Taste your way through the flavors of the Winelands before an extraordinary adventure through the Little Karoo en route to South Africa's Garden Route. There, you will spend time exploring the highlights of this unique region.
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ItineraryGuests will be met at any location of their choice in Cape Town, from where we travel to the Winelands. Before reaching Stellenbosch, a visit is made to the Vergelegen Wine Estate. Willem Adriaan van der Stel laid out the estate in 1700. Vergelegen's Cape Dutch house, gardens, and winery offer a unique look back into the 18th century.
The Stellenbosch Wine Route is the oldest, largest, and probably the most visited of all the Southwest Cape's wine routes. Many of the estates are very old. Their gabled, whitewashed Cape Dutch homesteads, rolling vineyards, and shade-dappled grounds are lovely beyond measure. We visit two of these fine estates where the art of winemaking in South Africa is experienced first-hand. A large variety of wines can be sampled, allowing you to find a wine that will suit your palette. Before traveling to the overnight destination in Franschhoek, a visit is made to the "Bergkelder," a unique cellar carved deep into the mountainside.
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Itinerary The day is devoted to exploring the town of Franschhoek and visiting three of the finest wine estates in the area. The magnificent Franschhoek Valley lies between two towering mountains in the beautiful Cape Winelands. The valley was initially settled in 1688 by French Huguenot refugees in a valley called Olifantshoek, so named because of the vast herds of elephants that once roamed the area. The region changed its name to Franschhoek, with many of the settlers naming their new farms after the regions in France from where they came: La Motte, La Cotte, Provence, Chamonix, Dieu Donne, and La Dauphine, to name a few. Most of these farms have retained their original farmhouses and have grown into established wineries.
Franschhoek is well known for having some of the country's top restaurants. Its strong wine culture and pristine natural and architectural beauty have made the town into what many describe as the "food and wine capital" of South Africa.
Distance ItineraryFrom Franschhoek, we travel to the town of Robertson in the fertile Robertson Valley. Farming and wagon building were the town's original industries. Robertson subsequently became famous for its ostrich farming. However, this industry collapsed shortly after World War I, so the farmers switched to wine and fruit farming. It is also home to several successful racehorse stud farms. The wine industry in Robertson has grown from the original 25 cellars to more than 50 registered wine cellars. Several of these cellars have been recognized with international and local awards. Robertson's wine cellars include Graham Beck, Springfield, Bon Cap, Majors Hill, and the Excelsior Estate.
The tour will visit one of these wine estates. A few kilometers from town, a dirt road leads to the Sheilam Cactus Gardens. It is home to about 3,000 of the strangest and most interesting exotic cactus plants known to man. After exploring the Cactus Gardens, the tour goes through the towns of Ashton, Barrydale, Ladismith, and Calitzdorp before reaching the "capital" of ostrich farming, Oudtshoorn.
Distance Itinerary We visit the Cango Caves in the morning and enjoy the Heritage Tour of South Africa's most significant underground wonder. Guests are led through the cave's first six chambers, including the renowned "African Drum Room." Some unique geological formations you will view include stalagmites and stalactites, flowstones, helictites, and rimstone pools. These formations provide insight into geological processes and the passage of time.
The visit to the Cango Caves is followed by a journey to the small Karoo Town of Prince Albert via the imposing Swartberg Pass. The pass, constructed between 1881 and 1886, ascends to 1583 meters. It offers panoramic views of the surrounding countryside and is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site that showcases diverse fauna and flora. Upon reaching Prince Albert, lunch is enjoyed before we explore this quaint Karoo town with its well-preserved examples of Victorian, Karoo, and Cape Dutch architecture. The tour returns to Oudtshoorn via Meiringspoort. The route includes twenty-five river crossings and is one of South Africa's most impressive.
Distance ItineraryBefore departing the Little Karoo, we visit an ostrich farm to gain insight into the world's largest birds' breeding, behavior, and life cycle. We then travel to the coastal city of Mosselbay, where we visit the museum dedicated to the legacy of the legendary Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Diaz, who was the first European to set foot on South African soil in 1488. The museum houses a full-size replica of the Caravel with which Diaz sailed and displays maritime exploration artifacts, maps, and navigational equipment. A historic tree where early sailors left letters for passing ships is adjacent to the building.
We then go to Mosselbay Harbor for lunch before boarding a cruise to Seal Island to view a colony of Cape Fur Seals. Other marine life that is often encountered includes dolphins, and if you are traveling between June and November, you may spot whales. Then, it's on to Knysna in the heart of the Garden Route, where guests are assisted with checking in to their overnight accommodation.
Distance Itinerary We devote the day to exploring Knysna, 'The Jewel of the Garden Route.' First on the agenda is a visit to Featherbed Nature Reserve, situated on the western of Knysna's two famous heads. The reserve is reached by ferry across the Knysna Lagoon, a delightful experience that offers stunning views of the area's majesty. While in the reserve, you will enjoy a 4X4 trip to the top of the headland and a guided walk of just over two kilometers through coastal forest and fynbos. The excursion lasts about four hours. You can enjoy lunch in the reserve or upon returning to the Waterfront.
In the afternoon, we visit the Eastern Head, Leisure, and Thesen Island to fully appreciate the majesty of the town and its surrounding area before returning to the overnight accommodation after a day, which will surely be a highlight of your tour.
Distance ItineraryShortly after breakfast, we leave Knysna behind and travel via Sedgefield to the Garden Route National Park, where one of two activities is enjoyed, depending on guest preference. The first is canoeing on the Touws River, with splendid scenery consisting of forested hills, waterfalls, and the ever-present birdsong are some of the delights to be savored. Less actively inclined people will enjoy a boat cruise on the river.
The adjacent village of Wilderness is then briefly explored, and the Map of Africa is visited. This viewpoint overlooks a section of the Kaaiman's River, which cuts a path in the surrounding countryside that resembles Arica. From here, a short drive leads to George Airport, where guests are assisted with check-in for a flight bound for Cape Town.
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