Luxury South Africa Tour for Seniors

All is calm in the Sabi Sands. A few zebra are grazing nearby, and an elephant is picking fruit from the trees. An untouched landscape spills out from your wooden deck, clumps of forest rising above a sweeping curve in the Sands River. Look onto the water and a few hippos are bathing. Gaze beyond the river and two rhinos are wandering past. The soundtrack is a wild one, with nothing manufactured interrupting the resonant calls of those who call the Sabi Sands home.

While safari is very much an adventure, game reserves like the Sabi Sands are some of the most serene places on the continent. It's just you and nature. Relax on the verandah and a whole procession of wildlife roams past, making an indelible introduction to the beauty and charm of South Africa. Your international flight will land at O. R. Tambo where a representative helps transfer you to a domestic flight that lands in the Sabi Sands reserve, where it's just a short game drive to one of Africa's most exclusive lodges. You don't need bumpy and dusty game drives to see the Big Five; just lay back and admire the show from the lodge.

The Sabi Sands shares an unfenced boundary with Kruger National Park and animals roam freely between the two landscapes. Many mammals reside in, or migrate to, the Sabi Sands for its two permanent rivers, including a huge profusion of Africa's most famous species. Over these two days, you enjoy morning and afternoon game drives in open-sided safari vehicles, each exploring a different piece of the compact Sabi Sands landscape. It's rare that you have to travel far for intimate encounters with the reserve's giants.

Lion prides lounge in the open, and then come to rest in the shade of the vehicle. Elephant herds march towards the rivers, tusks elegantly pointed as they pass the vehicle. Over half of the world's wild rhinos inhabit the Kruger ecosystem, and most game drives encounter some of these endangered wonders. You always move slowly, the guides piecing together nature's clues to bring endearing encounters with the elusive. The grass rustles and you watch closely. Nothing. But be patient and eventually, the cheetah sits up, her elegant spots the highlight of any safari. Bustards start squawking, and you listen to their panicked harmony, following their voices to find a leopard that's draped across a jackalberry tree.

A Sabi Sands safari is always relaxed. The trails sweep through contrasting habitats, each bringing new wildlife experiences. Springbok and impala skip across the grasslands, hyena scuttle past, giraffes and elephants march through the woodland, while eclectic waterbirds grace the rivers. It's often remarkable how little you have to travel to see dozens of mammals and over a hundred bird species. Most game drives last around three hours, with the rest of the time free to relax and enjoy all the facilities of the lodge. Even when you're dozing, or reading a book on the verandah, the calls of the wild resonate across the landscape.

Direct daily flights connect the Sabi Sands reserve with Cape Town, meaning you can enjoy a short morning safari and then an afternoon at the city's V & A Waterfront. For over a century, the Waterfront has been Cape Town's most luxurious area, with a string of five-star hotels complemented by a collection of the city's most exclusive restaurants. Yachts lull in the harbor, boutique markets fill old industrial buildings, and the sun sets over the Atlantic Ocean. You'll be greeted at the airport and transferred to the city's most opulent hotel, an elegant oceanfront building with a long regal history. Most of the V & A Waterfront is fully pedestrianized, and it's easy to walk between different restaurants and markets.

South Africa's radiant atmosphere will have already impressed. The ambiance of inclusion and diversity is mostly due to one man, the father of modern South Africa, Nelson Mandela. A tour to Robben Island is an interesting perspective where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for 18 years, although the harshness of the surroundings isn't always easy on the eye. With a former inmate leading the tour, visiting Robben Island imbues an even greater admiration for the man who fought and led South Africa peacefully from the injustices of apartheid. Seeing the cell and hearing the stories is a powerful insight into how the country's modern legacy was thought out and founded. After the tour, your guide takes you to Camps Bay, an upmarket coastal suburb that provides a tranquil afternoon in the sun.

Contrary to popular tourist belief, mornings are the best time to stand on the summit of Table Mountain. Clouds often roll in during the afternoon, creating the waterfall or veil that the mountain is famous for. The winds pick up and can be ferocious when you're standing at over 1000 meters above the ocean. In comparison, mornings are calm and quiet. A revolving glass-fronted cable car takes you to the top of this newly anointed world’s seven wonders. There's a leisurely walking trail along the summit, either a 15 or 30-minute walk that brings you to different lookout points. With the sun in the east, the mornings are also ideal for photographs of the city and ocean that stretches out to the west.

Descend by cable car, and a private guide takes you on the winding road that leads to the Cape of Good Hope, the southwestern tip of Africa. How far you want to travel is up to you as there are dozens of lookout points and destinations on route. Gaze across at the Twelve Apostles peaks then spot seals in the harbor at Hout Bay, South Africa's famous home of fish and chips. A little further along is Boulders Beach, where wild jackass penguins waddle across the sand. Another 30-minute drive and you reach the lighthouses on the edge of Africa, defining symbols of both the city and the continent.

Today is deliberately left free, and a local guide will assist in creating an itinerary based on your mood and energy levels. Travel to Constantia where boutique wine farms stand high above the city. Relax on the beaches of Clifton, and then sip coffee at a cafe overlooking the coast. Tour the vibrant markets of the city center, particularly those in Woodstock or at Greenmarket Square. Visit District Six Museum or wander through the elaborate green of the Company Gardens. Cape Town can take you in many different directions, and there's always a fresh local experience. One possible suggestion is watching the sunset from Signal Hill, where there are sweeping 360 panoramas that include the city, the Atlantic Ocean, and Table Mountain.

The chauffeured journey from Cape Town to Hermanus initially hugs the coast, winding past the beach suburbs before rising through the mountains and immersing you in the wild valleys of the Cape. Undulating hills stretch beyond the horizon, the great sweeps of farmland complemented by pristine vineyards. It's a two-hour transfer to Hermanus, where the road returns to the coast. This is one of South Africa's most charming towns, a small strip of ocean-facing restaurants and boutique hotels that hang over the cliffs. Walking trails lead along these cliffs, connecting quiet beaches as they follow the outline of Walker Bay. Particularly from June to December, these quiet charms make Hermanus one of the country's most popular destinations for senior travelers.

It's not just easy coastal walks and picturesque sand; Hermanus is also visited by whales during these months, huge southern right whales that migrate from Antarctica. Initially, they arrive to raise their calves, but then the males turn up in October and fight for a mate. Weighing almost 150 tons, these are some of the world's biggest giants and they breach barely 50 meters from the cliffs. Just open the curtains of your boutique hotel and the whales can be seen in Walker Bay. Using a bizarre kelp horn, the Hermanus whale caller keeps everyone informed, the trumpeted call echoing whenever another whale rises in the bay. These three relaxed days include a half-day boat safari, which brings closer encounters with the southern rights and their humpback counterparts.

If you've ever drunk wine from South Africa, chances are that it came from the Cape Winelands. Over 500 vineyards are scattered across the Cape, the most celebrated being concentrated around the 18th-century town of Stellenbosch. Like all good wine regions, the panoramas quickly enchant, rows of vines stretching through the valleys as peaks rise as dramatically as Table Mountain. You're staying in one of the country's most exclusive wine farms, the suite gazing over the vineyards and a fine dining menu filling quiet evenings in the Cape Winelands.

You'll be greeted by a local guide who is keen to understand your tastes and interests. With over 500 wine farms to choose from, tours in the Winelands are always flexible. Enjoy closed-door access to small boutique farms, explore the sensual flavors of centuries-old vineyards, and discover the rounded tones of Pinotage, the region’s indigenous grape. The master wine grower conducts a private wine tasting at some farms, while others are famed for their culinary menu and wine pairings. With a private guide, you can be constantly evaluating the flavors, enjoying a program that's as relaxed and charming as its surroundings.

Cape Town International Airport is only a 45-minute drive from the Winelands, and you'll be transferred with plenty of time for your departure flight. You will have full use of the wine farm's facilities until it’s time for your transfer.