icon Trip Overview

icon Lodging

Route Rating Level 1 to Level 3

PDF iconDetailed Itinerary

RESERVE THIS TRIP!

Premiere Inns
  • From $7,298
    To $7,998 pp dbl. occ.
  • (+$2,360 for sgl. occ.)
  • Internal Flights: From $3,250
    To $3,580

Reserve early for the best available price. More Info

11 DAYS, 10 NIGHTS
ROLLOVER DATES BELOW FOR SPECIFIC PRICES
2009 DATES
CLASSIC TRIPS
2010 DATES
CLASSIC TRIPS
ROLLOVER DATES ABOVE FOR SPECIFIC PRICES
TRIP NOTES

All meals included.

Cancellation Policy

View cancellation policy

Meet / Depart

Cape Town, South Africa/Johannesburg, South Africa

Special Interest

Culture & History, Exotic Adventure, Fine Wine & Cuisine, Geological Wonders, Horseback Ride, Mountain Bike, Natural Beauty &/or Wildlife, Romance &/or Honeymoon, Safari, Spa, Tropical/Winter Sunshine, Whale Watch

My Backroads

View albums for this trip

Recommended Reads

Essential trip reading

Search
Contact Us

Call: 800-462-2848
or 510-527-1555
Fax: 510-527-1444
E-mail us

801 Cedar St.
Berkeley, CA 94710

Business Hours:
7 days a week
from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Pacific Time

Or contact your travel agent

South Africa Multisport Vacations

South Africa & Botswana Multisport

Biking, Walking & Big Game Viewing on a Unique Active Safari

Experience the wonders of southern Africa in true Backroads active-style - biking and hiking through the wilds of South Africa and Botswana. Relish in the beauty of mountains, coastlines and unique flora, discover ancient Bushman rock art and journey on foot and by bike into the bush. Private open-topped Land Rovers and the continent's best rangers offer intimate close-ups of spectacular wildlife. Each day features multiple activity options, and private flights provide unique and convenient access to a wide diversity of African landscapes and many of Southern Africa's top lodges. Join us for the best Africa has to offer!

You are viewing the Classic Premiere Inns version of this trip.
View the Classic Casual Inns Itineraries.

View the Family Casual Inns Itineraries.

View other trips in Africa

Days 1-2 constantia

Meet in Cape Town Hike along the base of Table Mountain, the city's cloud-draped landmark Explore the world-renowned Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden  Bike from Cape Point - with chances to spot ostriches, cape mountain zebras, baboons and rare African penguins - to incredibly scenic Chapman's Peak.

Days 3-4 cederberg mountains

Journey to Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve, one of Africa's most luxurious settings Mountain bike and walk through rugged landscape to view ancient Bushman rock art, keeping an eye out for eland, ostrich and bontebok  Relax at the hotel spa.

Days 5-6 mashatu game reserve

Fly on a chartered plane to Botswana's Mashatu, a remote private game reserve teeming with wildlife  Learn to track Africa's classic animals such as giraffe on a guided game walk Mountain bike along ancient elephant paths  Safari through the bush in open-topped Land Rovers.

Days 7-8 drakensburg mountains

Return to South Africa by private airplane Meet our friend Lotus, who welcomes us into his Shangaan community Explore a small Afrikaner pioneer town with a thriving artist community and shop for African crafts  From the Great Escarpment, take in stunning views of the wild bush below. 

Days 9-11 sabi sands game reserve

Travel to Londolozi Private Game Reserve for exhilarating excursions into the bush - on foot and in Land Rovers - to view the Big Five (lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes and rhinos), as well as other fascinating creatures like dung beetles and lilac-breasted rollers  Fly to Johannesburg.

Route Rating What's this? Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. Each offers options for more or less activity, so you can decide exactly how much you want to do day by day.

Lodging What's this? Our lodgings are divided into three different categories.

Premiere Inns:These lodgings possess both elegance and authentic regional flair.

Casual Inns:These lodgings are comfortable and appropriate to the areawith such characteristics as authenticity, scenic settings and proximity to our activities.

Deluxe Camping:We set up the tents (and take them down), handle every camp chore and perform culinary magic.

Detailed Itinerary

Reserve This Trip!

Guest Trip Reviews

This trip to South Africa and Bostwana was so much more than we expected...we cannot emphasize that enough. We have told all of our friends and family that if they really want to have the adventure of a lifetime they need to schedule themselves with Backroads. There was nothing we would change about our experience - our thanks to the Backroads leaders for their enthusiasm and attention to every detail.
Shannon Grosko - Roswell, GA

More Reviews of this Trip

All Guest Reviews

For 30 years, Backroads has been perfecting the art of active travel. We are the South Africa tour experts. For multisport tours in Africa, trust our in-depth connections. To see all our Africa multisport tours click here. For our selection of award-winning Africa biking tours click here. For our selection of award-winning Africa walking and hiking tours click here.

South Africa & Botswana Multisport

IDEAL OASES: Premiere Inns

The Cellars-Hohenort

Constantia (2 nights): This historic Relais & Châteaux manor house in the Cape Winelands features comfortable guest rooms, two swimming pools, a tennis court, spa and views of Table Mountain.

Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Retreat

Cederberg Mountains (2 nights): Set on an 18,000-acre reserve known for its ancient rock art sites, this Relais & Châteaux retreat offers a lion's share of amenities: a spa, swimming pool, delectable cuisine, beautifully appointed guest rooms and magnificent surroundings.

Mashatu Main Camp

Mashatu Game Reserve (2 nights): Built around a waterhole amid one of southern Africa's largest elephant herds, this spectacularly situated luxury camp has spacious, authentically decorated suites, a swimming pool and atmospheric open-air dining.

Cybele Forest Lodge & Health Spa

Drakensburg Mountains (2 nights): This secluded and luxurious Relais & Châteaux farmhouse is set amid 300 lush acres of forest, banana plantations, meadows and gardens.

Londolozi Private Game Reserve

Sabi Sand Game Reserve (2 nights): At this elegant Relais & Châteaux member, featured by Condé Nast Traveler's Gold List and Travel+Leisure's World's Best Awards, luxurious chalets are handsomely decorated with fine prints and handicrafts, and have private balconies for observing elephants, hippos and other animals in the wild bush.

South Africa & Botswana Multisport South Africa & Botswana Multisport

Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Retreat

You are viewing the Classic Premiere Inns version of this trip.
View the Classic Casual Inns Itineraries.

View the Family Casual Inns Itineraries.

South Africa & Botswana Multisport

Route Rating

Daily Mileage Options & Cumulative Elevation Gain

Day 1
  • Levels 1 to 3 4 Route Options Available
  • Hiking 2, 2.1, 3, 5 miles
  • 0 - 1500 feet elevation gain
Day 2
  • Levels 1 to 4 4 Route Options Available
  • Optional Walking 45 minutes
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
  • Biking 18, 38, 46 miles
  • 500 - 2500 feet elevation gain
Day 3
  • Levels 1 to 2 1 Route Option Available
  • Mountain Biking 2 hours
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
  • Afternoon Game Drive
Day 4
  • Level 1 2 Route Options Available
  • Walking 3 miles
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
  • Hiking 4.3 miles
  • 500 - 1000 feet elevation gain
  • Afternoon Game Drive
Day 5
  • Level 1  1 Route Option Available
  • Walking 1 hour
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
  • Evening Game Drive
Day 6
  • Levels 1 to 3 2 Route Options Available
  • Mountain Biking 3.5 hours
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
  • Walking 1 hour
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
  • Morning and Optional Evening Game Drives
Day 7
  • Level 2  1 Route Option Available
  • Mountain Biking 3.5 hours
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
  • Morning Game Drive
Day 8
  • Levels 1  2 Route Options Available
  • Hiking 1 hour
  • 0 - 1000 feet elevation gain
  • Walking 4.3 miles
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
Day 9
  • African Community Stroll 2 hours
  • Afternoon Game Drive
Day 10
  • Level 1 1 Route Option Available
  • Walking 1.5 hours
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
  • Morning Game Drive
Day 11
  • Level 1 1 Route Option Available
  • Walking 1.5 hours
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
  • Morning Game Drive
South Africa & Botswana Multisport South Africa & Botswana Multisport

Trips For All Abilities

Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one day to the next-and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.

Activity Level Average Time Average Distance
    Biking Walking
& Hiking
1 2-3
hours		 10-20
miles		 2-5
miles
2 2-4
hours		 21-30
miles		 5-7
miles
3 3-5
hours		 31-40
miles		 7-9
miles
4 4-6
hours		 41-55
miles		 9-11
miles
5 5-7+
hours		 56-75+
miles		 11-13+
miles