John, thanks for sharing this.

As an African — from Zimbabw, now resident in Jo'burg — it looks like a good introduction to SA. But I would suggest taking in Mafeking. Rudyard was not there, but wrote extensively about the town and its siege and his friends were all involved including Baden Powell, Leander Starr Jameson (for whom he wrote, IF, Charles Warren and Rider Haggard.

It was here that Baden Powell, inspired by the Zulu impi system and The Jungle Book, set up the original boy scouts.

Good luck to all.

Proposed “KIPLING” TOUR of SA

Follow the footsteps of Rudyard Kipling on his visits to South Africa. The highlights of Cape Town and the Cape Peninsula before moving north to Matjiesfontein, to visit Olive Schreiner’s House, then through the great Karoo to Kimberly. We fly to Johannesburg to continue north to “the banks of the great, grey, green, greasy, Limpopo River”. Here we will visit the Mapungubwe National Park, a world heritage site on the border of Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Early pioneers, including Rhodes, crossed the river here at Pont Drift on their northbound travels to the Rhodesia’s. We end on safari in the northern Kruger National Park near the aptly named Crooks Corner on the Limpopo border of South Africa, Zimbabwe and now, Mozambique.  

Day 1 Arrive in Cape Town to be met and transferred to the Mount Nelson Hotel (possibly The Vineyard?) to freshen up. Your guide will give you an introductory orientation. After lunch we will take you on a tour of the Cape Town city and waterfront.  Dinner (own account) and overnight

Day 2 Today we will tour the Cape Peninsula to Cape Point with a visit to Simonstown. In the afternoon we will return to visit Groot Constantia and Groote Schuur

Day 3 Today we visit to the Rhodes Memorial and UCT Historic Library before a trip to Rhodes cottage in Muizenburg PM Table Mountain

Day 4 Franshoek, Hermanus and Sir Lowry’s Pass

Day 5 To Matjiesfontein via Stellenbosch and the wine lands O/N Matjiesfontein

Day 6 Explore Matjiesfontein then to Kimberly O/N

Day 7 Kimberly – History, Big Hole, Museum (Local historian) O/N

Day 8 Fly to JNB – O/N The Ranch - Polokwane

Day 10 Via Springbok flats past the Soutpansberg to Mapungubwe- Game drive and O/N

Day 11 Explore Mapungubwe O/N

Day 12 To the Pafuri  area of KNP for game drive and O/N

Day 13 Crooks Corner on game drive O/N

Day 14 Return to JNB for return flights on optional extension tours

Planned optional 3 day / 2 night extension tours:

·       Victoria Falls

·       KZ Natal Battlefields

·       Private KNP Game Lodge

·       Grahamstown and the Eastern Cape “forts”

·       Beach options