Day 1 – Monday Arrival Cape Town
Upon arrival at Cape Town International Airport, you will be met by an representative and assisted with your transfer to your hotel. Afternoon collection from the hotel by your guide for a scheduled City Tour – a geographical and cultural extravaganza showing you Cape Town from its historical beginnings to modern buildings and malls. The tour commences with a tour of Table Mountain (weather permitting; cable car fee not included). In the city itself, we visit the Company Gardens, the S.A. Museum, the Castle of Good Hope and the vibrant and arty flea market, Greenmarket Square. Return to the hotel by 17h30. Dinner to own arrangements. Overnight at Pepperclub Hotel (deluxe studio) or similar
Day 2 – Tuesday Cape Point & Peninsula (Breakfast)
This morning you will be collected for your scheduled full day Cape Point & Peninsula Tour. We travel along the Atlantic Seaboard via Sea Point, Clifton and Camps Bay, stopping at a Llandudno look-out point before continuing to Hout Bay, a quaint village and fishing harbour with magnificent mountain views and beach (optional boat trip to Seal Island – to own account). Continue via Chapman’s Peak , one of the world’s most breathtaking coastal drives, to Cape Point and the Good Hope Nature Reserve. After lunch at a nearby restaurant (not included in cost), we go on to historic Simon’s Town – a village with charming Victorian architecture, a naval base and a large penguin colony at the beautiful boulders Beach. Boulders Penguin Colony is home to a growing colony of the vulnerable African Penguin. Wooden walkways allow visitors to view the penguins in their natural habitat and there is also a new information centre. End the day with a visit to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens which is world-renowned for the beauty and diversity of the Cape Flora it displays and for the magnificence of its setting against the eastern slopes of Table Mountain. The tour ends upon return to your hotel during the late afternoon. Dinner to own arrangements. Overnight at Pepperclub Hotel (deluxe studio) or similar
Day 3 – Wednesday Cape Winelands (Breakfast)
Today you embark on a scheduled full day Cape Winelands Tour. This is a delightful drive, which winds its way to the heart of the Cape winelands through superb mountain ranges, vineyards and Cape Dutch homesteads. Head off to the wine country via the N2 to the heart of South Africa’s wine industry, Stellenbosch, boasting great beauty and culture that is steeped in South African history. With the sheer vastness of wine estates on offer, we are truly spoilt for choice when we enjoy our first wine tasting of the day. Travel over the Helshoogte Pass to the town of Franschhoek. Billed as the Gourmet Capital of South Africa, this charming town, in a most picturesque valley, retains a French Huguenot style. We enjoy a wine tasting before taking time to enjoy the fabled culinary skills of the Franschhoek chefs at one of the many award winning restaurants (lunch to own account). Time permitting, a visit to a Paarl region estate would be included to round off the day’s wine-tasting experiences before heading back to Cape Town. Dinner to own arrangements. Overnight at Pepperclub Hotel (standard room) or similar
Day 4 – Thursday Cape Town / Route 62 / Oudtshoorn (Breakfast, Dinner)
Depart Cape Town and travel along Route 62 to Barrydale for lunch (not included in cost). Continue to Oudtshoorn – the ‘feather capital’ of the world. Visit a working ostrich farm for a guided tour. Check into your accommodation in the late afternoon before enjoying dinner. Overnight De Opstal Country Lodge (standard room) or similar
Day 5 – Friday Oudtshoorn / Knysna / Plettenberg Bay (Breakfast, Dinner)
Enjoy a morning tour of the Cango Caves – one of the natural wonders of the world. Continue to the lagoon side town of Knysna – the gem of the Garden Route. Enjoy some time at leisure at the Knysna Waterfront before proceeding to The Crags near Plettenberg Bay. Embark on an informative cruise up the Keurbooms River before arriving at your accommodation where you shall spend the following two nights. Freshen up before dinner at the lodge. Overnight The Country House (standard room) or similar
Day 6 – Saturday Plettenberg Bay area (Breakfast, Dinner)
After breakfast, get up-close-and-personal with nature at the Elephant Sanctuary. With the help of the resident African elephants and the well-informed guides, you will learn about the sad and mystical story of the Elephants. The visit presents you with the opportunity to touch, feed and photograph these gentle giants. After lunch (to own account), visit Birds of Eden – the largest free-flight bird aviary in the world. Birds of Eden stems from the need to create a safe environment in which to release a large collection of free-flight African birds and the sanctuary also enables bird owners to apply to release their pet birds into the sanctuary, after undergoing rehabilitation. Balance of the day at leisure. Overnight The Country House (standard room) or similar
Day 7 – Sunday Plettenaberg Bay / Port Elizabeth (Breakfast)
After breakfast and check-out formalities, journey along the final leg of the Garden Route to the beautiful Tsitsikamma National Park. Described as the ‘garden of the Garden Route’, the Tsitsikamma actually deserves a more vivid description to encapsulate the beauty of the place. Enjoy a walk along the suspension bridge across the Storms River mouth gorge which offers visitors incredible views and photo opportunities. Arrive in Port Elizabeth at approximately 18h00 with drop-off at the hotel. Dinner is to your own arrangements. Overnight Radisson Blu Port Elizabeth (standard room) or similar
Day 8 – Monday Port Elizabeth // Durban (Breakfast)
This morning you shall be transferred to Port Elizabeth Airport for your flight to Durban. Upon arrival at King Shaka International Airport, you will be met by an representative and transferred to the hotel.
Embark on an afternoon city tour of Durban, with your guide, a tour dedicated to the discovery of the cultural & historical contrasts of this cosmopolitan city where east meets west. Drive along Durban’s distinctive beachfront, the Golden Mile, past the art-deco buildings and uShaka Marine World to The Point at the harbour entrance. Drive along Victoria Embankment and through the city past buildings of historical significance such as the Natal Museum, City Hall and the Play House Theatre. Return to your hotel for overnight. Dinner is to your own arrangements. Overnight The Benjamin Boutique Hotel (standard room) or similar
Day 9 – Tuesday Durban / Hluhluwe / Zululand (Breakfast, Dinner)
Early morning departure immediately after breakfast. Travel along the Elephant Coast of KwaZulu Natal to St Lucia which is located at the southern extremity of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park – a World Heritage Site. Here you embark on an estuarine boat trip which provides an opportunity to view crocodiles, hippo and numerous bird species, including the elusive Kingfisher Eagle, in their natural habitat. Continue to the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve for an afternoon of game viewing. The Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve covers a combined area of 90 000ha and it was here that the white rhino was saved from extinction. Evening arrival at your hotel in time for dinner before retiring for the day. Overnight Ghost Mountain Inn (standard room) or similar
Day 10 – Wednesday Zululand (Breakfast, Dinner)
Enjoy a morning at leisure to relax or embark on one of the optional morning activities on offer from the lodge. Later in the day, embark on an afternoon scenic drive up the Lebombo Mountains, offering views over Lake Jozini. At the summit and as the setting sun transforms the sky into a tapestry of colours, stop for sundowners. The drive will be combined with a visit to a local and authentic Zulu homestead for a glimpse into Zulu life in today’s world. Return to the hotel for dinner. Overnight at Ghost Mountain Inn (standard room) or similar
Day 11 – Thursday Zululand / Swaziland (Breakfast)
After breakfast, travel to the Royal Kingdom of Swaziland. This tiny mountainous kingdom is filled with bygone African traditions and culture and offers beautiful scenery and attractions such as game reserves and art & craft outlets to name a few. Travel via Big Bend and visit the Swazi Candle Factory where each candle is made and finished by hand using the age-old technique “millefiore”. No two are the same and the range boasts an astonishing array of patterns, shapes and designs. After spending some time at the craft markets arrive at your hotel located in the beautiful Ezulwini Valley. Dinner is to your own arrangements. Overnight Royal Swazi Spa (standard room) or similar
Day 12 – Friday Swaziland / Hazyview (Breakfast, Lunch)
This morning the tour continues through Swaziland. En route you will stop at the Ngwenya Glass Works to see master craftsmen create beautiful sculptures and artwork from molten glass. At the Jeppe’s Reef border, enjoy a showcase of the traditional Swazi culture followed by traditional lunch at the Matsamo Cultural Village. Continue the journey to the ‘Land of the Rising Sun – Mpumalanga, and your hotel. Arrive in the late afternoon followed by dinner. Overnight Perry’s Bridge Hollow (standard room) or similar
Day 13 – Saturday Kruger National Park (Breakfast, Dinner)
Early morning transfer to the Kruger National Park for a morning open vehicle safari through the Kruger National Park. The world-renowned Kruger National Park offers a wildlife experience that ranks with the best in Africa. At nearly 2 million hectares, the reserve is the flagship of South African National Parks and is home to an impressive number of flora and fauna. Return to your hotel in the afternoon and spend the remainder of the day at leisure. You will have the option to return to the Kruger National Park to absorb the tranquil beauty of an evening safari (additional charge). Overnight Perry’s Bridge Hollow (standard room) or similar
Day 14 – Sunday Hazyview / Johannesburg (Breakfast)
Breakfast and check-out of the hotel. Depart Hazyview and travel to Johannesburg via the magnificent Panorama Route. The most spectacular stretch of the Panorama Route is the Blyde River Canyon. From many well-positioned vantage points one has a view of the 33
km long gorge, which starts at “Bourke’s Luck Potholes” and ends at the “Three Rondavels”. Time and weather permitting, stop at God’s Window. Late afternoon arrival at your Johannesburg based hotel or at O.R.Tambo International Airport for your onward flight arrangements (suggest departure flight is booked for the following day, or no earlier than 20h00).
