Itinerary

1. Day 1: Pick up at Airport to Hotel

   • Settle in at the hotel, transfer for supper, and back to the hotel.

2. Day 2: Table mountain - Bo Kaap - Castle of Good Hope

   • After departing the hotel, head for Table Mountain. which is part of the Cape Peninsula National Park. This area is also a World Heritage Site. The five-minute ascent to the top of Table Mountain offers a 360* view of Cape Town, the ocean and the neighbouring peaks. At the top, enjoy spectacular views and a peaceful feeling of being over one thousand meters above the city. The area at top of the mountain is surprisingly large, so leave enough time to stroll along with the parts; enjoy the viewing platforms and soak up the vistas. Enjoy the crisp air and clear visibility as you reach the summit (weather permitting). The guide will point out the highlights of one of the world's most famous views.

   • After the descent, stretch your legs with a walk through the Company Gardens. 

   • Visit the Castle of Good Hope, the oldest building in South Africa built by European settlers, which stood at the edge of the sea; today is the headquarters of the Western Province Command. The staterooms contain the William Fehr collection of furniture, paintings, china and glassware. The military and maritime museums are also of great interest.

   • Continue the tour with a drive past the Houses of Parliament, the City Hall, and Slave Lodge, before entering the “Bo Kaap”, also known as the Malay quarter. The architecture in this area is typical of what Cape Town was like 200 years ago.

3. Day 3: Cape Peninsula

   • Embark on a journey to Cape Point which goes along the scenic Atlantic seaboard coastal road. Pass the pristine beaches of Clifton and Camps Bay with their soft white sand and azure blue water.

   • Arrive at the quaint fishing village of Hout Bay with its imposing Sentinel. 

   • Visit Seal Island and see the hundreds of Cape Fur Seals that make the island their home.

   • Continue to Chapman’s Peak which offers amazing photo opportunities. 

   • Descend into the flat, low, marshy plain of Noordhoek. The beach there is broad, long, windy, and excellent for surfing but not recommended for casual swimming. The final port of call on the west coast route is Scarborough, a tiny cluster of cottages set in the heath-type countryside.

   • Turn inland to reach the entrance to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. 

   • Take the funicular or walk to the lighthouse to see the meeting of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans at Cape Point. 

   • En route to Boulders Beach via the eastern shoreline. See the Jackass Penguins before arriving at the naval base of Simon’s Town. The Boulders, a rocky stretch of coastline south of Simon’s Town. Here there are numerous inlets, pools, secluded little beaches and a protected colony of jackass penguins. Boulders Penguin Colony in Simons Town is home to a unique and endangered land-based colony of African Penguins. This colony is one of only a few in the world, and the site has become a famous and popular international tourist destination.

   • On the way back, go through Peninsula Inland – the central portion of Cape Peninsula.

   • Pass the University of Cape Town and its teaching hospital, Groote Schuur, where the first heart transplant operation in the world was performed – by Professor Chris Barnard and his excellent cardiac team – in 1967. With the sun setting over the tall peaks of Table Mountain the last rays sparkle on the trees and flowers and offer a fitting end to a day filled with all the Cape has to offer.

4. Day 4: Winelands

   • Head north to Stellenbosch. This delightful drive winds its way to the heart of the Cape Winelands. Splendid mountain ranges, green and fertile valleys, historic towns and villages, gracious homesteads, orchards and vineyards heavy with fruit – these, in brief, are the physical elements that distinguish the Western Cape’s Winelands. Spend some time at leisure in the heart of Stellenbosch. 

   • Next stop of this morning is at Waterford Estate for chocolate and wine tasting. Enjoy lovely wine and chocolate tasting at Waterford Estate.

   • After wine tasting and chocolate tasting, depart Stellenbosch and travel over the Helshoogte Pass.

   • Stop off at Boschendal to enjoy a picnic lunch before continuing on to your next wine tasting.

   • Make your way to Franschhoek with a photo stop at the Groot Drakenstein. 

   • Enjoy wine tasting at Vrede en Lust Wine Estate.

   • Time permitting, a third wine tasting will be included. 
   • Return to Cape Town with amazing photos and fond memories.

5. Day 5: Aquila Game Reserve

   Private Transfers to Aquila Private Game Reserve. 

   • Early morning departure from Cape Town. Transfer time of approximately 2 hours. Enjoy a welcome drink like coffee, Rusks & Croissants on arrival.

   • Go on a 2-3 hour Big-5 game drive in 4×4 Safari vehicles with an experienced ranger guide, where visitors can enjoy a game drive experience among lions and other members of the Big-5. Enjoy an enormous variety of safari wildlife such as giraffe, lion, leopard, zebra, rhino, and wild beasts.

   • Visit the Animal Rescue & Conservation Centre and view a Cheetah & Lion Sanctuary. The Reserve is set in the Malaria free famous Fynbos, Succulent Karoo and scarce Renosterveld vegetation that were once the favourite hunting grounds of the ancient Khoi/San hunter-gatherers. Eat lunch in an African Boma restaurant.

   • Browse the African curio shop, relax at one of the spectacular swimming pools or enjoy a roaring fire & Cigar in the thatched colonial lounge.

   • Return to Cape Town.

6. Day 6: A Full Day at Gansbaai

   • Travel to Gansbaai – Gansbaai (Afrikaans: “bay of geese,” sometimes referred to as Gans Bay) is a fishing town and popular tourist destination in the Western Cape, South Africa. 

   • After arrival, start with a continental breakfast. Then, a safety briefing will be held.

   • Board your shark-chaser for the 5-mile voyage to Dyer Island or anchor spot.

   • After dropping anchor, begin attracting Great Whites with a specially formulated ‘Chum’ mixture, made from completely legal ingredients, which has taken years to perfect, & is a highly-guarded trade secret. Sharks are seen on 99.9% of our trips! Once the Great Whites arrive, you will have the opportunity to photograph these awe-inspiring animals feeding at the surface, right alongside the boat. This is when you enter the cage! Passengers are exposed to the open sea while travelling to and from the islands.

   • At the islands, the boat is anchored off the lee sides and protected bays. Vinyl side curtains give additional protection from the wind and water spray

7. Day 7: Day Trip to Hermanus

   • Begin by meeting your local tour guide for a pick up from your hotel in Cape Town at 8 am and drive to Hermanus, in the heart of Cape Whale Route.

   • Upon arrival, explore the surrounding areas in this quaint fisherman village. If you are lucky, you might get to see whales during the land-based whale-watching tour.

   • Visit famous tourist destinations, including Gordon, Pringle, Betty's Bay, and Harold Porter Botanical Gardens.

   • Later, drive through the Hamilton Russell Wine Estate (except Sundays) and visit the Fernkloof Nature Reserve.

8. Day 8: Robben Island: Heritage Tour

   • Begin by meeting your local tour guide in Cape Town at 8 am and transfer to the waterfront to catch a ferry to Robben Island.

   • Upon arrival, go for a bus tour and visit the Robben Island prison and President Mandela's cell. 

   • Proceed towards the historic District Six Museum and explore the pieces on display.

   • Later, visit Langa, the oldest "township "in Cape Town.

   • Continue walking and arrive at Gugulethu to visit a traditional healer.

   • Finally, visit the Xhosa community centre and enjoy the excellent African crafts before the tour ends.

9. Day 9: Franschhoek

   • Pick up by local tour guide from the hotel at 09:00 am.

   • Drive to Franschhoek. 

   • Upon arrival, visit the largest crocodile breeding farm and observe these amazing reptiles. Stop for lunch and enjoy a bottle of wine inside Crocodile Park.

   • In the afternoon, visit the Tropical Butterfly Park, where live butterflies fly freely in a beautifully covered garden. Many South African insects are also displayed, including Tarantulas and bugs from Madagascar.

   • Later, visit the motor museum.

   • Drop-off at the hotel in Cape Town.

10. Day 10: Cape Agulhas

    • Begin by meeting your local tour guide at 7:00 am at your hotel in Cape Town and drive to Cape Agulhas via Sir Lowry’s pass.
    • Visit the southernmost tip of the African Continent and the official meeting point of the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean. Drive past rugged mountain ranges, picturesque vistas, and rolling wheat and canola fields on your way to Cape Agulhas. Take numerous pictures near the lighthouse before taking a stroll near the Struisbaai beach.

    • Explore the rugged mountain ranges, picturesque vistas, and rolling wheat fields near Sir Lowry’s pass as you stop for photos.

    • Stop by the Orchard farm stall for refreshments (at your own expense).

    • Head through the small town of Caledon, a town established in the 18th century to provide relief to weary travellers at the nearby hot springs.

    • Proceed to Bredasdorp and visit the Shipwreck Museum. See visual displays and a fascinating collection of shipwreck artefacts.

    • Next, visit the lighthouse at Cape Agulhas and Struisbaai beach before the tour ends.

    • In the end, enjoy a scenic drive back to Cape Town. 

11. Day 11: Gantouw Pass

    • 07:00: Travel from Somerset West east up to the Sir Lowry's Pass and over the mountain to the starting point.

    • By 07:30, set out on your walk. The trail is a 5 km return walk and takes, including the stops for photographs, discussions, and general exploring of the area, as well as a lunch/refreshment, break about 4 to 5 hours to complete, depending on the stops and weather. The first 2.5 km walk is an uphill trail to the mountaintop and not that difficult. In the neck, atop the mountains ridge, the old pass is an easy walk, and it takes about an hour to explore around and traverse a short way down the opposite mountain side to view the spectacular rusts still visible in the rocks.

    • So once at the top of the kloof, the track starts to dip steeply down, and it is here where the ruts that the wagon wheels carved into the rocks become visible. The Dutch and British settlers at the Cape built this rough pass called the Hottentots Holland Kloof Pass, following the Gantouw route. Also, while taking a bird's eye view from the top of the pass, are the 2 historic canons used to communicate over the mountains.

    • Midway through the adventure, stop for a break for either some refreshments or lunch.

12. Day 2: Hotel Cape Town

    • Pickup for airport drop-off.