AN UNFORGETTABLE ADVENTURE

Join us on this extraordinary journey as we uncover the magic of South Africa together

Our two weeks in South Africa will explore the wide diversity of this vibrant country. We will learn about its history, explore its scenic beauty and taste its bountiful harvest of delicious food and wine. Our journey will take us to some of South Africa’s most iconic destinations, including Cape Town, where we’ll visit:

Robben Island: Immerse ourselves in the history of apartheid at the infamous prison where Nelson Mandela spent 18 years of his life.

Ascend Table Mountain: Take a breathtaking cable car ride to the top of this majestic mountain, offering panoramic views of Cape Town and the surrounding coastline.

Enjoy a Sunset Cruise: Sail along the Atlantic Ocean, sipping on champagne and witnessing the breathtaking beauty of a Cape Town sunset.

World-Class Vineyards: Indulge in wine tastings at some of South Africa’s finest wineries, enjoying breathtaking scenery and delicious local cuisine.

Scenic Coastal Walks: Take leisurely strolls along pristine beaches, soaking up the sun and enjoying the fresh ocean breeze.

Thrilling Adventures: For the more adventurous, we can arrange optional shark cage diving experiences, offering a unique and unforgettable encounter with these magnificent creatures.

With a maximum of 10 guests (including myself and my wife), we offer a personalized and enriching travel experience that goes beyond the typical tourist itinerary.

TRIP SUMMARY

Group Size:

10 Guests

Duration:

14 Days / 13 Nights

Locations:

Cape Town
Cape Peninsula
Hermanus
Welgevonden Game Reserve

TRIP DATES

August 14 – 27 2025
September 3 – 16 2025.  Room for 2 more!!!

Jan 2026. Just opened!

Feb 2026 Just opened!!

OUR TRIP FOCUS

UNFORGETABLE
WILDLIFE ENCOUNTERS

We’ll explore renowned game reserves, seeking out the “Big Five” and many other incredible creatures in their natural habitat.

CULINARY
DELIGHTS

Indulge in the vibrant flavors of South Africa, from traditional dishes to world-class wines. This will be a highlight of our journey, with opportunities to savor local specialties and dine at some of the finest restaurants in the country.

CULTURAL
IMMERSION

We’ll engage with local communities, learn about their traditions, and gain insights into the unique history and social fabric of South Africa.

INTIMATE GROUP
EXPERIENCES

Our small group size ensures personalized attention, allowing for deeper connections with fellow travelers and a more authentic travel experience.

SAMPLE TRIP ITINERARY

Our itinerary will take us to Cape Town, known as the Mother City, where we visit Robben Island, the top of Table Mountain and the vibrant entertainment district called the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront.

From Cape Town we will go to Noordhoek where we will visit Cape Point, Boulders Beach (the home of a large penguin colony).
After Noordhoek we go to Hermanus, a small coastal village that has spectacular beaches, an amazing craft market, great vineyards and (if interested!) an opportunity to go shark diving.

The last portion of the trip is often the highlight for our guests as we head off to a four-night safari in the malaria free Welgovonden Game Reserve where we have the opportunity to see the Big Five.

Enjoying great food is something important to me; we will share some very delicious meals. Accommodating various food requirements will not be a challenge as both my wife and I have some foods we cannot eat – something that never gets in the way of our enjoyment of dining out.

DAY 1 – 5

CAPE TOWN

Day 1: Today after arriving at Cape Town Airport, you will meet your driver who will transfer you to the hotel (included). After time to shower or take a nap, we’ll meet the rest of our group for cocktails on a Sunset Cruise in Table Bay.

Day 2: Our hotel is located in the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront – this allows us to walk to the Robben Island ferry for our morning tour of a prison that held Nelson Mandela for 18 of his 27-year imprisonment. After the tour, you are free to explore the waterfront with its wide variety of restaurants, cafes and shopping.

Day 3: Our third day in Cape Town will begin soon after breakfast and we will take a cable car to the top of Table Mountain for spectacular views – as long as the weather cooperates! We will spend some time in a museum honouring the people of District Six as we learn more of the history of Apartheid.

Day 4 & 5: Another early start. We will head to what Francis Drake called the ‘fairest cape in all the world’. Keep your eyes open for a variety of wildlife we don’t see in Ontario – zebra, antelope and baboons. We will then go to Boulders and pop in to see the penguins who nest on the beach. After lunch in Simonstown, we will head back to our hotel. The views here are amazing! On day 5, we will have a late start and visit Kirstenbosch Gardens, one of the most spectacular botanical gardens in the world. After a couple of hours of ‘stopping to smell the flowers’ we will head back to the hotel to prepare for our dinner (included) at another one of my favourite places to eat.

DAY 6 – 9

HERMANUS

Day 6: After a walk on the beach or a lazy breakfast we will transfer from Cape Town to Hermanus via a gorgeous coastal route. When we arrive in Hermanus we will enjoy lunch right on the edge of the ocean while looking for whales or seals (depending on the season). The rest of the day is free for you to explore the village. Dinner (included) is a traditional South African Braai.

Day 7: Hermanus offers a wide variety of activities for you to choose from. Based on interest, I can arrange a round (or two) of golf, a wine tour in the Hemel en Aarde Valley or a swim in the ocean with the sharks! (These activities are at an additional cost) Tonight you can explore the local restaurants for dinner. (I’ll give you some personal recommendations to ensure you have a good meal).

Day 8: Today is a repeat of yesterday, with the option to choose a different activity. Going for a walk on the beach, sitting watching the waves or browsing the local art are all good options (along with those suggested on day 7). Dinner this evening will be a private function with our own chef preparing a ‘surprise me’ dinner (included).

Day 9: From Hermanus we will take a different route to the airport and stop en route at a farm stall for ‘padkos’. To avoid the horrible traffic after our 2-hour flight to Johannesburg, we will stay at an airport hotel so that we are ready for tomorrow’s 8AM departure.

DAY 10 – 14

WELGENVONDEN GAME RESERVE

Day 10: Driving through Johannesburg will be an experience -10 lanes of traffic with an occasional cow on the side of the road! Our drive to the lodge takes about 3 hours. We will stop for a refreshment break in Vaalwater and explore a curio shop to stake a claim on purchases to be made on the day of departure. Today is also our first game drive!

Day 11: Each day at Inzalo Safari Lodge will start early with coffee or tea and rusks. We then head out on our vehicle to explore. After 2 or 3 hours we will head back to the lodge for lunch, a rest (possibly a swim in your private plunge pool) and then a 2nd drive in the evening. After the 2nd drive, we head back to the lodge and enjoy dinner while telling stories and continuing to build friendships.

Day 12: Today is another day we will be exploring the reserve, looking out for the ‘Big Five’, enjoying a Gin and Tonic while the sun sets and enjoying really good food. This lodge has a great kitchen staff that excels in making great food and skillfully accommodates for all dietary restrictions.

Day 13: While the game drive starts early, the pace of our safari is very relaxing. You never know what game will be spotted on today’s drive so while staying in the lodge is an option you probably won’t!

Day 14: Unfortunately, today is our last day. We have one more morning game drive before we head off to the airport with a short break at Vaalwater to buy souvenirs. The flight home is long, but it will allow ample opportunity to reflect on your amazing adventure, or start dreaming of your next trip to South Africa.

Important Travel Notes:

Laundry Service will be provided (pickup and delivery) at our hotel in Hermanus. The fee is approximately $10 (CAD). Our safari lodges also offer this at a small additional charge

The Adaptor you will need for South Africa is on Amazon. Follow this link to find what you need

The currency of South Africa is the Rand. The exchange rate is here. You will find ATM’s everywhere we will be, however, the fees and exchange rate they offer is not the same as this listed rate. Consider taking some cash with you from Canada (It will be a better rate then the ATM’s), and using your credit card whenever possible. Please be aware that most credit cards charge an additional fee of 2-3% for the privilege of using their card overseas. There are some cards that waive this fee. It might be worth your time to explore this option.

There will be lots of people offering to help with your baggage at the airport. They will be wearing orange and black uniforms. Once you clear customs, your driver will be at arrivals and take the luggage from there. R50-R100 is a suitable gratuity for both the driver and the porters should you choose to use their help.

Tips have not been included in your meal or driver transfer costs. The tips for the guide and staff at our safari lodges are INCLUDED, however you are welcome give them additional amounts. Standard tipping is 10%

Uber Black is an effective and inexpensive transportation tool. Only use the app to book your ride (as there are many scammers who will tell you they are Uber drivers).

Your flight to Cape Town from Canada is a long one and depending on your routing, you may have up to 12 hours waiting in an airport. Airport lounges offer pay per use access (but only 3 hours prior to departure of your ongoing flight) If you are even a little bit adventurous you can leave the airport and check into a local hotel (check out dayuse.com) Having a shower and a nap can be very restorative!

There are many opportunities for you to pick up a perfect memento of your trip to South Africa. Here are some places we will be and what you can expect:

  • Victoria & Alfred Waterfront: A high-end shoppers paradise. Beautiful custom art, shirts and carvings with a premium price tag.
  • Hermanus: a permanent craft market offering many handmade items, sellers are very open to bartering, The first price you hear is at least 30% higher then what you need to pay and if you come back to the same stall after going for a walk the price might get better! The art galleries in Hermanus have some gorgeous artwork (of all different mediums) and will happily arrange for shipping to Canada. There are many lovely clothing shops in Hermanus too.
  • Roadside vendors: These vendors are everywhere and again are open to bartering. Don’t pay the initial quoted price!
  • Black Mamba (Vaalwater): On the way to our safari lodge we will make a stop at this shop to stretch our legs and have a look at what is available. We stop here again on our day of departure having the required knowledge of what we need to purchase so the stop does not take too long on the way out -remember we have flights to catch! This shop is my personal favourite for its wide variety of items and fair prices.

You might choose to purchase a SIM card for your phone for use during the time in South Africa. You can do so at the airport upon arrival or wait until you get to the hotel as there is a VODACOM shop very close. A SIM card with enough Data to last the two weeks should cost about $20 (CAD) which will allow you to keep in touch with our group via WhatsApp. Wifi will be available at every restaurant and hotel where we eat/stay. If you need to make outgoing international phone calls during your stay, you need to mention that to the clerk when purchasing the card.

During the trip we will use WhatsApp to update our plans, share tickets for entry, and pass on your boarding pass for the flight from Cape Town to Johannesburg. Please make a point of checking the app for messages from the group.

All meals while we are on safari are included, with the exception of sundowner drinks on game drives. Alcohol while on safari is not included, all breakfasts are included, one dinner in Cape Town, and two dinners while we are in Hermanus are included.

Each couple has an allowance of two carry on and one check in bag. (specify that this is for ground transfers on the tour not airlines) If you need extra space, there is a possibility of additional charges. Please let me know in advance if you think you’ll need more space.

The weather while we are in Cape Town will be like this, Hermanus will be like this and the Weather on safari will be like this.

We will not be in an area that has malaria, unless you plan to travel to another area on your own either before or after this trip. No anti malaria mediation is required. Check with a travel clinic as to what you should have in place. A local resource in London ON is the London Travel Clinic.

I have tried to include as much as I could in this trip while still allowing free time to explore. Here are the time slots that do not have anything planned:

  • Afternoon and Evening after the Robben Island Tour
  • Consider wandering around the waterfront, enjoying a meal at a restaurant with a view of the mountain or visiting the aquarium.
  • Late Afternoon and Evening after the Cape Point Boulder Beach Day tour
  • Consider a walk on Long Beach, a coffee or ice-cream break in the Noordhoek Village, or dinner at the Food Barn
  • 2nd Day in Noordhoek
  • Repeat of the activities above. Also consider renting a bike (eBike?) and riding Chapmans Peak Drive.
  • 3 Nights in Hermanus
  • Aside from two shared dinners (included) your time in Hermanus is free to visit the shops and craft market, walk on the cliff path, the beach or contour path,
  • book a wine tour, shark cage diving, golf, visit art galleries or enjoy a coffee or meal while taking in the local vibe.

Any activities during your free time are at your cost.

I look forward to sharing my South Africa with you!!