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South Africa

Self-drive / Family / Walking / Romance / General Tours
Horse Safaris / Camping Tours / Victoria Falls extension

Cape Gourmet Tour

This tour is a celebration of the eclectic mix of culinary styles in the Cape. You sample some of South Africa's finest contemporary cuisine as well as Cape Malay cooking, exotic African delights and West Coast seafood. Some of our tour dates coincide with the Cape Gourmet festival and Franschhoek Cheese festival and incorporate festival visits. The tour ends with an optional cookery course at Roggeland in the Winelands. The tour can end with on Day 8 if you prefer not to take the cookery course.

Meals As in Text Below- 3 nights on B&B basis and 7 nights on DBB basis.
Accommodation Mix of Premier and Luxury - country house hotels and lodges
Departure Dates 4 departures per year - 21 Sept 03, 9 Nov 03, 7 Mar 04, 9 May 04
Transport Luxury VW microbus with Air-conditioning
Price Includes Meals and accommodation as shown in text, transport, services of a guide, all entrance fees
Price Excludes International flights, visas, items of a personal nature, meals not specified
Minimum Number 4
Climate Mediterranean in the Cape (hot dry summers, cooler wetter winters)
Best time to go Suitable all year round
Health Requirements None. Sunblock essential
Combines well with Safaris, Short Breaks in the Cape & other escorted tours
Notes Parties of 4 or more can choose their own departure date, subject to availability

Day 1 : Arrival in Cape Town. 3 nights Steenberg Manor, Bed & Breakfast
On arrival at the Cape Town airport you transfer to the Steenberg Hotel, situated on an historic wine farm in the beautiful Constantia Valley. This superb Cape Dutch Manor House is now a gracious country house hotel. Cape Town is Southern Africa's oldest city and its most scenic, indeed it is arguably one of the most beautifully situated cities in the world. The unique cultural blend, part African, part European and part Asian reflects its colonial past

Day 2 : Cape Peninsula Tour
We recommend a tour of the Cape Peninsula today. Travel along the coastal drive as it hugs the cold Atlantic Ocean to Hout Bay. Visit the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, said to be the romantic meeting point of two mighty oceans. Stop to visit the unique penguin colonies at Boulders beach and the naval town of Simonstown. In the afternoon you visit Kirstenbosch Botanical gardens, which must surely be some of the finest gardens in Africa, nestling on the lower slopes of Table Mountain. This evening we make dinner reservations for a traditional Cape Malay meal. Dinner is for your own account.

Day 3 : City tour
Why not explore the historical sights of Cape Town. Perhaps begin with a journey up to the top of Table Mountain for a breathtaking view of the Mother City. Later you could visit the Company Gardens, the Castle of Good Hope, the Malay Quarter and end with the Waterfront. Sample some African dishes at Mama Africa over lunch (not included). Dinner reservations made at the excellent Constantia Uitsig restaurant. Dinner is for your own account.

Day 4 : West Coast tour with 2 nights Bartholomeus Klip, Dinner, Bed & Breakfast
Head to the West Coast along the coast via Bloubergstrand with its picture postcard view of Table Mountain. Explore the West Coast National Park before relaxing over a West Coast crayfish (lobster) lunch on the beach Afterwards continue through rolling countryside to lovely Batholomeus Klip Lodge for 2 nights. This tranquil homestead with five elegant bedrooms is the perfect place to unwind, as great emphasis is placed on superb cuisine and hospitality.

Day 5 : Batholomeus Klip and Tulbagh
Guests enjoy sunset game drives on the reserve, (with herds of zebra, eland, wildebeest plus the rare geometric tortoise and buffalo), as well as walks, cycling, canoeing, boating or swimming in the lake. Visit the charming and picturesque 18th century village of Tulbagh with its white-washed Cape Dutch houses.

Day 6 : Scenic Drive to Hermanus for 2 nights Blue Gum Country Lodge, Dinner, Bed & Breakfast
Scenic mountain drive via Worcester and the fruit-laden valleys of Villiersdorp to the Hermanus/Stanford area. At Blue Gum Country House, guests can relax and enjoy the tranquil beauty of the 130 acres estate, explore the mountainside or stroll through the vineyards and pastures. A game of tennis or a refreshing swim in the pool are equally attractive alternatives. There's great emphasis placed on food - a passion for Nic and Nicole, your hosts. Fresh ingredients, imaginative preparation and attentive service are the hallmarks of dinner at Blue Gum.

Day 7 : Touring Cape Agulhas, Arniston and Hermanus
Today you may like to visit the picturesque fishing village of Arniston with its turquoise sea and attractive sea walk to the cave of Waenhuiskrans. A visit to Cape Agulhas, the southern most tip of Africa is also a possibility. Later you can explore the cosmopolitan former fishing village of Hermanus which boasts some of the finest land-based whale-watching in the world from August to November, as well as interesting shops and markets, spectacular mountain scenery and lovely sandy beaches for swimming.

Day 8 : Vergelegen Wine Estate & Stellenbosch, 1 night Franschhoek Country Manor, Dinner, Bed & Breakfast
Take the scenic coastal road to beautiful homestead of Velgelegen for a cellar tour in their state of the art cellars and wine-tasting.Tour the lovely town of Stellenbosch and then continue to the provencal-styled Franschhoek Country Manor where you stay overnight. Widely known for its excellent and innovative food, Franschhoek Country Manor is a great base for 'foodies'.

Day 9 : Winelands tour with 2 nights Roggeland Country House, Dinner, Bed & Breakfast
A combination of the favourable effects of the two major ocean currents meeting off the Cape makes the climate in the area perfect for the acres of vineyards. Here you can visit some of the wine estates. In the afternoon you head to Roggeland Country House for 2 nights. Roggeland is one of our favourites, a restored Cape Dutch homestead in a tranquil setting. It has both the architectural character and the warm ambience of a small country hotel, with strong emphasis placed on their acclaimed regional cuisine accompanied by carefully selected Cape wines.

Day 10 : Cookery Course (optional) with tours for spouses
The optional cookery course takes place today. (Not included in the tour price). Alternatively visit some nearby wine estates or enjoy a country walk or a round of golf.

The cookery course is available between April and August each year for groups of 4 people or more. The cost is R350 per person per day. If it is a large group, then the cookery course can be taken at any time of year. It is an informal course where participants are taught a signature dish and also take part in the preparation of the breakfast and the evening dinner - a fascinating insight into the world of the professional chef.

Day 11 : Cookery Course & return to Cape Town
Final day at leisure before returning to Cape Town airport for your flight home.