CAPE TOWN AND THE PENINSULA
Cape Town is the gateway to Africa. It is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, with the magnificent Table Mountain as a backdrop and many gorgeous white sand beaches between rugged sea cliffs. Discover the botanical richness of the Cape floral kingdom with its 8 850 species of flowering plants. Find out what life in South Africa is really about. This tour will show you the diversity of life in the New South Africa, the vibrance of the Mother City and the surrounding areas, the natural beauty of the Cape, the tranquility of old wine estates and historic buildings, and you will experience first hand the friendliness of South Africans.
DURATION
Seven days, six nights.
BEST TIME
Year round. The Cape has a mediterranean climate
which has patches of warm, sunny and cold, rainy weather in winter (May - August),
and hot, dry summers (November - March).
DAY 1 SIMONS
TOWN
After meeting at the friendly Cape Town International
airport, we take a scenic coastal road around False Bay, through old seaside
villages to the famous naval port of Simons Town. Here we check in at a lovely
guesthouse with Boulders beach and its lively population of endangered African
penguins on your doorstep. Spend the rest of the day at your leisure, on the
beach or explore Simons Town and have refreshments at the teashop above the
yacht harbour. During the whale season these massive mammals come right into
the bay.
Dine at the Penguin Point Café, just a few steps from your room.
DAY 2 CAPE PENINSULA
After breakfast we tour the Cape peninsula, visiting
the Cape of Good Hope, which is part of the Cape Peninsula National Park and
the most southwesterly point on the African continent. Situated at the junction
of two of earth's most contrasting water masses - the cold Benguela current
on the west coast and the warm waters of False Bay on the east coast, the Cape
of Good Hope is an integral part of the Cape floristic kingdom, the smallest
but richest of the world's six floral kingdoms.
The Cape Peninsula National Park comprises a treasure trove of 1 100 species of indigenous plants, of which a number are endemic (occur nowhere else on earth). Characteristic 'fynbos' (fine bush) plants include proteas, ericas (heath) and restios (reeds). Some of the protea species in the park include King Protea, Sugarbush, Tree Pincushion and Golden Cone Bush. Many popular horticultural plants like pelargoniums, freesias, daisies, lilies and irises also have their origins in fynbos.
On the way around the mountainous peninsula, beautiful beaches alternate with rugged cliffs. We drive through Constantia, Hout Bay and Camps Bay on the way around Table Mountain to Cape Town, the Mother city. Lunch en-route.
'This Cape is the most stately thing
and the fairest Cape we saw in the whole circumference of the earth.'
-Sir Francis Drake, 1580
Stay at your choice of one of Cape Town's elegant and comfortable guesthouses or hotels, where you can enjoy personalized hospitality and charming accommodation. After checking in, you have a couple of hours to relax and in summer it may be possible to do a short excursion before dinner, such as a beach walk, a walk on Lion's Head, or a cable car trip up Table Mountain. In winter we can opt for some live entertainment, such as jazz, other music or a play. Dinner in Cape Town.
DAY 3, 4 & 5 (or more) CAPE
TOWN
These days are flexible, and activities depend on
the weather, length of daylight and day of the week.
ADVENTURE BLEND
ACCOMMODATION
VICKY'S B & B
Spend a night at Vicky's World Famous B & B
in Khayelitsha, and be entertained by lots of friendly neighbours. Khayelitsha
is an 'informal settlement' in the Cape flats, where thousands of people live
in shacks. The government has provided electricity and water. Vicky's B & B
is actually her charming home and her guests are well looked after by her community.
You could spend the night here on DAY 5, as Khayelitsha is very close to
the airport.
DAY 6 STELLENBOSCH
& FRANSCHHOEK
We leave Cape Town (or Vicky's B & B)
after a leisurely breakfast and travel up to Franschhoek ('French corner'),
visit Stellenbosch and have lunch there or on a wine farm. We stay at a charming
guesthouse on one of the Stellenbosch wine farms or in the picturesque Franschhoek
valley. Spend the rest of the afternoon wine tasting. Dine at a restaurant in
town.
DAY 7 DEPARTURE
Breakfast. Tour ends with a scenic mountain drive
to Cape Town International Airport (1hour, 30mins).