On arrival in Johannesburg you will connect onwards for your 2 hour flight on South African Airways to Cape Town. On arrival you will be met for your transfer to your hotel.
Overnight on a bed and breakfast basis at the Southern Sun Cullinan
After breakfast you will be met by your local English speaking driver-guide for your full day tour of the Cape Peninsula. Depart the hotel and flank the colder Atlantic Ocean en route to Hout Bay. Once a fishing community, now one of the most popular residential areas, the harbor still has a charm of days gone by. For the not so adventurous, the fish market "Mariners Wharf" is a must. The tour now continues over the famous Chapman’s Peak drive – if open, with a 200 meter drop on one side and a 200 meter rise on the other, as we make our way south, following the Atlantic Ocean until we reach Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope. Said to be the romantic meeting place of the two mighty oceans, the Atlantic and the Indian, Sir Francis Drake the Explorer once called it "the fairest Cape that we saw in the whole circumference of the Globe". And rightly so, it must be the highlight of any visit to the Mother City, if not South Africa. Our optional lunch stop today is at the Fish Hoek Galley. We pass the naval base of Simonstown as we continue along the Indian Ocean, en route to see the Jackass penguin colony which has become well established at Boulders Beach near Simonstown. Our last stop of the day is at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens (optional), home of some 3 500 species of Southern African fauna and flora. We return to the hotel in the late afternoon, having seen some of the best the Cape has to offer.
Overnight on a bed and breakfast basis at the Southern Sun Cullinan
After breakfast your local English-speaking driver-guide will meet you at the hotel for a tour of the Cape wine region.
We will depart from the hotel and head north to Paarl. Our first stop is for our morning wine tasting at Nelsons Creek Estate. After a tour through their cellars, there is a chance to sample some of their local wines as well as a cheese tasting. A brief city tour of Paarl follows, before we make our way to Franschhoek with a photo stop at the Groot Drakenstein Prison where Nelson Mandela was released in 1990. This little village nestled amongst the mountains, can easily be mistaken for a little Switzerland. After a short tour of the town, a second wine tasting will be enjoyed in Franschhoek followed by a lunch stop and perhaps a chance to savor some of the fresh trout for which Franschhoek is renowned. After lunch the tour continues to the university town of Stellenbosch. It is easy to understand why Simon van der Stel decided to settle a village amongst the mountains. The backdrop of the Hottentots Holland Mountains, the white gabled Cape Dutch homesteads and the oak lined streets and lanes all blend in to give this place a charm that will not be quickly forgotten. Time permitting we will include a third and final wine tasting. Then we set off for our return to the Mother City.
Overnight on a bed and breakfast basis at the Southern Sun Cullinan
A full day at leisure to explore the beautiful city of Cape Town.
Maybe take a trip in the cable car up Table Mountain or a boat ride for a poignant visit to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for many years. Perhaps take time to explore the vibrant V&A Waterfront with its many shops, restaurants and activities available as well as the fascinating Two Oceans Aquarium. In the summer months maybe head for the white sand beaches of Clifton and Camps Bay for people watching and soaking up the African Sun. Whatever else, you will not be at a loss for things to do!
Overnight on a bed and breakfast basis at the Southern Sun Cullinan
After breakfast you will be met for your transfer to Cape Town Airport for your scheduled flight to Port Elizabeth.
On arrival at Port Elizabeth Airport you will be met and transferred to Kariega Game Reserve, an easy 1 1/2 hours drive from Port Elizabeth.
The Reserve is situated along the Eastern Cape Coast, making it the perfect Big 5 South African safari destination to compliment a Cape Town visit. This malaria-free South African game park is home to some of the richest biodiversity in Southern Africa, as well as two abundant rivers – the picturesque Kariega and Bushman's Rivers.
Overnight on a full board basis at Kariega Private Game Reserve
At Kariega, everything revolves around the twice-daily safari drives and river cruises - the close-up encounters with African wildlife are the centre of your unforgettable safari holiday. The experienced game rangers will drive you out on safari every morning and afternoon/evening in open game-drive vehicles, traversing the valleys, grassy plains and African bushveld to bring you close to the Big 5 and other game roaming freely in their natural habitat. If you are fortunate, you may witness the lion hunting or feeding, or even the heartwarming social interactions of an elephant herd.
Overnight on a full board basis at Kariega Private Game Reserve
The game reserve is bordered in the east and west by the vast and dramatic Kariega and Bushman's River Valleys. On safari drives you will explore many different habitats - riverine forests, rich grassland plains and typical African bushveld. The awe-inspiring African landscape will captivate your senses and the trees, grasses and plants of the Eastern Cape will divulge their secrets. Sometimes it is the hidden secrets of the bush which you will treasure most as memories of your safari, the amazing intricacy of a spider's web or the monumental work of a dung beetle. There is never a dull moment on safari drives; you never know what African bush experience awaits around the next corner of the track.
Overnight on a full board basis at Kariega Private Game Reserve
After breakfast and an early morning game drive you will be transferred to Port Elizabeth Airport for your flight to Johannesburg. On arrival you will connect with your flight to the United States
