Begin this relaxing adventure at an elegant wine farm over-looking the gorgeous Franschhoek valley and visit the world famous Cape winelands. Time spent in the Cederberg mountains will allow you to rekindle the soul, view outstanding rock art thousands of years old and re-discover the wildlife that was once unique to this Cape region. Experience Table Mountain and enjoy the hospitality and vibrance of Cape Town, South Africa's Mother City. Visit the townships and Robben Island. Then fly to the bushveld for three days of spectacular game viewing in South Africa's premier wildlife area, the Kruger National Park, and enjoy the ambience and tranquility of nature among the trees, birds and animals of this eden. Finally, spend a night in Johannesburg, 'the city of gold', an antique railway carriage, an ox-wagon or a spa in the nearby Magaliesberg mountains.

DURATION
12 Days and 11 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). The Kruger Park area is warm in winter, and mostly hot in summer, with short refreshing rains.

DAY 1 SIMONS TOWN
After meeting at the friendly Cape Town International airport, we take a scenic coastal road that winds through old seaside villages. Our destination is the famous naval port of Simons Town, in False Bay. 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 suite.

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.

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 may be possible to do a short excursions 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 CAPE TOWN
These days are flexible, and activities depend on the weather, length of daylight and day of the week.

See Cape Town area activities

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. This can be done on DAY 4.

OPTIONAL EXTRA DAY: AURORA
We leave Cape Town, OR Vicky's B & B after breakfast and drive north. Visit the tranquil village of Aurora where my Mom lives, half way between Cape Town and the Cederberg, in the Swartland. En-route we could visit a fossil park, have a seafood braai (barbeque) on the beach at the Strandloper restaurant, and visit Rocher pan to see flamingos and other water birds. At Aurora we can walk on one of the kopjies (hills) and see the unique vegetation and perhaps the black eagles and many other birds of prey. Being on the border of Namaqualand, this whole area is covered in wild flowers in late winter and spring.

Stay at a quaint cottage in the hills or Helmut's B & B in Aurora which is also the village pub and restaurant and meet some of the locals over a glass of Swartland wine.

DAY 5 & 6 CEDERBERG
After breakfast we head north through the vineyards and wheat fields of the Swartland. If the time is right, we will see the famed spring flowers. We visit an area that lies between two vegetation biomes - dry mountain fynbos and succulent Karoo in the rugged Cederberg mountains. Spend time admiring the beautiful rock formations, rock art, wild flowers, other plants and wildlife. The rock art in this area dates back thousands of years and there are many unique and well-preserved paintings. Go on a mountain hike that will provide you with an insight into an ancient culture that has been lost forever.

You may choose a relaxing and charming, rustic guest farm or the luxury of a private lodge in a wilderness reserve. Animals that you could see at the game reserve, Bushman's Kloof include: the rare Cape Mountain Zebra, Bontebok, Eland, Gemsbok, Black Wildebeest, Red Hartebeest, Springbok, Grey Rhebok, Ostrich, Cape Mountain Leopard, Bat-eared Fox, African Wild Cat, Cape Fox, Caracal, Cape Clawless Otter, Baboon, Klipspringer, Aardwolf and Aardvark. There are also more than 150 species of birds resident in the area, including numerous species of eagle and water bird. Botanical walks, mountain hikes, abseiling, mountain biking and bird watching are also available.

Bushmans Kloof is home to over 125 rock art sites and the farm nearby has about as many again, creating one of the world's largest open-air art galleries.

"... Bushmans Kloof is one of the most densely painted rock art areas in South Africa, or indeed in the world...in terms of the number of sites to see, Bushmans Kloof is unsurpassed..."
- Fragile Heritage - A rock art field guide by David Lewis-Williams and Geoffrey Blundell

The rooms and suites at Bushmans Kloof all have designer en-suite bathrooms and private terraces with magnificent views over rolling lawns, the river and onto dramatic rock formations. The luxury and comfort of the bedrooms are enhanced by hand-made bed linen and custom made fabrics which provide a feeling of restfulness and peace. All rooms have direct-dial telephones, underfloor heating ceiling fans, mini-bar fridges and temperature control units.

The lodge is renowned for its stylish and contemporary country cuisine. The chef specialises in seasonal dishes with a touch of Cape heritage cooking, using organically grown farm produce, and fresh ingredients from the expansive walled vegetable, fruit and herb garden. Guests are invited to the wine cellar to select their wine from an award winning wine list which features top South African wines.

DAY 7 FRANSCHHOEK
We leave the Cederberg after a leisurely breakfast and travel down to the winelands of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. Have lunch on a wine farm or in the village. 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 friendly gourmet restaurant.

DAY 8, 9 & 10 BUSHVELD
Fly 'Out of Africa' style from Cape Town to the 'bushveld' and get an eagle's view of this part of Africa.

These days are devoted to enjoying the spectacular game viewing and the relaxation that comes with spending quality time in the African bush. There is nothing to compare with sipping a morning cup of coffee on your private patio, whilst a family of giraffe slowly browse their way through a stand of acacias nearby. Or the thrill of close encounters with prides of lion, elephant herds, a lone leopard, buffalo, black and white rhinoceros, zebra, kudu, wild dog, hyena, martial eagles, bataleurs, vultures and many others.

PRIVATE GAME LODGES, KRUGER NATIONAL PARK
Have your safari dream come true at a lavish all-suite lodge, surrounded by magnificent trees, an abundance of animals and bird life; enjoy exceptional accommodation standards, outstanding service and superb cuisine. The lodge incorporates the romance and elegance of the past colonial era, and reflects in its unique style the indigenous Zulu and Shangaan cultures.

Situated in riverine forest, the intimate 18-bedded lodge commands sweeping views across the bushveld. Suites have their own private lounge, secluded outdoor deck and some have a private swimming pool. The suites are equipped with air-conditioning, a romantic fireplace, glass fronted en-suite bathrooms and indoor and outdoor showers.

Daily open Land Rover and walking safaris, plus spotlight night safaris, accompanied by a personal game ranger and tracker team is offered to afford you the opportunity to see the "Big Five".

DAY 11 JOHANNESBURG
Fly to Johannesburg and you may choose to explore the 'City of Gold'.

See Gauteng area activities

ACCOMMODATION IN GAUTENG
GUESTHOUSES AND HOTELS IN JOHANNESBURG
For those who would like to see Johannesburg's malls, art galleries, African art shops and markets there are excellent guesthouses and hotels in the Melville, Sandton and Rosebank areas.

LUXURIOUS RAILWAY CARRIAGE
Head for the hills and visit a 'goblin garden' and charming restaurant built by the owner/artists, set in a beautiful Magaliesberg forest. Sleep in a luxuriously renovated antique railway carriage.

DIE RING OSSEWAHERBERG
Overnight Voortrekker style in an en-suite ox-wagon at this country Inn which consists of South Africa's largest private collection of renovated ox-wagons.

MOUNTAIN SPA AND NATURE WALKS
Mount Grace is a romantic country retreat offering gracious and generous hospitality, set in the Magaliesberg hills. Expect a new level of luxury and privacy, where the spacious cottages are situated in 10 acres of magnificent indigenous gardens. After settling in your suite you may want to make use of the numerous recreational and sports facilities, including swimming, power walks, horse riding, mountain biking, tennis and croquet. Or go on a botanical walk, relax in the privacy of your own garden patio, listen to the birds, and enjoy the fresh mountain air. The new spa offers outdoor hydrotherapy in natural rock pools of varying temperatures, specialist spa therapies, including massages, salt scrubs, detoxifying and hydrating body wraps as well as a range of feel-good face and skin treatments using world-class product ranges.

The superb service at Mount Grace is extended to their wonderful meals, which are served either in the elegant indoor dining room or out in the garden among the trees. In addition there are healthy eating choices available at their spa café - everything from salads to sauvignon blanc. The Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site is close by.

DAY 12
Fly home from Johannesburg International Airport.