Experience, Discover & Explore Africa Itinerary prepared specially for The Andrew Daddo Group by Swagman Tours Departing: 20 October 2015
Day 1 : 20OCT15 DEPART SYDNEY (---) This afternoon make your way to Sydney Airport and check in for your flights to South Africa. DEPART SYDNEY 1900 SA7257 ARRIVE PERTH 2110 SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS (Operated by Virgin Australia) DEPART PERTH 2350 SA281 Day 2 : 21OCT15 ARRIVE SOUTH AFRICA (-LD) ARRIVE JOHANNESBURG 0515 SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS DEPART JOHANNESBURG 0720 SA8823 ARRIVE KRUGER MQP 0805 SOUTH AFRICAN AIRLINK Upon arrival into Kruger you will be met and transferred to your accommodation. They rest of the day will be at leisure and if you feel up to it you will have the opportunity to participate in an evening game activity. Accommodation: Kirkmans Kamp Kirkman s Kamp Adjacent to the world renowned Kruger National Park, the Sabi Sands Game Reserve is famed for its intimate wildlife encounters, particularly leopard viewing. Home to a host of wildlife, including the Big Five, Sabi Sand is part of a conservation area that covers over two million hectares (almost five million acres), an area equivalent to the state of New Jersey and larger than some independent countries. With no boundary fences between the reserve and the Kruger National Park, Sabi Sand benefits from the great diversity of wildlife found in one of the richest wilderness areas on the African continent along with the additional benefits experienced on a private game reserve. Daily and nightly game drives led by highly trained rangers and trackers allow for intimate game experiences from the comfort of your open safari vehicle. Game drives traverse an area of 6 300 hectares (15 700 acres) and strict vehicle limits at sightings ensure the exclusivity of your game viewing experience. Off-road driving ensures that you have the best possible view of any exceptional sighting and rangers are constantly in touch with each other to keep track of animal movements. At Kirkman's Kamp, the days are designed to thrill you with intimate wildlife encounters and the nights to delight you with the indulgence and romance of the African night.
Day 3&4 : 22-23OCT15 KIRKMANS KAMP (BLD) The next 2 Days you will be able to relax and enjoy the beauty of Kirkmans Kamp and the days will run as follows: Morning Game Drive - As dawn breaks over the African bush, a gentle tap on your door will wake you to the delights of a new day. Your ranger will discuss what you hope to see that day over fragrant tea or coffee and morning biscuits or rusks. Set out in an open 4x4 safari vehicle in the company of a ranger and tracker team, who will attempt to track your favourite animals. Sabi Sand is well known for its leopard sightings, and you may well spot one of these elusive cats resting after a successful night hunt. You will stop for refreshments at a scenic spot during your drive. Breakfast - Return to Kirkman's for a delicious breakfast, with platters of fruit and cheese followed by a selection of hot breakfast dishes. Choose from eggs, oats, waffles or a number of other options. Lunch - If you wish, you can walk off your breakfast on a short walk near the camp, accompanied by your ranger, who will share his insight into the smaller animals and vegetation in the area. Lunch is served on open air decks within sight of the river. Afternoon Tea - Cool off with a refreshing dip in the pool, admiring the views over the Sand River, or indulge in an afternoon siesta. Over a late afternoon tea, your ranger will discuss what you hope to see during the afternoon game drive. Evening Game Drive - This game drive begins in the late afternoon and lasts until after dark, when spotlights are used for a glimpse into the nocturnal bush life. Track spotted hyena as they call to each other on an evening hunt or spot the beautifully patterned civet cat. Enjoy sundowners in a scenic location as the sun slowly sinks beneath the horizon. Dinner - Return to Kirkman's for a mouthwatering dinner around a blazing fire in the Boma with newfound friends. Linger over coffee and dessert, sharing memories of the day gone by. Accommodation: Kirkmans Kamp
Day 5 : 24OCT15 KIRKMANS KAMP - KNYSNA (B--) After breakfast you will be met and transferred to the airport for your flight to George. DEPART KRUGER MQP 0830 SA8836 ARRIVE JOHANNESBURG 0925 SOUTH AFRICAN AIRLINK DEPART JOHANNESBURG 1125 SA1505 ARRIVE GEORGE 1315 SOUTH AFRICAN EXPRESS Upon arrival into George you will be met and transferred to your accommodation in Knysna. The rest of the day will be at leisure. Accommodation: Turbine Boutique Hotel Turbine Boutique Hotel & Spa The Turbine Hotel and Spa is a boutique 5 star Hotel in Knysna which offers guests an extra special experience. This exceptional boutique hotel in Knysna is situated on Thesen Island which is considered one of the most the prestigious locations on the Garden Route. The Turbine Hotel and Spa was an ambitious project which transformed the old power station into a unique 5 star boutique Knysna hotel on the Garden Route with a massive wow factor. All the old machinery which was used in this power station has been loving restored and forms an integral part of the hotels aesthetics. The Turbine Hotel and Spa offers, seventeen suites, six luxury suites, a honeymoon suite and the self-catering Water Club apartment. All suites have individual décor and art, split extra large king beds and secured with a Ving card access system. All accommodation at this Knysna hotel is air-conditioned (heating and cooling) and is full en-suite with a separate shower and bath, two basins and heated towel rails. Day 6 : 25OCT15 KNYSNA (BL-) After breakfast you will met by your Guide and taken on a Full Day Fetherbed Nature Reserve Eco-Experience. Featherbed Nature Reserve Featherbed is a privately-owned, registered Nature Reserve and a South African Heritage Site, No.59. It is a pristine piece of paradise situated on the Western Head of Knysna and is accessible by ferry only. In order to protect the splendour of the natural beauty, access to the Reserve is controlled. Numbers are limited and visits are only permitted in the company of the Reserve's specialist guides. This 4hour excursion departs daily and reservations are essential. It is a wonderful outing for all ages and fitness levels. Good walking shoes are recommended and remember to bring your camera, hats and sunblock in summer and a warm jacket for the ferry trip in winter. The nature reserve offers Knysna adventure activities not to be missed. A perfect outdoor family holiday activity to be enjoyed by both young and old. After driving through the reserve to the top of the Western Head, you can take the optional, 2.2 kilometre guided walk, passing through Milkwood forests onto the steep sandstone cliffs, into ancient Khoi Khoi sea caves and along a scenic coastal path fringed with aromatic fynbos. Your guide will inform you on the ecology, fauna, flora, bird and marine life in the reserve.
On the coastal walk back, you can often spot the resident Black African Oyster Catcher, one of the rarest coastal birds in South Africa. Featherbed Nature Reserve is home to a breeding program of the rare Blue Duiker - one of the smallest antelope species in the world - the beautiful Knysna Loerie and the endangered Knysna Sea Horse. Visitors have the rare opportunity to view these creatures on the Reserve. The Forest Restaurant is situated on the edge of the Lagoon under a canopy of Milkwood trees. A wooden deck expands to a beautiful yellowwood bar area and behind that is the kitchen and buffet room where we serve the most sumptuous buffet lunch fit for a king. Browse through our unique 'Blue Duiker' Curio Shop where a variety of curios can be purchased including the famous carved 'Feathers of Knysna' collection. Featherbed is one of the most special dining experiences in South Africa and makes for an excellent activity. Accommodation: Turbine Boutique Hotel Day 7 : 26OCT15 KNYSNA (B--) Today after breakfast you will have an adventure filled day. Firstly you will be met and taken for your morning planned activity of Tubing, followed by an afternoon activity of Ziplining. You will then return to your accommodation where the rest of the day will be at leisure so you can rest. Accommodation: Turbine Boutique Hotel Day 8 : 27OCT15 KNYSNA THE WINELANDS (B--) After breakfast you will be met and transferred to the beautiful winelands region. Accommodation: Villas at Le Franschoek Le Franschhoek Villa Ideal for an extended stay or family holiday, the villas feature a comfortable lounge area with television, a roomy patio and kitchenette for limited self-catering. The two bedrooms provide accommodation for up to four people with plush en-suite bathrooms. Large, deep baths, glass-walled showers and double vanities with shaving mirrors and hairdryers are featured in both bathrooms and a limited supply of toiletries is provided. Exquisite furnishings in natural tones and decadent linens wrap you in a bubble of sophistication while you lounge, relax and socialize in the spacious living areas which flow out onto the immaculate grounds of the hotel. Vast manicured gardens filled with glorious flowers and overlooked by the Franschhoek mountains surround the villas, providing a relaxing ambiance for your well-deserved break. Wi-Fi is available at a surcharge in all of our Villa's.
Day 9 : 28OCT15 THE WINELANDS (B--) Today is a day of Leisure to explore the Winelands as you please. Accommodation: Villas at Le Franschoek Day 10 : 29OCT15 THE WINELANDS CAPE TOWN (B--) Today after a leisurely breakfast you will be met and taken on a Full Day Cape Peninsula Tour en route to Cape Town. Full Day Cape Point and Peninsular Tour This is an awe-inspiring tour to the towering headland known as Cape Point. Magnificent beaches, breathtaking views, historic and picturesque coastal villages are to be seen along the way. The Cape Peninsula is one of the world s most scenic areas and stretches from the City centre to Cape Point. We travel along the Atlantic Seaboard via Sea Point, Clifton and Camps Bay, stopping at a Llandudno look-out point before continuing to Hout Bay, a quaint village and fishing harbour with magnificent mountain views and beach. Optional: Seal Island boat trip (seasonal, weather permitting) (not included in cost). On through Chapman s Peak, one of the world s most breathtaking coastal drives, to Cape Point and the Good Hope Nature Reserve, which has magnificent fynbos vegetation, birdlife, endemic antelope species and zebra, historic lighthouses and shipwrecks. Cape Point is perceived to be the meeting point of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. After lunch at a nearby restaurant (not included in cost), we go on to historic Simon s Town, a village with charming Victorian architecture, a naval base and a large penguin colony at the beautiful Boulders Beach. Boulders Penguin Colony (included in cost) is home to a growing colony of the vulnerable African Penguin. Wooden walkways allow visitors to view the penguins in their natural habitat and there is also a new information centre. We then make our way to visit the well-known Kirstenbosch 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 flora, it was the first botanical garden in the world with this ethos. The garden is world-renowned for the beauty and diversity of the Cape Flora it displays and for the magnificence of its setting against the eastern slopes of Table Mountain. At the conclusion of the tour you will taken to your accommodation. Accommodation: Cape Town Hollow Cape Town Hollow Boutique Hotel Cape Town Hollow Boutique Hotel is a charming 3-star property located 11.6km (7.2mi) from the centre of Cape Town. Local tourist attractions such as Company Gardens, South Africa Library and Houses of Parliament are not far from the hotel. Also easily within reach are South African National Gallery, St. George's Cathedral and Slave Lodge. Room facilities include coffee/tea maker and direct-dial phone. Entertainment: In-room entertainment options at Cape Town Hollow Boutique Hotel include satellite television service. Housekeeping services are also available. Cape Town Hollow Boutique Hotel is a smoke-free property. Dining facilities at the hotel include a restaurant. The hotel boasts a 24-hour front desk service. Hotel guests will appreciate the welcoming services of our multilingual staff. Other
hotel amenities include tennis court(s). Other services: complimentary newspapers in lobby, concierge services, dry cleaning/laundry service, elevator/lift and wedding services. Day 11 : 30OCT15 CAPE TOWN (B--) After breakfast you will be taken to iconic Table Mountain and Robben Island. One of the finest ways to appreciate Cape Town is from the top of Table Mountain with its panoramic views over the City Bowl, Table Bay and beyond. Robben Island, the unique symbol of the triumph of the human spirit over adversity, suffering and injustice with a rich 500 year old multi-layered history, is visited every year by thousands of people eager to understand and honour the important aspects of South Africa s history that the Island represents. At the conclusion of the tour you will be returned to your accommodation where the rest of the day will be at leisure. Accommodation: Cape Town Hollow Day 12 : 31OCT15 DEPART CAPE TOWN (B--) After breakfast you will have the afternoon free for any last minute shopping or touring of Cape Town. At approximately 2pm you will be transferred to Cape Town Airport to begin your journey home. DEPART CAPE TOWN 1645 SA354 ARRIVE JOHANNESBURG 1845 SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS DEPART JOHANNESBURG 2130 SA280 Day 13 : 01NOV15 ARRIVE SYDNEY (B--) ARRIVE PERTH 1255 SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS DEPART PERTH 1505 SA7258 ARRIVE SYDNEY 2225 SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS (Operated by Virgin Australia)