On arrival at Cape Town International Airport, you will be met by an Africa Geographic representative, who will transfer you to the Winchester Hotel in Sea Point – the drive will take about 45 minutes, depending on traffic flow. Look for your name on a welcome board.
After settling in you may enjoy the hotel's complimentary shuttle to explore the Mother City or the bustling and vibrant V&A Waterfront where you will find a wide variety of dining choices before you return to the hotel for a well-deserved rest.
Overnight at the Winchester Hotel
After breakfast, you will be picked up by your guide and head out of Cape Town to do a Cape Peninsula Tour. During this full-day drive you will be able to enjoy the magnificent sight of the 12 Apostles, breath-taking views of Chapman's Peak, charming vistas over Noordhoek, Kommetjie, Scarborough, and eventually Cape Of Good Hope Nature Reserve and the iconic Cape Point. You will also enjoy a circular drive in the reserve to admire the diversity and beauty of Fynbos and hopefully enjoy an encounter (or two) with some of its iconic residents, namely Bontebok, Eland, Zebra, Chacma Baboon, Ostrich and perchance Caracal.
Lunch can be enjoyed in Simonstown or Kalk Bay depending on time, and a visit to Africa's largest, mainland, African Penguin colony is sure to spellbind you.
A stop in Kalk Bay's quaint and photogenic harbour is always blessed with a chance encounter with some of the largest cape fur seal bulls on the peninsula. Your last stop for the day is Muizenberg and where you can photograph and enjoy the yesteryear sight of its colourful beach changing-houses.
With a full day of sights and experiences under your belt, you slowly drive back to CT and enjoy dinner at your leisure at a nearby restaurant of your choice.
We will be more than happy to recommend and assist you with the booking of such venues.
Overnight at the Winchester Hotel
Please contact us if you would rather want to do the Cape Peninsula tour privately instead of a scheduled tour (extra costs will apply)
After breakfast at your hotel, you will be picked up by an Africa Geographic representative for a private full-day tour of the Cape Winelands, with historic vineyards and Cape Dutch architecture. Your slow safari will meander through Stellenbosch, where your first stop will be a cellar tour and wine & chocolate pairing. The chocolate is artisanal and FairTrade accredited. After more beautiful scenery of rolling vineyards and historic homesteads, your second stop will be a boutique Stellenbosch wine estate for an intimate cheese & wine pairing with the winemaker. From there your tour heads over the pass to Franschhoek where you will learn about the influence of the French Huguenots on the local wine industry. In this, the cuisine capital of South Africa, you will enjoy lunch on an award-winning wine estate and stroll down the main road of this quaint town with its restaurants and gift shops. Your last stop on this gastronomic celebration is a wine estate at the foot of the craggy Franschhoek Mountains, for another session of world-class wine tasting. With a spoiled palate, a belly full and awed by spectacular views you will slowly make your way back into Cape Town and your accommodation. Your evening plan is for you to choose, and once again we will be happy to suggest options for an unforgettable night out.
Overnight at the Winchester Hotel
A cellar tour, all wine tastings paired with customized cheese, chocolate and cured meats, as well as lunch, are included.
• Visit 4 different wine estates in both regions (famous farms and some hidden gems that are only known to locals).
• Taste and pair a variety of locally produced, world-class cheeses.
• Cellar and vineyard tour, to teach you how wine is made, how to taste wine, what bottle to order at restaurants…
• A beautiful light lunch served in the middle of the Winelands overlooking the Franschhoek valley.
• A diverse range of wine styles.
• Local treats of cured meats paired with selected wines.
• Artisanal chocolate (Fairtrade accredited) paired with different wines.
• Stroll down the beautiful main road of Franschhoek.
After a leisurely breakfast at your hotel, you will have the entire day to explore the vibrant, cosmopolitan Mother City. A short ride from the hotel will allow you to visit and immerse yourself among the shops, views, vibe and eateries of the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront.
All other destinations mentioned below are easily accessed via taxi / Uber, and convenient online bookings will secure your place (where applicable).
Nestled between a rugged mountain range and the Atlantic Ocean, Cape Town is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It’s also one of the most popular tourist destinations in all of Africa. This multicultural city enjoys a superb natural setting, pristine beaches, sophisticated infrastructure and a mild, Mediterranean climate. And there is no shortage of world-class trendy restaurants and a vibrant nightlife for all tastes. It’s no wonder that Cape Town is the crown jewel of the country.
A few city and peninsula headline acts include Table Mountain (cable car to the top is weather permitting) and Lion’s Head; the most iconic landmark in South Africa, the magnificent Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Castle of Good Hope, Bo-Kaap, the Noon-day Gun, Greenmarket Square and the famous Robben Island (ferry is weather-permitting); where Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners were imprisoned during the apartheid years. For those with an interest in history and culture, we offer tours to visit the District Six Museum and Slave Lodge to explore how the Dutch and British colonised Cape Town and a walking tour of Langa township.
For the active traveller, the Cape Town peninsula is a treasure trove for hiking and mountain biking trails, kayaking from Moellie Point, Zip-lining in the Hottentots Holland Mountains, Para-gliding from Lion's Head, helicopter flips over Table Mountain and the Peninsula, kite-surfing in Blouberg, Shark watching in False Bay, Whale watching in Hermanus, or strolling the magnificent botanical gardens of Kirstenbosch – in fact just about every physical outdoor pursuit is catered for within a relatively short radius of the city.
After a full day exploring Cape Town, a shuttle service can be arranged (payable on site) to the Gold Restaurant for a fun evening of entertainment and a 14-dish feast of food from various African countries. After dinner and loads of fun, you can return to your hotel for a good night’s sleep.
Overnight at the Winchester Hotel
Pure Africa Experiences Helicopter Flight Cape Town
After breakfast, you will be transferred to Cape Town International Airport to check-in for your flight to Hoedspruit . On arrival at Hoedspruit Eastgate Airport you will be met by one of our transfer representatives holding a board with your name, and once we have you and your bags safely bundled into our transfer vehicle you will continue your adventure into the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve and your lodging for the next THREE nights - Bateleur Safari Camp.
The drive to Bateleur Safari Camp is about 1 hour on tarred local roads as well as slow dirt roads inside the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve. Game viewing will start straight away, thus expect to be overwhelmed at every turn by the raw energy of the Kruger bushveld and the amazing variety of species that thrive in Kruger and the daily drama as the wildlife battles it out for survival in this raw, primal ecosystem.
On arrival at Bateleur Safari Camp you will be welcomed, debriefed on the do's and don'ts and routine at camp, and shown to your rooms, before a yummy light lunch.
As the heat dies down, you will be asked to gather in the main area before setting off on an afternoon game drive. Over the next few days, expect to see not only the Big Five (elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos and buffaloes) but also plenty more – from plum-coloured starlings flashing iridescence to massive regal martial eagles and busy banded mongooses.
On this first game drive you will be pounded with new sights, experiences, smells and feelings and as soon as the sun starts setting your guide will seek the best spot in the area to stop, switch the engine off, alight from the vehicle and absorb more of this magical place and moments as he pours you a drink of your choice while enjoying the sunset, the exhilaration of being in the bushveld and the waning of a transfer day.
However, the day is not yet over, for it is during this magic hour that many species become active as some seek a place to rest, roost or sleep...and others alight to take on the "night shift" or take advantage of the dimming light conditions that makes them infallible predators. Spotlight in hand, your guide will drive you back to camp, whilst scanning the road , trees and bushes with his spotlight in search of quarry such as Bush babies, Porcupine, Genet, Mongoose, Owls, Nightjars and perchance rarer crepuscular species like Pangolin, Civet or Wild Cat.
On arrival at camp, you will have time to shower, change clothes and gather by the campfire to wind down before a delicious buffet affair and great company.
After supper, you may want to watch the flames die down by the fire and listen for some bush sounds, or admire the awe-inspiring southern skies before you go to bed for a well-deserved rest.
Overnight at Bateleur Safari Camp
Morning drives are the best time to locate the big cats, as they will still be active after their nocturnal hunts. The Timbavati is a great place to view leopard, and several lions cross and hunt in this area. Your guide will make a concerted effort to find these animals for you on this safari. In addition to these felines, a host of other predators call the Timbavati their home. Sightings of wild dog spotted hyenas and black-backed jackals are almost guaranteed, while four species of mongoose – banded, slender, dwarf and white-tailed – may well be encountered, as well as honey badger, wild cat and genets and serval.
The Lowveld is a wonderfully diverse area and the range of sightings are endless. Large raptors still roost on exposed branches as the day heats up, and a slow approach may result in very striking take-off views. Everything from dainty firefinches to hulking white rhinoceros occurs here, each presenting unique and exciting experiences.
You will return to your lodge mid-morning for a huge breakfast cook-up and lunch (optional of course) is usually served a few hours later, and something to nibble on is available just before you depart on your late afternoon game drive, after which you will embark on the afternoon drive that will be varied depending on what has been seen previously. African wild dogs are not uncommon in the area and, should there be any sighting or a warm trail to follow, you will start your search for one of Africa’s most endangered carnivores. A wide variety of colourful birds, two dozen species of antelope, giraffe and zebra will also help to set the stage for a great wildlife experience.
On arrival back at the lodge, you will have time to drop your things in your room and return to the dining room, after a change of clothes and maybe a quick shower. Enjoy a sumptuous feast and the sounds of the African night whilst sharing your experiences and sightings of the day with your fellow travellers.
Later, a well-deserved rest beckons in your room.
Lala gahle (sleep tight!!)
Overnight at Bateleur Safari Camp
Today's plan will follow the same format as in previous days, a game drive in the AM and a game drive in the PM.
Where you go and what you look for will depend entirely upon what you have already seen thus far, are still looking for, or would like to see again.
It is also time to rest and relax, find a good spot in the shade, drink in hand, a good book or favourite company and while away the hotter hours of the day observing game and birds drift by in search of water, graze or seeds.
Overnight at Bateleur Safari Camp
After a hearty breakfast, enjoy one last game activity before packing up and doing your official check out. You will then be transferred back to Hoedspruit Airport to catch your flight to Cape Town or Joburg International Airport and connect with your homebound or ongoing travel arrangements.
As you bid farewell to your Big Five adventure, we hope that the very endearing bush & wildlife romance experienced on your trip in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve has left an imprint on your heart and in your memories and hope you return to make more African inspired memories with us!
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