Grand Panoramic Tour of South Africa
Including Johannesburg, Sun City, Pretoria, Port Elizabeth, Knysna, Oudtshoorn, Cape Town.
Highest attractions: Open top Safari rides in Pilansberg Game Reserve, Whale watching at Hermanus, Robben Island.
All visits and excursions included with an English speaking guide. NO OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS
Introduction:
After establishing itself as a democracy, South Africa has the beauty, the climate, the wildlife, the culture and the entertainment to offer year round appeal. It is a country made for touring. One of its greatest delights is the astonishing scenery. Whether it is the panoramic bushveldt, the velvet rustle of the mountain grasslands, the dramatic escarpments, the rocky shores and smoking white sand dunes or the thundering rivers and waterfalls, the usual clichés – spectacular, stunning, breathtaking, magnificent – are simply inadequate. Ten per cent of all the flowering plant species in the world grow here, and this is one of the last great wilderness habitats of the great African Wildlife, home to many thousands of elephants, hundreds of species of birds from ostrich to starling. This is the South Africa we are giving you: an emotional, magical, unique experience.
This is the only proper organised tour to South Africa from Malta comprising all our experience.
South Africa is a vast country although it has a mainly Mediterranean type of climate. August will be springtime but while the north (Johannsesburg, Pretoria, Sun city) could be rather dry with temperatures hovering around 25C, the south (Cape Town area) might be showery with temperatures around 18C.
We have opted to leave dinner out on most days, in order to satisfy the tastes of our various guests. Experience taught us that in each city one finds a wide range of restaurants and places to eat: from typical local specialities such as ostrich, kudu, impala or even crocodile meat to various fish dishes. We know that some people love to experiment while others are a little bit more conservative. It is also worth pointing out that normal meal prices are quite reasonable.
ITINERARY:
THURSDAY 16 AUGUST: DEPARTING MALTA
We shall meet at Luqa International Airport for our flight to Johannesburg. Drinks and full in flight catering service as provided by the airline concerned.
FRIDAY 17 AUGUST: JOHANNESBURG, PRETORIA
After landing, we will be met at the airport by our local guide and driver. We promise to show you as much as possible of this vast country. Sightseeing starts immediately with a visit to GOLD REEF CITY. As we enter this park, (entrance included), we are transported back in time to the heydays of the Gold rush. This “city” is a replica of old time Johannesburg where you go underground via an original mine shaft and view the Gold Reef that gave birth to Johannesburg. After the tour we proceed to PRETORIA for our accommodation at the Town Lodge Menlo Park. Near the hotel you will find a very good restaurant or maybe you can go to Menlo Park Shopping arcade for dinner.
SATURDAY 18 AUGUST: PRETORIA AND JOHANNESBURG SIGHTSEEING.
After breakfast, we do a sightseeing tour of PRETORIA which includes the Voortrekker Monument, a beautiful remembrance building, (entrance included). We continue our sightseeing by going to the massive Union Buildings and Klapperkop Fort. Later we return to Johannesburg for visits to Soweto and Consitution Hill. Back to the Hotel in Pretoria and free time.
SUNDAY 19 AUGUST: SUN CITY
After breakfast, we depart to one or rather two highlights of the tour. The famous Sun City resort is the playground of the rich and famous just like Las Vegas in the USA. Here you have the opportunity of a variety of activities to participate in. Sun City is also situated adjacent to the PILANESBERG GAME RESERVE. On arrival we go on a tour to introduce you to the different possibilities that the resort offers. Our 3 nights’ stay is on Bed & breakfast basis. We have also given you, dear client, the choice to stay in whichever hotel you prefer in this resort. But please note that whichever hotel you opt for, you will get the same service from the tour manager.
The Cabanas Hotel
MONDAY 20 AUGUST: SUN CITY
Breakfast. Pilanesberg Game Reserve is the third biggest game reserve in South Africa and is home to an unparalled diversity of wildlife including the “Big Five”. We start on our morning drive in an open safari vehicle accompanied by a qualified game warden who brings us in contact with this wonderful world. Do remember to bring with you a camera and plenty of video as well as a pair of binoculars. Please note that game viewing is unpredictable so the sight of all the animals cannot be guaranteed. In the afternoon you are free to enjoy some of the many activities that Sun City resort offers.
TUESDAY 21 AUGUST: SUN CITY
After breakfast we have included a second drive in the Pilanesberg Game Reserve. Kindly note that we opted for an open safari vehicle rather than the coach since the experience is totally different. The sight of elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos and buffalos is always a thrill. But many visitors also get a kick out of spotting a kudu, a warthog or one of the eagle species. Back to the hotel with great memories of this unique corner of the world. Later maybe you can try your luck at one of the tables in the casino or enjoy a show or just a quite drink, reminiscing on the sights of the past two days.
WEDNESDAY 22 AUGUST: SUN CITY, PORT ELIZABETH
After breakfast we depart to Johannesburg International Airport for our flight to PORT ELIZABETH. Upon arrival, maybe we have time for a short sightseeing tour before making our way for the overnight at Town Lodge Hotel. Situated quite near the Broadwalk where one can find quite a few restaurants, bars and other entertainment spots.
THURSDAY 23 AUGUST: GARDEN ROUTE TO KNYSNA
Breakfast. Take your place and relax for our leisurely drive out of “the friendly city” facing the Indian Ocean. We head for the picturesque lagoon side town of Knysna in the heart of the Garden Route. We shall pay a short visit to the Storms River Mouth Natuyre Reserve, a beautiful rugged piece of coastline as we go through the Tsisikamma Forest and National Park. Time to enjoy a walk through the forest to the river mouth itself. Other stops will be made at viewpoints along the way such as Blaauwkranz River Bridge (highest bungee jump in the world) and the upmarket resort of Plettenberg Bay. Check in for the night at the Protea Hotel Knysna Quays, on the waterfront.
FRIDAY 24 AUGUST: KNYSNA TO OUDTSHOORN
After breakfast, you board the ferry boat for a trip over the Knysna lagoon to the Featherbed nature reserve. Here, we take the Unimog trailer train for a trip to the top of the heads for breathtaking views over the Indian Ocen and the town of Knysna. You have the choice of walking back to the quay through the milkwood forest or returning by the train. Enjoy a seafood lunch (included) before you return by ferry to your coach. We take to the road and travel via GEORGE to the Ostrich capital of OUDTSHOORN. Visist an ostrich farm and enjoy an ostrich steak dinner (included) before leaving for an overnight at the Protea Hotel Riempie Estate.
SATURDAY 25 AUGUST: OUDTSHOORN TO CAPE TOWN.
After Breakfast we drive to the world famous Cango Caves for an included tour of the caves. Afterwards we start our way to CAPE TOWN through the breathtaking Huis River Pass and via the town of Barrydale and Swellendam. Check in at the City Lodge, V&A. Victoria and Alfred Waterfront is one of the biggest Shopping Centres in Cape Town offering quite a few possibilities for both eating and shopping.
SUNDAY 26 AUGUST: CAPE TOWN
MONDAY 27 AUGUST: CAPE TOWN
On both days breakfast is included in the hotel. We have included several visits during out stay in Cape Town. We are sure that you will appreciate that some of these activities are weather permitting. That is why we are showing them together here. We will try to organise first those visits that are weather permitting followed by those that can be done anytime.
We have a tour of the Cape Peninsula with a route along the seaboard of the Atlantic Ocean to the town of Hout Bay. Here we board a boat to visit Seal Island. A drive via the beautiful Chapman;s Peak to Cape Point in the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, the most South Westerly point of the continent of Africa. We shall also include a visit to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. During our tour we shall also have a stop at the holiday town of Hermanus, one of the world’s best on land whale spotting sites. Other planned visits are to Robben Island, where President Mandela and many of his comrades were incarcerated for many years. Finally we travel up Table Mountain by Cable car for a breathtaking view over Cape Town and the Peninsula.
TUESDAY 28 AUGUST: CAPE TOWN, WINELAND AND FLIGHT BACK TO MALTA.
We commence the day with another breakfast. But even on our last day in South Africa, we still have one more visit as we proceed to Cape Winelands. We have included a visit to a wine estate for a cellar tour and wine tasting. Later we proceed to Cape Town international airport and our flight back to Malta.
WEDNESDAY 29 AUGUST:
Arrival in Malta. Service on Board as per airline normal schedule.
INCLUDED IN YOUR TOUR:
Price Euros 3899 per person in a twin/double room:
• International Flights: Malta – Johannesburg / Cape Town – Malta
• Internal flight: Johannesburg – Port Elizabeth
• Airport Taxes, service charge, fuel surcharge as of 15th January, 2012.
• Your seat on coach throughout the tour
• All visits as mentioned
• All entrances as mentioned to museums and all park entrances
• Good, central hotels, twin / double rooms all with private facilities
• Meals: daily breakfast;
• Lunch and dinner as shown in the programme
• Service of tour manager
• Service of a local English speaking driver/guide
• Travel Insurance (GasanMamo, Executive)
Regarding Sun City Resort Hotel is based on the Cabanas Hotel. We also offer an option for the Cascades Hotel at a supplement of €200 per person.
EARLY BOOKING DISCOUNT:
Book before 28 February
and you will be entitled to a
discount of €149 per person. That means you pay only €3750 per person.
How to pay:
Deposit
€750 per person by 28th February
€899 per person after 1st March
1st payment of €1000 by 15th April
2nd payment of €1000 by 15th May
3rd final payment of €1000 by 30th June.
Tour is based on a minimum number of 10 paying guests with a maximum of 16 participants.
We have given you the names of the various hotels we are using so that you will be in a position to check for yourselves through the Internet, the facilities and the areas.
We do believe that this tour is for an experienced traveller who want something very different from the usual offers. That is why we have INCLUDED ALL EXCURSIONS and as many visits and sightseeing as possible rather than shopping.