today. We continue east along the Garden Route, pausing at the peaceful coastal town of Sedgefield for a wine tasting and lunch at Benguela Cove, on the shores of beautiful Swartvlei Lake. Later this afternoon we arrive in Knysna, set on the beautiful and rugged Paradise Coast, where we stay for two nights.

After a free morning to discover Knysna's scenic charms, we enjoy a boat trip on Knysna Lagoon. We cruise the calm, emerald waters to Knysna Heads, which flank the narrow channel between the lagoon and the ocean beyond. At Featherbed Nature Reserve, we disembark for a nature walk, with a specialist guide on hand to teach us about the history, fauna and flora of the area. We settle down for a delicious lunch beneath a canopy of beautiful Milkwood trees before our return to Knysna.

We travel along the final stretch of the verdant Garden Route today on our way to Port Elizabeth. En route, we visit Monkeyland Sanctuary. Set within an indigenous forest area, the sanctuary cares for more than 700 primates, including capuchin monkeys and endangered black and white ruffed lemurs. We also visit the Birds of Eden Sanctuary, home to an array of colourful African birds. Arriving in Port Elizabeth, we board our internal flight to Durban, where we spend the night.

We enjoy a highlight of our holiday today as we begin our iconic journey to Pretoria. We board the Pride of Africa, one of the most luxurious trains in the world, for an unforgettable two-night adventure through South Africa. We pause our journey after lunch to visit the famous ceramic collection at the Ardmore Ceramics Gallery, before settling in this evening for a journey through some of South Africa's most diverse and beautiful landscapes.

We disembark this morning to visit Spionkop Lodge, where we have a choice of two excursions. You may like to embark on an escorted tour of the historic battlefield itself, the site of a futile battle in 1900 between Boer forces and British troops. Alternatively, enjoy a game drive in the 11,000-acre Spionkop Reserve, with the opportunity to spot a variety of wild animals. Our next excursion is to Nambiti Reserve, a private retreat home to the magnificent 'Big Five'. We embark on an incredible game drive across the savannah and grasslands here.

We continue northwest across the Highveld grasslands before arriving in Pretoria, the seat of South Africa's government. Our journey ends at the Rovos Rail Station, and we transfer to our hotel for the night.

We transfer to Johannesburg on Day 12, where we board our flight to Livingstone in Zambia. A short drive takes us across the border into Zimbabwe, where we check into our hotel for three nights, located in a peaceful spot on the shores of the Zambezi River.

We experience something extraordinary today as we visit the breathtaking Victoria Falls. Known as 'Mosi-oa-Tunya' ('the smoke that thunders'), these impressive waterfalls span the Zambia-Zimbabwe border, plunging dramatically into a chasm and down a series of basalt gorges to create an iridescent mist that can be spotted from miles away. This evening, we're treated to a cruise along the Zambezi River, allowing us to admire the majestic African sunset as it casts its golden glow across the waters.

On Day 14, you're free to relax at the hotel or soak up the natural beauty of the area further. This evening, we enjoy a Boma farewell dinner, a traditional part of African bush culture which combines delicious food with a host of cultural entertainment.

Today we transfer back to Livingstone airport for our flight to London Heathrow. Travelling via Johannesburg, we arrive on Day 16.