Southafrica Western Cape and Northern Cape

Day 1: Cape Town

Arrive at Cape Town International Airport, meet our assistant for a welcoming briefing on your itinerary and collect your pre-booked car, drive to the hotel. The remainder of the afternoon will be at leisure to the city centre and Table Mountain. Overlooking the city the Table Mountain is a big tourist attraction with many visitors using the cableway or hiking to the top. The view of the city and the bay from the top is stunning. Dining at the Waterfront is suggested, followed by a walk in one of the best attraction of the city. In this area you find shops, bar, cafès, bistrò and clubs where you can enjoy very good music.

The Clarendon Fresnaye Boutique Hotel or similar
Bed and breakfast

Day 2: Cape Town (Cape of Good Hope)

Breakfast at the hotel. Today’s journey will begin with a daily excursion to Cape of Good Hope: head to Hout Bay, an old port; visit the Marine’s Wharf where you can find nice bars and restaurants. If weather permits, a cruise boat departs from the harbor to Seal island to view thousands of Cape Fur Seals close up in their natural habitat. The journey will continue to Boulders Beach, best known for its resident colony of African Penguin, you will have the privilege to walk among them in their beach home. The next destination is Cape Point, a dramatic knife’s edge of rock that slices into the Atlantic. Finally you will visit Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, where many species of plants are protected; this place, worth a visit in each season, showcases fabulous South African flora including fynbos (hardy, thin-leaf vegetation which gives to the Western Cape region its distinctive look), silver trees, king proteas, ericas; walking trails meander through the gardens offering visitors the chance to enjoy this stunning habitat. Back to Cape Town late in the afternoon.

Accommodation at The Clarendon Fresnaye Boutique Hotel or similar
Bed and breakfast

Day 3: Cape Town (Winelands)

After breakfast at the hotel, drive your way around the beautiful Winelands; on the road you can stop for a visit to Paarl, Franschoek and Stellenbosch towns. Those last two are characterized by a Dutch colonial architecture and have a perfect soils for grape vines; impossible not to stop for a wine tasting and a degustation of typical products. The region in fact boasts some of South African best wines, restaurants and hotels. After an enjoyable tour of famous wine cellars you can relax under an old oak with a pic-nic basket and dine in one of the excellent restaurants in the area. Those particularly interested in the Winelands could overnight here in one of the beautiful boutique hotels on day 3 or add an extra day to enjoy as much as possible Cape Town and the surrounding areas.

Accommodation at The Clarendon Fresnaye Boutique Hotel or similar
Bed and breakfast

Day 4: Cape Town – Paternoster

After breakfast hit the road to Paternoster Village situated 90km north from Cape Town.
Paternoster is a mostly unspoiled village of whitewashed thatch cottages perched on a deserted stretch of coastline.
The population here consists mainly of fisherfolk, who for generations have eked out a living harvesting crayfish and other seafood. This small village has a character and sense of identity.
Accommodation in one of the beautiful oceanfront guest houses. We suggest to dine in one of the characteristic small sea food restaurants in town.

Accommodation at Baywatch Villa Guest House or similar
Bed and breakfast

Day 5: Paternoster

Breakfast at the guest house. Today you will have the day at leisure to visit this paradise and get to meet the locals.

Accommodation at Baywatch Villa Guest House or similar
Bed and breakfast

Day 6: Paternoster – Clanwilliam

After breakfast leave the town of Paternoster for Cederberg, a mountain range known for its San paintings, its bizarre rock formations, and, once upon a time, its cedars. The Cederberg is a hiking paradise: a wild, largely unspoiled area where you can disappear from civilization. The itinerary continue to the suggestive Citrusdal (agriculture in the area is dominated by citrus fruit farming, hence the town’s name) and Clanwilliam: a region with more than 10.000 bushmen paintings. Arrival late in the morning at Clanwilliam and accommodation in one of the guest houses. You are free to spend the afternoon visiting around the beautiful area.

Accommodation at Clanwilliam Lodge or similar
Bed and breakfast

Day 7: Clanwilliam – Springbok

After breakfast drive your way to Springbok: the largest town in the Namaqualand and the capital. Quiver trees proliferate in the area and every year nature performs a miracle in the Northern Cape sprinkling flowers as far as the eye can see. The Namaqualand region and specifically the Namaqua National Park now boasts a recently proclaimed coastal section, which, during the flower season, bursts into a carpet of colour quite unlike anything you have experienced before.. Arrival late in the morning and accommodation at the booked guest house. The afternoon is dedicated to the visit of different parks near Springbok, where you can discover interesting species of flowers and endemic plants of the area.
From august to mid-september guests that arrive to see this annual spectacular event can experience the comfort and convenience of mobile tented camps. The site is situated along the coastline of the recently included portion of Namaqualand National Park.

Accommodation at Naries Namakwa Retreat or a mobile tented camp during the flower season
Half board

Day 8: Springbok

Day at leisure to visit this interesting areas and the park.

Accommodation at Naries Namakwa Retreat or a mobile tented camp during the flower season
Half board

Day 8: Springbok – Augrabies Falls

Breakfast at the guest house. Today’s journey will take you to the stunning Augrabies Falls.
Arrival late in the morning and accommodation at the booked guest house. The afternoon will be dedicated to the visit of the falls and the natural reserve around it. The Orange River in this point falls for 65 metres in a tight canyon, the landscape is extremely suggestive.

Accommodation at Augrabies Falls Guest House or similar
Bed and breakfast

Day 9: Augrabies Falls – Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Breakfast at the guest house. Today, after a 4-5 hours drive you will get to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. !Xaus Lodge is located in the South African sector of the park and access is via the Auob River road that connects Twee Rivieren with Mata Mata. The lodge is situated 30 km into the desert, clients will be collected by the lodge at Twee Rivieren and driven in an open safari vehicle into this unspoiled place in the middle of the desert.

Accommodation at !Xaus Lodge or similar
Full board activities included

Day10 : Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Kick off with a morning safari before discovering the beauty of this park. There is a diversity of mammal species in the area, such as antelope, black-manned lion, cheetah, hyena and wild cats. Activities at lodge include: sunset pan drive and dune walk to ‘listen’ to the sun set over the Kalahari with an early evening game drive back to the lodge. After-dinner night drive, with the accompanying sounds of barking geckos, insect shrills, and larger animal calls to break the silence. The staff can also arrange a day-break with the guides and Bushman trackers to walk through the dunes. You will be shown how to identify animal spoor, birds, trees and plants, and discuss their medicinal uses. You’ll return to the Lodge in time for a hearty brunch made by the local Mier ladies. The length of the walk, and distance you cover, depends on the fitness and interest of the guests.

Accommodation at !Xaus Lodge or similar
Full board activities included

Day 11: Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park – Upington

After breakfast drive to Upington. Arrival in the late afternoon and accommodation at the hotel.

Accommodation at River Place Manor lodge or similar
Bed and breakfast

Day 12: Upington – Johannesburg – Departure

After breakfast in fact you will drive to Upington airport, drop off your hired car and board a flight to Johannesburg where you will connect with your flight home.

NOTES:

• The above itinerary can be planned in three different ways: on a self drive – with a private driver – with a private guide. Please enquiry for the solution which suits your needs.
• The above suggested hotels/ lodges are medium to 3*/4* to keep the price more affordable, please enquiry if you wish an alternative itinerary with 5* properties (where available).