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Nelson Mandela Tour, South Africa: Soweto + Umtata + Robben Island + Cape Town

Nelson Mandela's Footsteps - Privately Guided

12 NIGHTS FROM:

$5,979

Per person sharing

Scheduled flights quoted separately

SPR12J

• Nelson Mandela Tour, South Africa

• Soweto & Johannesburg

• Apartheid Museum

• Vilikazi Street, Soweto

• Liliesleaf Farm

• Umtata & Qunu Grave

• Cape Town

• District Six Museum

• Pollsmoor Prison

• Robben Island

This privately guided Nelson Mandela tour in South Africa will allow you to follow in his famous footsteps. Visit his homes in Johannesburg & Soweto, as well as the Apartheid Museum & Pretoria. Continue to KwaZulu Natal to visit his capture site and Umtata, where you can take a day trip to Qunu to visit his grave. Then fly to Cape Town to visit District Six, Robben Island and Cape Point. English speaking guides & all transfers included.

Detailed itinerary ▶

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Day 1

You will be met at Johannesburg Airport and transferred to your hotel in this thriving city.

Check in and relax under warm blue South African skies in the city of gold.

Day 2

Today enjoy a privately guided tour of Johannesburg and Pretoria (now called Tshwane), following in the footsteps of Nelson Mandela on his 'Long Walk to Freedom'.

We start with a brief drive through Johannesburg, with its complex history of gold mining and conflict. View Nelson Mandela Bridge and visit Constitution Hill, home of the Constitutional Court and site of the notorious Old Fort Prison. There is an interesting small museum here.

We continue to the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory in Houghton, which is dedicated to keeping his memory alive. Its archives contain documents, awards and photographic records that chronicle his amazing life. We then visit Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton, where you can view his statue whilst enjoying lunch (own account).

In the afternoon we visit Pretoria, the administrative capital of South Africa renowned for its jacaranda trees that flower from September to November. We visit the Voortrekker Monument and historic Church Square, where we visit the home of Paul Kruger who was the president of the old Transvaal Republic at the time of the Anglo Boer War. We also drive past the City Hall and stop for photos at the beautiful Union Buildings - the official residence of the South African president, designed by Sir Herbert Baker. Here there is an impressive statue of Nelson Mandela. At the end of the day we return to Johannesburg.

Day 3

Today enjoy a full day private tour, starting with a visit to Soweto. With a population of well over one million people, this sprawling township was made famous by the apartheid laws.

We drive past the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, the largest hospital in the southern hemisphere and down Vilikazi Street, which was once home to two Nobel Peace laureates - Archbishop Desmond Tutu and President Nelson Mandela. Here we visit Mandela's house, which is now a small museum.

After lunch (own account) we continue to the Apartheid Museum, which is a living memorial to racial segregation.

Time permitting, complete your day with a visit to Gold Reef City - a reconstruction of the early Johannesburg gold rush days. Here you can see gold being poured, watch gumboot dancing and enjoy shopping in the many quaint stores. There is also the optional opportunity to go down a gold mine.

Note: The Apartheid Museum is only open Wednesday to Sunday. Gold Reef City is closed Mondays. Children < 5 and pregnant women are not allowed underground.Note: The Apartheid Museum is only open Wednesday to Sunday. Gold Reef City is closed Mondays. Children < 5 and pregnant women are not allowed underground.

Day 4

You will be collected from your Johannesburg hotel this morning and driven 5-hours through the farmlands of the Free State to the beautiful KwaZulu Natal Midlands.

Check into your hotel and relax surrounded by the lush rolling hills of central KwaZulu Natal.

Day 5

Today explore the scenic Natal Midlands with your guide.

We start with a visit to Howick Falls which at 365 ft (111 m) are the highest in the country. We also visit the historic site where Nelson Mandela was captured prior to his imprisonment on Robben Island, with its interesting palisade of his head.

Afterwards we stop at some of the craft and farm stalls found along the Midlands Meander route.

Day 6

A full day on the road today as you travel 6-hours through the rolling hills of KwaZulu Natal and rural Transkei to the capital town of Umtata.

Check in to your hotel and relax in the region that was the birthplace of Nelson Mandela.

Day 7

Today we visit the Bhunga Building in Umtata and continue 45-minutes to the Nelson Mandela Youth & Heritage Centre in the small town of Qunu in the rural heartland of the Xhosa nation, where Nelson Mandela grew up.

These two sites comprise the Nelson Mandela Museum which houses a fascinating collection of photographs, personal memorabilia, documents, gifts and children’s artwork dedicated to the apartheid struggle, as well as rare video-taped interviews with Mandela and other liberation leaders.

We also visit his grave in the small cemetry in Qunu, before returning to Umtata.

Day 8

Transfer to Umtata Airport for your onward flight.

You will be met at Cape Town Airport and transferred to your hotel in this beautiful city, within sight of Table Mountain.

Check in and relax in your magnificent surroundings.

Day 9

This morning learn more about history of Cape Town on a half day private tour, starting with a visit to the Castle of Good Hope built by Jan Van Riebeeck, the Dutch governor who first colonised the area in 1652.

We continue to the nearby District Six Museum, which tells the story of human suffering caused by the forced removals of the apartheid era (closed on Sundays).

We then visit the Mandela Legacy Exhibition in the City Hall, from where Nelson Mandela first addressed the nation after his release from prison and drive past the Company Gardens and Houses of Parliament, where he served as South Africa's first black president.

Afterwards you will be dropped off at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront where you need to make your way to the Clock Tower in good time for the ferry to Robben Island, the infamous prison home of Nelson Mandela.

On your return look out for the bronze statutes of the four Nobel Laureates that grace the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront - founding ANC president Albert Luthuli, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela and former apartheid president FW De Klerk, each of whom played a significant role in South Africa's transition to democracy. At the end of the day, make your own way back to your hotel.

Note: You will need to take your passport for identification, when visiting Robben Island.

Day 10

Today enjoy a full day private tour around the beautiful Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve peninsula.

We travel to Hout Bay, where we take a short boat trip to view Cape Fur seals at Seal Island and continue along Chapman’s Peak Drive to spectacular Cape Point, where you may see baboons, ostriches and perhaps even dolphins or whales in season (July/November). The funicular up to the Old Lighthouse is included.

On the return journey we pass through naval Simons Town and visit the resident penguin colony at Boulders Beach.

Note: Lunch is for your own account today.

Day 11

Today is free for independent sightseeing in Cape Town.

To orientate yourself, we suggest you purchase a pass onboard the convenient Red Route Hop-Off Bus, which stops at all Cape Town’s key sights and attractions, including the Table Mountain cable car (discounted tickets are sold on the bus, but we recommend buying a Fast Track ticket online to avoid the queues). Here you can ascend and enjoy one of the world's most famous views.

Continue to trendy Camps Bay beach and the many attractions of the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront (pay all entrance fees locally).

Note: Don't let the colour of the bus confuse you. All buses are red, but they run two different routes - the Red City Route and the Blue Kirstenbosch Route.

Day 12

Today enjoy a full day private tour to the renowned Cape Winelands, travelling through the scenic Franschhoek Valley where a handful of French Huguenot refugees started South Africa’s now famous wine industry.

We visit two wine estates, with included wine tastings, as well as the historic university town of Stellenbosch before enjoying a picnic lunch at a wine estate (own account).

In the afternoon we visit Franschhoek and drive past Drakenstein Prison (formerly Victor Verster - the prison from which Nelson Mandela was finally released), where there is a statue to this iconic leader.

Day 13

Transfer to Cape Town Airport for your flight home.

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