This 13-day escorted holiday combines a Kruger safari with a beach stay in Mozambique, with flights from the UK included. A tour leader and wildlife specialist travel with you on safari, and a representative looks after you at the beach resort. You stay in three special places: Sanctuary Mandela, a boutique hotel in Nelson Mandela's former Johannesburg home; Camp Bethel, a tented safari camp near Hoedspruit; and a beach resort on the Machangulo Peninsula. Most meals are included, with drinks including local beer and wine at the safari camp, and all transfers, including a private speedboat to the beach resort.

After an overnight flight, you spend your first night at Sanctuary Mandela, with a heritage tour of the house and the Nelson Mandela Foundation. You then travel to Camp Bethel for six nights, a tented camp with a boma and a deck looking over the bush. From here you head into Kruger National Park on three guided safaris, including a full day, in search of the Big Five: lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino.

Trip highlights

A night at Sanctuary Mandela, Nelson Mandela's former home (Day 2)
A full-day safari in Kruger National Park (Day 4)
The Blyde River Canyon and God's Window (Day 7)
A safari in a Greater Kruger private reserve and a bush braai (Day 8)
Six nights at a tented safari camp near Hoedspruit (Days 3–8)
Three nights on the Machangulo Peninsula in Mozambique (Days 9–11)

Map of the 13-day holiday from Johannesburg to Camp Bethel near Kruger and the Blyde River Canyon, then to Maputo and the Machangulo Peninsula in Mozambique — 13-day route: Johannesburg – Hoedspruit – Kruger – Blyde River Canyon – Maputo – Machangulo

Johannesburg Days 1–2
Camp Bethel Days 3–8
Hoedspruit Day 5
Blyde River Canyon Day 7
Maputo Day 9
Machangulo Peninsula Days 9–11

Flights, a tour leader on safari and most meals are included, at a good price. Combines Kruger, the Panorama Route and a quiet Indian Ocean beach in under two weeks.

Best suited to

First-time safari travellers
Families with children aged six and over
Travellers who want flights and transfers arranged
Anyone who likes to finish a trip with a few days on the beach

Day 1 · London Fly to Johannesburg

Fly overnight from London Heathrow or Manchester to Johannesburg, the largest city in South Africa.

Hotel
Overnight flight
Day 2 · Johannesburg, Sanctuary Mandela Sanctuary Mandela

Meet your tour leader on arrival and transfer to Sanctuary Mandela, a boutique hotel in Nelson Mandela's former home, for a heritage tour and a visit to the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

Hotel
Sanctuary Mandela

Meals
Lunch, Dinner
Day 3 · Hoedspruit, Camp Bethel To Camp Bethel

Travel to Camp Bethel, your tented safari camp in the bush near Hoedspruit, with a stop for lunch. Settle in and enjoy dinner in the boma.

Hotel
Camp Bethel tented safari camp

Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4 · Kruger National Park Full-day Kruger safari

Rise early for the drive to Kruger National Park's Orpen Gate and a full day of game viewing in search of the Big Five and the park's huge variety of wildlife.

Hotel
Camp Bethel tented safari camp

Meals
Breakfast, Dinner
Day 5 · Hoedspruit Wildlife rehabilitation centre

Visit a wildlife rehabilitation centre that cares for injured and poisoned animals that cannot be returned to the wild, with a presentation and tour. The afternoon is free, or join an optional Blyde River Canyon boat cruise.

Hotel
Camp Bethel tented safari camp

Meals
Breakfast
Day 6 · Kruger National Park Morning Kruger safari

Another morning safari in Kruger, looking for buffalo, elephant and more with your guide. In the afternoon, relax at camp or join an optional night safari.

Hotel
Camp Bethel tented safari camp

Meals
Lunch
Day 7 · Blyde River Canyon, God's Window, Three Rondavels Panorama Route

After breakfast in the boma, take a panoramic tour of the Drakensberg escarpment and the Blyde River Canyon, with viewpoints including God's Window and the Three Rondavels, and waterfalls along the way.

Hotel
Camp Bethel tented safari camp

Meals
Breakfast
Day 8 · Greater Kruger, Nyani cultural village Greater Kruger and a bush braai

A final safari in a private reserve in Greater Kruger, with a picnic breakfast and a nature walk at camp. Visit the Nyani cultural village for music and dance, then enjoy a farewell braai in the bush.

Hotel
Camp Bethel tented safari camp

Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9 · Maputo, Machangulo Peninsula To the Machangulo Peninsula

Drive about six hours to Maputo, Mozambique's capital, then take a private speedboat of about an hour to your beach resort on the Machangulo Peninsula.

Hotel
Machangulo Beach Resort

Meals
Breakfast
Day 10 · Machangulo Peninsula At leisure on the beach

A free day to relax by the pool, in the spa or on the private beach, or walk through the mangroves and visit nearby villages.

Hotel
Machangulo Beach Resort
Day 11 · Machangulo Peninsula At leisure on the beach

A final free day by the Indian Ocean, ending with a sunset from the resort's ocean-facing bar.

Hotel
Machangulo Beach Resort
Day 12 · Maputo Fly home

Transfer to Maputo airport for your flight home to the UK via Addis Ababa.

Hotel
Overnight flight
Day 13 · London Arrive in the UK

Arrive back in the UK, and the holiday comes to an end.

Johannesburg (1 night) Sanctuary Mandela
Hoedspruit (6 nights) Camp Bethel tented safari camp
Machangulo Peninsula, Mozambique (3 nights) Machangulo Beach Resort

Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.

Included

Flights from London Heathrow or Manchester to Johannesburg, and home from Maputo
Accommodation 10 nights at Sanctuary Mandela, Camp Bethel and Machangulo Beach Resort
Meals 10 breakfasts, 9 lunches and 10 dinners, with water, soft drinks, local beer and wine at Camp Bethel
Safari three guided safaris in Kruger and Greater Kruger, and a nature walk at camp
Visits Sanctuary Mandela heritage tour, a wildlife rehabilitation centre, a panoramic mountain tour, the Nyani cultural village and a bush braai
All transfers, including a private speedboat to Machangulo
Tour leader and wildlife specialist on safari, and a representative at the beach resort

Not included

Visas and entry formalities, including for Mozambique
Travel insurance
Optional excursions, such as a night safari or Blyde River boat cruise
Drinks outside Camp Bethel, spa treatments and personal spending
Tips

Honest disclaimer — please read

You want to fly from a regional airport other than Manchester
You want many game drives — there are three included safaris
You want a small group — this is an escorted group holiday
You want to explore Mozambique — the beach days are free at the resort

FCDO advice UK FCDO travel advice for Mozambique · UK FCDO travel advice for South Africa