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(B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)
Day
1
After your arrival in Johannesburg you are greeted by your tour
guide. Together we drive through the Orange Free State, to an area bordering
the Kingdom of Lesotho. We visit a cultural village of the friendly Basotho
who live in this region, and learn about the various building styles of
their houses. Close by lies Golden Gate National Park with its impressive
sandstone cliffs. A feeding station has been set up here for the Bearded
Vulture as well as the endangered Cape Vulture. Anyone who is not too
tired after the long flight can participate in an hour-long hike to a
large sandstone cave. We spend the night in the comfortable Glen Reenen
Camp.
Day 2
We hit the road early. We travel up through the Qua-Qua Highlands to the
2500 m high start of the Sentinel Trail. From here we hike across the
over 3000 m high plateau of the “Amphitheatre“ to the point
where the Tugela River plunges over the edge of a waterfall more than
1000 m high (4 hours). In the process it is necessary to climb up and
down a safe, 25 m high metal ladder. The view is one-of-a-kind. In the
late afternoon we drive to the neighbouring province of Kwa-Zulu Natal
to the Royal Natal National Park. The comfortable, thatched cottages of
the Tendele Camp are situated in front of the 3000 m high “Amphitheatre“.
Here we will spend the next two nights. (B, L, D)
Day
3
Today we hike through the rugged, partly forested Tugela Gorge to where
it ends at the wall of the Amphitheatre and we literally cannot go any
further. With a bit of luck we might see some delicate Klipspringer. (6
hours) (B, L, D)
Day 4
We drive through idyllic Zululand with its typical painted round huts
to Cathedral Peak, situated in the middle of the Ukhahlamba Drakensberg
Park, a world heritage site. We hike in Rainbow Gorge with its fantastic
forest and awe-inspiring cliff walls. We are accommodated in a beautiful
hotel with the Drakensberg Mountains as its backdrop. (4 hours) (B, D)
Day 5
We drive via the pretty university town of Pietermaritzburg on to the
lively port of Durban. En route we visit the largest mission station in
Africa in Marian hill. A Sister will introduce us to a few of the impressive
welfare projects. Passing the lively Indian market and Victorian-era city
hall we arrive at Durban’s colourful beach promenade. The sea with
its warm temperature is a great place for a swim. The uShaka Marineworld
Aquarium is also worth a visit. It is the sixth largest in the world with
a multitude of marine life: the sharks and rays are of particular interest.
We are accommodated in a cosy guest house. (B)
Day
6
We leave Durban and continue north to the Hluhluwe/Umfolozi National Park,
which is particularly well known for its rhino population. In the afternoon
we do our first game drive in search of rhino, lion, giraffe, elephant
and zebra. In a comfortable camp we fall asleep to the voices and noises
of Africa. (B)
Day 7
In the early morning we experience the bush firsthand on a three-hour
hike with an armed ranger (3 hours). We leave the National Park and drive
to the world heritage site of iSimangaliso Wetland Park. A boat trip on
the St. Lucia estuary displays a plethora of water birds such as the Goliath
Heron, African Fish Eagle, kingfishers and many others. Families of hippopotamus
as well as Nile crocodiles cavort in the water. We spend the night in
a cosy guest house. The beach and forest are in close proximity. Once
in a while hippos and leopards are spotted in the area! (B)
Day
8
We leave this unique natural area and drive back to Durban, from where
we catch a connecting flight to Port Elizabeth (not included in tour price).
Afterwards we continue on to the Tsitsikamma Forest, where we stay in
a beautiful lodge. A short hike brings us to an idyllic bathing pool in
the forest. (B)
Day 9
After breakfast we visit the Tsitsikamma National Park with its gigantic,
ancient yellowwood trees and hike along a forest path and across a suspension
bridge over the churning Storms River Mouth (1 hour). Afterwards we drive
to Nature’s Valley, an idyllic holiday resort with beautiful sandy
beaches and a lagoon. We do a hike through the forests of the Kalanda
Gorge on the coastal plateau (3 hours). Here we see a variety of erica
and protea species, which are part of the unique Capensis fl oral kingdom.
We spend the night in a good hotel near the holiday resort of Plettenberg
Bay. (B)
Day 10
A short transfer brings us to the Robberg Nature Reserve. A four-hour
hike takes us around the peninsula and offers very pretty views of the
1800 m high Tsitsikamma Mountains. Due to exposed sedimentary layers,
the geological development of this area can be traced. The swimming beach
in Plettenberg Bay invites one to take a swim. The neighbouring town of
Knysna is well-known for its “Heads” – two steeply towering
rocks which mark the inlet to the Knysna lagoon. Here we are accommodated
in a cosy guest house. At dinner we can try the local “Mitchell’s
Beer”. (B)
Day
11
Today we drive over the 800 m high Outeniqua Pass in the Klein Karoo to
Oudtshoorn. We visit an ostrich farm and the impressive Cango Caves, before
we cross over the imposing Swartberg Pass through the mountain range of
the same name. We arrive in the wide expanse of the Great Karoo. We drive
over the Theronsberg Pass into the rugged solitude of the Cedarberg Mountains.
Our comfortable cottages are idyllically situated on a farm on the river,
where we are accommodated for the next two nights. (B, D)
Day 12
Today we take a steep route up to the plateau full of mysterious mythical
creatures, which were created in sandstone by extreme weather conditions.
We traverse some narrow tunnels, crevices and bridges en route to our
destination, the Wolfberg Arch, an enormous stone archway from where we
have unrivalled views over the southern Cedarberg (6 hours). Alternatively
there is also an easier route. In the afternoon we visit a cave in the
bizarre rock landscape with interesting rock paintings by the indigenous
Khoisan people. (B, L, D)
Day 13
We hike from the beautiful Kromriver Valley up to the Maltese Cross, a
free-standing rock formation created by erosion (6 hours). Afterwards
we leave the Cedarberg and drive to Cape Town where we will spend three
nights in a comfortable guest house at the foot of Table Mountain. (B,
L)
Day
14
In the morning we visit the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and hike on
the landmark of Cape Town, Table Mountain (4 hours). The views of Cape
Town 1000 m below are incomparable. We come down the mountain again with
the cable car. In the afternoon we do a walking tour of the Mother City:
the castle, parade ground and city hall, Greenmarket Square, parliament
gardens, Natural and Cultural History Museum, Malay Quarter, harbour and
waterfront. (B)
Day 15
After a visit to the Boulders penguin colony we drive along the Indian
Ocean to the Cape of Good Hope, were we do a beautiful hike in the Nature
Reserve off the tourist trail (3 hours). In this fl oral kingdom we see
many species of protea, many of which are found only in this area of the
Peninsula. We drive back to Cape Town on the Atlantic side along the most
breathtaking stretch of coast in South Africa, Chapman’s Peak. (B)
Day 16
In the morning you have the opportunity to visit a kindergarten project
as part of a township tour of Khayelitsha, which is supported by AFRICAN
BIKERS. Until the departure flight there is enough time for some shopping.
This scenic and culturally diverse hiking tour ends with a transfer to
Cape Town airport. (B)
| Travel
Information: |
Included:
qualified
English-speaking tour guide
all
accommodation in double rooms with own shower/toilet (3*)
all
meals as mentioned
all
entrance fees
all
transfers & travel in a air conditioned minibus
Excluded:
flights
within South Africa
flights
to and from South Africa
gratuity
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