Arrival in Cape Town
Upon arrival at Cape Town International Airport you will be met by your driver-guide, who will be with you for the duration of your time in Cape Town, and transferred to your boutique hotel in Camps Bay. Your guide will meet you in the arrival hall with a name board showing your name. Please call or WhatsApp the emergency contact number on your travel vouchers in the unlikely event that you do not manage to locate your guide.
Your hotel is beautifully located on the main Camps Bay strip, with gorgeous ocean views. Enjoy the evening at leisure, there are a wide range of lovely restaurants and bars in Camps Bay, also known as the "Riviera of the Cape".
Optional Activities (at an additional cost):
- Visit the lively V&A Waterfront where there are a variety of shops, markets, restaurants activities and attractions to enjoy
- Sunset Cruise in Table Bay
- Sunset views from Signal Hill
- Sunset Kayak Experience along Table Bay Coastline
Private Full Day Cape Town City Tour with Robben Island & Table Mountain
Pick-Up Time: 08.00 at hotel reception
Drop-Off Time: 18.00 at hotel
Included: Robben Island tickets, Table Mountain Aerial Cableway return tickets
Excluded: All entrance fees to museums – for own account if interested to visit and time depending. Lunch.
Note: Robben Island and the Table Mountain cableway are weather permitting
Today starts with a Robben Island excursion. The tour takes 3.5 hours in total, including the ferry trips across the bay and back. Robben Island is most famous for being where former president Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years of imprisonment. It is also possible (at an additional cost) to do this tour on a private basis and also to have Nelson Mandela's former prison guard who later became a close friend, Christo Brand, be your guide on the island.
Robben Island, the unique symbol of “the triumph of the human spirit over adversity, suffering and injustice” with a rich 500 year old multi-layered history, is visited every year by thousands of people eager to understand and honour the important aspects of South Africa’s history that the Island represents.
On return to the V&A Waterfront you will have some time to enjoy lunch before departing on your city tour which also includes a trip in the cableway to the top of Table Mountain, from where you can enjoy panoramic views of the Cape Peninsula, over the city and across the Table Bay.
The city tour will be largely a walking tour and some of the highlights on this tour include the colourful houses in the Bo Kaap (an Instagram hotspot!), the Company Gardens surrounded by many important historical buildings, including South Africa's Parliament buildings, and if there is time a visit to the District Six Museum.
Highlights:
- Robben Island Excursion - coach tour of the island and walking tour of the maximum security prison, including a visit to Nelson Mandela's prison cell
- Table Mountain and the aerial cableway
- Bo-Kaap – one of the city’s most Instagrammable spots thanks to its picturesque colourful houses and cobblestone streets
- The Company Gardens – a large public park lined with oak trees and surrounded by iconic historical buildings, museums and art galleries
- Vibrant Greenmarket Square market offering a wide range of African arts and crafts
- Orientation drive to see The Castle of Good Hope, City Hall, Grand Parade and Adderley Street with its many statues and historical buildings
Private Full Day Cape Peninsula Tour
Pick-Up Time: 08.30 at hotel reception
Drop-Off Time: 17.30-18.00 at hotel
Included: Chapman’s Peak toll fee (weather depending), entrance fees for Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve (Cape Point) and Boulders Beach (Penguins)
Excluded: Seal Island boat excursion and entrance to Kirstenbosch Gardens – for own account and subject to availability and time – note that there is only time for ONE of these two activities. Funicular at Cape Point.
Lunch: For own account
You will be met by your guide in your hotel reception area and taken on a Full Day Cape Peninsula Tour. Cape Town is frequently acknowledged and awarded as being one of the world’s most beautiful places – this tour will show you why! Experience the spectacular natural splendour and abundance of life of the Cape Peninsula. With scenic views to take your breath away and photo opportunities galore this trip also takes you through a World Heritage Site – the Cape Floral Kingdom.
Travel along the Atlantic Seaboard to Hout Bay, passing magnificent beaches and the coastal suburbs of Clifton, Camps Bay and Llandudno. From the busy fishing harbour at Hout Bay you have the option of a boat trip to see the thousands of Cape Fur Seals living on a rocky outcrop. Browse for souvenirs at the Hout Bay Craft Market or take a walk on the beach and paddle your feet in the sea.
The tour continues over Chapman’s Peak, known as one of the most spectacular scenic drives in the world, all the way along the Peninsula to the southern tip at Cape Point. An invigorating walk takes you to the two lighthouses at the top and bottom of the headland, from where you will enjoy extraordinary views of the cliffs and the ocean below. Alternatively, you could take an optional short funicular ride to the top. Take a photo down at the most south-western point of the African continent at the Cape of Good Hope beach.
Lunch will be enjoyed at a seaside restaurant (excluded and for your own account) before we make our way along the False Bay coastline to the Naval village of Simon’s Town. We will visit the delightful African Penguins of Boulders Beach and then the drive takes us back via Cape Town’s coastal and southern suburbs.
Highlights:
- Drive along the Atlantic Sea Board passing the beautiful beaches of Clifton and Camps Bay
- Photo stop at Maidens Cove to take in the views of the Twelve Apostles mountain range, Camps Bay Beach and Lions Head
- Stop at Hout Bay Harbour – a busy fishing harbour
- Optional boat ride to Duiker Island to see the Cape Fur Seals
- Chapman’s Peak Drive – known as one of the World’s most beautiful drives
- Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and Cape Point – most South-Western point of Africa and the southern tip of the Cape Peninsula, spectacular scenery
- False Bay Coastal Road – look out for whales between June and November
- Visit the comical African Penguins at Boulders Beach
- Simon’s Town – home to South Africa’s Naval Base
- Picturesque drive past Kalk Bay and Muizenberg – see the famous colourful beach huts
- Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens – optional and time dependent
There are also a number of other exciting ways to explore the Cape Peninsula and fun activities which can be included as an alternative to the standard routing above:
Optional Activities (at additional cost):
- Snorkelling with Seals from Hout Bay
- Kayaking with Penguins from Simon's Town
- Waterbike Ocean Adventure from Simon's Town
- Surfing lesson in Muizenberg
- Explore the Peninsula or a section thereof via Side-car
- Self-drive the Peninsula in a classic convertible Cobra
Full Day at Leisure in Cape Town
Today you will enjoy a full day at leisure to relax and enjoy some down time or to take part in some of the other exciting activities on offer in and around Cape Town.
Optional Activities (at an additional cost):
- Visit to the lively V&A Waterfront where there are a variety of shops, markets, restaurants activities and attractions to enjoy
- Paragliding from Signal Hill or Lions Head
- Sky Diving
- Quad biking, sandboarding and/or bumper balls in the Atlantis sand dunes
- Shark Cage Diving in Gansbaai or Simon’s Town
- Scenic helicopter flight
- Lions head guided hike (morning or sunset) or Table Mountain guided hike
- Cape Malay Cooking experience in the Bo Kaap
- If this day falls on a Saturday or Sunday a visit to a local Food Market (e.g. Oranjezicht City Farm or Neighbourgoods Market at the Old Biscuit Mill)
- Constantia Winelands Zip and Sip Trip (half day Ziplining and Wine Tasting in the Constantia Valley) or half day wine tour in the Constantia Valley
Transfer from Cape Town to Franschhoek via a Private Full Day Cape Winelands Tour
Pick-Up Time: 08.30 at hotel reception
Drop-Off Time: 17.30-18.00 at hotel in Franchhoek
Included: 3 wine tastings at 3 different wine estates (3-5 wines per tasting – minimum 12 wines tasted), a chocolate OR cheese and wine pairing is included in these
Excluded: Additional and premium wine tastings and purchase of wine – for own account
Lunch: For own account
You will be met by your guide in your hotel reception area and taken on a Full Day Cape Winelands Tour. Situated only 45 minutes away from Cape Town, the Cape Winelands are surrounded by majestic mountains, beautiful vineyards and typical Cape Dutch style architecture. The Cape Winelands include the towns of Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl and are home to more than 200 wine estates and wine farms producing top-quality world-class wines. This region is also highly acclaimed for its many award-winning restaurants.
Head off to the heart of South Africa's wine industry, Stellenbosch, boasting great beauty and culture that is steeped in South African history. Walk down the canal-lined avenues, in the shade of giant oak trees and beautifully preserved historical buildings. With the sheer vastness of wine estates on offer, we are truly spoilt for choice. Enjoy wine tastings at 3 different estates in the Stellenbosch area, with a lunch stop in between.
Highlights:
- Stellenbosch historical walk
- Visit Oom Samie se Winkel an interesting and old fashioned general dealer
- 3 Wine Tastings, with a chocolate OR cheese and wine pairing included, at various wine estates
Full Day Franschhoek Wine Tram
Enjoy a full day to explore and discover Franschhoek on the Wine Tram.
Flight from Cape Town to Hoedspruit for Kapama Private Game Reserve Safari
This morning you will have a transfer back to Cape Town International Airport for your direct flight to Hoedspruit Eastgate Airport. You will be met here and transferred a short distance to the lodge.
Check-in and enjoy your first afternoon game drive.
Typical Day on Safari
The day starts with an early wake-up call between 5am and 5:30am. Tea, coffee and rusks are enjoyed together before heading out at first light. While seeing big game is always exhilarating, there are many other smaller species that are also captivating, and birding enthusiasts will be delighted at the approximately 350 species of birds recorded on the reserve. Halfway through the game drive, there’s a stop for hot drinks and snacks, before returning to the lodge at around 9am for a full breakfast. Throughout the day, it’s likely you will see wildlife around the lodge - nyala antelope and vervet monkeys are frequent visitors, though seeing some of the Big Five is also not uncommon.
While at leisure during the day you can spend time at the pool catching up on some reading, or indulge in a spa treatment. For those looking to something a little more active you can join a bush walk. There are a few of the finer things of nature that can be missed on a game vehicle so putting on your walking shoes and stepping into the reserve will get you up close and personal to interesting aspects of the wild unseen from the safari vehicle.
At around 3:30pm, everyone gathers for a decadent high tea, before heading out with your ranger and tracker for the afternoon game drive through the reserve. En route, you’ll stop for a sundowner drink and will have a chance to stretch your legs as you watch the sun set over the distant peaks of the Drakensberg mountains.
As darkness falls, the nocturnal animals of the bush come out. The skilled tracker will scan the landscape using a spotlight, which illuminates animals’ eyes. A variety of completely different species can be seen on the night drive back to the lodge. Arrival is at the lodge is usually around 7pm, allowing time to freshen up before enjoying a sumptuous dinner.
Another full day on safari - hopefully you will get to tcik off those animals on your wish list that you haven't yet seen!
Transfer to Hoedspruit Airport for Departure
Your African Adventure has sadly drawn to a close and it's time to say farewell! This morning you will have your last morning game drive and breakfast at the lodge before checking out.
Transfer back to Hoedspruit Airport for your flight back to Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport for departure.
