South Africa | Cultural Delights of Johannesburg

Days 1 - 2 | USA / Johannesburg, South Africa

Look for your personal Guest Service Officer as you arrive in the terminal, where you will be fast-tracked past the airport crowds for a stress-free arrival, including Customs and Immigration, baggage claim and porters, and escorted to your private hotel transfer. Be whisked away to the cliffside Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff, Johannesburg, for seven glorious nights in peaceful luxury, with panoramic balcony vistas, marble baths, deep soaking tub, and inspirational artisan appointments. Set overlooking the canopy embellished with cobbled lanes, fountain courtyards and gardens, indulge in inspired dining at Flames restaurant, rejuvenating therapies at the spa and its al fresco spa lounge, two pools, vegetable garden and on-site jogging trail.

Sip a spirited drink on the terrace of Flames to toast your arrival in Johannesburg. Stay for the many innovative chef-led dishes, featuring their tomahawk ribeye, spice-rubbed seabass and classic African barbecue fare.

Day 3 |  Johannesburg

Begin your day with a flavorful breakfast prior to meeting your guide for the Private City Excursion. Uncover the South Africa's struggling history and its current mission with a tour of Constitution Hill. The site of former prisons and military fort, now proudly a supreme Constitutional Court and living museum, experience a 100-year span from injustice to liberty. Then, learn about the gold rush days before heading to the Maboneng Precinct and its exciting revitalization, with a drive through the upscale suburb of Houghton, once home to famed resident Nelson Mandela, before your return to the hotel.

Days 4 - 5 |  Johannesburg

Engage in a full day of South Africa's arduous road to democracy on the guided Private Journey to Freedom Excursion. Begin at the Kliptown Open Air Museum to learn about the birth of the country's constitution and to Regina Mundi Church where banished political parties met in secret. Next, visit the Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum, commemorating those who lost their lives in the struggle for equality, followed by a drive past the Mandela House for a lunch break in Soweto. Your excursion continues at the Apartheid Museum, its extraordinary multimedia story revealing stories of sorrow and courage through the rise and fall of South Africa's struggle to freedom before your return to the hotel.

The next day, explore the city at your own pace or relax at the resort. Visit the Johannesburg Zoo or engage in a nature park adventure. Spend the day poolside or reserve a daybead at the spa and its city view lounge with light bite dining, as well as rejuvenating massage therapy experiences, including a full-body Marula and Sandalwood Sugar Buff skin preparation or plant stem cell anti-aging mask facial and more.

Day 6 |  Johannesburg

Depart the hotel early this morning as we go back millions of years to early man on the full day Private History of Humankind & Lesedi Culture Excursion. The tour begins in Maropeng Visitors Center at the Cradle of Mankind, a World Heritage Site, where the oldest human fossils on earth were discovered. Marvel at the interactive exhibits and the human evolutionary life journey on display. Then, delve into five different historical South African cultures to present day including the Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele, Sotho and Pedi, and participate in their harmonious hospitality, along with a traditional African meal, music, dances, activities and replicas of traditional homesteads at the Lesedi Cultural Village for an immersive multicultural experience.

Days 7 - 8 |  Johannesburg / USA

Following a morning workout, inspiring stroll or breakfast buffet, spend your final day in South Africa at leisure. Just minutes away, head to the leafy suburbs known as The Parks, brimming with a variety of shops, dining outlets and nightlife. For a more bohemian experience, check out the trendy strip of art galleries, buzzing eateries and edgy nightclub scenes in Braamfontein, Maboneng and 44 Stanley districts.

Celebrate your last evening with a private candlelight dinner and sparkling wine or take the glass elevator to Flames for your favorite grilled selection. Whether you choose to dine on the restaurant terrace as the sunsets or on your own private balcony, every whim will be catered to and every bite is sure to please.

The next day, transfer to the airport for your comfortable flight home to the United States, and begin planning your next South African vacation.