Experience South Africa’s rich history, captivating culture, stunning nature and breath-taking animals that it homes and then end your experience with 4 nights in Mauritius. This 10 night experience gives you an opportunity to explore South Africa on another level and have the opportunity to self drive along the coast.
Today is the start of your 8 night adventure in South Africa.
You will start your VIP experience from the moment you leave your home, by relaxing in a Private Chauffeur driven car to the airport.
Once you have arrived, check in your bags, fast track through the airport security and enjoy your favourite tipple or coffee in an Airport Lounge.
Depart from the UK which takes approximately 12 hours on a direct flight.
Once you arrive into Cape Town Airport, you will have a chauffeur waiting for you and they will take you to your hotel in Cape Town, in a private vehicle.
Cape town has so much to offer from great dining options, the VA Waterfront which boasts great shopping venues, restaurants, bars and entertainment. South Africa is well known for it’s history and culture, so make sure to visit iconic places such as Robben Island, Table Top Mountain and the Apartheid Museum.
Apartheid Museum
This museum is architecturally interesting and packed with thoughtful, often brutal, reminders of South Africa’s history.
The V&A Waterfront
The V&A Waterfront is a 123-hectare mixed-use destination, and one of Africa’s most visited cultural and historical hubs. Set on the edge of a natural, historic working harbour with the iconic Table Mountain as its backdrop, it offers local and international visitors a cosmopolitan mix of experiences ranging from leisure, shopping and exclusive entertainment.
Robben Island
When it comes to learning about apartheid, you’ll want to also plan a trip to Robben Island. Located just four miles off the coast of Cape Town, Robben Island was a maximum-security prison until 1996. During the apartheid era, many political prisoners were sent to Robben Island. This includes Nelson Mandela, who spent 18 years behind bars on Robben Island. The prison is now a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most important cultural sites in the country.
Conditions at the prison were incredibly harsh, with many prisoners forced into hard labour in the limestone quarry. They were also made to sleep on the stone floors of their cells without a bed as well.
Today, former prisoners are tour guides and they shed light on what life was like here during apartheid. You’ll be able to see Mandela’s cell and take a bus ride around the island to see the prisoner’s graveyard as well as the quarry where Mandela and other prisoners were forced to work.
See the African Penguins
Part of the Table Mountain National Park and a short drive from Cape Town, the Boulders Penguin Colony is home to several thousand African penguins. (Fun fact: they’re also known as jackass penguins, because the noises they make sound like a donkey braying.)
Unfortunately, they’re an endangered species as a result of human impacts like pollution, oil spills, and habitat destruction. For that reason, you aren’t allowed to walk on the beach where the penguins breed but you can watch them from the nearby viewing platforms. There is also a raised boardwalk that starts at the Boulders Visitor Centre which will let you get up close to the penguins. Just keep in mind that they are wild animals and the beach is their home, not yours. Be sure to keep your distance and don’t try to feed them or pet them. As cute as they are, they’re still wild animals.
Table Mountain
What is it? The clue’s in the name. A trip up this iconic landmark is absolutely worth your time. The more energetic may prefer to hike, but nobody’s judging if you plump for the cable car.
Why go? The views are simply spectacular (though be warned that cloud cover – known locally as the tablecloth – can swoop in very suddenly and obscure the panorama completely). There is also a short circular walking route to follow while you’re up there.
Woodstock street art
What is it? Some call it gentrification, some say it’s the capital’s most exciting emerging art space. Either way, this neighbourhood is full of breath-taking public artworks. It seems like there’s a mural on every block.
Why go? Cape Town’s anti-graffiti laws mean there’s less public art than you might expect throughout the city. Come here to see the Capetonian landscape at its most vibrant.
After your stay in Cape Town, it is time to head to Stellenbosch to spend 2 nights in the beautiful winery of Delaire Graff Lodges and Spa. Enjoy fine wine, great food and time to relax and unwind in this beautiful area.
Wine at Delaire Graff
AWARDED BEST VINEYARD IN AFRICA 2020- With 20 hectares of vineyards situated on the slopes of Botmaskop Mountain planted with Bordeaux reds and Chardonnay grapes, Delaire Graff Estate produces supremely elegant vintages and we are honoured to have been named one of the Top 50 wineries by the World’s Best Vineyards — placing first within the African continent.
The Art and Gardens
A botanical paradise nestled within a dramatic mountain setting, discover acres of tranquil gardens planted to reflect the changing seasons. Spectacularly in bloom every day of the year, the Estate acts as an incredible backdrop for art and sculpture, where Laurence Graff’s personal collection is a carefully curated to showcase South Africa’s finest contemporary artists.
The Gardens: a Living Canvas
A garden that dares to be different, designed to please the senses and complement the abundant flora and fauna. To encourage biodiversity, over 350 indigenous plants and other imported, non-invasive species nestle among art, sculpture, rippling water features and reflective pools that work in harmony to create the ultimate tranquil garden setting.
The adventure continues and it is time to self drive from Stellenbosch to Hermanus!
This is a great first stop off on your self drive adventure in South Africa. They drive the same side of the road as us, so you don’t need to try and get use to driving on the opposite side, it is just like driving in the UK. The roads are also great, plenty of rest stops along the way and petrol stations to fuel up if you need too!
Self Drive is the perfect way to get around in South Africa, you can really explore this beautiful part of South Africa.
Hermanus is a seaside town southeast of Cape Town, in South Africa’s Western Cape Province. It’s known as a whale-watching destination. Beaches include Voëlklip Beach and the broad Grotto Beach, overlooking Walker Bay. The Old Harbour Museum is a site encompassing the old harbour, a fishermen’s village and the Whale House Museum. The latter has informative displays and a suspended skeleton of a whale.
HONEYMOONS AT BIRKENHEAD HOUSE
Romance is in the air at Birkenhead House – an intimate and chic beach house on the cliffs of Hermanus, high above two pristine beaches.
All of the hotel’s 11 luxury suites are individually designed with touches such as gold-framed headboards, freestanding Victorian baths, 18th-century French gold armchairs, English antique four-poster beds, and more. Hermanus is best known as a whale-watching destination, which you can do from the cliff path, or out on the water, or from the comfort of the front deck. There is no better place in the world to sit with a glass of wine or a cup of tea, curled up on a cushy sofa, reading a book and staring out at the surf.
You will be making your way to Plattenberg bay, however it is a long drive, so I would recommend to stay in Mossel Bay for one night to break up the journey and the chance to explore more of the South African Coast line.
Mossel Bay is a harbour town on the Garden Route in South Africa’s Western Cape Province. It’s known for the wide Santos Beach and the 19th-century Cape St. Blaize Lighthouse, which offers bay views. The Bartolomeu Dias Museum Complex includes the Maritime Museum, the Shell Museum and botanical gardens. The Post Office Tree, a milkwood tree in the complex, has been used as a mail collection point since the 1500s.
Time to continue your journey from Mossel Bay to Plettenberg Bay – This journey is approximately 1 hours 50 minutes.
Once you arrived, you can unpack and enjoy 5 nights in this beautiful area. Plettenberg Bay is a seaside town on the Garden Route in South Africa’s Western Cape Province. The sandy Central Beach and Lookout Beach both have surf breaks. To the south, Robberg Nature Reserve is a rocky peninsula with trails and the Stone Age Nelson Bay Caves. Northeast are Birds of Eden, a free-flight bird sanctuary in indigenous forest, and an elephant sanctuary. Whales come near the coast in migration season.
You can easily take a day trip to Knysna if you wanted to explore further or just relax, unwind and enjoy this beautiful area. At Tsala Treetop, you will experience an Enchanting Honeymoon. Every day spent in your enchanting private suite or at the relaxed main lodge, will be filled with intimate moments, unforgettable scenery and memories shared for a lifetime.
Your final journey of this amazing African Adventure will be staying in a Safari lodge on the Eastern Cape.
Hopewell Private Game Reserve is an exclusive 5 Star Graded African lodge offering luxurious accommodation and wonderful safaris in a malaria free environment.
A Unique & Exclusive African Lodge
Hopewell Private Game Reserve provides luxurious and stylish accommodation to a very limited number of guests. Our African lodge has sweeping views over the grassland and forest that typifies the beauty and diversity of this region.
The secluded and spacious Hopewell Lodge is perfectly positioned for panoramic views and designed to blend into the landscape. Perched above the elephants’ favourite watering hole, the viewing deck is the ideal spot for afternoon cocktails and our sumptuous meals.
The lodge is largely built from local stone and thatch and landscaped to compliment the hill on which it rests. Furnished in contemporary safari style with a focus on comfort and relaxation, the lodge is airy and light, with thatch to insulate against the African summer heat and fireplaces to ward off the winter chill.
There are two comfortable lounges, a dining area for the days when weather does not permit al fresco dining and an intimate conference room. The upstairs lounge has the lodges only television and the downstairs lounge is home to the bar.
Time to say Goodbye to South Africa, however the memories you would have made will last a lifetime!
Drive to the airport, drop off your car and head to the check in area where you will check in your bags, go through security and had to the Airport lounge. Here you can relax and unwind and reminisce on all the amazing things you have seen and experienced in the last 8 days.
Enjoy your flight back to the UK, where a chauffeur will be waiting for you in arrivals once you have collected your luggage.
Feel like a VIP from start to finish with Optimum Experience.
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