Visit Mauritius, South Africa & India in 3 weeks

Itinerary in brief:

• 1 night Delhi
• 2 nights Amritsar
• 2 nights Dharamsala
• 2 nights Shimla
• 1 night Delhi
• 5 nights Mauritius
• 1 night Johannesburg
• 2 nights Cradle of Humankind
• 2 nights Pilanesburg National Park
• 2 nights Madikwe Game Reserve
• 1 night Johannesburg Airport

Day 1: Depart UK

Depart the UK from your chosen airport.

Included: International flights

Day 2: Arrive Delhi

On arrival in Delhi, you'll be met at the airport and driven to your hotel, checking in for one night. The rest of the day is yours to relax at the hotel and get ready for your adventure north. 

Included: Transfers, 4* hotel

Day 3: Fly to Amritsar

After breakfast, you'll be taken to the airport for the short flight to Amritsar. The city has long been famous as a centre for the Sikh religion – according to legend, when the fourth Guru of the Sikhs Guru Ram Das heard about the healing powers of the pool, he ordered his son Guru Arjan Dev to erect a temple at the site. In 1588, the foundations of a city were laid which later became an emblem of Sikh culture and history. 

Included: Breakfast, transfers, 4* hotel

Day 4: Amritsar

This morning you’ll start the day with a visit to the Golden Temple. You’ll walk through the old city and the bazaars, visiting the Jallianwala Bagh and the site of the 1919 civilian massacre, before arriving at Sri Harminder Sahib, also known as the Golden Temple. With gold leaf covering the entire structure, this is the Mecca of the Sikh religion. Unlike any religious structures, it is open from all sides and all religions are welcome to enter, meditate or just listen to the scriptures. Soaking up the atmosphere of such a special place is sure to be a highlight of your trip. 

In the afternoon, you’ll visit the Wagah Border, the only crossing between India and Pakistan. The army outpost is around 30km from Amritsar and is a complex of buildings, roads and barriers separating the two countries. Here you’ll witness the ‘Beating the Retreat’ ceremony performed by the soldiers each evening. Soldiers from both India and Pakistan perform a flag march – the flags from both countries are brought down before the gates are opened and drills are performed. 

Included: Breakfast, touring, 4* hotel

Day 5: Amritsar to Dharamsala

Today, you will set off with your driver across a spur of the mighty Dhauladar Mountain Range; through forests of pine, beautiful hills and tea gardens, this journey takes you north-east to Dharamsala, the residence of the Dalai Lama in exhile. The journey takes around 3 ½ hours and takes you through some stunning scenery – enjoy the ride into the foothills of the Himalayas.

Included: Breakfast, touring, 4* hotel

Day 6: Travel to Dharamshala

This morning you'll be driven to Dharamshala, across the fertile riverbeds of Punjab and into the rocky Himalayan foothills. Dharamshala is a hill station lying on the spur of the Dhauladhar range, surrounded by oak and conifer trees with snow-capped mountains enclosing three sides of the town and the Kangra valley stretching in front. The town is divided into two distinct areas – Lower Dharamshala and Upper Dharamshala is famous as the ‘Little Lhasa in India’ after Mcleodganj became the temporary headquarter of the Dalai Lama. 

Included: Breakfast, touring, 4* hotel

Day 7: Dharamshala

Today you’ll head off to explore Dharamshala. You’ll start at McLeod Ganj – the home of the Dalai Lama since 1959 when he fled Tibet with thousands of other refugees. As Dharamshala became the headquarter of the Tibetan Government in exile, headed by Dalai Lama, it gained prominence all over the world & prominent personalities started arriving here. Mcleodganj emerged as a major Buddhist centre. 

Afterwards you’ll visit the War Memorial, situated in Dharamshala town. The memorial is situated near the entry point to Dharamshala and commemorates the memory of those who fought valiantly in the war. The place is in a peaceful location in the pine forest and offers a very enjoyable walk-through the trees to get there. The rest of your day is yours to explore the town and enjoy the spectacular views of the Himalayas.

Included: Breakfast, touring, 4* hotel

Day 8: Travel to Shimla 

After breakfast, you'll be driven out to Shimla. Shimla is the capital of Himachal Pradesh, discovered by the British in 1819 when it was part of the Nepalese Kingdom. The cool hills, snow-capped peaks and green pastures lead to it being declared the summer capital of India, with natural beauty and colonial heritage aplenty. 

Included: Breakfast, touring, 4* hotel

Day 9: Shimla 

This morning you’ll head out on a morning tour of Shimla to explore the town. Start on Mall Road, the heart of Shimla, where the streets are lined with shops, and you’ll find the Christ Church, one of the oldest in northern India. You’ll also visit Tara Devi Temple, where the goddess Tara is known as a prominent deity of Tibetan Buddhism. The history of this temple dates to more than 250 years. It is believed that Goddess Tara was brought here from eastern state of Bengal by a king from the Sen Dynasty and to honour this in later years Raja Bhupendra Sen established this temple with a wooden idol of Tara Devi in Vaishnav style and traditions.

A pleasant walk further west will lead you to the most imposing edifice of Shimla – the Vice Regal Lodge. Located on the Observatory Hill, it is a majestic, sprawling, grey-tinted structure surrounded by tall pines. Now called Rashtrapati Niwas, the Lodge houses the Indian Institute of Advanced Study and is the only building in Shimla that occupies a hill by itself.

The afternoon is yours to relax in the hotel or enjoy exploring more at your own leisure.           

Included: Breakfast, touring, 4* hotel

Day 10: Train to Delhi

After breakfast, you'll be driven to Shimla Station, ready to catch the Toy Train to Kalka, enjoying spectacular views as you travel. From Kalka, you'll board the train to Delhi, before being driven to your hotel in the city for your final night in India. 

Included: Breakfast, transfers, train tickets, 4* hotel 

Day 11: Fly to Mauritius

After breakfast, you’ll be met and taken to the airport for your flight to Mauritius. On arrival, you will be met at the airport and driven to your hotel, where you will check in for five nights.            

Included: Breakfast, transfers, international flights, 4* hotel      

Days 12 & 13: Mauritius

Your first two days in Mauritius are yours to spend at leisure, from strolling along the dreamy Indian Ocean shores to enjoying some downtime by the pool. Finish each day with a bowl of fresh local seafood and a glass of wine as you watch the sunset - these few days are purely for relaxation before getting out and exploring the island later in your trip.      

Included: Breakfast, 4* hotel

Day 14: Island tour

After breakfast, you’ll embark on a full-day tour of the island. First, you’ll climb to the Trou Aux Cerfs volcano crater, before visiting at the Grand Bassin; a place of worship for Mauritian Hindus, who consider the lake an extension of the Ganges.

Next, you’ll visit the pretty waterfalls and lush mountains of the Black River Gorges National Park where you’ll discover an amazing variety of indigenous plants and birds. After lunch at the Avalon Estate, you’ll visit the Rhumerie de Chamarel where you can see how rum is made from yellow and red Mauritian sugar cane that thrives in the hills. Nearby you’ll stop in to see the ‘Coloured Earth of Chamarel’, where basaltic lava has turned into red, violet, pink and purple dunes – a must-see for any visitor to Mauritius. In the afternoon, you’ll return to the hotel.

Included: Breakfast, 4* hotel, touring

Day 15: Frederica Nature Reserve hike

Today you’ll go on a half-day hike through the Frederica Nature Reserve. You’ll trek from the Frederica Old Chimney through the river reserve until you come to a waterfall where you can dive into the pool below and enjoy the cooling waters of this natural wonder! We’ve included lunch after your hike, then you’ll return to the hotel and the rest of the day at leisure.

Included: Breakfast, 4* hotel, touring

Day 16: Fly to South Africa  

After breakfast, you will be driven back to the airport in time for your flight to Johannesburg. On arrival in South Africa, you will pick up your rental car before driving to your hotel in Johannesburg, where you will stay for one night.

Included: International flight, breakfast, 4* hotel

Day 17: Johannesburg to Cradle of Humankind

Spend the morning in Johannesburg where you can explore at your leisure or we can book a tour for you exploring the township of Soweto. Here you can see Africa’s largest hospital, the Hector Pieterson Memorial and the street where both Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu have lived.

In the afternoon you’ll drive an hour to the Cradle of Humankind, just north of Johannesburg, where you’ll check into your hotel for two nights.

Included: Breakfast, car hire, 4* hotel

Day 18: Cradle of Humankind

The Cradle of Humankind is an anthropological site, where the bones of ancient hominins have been found, from the famous skull, nicknamed “Mrs Ples” and the 15 skeletons found in the Rising Star Cave. The name is due to these fossils being some of the oldest hominin bones ever found, some over 3.5 million years old. Spend the day exploring the site – you can learn about the caves and their contents as well as learning about your early ancestors. It is a fascinating place to spend the day and will give you a glimpse into a time when apes and humans were starting to become individual species.

If you want to add a tour or a hot air balloon ride we can arrange this for you – just ask!

Included: Breakfast, car hire, 4* hotel

Day 19: Cradle of Humankind to Pilanesberg National Park

After breakfast, you’ll drive towards Pilanesberg National Park, where you’ll check into your lodge for two nights. The malaria-free Pilanesberg is home to the Big 5 and a great place to enjoy some of South Africa’s famous wildlife close to Johannesburg. This afternoon you’ll enjoy a game drive, looking out for elephants and antelope as they make their way to the waterholes for a drink in the heat. Enjoy dinner at the lodge in the evening before heading to bed, ready for the day looking for wildlife tomorrow.

Included: Breakfast, car hire, dinner, 1 x game drive, 4* lodge

Day 20: Pilanesberg National Park

Head off early for another drive through the bush, where you might spot nocturnal creatures like pangolins and porcupines returning home in the morning light as well as giraffes and zebras waking up to a new day. Spend a couple of hours enjoying the park before spending the rest of the morning at the lodge, enjoying the pool and relaxing in the beautiful surroundings. Embark on another game drive this afternoon where you can keep an eye out for hippos fighting in the river and cheetah cubs playing in the tall grasses.

Included: Breakfast, car hire, lunch, 2 x game drives, dinner, 4* lodge

Day 21: Pilanesberg National Park to Madikwe   

Today you’ll drive even further north towards the Botswanan border to visit the Madikwe Game Reserve, a small area where a huge range of wildlife makes its home. Check into your lodge for two nights and enjoy an evening game drive through the bush as the sun sets before tucking into dinner underneath the treetops.

Included: Breakfast, car hire, 1 x game drive, dinner, 4* lodge

Day 22: Madikwe

Today, you’ll spend time exploring the reserve with a morning and evening game drives, looking out for zebras grazing in the bushveld and leopards lazing in the acacia trees. Madikwe is famous for its resident packs of wild dogs and you’ve got a good chance of spotting these endangered creatures on your drive, as well as hippos cooling off in the river and lions sunbathing on the huge rocks. In the evening each out for caracals as they wake up to go hunting and warthogs as they retreat to safety in their burrows.

Included: Breakfast, car hire, lunch, 2 x game drives, dinner, 4* lodge

Day 23: Madikwe to Johannesburg

After an early morning wakeup call you’ll take one final exciting game drive through the bush before driving back to Johannesburg, where you’ll check into your hotel for one night. Why not head to Wombles for a steak to enjoy your final night in South Africa.

Included: Breakfast, car hire, 1 x game drive, 4* hotel 

Day 24: Depart South Africa

Today is your last day in South Africa, return your car hire to the airport in time to catch your onwards flight.

Included: Breakfast, car hire, international flights

Day 25: Arrive UK