After arrival in South Africa, you will be met at the airport by our representative, receive a Welcome Pack and road atlas . You collect your rental car and drive to your Fair Trade accommodation in Cape Town.
The afternoon is at leisure. Weather permitting take the cable car up Table Mountain for panoramic views over the city. Alternatively, take a hike up Lion´s Head towards sunset (take a torch, wear comfortable shoes and take some refreshment with you).
There are so many activities possible in Cape Town so you will need to make a choice. You can discover one of the many local communities on a walking or cycle tour, do a Cape Malay cooking course or take the ferry from the V&A Waterfront to Robben Island.
The Cape Peninsula is an absolute must to see. Travel via Llandudno to Hout Bay where you can take an hour cruise to Seal island. Drive one of the most beautiful scenic drives in the world, Chapman's Peak. Visit Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope. See the penguins at Boulder's Beach, stroll through sea side villages Simon's Town, quaint Kalk Bay, pass the colourful houses of St. James beach.
Your next destination is the heart of the Cape Winelands, Stellenbosch. Besides it's wines it also has stunning nature and an interesting historical town centre. But you can also just enjoy the day at Spier Wine Farm, where you can do wine paring, picnics, self-guided walks, spa treatments and even eagle encounters.
Spier invests in education that empowers its staff and community to make a positive difference. This approach embraces trans-formative learning that enables people to bring more of themselves to their lives, work and communities. It supports all aspects of the person – intellectual, emotional, physical and spiritual.
We recognize that each person is complex, layered and different which is why we support the development of employees beyond the normal scope of employment. Employee wellness and the development of the whole person is just as important as productivity, efficiency and performance.
By choosing Spier, you are supporting Spier’s Growing for Good learning initiatives. These empower communities to create positive social and environmental change.
Through the beautiful Breede River Valley you continue through ever changing landscapes along Route 62 to the quaint little town of Montagu where you take a historical walk.
Originally built in 1875 but destroyed by fire, the hotel was rebuilt in 1922 at the height of the Art Deco movement. It offers guests the chance to turn back time and enjoy wine tasting tours in chauffeur-driven vintage, classic American cars - the hotel has a 1956 Cadillac Sedan de Ville and a 1956 De Soto Fireflight Sportsman.
The hotel has been taking its responsibility to people and planet seriously for some time, investing in energy saving initiatives like solar, low-energy lighting, compost-making with biodegradable waste and water-saving initiatives.
You continue via the Route 62. Stop for a refreshment at Ronnie´s Sex Shop, a desert pub with unusual decor, before reaching to the ostrich capital Oudtshoorn, situated in the Klein Karoo.
Surrounded by the Swartberg and Outeniqua mountains, this farm boasts diverse vegetation, from renosterveld to mountain fynbos, which is home to more than 162 bird species and the farm's most popular drawcard - meerkats.
At De Zeekoe fairness, ethical business practice and environmental respect form the basis for sustainable tourism. Through social upliftment and addressing the needs of the community, De Zeekoe employs and gives housing to 20 families on the farm and educates 120 primary children and 90 pre-primary children through the Zeekoegat Primary School.
Take a tour to the stunning Swartberg Pass or visit the Cango Caves and the many shops and restaurants. The local museum tells you the history of ostrich farming as well as a few remaining ostrich palaces.
Over the Outeniqua Pass, visit Knysna for a boat trip on the lagoon, indulge in ocean- and fresh-water oysters, wash them down with locally brewed beer. Then drive to Plettenberg Bay with its stunning beaches.
Perfectly situated in the heart of the garden route, this is the ideal location to base your visit with an abundance of activities on the doorstep. We recommend a minimum stay of 2 nights in order to enjoy the Robberg Nature Reserve, and various (Fair Trade) animal, bird and primate sanctuaries at The Crags.
Spend the day on the beach or let us book one of the tours of Ocean Blue Adventures with a range of exciting ocean-based activities including whale watching, dolphin encounters and sea kayaking in Plettenberg Bay, Money made from the whale- and dolphin-watching tours is used to support community programmes in nearby Qolweni Township and the Ocean Research Conservation Africa foundation.
Optionally make a stop in the Tsitsikamma Forest. Visit Storms River Village end participate in the various forest activities. Or choose to bungee jump off the Bloukrans River Bridge.
Of course, a South African adventure not complete without a safari. Safari Lodge lies in a valley of indigenous bush at the northern boundary of the 7200ha Amakhala Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape. Game drives are taken both on Amakhala reserve and in the Addo Elephant National Park, offering the complete "Big Five" experience.
The Amakhala Foundation focuses on education and skills development which has afforded Safari Lodge's staff the chance to take part in training programmes on an ongoing basis, to enable them to advance their careers in the hospitality industry. And at the Amkhala Craft Centre, members of the community are given an opportunity to generate income through the sale of locally made crafts such as beadwork and textiles.
Today you will go on game drives and you will also have the opportunity to go on a bush walk with a ranger.
Last early morning wildlife activity. After breakfast, depart to Port Elizabeth Airport for a domestic flight to Johannesburg.
Time permitting, we strongly recommend to book the Real City Tour from Fair Trade tour operator Calabash Tours.
Domestic flight Port Elizabeth to OR Tambo, Johannesburg.
After arrival collect your car rental.
Johannesburg is the economic capital of South Africa and a bustling city with lost to see and to do.
You can go on various walking or cycling tours in different areas of the city and discover this multi racial society. A must see is Soweto to follow the footsteps of Nelson Mandela and Ghandi, and meet the locals.
Alternatively, you can visit the Cradle of Humankind.
Diepsloot cycle tour
Today you are heading into the direction of Kruger via the scenic Panorama Route with its many viewpoints and waterfalls.
Time for yet another safari experience in the Timbavati Private Game Reserve in Greater Kruger.
This charming, rustic camp's philosophy is to get back to the simple way of experiencing wild Africa, off the grid and in tune with nature. Twinkling tilly lamps light the paths at night and delicious home-cooked meals made with locally sourced produce are a speciality, making Umlani a stand-out safari destination.
Umlani is dedicated to the principles of Fair Trade, especially where its staff are concerned. All of the camp's staff have direct input into decision making processes and workloads are shared. Training and skills development are ongoing and many staff members have been at the camp for more than a decade, working their way up from temporary worker positions to senior management roles.
Early morning and evening game drives are in open four-wheel drive Landrovers accompanied by experienced rangers and trackers, most of whom come from the communities bordering the reserve. Umlani - meaning "place of rest" in the local Shangaan language - has traversing rights over more than 10,000ha, and with more than 40 mammal and 350 bird species recorded, the wildlife experiences are exceptional.
Located overlooking a seasonal river bed, with views out over a waterhole on the opposite bank, the camp is frequented by buffalo and other plains game. Hyena and leopard tracks can frequently be found on the sandy paths which wind their way through the camp, and a guided walk from camp with one of the qualified guides offers a perfect way to learn the art of tracking and the intricacies of finding spoor.
After your last early game drive, if you depart only an early evening flight, enjoy a scenic drive through part of the Panorama Route visiting the historic, living museum village Pilgrim´s Rest.
Then continue the drive back to Johannesburg for your flight out.
By doing this Fair Trade tour, you have surely made a difference in many people's lives and help preserving our beloved country for future generations. We trust your journey will leave you with long lasting memories.
