Presents: An Incredible Wine Tour in the Wild Day One: Depart USA. Depart home for your South African tour. Day Two: Welcome to South Africa. Your incredible wine adventure begins upon arrival into Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, where you will be met and assisted to your deluxe hotel located in the airport precinct. Here, you will have time to relax and unwind with signature amenities that include: an indoor heated rooftop pool, a 24 hour gymnasium, spa services, and live evening entertainment. The hotel also features a terrific restaurant specializing in local foods such as springbok, (South Africa s national animal), wart hog, kudu and crocodile, all paired with outstanding South African wines. Besides enjoying the creature comforts of your hotel, prepare for your morning departure on safari to the Sabi Sands Game Reserve. Day Three: Travel to Sabi Sands. After breakfast, meet your escort in the lobby who will assist you back to the airport to meet your domestic flight to Sabi Sands. Upon arrival, you will be met by the staff of your Game Lodge and transferred in an open vehicle to your private, luxurious suite room. Sabi Sands Game Reserve offers many exciting activities and adventures in its natural, pristine environment. The Game Lodge shares an unfenced border with Kruger National Park, so you can experience the native African wildlife roaming in their natural habitat. Kruger National Park is South Africa s most legendary game park with the greatest animal diversity in Africa. Within the boundaries of this park, you will see lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, buffalos, rhinos, hippos and crocodiles, as well as over 450 different species of birds.
Twice a day, you will have the chance to enjoy a mobile safari tour in one of several state-of-the-art Land Rovers, accompanied by experienced rangers and trackers who are extremely knowledgeable on the African bush and its species. Afternoon drives include sundowners (refreshments) while you enjoy the glorious African sunset. Walking safaris are also available at your request. Additionally, nocturnal animal viewings from the grounds of the Lodge, and daily excursions to the nearby Shangaan Village where you can experience the authentic lifestyles of an African bush tribe can be arranged for you if you are interested. Each day of your stay, you will enjoy extravagant bush lunches, gourmet breakfasts and Boma dinners (open air barbeques), all of which include local wine, beer and spirits for your pleasure. Day Four: Sabi Sands Game Reserve. Enjoy an early cup of tea or coffee before departing on the first game drive of your stay. Return to the lodge for breakfast and then spend the rest of your morning relaxing at your own private plunge pool, overlooking the savanna. After lunch, depart on the afternoon game drive, followed by a lavish dinner in the evening. Day Five: Sabi Sands Game Reserve. Today, you may want to include a visit to the nearby Shangaan Village to learn a little bit about the local way of life. This visit can be done after breakfast, followed by the daily program of your safari drives, lunch and your farewell dinner, as you prepare for your departure flight in the morning. Day Six: Travel to Franschhoek Valley. After the early game drive and breakfast, you will be met and transferred to Nelspruit Airport to meet your flight to Cape Town. On arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel in Franschhoek Valley, the heart of South Africa s wine country. Located only 45 minutes from Cape Town, the Franschhoek Valley lies nestled between towering mountain ranges in the beautiful Cape Winelands. This is the food and wine heartland of the country, where breathtaking scenery, warm hospitality, world class cuisine and the finest wines are found for the South African explorer. Spectacular vineyards cover these mountain slopes settled more than 300 years ago by the Huguenots, who brought with them their age-old French wine and food culture. This is a valley rich in history, centered around a picturesque village of friendly, welcoming people. In the village, you will find wonderful crafts, art and antique shops and galleries. The village s main street is also lined with many coffee shops and delectable local restaurants for your enjoyment. For the next three nights, you will be staying at an exclusive four-star boutique vineyard property situated in the heart of the Franschhoek Valley. You will find your suited room is a luxury accommodation at its best! In each room, you will
find a perfect blend of style and comfort, while waking up to breathtaking views from every angle. Across three wings of the hotel, you will experience the feeling of being in a private manor home, where the capable staff awaits to tend to your every need. The service and dining featured here is guaranteed to surpass your every expectation! Once you have settled into your cottage, relax and unwind. This evening, a wonderful dinner has been arranged for your distinct enjoyment. Day Seven: Cape Winelands Wine Tour. After breakfast this morning, join your private guide and driver in the lobby who will escort you on a wonderful exploration of the Paarl area of the Cape Winelands, as you experience your first taste of the South African vine. Paarl (derived from Parel, meaning Pearl in Dutch) is the third oldest European settlement in the Republic of South Africa (after Cape Town and Stellenbosch) and forms part of the Western Cape Province. Paarl is renowned for its illustrious past and haunting scenic beauty, and is home to a prosperous community, with many well maintained and attractive Cape Dutch houses, beautiful gardens and streets lined with old oak trees. The former headquarters of the wine industry in South Africa, the Cooperative Wine Growers' Association (better known by its Afrikaans initials KWV), is also situated here. KWV became a South African institution that has acquired an international reputation based on its unique achievements and its imprint of quality on the local wine industry. Today, you will have the unique opportunity to visit the KWV in Paarl for a food and wine pairing, followed by a visit to a prestigious wine estate in Fairview for a wine and cheese tasting, where a delicious lunch is included. Later this afternoon, your tour concludes with a visit for a highly desirable taste of renowned chocolate Pinotage wine. Following your wine tour, you will be transferred back to your hotel to enjoy the duration of the evening. Recommendations for dinner can be made by your private guide without hesitation! Franschhoek is filled with delightful eateries, award-winning restaurants and lively wine bars for your enjoyment. Day Eight: Cooking Class and Franschhoek at Leisure. Today, delight in your surroundings! To kick off your day, an entertaining and highly educated gourmet cooking class at the hotel has been arranged for your enjoyment. Headed by the award-winning chefs of your Relais & Chateaux hotel, your lesson promises to be very hands-on and features the prominent recipes of The Tasting Room restaurant. Afterwards, enjoy the fruit of your labor as you sit down to the wonderful cuisine that you have created! This afternoon, the rest of the day is yours to enjoy at leisure. If you are energetic and the weather is prime, there are numerous walking trails in the surrounding mountains to explore - particularly in the Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve. You
could also hire a bicycle and explore the area on your own, or go wine tasting on horseback if you think you ll be steady enough! For dining recommendations, please consult your hotel concierge or enjoy the several dining options available at your hotel. Day Nine: Cape Winelands Wine Tour, Stellenbosch and Travel to Cape Town. After breakfast and check out of your hotel, you will be met by a private guide for a full day excursion of the Cape Winelands, en route to Cape Town. Enjoy a private lunch and a wine tasting at a beautiful wine estate located in the heart of wine country. Following your wine tour, you will be transferred to Cape Town, South Africa s signature playground. Cape Town (known as Mother City to South Africans) is recognized as the second largest city in the country and the provincial capital of the Western Cape. It is located in the southwest corner of South Africa near the Cape of Good Hope, and is the most southern city on the continent of Africa. Cape Town's European history began in 1652, when Jan van Riebeeck established a trading post here on behalf of the VOC (Dutch East Indies Company). The first European settlers were mainly Dutch and German, with some French Huguenots that had to flee from their home country. Today, Cape Town is renowned as a world-class cosmopolitan city with numerous sites of historical significance, and its gastronomic appeal for finer food and wine is often well recognized by the discriminating traveler. These next four nights, you will enjoy a five-star stay at a luxurious, small boutique hotel located on a private quay adjacent to Cape Town's Victoria & Alfred Waterfront offering breathtaking views of Table Mountain. As a member of the prestigious Leading Small Luxury Hotels of the World, the hotel was just selected as number 8 out of 10 Best Hotels in Africa by Travel + Leisure Magazine, and as the first seven listings are safari lodges, your hotel s rating classifies it as the Best City Hotel in Africa and the Middle East. The hotel offers outstanding personal service on a one to one basis, catering to each individual s personal tastes and required services. Once you ve settled into your luxury room, we recommend enjoying a pre-dinner aperitif or a glass of Pinotage in the charming, laid back atmosphere of the hotel s whiskey bar and wine cellar, followed by dinner at the one waterfront restaurant in Cape Town that offers exclusive views of the yacht marina and Signal Hill. Day Ten: Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. This morning after breakfast, you will be met by a private guide who will escort you on a visit to Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens. The garden is one of eight National Botanical Gardens covering five of South
Africa's six different biomes. When Kirstenbosch, the most famous of the gardens, was founded in 1913 to preserve the country's unique native flora, it was the first botanical garden in the world to cultivate entirely indigenous plant species. The garden includes a large, indoor greenhouse exhibiting plants from a number of different regions, including savanna, fynbos, karoo and others. Outdoors, the focus moves to plants native to the Cape region, highlighted by the spectacular collections of proteas. After your garden tour, you will travel next to the Constantia Winelands, which boasts some of the oldest South African wine estates and homesteads, along with several award winning wines and restaurants. Here, you will enjoy lunch and a private tasting at a local wine estate, before returning to your hotel later this afternoon. This evening, reservations and dining recommendations can be made at your request. Day Eleven: Cape Town at Leisure. Today, explore what makes Cape Town such a wonderful touring city! Your entire day is at leisure to enjoy on your own. Some recommended sites to visit include: Two Oceans Aquarium Robben Island - located just off the coast of Cape Town, this was the location used during the apartheid days to hold political prisoners, including Nelson Mandela and the late Walter Sisulu. Some of the tour guides were political prisoners themselves, so they have plenty of insight about what went on here. Tours run several times per day, seven days a week, from the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the V&A Waterfront. Tickets can be purchased on the day of your desired tour, however it is advisable to make a booking as soon as you arrive in Cape Town. This island is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. District Six Museum - an area near downtown Cape Town which remained multiracial well into the 1960s against all attempts by the government to declare it a "white only" area. Eventually the residents were all evicted and the buildings were bulldozed. To this date, this area remains uninhabited. The museum provides information about the area, the eviction, the Group Areas Act, and the people who used to live there. The director of the museum is a former resident. There is a small bookstore with an excellent selection of books on South Africa's history, District Six and apartheid. Cable Car to the top of Table Mountain
Please consult your hotel concierge for additional information regarding sightseeing, local activities and places of interest, including dining, while visiting Cape Town today. Day Twelve: Tour of the Cape Peninsula. Today, you will enjoy a full day excursion exploring the Cape Peninsula. You will be met and escorted by a private guide to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, Cape Point and the penguin colony at Boulders Beach. Spend a delightful afternoon viewing this beautiful and hypnotic oceanic territory with a local expert. Ranging from rocky mountain tops to beaches and open sea, the Cape of Good Hope is home to at least 250 species of birds. Large animals are a rare sight in the Cape of Good Hope, but there is a wealth of small animals such as lizards, snakes, tortoises and insects. The area also offers excellent vantage points for whale watching. Seals, Dusky Dolphins or Killer Whales may be seen while visiting this diverse habitat. Lunch will be served this afternoon at a local seafood restaurant. Following your tour, you will be returned to your hotel to enjoy the duration of your evening on your own. As this will be your final evening in Cape Town, be sure to make it a memorable one! Please expect an early morning departure to travel to Victoria Falls tomorrow Day Thirteen: Travel to Victoria Falls. Early this morning, you will be met and transferred to the airport to connect with the first outbound flight to Johannesburg, before connecting with an onward flight to Victoria Falls. Arriving mid-morning, you will be met and escorted to your five-star luxury hotel located at the base of this idyllic wonderland. For almost 100 years, visiting members of Royal families, international and local statesmen, and celebrities worldwide, have preferred to stay at this idyllic hotel, where they are assured of privacy and care. An atmosphere steeped in history, combining the charm of the old with the comfort and convenience of today, it is the one hotel on the falls that can truly claim its unique quality and refinement. Spend an hour or two at leisure before being collected by your local guide for a sunset cruise on the Zambesi River. Later, you will be returned to your hotel to enjoy the duration of the evening at leisure. Day Fourteen: Victoria Falls. Early this morning, you will be transferred to a local live animal habitat to enjoy a walk on the wild side. Be prepared as you take a leisurely stroll among wild lions, which is a HIGHLY recommended activity to conclude your African adventure. The excursion requires comfortable walking shoes, as approximately one full hour is spent with these
wild animals in their natural habitat. Of course, all the safety precautions necessary are in place as your tour the lion habitat with a registered expert. is included on tour before returning to your hotel, where you can then check your heart rate, relax and breathe again. What a way to feel alive! Later today, depart on a tour of the Victoria Falls and the adjoining rainforest and jungle canopy. Your tour is followed by shopping in the local market. Afterwards, you will return to your hotel to enjoy the duration of your stay at leisure. Day Fifteen: Departure. After breakfast, meet your local driver who will escort you back to the airport for your flight to Johannesburg, where you can meet your connecting flight on to the United States. Hakuna Matata! Say goodbye to South Africa and the wild encounters (and the fabulous wine) you experienced. bids you farewell and a safe journey!
INCLUDED: Day One: No inclusions Day Two: Private meet and transfer from Tambo Airport to Johannesburg Hotel Overnight 4-star accommodations in Johannesburg Day Three: Private transfer and assistance from Johannesburg Hotel to Tambo Airport Domestic flight from Johannesburg to Sabi Sands Private meet and transfer to Game Lodge Lunch, Dinner and Lodge activities Overnight lodging at Game Lodge Day Four:, Lunch, Dinner and Lodge activities Overnight lodging at Game Lodge Day Five:, Lunch, Dinner and Lodge activities Overnight lodging at Game Lodge Day Six: and Lodge activities Private transfer and assistance to Nelspruit Airport Domestic flight from Nelspruit to Cape Town (** note: not included) Private meet and transfer from Cape Town Airport to Franschhoek Hotel Dinner Overnight 4-star accommodations in Franschhoek Day Seven: Full day wine tour of the Cape Winelands (3) wine tastings in Cape Winelands, including lunch Overnight 4-star accommodations in Franschhoek Day Eight: Gourmet cooking lesson, including lunch Overnight 4-star accommodations in Franschhoek
Day Nine: Private transportation from Franschhoek to Cape Town, including winery stops Full day wine tour of the Cape Winelands Lunch and wine tasting in Cape Winelands Overnight 5-Star accommodations in Cape Town Day Ten: Half day private tour of Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens Lunch and wine tasting in Constantia Winelands Overnight 5-star accommodations in Cape Town Day Eleven: Overnight 5-star accommodations in Cape Town Day Twelve: Full day excursion to the Cape Peninsula by private vehicle Lunch Overnight 5-star accommodations in Cape Town Day Thirteen: Private transfer and assistance from Cape Town Hotel to Cape Town Airport Domestic flight from Cape Town to Victoria Falls (** note: not included) Private meet and transfer from Victoria Falls Airport to hotel Sunset Zambezi River cruise Overnight 5-star accommodations in Cape Town Day Fourteen: Walk with the Lions tour with private guide and transfer Half day private tour of Victoria Falls Overnight 5-star accommodations in Cape Town Day Fifteen: Private transfer and assistance from Victoria Falls Hotel to Victoria Falls Airport Domestic flight from Victoria Falls to Johannesburg (** note: not included)
NOT INCLUDED: Prices do not include costs of obtaining passports, visas, inoculations, excess baggage charges, all items of a personal nature such as drinks, laundry, telephone calls and cables, internet access, meals not specified in the itinerary, personal and baggage insurance, local airport taxes and tips to waiters, hotel staff, tour conductors, sightseeing drivers and guides. Gratuities: Tips to tour guides, waiters, hotel staff and baggage handling are not included and are at the tour participant s discretion. Guidelines for gratuities will be provided with final tour documents. Most meals, unless otherwise noted on itinerary, or room service charges Intercontinental flights Tips to drivers and guides Portage at arrival Luggage handling fees at hotels Travel insurance Excessive baggage or shipping charges Storage and/or transportation of excess baggage Charges for extra meals, transport, sightseeing service or other optional additions to your itinerary are your responsibility and must be paid locally. Excess time beyond contracted service carried out at the request of the passenger for driver, guide service, vehicle charges, etc. Additional wait time or additional service due to delayed or cancelled airline flight Any items not specified under inclusions PLEASE NOTE: Every effort will be made to confirm your requested sightseeing tour as outlined in the itinerary; however, individual wineries, museums, estates, etc. can change their hours of operation at short notice. In the event that a particular tour closes on the day or time of your visit, your guide will offer alternative arrangements.
LAND QUOTE RATE PER PERSON: Vacation Price Starting at: $6200.00 USD per person double occupancy. EXACT VACATION QUOTE: Will be calculated based on dates of travel, hotel category and transportation type.