South Africa – Floral Kingdom

Arrive in Cape Town (own arrangements).

Check-in to the luxurious V & A Waterfront Hotel for the next 4 nights. 

Take the revolving cable car up Table Mountain for panoramic views of Cape Town, Table Mountain National Park and the surrounding coastline.

Next stop is Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, nestled on the eastern slopes of the mountain, headquarters of South Africa’s National Botanical Institute, Kirstenbosch is home to over 8,000 plant species, many found nowhere else on earth.

Afternoon visit to De Grendel Wine Estate, the historic home of Sir David and Lady Sally Graaff. Enjoy a wine tasting with sweeping views of the vineyards and Table Bay. Meet up for our Welcome Dinner this evening.

On our way to Cape Point Nature Reserve, we travel along one of South Africa’s most breath taking coastal routes, Chapman’s Peak Drive, carved dramatically into the cliffs above the Atlantic Ocean. This is a botanist’s paradise with over 1,100 plant species thriving within its rugged 77-square-kilometre expanse. Watch out for the resident Chacma baboons, along with reintroduced buck and zebra that roam the fynbos-covered hills.

Ride the funicular to Cape Point for sweeping views of False Bay. Photo stop at the legendary Cape of Good Hope, where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet. Lunch today at the Cellars-Hohenort country house hotel, with fine gardens.

Free evening to explore the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront at your leisure, a lively harbourfront with world-class restaurants, boutiques, and spectacular views.

A day in the heart of the Cape Winelands with a visit to Stellenbosch, steeped in history and charm. Visit the iconic “Old Nectar” garden, the only private garden in the country to hold National Monument status. Once home to Ina van der Spuy, beloved doyenne of South African gardening and author of numerous gardening books, the estate is a living tribute to her legacy.

A scenic drive through Stellenbosch’s oak-lined avenues en route to Vergelegen Estate in Somerset West for lunch and wine tasting. Stroll through Vergelegen’s gardens, where formal and informal plantings create a series of enchanting spaces.

We’re travelling to South Africa’s West Coast, bursting into colour this time with spectacular carpets of spring wildflowers. Visit the West Coast National Park, nestled around the tranquil Langebaan Lagoon. At this time Postberg Private Flower Reserve opens its gates, revealing sweeping carpets of blooms framed by the rugged beauty of the Atlantic Ocean.

Lunch stop in the charming fishing village of Paternoster (own expense), where whitewashed cottages and salty sea air evoke a slower, simpler time. Our destination is the historic Saldanha Bay, first charted by Portuguese explorer Bartholomeu Dias in the late 1400s. Today, it’s one of Africa’s major export ports for iron ore but retains its quiet coastal character.

Check-in to our hotel with dinner included this evening.

Our journey continues along the picturesque West Coast. Stop at Evita se Perron, famous for the work of South African satirist, Pieter Dirk Uys.

Next stop is Duckitt’s Orchid Farm and Nursery. The serene Waylands Private Flower Reserve was established by Frederick Duckitt in the early 1900’s, carpets of Arum lilies, Blue Flax and chincherinchee paint the landscape here. The flower reserve forms an integral part of Waylands farming activities, and is actively grazed by cattle and sheep from the time the seed has set in late November to the end of April before winter sets in. This allows the animals to actively spread the seed, in addition to occasional autumn burning of the veld every 15 years, imperative in promoting the growth of the wildflowers.

Travel through fertile Swartland, famous for canola and wheat fields, to the town of Riebeek Kasteel. Visit Kloovenburg Estate to taste test their olives and wines against the breathtaking backdrop of the Riebeek Valley. Check-in to our hotel in Franschhoek for the next two nights.

Spend this day at Babylonstoren Estate, an inspired restoration of one of the oldest estates in the winelands, that has breathed new life to the term ‘farm hotel’. Founded in 1692 as a wine and wheat farm, Babylonstoren was skilfully restored in 2007 by Karen Roos and her architect Patrice Taravella. It opened in 2010, a unique destination with magnificent fruit and vegetable gardens at its core.

As a working farm, Babylonstoren Estate is divided between fruit orchards and vineyards, with wheat fields and a rice paddy. The heart of the farm is a magnificent formal fruit and vegetable garden, 8 acres of abundance. The garden divides into 15 sections that include vegetable plots, orchards of fruits and nuts, indigenous plants, ducks and chickens, bees for pollinating, a prickly pear maze and a palette of trees of historical and botanical significance.

Return to our hotel in Franschhoek.

Leave the Cape Winelands this morning as we set off towards the Garden Route, through verdant vineyards and sprawling farmland. Pass beneath the towering peaks of Du Toit’s Kloof via the impressive Huguenot Tunnel.

Visit Worcester’s Karoo Botanical Garden, a showcase of the flora of South Africa’s semi-arid regions. Continue into the Klein Karoo (Little Karoo), a rugged landscape of sweeping plains and mountain vistas, arriving in the charming town of Robertson; known affectionately as the “Valley of Wine & Roses.” Established by migrant farmers in 1728, Robertson has blossomed into one of South Africa’s premier wine-producing regions. Visit award-winning Graham Beck Winery.

Lunch today at Van Loveren Wine Estate, known for Jean Retief’s evocative “Garden of Memories” and its historic herbarium. A riverboat cruise this afternoon along the Breede River with Fred Viljoen, fifth-generation owner of Viljoensdrift farm.

Travel on to Montagu, a spa town rich with history and charm.

Travel through the historic town of Swellendam to Wildebraam Berry Estate, known for its youngberries and blackberries.

Albertinia and the Aloe Ferox farm are next, where we learn about aloes, widely used for medicinal and cosmetic purposes.

Lunch stop at Fancourt Country Club Estate in George (own expense), a Golf Estate on par with the best in the world.

Continue along the Garden Route this afternoon with a stop at Dolphin’s Point, to the lagoon-side town of Knysna. Check-in to the Protea Hotel on Knysna Quays Waterfront with the lagoon at your doorstep.

A ferry cruise this morning across the shimmering waters of Knysna Lagoon to the entrance of Featherbed Nature Reserve. From here we will take a 4×4 vehicle to the summit of one of the Knysna Heads.

Panoramic views stretch across this remarkable 18-square-kilometre eco-system. Learn about indigenous plants and vibrant fynbos. Travel beneath ancient Milkwood trees to explore sandstone cliffs and hidden beachcomber caves.

Continue to George for our overnight accommodation.

Morning flight to Victoria Falls.

Check-in to the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge for the next two nights, designed to blend seamlessly with the dramatic African wilderness.

Afternoon sunset cruise along the mighty Zambezi River. Soak in the breath taking views of the river and listen to the distant roar of Victoria Falls – the “Smoke That Thunders” or Mosi-oa-Tunya.

Dinner at our lodge tonight.

Victoria Falls is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World that stretches 1.7km wide and is shared by both Zambia and Zimbabwe. Feel the thunderous power of the Zambezi River as it plunges over the edge, creating a mesmerizing curtain of water and mist that nourishes the lush surrounding rainforest.

A guided tour through the mist-shrouded rainforest within Victoria Falls National Park will reveal the large range of plants growing in this moist ecosystem.

Free afternoon to enjoy the ambience of this extraordinary place. Optional activities are available, such as helicopter flight over the falls (own expense).

Morning flight to Johannesburg, then transfer to Ivory Tree Game Lodge, nestled within the renowned Pilanesberg National Park.

Set in an extinct volcanic crater, this lodge is surrounded by mountains and immersed in riverine woodlands. Pilanesberg Park is home to good populations of a range of Africa’s game, including the ‘Big Five’: elephant, black and white rhinoceros, buffalo, lion and leopard. You may also see giraffe, zebra, hippo and antelope including the attractive sable, eland, kudu and gemsbok.

Cameras ready as you absorb the atmosphere of the African bushveld on an early morning game drive. Driving in an open safari vehicle with a qualified guide, you will experience the Big 5 territory of the Pilanesberg Game Reserve.

Head back to the lodge for a hearty breakfast! Time to relax and enjoy the comforts of the lodge before another safari game drive this afternoon to watch the animals as they settle down for the night.

Meet up for our Farewell Dinner this evening.

An early morning game drive, your last opportunity to experience animal magic before we make our way back to Johannesburg for our homeward flight (own arrangements).