South Africa

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

Mellow South Africa

This three week self-drive holiday begins in Cape Town. It takes in the Winelands and the Garden Route and then the beautiful sub-tropical province of KwaZulu with time visiting Zulu cultural villages and game reserves. Travel through the Royal Kingdom of Swaziland to Mpumalanga with time on safari in the Kruger Park before enjoying the tranquillity of the Drakensberg escarpment area.

Meals As in text - mostly Bed & Breakfast (14 nights) and DBB (5 nights)
Accommodation Premier accommodation
Departure Dates On request
Transport Group B rental car with unlimited kilometres. Upgrades to larger vehicles easily arranged.
Price Includes Meals and accommodation as shown in text, Group B car rental
Price Excludes International flights, visas, items of a personal nature, meals not specified
Minimum Number 2
Climate Varying climate - Mediterranean in the Cape to sub-tropical in northern KwaZulu Natal & Mpumalanga
Best time to go Suitable all year round
Health Requirements Anti-Malarial precautions essential. Sunblock essential.
Combines well with Victoria Falls

Day 1 : Arrive Cape Town, 3 nights, Welgelegen, Bed & Breakfast
On arrival at Cape Town Airport you drive to Trevoyan House for a three-night stay. This is a gracious colonial home on the slopes of Table Mountain. Cape Town is Southern Africa's oldest city and its most scenic. The unique cultural blend, part African, part European and part Asian reflects its colonial past. From your base here, you can explore both the city centre and further afield. Take time to walk or take the cable car up Table Mountain, visit the charming Malay quarter and the wonderful Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Spend a day at the Waterfront or take a boat trip from the harbour, or just relax on the beach. Welgelegen is the alternative lodge.

Day 4 : 1 night, River Manor, Stellenbosch, Bed & Breakfast
Only a short distance from Cape Town lies the Winelands region, an area of exquisite beauty with rocky mountains overlooking green vineyards; oak avenues leading to elegant Cape Dutch wine estates and some of the mostcharming towns and villages in South Africa. The main pleasure of this region is appreciating the wine and the superb architecture, enjoying long, lazy meals in one of the many excellent restaurants, browsing in the craft shops and galleries or taking scenic drives or walks in the surrounding mountains. Stay overnight at the River Manor. Bedrooms are carefully furnished with homely touches and antiques.

Day 5 : 1 night, Blue Gum Country Lodge, Bed & Breakfast
Continue along the coast to the Hermanus/Stanford region. The cosmopolitan former fishing village of Hermanus boasts some of the finest land-based whale-watching in the world from August to November, as well as spectacular mountain scenery and lovely sandy beaches for swimming and surfing. The quiet village of Stanford lies between Hermanus and Gansbaai. You may like to go for a nature walk in the mountains, try your luck at some whale watching along the coastal paths or explore the craft shops in the village. A visit to Cape Agulhas, the southern most tip of Africa and nearby Arniston are also possibilities. Blue Gum is a delightful country retreat offering superb cusine amidst rolling hills and vineyards.

Day 6 : 3 nights, Falcons View Manor, Knysna, Bed & Breakfast
Today you drive to Knysna in the Garden Route region. Falcons View Manor has an stunning setting, high above the lagoon and minutes away from beaches, galleries and restaurants. The Garden Route thoroughly deserves its reputation for enchanting beauty. The 'Garden' refers not to cultivated gardens, but to the indigenous forests of tall yellowwoods and milkwoods, covering the slopes of the Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma mountains. This region, between Mossel Bay and the Storms River, offers a spectacular coastline of dramatic headlands giving way to white sandy beaches. Behind the sand dunes lie placid lagoons and wetland lakes, bordered by indigenous rainforest and soaring mountains.

Day 9 : 2 nights, The Boathouse/Lalaria Lodge, Natal North Coast, Bed & Breakfast
Today you drive to Port Elizabeth Airport for your domestic flight to Durban. FLIGHT NOT INCLUDED IN THE TOUR PRICE. On arrival at the Durban Airport you collect your rental car for your two night stay at The Boathouse, or Lalaria Lodge. The 'Dolphin Coast' north of Durban is made for swimming, relaxing and enjoying alfresco seafood cuisine. The Boathouse offers stylish accommodation with a nautical theme, right on the beach. Lalaria Lodge is an attractive alternative.

Day 11 : 2 nights, Hluhluwe River Lodge, Dinner, Bed and Breakfast
Head north to Hluhluwe region particularly famed for the Hluhluwe Game Reserve with its concentrations of rare white rhino, as well as elephant, black rhino, buffalo and predators. Hluhluwe River Lodge overlooks the Hluhluwe floodplain and borders the St Lucia Wetlands. The lodge takes full advantage of its superb location with a host of activities: open top game drives into Hluhluwe reserve; walks in the sand forest; relaxing and informative boat cruises on the lake watching the birds and the hippo and highly enjoyable canoeing adventures.

Day 13 : 1 night, White Elephant Bush Lodge, Pongola Game Reserve, Dinner, Bed, Breakfast & 1 game drive or activity
Drive north to the Pongola Game Reserve at the foot of the Lebombo Mountains, overlooking the beautiful Lake Jozini. Here you encounter a variety of antelope, wildebeest, zebra, giraffe, hyena and elephant and loads of activities - open top game drives, sunset boat cruises, Tiger fishing and tracking rhino or elephant. The reed and thatch cottages of Bush Lodge are simple but charming with mosquito nets and fans and a large walk in shower.

Day 14 : 2 nights, Reilly's Rock Lodge, Swaziland, Dinner, Bed and Breakfast
Head into the small kingdom of Swaziland today to spend 2 nights at Reillys Rock. Swaziland provides a fascinating cultural experience. Travel through undulating country dotted with Swazi villages and enjoy game viewing in the Mlilwane reserve. White-water rafting and hiking are on offer for the adventurous whilst others may prefer a mellow round of golf or a gentle horse ride through the Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary. The Swazis are renowned craftsmen, and you can buy terrific basket ware, colourful fabrics, carvings, and Mother of Pearl in friendly markets and roadside stalls. Reilly's Rock Lodge is the utterly captivating former homestead of conservationist Ted Reilly. The colonial homestead has a colourful pioneer history and has been sympathetically restored with great attention to period detail.

Day 16 : 2 nights, Buhala Game Lodge, adjacent to Kruger National Park, Bed & Breakfast
Today you drive through the undulating northern uplands of Swaziland to Buhala Lodge or Malelane Lodge on the edge of the Kruger National Park. Buhala is set on a tropical fruit and avocado farm and looks out over the Crocodile River to the Kruger Park. Parties of elephants come down to the water to drink, and hippos have even been known to walk up to the lawn! It's the perfect country house retreat - 7 bedrooms furnished with antiques and cooled by fans. Guided game drives into the Kruger are easily arranged.

Day 18 : 2 nights, Chestnut Country Lodge, Mpumalanga, Bed & Breakfast
Today you travel to Chestnut Country Lodge. The Drakensberg escarpment provides welcome relaxation after the excitement of a safari. This area of tumbling streams and waterfalls amongst indigenous woodland and forest plantations provides scenic drives, relaxing walks, horse riding and golf. Chestnut Country Lodge is a lovely guesthouse on a sub-tropical fruit farm overlooking the beautiful Sabie River Valley. Accommodation is in individually decorated en-suite rooms and suites. It'ss well situated for exploring the historic goldmining village of Pilgrim's Rest, the Blyde River Canyon and the Kruger Park.

Day 20 : Return car to Kruger Park Airport
Today you drop off your rental car at Kruger Park International Airport in time for your onward flight.

Price per person sharing: May 1- June 30 2006 = 15200 rand, July 1-Sept. 30 = 15750 rand