skip to main content

FRANCIS BRENNAN’S GRAND TOUR SOUTH AFRICA ***NEW***

Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Francis with the 'King' (real name Mphumzeni) at Lesedi Cutlural Village Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Francis with the 'King' (real name Mphumzeni) at Lesedi Cutlural Village
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Francis Brennan at the Lesedi Cultural Village with Themba and Slenda. Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Francis Brennan at the Lesedi Cultural Village with Themba and Slenda.
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Francis Brennan at the Lesedi Cultural Village with Themba and Slenda. 1 Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Francis Brennan at the Lesedi Cultural Village with Themba and Slenda. 1
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa 1 Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa 1
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Patricia McGrath and Patricia Brady Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Patricia McGrath and Patricia Brady
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Patricia McGrath and Patricia Brady 1 Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Patricia McGrath and Patricia Brady 1
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Iveta Mangulsone and Inga Sangovica Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Iveta Mangulsone and Inga Sangovica
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Inga Sangovica and Iveta Mangulsone Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Inga Sangovica and Iveta Mangulsone
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Francis, Lucy and Craig Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Francis, Lucy and Craig
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Francis, Iveta and Inga Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Francis, Iveta and Inga
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Francis with Barry and Collette McDonough Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Francis with Barry and Collette McDonough
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Francis Brennan Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Francis Brennan
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Francis Brennan and Patricia McGrath and Patricia Brady Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Francis Brennan and Patricia McGrath and Patricia Brady
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Francis Brennan 1 Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Francis Brennan 1
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Francis at Table Mountain Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Francis at Table Mountain
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Francis and Frances O'Brien Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Francis and Frances O'Brien
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Francis and Finbarr Goggin Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Francis and Finbarr Goggin
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Francis and Edel Casey Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Francis and Edel Casey
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Francis and Darren Delaney Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Francis and Darren Delaney
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Frances O'Brien Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Frances O'Brien
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Frances O'Brien 2 Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Frances O'Brien 2
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Finbarr Goggin Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Finbarr Goggin
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Finbarr Goggin 2 Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Finbarr Goggin 2
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Edel Casey Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Edel Casey
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Edel Casey 1 Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Edel Casey 1
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Darren Delaney Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Darren Delaney
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Darren Delaney 1 Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Darren Delaney 1
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Craig Byrne and Lucy Slaven Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Craig Byrne and Lucy Slaven
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Craig Byrne and Lucy Slaven 1 Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Craig Byrne and Lucy Slaven 1
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Collette and Barry McDonough Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Collette and Barry McDonough
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Barry and Collette McDonough Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa - Barry and Collette McDonough
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa
Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa 1 Image Name: Francis Brennan's Grand Tour South Africa 1

Ireland’s best known and most loved hotelier Francis Brennan is back on the road. He’s taking a break from his five star hotel to act as a tour guide to twelve paying guests who are about to embark on a surprise trip of a lifetime.

The series kicks off with Francis’s guests gathering at Dublin Airport where their mystery destination is revealed – South Africa. Francis has organised a thirteen day epic tour starting in Johannesburg, where they visit Soweto, before heading south. In the Eastern Cape they experience a once-in-a-lifetime safari experience, followed by a drive down the world famous Garden Route (with a surprise bungee jump) ending up in beautiful Cape Town.

As always, there’s a mixed bunch of guests on the Grand Tour – with ages ranging from an 83 year old great grandmother to a 23 year old, with occupations from dog groomer to pest controller. Can Francis manage to keep this unlikely crew happy and on schedule?

Francis Brennan’s Grand Tour South Africa, Episode 1 of 6, RTÉ One, Sunday, July 22nd, at 8.30pm 

Francis Brennan takes twelve paying tourists on the surprise trip of a lifetime. In tonight’s programme
Francis’s guests meet up at Dublin airport and their mystery destination is revealed – South Africa. After a 19-hour flight the group arrives at Lesedi Cultural village in Johannesburg. Rather than letting them rest  Francis immediately throws them into an African drumming lesson and tribal tour. The next day Francis takes them on a whistle stop tour of Johannesburg including the poignant Apartheid Museum before grabbing a bite at a restaurant that specialises in exotic meats. Crocodile anyone?

This year Francis’s guests are:

Collette (51) and Barry (59) McDonough from Ashbourne, Co Meath, experienced travellers, they have been to South Africa before but travelling around the country with Francis is still an eye-opener.

Patricia McGrath (64) and Patricia Brady (56), from Dublin, best friends who met on a bus. Meeting Francis at the airport, Patricia Mc says: “I’m breathless. I feel as if I’m going get married. You know when you’re expecting to get married and there’s a hunk in front of you and there’s my man. Thank you, God!”

Darren Delaney (26), from Douglas in Co Cork, who has a fear of dust and isn’t too enamoured with the crocodile the group get to taste in on their first night. “Well, I suppose it is something that you can say to the grandkids if I ever have them. I ate croc in Carnivore. In fact I won’t eat croc ever again, so at least that’s done now,” he tells the cameras.

Best friends Iveta Mangulsone (39) and Inga Sangovica (33), originally from Latvia, they have been living in Mullingar, Co Westmeath for more than 12 years.

Couple Craig Byrne (24) from Hartstown and Lucy Slaven (23) from Lucan. Lucy is well travelled but Craig has only been as far as Spain before.

83-year-old Frances O’Brien from Drombanna in Co Limerick, whose verve for life is inspirational to her fellow travelers.

Wexford native, but now living in Longford, Edel Casey (45) who describes the trip as one the “most amazing experiences” she has ever had.

Finbarr Goggin (57) from Bantry in Co Cork whose travel up to now has been limited to Ireland and the UK with one trip to Portugal being the furthest he has been.