Northern Cape Explorer

Duration
12 Days
Price from
$4,400 pp.
Location
South Africa, Africa
Northern Cape Panorama

Trip Highlights

  • Explore Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
  • Stargazing in the Kalahari
  • Visit Augrabies Falls National Park

What's Included

  • Handpicked lodges & guesthouses
  • Guided game drives in Kgalagadi
  • Optional hiking & canoeing excursions

Out specialist says:

Explore the beautiful deserts, waterfalls and coastal villages of Northern South Africa.

A much under-visited yet beautiful part of South Africa, the Northern Cape is a wonderful spot for repeat visitors to the country who are looking to experience something a little different.

Characterised by small farming towns, vast open deserts and surprisingly abundant wildlife, as well as the breathtaking Augbrabie Falls, the diversity this area offers is incredible. From the small outpost of Upington you will make your way through the deserts, taking in Springbok before making your way South to Clanwilliam – a great base for exploring the Cederberg Mountains and enjoying the spring flowers if you are there in August/September. A couple of nights in beautiful Langebaan, a charming coastal town will round off the trip before dropping your car off in Cape Town and flying home.


Trip Itinerary

Day 1 In to the Kalahari

Staying at Xaus Lodge

Land in to Johannesburg this morning and connect on to a morning flight to Upington. There you will connect a rental car and proceed North, deep in to the Kalahari Desert where you will be spending the next 3 nights of your trip at Xaus Lodge. Found in the stark, beautiful Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, which also stretches in to Botswana and Namibia, this wonderfully isolated lodge is an incredibly therapeutic place to start your trip.

Day 2 Exploring from Xaus Lodge

Xaus Lodge will offer you the chance to spend time with hugely experienced local guides, who will give you a fascinating insight in to the life of the San Bushmen who have lived deep in the deserts for centuries. They will also teach you about the surprisingly varied plant life of the area and how trees such as the Camelthorn survive, despite the almost complete absence of rainfall for most of the year. A sundowner drinks drive will allow you to stargaze from atop a sand dune once the sun has set – a magical experience not to be missed.

Day 3 The hunt for desert wildlife

Day 4 A Vineyard in the desert

Day 5 Exploring Kanoneiland

Day 6 The Place of Great Noise

Day 7 To Springbok

Day 8 Clanwilliam awaits

Day 9 Exploring the Cederberg

Day 10 On to the coast

Day 11 Some time in Langebaan

Day 12 The journey home begins

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When to go to South Africa

Find out the best time to visit South Africa with our month by month guide.

  • Best
  • Good
  • Mixed
  • Jan
  • Feb
  • Mar
  • Apr
  • May
  • Jun
  • Jul
  • Aug
  • Sep
  • Oct
  • Nov
  • Dec

January

January is the perfect time to visit the Cape, whether you want to lounge on a beach or soak up culture in the Winelands on a Garden Route trip.

It's wet season for safari, with sunny periods interspersed with heavy tropical rainstorms. It is the end of the birthing season in the Kruger bringing high numbers of impala, wildebeest and more causing hunting frenzies among the predators.

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February

The hottest month of the year in Cape Town, February is the ideal month to enjoy a glass of wine and culinary delights in the Winelands or to visit the sandy beaches and witness beautiful views along the Garden Route with few other tourists.

Avoid safari, weather is humid with considerable rainfall.

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March

March is still hot and dry across South Africa with Cape Town receiving less rainfall than the rest of the country. It is a fantastic time for wildlife photographers visiting the Kruger National Park region, with clear skies, low humidity, less dust and vegetation at its most lush it makes for vivid photographs.

Both the Winelands and Garden Route are fantastic at this time of year.

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April

April is a quieter month in comparison to March, the weather is warm and dry throughout the country making it a prime time to combine different regions. The lower temperatures mean it is a perfect time to hike up Table Mountain, explore culture at Robben Island or visit the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.

In the Kruger it is rutting season, with males at their most impressive, meaning visitors can see some spectacular fighting.

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May

Peak summer crowds have died down, making it a good time to visit if you're not looking for hot weather. Days are warm and dry, with chilly evenings.

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June

In June the wet season arrives, with almost all days experiencing some rain. The Kruger region enjoys exceptional game viewing, thinning vegetation means wildlife stays close to sources of water, meaning it is easier to track game.

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July

July is prime whale watching season along the coast of the Western Cape, with the best sightings from Hermanus and Plettenberg Bay when they come closer to shore to give birth. During this time the Cape is at the peak of the wet season with cool and drizzly weather.

The Kruger National Park enjoys exceptional game viewing with comfortable temperatures and drying rainfall.

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August

August is the time when beautiful wildflowers start to bloom across the Western and Northern Cape, particularly in the Namaqua region. It is also the start of the dry season, with colder temperatures passing and daytime temperatures rising significantly.

Both whale watching and game viewing is good in August.

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September

September is great for wildlife viewing, with game giving birth in the bush and whales frequently spotted along the coast. It is a good month to combine regions and see the best of South Africa.

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October

October is one of the best months to combine regions, with temperatures heating up across the country it is a temperate time to travel.

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November

November brings the rains to the Kruger and Kwazulu Natal, its not all bad because the afternoon thunderstorms can be phenomenal.

The Cape sees the last of the whale watching season.

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December

December is a busy month for travel in South Africa. Summer is in full swing in Cape Town, if you don't mind crowds then there is no better time to explore. Meanwhile in the Kruger, there is an abundance of young animals with glory and flame lilies in full bloom making for spectacular photography opportunities.

  • Top Tip - the festive season in South Africa fills up quickly, so trips and excursions need to be booked in advance.
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