South Africa: Highlights of the Western and Eastern Cape

Discover all that Cape Point has to offer on this enjoyable day excursion. Following an early breakfast at your hotel, drive out to the Atlantic Seaboard Coastal Road with your local guide. Enjoy your drive along this scenic stretch of road, passing by white sandy beaches and the ocean by Clifton and Camps Bay. Take in the bracing sea breeze as the wind catches your hair. Watch the sudden appearance of the Twelve Apostles Peaks to one side of the road, while the dramatic cliffs and rocky outcrops of the Cape Peninsula rise above the Atlantic on your other side. Make a pit stop at the pretty little fishing village of Hout Bay with its famous Sentinel. If you wish, you can take a boat ride to Seal Island, or browse through colorful stalls by the harbor piled high with handicrafts and local artifacts. Drive up to the Cape’s famed Chapman’s Peak and make the most of its photo opportunities. Continue up to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve before dropping by the spectacular Cape Point. Look out for the feathery ‘fynbos’ swaying in the heathland along with the region’s endemic birds and wildlife, particularly the Cape Mountain Zebra and the baboons. Gaze out at False Bay, or if you wish, you can ride the funicular to the old lighthouse for taking in the twin oceans of the South Atlantic and the Indian Ocean. Take a refreshing lunch break, before visiting the colony of African penguins at Boulders Beach. (Full Day; Time of Day: Morning; Duration: 9 hrs; Shared Activity & Transfer; Fitness Level: Easy; Services included: Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve Gate (Cape Point), Chapman’s peak drive. Services excluded: Seal island Cruise in Hout Bay; Lunch; Cape Point Funicular ; Boulder Beach entrance fees; Please bring comfortable walking shoes).

Enjoy a day visiting Cape Town’s highlights. You are at liberty to discover the cosmopolitan city at your own leisure and pace. Whether your interests lie in exploring Cape Town’s natural landscapes, its cultural history and art, or even in its gastronomic scene, the city has it all. Visit the Castle of Good Hope, the Company Gardens, and the Green Market Square. Or ride right up to the iconic Table Mountain with its panoramic view of the city and the coastline spread out beneath. The choice is yours. (Full Day; Fitness Level: Easy; Please bring comfortable shoes, sunglasses & sun hats. Don’t forget your camera or binoculars. All expenses to be paid directly on site; no mode of transport included).

Discover Cape Town, South Africa’s ‘Mother City’, on this small-group tour. After being picked up from your hotel, set out on a scenic drive through Camps Bay, Clifton and Sea Point. Cruise past Green Point and along the Atlantic Seaboard to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. Along the way, you will see Georgian, Cape Dutch and Victorian architecture. Continue to the Company Gardens and Greenmarket Square, where vendors sell colorful souvenirs, while buskers provide a lively soundtrack. Next, head to the picturesque Bo-Kaap neighborhood. Drive past the brightly painted houses belonging to the Muslim community, with roots in India and Southeast Asia. Visit a jewelry store to learn about exquisite diamonds and tanzanite stones as well as South African white gold. After, ascend Signal Hill and witness the firing of the Noon Gun, a historic time signal. Proceed to Table Mountain’s lower cable station for a bird’s-eye view of Cape Town, its harbor and beaches. If you like and weather permitting, you could buy yourself a ticket to take the cable car to the summit. Finally, make your own way back to the hotel.

(Duration: half day; Time: 0900 hrs; Shared activity & one way transfer; Group size: 2-12 ppl; Entry fees are not included; Fitness level: easy)

Take a tour on a tram leading you through Franschhoek’s breathtaking mountain landscapes making various stops at the different wine estates along the tram-way. Make stops at famous wine estates including Mont Rochelle, Le Lude, La Bri, La Bourgogne, Rickety Bridge, Maison, Eikehof and Leopard’s Leap. This tour ushers you to the charms of leisurely country life with the elegance of classic wine producing locations. Stop at various estates for wine tastings paired with Belgian chocolate or fresh handmade cheese and delicious lunches selected from bistro style menus.

Take a leisurely walk along the streets of Stellenbosch. On this walk, enjoy sampling the delicious flavors of South African cuisine. Select from top quality, locally produced food. Also get to meet and interact with food artists, getting insightful stories of what inspires their passion for food art. Take a stroll from one tasting shop to the next, getting a taste of platters of seasonal local products, freshly baked bread, snacks, homemade ice-cream, melt-in-the-mouth pastries and confectionery. The guide will take you on a tour around the oak-lined streets of the old town center. Explore and soak up the beauty of the charming town taking in the amazing architectural marvels of the centuries-old town. End the tour with a special tasting of some of the delicious regional wines.

(Duration: Half day; Time of day: Mon – Fri: 1300 hrs – 1630 hrs, Sat and public holidays: 1000- 1330; Duration: 3-4 hrs; Shared activity; No transfers included; Meals included as per description).

Set off on exciting game drives into the Amakhala Game Reserve, twice a day, to catch sight of the African Big Five animals – lion, leopard, black rhino, elephant, and African buffalo. A comfortable 4×4 open cruiser will be waiting to take you into the wilderness along in with a field guide. In the morning, you will drive out just in time to catch the sunrise, which happens to be the best time of the day to spot lions. Watch as your guide makes use of their knowledge of the bush and instinct, to spot elusive animals. Take a break to enjoy homemade biscuits with coffee or tea before heading back to camp. In the mid-afternoon, you will set out again for more exciting encounters with wildlife. Halt for snacks and sundowners while you watch a beautiful African sunset. As darkness falls, watch for nocturnal animals such as brown hyenas, porcupines and spring hares. Learn more about the local animals from your guide as well as life on the savanna, before you return to your camp.

(Duration: half day; Set departures; Shared activity & transfers; All meals served in the lodge; Please inform us of any food allergies in advance; Entrance fees included)