Cape Town & the Garden Route

Depart London.
**

Day 2

The group flight generally arrives early afternoon. Land only passengers can
meet the rest of the group at the airport; upon arrival we will transfer
about 1hr to the the Sundays River Valley and the lovely Avoca Guest Farm.
The rest of the afternoon is free to relax amidst this bucolic setting.
*Avoca Guest Farm or similar*

Day 3

This morning we head to Addo Elephant National Park. The third largest
national park in South Africa, Addo is home to some 550 elephants (up from a
mere 16 when the park was initially set up) as well as Black rhino, leopards,
lions, buffalos, hyenas, zebras, various antelopes and dung-beetles.
We will enjoy game drives (in our own vehicle) in the park and have the
option of a 2nd game drive as well (at extra cost).
*Avoca Guest Farm or similar*

Day 4

Today we start heading west to the official start of the Garden Route at
Storms River and Tsitsikamma National Park. Stretching along the coast, the
park gets its name from a local word meaning ‘place of abundant water.’
The park is made up of rocky coastlines, fairy-tale forests, waterfalls and
rivers. We have the opportunity to hike in the forest and along suspension
bridges. The area is also a great place for bird-enthusiasts with a variety
of sea, forest and fynbos (scrubland) species present.
*Storms River Mouth Rest Camp or similar*

Day 5

We spend the day at Tsitsikamma where a number of hikes are available as well
as other activities (though some may be dependent on the weather conditions
such as canoeing).
*Storms River Mouth Rest Camp or similar*

Day 6

We start our day with a visit to the Knysna Heads, two tall sandstone cliffs
which form a channel through which the turbulent Indian Ocean enters the
calmer Knysna Lagoon. We have a bit more time to relax in town before leaving
for Oudtshoorn after lunch.
As we head inland and over a pass the landscape changes drastically and we
enter the Little Karoo, a much dryer and hotter region. Oudtshoorn itself
became famous thanks to the trade in Ostrich feathers and is still, today,
the ostrich capital of the world.
Our Guest House is situated out of town in the tranquil rural Karoo village
of De Rust.
*House Martin Guest Lodge or similar*

Day 7

Today we spend all day in and around Oudtshoorn. We start by visiting the
Cango Caves, an extensive complex of caverns with stalactites and
stalagmites. We then enjoy lunch at Buffelsdrift where will overlook a
waterhole that occasionally is visited by elephants, giraffe and springbok.
In the afternoon we visit the beautiful Meiringspoort Waterfall and enjoy a
short walk in the area. (the order in which we do these activities may be
reversed).

*House Martin Guest Lodge or similar*

Day 8

Returning towards the coast we make a stop at Mossel Bay and the Dias museum
complex celebrating the influence of early Portuguese sailors on S. Africa
and the location of the Post Office Tree (an old milkwood tree which was used
to leave messages for passing ships since 1500). We then continue to
Hermanus, famed as the whale capital of the world.
*Windsor Hotel or similar*

Day 9

Today is a free day to relax and enjoy Hermanus. From late August to November
Southern Right whales are easily spotted from shore as they frolic in Walker
Bay. A whale crier sounds his kelp horn when he spots whales off the coast.
Those who want can also do a boat-based whale watching trip. There are also a
number of other activities available from hikes to river cruises and
lagoon-kayaking which are available year-round.
*Windsor Hotel or similar*

Day 10

Our next destination is South Africa’s famed wine region. The wine
industry, which dates back to the 17th Century and was heavily influenced by
French Huguenots, produces some of the best wines in the world. We will have
the opportunity to taste some of these wines before continuing to Cape Town,
the Mother City.
*Sweetest Guest House or similar*

Day 11-12

We spend the next two days in and around Cape Town, Africa's most exciting
city. Our activities in Cape Town will, to some extent, be dictated by the
weather as visits to the top of Table Mountain, which has its own
micro-climate, are determined by cloud cover and wind. Because of this,
often, temperamental weather, it is best not to pre-book the cable car but to
just buy tickets on the spot (not included) Those who are staying longer in
Cape Town post-tour may opt to visit Table Mountain later if the weather
looks as though it may be better then.
There is also the option of visiting Robben Island on one of the days,
however we recommend you pre-book Robben Island with us before the trip (but
pay the tour leader locally).
On one of the days we head down the Cape Peninsula. We follow the Atlantic
Seaboard past the areas of Camps Bay, Llandudno and Hout Bay to the Cape
Point via Chapman's Peak drive, if it is open. The highlight of the day is
our visit to the famous Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, which covers an
area of 7680 hectares. The reserve is home to eland, bontebok, grysbok,
springbok, wildebeest, baboon and ostrich. Rugged cliffs, unspoilt beaches,
shipwrecks and beautiful flora are the main features of the reserve. We will
go on a walk through the reserve for approximately two hours. We first take a
walk to the old lighthouse for the panoramic views, before following the
pathway to the new lighthouse which offer spectacular cliff views. We then
follow the downhill path to the Cape of Good Hope. Once we leave the park we
stop at the former Royal Navy base at Simonstown and take time to visit the
resident penguin colony at Boulders Beach.
*Sweetest Guest House or similar*

Day 13

Our final day of the trip we have the option of doing a township tour,
strolling along the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront or exploring various other
parts of Cape Town. Those on group flights will be transferred to the airport
this afternoon for their flight home, those on a land-only basis the tour
officially ends today.

Day 14

Arrive London
**