| D1: Cape Town airport - Cape Town (30 km) |
| Meet and Greet • Cape Town City Tour(n) • Table Mountain Aerial Cableway (o) |
| | - | Meet and greet at Cape Town International Airport. This personalised service sees your guide meet you off your flight. While you enjoy a complimentary beverage, our guide will explain your itinerary in detail, give you general advice and information that will help you along your trip. Before handing over your travel documents and escorting you to your onward transportation, our guide will assist you with any queries you may have before you embark on your holiday.
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| | - | Pick up your vehicle Europcar SA Classic Plus Cover Category C (1-6days) at Cape Town airport - Drop Off Cape Town airport (Day 5) - 5 days  |
| | - | Tour of Cape Town. Also known as the Mother City, Cape Town is a rare cultural gem, resulting from the amalgamation of different nationalities and indigenous tribes. Alongside high-rise office blocks, a harmonious blend of architectural styles has been meticulously preserved, including Edwardian, Victorian and Cape Dutch. Narrow, cobblestone streets and the Islamic character of the Bo-Kaap enhance the cosmopolitan ambiance. During the tour you will see the Castle of Good Hope – this pentagon-shaped fort is the oldest surviving building in South Africa, and the Company's Garden – a large public park, originally Jan van Riebeeck's vegetable garden, which he grew to feed the original colony as early as 1652. The tour of this beautiful city introduces you to a rich culture and history. (n) (n) |
| | - | Marvel at the views of Cape Town from the aerial cableway and plateau on Table Mountain. The Mother City is synonymous with the striking mountain that is flanked by Devil’s Peak to the east and Lion’s Head to the west, providing a dramatic backdrop to the city. Table Mountain holds an unusually rich biodiversity and forms part of the Cape Floral Region, a protected area. Rock hyrax, or dassie as they are locally known, are often seen scampering through the scrub and the views from the summit over Table Bay, Robben Island and the Atlantic seaboard are breathtaking. The cable cars depart every 10 to 15 minutes and rotate 360 degrees as they travel up to 302 metres above sea level, giving passengers panoramic views over the city. Five minutes is all it takes to reach the summit and once there you can marvel at the views, have a bite to eat in the restaurant or do a bit of shopping at the extensive curio shop. The cableway only operates when weather permits. (Optional rates: D1:Table Mountain Aerial Cableway) |
| | - | Overnight: Antrim Villa Guest House (Luxury Double room - Bed and Breakfast) |
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| D2: Cape Town (142 km) |
| Hout Bay Seal Island Boat Trip(n) • Cape of Good Hope National Park(n) • Champagne at Cape of Good Hope(i)(o) • Boulders Beach(n) • Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens(n) |
| | - | Breakfast |
| | - | Boat cruise from Hout Bay Harbour to Duiker Island. The island is a sanctuary for thousands of Cape fur seals (actually sea lions originating from the Antarctic) as well as a variety of seabirds including gannets, cormorants and sea gulls. It is illegal to land on the island, but the trip takes you within arm's reach of the seals who seem to know they're the centre of attention and put up a fantastic performance, diving and twisting with amazing speed and agility (weather permitting). (n) (n) |
| | - | Visit the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, recognised globally for its extraordinary land formation, rich and diverse fauna and unique flora. The legendary Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope were key beacons for the early explorers and are the source of many myths and legends. In 1488, Bartholomew Dias named the peninsula the Cape of Storms. King John II of Portugal later gave it its actual name. The Cape of Good Hope is a scenic wonder, where soft white sandy beaches alternate with rugged stretches of rock and breathtaking cliffs. (n) (n) |
| | - | Sip on a glass of sparkling wine at the Cape of Good Hope. Conclude an epic discovery of one of the most notoriously dangerous yet outstandingly beautiful coastlines in the world as you savour South African sparkling wine while perched on the rugged cliffs of Cape Point. Absorb the aromatic scent of the fynbos that surrounds you and listen for the scratching and calls of small wildlife that inhibit the mountainous terrain while watching the mesmerising view of the mighty Atlantic Ocean crashing and frothing below you. (Optional rates: D2:Champagne Cape of Good Hope) |
| | - | Get acquainted with African penguins at Boulders Beach. Named for the large, smooth, round boulders that form this coastline, Boulders Beach is one of the few remaining locations in the country where African penguins are able to roost and nest without interference from humans. While the beach itself is a popular bathing spot, it is equally shared with these black and white marine birds that are frequently seen sunning themselves on the rocks or taking a dive into the coolness of the Atlantic Ocean. The adjacent fynbos area holds their delicate nesting grounds, and raised, fenced walkways allow visitors to enter the area without disturbing the birds. Look for nests hidden in the sand and among the scrubland as breeding pairs carefully nurture and protect their eggs. African penguins are classified as endangered species and Boulders Beach is the only location in the world where humans can get close to these birds in their natural habitat. (n) (n) |
| | - | Discover Cape flora of every variety at the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens. Delve into the immense wealth of biodiversity as you explore the Fragrance, Medicinal and Water Wise Gardens. Highlights at Kirstenbosch include the Peninsula Garden, containing many of the 2 500 plant species found on the Cape Peninsula, and the Protea Garden with numerous displays of the king protea, South Africa's national flower. The gardens were established in 1913 to promote, conserve and display the extraordinarily rich and diverse flora of southern Africa and today there are over 7 000 species in cultivation. Kirstenbosch is a World Heritage Site, covering 36 hectares set within a 528 hectare estate that contains protected mountainside supporting natural forest and fynbos along with a variety of animals and birds. (n) (n) |
| | - | Traditional Dinner: Gold Restaurant
Drum and dine in African style at GOLD Restaurant. This Pan-African experience melds African culinary traditions with modern flavours, serving up a sophisticated African feast that changes seasonally. Guests are given a 14-dish tasting menu served in individual and shared portions, as the country of origin, cooking techniques and spicing are explained. Before you sit down to dine, participate in an immersive drumming experience as you beat the djembe drums along with professional drummers. While you are eating, archetypal African stories are told through the form of live entertainment with the superb GOLD team, dressed in authentic traditional garments. (Optional rates: J2:Gold Restaurant Traditional dinner) |
| | - | Overnight: Antrim Villa Guest House (Luxury Double room - Bed and Breakfast) |
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| D3: Cape Town (9 km) |
| Marine Eco Tour (2 hours)(o) • Helicopter Flip (10-15 min)(o) • Robben Island(o) • Victoria and Alfred Waterfront(n) |
| | - | Breakfast |
| | - | Climb aboard a hydrofoil and look for marine life in the ecosystem of Table Bay on a 2-hour eco tour from Cape Town. See ocean animals in their natural surroundings, such as humpback and southern right whales, depending on the season. Get the chance to watch pods of dolphins breaching close to the boat and marvel at their acrobatic displays. Be enchanted by Cape fur seals lounging on the jetties and get close to unusual species, such as sunfish. Watch African penguins diving for fish to take back to their breeding colony on Robben Island. Encounter birdlife, such as terns, gannets, cormorants and mighty black-browed albatross. (Optional rates: D3:Table Bay Marine Eco Tour) |
| | - | Soar with the birds on a 10-12 minute helicopter flight over Table Bay. There is no better way to take in the scenic beauty and majestic mountains of Cape Town than with a helicopter flip over the coastline. The Cape Peninsula is home to some of the finest coastal scenery around and if you are lucky you may even catch sight of dolphins frolicking in Table Bay or a southern right whale riding a wave with her calf. Table Bay is dominated by the flat-topped and iconic Table Mountain and considered one of the most beautiful bays in the world, where high-end hotels rub shoulders with pristine beaches and a rich variety of indigenous vegetation. (Optional rates: D3:Cape Town Helicopter flip ) |
| | - | Trace the footsteps of Mandela at the Robben Island Museum. Located just off the coast of Cape Town, Robben Island holds a significant place in South African history as it once housed the country’s most famous political prisoner and freedom fighter, Nelson Mandela. It is now a World Heritage Site and one of the most popular tourist attractions in South Africa. Your visit to the museum will be guided by a former political prisoner, offering unique insight into the island’s history, and take you to Nelson Mandela’s former cell, standing exactly as it did when he was incarcerated there, as well as the lime quarry where he was forced into hard labour. Your tour begins at the V (Optional rates: D3:Robben Island Tour) |
| | - | Explore the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, situated at South Africa’s oldest working harbour in the centre of Cape Town. Offering over 450 retail outlets selling everything from high-end fashion and jewellery to food and crafts, the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront is one of Cape Town’s most popular destinations, attracting in excess of 23 million visitors a year. Besides offering vibrant and chic indoor and outdoor shopping and restaurants, you can also watch fishing boats dock with fresh fish or see a container ship being towed into the harbour by a tug boat. Draw-bridges over the water open and close every so often to allow smaller sailing vessels access to the docks, while the Cape Wheel gives unsurpassed 360 degree views of the city, and the outdoor amphitheatre plays host to music, dance and theatrical performances throughout the year. (n) (n) |
| | - | Overnight: Antrim Villa Guest House (Luxury Double room - Bed and Breakfast) |
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| D4: Cape Town (161 km) |
| Franschhoek Tour with Museum and Memorial(n) • Tram Tour(o) • Stellenbosch Orientation(n) • Stellenbosch Village Museum(n) |
| | - | Breakfast |
| | - | Discover the wine producing village of Franschhoek. This charming town lies nestled between steep mountain slopes just outside Cape Town, situated in the heart of the Cape’s wine producing region. It is world-renowned for the excellent wines produced here and it is also regarded as the food and wine capital of South Africa, with its streets lined with many cafes and restaurants. Franschhoek was originally established by French Huguenot settlers in the late 1600s and your tour will include a visit to the Huguenot Memorial Museum, displaying a large number of artefacts that illustrate the early life of the Huguenots, and the beautiful French-inspired Huguenot Monument, dedicated to the cultural influences that the Huguenots brought to the Cape Colony. Enjoy strolling through tree-lined streets and exploring art galleries, organic markets, boutiques and award-winning restaurants. (n) (n) |
| | - | Depart from Franschhoek station and climb aboard a tram for a tour of the Franschhoek wine region. The Franschhoek Valley is home to some of the oldest and most distinguished wine estates in South Africa and is also an area of immense scenic beauty and splendour. The tram tour is one of the best ways to sit back and enjoy the true essence of Franschhoek as you stop at various wine estates to savour wine tasting at your leisure. Depart the tram when the fancy takes you to have lunch, stroll through the vineyards or sample some wines and then simply pick the tram or bus up again when you are done. The open-sided tram takes passengers right into the heart of the Franschhoek Valley, with a narration focusing on the history of village and wine cultivation. (Optional rates: D4:Franschhoek Wine Tram) |
| | - | Wander through the oak-lined streets of Stellenbosch. Lying at the foot of the Simonsberg mountains and within the grandiose Cape Winelands, Stellenbosch is internationally renowned for its award-winning wines, fantastic restaurants, trendy culture and historic buildings. The town is the perfect place to explore on foot with its many side-walk cafes and buzzy student vibe, owing to the large and prestigious university that is an icon of Stellenbosch culture. Many leading wine estates are found here including Spier, Tokara and Delheim, as well as some of the country’s best restaurants where dining can be an informal al fresco affair or something more elegant and black tie. Art lovers can explore the copious galleries while outdoor enthusiasts have plenty of nature activities available to them at Jonkershoek. (n) (n) |
| | - | Relive history at the Stellenbosch Village Museum. The historic village of Stellenbosch was developed around a Cape Dutch style town and the Stellenbosch Village Museum is composed of four different period houses, each representing the way people lived at that time and a different era in the architectural development of Stellenbosch. The Schreuder House was built in 1707 and depicts a modest pioneer cottage while the Bletterman House is a Cape Dutch H-shaped dwelling and an example of a gabled house from the 18th century. The Grosvernor House is a grand old mansion, whose furniture is indicative of the increasing influence of British taste on local design when neo-classicism was at the height of fashion. End your journey through time at the O.M. Bergh House, reflecting a typical middle-class Stellenbosch home during the mid-1800s. Guests may also stroll through the V.O.C. Kruithuis, the only remaining powder magazine in South Africa. (n) (n) |
| | - | Overnight: Antrim Villa Guest House (Luxury Double room - Bed and Breakfast) |
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| D5: Cape Town - Kruger |
| Kruger Park(n) |
| | - | Breakfast |
| | - | Flight CapeTown - Kruger Mpumalanga Airport (Economy Class) (Optional rates: D5:Flight Cape Town-Kruger Mpumanlanga) |
| | - | Pick up your vehicle Europcar SA Classic Plus Cover Category M(1-6days) at Kruger Mpumalanga Airport - Drop Off Johannesburg OR Tambo (Day 10) - 6 days |
| | - | We recommend that you spend as much time as you can in the Kruger National Park from sunrise to sunset as vehicles are not allowed to drive during the night. You can have breakfast and lunch inside the park at the rest camps, or alternatively, you can request a packed breakfast or packed lunch from your hotel. Game drives in an open vehicle can be booked locally. The park covers an area close to 19 000 square kilometres (350 km x 60 km)... a small country on its own! Needless to say, you can spend days and days in the park that offers one of the widest diversity of wildlife in the world. (n) |
| | - | Overnight at the Guest House: Nut Grove Manor (Luxury Suite(Hazel/ Almond/ Magnolia) - Bed and Breakfast) |
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| D6: Kruger |
| 4x4 Game Drive Full Day (Scheduled)(o) |
| | - | Breakfast |
| | - | Full day 4x4 game drive in the Kruger Park. Your scheduled departure will leave from your hotel at dawn as you set out in an open 4x4 safari vehicle for a short drive to one of the park's gates and into the Kruger National Park. It is one of the largest game reserves in Africa, stretching across a vast 18 989 square kilometres in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. With over 12 000 elephants, 27 000 African buffalo and 1 000 leopards, the Big Five is well represented. White rhino sightings are frequent, while spotting a black rhino may require some patience and a bit of luck. Lions are plentiful with over 2 000 stalking the plains. Overall, the Kruger supports 147 free roaming mammal species. Of the 517 species of birds here, 253 are resident and the reserve supports six diverse eco-systems. Your morning safari concludes at one of the rest camps inside the reserve giving you the opportunity to stretch and refresh. The 4x4 vehicle will allow you to get very close to the surrounding vegetation while your experienced ranger follows fresh animal spoor. Your safari concludes in the late afternoon before returning to the hotel. (Optional rates: D6: Kruger 4X4 Game Drive) |
| | - | Overnight at the Guest House: Nut Grove Manor (Luxury Suite(Hazel/ Almond/ Magnolia) - Bed and Breakfast) |
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| D7: Kruger - Makalali |
| Moholoholo Rehab Centre(n) • 4X4 Afternoon Game Drive |
| | - | Breakfast |
| | - | Visit to the Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. This world-famous centre is situated in the Moholoholo Private Game Reserve close to the Kruger National Park and has become a haven for the rehabilitation and care of abandoned, injured and poisoned wildlife. Animals are brought to the centre from all over South Africa and once healthy enough, are re-introduced back into their natural environments. Those creatures that cannot be returned to the wild due to the nature and extent of their injuries are used for educational purposes. Moholoholo has also successfully bred and released the endangered crowned eagle, serval and many others. Your visit will include a fully guided tour of all the wildlife that Moholoholo is currently rehabilitating, breeding or housing, offering the unique experience of seeing animals up close and personal. These animals may include lion, leopard, lynx, honey badger, vultures, wild dog and any baby animals present at the time of your visit. (n) (n) |
| | - | Travel to Kruger |
| | - | Arrival in Makalali Conservancy. Ready to indulge your every wild whim, the Makalali Conservancy encourages guests to make the most of their time close to wildlife. Located west of the Kruger National Park, the 22 000-hectare reserve presents undulating hills and incredible viewpoints with panoramic scenes across the Lowveld acacia bush, and savannah grassland flecked with marula, knobthorn and jackalberry trees. With a name meaning ‘place of rest’, Makalali is indeed a location to take a breather where guests can get closer to nature through wilderness walks, sleep-outs and outdoor bush baths. Wildlife in the reserve includes lion, leopard, elephant, cheetah and rhino, while activities concentrate on morning, afternoon and evening game drives, walking safaris and star gazing are optional. The conservancy incorporates a collection of camps and numerous other leisure activities. (Activities included in your package as per program below.) |
| | - | Lunch: Makalali Main Lodge |
| | - | Afternoon 4x4 game drive. |
| | - | Dinner: Makalali Main Lodge |
| | - | Overnight: Makalali Main Lodge (Standard Room - Fully Inclusive(FIT)) |
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| D8: Makalali - Ohrigstad |
| Morning 4x4 Game Drive • Blyde River Canyon and Potholes(n) |
| | - | Morning 4x4 game drive. |
| | - | Breakfast |
| | - | Make your way towards the Blyde River Canyon and Bourke’s Luck Potholes. This seemingly endless river canyon is filled with some of the most beautifully scenic vistas in South Africa. The Bourke's Luck Potholes mark the beginning of the canyon and comprise intriguing geological formations at the confluence of the Blyde and Treur rivers. The canyon itself is 3rd largest in the world, covered in lush sub-tropical vegetation with an average depth of 750 metres and 25 kilometres in length. It consists mostly of red sandstone and has some of the deepest precipitous cliffs of any canyon on the planet. (n) (n) |
| | - | Overnight at the Lodge: Hannah Game Lodge (Standard Room - Bed and Breakfast) |
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| D9: Ohrigstad - Johannesburg |
| Dullstroom(n) |
| | - | Breakfast |
| | - | Travel to Johannesburg |
| | - | Hit the highlands in Dullstroom. This picturesque village in Mpumalanga is best known for its fly fishing dams, quaint shops and country restaurants. It forms part of the Highlands Meander where fly fishing rules and old timers exchange news in the local pub and are rumoured to still make their own moonshine. Brisk outdoor adventure waits as the area offers many adventure trails, rock climbing opportunities and hiking paths as well as being home to three varieties of crane species and a stunning array of blooming wild flowers. Dullstroom is also the site of South Africa’s only known breeding community of black leopards, although these unique cats are notoriously difficult to find. The brave can try some witbiltz, a South African version of moonshine. (n) (n) |
| | - | Overnight: Hyde Park Guest House (Standard room/BB) |
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| D10: Johannesburg |
| Day Tour: Jo`burg, Soweto and Apartheid Museum FD(o) |
| | - | Breakfast |
| | - | Orientate yourself with greater Johannesburg on a full-day tour of Johannesburg, Soweto and the Apartheid Museum. Your explorations begin in the heart of bustling Johannesburg, the third largest city in Africa, as you seek out landmark buildings such as the Hillbrow Tower, one of the tallest towers in Africa, the sky-scraping Ponte City, Sentech and Carlton Centre Tower and the multi-million rand Nelson Mandela Bridge. South of city you will find the Apartheid Museum (Closed Mondays and Tuesdays) that showcases the notorious system of racial discrimination that became synonymous with South Africa from 1948 until 1994 when the country’s first fully democratic elections were held. The museum has two entrances labelled ‘white’ and ‘non-white’ giving visitors a tiny taste of some of apartheid’s prejudiced rules. More serious overtones to this system of racial classification can be observed inside the museum with harrowing personal testimonials and historical facts. Your tour rounds off with highlights of Soweto such as the match box houses, FNB “Soccer city” Stadium, Hector Pieterson Memorial, Vilakazi Street and Mandela House.
(Optional rates: D9:Joburg,Soweto & Apartheid Museum Day Tour FD) |
