7-Days
& 6-Nights
Please note that this tour
can be adjusted to your requirements and interests. This is merely a
suggestion from endless possibilities.
Day 1: Cape
Town to Oudtshoorn
We travel over the Klein
Drakenstein mountains to Worcester, nestled in the Breede
River Valley, a lush fruit and wine growing region. We visit Kleinplasie,
a living open air museum that depicts the lifestyle and farming methods
of the early pioneers. As we travel along the Breede River Valley
we enjoy wonderful scenery changing from lush orchards to dramatic
mountain views. We continue towards the Little Karoo passing
through Barrydale and Calitzdorp, well known for the
quality Port it produces. We arrive in Oudtshoorn in time to
explore the world famous Cango Caves with their magnificent
chambers and limestone formations.
Day 2 :
Oudtshoorn to Port Elizabeth (PE)
Traveling
on the R62, we pass through Uniondale, home town of the famous
hitchhiker ghost of South Africa. We then travel through Uniondale
gorge with its impressive rock formations before we swerve towards
the Langkloof, second biggest deciduous fruit growing region of
South Africa and famous apple-country. We enjoy views of the lush fruit
orchards as we travel past small villages through which the famous Apple
Express transports apples for the export market (on a narrow train trail
of 61 centimeters) to arrive in Port Elizabeth, founded by the
1820 British Settlers and the fifth largest city and harbor in South
Africa.
Day 3 : Addo
National Elephant Park and Shamwari Private Game Park - The Big 5
We leave Port Elizabeth in
the early morning to reach the Addo Elephant National Park where
we embark on a guided 2-hour game drive in a canvas-topped
vehicle to meet the huge and impressive elephants in this
protective sanctuary, which is also home to the Black Rhino, the Cape
Buffalo, and a recorded 170 bird species. After lunch we set
off to Shamwari, malaria-free private game reserve, for a late
afternoon / evening game drive in an open-topped vehicle with an
experienced tour guide in search of the Big 5; Lion, Leopard,
Buffalo, Rhino and Elephant. The evening ends with an feast served
either in- or outdoors under the African sky.
PS : Lion sighting on the game reserve are very good, cheetah sightings
are fair and hyena sightings are good at night.
Day 4 :
Shamwari to Knysna
An early morning game
drive in Shamwari starts the day, enabling us to see some
more of Africa's wildlife, including cheetah, hippo, zebra, giraffe,
hyena and numerous antelope, baboons, monkeys and birds. Then a
hearty breakfast before we bid farewell to this beautiful game reserve
and continue our journey towards Knysna. We stop for an optional
216 meter bungee jump experience; otherwise view the brave of heart.
Day 5 :
Knysna to Tsitsikamma Coastal Park and Back
We
travel to Plettenberg Bay, playground of the rich, where we make
a spectacular detour from the main road through the Groot River
and Bloukrantz Passes, traveling in the heart of ancient,
mysterious and primeval indigenous forests. We visit the beautiful Tsitsikamma
Coastal Park where we embark on a leisurely stroll to the suspension
bridge at the Storms River mouth. We also visit one of the
forest's giant inhabitants, the ancient Outeniqua Yellowwood Tree
that was already growing when Europe was still caught in the dark ages.
We return to Knysna for some leisure time.
Day 6 :
Knysna Environment
We set off to Knysna
Lagoon where we catch the ferry ride to the unique Featherbed
Private Nature Reserve, one of South Africa's Natural Heritage
Sights, for a spectacular 4-hour eco-experience, which includes a
Unimog drawn trailer and drive up to the top of the Reserve with
an experienced guide to enjoy the most wonderful views. This reserve is
home to amongst others, the beautifully coloured Knysna Loerie,
the Blue Duiker ( Africa's smallest antelope species), Cape
Mountain Tortoises, Blue Cranes (South Africa's National Bird), White
Breasted cormorant and Bushbuck. We enjoy a fish braai
("barbeque") for lunch before we return to the town of Knysna
for some leisure time in which to explore the many fascinating curio
shops and arts and crafts.
Day 7 :
Knysna to Cape Town
We start our journey to
Cape Town, stopping in Mossel Bay to visit the Maritime Museum
where the replica of the Caravel in which the Portuguese navigator,
Bartholomew Diaz, sailed around the Cape of Good Hope in 1488, is on
view. We also visit the old Post Office Tree that served as a
mailbox to the various Portuguese navigators in the 16th century.
Traveling through rolling farmlands, we arrive in Swellendam, an
18th century frontier town. As we come to the end of our journey, the
open farmlands once again make way for the rugged and beautiful
mountains. We travel through the lush fruit growing area of Elgin
and Grabouw to finally descend the Sir Lowry's Pass with a
final and dramatic view over the Hottentots Holland Mountains and Table
Mountain in the far distance.
