Deluxe Klein Karoo & Garden Route Tour

(Suggested Self-Drive Route)

The route: – Stellenbosch – Oudtshoorn – Knysna – Plettenberg Bay – Private Game Reserve (Big 5) Tour highlights: . . reserve . Cape Winelands . Cango Caves . Swartberg Mountains . Highgate Ostrich Farm . Tsitsikamma Nature Reserve . Birds of Eden . Knysna Lagoon boat dinner cruise . Private Game Reserve (Big 5)

DAY 1: ARRIVAL CAPE TOWN (APPROX. 50 KM) On arrival at Cape Town International Airport you will continue to Cape Town where you will check into your hotel.

Overnight: Cape Town Hotel

DAY 2: CAPE TOWN (APPROX. 30 KM) After breakfast you have the option to visit Table Mountain (Included – Weather Dependant), Cape Town’s most famous landmark. Take the Cable car to the top of Table Mountain. The five-minute ascent to the top of Table Mountain offers a 360° view of Cape Town, the ocean and the neighbouring peaks. Once at the top enjoy spectacular views and the peaceful feeling of being over one thousand metres above the city below.

The Cableway operates in the Table Mountain National Park, an important part of the and the single richest floristic area in the world. This area is also a World Heritage Site.

Thereafter you go on a City Orientation Tour on coach where you will see the (Entrance included), oldest building in , built between 1666 – 1679 by Governor Wagenaer and “die Burgers”. Travel via Darling, Adderley& Queen Victoria Streets and view the City Hall, Old Mutual building, the Grootte Kerk building as well as the St George’s Cathedral where Desmond Tutu, Nobel peace award-winner, was Archbishop for 10 years. You will finish off the orientation tour at the Bo-Kaap. The Bo-Kaap is the picturesque “Malay Quarter”, where you can discover the unique culture, lifestyle and personality of the Cape Muslim community and their contribution to South Africa’s development. We start out walk from the SA Museum from where you will take a leisurely walk through the heart of the city: you walk through Company Gardens, oldest garden in South Africa – established 1652 by and “die Burgers” to grow fruit and vegetables to supply the ships passing from Europe to the Far East. Your walk takes you to , one of Cape Town’s oldest markets, set on a cobbled square between Short and long Market Streets. This is where Capetonians have been buying their clothing, jewellery, sandals and crafts for years, and, whilst the face of the market may have changed a little - African curios now predominate - there is still an exciting buzz as well as evidence of the city’s most colourful and eccentric characters. After a little shopping tour over Greenmarket Square you will walk along , one of the oldest streets in Cape Town, with its numerous Victorian buildings with cast-iron balcony railings, which have been well restored over the last years.

In the afternoon you will be taken to the famous and popular Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, a recreational resort with exclusive shopping centres. Hundreds of restaurants, coffee shops and bistros, live music bars and pubs make a stroll through the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront by day and by night an unforgettable experience.

Overnight: Cape Town Hotel

DAY 3: TOUR (APPROX. 250 KM)

Enjoy a hearty breakfast before departing on a tour of the Cape Peninsula. Travel via Lion’s Neck to . Then travel along the Twelve Apostles and the Atlantic Seaboard to the "Republic of ". You have the option to embark on a boat trip to to view the seal colony frolicking in the sea around the island and various sea birds. View the sentinel from where guards watched the horizon for approaching enemy war ships in the early days of the Cape Colony.

Proceed to Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, forming part of the Cape Floral Kingdom. The Cape of Storms, later renamed the Cape of Good Hope by King John of Portugal, has claimed many a ship over the past few hundred years. The bare bones of a number of shipwrecks remain today as evidence of the danger presented to ships along this part of the South African coastline. A number of wrecks can also be found within the confines of Nature Reserve. The Indian Ocean and Atlantic oceans supposedly meet at this point.

You have the option to enjoy a lunch at the Two Oceans Restaurant. The tour then takes you to Simon's Town to visit the African Penguin colony, one of the only two breeding colonies on the mainland, at Boulders. Return to your hotel where you will have a free evening to enjoy dinner at a restaurant of your choice.

Overnight: Cape Town Hotel

DAY 4: CAPE TOWN - STELLENBOSCH Today you enjoy a half-day at leisure in Cape Town.

If you are interested in South African history, book an excursion to , an island in , 6.9 km west of the coast of , Cape Town. The name is Dutch for “Seal Island”. Robben Island is roughly oval, 3.3 km long north south, and 1.9 km wide, with an area of 5.07 km². It is flat and only a few metres above sea level, because of an ancient erosion event. The island is composed of Precambrian metamorphic rocks belonging to the Malmesbury Group. It is of particular note as it was here that past President of South Africa and Nobel Laureate Nelson Mandela and past South African President Kgalema Motlanthe alongside many other political prisoners, spent decades imprisoned during the apartheid era. Among those political prisoners was current South African President Jacob Zuma who was imprisoned there for ten years.

You also have the option to book a Township Tour, an experience you will not soon forget. This tour gives an insight into the past as well as focusing on post 1994 progress. We visit projects, which are helping previously disadvantaged communities develop a better life for all. It gives an insight into the "other" side of Cape Town and focuses on job creation via community-based initiatives. You will come to know the tragic history of , smell the thousand aromas of the Malay quarter and visit the Langa and townships.

Another option would be to take the Hop-on-Hop-off Bus for some City Sightseeing. Explore Cape Town’s attractions at your own pace. Simply hop off and on at any of our stops with your ticket.

Overnight: The River Manor – Stellenbosch (http://capewinelands.connexion.travel/ )

DAY 5: STELLENBOSCH & FRANSCHHOEK WINELANDS After breakfast you visit Stellenbosch, second oldest town of South Africa. Visit the legendary Dorp Street and Oom Samie se Winkel (meaning “Uncle Samie's Shop”), a store that is kept in the Victorian style, and operates the same way now as it did then. The store has been a Stellenbosch institution since 1904 and is now a national monument. The shop is a popular tourist attraction because it stocks rare items in the modern world – items such as sticky toffee, boiled sweets and authentic old century butter churns. The shop also stocks rare

antiques and traditional South African biltong (a dried spiced meat similar to jerky).

Enjoy Stellenbosch by visiting any of the fine Wine Estates then continue to Franschhoek, the wine & cuisine capital of the Cape Winelands. Enjoy Methode Cap Classic (Champagne style) and canapé tasting in typical French style at Le Lude Wine Estate.

Tonight you are free to dine at any of the fine restaurants in Franschhoek.

Overnight: La Petite Ferme – Franschhoek (http://capewinelands.connexion.travel/ )

DAY 6: STELLENBOSCH – OUDTSHOORN (APPROX. 430 KM)

Travel via the picturesque Route 62 to Oudtshoorn. The Route 62 is one of the most beautiful travel routes in South Africa, leads through the wine-growing areas of Wellington, Tulbagh, Worcester, Robertson and the Klein Karoo and is thus one of the longest wine routes in the world.

En-route you visit one of the Wine Estates in the Robertson area and have the opportunity to take part in a Wine Tasting.

During your drive to Oudtshoorn, the country road meanders through the fertile valleys of the Klein Karoo, past rugged rock formations, the tops of which are covered in snow in winter. Time and again the road leads over steep passes, which open up to spectacular views of the wide land. In the afternoon, you arrive in Oudtshoorn, the “feather capital of the world”. It lies in an area separated from the sea by the Langeberg and Outeniqua Mountains, and from the vast expanse of the Great Karoo by the Swartberg Mountains to the north. Ostriches are still the area’s chief industry and tourist attraction, but this is also an area of immense natural beauty.

Overnight: See Klein Karoo Connexion accommodation partners (http://kleinkaroo.connexion.travel/ )

DAY 7: OUDTSHOORN (APPROX. 100 KM) After breakfast you will visit the world famous Cango Caves, in the belly of the Swartberg Mountains, described as one of the great natural wonders of the world. Sculpted by nature through the ages the fascinating limestone foundation occurs in a variety of colours. From the Cango Caves we travel west towards the foothills of the Swartberg Mountains (UNESCO World Heritage Site) from where we will commence our ascend of nearly 900 metres up the world renowned Swartberg Pass, a National Monument constructed in 1888. Get close to nature and explore the spectacular Sandstone formations dating back more than 300 million years. Feast your eyes on the full splendor of diverse “fynbos” species ranging from various protea species as well as “cone bush” and “pin cushions”. You may even spot a soaring Verreaux Eagle or Jackal Buzzard while the agility of the “Klipspringer” (small antelope) over the rugged sandstone formations will astound you.

At the summit (“Die Top”) of the Swartberg Pass, you enjoy a panoramic view over the Great Karoo to the north (170 km view) and the Klein-Karoo to the south.

This is where we pioneer most of our conservation and social upliftment initiatives through the H.O.P.E. Foundation. (www.hopefoundation.co.za)

Returning to Oudtshoorn you can visit the world’s oldest Ostrich Show Farm – Highgate. Here you can enjoy lunch as well as guided Ostrich tours.

For more guided Swartberg eco-tour options visit our Klein Karoo Connexion “Explore” page or visit: www.truesouthtravel.co.za.

Overnight: See Klein Karoo Connexion accommodation partners (http://kleinkaroo.connexion.travel/)

DAY 8: OUDTSHOORN – KNYSNA (APPROX. 150 KM)

After breakfast, you will check out and travel to Knysna via the Outeniqua Pass. Our road takes us along the scenic Indian Ocean coastline and after a light lunch en- route we arrive in Knysna in the afternoon. The estuary called “Knysna Lagoon” and the two spectacular sentinels, the “Knysna Heads”, which guard the narrow entrance to the bay from the sea, mark Knysna’s enchanting multifaceted natural setting. An abundance of beautiful beaches and the ocean, dense indigenous forests, sweet water lakes and the Outeniqua Mountains together form a paradise for the holiday maker. The area is a veritable Garden of Eden: home to the only forest elephant in South Africa, the unique Knysna seahorse and the Pansy shell, the brilliantly coloured Knysna Loerie, a plethora of waterfowl and forest birds, dolphins and visiting whales. Within the town, craft shops, flea markets and cosy cafe’s beckon with small-town charm and hospitality. The Knysna Lagoon, more accurately defined as an estuary, has five fresh water rivers flowing in from the surrounding Outeniqua Mountains meeting with the surge of seawater from the Indian Ocean through the mighty headlands – known as the 'Knysna Heads' - the grand sandstone cliffs towering above the entrance to the Knysna Lagoon.

In the evening you have the opportunity to round the day off on a unique dining experience on John Benn Lagoon Cruiser or enjoy dinner at the popular Knysna Quays..

Overnight: See Garden Route Connexion accommodation partners (http://gardenroute.connexion.travel/ )

DAY 9: PLETTENBERG BAY (APPROX. 150 KM) Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before checking out. Travel to Plettenberg Bay, the jewel of The Garden Route, which is tranquil, charming, hospitable and rather special. Originally christened “Bahia Formosa” (Beautiful bay) by early Portuguese explorers, Plettenberg Bay offers the visitor miles of sweeping, unspoilt golden beaches, a dramatic rocky peninsula, intriguing lagoons and estuaries, towering indigenous forests and unpolluted rivers and sea.

You have the rest of the morning at leisure to stroll along the beach or you can participate in one of the following optional excursions. Dolphin & Seal watching or Whale Watching with Ocean Safaris . This is an activity not to be missed! Ocean Safaris is dedicated to the observation and conservation of the magnificent marine environment. Rated by “Europe” magazine as one of the top 25 marine eco- ventures worldwide, Ocean Safaris is widely regarded as the premier boat-based whale-watching company in South Africa. During South African Summer you have a great chance of seeing the Indo Pacific Humpback Dolphin, but you will also have a chance of seeing the common dolphin. Dolphin & Seal cruises are operated throughout the year and involve a round trip of the bay where you view all marine species that are visiting the bay. Discovery cruises do not have a close encounter permit so sightings of whales on this trip are done at 300m. On the Whale watching cruise, whales are approached to 50m and then whales can move closer to the boat. Only permitted boats may approach whales to this distance, all other sea vessels must maintain a 300m distance from the whales.

Enjoy Lunch at the Lookout Deck Restaurant a legend in its own right. Nestled between The Lookout Rocks and The Look Out Nature Reserve, this Restaurant’s location is unique on our Planet.From Sunrise to Sunset and the stunning rise of Full Moon, this place just makes you feel free. Be one with the Indian Ocean, reach out and touch the dolphins as they mingle with the surfers. In the winter months watch the whales as they laze about or cruise past the sun-drenched deck. Alfresco drinking and dining unmatched. The cooking is fresh, simple and jolly good value – the service is happy with laughter, yet serious on quality. The diverse Menu and extensive Wine list along with the choice of Exotic Cocktails and full Bar service caters for every palette.

En route back to Knysna, you stop at the Tourist Route “The Crags” where you can visit “Birds of Eden”, the largest free- flight aviary in the world. The sanctuary encompasses 2.3 hectare of partly forested land, covered by a 3.2-hectare mesh and criss-crossed by a 1.2 kilometre walkway. Visitors are welcome to explore at their own pace, with the use of Birds of Eden’s specialized guidebook. The sanctuary is home to over 3,000 birds of around 200 species, including touracos, parrots, barbets, parakeets, waterfowl, flamingos, starlings, robins and cranes.

Tonight you can have dinner at any of the surrounding restaurants or at the Knysna Waterfront.

Overnight: See Garden Route Connexion accommodation partners (http://gardenroute.connexion.travel/)

DAY 10: KNYSNA – PRIVATE GAME RESERVE( APPROX 380 KM) After breakfast you depart to an Eastern Cape Private Game Reserve. Our first stop for the day is the Tsitsikamma National Park, an 80 kilometre long coastal strip between Nature's Valley and the mouth of the Storms River. In the park the visitor finds an almost untouched natural landscape. At Tsitsikamma follow a short walking path that leads through the coastal rainforests, to the suspension bridge at the mouth of the Storms River and to the famous Schietklip, a rock in the sea which causes thundering giant waves.

The next couple of days your tour can include any of the diverse attractions the Eastern Cape has to offer. Explore the historical Grahamstown or travel via Route 72 to Kenton on Sea and enjoy the hospitality of our Eastern Cape Connexion Partners. Overnight at any of our Eastern Cape Connexion Partners (http://easterncape.connexion.travel/ )

Please note that a guided Tour option of this tour is also available on request.

True South Travel is also the Founding member of the H.O.P.E Foundation. By travelling with us you can be

assured that you contribute to the social upliftment programmes and conservation initiatives pioneered by the

H.O.P.E Foundation. Visit us on: www.hopefoundation.co.za.

We look forward to welcome you to our beautiful and friendly country!!