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A UNIQUE ADVENTURE IN SOUTH AFRICA, COMBINING NATURE, ADVENTURE AND CULTURE!
Join us for a captivating exploration of South Africa with Lydiane autour du monde, who not only visited the country, but also
stayed for 2 months. A rewarding 16-day trip awaits you. Explore Cape Town, climb Table Mountain, enjoy a culinary experience at Bo Kaap, and kayak with the penguins. Cross the Cape Peninsula, visit Cango Caves, explore Knysna Forest and venture over the Sani Pass. Meet the big five on photo safaris in the Kruger Park, raft down the tumultuous waters of the Blyde River, and finish off with a bike tour of Soweto.
- Cape Town
- Oudtshoorn
- Krysna
- Gqeberha
- Durban
- Sani Pass
- Kruger
- Soweto
- Johannesburg
Includes:
- Flight from Montreal to Cape Town, returning from Johannesburg
- Domestic flight from Port Elizabeth to Durban and Durban to Nelspruit
- 13 nights’ accommodation in hotels (1 night in a tent)
- 38 meals: 13 breakfasts, 13 lunches and 12 dinners
- Following activities and excursions:
- 4 photo safaris in Kruger National Park
- Guided hike from Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens to Table Mountain
- Funicular and abseiling on Table Mountain
- Traditional culinary experience in the Malay quarter of Bo Kaap
- Excursion to the Cape Peninsula
- Sea excursion to Duiker Island
- Kayaking with penguins at Boulders
- Mountain biking in the Cape of Good Hope Reserve
- Hiking to the tip of the Cape of Good Hope
- Boat trip to Featherbed Nature Reserve
- Guided 4×4 tour of Featherbed Private Nature Reserve
- Visit to the Cango Caves
- Adventure activity in the passages and tunnels of the Cango Caves
- Hiking at Diewall Forest Station
- Tsisikamma forest walk
- Hiking to the summit of Sani Pass
- Kayaking in the Blyde River area
- Bike ride in Soweto
- Visit to the Apartheid Museum
- Transportation in a luxury air-conditioned bus
- Services of a local guide French guide
- Services of a Gendrontours group leader
- With the participation of Lydiane autour du monde
- Compensation CO2 Québec
- Protection offered by the Compensation Fund for Customers of Travel Agents
- Taxes
Not included:
- Beverages
- Meals other than those mentioned
- Gratuities to rangers and guides
- Luggage fees with the airline if applicable
Itinerary:
Departing from Montreal to Cape Town.
Arriving in the evening at Cape Town airport and welcome by your local guide
Transfering to the hotel.
Check-in at the the hotel SunSquare Cape Town City Bow or similar for 3 nights.
Breakfast at the hotel.
Head for Kirstenbosch for your first activity of the trip. Guided hike from the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens to Table Mountain (between 5 and 7 hours), climbing up the west side – Skeleton Gorge through the middle of the mountain.
Abseiling activity on the mountain (you don’t descend the mountain all the way to the bottom – you descend a section and then ascend and descend the mountain by funicular).
Packed lunch en route.
Return to the hotel and drive to the Waterfront for free time.
Transfer to Bo Kaap, in the Malay district, for a traditional culinary experience.
*In keeping with tradition, no alcoholic beverages will be served during this meal.
Dinner will be served at your hostess’s home, with recipes prepared earlier.
Overnight at SunSquare Cape Town City Bowl hotel or similar.
Breakfast at the hotel.
Departure for an excursion to the Cape Peninsula.
Stopover at HOUT BAY, a charming, bustling fishing port with a fresh fish and seafood market.
Sea excursion to Duiker Island (Isle of Seals)
Passing through Simonstown, home of the South African Navy, the beaches of Muizenberg – from Boye’s Drive you’ll have a panoramic view of the whole of False Bay.
Kayak with penguins at Boulders near Simon’s Town.
Seaside dinner (fish).
Departure for the Cape of Good Hope Reserve.
This nature reserve has a 40 km coastline and protects native flora, numerous antelope species and an abundance of birdlife. Stop at Cape Town, at the extreme south-western tip of the African continent, where you can climb to the top of a promontory to admire the horizon stretching as far as the eye can see.
Depart by mountain bike for a ride from the entrance to the reserve to the Bonne Espérance beach sign. Walk back up to Cape Point, and descend on foot.
Return by coach to SunSquare Cape Town City Bowl hotel or similar.
Dinner at the Gold Restaurant.
Breakfast at hotel. 420 km/ 5-hour drive
Departure for Oudtshoorn, ostrich capital of the world, through the semi-desert landscapes of the “Little Karoo”.
Lunch en route.
Dinner in a restaurant.
Check-in and overnight at Protea Hotel by Marriot The Riempie.
Breakfast at the hotel.
Departure for a visit to the CANGO CAVES.
Famous throughout the country, these caves are a major tourist attraction for the region. In 1780, a shepherd named “Klaas Windvogel” discovered them by tripping over a stone. A lighting system highlights the cave’s many treasures. You’ll see Cleopatra’s Needle, dating back over 150,000 years. Other caves have since been discovered.
Then, the adventure activity. This is a moderate activity with narrow passages and tunnels requiring a certain degree of physical fitness. Non-slip footwear is essential. Children under eight and people weighing more than 85kg will not be allowed to participate.
Continuation to Knysna, capital of the precious wood industry, whose lagoon and surrounding landscapes form a veritable jewel case. Knysna is a vast, lively town with a summery atmosphere. Port activities linked to the timber and shipbuilding industries have thrived thanks to the immense sheltered lagoon, which opens up behind high sandstone cliffs, and the region’s extensive natural forests.
Visit Featherbed’s unique private nature reserve, one of South Africa’s natural heritage sites. Only accessible by boat, we’ll cross the Knysna Lagoon, an excellent way to discover the cliffs and enjoy a bird’s eye view of the lagoon. We’ll enjoy an ecological experience with a 4X4 vehicle excursion and a pleasant 2.2km guided nature walk through forest, over cliffs, through caves and along the rocky coastline.
Dinner at the restaurant.
Return by boat to Knysna Waterfront.
Check-in at the Graywood Hotel or similar.
Dinner in town, return to the hotel and overnight.
Breakfast
Departure for Diepwalle Forest.
There are three trails, of varying difficulty, winding through Knysna’s pristine forest, starting and ending at Diepwalle Forest Station: 9am – 12pm
Black Route: 9km; circular (easy: 3-4 hours)
White Route: 8 km; circular (Moderate: 3-4 hours)
Red route: 7 km; circular (Moderate – Difficult: 3-4 hours)
Lunch en route.
Visit to Tsitsikamma forest.
The Mouth Trail – Tsitsikamma National Park (mouth of Storms River) (2km – 1 hour).
The Mouth Trail is the most popular walk in Tsitsikamma and starts at Sandy Bay (next to the park restaurant). It’s a winding walk through native forest to the mouth of the Storms River.
Here, visitors will cross the famous suspension bridge (one of three at the mouth) and see the Storms River Mouth Cave (Khoisan Heritage Site).
For the more energetic, the trail continues past the bridge to the lookout on the plateau. It’s a steep climb.
Continuation to Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth).
Check-in at the Kelway Hotel or similar and dinner at the hotel.
Breakfast on board.
Transfer to Port Elizabeth airport and flight to Durban.
Arrival at Durban airport, a city of 1,000,000 inhabitants and the country’s main port. Its population is predominantly Indian, which explains the presence of numerous Hindu temples in the city.
Bus transfer to Sani Pass and dinner en route. +/- 4h30
Check-in at the Premier Sani Pass Hotel or similar.
Dinner and accommodation
Breakfast.
6 h | Transfer by 4×4 to the starting point of your hike to the summit of Sani Pass.
Full-day excursion to this mountain pass with professional guides.
The hike itself begins at Sani Mountain Lodge, the highest pub in Africa, and is located in Lesotho’s Maluti Mountains, along the upper edge of the Drakensberg and ending somewhere in the reserve.
Overnight in tents.
Then breakfast.
Hike back to San Mountain Lodge and dinner before descending to Sani Pass Lodge.
Overnight and dinner at Premier Sani Pass hotel.
Breakfast.
Departure to Durban for flight to Nelspruit (MQP).
Light dinner at the airport.
Arrival in the KRUGER PARK region.
Check-in at “Greenway Woods” or similar.
16:30 – 19:30 | Departure in open 4 x 4 vehicles accompanied by experienced rangers and trackers for a photo safari at dusk, when the animals come out to quench their thirst. The rangers don’t hesitate to leave the marked trails to follow the animals’ tracks.
Duration: 3 hours, including a typical South African aperitif.
Dinner and overnight stay at Greenway Wood or similar.
Early breakfast.
Drive to Kruger Park. Created in 1898 by President Kruger, 340 km long and 60 km wide, this national park is one of Africa’s richest game reserves.
Departure for a 2-hour walking safari in the reserve.
Bush dinner.
Afternoon 4×4 safari in Kruger Park.
Return to Greenway Wood Hotel or similar for dinner.
Morning game drive in the Kruger in search of animals you didn’t see the day before.
Then breakfast.
Departure for Blydriver Canyon. You’ll wind your way through the rugged landscape, stopping to admire the many viewpoints. You’ll see “God’s Window”, offering a breathtaking panorama of the entire valley and surrounding mountains.
Then you’ll reach the most spectacular point of the route when you arrive at Blyde River Canyon: 800 metres below, the Blyde River forces its way through hard rock formations. The canyon is superbly dominated by three tower-like peaks, nicknamed the “three rondavels”. The spectacle is breathtakingly beautiful. Rafting in the river.
Dinner at the Blydepoort Resort restaurant.
Check-in at Floreat Hotel or similar.
Dinner and accommodation at Floreat Riverside Lodge or similar.
Breakfast.
Drive to SOWETO.
The “Great Soweto” (South West Township) is made up of three different towns: Soweto, Diep Meadows and Dobsonville, each with its own autonomy and mayor.
Dinner at the Corn and Cob restaurant.
Afternoon drive to SOWETO.
Check-in at “SOWETO Bed and Breakfast” or similar.
Barbecue dinner in a shebeen.
Return to accommodation and overnight at SOWETO B&B or similar.
We have breakfast.
Bike tour of SOWETO for about 2 hours, stopping in front of Pietersen Square, named after the 12-year-old schoolboy killed by police during the suppression of the high-school uprising in 1976.
Lunch after the activity.
Continuation to Johannesburg and visit to the Apartheid Museum.
Depending on flight times, transfer to Johannesburg airport.
Assistance with check-in formalities.
November 17 to December 2, 2024
16 days | 13 nights | Flight | 38 meals
Conditions
IMPORTANT
Your passport must be valid for a minimum of 6 month following the return date.
First 10 seats at this price.