11 days - Garden Route Cape-Town to Johannesburg + Bakubung | LODGE

After having collected luggage and passed through customs, clients will be collected by an English speaking driver/guide in a Group F vehicle.

City Orientation tour :

•Ascend Table Mountain by cablecar

Rest of day at leisure

Lunch and dinner own expense

Morning orientation of the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, with its multitude of attractions, amongst others the 2 Oceans Aquarium, various craft markets, and boat cruises within Table Bay Harbour.

The Cape Winelands, just a 40 minute drive from the city centre, other than its scenic beauty offer the following attractions which may of be of interest to the 6 year old : A visit to Butterfly Farm ; visit of a Cheetah Breeding Centre, a Crocodile Park ; a Toy and Miniature Museum in Stellenbosch ; Monkeytown Private Centre, and/or an Eagle Wildlife Encounter.

Any entrances on this day would be for clients own account.

Lunch and dinner also for own account.

08h30 depart hotel with your private driver/guide ; travel along the Atlantic Coastline via Camps Bay to Hout Bay, a small fishing village.

There is a craft market in Hout Bay, and also a very nice curio shop ..

•09h15 Take the 45 mins boat cruise to Seal Island

www.drumbeatcharters.co.za

Continue along the Chapmans Peak Drive to the

• Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve ; travelling via the towns of Kommetjie and Scarborough enter the reserve ; walk or use the funicular to visit the lighthouse at the tip of Cape Point ; exit the park and travelling via the False Bay coastline,

• visit breeding colony of Jackass Penguins at Simon’s Town ;

En route back to the hotel, via the M3, stop and visit

• Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens before returning to the guest house in the late afternoon.

Lunch and dinner for own account

Check-out and travel to Hermanus, a popular coastal town, just 1.5 hours drive from Cape Town.

The easiest route is on the N2, direction Somerset West, over Sir Lowry’s Pass – take the time to visit some of the farm stalls en route.

The town is particularly known for visits from southern right whales during the period June – November, and usually sightings can be seen in Walker Bay, from the Hermanus clifftops

Alternatively, clients may opt to do a 2 hour whale route cruise – boats leave from the new harbour at 09h00 12 noon, 1400 and 16h00.

www.hermanus-whale-cruises.co.za

Lunch and dinner for own account

This morning clients have 2 options :

Either to do some shark cage diving at Gansbaai, about 40 mins drive from Hermanus, (08h00 – 14h00) (www.sharkwatchsa.com) Please note that the departure time may vary, and could be much earlier, depending on the tides. It is advisable to pre-book.

Or to travel to Cape Agulhas, near Struisbaai, the southernmost point In Africa ; enjoy the view from the lighthouse, and then continue to Mossel Bay, travelling time about from Cape Agulhas to Mossel Bay about 3 hours , ie +- 280 kms

Lunch and dinner for own account

Depart Mossel Bay after a visit to the

• Diaz Museum, and having found their most unusual postbox! Travelling along the Indian Ocean coastline and then turn inland to Oudtshoorn, via the Robinson Pass, to Oudtshoorn, also known as the “Ostrich Feather Capital “ of South Africa.

•Enjoy a tour and lunch on an ostrich farm (www.highgate.co.za)

•Visit the Cango Wildlife Ranch (www.cango.co.za) , and take the

•1 hr tour of the Cango Caves at 4 pm (or do it the next morning at 09h00

Lunch and dinner for own account

Depart Oudtshoorn via the Outeniqua Pass, and travel via the towns of Wilderness and Sedgfield to

Knysna in the heart of the Garden Route.

Afternoon at leisure in Knysna

Lunch and dinner for own account

Optional activities (not included) in Knysna and surrounding area

•Take a cruise on the Spirit of Knysna to the Featherbed Nature Reserve, only accessible by boat ; enjoy a tractor ride through the fynbos, as well as a walk through the reserve. Cruise departs at 10h00 and departs from close to the Protea Knysna Quays Hotel

OR

•Visit Monkeyland, a rehabilitation centre, near Plettenberg Bay

•Nearby also is the Tenikwa Wildlife Awareness Centre where you can have a close up of African Cats in semi-natural surroundings

•Enjoy a canopy tour over the tree tops in the Tsitsikamma Forest (www.stormsriver.com)

•Visit the Garden of Eden

•Visit the Knysna Elephant Park where you can feed the elephants and even do a short ride on the back of an elephant! (Situated halfway between Knysna and Plettenberg Bay)

•Visit local craftmarkets – Knysna is known for its leather products, and crafts made from indigenous wood

•Visits can also be made to the Wolf Sanctuary, a Snake Park, and Butterfly World

•The Bloukrantz Bridge offers the highest bungee jump in the world (216 metres)!

More time at leisure in Knysna ; visit the popular coastal resort of Plettenberg Bay, just 30 kms from Knysna, and then take the road to Port Elizabeth (+- 230 kms ).

Recommendation : You will find more to do in Knysna and surrounds, so spend the morning on any optional activities and then drive to Port Elizabeth during the course of the afternoon.

Enjoy an early breakfast, check-out and transfer to Port Elizabeth Airport (10 – 15 mins drive) with your driver/guide ; bid him or her farewell, and check in for your connecting flight to Johannesburg. Please check in for your flight at least 1 hour prior to departure.

Proposed flight : PLZ /JNB -

Upon arrival at Johannesburg Airport, clients to collect their luggage and meet with the English chauffeur in Domestic Arrivals for their 2 hour transfer by road to Bakubung Game Reserve (malaria free). Game Drives are done in the Pilanesberg Game Reserve, the 3 rd biggest game reserve in South Africa, where clients will have every opportunity to viewing the Big 5, as well as the Little 5, and also the Ugly 5!

Lunch for own account

Clients have at leisure, additional game drives can be booked direct with Reception, ie the game drives depart in the early morning or late afternoon.

Lunch for own account

Afternoon game drive included, departing at about 15h30, returning to the lodge for dinner

Clients may opt to enjoy a morning game drive (book direct at Reception), before being transferred back to Johannesburg Airport.

Lunch for own account

Check in on time for your connecting flight home- at least 2 – 3 hours prior to departure.