Scheduled Tour
Day 1 : Arrival Johannesburg
Arrive at OR Tambo International Airport. Transfer to your hotel situated in Sandton’s exclusive central business district. With its signature Renaissance architecture, elegance and service excellence, The Michelangelo Hotel creates a lasting impression from the moment you arrive.
Overnight: The Michelangelo, Johannesburg or equivalent [Bed & Breakfast]
Day 2: Johannesburg to Thornybush Game Reserve
Transfer to OR Tambo International Airport for your scheduled flight to Thornybush Game Reserve (Airfare Included).
Thornybush lies nestled in the heart of Big 5 country adjacent to the Greater Kruger National Park, with a huge diversity of mammal and bird species. The exclusive main lodge overlooks the seasonal Monwana River. From within the luxurious suites, sweeping vistas can be enjoyed over the savannah and ever-active water hole. Enjoy welcome drinks on arrival, check in and freshen up before meeting in the restaurant. Lunch offers you an opportunity to sample fine cuisine while you are briefed by your hosts on what lies ahead.
For the next two days, you can relax and enjoy what the game reserve has to offer, which includes the following:
- Open Landrover safaris by day and night, using powerful spotlights.
- Optional Walking Safaris
Meet in the afternoon for a game drive on an open vehicle. Continue into the evening to experience the excitement of nocturnal African nightlife. The Big 5 of Africa is present in this game reserve, and you stand a very good chance of sighting elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion or leopard and they all make great photo opportunities. Enjoy drinks & snacks en-route. Remember to take a warm item of clothing along, as it can get chilly on the back of an open Land Rover.
Return to camp for dinner around a big campfire. Stories are swapped around the fire and game rangers are delighted to share their intimate knowledge of wildlife with their guests.
Overnight: Chapungu Lodge, Thornybush Game Reserve or equivalent [Full Board]
Day 3: Thornybush Game Reserve
Enjoy a steaming cup of coffee and homemade rusks before departing on an early morning game drive. See how the animals stretch the night’s rest away as they slowly stir at the start of a brand new day and carefully search for the first rays from the early morning sun. Return to your lodge and enjoy a sumptuous South African breakfast. Spend the rest of the day until late afternoon with game walks or simply stay at the lodge to enjoy the typical South African bushveld.
The early evening game drive affords you the opportunity to see the nocturnal animals and learn more about their fascinating habits from your game ranger. You could be lucky to observe a hunt and a kill. Enjoy a special dinner and overnight.
Overnight: Chapungu Lodge, Thornybush Game Reserve or equivalent [Full Board]
Day 4: Thornybush Game Reserve to Johannesburg
Early morning game drive for another opportunity to seek those species that may have eluded you so far. Return to the lodge for breakfast en check out. Transfer to the landing strip for your scheduled flight to Johannesburg (Airfare Included).
Johannesburg has always been a crucible of cultures and peoples. A short conducted tour of Soweto provides an insight into the contrasts of South Africa largest townships. The name SOWETO stands for SOuthern WEstern TOwnship. Learn firsthand about the history of this city with more than 3 million people. Visit the Hector Peterson Memorial, and other historical sites such as Freedom Square, Regina Mundi Church and the Oppenheimer Tower. Drive past Winnie Mandela and other dignitaries’ homes such as archbishop Desmond Tutu. Experience the contrast of a Shanty Town versus Millionaire’s Row.
Overnight: The Michelangelo, Johannesburg or equivalent [Bed & Breakfast]
Day 5: Johannesburg to Cape Town
Transfer to Oliver Tambo International Airport for your domestic flight to Cape Town (Airfare Excluded).
Cape Town is South Africa’s oldest city and was founded by the first Dutch settlers who, led by Jan van Riebeeck, landed on the tip of Africa in April 1652. Set beneath the grandeur of Table Mountain, the area was described by English circumnavigator Francis Drake as “the fairest Cape in all the circumference of the earth”, though later, as a busy and hospitable port on the sea route to India, the town earned the name “tavern of the seas”.
Spend the rest of the afternoon browsing the many shops at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront (own account). The transformation of a section of the old Table Bay Docks area into the magnificent Waterfront has brought new life to the heart of Cape Town.
Check into your hotel, The Table Bay Hotel which straddles the antique breakwater and is an architectural masterpiece, capturing the essence of the enchanting Cape, the Victorian elegance of yesterday, combined with the contemporary design of today. It is in perfect harmony with the backdrop of Table Mountain, the historic working harbour and the yacht bay.
Overnight: The Table Bay, Cape Town or equivalent [Bed & Breakfast]
Day 6: Full Day Peninsula Tour
Enjoy a mouth-watering breakfast before departing on a tour of the Cape Peninsula. Travel via Lion’s Neck to Camps Bay. Then travel along the Twelve Apostles and the Atlantic Seaboard to the "Republic of Hout Bay". Embark on a boat trip to Duiker Island to view the seal colony frolicking in the sea around the island and various sea birds. View the sentinel from where guards watched the horizon for approaching enemy war ships in the early days of the Cape Colony. (Weather permitting; alternatively to Duiker Island is World of Birds - one of the world's largest bird sanctuaries.)
Proceed to Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, forming part of the Cape Floral Kingdom, which encloses more than 4500 plant species (fynbos) (the highest concentration of different species in such a small area anywhere in the world). As the funicular take you to the Lighthouse at Cape Point, imagine for a moment what it must have been like to sail round this point in the days of Dutch and Portuguese seafarers, in their small sailing ships, bringing spices and silk to Europe from the Far East. This is where the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean supposedly meet.
The tour then takes you to Simon's Town to visit the Jackass Penguin colony (also known as African Penguins), one of the only two breeding colonies on the mainland, at Boulders.
Your next stop is at the famous Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, the third most popular tourist attraction in the Western Cape. Kirstenbosch is the oldest and largest botanical garden in South Africa, and was established on 01 July 1913 through an act of Parliament as a result of a bequest of Cecil Rhodes to the peoples of a unified South Africa (camphor and fig trees planted on his request are still to be seen as well as an almond hedge planted by 150 French shipwrecked people who were given food and shelter by Dutch Governor Jan Van Riebeeck some 340 years ago). Today, over 22,000 indigenous plants, and a research unit and library, attract researchers and botanists from all over the world. The gardens are magnificent, glorying in lush shrubs and exuberant blooms, which trail off into fynbos, covering a huge expanse of the rugged eastern slopes and wooded ravines of Table Mountain. The setting is quite breathtaking – this is a great place to have tea/coffee (own account) and stroll along the many paths, which meander along the eastern slopes. Opportunity to see some of the bird life of the Western Cape.
Overnight: Table Bay Hotel, Cape Town or equivalent [Bed & Breakfast]
Day 7: Full Day Townshio & Cape Town City Tour
“No easy road to freedom” was a central theme in most of the Mass Democratic Movement’s campaigns, from the early days through to the late 1980s. Any understanding of present day conditions in South Africa is greatly enhanced by looking at past injustice, the legacy of the struggle and the promise of reconstruction and development initiatives under way at present. Freedom has not come easy. This tour offers a wealth of insight into South African history. It includes a brief educational introduction to Cape Town, one of the world’s most varied and sought-after cities.
The Bo-Kaap
A look at the picturesque “Malay Quarter”, a dynamic, living museum and home to the oldest mosque in the Southern Hemisphere. Discover the unique culture, lifestyle and personality of the Cape Muslim community and their contribution to South Africa’s development.
District Six
As a result of the Group Areas Act, 60 000 Capetonian families were forcibly removed from this once vibrant area between 1966 and 1982. The District Six issue remains crucial. Examine the now desolate area, Zonnebloem, which was District Six and visit the living museum which attempts to represent and recapture District Six in various ways – as a fine-spun tapestry of communal life torn apart but not forgotten.
The Townships and Cape Flats
Seeking racial segregation, apartheid policies disrupted all non-white population groups, distorted both rural and urban development and ensured hopeless overcrowding. Few houses were built. Sprawling satellite camps of seemingly endless shanties – makeshift structures of various materials – provide little more than a roof and some shelter. As we shall see, squatter settlements are seeking their own solutions as an economic necessity. Against all odds, township life prevails, in all its nuances.
Return to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront where you enjoy lunch at one of the restaurants (included).
Pay a visit to Table Mountain (weather permitting). Make the ascent by cable car. The mountain rises 1 086 metres above sea level and there are magnificent views from its distinctively flat-topped summit.
Depart on a walking tour through the:
- Groote Kerk Building (oldest Dutch Reformed church in South Africa) – see the beautiful pulpit designed by Anton Anreith as well as the largest organ in the Southern Hemisphere built by the Dutch company Pels & Loon from the city Alkmaar in Holland.
- St George’s Cathedral where Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace award-winner, was Archbishop for 10 years.
- “Kompanjiestuin” – oldest garden in South Africa – est. 1652 by Jan van Riebeeck and “die Burgers” to grow fruit and vegetables to supply the ships passing from Europe to the Far East.
- SA Museum – Natural history displayed in this secret adventure destination. The display of the Bushmen and the whale skeletons are some of the many highlights.
- Green Market Square, former vegetable/fruit market. All streets on the square are declared national monuments. Browse through the stalls filled with curios, arts and crafts.
Overnight: Table Bay Hotel, Cape Town or equivalent [Bed & Breakfast plus Lunch]
Day 8: Cape Town to Plettenberg Bay
Early breakfast and check out. Travel to Plettenberg Bay which lies at the heart of the scenic Garden Route, on the N2 500 kilometres from Cape Town. Surrounded by a vast lagoon, the Indian Ocean, a range of mountains and ancient indigenous forests, it is a natural wonderland offering unique and varied outdoor experiences for nature and adventure lovers.
Continue to the NH Plettenberg Bay Hotel. Nestled on a private estate embraced by the Indian Ocean, the Keurbooms River and the rolling fairways of the Gary Player designed Goose Valley Golf Course; this contemporary African hotel offers luxury accommodation in the heart of the Garden Route. Each of the 38 spectacular, stylishly decorated rooms offer all the comforts of home complete with an open fireplace, satellite TV, air-conditioning, coffee and tea station and private balcony or terrace with views of the golf course and Bitou Polo Fields.
Go gourmet with the finest local and international flavours at the fine-dining Ilanga Restaurant where the Chef promises to tantalize the taste buds. Relax in one of our comfortable lounges and share in the warm hospitality of the African, Jabulani bar or take in the tranquility of the surroundings whilst basking in the sun, sipping cocktails on the pool deck.
Overnight: NH Plettenberg Hotel, Plettenberg Bay or equivalent [Bed & Breakfast]
Day 9: Plettenberg Bay
Enjoy breakfast. Transfer to Central Beach at Plettenberg Bay from where your Ecologial Adventure Boat Cruise departs. The boat launches from the beach and heads east past the bird sanctuary and Keurbooms Beach to Arch Rock. Here one usually encounters Bottlenose and the rare Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins as well as some shark species. From Arch Rock head out into the middle of the Bay where pelagic seabirds are normally to be found some 7 kilometres from the shore. This is where the resident Bryde’s Whales may be seen, as well as Common Dolphins or Southern Right and Humpback Whales during their season. Traverse the Bay to the point of Robberg Peninsula and out to the “wild” side, often seeing groups of Whales and pods of Dolphins. Cruising back along the inside of Robberg, experience the unique geology from this unusual viewpoint and observe the growing Cape Fur Seal Colony. Finally head back along the Robberg Beach, while a brief rundown on the history of the area is given. After passing the Beacon Island Hotel, built on the site of an original Whaling Station, end the experience with an exhilarating landing, again on Central Beach.
Continue along the breathtakingly beautiful Garden Route. Visit the Tsitsikamma National Park. This park is one of the country’s longest, narrowest and loveliest parks, and encompasses nearly 80 kilometres of the Cape’s coastal strip. Much of the fascination of this park lies in its wealth of both terrestrial and aquatic animals and plants, and their interaction. A number of rivers and streams cut through deep ravines before discharging into the Indian Ocean. Here there are cliffs, caves, golden sands and a myriad rock pools. The valleys and mountain slopes are clothed in a rich variety of forest trees and shrubs, and on the narrow coastal plains the evergreen forests give way to fields of fynbos. Roughly in the middle of the park is the mouth of the Storm’s River. A short walk takes you to the suspension bridge across the river, affording superb views of the Stormsriver Gorge and sea. Continue to The Big Tree, a 36 metre Outeniqua yellowwood, in an indigenous forest, with trees of nearly a 1 000 years old still reaching into the sky. An interpretative trail to the Big Tree describes the trees.
Overnight: NH Plettenberg Hotel, Plettenberg Bay or equivalent (BB)
Day 10: Plettenberg Bay
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast. Continue to Monkeyland, a modern primate sanctuary established in a pristine natural high canopy forest which is well suited to those primates fortunate enough to live there. Perhaps the most significant aspect of the sanctuary is that it is both a multi specie and free-roaming facility.
The Elephant Sanctuary the Crags is home to six African Elephants: Maroela, Jabu, Thandi, Mopani, Thaba and Tumelo. Meet them in a beautiful indigenous forest setting.
All programs are fully guided and guest numbers are limited to ensure personal attention and maximum elephant interaction for each guest which makes for a truly enriching experience. Flat walking shoes and sun hats are recommended and bring a camera! Depart on the one hour Trunk-in-Hand program. An experienced guide will introduce you to the elephants, and you will learn about their backgrounds, behaviors, characters and more while being able to touch, feel, feed, interact and walk trunk-in-hand with the elephants. Return to your hotel for dinner (own account) and overnight.
Overnight: NH Plettenberg Hotel, Plettenberg Bay or equivalent [Bed & Breakfast]
Day 11: Oudtshoorn
Enjoy breakfast and travel to Oudtshoorn. Known as the ‘feather capital’ of the world, Oudtshoorn is located on the broad, dry plains of the Little Karoo between the Swartberg range to the north and the coastal mountain rampart in the south. It’s a substantial town, hub of an industry that was at its peak in the later 19th and early 20th centuries, a period when feathers were a prominent, almost overwhelming fashion accessory.
Visit Chandelier Game & Ostrich show farm, a unique game and ostrich show farm in the heart of the Klein Karoo. Visit the community craft centre where you can learn how paper is made from ostrich dung. Most of the products sold are manufactured by local families working at the community development project. Chandelier strives to uplift and promote job creation on the farm. The tour is followed by a wine tasting of local wines produced in the vicinity. Depart on a guided ostrich tour by land cruiser. Ostrich riding is on offer for the brave. Lunch is included.
Visit the Cango Caves, one of South Africa’s greatest natural attractions. Cango’s exquisite tour of dripstone, curtain-like formations hanging from cavern roofs, calcite flowers, stalactites and stalagmites takes visitors 800 meters into the mountainside. Return to Knysna.
Overnight: NH Plettenberg Hotel, Plettenberg Bay or equivalent [Bed & Breakfast]
Day 12: Plettenberg Bay to Franschhoek
Today you return in the direction of Cape Town via Barrydale and Montagu. Continue to the quaint town of Robertson. The town is nestled in the heart of the Cape Winelands and the Breede River Valley, bounded by the Langeberg and Riviersonderend mountains with the river as a lifeline running through the picturesque valley. Jacaranda lined streets complement interesting historical buildings with a wide variety of architectural styles.
Visit the Klipdrift Brand Home in Robertson which promises a generous dose of South African hospitality to all who come to visit. They have mixed informative tastings and tours through the world class brandy distillery with entertaining glimpses into the history of everyone’s favourite brandy.
Set in the culinary capital of the Cape, the town of Franschhoek lies below the towering Franschhoek Mountains. With picturesque vineyards a stone’s throw away, the elegant, sophisticated charm of Le Franschhoek Hotel & Spa is the perfect setting to explore the Cape wine route. Sixty-three en-suite, large, elegant bedrooms and suites, capture the essence of charm and sophistication. Meeting facilities, three restaurants, including the Le Verger outdoor dining venue and the onsite spa, make this hotel the most unique property in the winelands.
Overnight: Le Franschhoek Hotel & Spa, Franschhoek or equivalent [Bed & Breakfast]
Day 13: Winelands Tour
Start the tour with a visit to Huguenot Fine Chocolates. The boutique chocolaterie, in the main street of Franschhoek offers a delicious range of chocolates, made from the finest imported Belgian chocolate. They supply top hotels & restaurants as well as business class chocolates for South African Airways. The Chocolate Experience is a half-hour programme of tasting, demonstrations and chocolate history.
Continue to the Haute Cabrière Estate where two great Winelands talents; cellarmaster Achim von Arnim and chef patron Matthew Gordon are the pioneers of the true marriage of food and wine. You are treated to a wine tasting and cellar tour.
Before you return to your hotel spend some time in the charming village of Franschhoek, browsing through the many art, craft and antique stores. Visit the Huguenot Museum & Monument, depicting the history of the French Huguenots.
Travel along the Helshoogte Pass to Stellenbosch. Stellenbosch is the second oldest town in South Africa in the heart of the winelands. Drive through the university and historic sections of town. Stroll down Dorp Street, which boasts the longest row of restored historic buildings in South Africa. Visit Oom Samie se Winkel, famous historic curiosity selling everything from traditional food to baskets and antiques and will also export wine.
Tonight you enjoy dinner at the Moyo Restaurant. This is an unforgettable outdoor dining experience that captures the essence of our unique Cape African culture. A fusion of modern sophisticated décor and distinctly African flavoured dishes create an inspiring culinary affair. Relax and enjoy the spectacular vistas while you are treated to our own colourful brand of Cape African hospitality. The outdoor restaurant serves an extensive buffet menu as rich and exciting as the many diverse cultures we draw from.
Overnight: Le Franschhoek Hotel & Spa, Franschhoek [Dinner, Bed & Breakfast]
Day 14: Departure
Enjoy the morning at leisure to do some last minute shopping or contact the Fairfield Office if you would like to reserve some optional day tours. Transfer to Cape Town International Airport for your outbound flight.
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