Tuesday:
Depart Cape Town at about 08h15 and head
northwards over the spectacular Du
Toit's Kloof Mountain pass en route to
Worcester. From Worcester we continue on
the R62 (route 62 is the longest wine
route in the world) through Montagu. We
stop for a wine tasting and delicious
lunch. In the afternoon we travel
through the Little Karoo. Changing
scenery from lush farmland to
semi-desert areas make this a day full
of surprises. A warm welcome awaits us
from the staff of the Riempies Estate
Hotel in Oudtshoorn, where we arrive in
the late afternoon for our overnight
stop. Oudtshoorn is the ostrich capital
of the world. Here ostriches are found
in great numbers and the region produces
the best feathers, leather products and
ostrich meat world wide. But the world’s
biggest bird is just one of the many
attractions in this area of interesting
contrasts. This small town is the
commercial hub of the greater Klein
Karoo region (encompassing Prince
Albert, De Rust and Calitzdorp) and is
situated in a beautiful valley between
the Outeniqua- and Swartberg Mountains
Wednesday:
We awake to the freshness of morning in
the Karoo, and after a hearty breakfast
we set off for the exciting Cango Caves.
You’ll love this! An hour of magic
awaits us as we follow our guide through
the caves, gasping at the magnificent
stalagmites and stalactites and hear the
intriguing stories about how the caves
were discovered.
If that’s not wild enough for you, we’re
off to the Cango Wildlife Ranch
(Crocodile and cheetah farm). Here we
see reptiles with frightening large
teeth! Theirs is not a smile you want to
get too close to! Our guide will tell us
all about the other magnificent animals
on the farm, like jaguar, puma, tiger
and lion.
Next on the tour is the Ostrich farm!
This is your chance to find out
everything about these enormous birds.
Lunch today is at Highgate Ostrich farm,
and guess what’s on the menu? Yes!
Ostrich delicacies and other delicious
things! The staff will entertain us
during lunch, and once you’ve satisfied
your appetite, we go racing! Yes,
Ostrich racing, and you get the chance
to be the jockey (optional)! It is
interesting to find out all about their
breeding habits and to learn about the
‘feather palaces’ which were the mansion
homes of the estate owners in the 1900’s
when the feathers fetched exorbitant
prices during the ostrich feather boom.
Later in the afternoon we head for the
lush vegetation of the Outeniqua
Mountains as we drive towards Knysna,
and the magnificent scenery will give
you a greater understanding of why this
area is called the Garden Route. We
check into the Knysna Quays Hotel in
Knysna.
Thursday:
The morning gives us some time to enjoy
the quaint village of Knysna and we have
a bit of free time in the Knysna
Waterfront. At 11h00 we depart on a
guided boat trip on the Keurbooms river
where you experience the majesty of the
Keurbooms River Nature Reserve, as the
Ferries glide over shimmering waters,
through soaring gorges. Qualified
skippers and guides are on board to
ensure that your 2.5hr trip is as
informative as it is unforgettable,
ending with a picnic lunch on the
beaches of the Keurbooms River.
In the late afternoon we will make our
way to Mossel Bay where we visit to the
Post Office Tree and Diaz museum where
early pioneers left mail for the
homebound ships to Europe. We spend a
leisurely afternoon at the swimming pool
or stroll along the beach before
enjoying dinner, and overnight at the
Mossel Bay Protea hotel
Friday:
We start our day with a delicious
breakfast at Botlierskop Private Game
Reserve before we set off on a morning
game drive. We get up close and personal
with Rhinos, giraffe, lion, Black
Impala, and buffalo, and many other
species on and exiting three hour game
drive in our open safari vehicles which
offers great game viewing. Our guide
will point out interesting sights and
enlighten us about all sorts of
interesting facts regarding the 3000
hectare reserve.
We depart after an exhilarating morning
of game viewing, and follow the rolling
hills to the romantic town of Swellendam.
Our guide will tell us all about the
fascinating history of the town which
was founded by the Dutch East India
Company in 1745. This was the last
outpost of civilization on the Eastern
frontier! Hendrik Swellengrebel was the
reigning governor of the Cape after whom
the town was named. We stop for lunch at
La Belle Alliance and we visit a local
farm stall before the last leg of the
scenic drive back to Cape Town, where we
return you to your hotel or the airport
at 18h00.
Other Options:
Enquire about ending your trip in Port
Elizabeth.
End your tour at Cape Town International
Airport by 18:30 on Fridays.
For groups of four or more, enquire
about alternative departure days
(subject to availability). |