The southern part of South Africa has some great historical, natural, and cultural attractions. This private tour focuses on the highlights of Cape Town and the Winelands.
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ItineraryUpon arrival at Cape Town International Airport, you will be met by your African Sky guide, holding a sign with your name when you enter the arrivals hall. From the airport, the tour makes its way to the V&A Waterfront, where we devote time to exploring one of South Africa's premier tourist destinations. We focus on the rich history of the Waterfront before enjoying a visit to the Two Oceans Aquarium and Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa. Guests are then allowed some time for lunch before being assisted with check-in at their hotel.
After relaxing, you will enjoy a late afternoon Table Bay Sunset Cruise. It is a wonderful way to view Cape Town's stunning coastline and iconic landmarks like Table Mountain, Lions Head, and Signal Hill. Snacks and drinks are served on board, and you can view marine life like seals, dolphins, and various bird species. The cruise lasts roughly an hour and a half, after which you return to your hotel on the Waterfront.
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Itinerary This day of your Cape Town tour is devoted to visiting the Whale Route and the town of Hermanus. The tour goes through Gordon's Bay, located on the eastern shore of False Bay, to Betty's Bay, which used to be a whaling station in centuries past. The route is one of the most picturesque in South Africa, with sweeping ocean and mountain views. A quick stop is made at the Harold Porter National Botanical Garden, where abundant flowering plants, a waterfall, and impressive scenery may be admired.
The tour then travels to Hermanus, where we stroll along the cliff-top path—an excellent spot for land-based whale watching between June and November. After the visit to Hermanus, the tour travels back to Cape Town via the national highway and the impressive Sir Lowry's Pass.
Distance ItineraryWe devote this day to exploring two of the natural icons of Cape Town. Table Mountain, which stands guard over the city, is the most popular of all the tourist attractions in South Africa. The mountain is ascended via the cableway, which departs from the top of Kloof Nek Road. The cable car, which can accommodate up to 65 people, operates on all days except when high winds or bad weather hamper the safe operation of the service. We spend about an hour atop the mountain admiring the incredible views of Cape Town's city bowl and the Cape Peninsula.
Some time allotted to lunch is followed by a visit to Kirstenbosch, South Africa's premier botanical garden, located on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain. In peak flowering season, almost 1,500 flowering plant species are displayed. The tour makes its way back to the hotel during the late afternoon.
Distance Itinerary Adventure is on the agenda for this day as you travel to Gansbaai after a very early start. Here, you will experience an up-close view of the greatest predator to roam the world's oceans—the great white shark. The drive to Gansbaai is about two hours, after which a five-mile boat trip brings you to Dyer Island's Shark Alley. Here, you will start chumming for sharks. The dive master will explain the diving process and the safety precautions involved. Guests will then descend into the shark-ridden sea, protected by an enforced cage. Though great white sharks are the primary quarry, divers may also encounter bronze whale sharks, seals, and whales during certain times of the year. Snacks and refreshments are provided on board.
The excursion lasts about four and a half hours. After that, we return to Cape Town, passing through the town of Hermanus before joining the national N2 highway. After a somewhat tiring but memorable excursion, we reach Cape Town in the late afternoon.
Distance ItineraryBreakfast is followed by a drive of about forty minutes to Stellenbosch, one of South Africa's oldest and most beautiful towns. The town boasts magnificent architecture and sits at the heart of one of the most important wine-producing regions in South Africa. Some time is devoted to walking down the oak-lined Dorp Street, where your guide will provide some insight into the region's history.
A stop is made at "Oom Samie se Winkel," a general dealer that dates back to 1904. The tour then leaves town to explore two of the magnificent wine estates in the region. Here, fine wines are produced on estates established as long ago as 1692. The winemaking process, from the planting and harvesting of grapes to the fermenting and bottling of the final product, is explained by a local expert. You can also sample some fine wines before we return to the overnight destination.
Distance Itinerary This day of your Cape tour focuses on Franschhoek and the wine route surrounding it. The town's name translates to 'French Corner,' in honor of the 200 French Huguenot families that settled in the region in 1688 and brought with them the fine winemaking skills for which France is revered. We visit the Huguenot Memorial Museum and the Huguenot Monument before touring two of the grandest wine estates in this beautiful valley.
Here, you will experience first-hand how wine is produced in South Africa. You will then have the opportunity to sample a glass of some of the finest wine in the region. Red wine cultivars produced in the area include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz, and Pinot Noir. Chardonnay, Semillon, Chenin Blanc, and Sauvignon are the most popular white cultivars. We return to the overnight accommodation during the late afternoon.
Distance ItineraryOn the last morning of your tour, we will wander down Huegenot Road and visit some of the many galleries, where local and international art is on display and boutique shops that sell a selection of high fashion, handcrafted jewelry, and unique home decoration items.
Following the last morning's shopping excursion, we cross the Franschhoek Pass and stop at various vantage points from where the beautiful valley can be admired. Once the mountains are crossed, the vegetation is visibly different, with beautiful fynbos lining the road as we approach the Theewaterskloof Dam. The tour then traverses apple orchards before arriving in Grabouw. From Grabouw, guests are accompanied to Cape Town International Airport and assisted with check-in after a wonderful week on tour in the southern part of Africa.
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