10 Day Cape Town, Madikwe Reserve & Johannesburg Explorer

On arrival at Cape Town Airport, a driver will collect you from the arrivals hall and transfer you to the hotel where you will be staying. After checking in to your rooms, the rest of the day is spent at your own leisure.

Take in views of the beautiful waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the private marina from the Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront in Cape Town. This seaside hotel is close to the city center, as well as all the big cultural offerings. The striking ocean views set the stage for a memorable stay in Cape Town. Wake to the sound of gentle waves breaking on the shore before embarking on a day of exploration. Take our complimentary shuttle bus to and from the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront – a popular shopping, dining and entertainment area. Other nearby attractions include Table Mountain and Robben Island, which is home to one of the city's most visited museums.

This morning after breakfast, you will depart with your guide on a fun-filled day exploring Table Mountain and Robben Island.

Take the five-minute cable car trip to the top of Table Mountain, 1 089 metres above Cape Town, and explore the summit. You’ll find a self-service restaurant, Table Mountain Café, offering a range of food and drinks, snacks, desserts and wines. Table Mountain is a great spot to sit and soak up the commanding 360-degree views of Cape Town, Table Bay, the nearby peaks of the surrounding mountains and the rest of the Table Mountain National Park, in which the Cableway is situated.

The ferries depart from the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the V & A Waterfront. The tour takes 3.5 hours including the ferry trip to and from the Island (Depending on the boat used as they have different travel times). You will disembark at Murray’s Bay Harbour situated on the east coast of the Island and take a short walk to buses that will transport you to all the historical sites around the Island. On the way to the buses, you will pass buildings and a high wall built by prisoners during the 1960s. The buildings were used for family and lawyer visits to prisoners. The prison tour will be conducted by a Robben Island Tour Guide. They are fully conversant and knowledgeable about the Island’s multi-layered 500-year-old history. The tour route includes the graveyard of people who died from leprosy, the Lime Quarry, Robert Sobukwe’s house, the Bluestone quarry, the army and navy bunkers and the Maximum Security Prison where thousands of South Africa’s freedom fighters were incarcerated for years. The tour culminates with a viewing of Nelson Mandela’s cell.

 

We depart from Cape Town at around 08:30 am. Cape Town is a dynamic and beautiful city that is consistently named as one of the top tourist destinations in the world. Filled with great sights, top-class restaurants, and friendly people, a visit to this picturesque city is infinitely memorable.

Cape Town’s distinctive architecture is a legacy from the many people and cultures who have settled here over the past few centuries. As we make our way through town you might notice an unusual gable design on many of the buildings, this was brought into the Cape by the early Dutch settlers of the 1600 and 1700’s. We will head out of town on the N2 Highway.

Drive over Sir Lowry’s Pass
The N2 winds its’ way past the verdant Cape Winelands and then onto the flat plains of Somerset West. The road then rises to make its way through Sir Lowry’s Pass, a scenic mountain pass that crosses the Hottentots-Holland Range. At the start of the pass you can look back for a panoramic view at the low-lying area that stretches out towards Cape Town. Over the mountains, we split off from the N2. The road steadily makes it way down to the coast.

Arrive at Hermanus
Nestled between the mountains and the sea, Hermanus is a charming hamlet whose pristine beaches and ‘champagne air’ have been delighting visitors for years. Along with these spectacular attractions. Hermanus is most famous for the incredible Southern Right Whales that come into the bay seeking sanctuary in the cold winter months. From the shore you can see these gentle giants at play in the water, Hermanus is renowned for offering the best shore-based whale watching in the world.

Aside from the awesome natural attractions Hermanus is filled with fantastic restaurants and fabulous boutique shops. The size of the town makes it perfect to be explored on a short walking tour. Small picturesque cliffs that edge Hermanus are threaded with paths, perfect for getting a clear view of the surrounding waters.

Southern Right Whale
The Southern Right Whale is a baleen whale that can grow up to 15 meters in length and weigh up to 47 tons. They are closely related to, and indistinguishable from, North Atlantic and North Pacific right whales, however they are unable to cross the warm equatorial waters and interact with other subspecies.

The whales spend the summer months in the far Southern Ocean and migrate northwards in the winter. More than 100 whales visit the Hermanus area during this time. Whale watchers might see behaviour unique to the Southern Right Whale known as “sailing”. They use their elevated flukes to catch the wind; it is thought to be a form of playing for them.

Tour Hermanus
In Hermanus you can choose to either enjoy a boat based whale watching excursion (at own account) or to tour the town.

Hermanus is one of the most picturesque towns in the country and is blessed with spectacular natural views of the ocean and mountains. Your guide will take you on a panoramic drive along Rotary Way, which offers fantastic views across Hermanus and Walker Bay. We will explore the heart and centre of Hermanus and you can discover the fascinating history of this town.

Get up close to the Giants of the Sea
An incredible opportunity to get within meters of the Southern Right Whales, this boat-based activity will take you into the waters of Walkers Bay. Boat excursions follow a strict set of regulations to ensure they don’t disturb these gentle denizens of the sea. This is an unforgettable encounter, with whales often surfacing within meters of the boat. In addition to the whales, huge schools of dolphins, seals and wide variety of birdlife are also often seen on these trips.

Drive along R44 Coastal Road
The scenic stretch of coast between Hermanus and Somerset West is known as the Cape Whale Coast because of many opportunities for spotting these amazing creatures. Along this pristine stretch are a rustic collection of villages, farms, rivers, bays and coves.

This is a stunning natural area that is a key eco-conservation area. As we travel up this stretch of coast you can relax and enjoy South Africa’s spectacular scenery.

Visit a Penguin Colony
A little way down the coast is the seaside village of Betty’s Bay. Sitting on a narrow strip of land which is sheltered by the Kogelberg Mountains on one side and looking out to the ocean on the other, Betty Bay is home to a thriving fishing community. It also holds one of only three land-based penguin colonies in South Africa.

The African Penguin more commonly colonise off-shore islands and are the only species of penguin that breeds in this area of the world. The first nest here was noticed in 1982 and the area was soon fenced off to protect the colony. You will be able to see these enthralling birds at play via a well-constructed wooden walkway. These cheerful and boisterous creatures have been placed on the endangered list after seeing a 90% population decline over the last 60 years.

In addition to the penguins you can also see a large colony of Cape Cormorants who also live in the area. A fantastic interplay of life occurs amidst the rocks and the ocean.

Return to Cape Town
After a day exploring the charming towns and amazing marine life around Cape Town.

This morning after breakfast, you will depart for your tour of the Cape Winelands.

Depart in the direction of the Hottentots Holland Mountains to enjoy the many wine estates of the Helderberg Wine Route, where the personalities of the wines are influenced by the proximity to the ocean and its cooling summer sea breezes.

Depart for Stellenbosch, the second oldest European settlement in the country. The picturesque region boasts a multitude of wine estates and cellars where wine-tastings, cellar tours and meals can be enjoyed. Also visit the Village Museum Complex and Oom Samie se Winkel, a traditional general dealer before we continue to Franschoek.

The tranquil valley cradling the town of Franschoek is one of the country’s most awe-inspiring landscapes, and one of its most prolific wine-producing areas.

After more wine tastings, spent some time exploring the towns many restaurants, bistros and shops and a visit to the Hugenot Monument

Departing from your hotel via the Atlantic Seaboard in the direction of Hout Bay. It is a lively, trendy part of the city where the beauty of the surroundings is matched only by the beauty of the people.

The suburb of Llandudno is dramatically situated against giant granite boulders which keep it all but hidden from the rest of the Peninsula.

The historic and picturesque town of Hout Bay has always been a popular destination. A seaside village that is alive with the sounds and smells of the forest and the sea.

Take a cruise to view the seal colony at Duiker Island. Enjoy the crisp, clear air and the spectacular view from one of the Cape’s most visited attractions, Cape Point. After lunch visit one of only two breeding colonies of the Jackass penguins on the African mainland in the charming naval town of Simons Town. 

Today you say goodbye to the beautiful city of Cape Town.  After an early breakfast, you check out for your transfer to Cape Town Airport. Your flight departs for OR Tambo Airport at 08:30 am.

Your driver will be waiting at the airport for your transfer to Impodimo  Game Lodge in Madikwe Private Game Reserve. Arriving at the Lodge you are checked into your rooms and have time to freshen up before your afternoon safari drive.

After the drive, you return to the lodge for your private dinner.

Rise in the morning to an African dawn and enjoy an early morning game drive with your dedicated professional ranger and tracker. Relax as your ranger guides you through the bush on a custom made open Land Rover searching out the secrets of nature.

In the afternoon, when the heat of the African sun has diminished and the shadows are longer, head out on a sundowner safari to watch the sunset on this bushveld paradise and go in search of the more nocturnal creatures that now rule the bush.

For the more energetic, bush walks are offered between safaris drive, set out on a bushwalk with your armed ranger and learn the art of tracking African game, enjoy the trees, birds and stunning scenery

The final day of your Safari will see you go on one last safari drive before breakfast is served. After breakfast, there is time to pack before checking out for your transfer back to Johannesburg.

Arriving in the vibrant city of Johannesburg, you are dropped at your hotel for check-in.  After checking in to your rooms the rest of the afternoon is spent at your own leisure.

After breakfast, your guide will pick you up at your hotel for your tour of Soweto and the Apartheid Museum.

A Soweto Day Tours takes in the highlights of this iconic township including Nelson Mandela’s former home and the Hector Pieterson museum (he was one of the school children who was shot in the 1976 Soweto Uprising). You will get close to Soweto Culture, meeting the people, trying local foods and maybe even some Omqombothi (our traditional beer) at a shebeen.

This tour is one of a kind, the smell of pavement cooked meals and the buzz in the streets of people going about their daily chores. Come and experience township life, the humanity, hospitality and warmth of the people, the "Ubuntu" as it is known in South Africa

The Apartheid Museum, the first of its kind, illustrates the rise and fall of apartheid: The racially prejudiced system that blighted much of its progress and the triumph of reason which crowned half a century of a struggle for independence and freedom.

For anyone wanting to understand and experience what South Africa was really like, a visit to the Apartheid Museum is fundamental. The museum is a beacon of hope showing the world how South Africa has come to terms with the past and working towards a future that all South African’s can call their own.

Today your South African trip comes to an end, after a leisurely breakfast at your hotel you have time to pack and check out for your transfer to OR Tambo Airport.

Depending on your flight time, you can do some last-minute shopping before being transferred to the airport for your onward flight home.