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