South Africa - Featured Trips

A great fully guided small group itinerary that offers something for everyone - culture, good food, beach, sightseeing and plenty of different activities like whale watching, wildlife safari, hiking and cycling. The accommodation is carefully selected, independently owned small establishments - so no stuffy hotels or large group oriented properties. The itinerary includes the Whale Trail and September is an excellent time for land- and boat-based whale watching along the coast of the Western Cape. It also includes a number of popular attractions in Cape Town and along the Garden Route.

Get off the bus - this fully guided small group trip offers a variety of activities that will give you opportunities to interact with local people, get close to nature and get active. It is ideal for the first time visitor to the Western Cape & South Africa and includes all the major Cape Town and Garden Route highlights. The tour and accommodation will suit couples as well as single travellers. A fully accredited & qualified tour guide will accompany the group throughout and will not only provide valuable information on areas visited, but will also take care of all logistics & arrangements, ensuring you a trouble free and relaxing holiday experience.

Arrive at Cape Town International Airport, where you will be met and transferred to your City Guesthouse. Site seeing activities can be arranged depending on your arrival time.

Overnight at Cape Town City Bowl 4* Guesthouse, e.g. Four Rosmead Boutique Guesthouse.
No meals included.
Activities included meet & greet.

Full day Cape Point National Park tour with a guided walk in the park. Visit the Simon's Town penguin colony at Boulders Beach and stop at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens in the afternoon. Here you will enjoy a lovely picnic lunch followed by a guided walk through the Gardens. Return to Cape Town in late afternoon.

Overnight at Cape Town City Bowl 4* Guesthouse, e.g. Four Rosmead Boutique Guesthouse.
Meals included breakfast & picnic lunch.
Activities included FD Cape Peninsula & Kirstenbosch Tour.

Start the day with a half day Cape Malay Cooking Workshop in the colourful Bo-Kaap, including a walking tour of the neighbourhood and a visit to Bo-Kaap Museum. The cooking workshop is hosted by women from the community in their own homes. Learn to fold samoosas, make your own rotis and traditional curry, and enjoy this tasty home-cooked Cape Malay lunch at the end of the workshop.

Spend the afternoon at leisure exploring V&A Waterfront, Robben Island or Table Mountain.

Overnight at Cape Town City Bowl 4* Guesthouse, e.g. Four Rosmead Boutique Guesthouse.
Meals included breakfast & home-cooked Cape Malay lunch.
Activities included HD Cape Malay Cooking Workshop with short walking tour through Bo-Kaap.

Journey to the famous Cape Winelands for a number of wine tastings at various wineries in the region. From Vine to Wine, enjoy a guided experience that takes you through our vineyards to the secrets behind the cellar door, and finally to tasting the finished product and enjoy a food & wine pairing lunch. This all-encompassing experience allows you to take in spectacular forest, mountain & river scenery and learn about the unusual methods of cultivation and wine making, and also the true stories of the people who have lived in this unique place through time.

Overnight at Cape Town City Bowl 4* Guesthouse, e.g. Four Rosmead Boutique Guesthouse.
Meals included breakfast and food & wine pairing lunch.
Activities included FD Cape Winelands Tour with guided farm tour, food & wine pairing lunch, 3 wine tastings at different wineries.

Travel via the spectacular coastal route through Betty's Bay and Kleinmond to Hermanus. The area offers one of the best land-based whale watching in the world. Southern right whales visit Walker Bay from June through to December. Meander along the coastal pathways and take in magnificent views, and look out for the Whale Crier, who blows his kelp horn when whales are spotted along the central sea route.

Overnight at Hermanus 4* Guesthouse, e.g. Abalone Guest Lodge.
Meals included breakfast.
Activities included land-based whale watching.

Travel to nearby Kleinbaai for this morning's Whale Watching Boat Cruise. This magical eco-tour around Dyer Island is both fun and educational. This is quite possibly the only place in the world, where you can see mighty whales and Great white shark on the same boat trip. Return to Hermanus for lunch at one of the restaurants and spend the afternoon at leisure.

Overnight at Hermanus 4* Guesthouse, e.g. Abalone Guest Lodge.
Meals included breakfast.
Activities included whale watching boat cruise (approx 2.5 hrs).

Travel to Cape Agulhas, the most Southern tip of Africa, and onwards to Arniston, where you can enjoy lunch and a walk around this picturesque fishing village.

After lunch, you will continue to De Hoop Nature Reserve, one of the largest marine protected areas in Africa. This coastal nature reserve is popular with nature lovers, hikers, cyclists, whale and bird watchers. Enjoy an afternoon hike (time and weather permitting).

Overnight at Buchu Bushcamp.
Meals included breakfast and dinner.
Activities included afternoon hike in De Hoop Nature Reserve.

Enjoy a full day of mountain biking and/or hiking in De Hoop Nature Reserve. De Hoop's many terrestrial habitats support a diversity of animals, including the rare Cape Mountain Zebra. The marine environment is likewise home to a variety of life forms. Southern right whales calve and mate in the sheltered bays of De Hoop each year between May and December. Enjoy a packed picnic lunch and return to the bushcamp in the late afternoon.

Overnight at Buchu Bushcamp.
Meals included breakfast, packed lunch and South African braai (BQQ).
Activities included FD cycling & hiking in De Hoop Nature Reserve.

Travel to the heart of the Garden Route through George, Knysna and on to Plettenberg Bay. The white sandy beaches around town are very popular with tourists, and visitors can choose to relax at either Robberg Beach, Beacon Island Beach or Lookout Beach.

You will visit some of the many attractions along the Garden Route, such as walking with elephants, Monkey World, and Tenikwa Awareness centre. We have already included a guided cultural walking tour to a nearby township, where you will enjoy a traditional Xhosa lunch cooked by some of Qolweni's amazing women. You will also have some time at leisure for shopping and relaxation.

Overnight at Starfish Guest Lodge.
Meals included breakfast and on day 10 traditional Xhosa lunch in township.
Activities included day 10 Qolweni Township Tour with traditional Xhosa lunch.

Today you will explore and enjoy Tsitsikamma Forest both high up in the treetops as well as on groundlevel. The very eco-friendly Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour takes about 2.5-3 hrs and is a unique eco-wilderness adventure that takes place high in the indigenous rainforest. The first of its kind in Africa, the canopy tour involves traversing from one platform to another along a steel cable suspended up to 30 meters above the forest floor. The afternoon is spend hiking through the beautiful forest.

Overnight at Starfish Guest Lodge.
Meals included breakfast.
Activities included Treetops Canopy Tour and Tsitsikamma Forest Hike.

Continue to the Eastern Cape to Woodall Country Manor, in the heart of the Sundays River Valley, and close to Addo Elephant National Park. En-route you will visit Addo and enjoy a game drive through the park.

Remainder of the day at leisure to relax at the pool or enjoy a spa treatment. Woodall is known for their gourmet cuisine and an award winning wine collection.

Overnight at the 5* Woodall Country House & Spa.
Meals inlcuded breakfast and 3-course gourmet dinner.
Activities included Addo game drive.

Full day excursion to the nearby Amakhala Big 5 Game Reserve for a wildlife safari. Enjoy a guided game drive by experienced rangers in an open Land Rover, followed by an authentic African buffet lunch. Relax during a river cruise on the Sunday Valley River followed by a late afternoon game drive.

Return to Woodall for a special farewell dinner enjoying a 7-course gourmet dinner.

Overnight at the 5* Woodall Country House & Spa.

Meals included breakfast, Afrincan buffet lunch and 7-course gourmet dinner.
Activities included FD Amakhala Big 5 Safari

After breakfast, travel to Port Elizabeth for your internal flight to Cape Town in time for your onwards travel arrangements.

Meals included breakfast.

Fully guided small group trip with set departure dates:
Arrival: 4th September 2010 in Cape Town
Departure: 17th September 2010 from Cape Town
Group size: Min. 4 and max. 7 people

£2,585 (£3,335*) per person sharing - group size of 4-5 people
£2,260 (£3,010*) per person sharing - group size of 6-7 people
Single Supplement £415 per person
* Includes international flights on British Airways (subject to availability & price change)

Terms and Conditions apply. Price is subject to availability and subject to change due to currency fluctuation.

13 nights accommodation and meals as mentioned in itinerary above
All activities as mentioned in itinerary above
Fully SATSA accredited Tour Guide for duration of tour, including tour guide's accommodation & meals
All transport in air-conditioned vehicle with luggage trailor, including fuel & tolls
All park fees
Internal flight Port Elizabeth - Cape Town
CO2 offsetting of land & air travel through Food & Trees for Africa
* International British Airways flight incl. airport taxes and fuel surcharges

Meals and activities not stated in itinerary
All soft & alcoholic drinks
Items of a personal nature
Tips and gratuities
Travel insurance
Visa cost