May 04:Group Trip...Safari/Walking/ Garden Route



May 04:Group Trip...Safari/Walking/ Garden Route Welcome, and I hope you can join me on this unique trip to South Africa. We will experience South Africa a little differently than most tours...we will be active ie walking and passive ie driving, we will do something different each day, and yet there will be time for you to explore at your own pace. I have chosen a variety of lodging ie in Cape Town we will stay close to the Waterfront in a 3 star,very basic, but cost effective hotel.This is about a 5 minute walk to the Waterfront Then in Kruger we will stay in a Private Game Park, surrounded by the sounds of the Africa bush This trip is limited to 20 partcipants only, so sign up and lets do it..Africa awaits us Im available to answer questions, and you can extend your stay if you like Stephen Abelsohn Fundi Certified South Africa Tourism Destination Specialist Day 1 4 nights Cape Town On arrival at Cape Town International Airport the group is met and transferred by coach to your close by Waterfront hotel Cold water / juice will be served on the 30 minute drive to the hotel. Historic buildings, continental cafes and interesting shops, surround this attractive hotel minutes from the world famous V and A waterfront. Cape Town is Southern Africa’s oldest city and its most scenic, indeed it is arguably one of the most beautifully situated cities in the world. The unique cultural blend, part African, part European and part Asian reflects its colonial past. From your base here, not too far from the city centre and the Waterfront, you will be able to explore both the city centre and further afield. Basis: Bea & Breakfast. Lunch and dinner for your own account. This day free to get over jet lag..suggestions for things to do will be available for those with lots of energy. Day 2 Hiking – Cape Peninsula Walk Today is a gentle introduction to walking in the Cape as well as a scenic delight. After a short City Orientation Tour by your private guide, you travel along the spectacular coastal road to the Cape of Good Hope National Park. Here you walk to Cape Point. From the high vantage point at the Cape Point Lighthouse it is possible to see where the warm Mozambique and the cold Benguela Currents converge. From Cape Point you continue to naval town of Simonstown. Time permitting you visit the penguins at Boulders Beach. You have lunch along the route in the form of a picnic/packed lunch which each for the hikers take along in the daypacks. Return to your hotel in the late afternoon. Basis: Bed & Breakfast with picnic/packed lunch. Dinner for your own account. Day 3 Hiking – Table Mountain Traverse After breakfast you head out to Table Mountain. Depending on the fitness of the group, you either traverse Table Mountain from Constantia Nek via Maclear's Beacon to the top of Table Mountain OR take the cable car and enjoy a walk on the top of Table Mountain (cable car tickets are not included in the price – weather permitting). The ideal is of course to walk in a circular route; start from Constantia Nek or Plattekloof Gourge. Enjoy your picnic lunch on top of the mountain and enjoy the magnificent views from the top and then to finish at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. This evening is at leisure for you to enjoy some of the wonderful Cape Town restaurants. Basis: Bed & Breakfast, Picnic/packed Lunch. Dinner for your own account. Day 4 Day at Leisure Have a leisurely breakfast and take the day at your own pace. Enjoy Cape Town!! Options for the day..a Winelands tour, Townships and District 6 Tour, a brief (2hour) walking tour of the Bo Kaap area,or enjoy the craft markets, curiou stores, etc Basis: Bed & Breakfast. Lunch and dinner for your own account. Day 5 2 nights, Cederberg After breakfast you greet Cape Town and head out the Cederberg. Travel through the wheat fields of the Swartland and climb up into the Cederberg mountains to Algeria Forest Station. Here you enjoy quite a steep hike up to a waterfall for a magnificent view down the valley over lunch. Return to Algeria Forest Station to relax and swim in the rock pools before continuing to Mount Ceder Lodge for 2 nights. Mount Ceder Lodge is a delightful lodge high in the Cedarberg, which offers both fully catered and self-catering accommodation. Mount Ceder is ideally situated for mountain hiking, fishing, swimming and visiting ancient rock paintings. The classic walks of the Maltese Cross is only 40 minutes drive away. The eight cottages range in size from charming one bedroom cottages to spacious four bedroom houses, all with Oregon pine furnishings. They are immaculately kept with obvious pride and attention to detail. In 1488, when Bartholomeus Dias first saw the Cedarberg Mountains from the Western coast , he called it the "Serra dos Reis" ('The mountains of the three wise men from the East'), presumably because of the three mighty peaks of Sneeuberg, Sneeukop and Tafelberg. Most of the Cedarberg is a Wilderness area and thus remains one of the most undisturbed areas of the country. The Cedarberg range is a gigantic mass of sandstone, richly coloured by iron oxides and eroded into a variety of strange shapes. This 100-km long range rises splendidly above the vineyards and citrus groves of the Oliphants River valley. The most remarkable distinction of this range is it’s weird rock formations such as the well-known Wolfberg Arch, Stadsaal caves and the Maltese Cross. It is also famous for fine examples of San rock paintings and spectacular wild flowers in Spring. The rich plant life includes such rarities as the snow protea, which flowers in summer only above the snow line and the Cedarberg pincushion. The cedar trees which give the range its name grow at an altitude of 1000 to 1500 metres and some species live for 1000 years. Its wood is fine-grained and very beautiful when worked properly. It was heavily exploited by early woodcutters and almost became extinct as a result. It is now strictly protected. Fauna in the area is limited to a small range of antelope, grey Rhebok and Klipspringer being the most common. Troops of baboon can often be heard in the kloofs and very occasionally leopard will be seen. The Cedarberg is a dramatic landscape of craggy canyons, rivers, dams and waterfalls. Basis: Dinner, Bed & Breakfast, Picnic/packed Lunch Day 6 Hiking – Cederberg, Maltese Cross Take the enjoyable walk to the imposing monolith of Maltese Cross in the morning where you enjoy a magnificent view of the Cedarberg range. In the afternoon enjoy some wine tasting at the Cedarberg Wine Estate nearby and a visit to the Stadsaal caves and Bushmen rock art paintings. Basis: Dinner, Bed & Breakfast, Picnic/packed Lunch Day 7 1 night, Montague You travel to the charming little town of Montague. After check in you have time to discover the town on foot before you visit the Avalon Hot Springs in the afternoon. You return to your hotel in the late afternoon to freshen up before dinner. Dinner is served at the hotel. The Montagu Country Hotel was built in 1875 and is the oldest accommodation establishment in the village. Walking through the foyer you get a glimpse of the courtyard, lush green lawn and swimming pool area where guests unwind while enjoying the view of the nearby mountains. All 23 en-suite bedrooms offer air-conditioning and modern facilities to ensure an enjoyable stay. Dinner is served in the Wild Apricot Restaurant that specialises in traditional Cape fare. This restaurant has established quite a reputation for its traditional meals. Basis: Dinner, Bed & Breakfast. Lunch for your own account. Day 8 1 night, Oudtshoorn After breakfast you continue on the very interesting Route 62 to the ostrich capital of South Africa where you overnight at La Plume Guest Farm just outside the town. La Plume Guest Farm, Oudtshoorn – is a working ostrich farm with peaceful views over the lovely Olifants river valley and a pool in the gardens. The lovely Victorian homestead is decorated in period style and all nine en suite rooms are well-appointed, with telephone, air-conditioning, ceiling fan, complimentary port, television, bar fridge and furnished with Cape antiques. Farm tours and Karoo farm-style dinners are available on request, if you don’t feel like stirring from this tranquil oasis. Dinner is served at your guest house. Basis: Dinner, Bed & Breakfast. Lunch for your own account. Day 9 2 nights, Plettenberg Bay Situated close to Oudtshoorn, is one of the world's great natural wonders sculptured by nature through the ages - fascinating limestone formations in a wide variety of colours. Visit the Cango Caves after breakfast before you continue to the Garden Route. Stop at Knysna where you have a few hours at leisure to explore the town on foot. As well as boating and sailing, the town offers numerous restaurants and arts and crafts shops, as it has become a popular centre for artists. In the late afternoon you check in at the Protea Hotel Keurbooms River just outside Plettenberg Bay. Plettenberg Bay is a small chic resort with lovely wide sandy beaches. This is the heart of the much-loved 'Garden Route', so named because of the cool greenness of the vegetation. The Keurbooms River Hotel offers a superior service and stunning setting practically on the banks of the Keurbooms River. Fully-equipped, one, two or three bedroomed self-catering apartments have an open-plan kitchen leading onto the lounge, with all amenities and a breathtaking view across the river to the mountains. However Keurbooms is also a fully fledged hotel with a restaurant serving all meals and a residents’ bar. Leisure activities include tennis and boating from the hotel as well as whale watching, hiking, exploring the nearby Tsitsikamma forest and of course enjoying the lovely beaches. Basis: Bed & Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner for your own account. Day 10 Marine Encounter Tour & other optional activities around Plettenberg Bay After an early breakfast you board for the Marine Encounter Tour. You experience the many wonders of the bay whilst the experiences guides and skippers will introduce you to the magical world of whales, dolphins, seals, sharks and pelagic birds. Interact with dolphin species and learn more about these fascinating creatures. This scenic tour includes the Robberg Nature Reserve and the spectacular coastline. This tour takes approx. 2 hours. Back at the hotel you have time to grab a snack if you feel like it (for your own account) before the afternoon’s activities. These activities are all optional and for your own account. There are a number of activities on offer. Anything from soft adventure to activities that will definitely cause a serious adrenaline rush!! Activities like: Sea Kayaking and Tree Top Canopy tours for the less adventures and for those who are looking for an adrenaline rush there are abseiling, bungi jumping from the highest commercial jump in the world and Black Water Tubing. All of these can be done by the whole group or by individuals. Should you feel like an relaxed afternoon on the beach, which is walking distance from your hotel, this can also be done. Basis: Bed & Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner for your own account. Day 11 3 nights, Game Viewing After breakfast you are transferred to George Airport for your domestic flight to Johannesburg where you connect with your flight to Hoedspruit in the Mpumalanga area. (all flights are excluded from the price). On arrival at Johannesburg International Airport you are met by our representatives who will assist with check in to Hoedspruit Airport. On arrival at Hoedspruit airport you are met by Eastgate Safaris for your road transfer to one of the Honeyguide lodges, Koka Moya or Mantobeni, in the Manyeleti Game Reserve for your 3 night stay and game viewing experience. In the late afternoon you head out for your first encounter with the BUSH!! Honeyguide is situated in the Manyeleti Reserve on the border of the Kruger Park. You stay at Honeyguide’s more luxurious tented Main Lodge where you enjoy morning and evening game drives in open top vehicles. This gives you a good chance of seeing game, as of course you can cover a greater area, and so there is a good likelihood of seeing perhaps four out of the ‘big five’. Lion, elephant, buffalo and rhino are all regularly sighted in the Manyeleti, along with a host of smaller mammal species. The following day you will also have the opportunity to participate in a bush walk with experienced rangers. Basis: Bed & Breakfast, Dinner. Lunch for your own account. Day 12 Full day Hiking – Game Viewing After breakfast you head out into the bush on foot. Your guides/rangers will introduce you to the Manyaleti Game Reserve, the different animals and bird life of this area. The pattern of activities is orientated around twice daily game walks, one in the early morning for about two or three hours and another in the mid afternoon as the animals start to become more active. The evening is often as exciting as the day’s activities, as tall tales as swapped over the open fire and a delicious bush dinner, and the sounds of the bush are all around you! Basis: Full Board & Game Activities Day 13 Game Viewing at Leisure Today is spent at leisure. Go out for your morning game drive, relax over lunchtime and enjoy a late afternoon game drive before another mouth-watering dinner is served. Basis: Full Board & Game Drives Day 14 Farewell! After your last game drive and breakfast you transfer back to Hoedspruit Airport where you check in for your flight to Johannesburg. On arrival at Johannesburg you are met and assisted with check-in for your onward flight home. Basis: Breakfast. Please note that all prices are subject to availability. >br>$2,150.00pp based on double occupancy, excluding your International flight and Internal South Africa flight based on 20 partcipants max. Single rates available. Domestic air fare is approximately This includes: Accommodation and meals as detailed Safari activities while at game lodge Transfers as detailed & Tours as detailed including entrances fees unless specified Private English speaking Guide up to day 11 Luxury coach and driver up to day 11 This excludes: Travel insurance Visas if required Items of a personal nature Meals not specified Gratuities All international and national flights and taxes