CAPE TOWN AND DINOKENG PRIVATE GAME RESERVE
If South Africa is one of the many destinations on your bucket list, our Cape Town and safari package is a very smart choice. The tour includes three full days in this spectacular harbor city, where you can book extraordinary (and affordably priced!) optional tours that showcase South Africa’s incredible diversity. Discover the enduring legacy of Nelson Mandela, explore the scenic Winelands or even go shark cage diving…if you dare! Then it’s off to Dinokeng Private Game Reserve where we’ll do our best to help you spot lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, and buffalos, aka the “Big 5.”
COVID-19 UPDATE
U.S. travelers are welcome to visit South Africa with certain entry requirements, including:
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- All travelers returning to the U.S., including those who have been vaccinated, must provide a negative, viral COVID-19 test issued no more than 3 days prior to departure or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 from your healthcare provider. Full details and requirements can be accessed here. NOTE: smarTours will arrange testing for the group in South Africa. The cost of the test is approximately $70 USD and must be paid in cash at the testing site.
Also, for the safety of everyone in the group, smarTours requires all travelers to provide a negative, viral COVID-19 antigen or PCR test issued no more than 3 days prior to departure, documentation of recovery from COVID-19 from your healthcare provider, or proof of full vaccination before leaving the United States.
Information is subject to change, please see the most up-to-date entry requirements for South Africa here.
Itinerary at
a Glance
- International flight
- 4 nights in Cape Town
- 2 nights in Dinokeng Private Game Reserve
Tour
Highlights
Your Tour
Includes
- 2021: Round-trip airfare from the NY Area (EWR)
- 2022: Round-trip airfare from the NY Area (EWR or JFK)
- Airfare taxes, fees & fuel surcharges
- Intra-South Africa flight and ground transport
- Accommodations at superior first-class hotels
- 8 meals: 6 breakfasts (B) and 2 dinners (D)
- Cape Town guided orientation tour
- 3 open-vehicle, half-day game drives in Dinokeng Private Game Reserve
- Experienced, English-speaking tour guides
Tour Itinerary
Arrive in Cape Town
Welcome to the “Mother City,” where Mother Nature definitely shows off some of her very best handiwork. As you’re escorted from the airport to your hotel, tune into a guided orientation tour of Cape Town. Orientation briefing will outline all of your Cape Town options. Learn more about all this city offers here. Tonight, join the other smarTours travelers for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.
President Hotel or similar |…
Cape Town
Now that you have three glorious days to explore this stunning city and its environs, you’ll have to make some smart decisions, but first fuel your adventures with a bountiful breakfast buffet. Then will it be…a day on one of Cape Town’s famous beaches or an outing to a UNESCO site? A cable car ride to the top of Table Mountain or a visit to the incredible Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve? A tasting in the Winelands or shark cage diving? Your tour host is full of great tips and ideas for independent exploration, or you can take advantage of exciting optional excursions that are…
Cape Town/Dinokeng Private Game Reserve
After breakfast this morning, transfer to the airport for your flight to Johannesburg. You’ll be met at the airport and driven to your lodge. Named for the Boekenhout tree which is indigenous to the area, the Mongena Private Game Lodge offers an outstanding bush safari within the Dinokeng Game Reserve. Guests are often delighted to meet the tame zebras, nyalas and springbucks which roam and reside within the main camp. Enjoy some time to freshen up and relax or consider participating in one of the reserve’s optional activities. This evening, enjoy dinner at the camp’s…
Dinokeng Private Game Reserve
This morning’s early morning game drive begins at sunrise. As a private game reserve, there are no public roads, you’ll have an opportunity to go off-roading, and you’ll have fewer safari vehicles to compete with for game viewing. With both its diverse terrain and vegetation, the Dinokeng Game Reserve offers the chance to see both browsing and grazing species. Search for the Big Five which include lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, and buffalo! You may also see some of the reserve’s other residents including cheetah, brown hyena, giraffe, zebra, kudu, impala, waterbuck, wildebeest,…
Guided Tour Pricing
Price includes land and round-trip airfare from the U.S.
| Depart | Return | Depart - Return | Best Value Pricing - Reserve by Apr 30, 2021 | Reserve after Apr 30, 2021 |
Select Tour | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2021 | w/ eCheck Discount | Sale | After Sale | ||
| August 25 | September 2 | Aug 25 - Sep 2 |
$2,599 | $2,699 | $2,999 | Book Now |
| September 22 | September 30 | Sep 22 - Sep 30 |
$2,599 | $2,699 | $2,999 | Book Now |
| October 13 | October 21 | Oct 13 - Oct 21 |
$2,599 | $2,699 | $2,999 | Book Now |
| November 10 | November 18 | Nov 10 - Nov 18 |
$2,699 | $2,799 | $3,099 | Book Now |
| December 8 | December 16 | Dec 8 - Dec 16 |
$2,699 | $2,799 | $3,099 | Book Now |
| 2022 | 2022 | w/ eCheck Discount | Sale | After Sale | ||
| January 12 | January 20 | Jan 12 - Jan 20 |
$2,699 | $2,799 | $3,099 | Book Now |
| February 9 | February 17 | Feb 9 - Feb 17 |
$2,699 | $2,799 | $3,099 | Book Now |
| March 2 | March 10 | Mar 2 - Mar 10 |
$2,699 | $2,799 | $3,099 | Book Now |
| April 6 | April 14 | Apr 6 - Apr 14 |
$2,699 | $2,799 | $3,099 | Book Now |
| August 24 | September 1 | Aug 24 - Sep 1 |
$2,699 | $2,799 | $3,099 | Book Now |
| September 21 | September 29 | Sep 21 - Sep 29 |
$2,699 | $2,799 | $3,099 | Book Now |
| November 9 | November 17 | Nov 9 - Nov 17 |
$2,699 | $2,799 | $3,099 | Book Now |
| December 7 | December 15 | Dec 7 - Dec 15 |
$2,699 | $2,799 | $3,099 | Book Now |
Rates are per person based on double occupancy.
Single room supplement is $250.
For more information on this tour, please contact us here or call us during business hours (Mon-Fri, 9:00am – 5:30pm EST) at 800-337-7773.
Reservations and Payments
Reservations can be made by phone (1-800-337-7773) and will be confirmed upon receipt of your non-refundable, non-transferable deposit, which must be received at the time of reservation. Deposits are $99 per person for all 2021 departures, and $300 per person for all 2022 departures. Full payment is due 90 days prior to departure. Baggage fees may apply. Space and prices subject to availability. Please see the smarTours Terms and Conditions for complete booking information.
Optional Tours Customize your trip with these optional tours.
*NEW* Indicated optional tours are now available to pre-book when you reserve your trip. This is the best option to guarantee your spot on your preferred optional tour!
Availability and pricing are subject to change. Optional tours require a minimum number of participants in order for the tour to operate. If you choose to book your optional tour while on your trip, payments are non-refundable and should be made by cash or credit card (VISA, MasterCard or AmEx, subject to service charge).
Half-Day Cultural Heritage Tour & Township Tour
- Cape Town
- From approx. $48 Per Person
Time-travel through the history of “The Three South Africas”—from the monumental turning point in the Birth of South Africa to the now-decaying ruins of Apartheid South Africa to the townships of the New South Africa—on this can’t-miss tour. Gain insight into the greatness of Nelson Mandela and what South Africa has achieved ever since taking up his challenge to rise above pain and bitterness. Experience eye-opening encounters, especially when visiting Langa, the oldest black township, and Khayelitsha, the largest township, where cultural values and personal…
Full Day Cape Peninsula Tour
- Cape Town
- From approx. $131 Per Person
Stunning seascapes, spectacular gardens—and penguins? Our day on Cape Peninsula is truly extraordinary, as we pass steep mountains, secluded coves and sweeping beaches before a stop at a Hout Bay fishing village. Then it’s on to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, home to baboons, rheboks and Cape Mountain zebras. At Cape Point, soak up the majestic views at the confluence of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. We will head to the most remarkable of the mainland African penguin colonies, Boulders Beach (admission inside park not included) in Simon’s Town, with over 2,500 birds. But…
Robben Island Tour**
- Cape Town
- From approx. $40 Per Person
Catch the ferry to Robben Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the infamous maximum-security prison where Nelson Mandela and others were jailed. Adding to the realism of this tour: guides on the island were once political prisoners! Important tour details:
- Ferries depart several times daily, weather permitting, from V&A Waterfront. Transfers from your hotel to the pier and back are not included.
- The Robben Island excursions are operated by a non-profit foundation, and tickets are sold on a first-come-first-served basis. smarTours® does…
Full Day Great White Shark Cage Diving***
- Cape Town
- From approx. $194 Per Person, including breakfast, packed lunch and transfers
On this full-day adventure, you’ll depart from Kleinbaai and enjoy 2-4 hours at sea, depending on how often the sharks visit the boat, diving and viewing from the cage. The cage holds five people at a time and each person can spend about 20 minutes in the cage! All scuba equipment, including 7mm wetsuits, are provided and you don’t need a scuba license to cage dive. If you prefer not to go in the cage, you won’t be missing out! You’ll enjoy a picnic lunch onboard and a hot homemade soup at the lodge upon return. Hot showers and dry towels are available….
Featured Accommodations
Before You Depart
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Your departure flights from the U.S. to South Africa and back are on the below airlines. We recommend that you check-in 3½ hours before departure.
| Dates | Airline | Airport | Depart | Return |
| 2021: Aug. 25, Sep. 22, Oct. 13 | United Airlines | Newark (EWR) | 8:45PM | 5:45AM |
| 2021: Nov. 10, Dec. 8 | United Airlines | Newark (EWR) | 8:45PM | 7:00AM |
| 2022: All Dates | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA |
ADVANCE SEAT ASSIGNMENT
The above airlines do not assign seats in advance. Seat assignment can only be arranged when you check-in at the airport.
PASSPORT AND VISA INFORMATION
You must be in possession of a passport valid for at least 6 months after the date of travel. All visitors are required by the South African immigration authorities to have a minimum of two consecutive blank visa entry pages in their passport. Insufficient pages in the passport normally results in denied boarding or denial of entry upon arrival, and the person is likely to be detained pending return to their country of origin. Visa is not required for U.S. passport holders. Non-U.S. citizens should check with the respective consulates as to the most current visa requirements to all their travel destinations. Please remember that it is your responsibility to obtain the necessary travel documents before the trip.
TICKETS AND FINAL DOCUMENTS
Your airline tickets along with final instructions and additional travel tips will be sent to you 7–10 days before the scheduled departure of your tour. Please make sure to advise us in case your address changes.
HEALTH REQUIREMENTS
Please consult your personal physician or local public health authorities regarding taking anti-malaria pills, as well as other recommendations.
CLIMATE
South Africa is located in the southern hemisphere and has the reverse seasons to those of the U.S. The weather is temperate, even in the winter. Overnight temperatures are 10-20 degrees lower. Night and day temperature can vary greatly. Here’s what you can expect:
- April–September: Highs in the 60s and 70s.
- October–March: Highs in the 70s and 80s.
NON-INCLUDED MEALS
Food costs in South Africa are quite reasonable compared to the U.S. In Cape Town, you may dine at either of the hotels used on this tour or in a nearby restaurant recommended by your guide. The V&A Waterfront offers a fantastic range of dining options. Your hotel will accept credit cards for your non-included meals.
CREDIT CARDS AND LOCAL CURRENCY
Hotels and some stores accept major credit cards. For “street shopping” you will need local currency or U.S. Dollars. Your hotels will be able to exchange cash to local currency. It is recommended that you bring along cash in small denominations.
BAGGAGE
Each passenger may bring one piece of checked-in luggage (suitcase) max. 44 pounds, and one carry-on not exceeding 18”x10”x8”. We recommend that you do not overpack and that you take a variety of casual separates with climate and comfort in mind.