Day 1 – Dublin to South Africa

Fly from Dublin to South Africa. Overnight on the flight.

Day 2 – Cape Town

Arrive in South Africa where you will be met by your professional tour guide. Enjoy a tour of Cape Town including the Castle of Good Hope, St. George’s Cathedral, Company Gardens and Malay Quarter. Continue to the impressive Table Mountain & travel by cable car to the peak with 360° views of the surroundings. Check-in to the Southern Sun Waterfront hotel within walking distance of the vibrant city centre. Welcome dinner & overnight at your hotel.

Day 3 – Cape Peninsula

No visit to the Western Cape can ever be complete without spending a full day on the exquisite Cape Peninsula. Depart your hotel & travel via the fishing village of Hout Bay to Chapman’s Peak Drive (with photo stops en route) and then to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve where you will view the Cape of Good Hope itself, as well as Cape Point. From here you will make your way to the last British Naval town in South Africa – Simon’s Town with free time for lunch. In the afternoon enjoy a walk in the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens. Return to your hotel in the late afternoon for an evening at leisure. Overnight in Cape Town.

Day 4 – Robben Island

Breakfast at your hotel. Depart for a visit to Robben Island, internationally know as the place where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned. You will visit the Robben Island Museum, Nelson Mandela Gateway and the maximum security prison. When you return to the mainland you will make your way directly to the Stellenbosch region for a wine tasting in a selected wine/brandy cellar. After the tasting, a short drive brings you the Aberdeen-Angus stud at Vredenheim, for a technical visit to the breeding herd of red Angus. Lunch box provided today en route. Return to the city for an evening at own leisure. Dinner at your own expense. Overnight at your hotel.

Day 5 – Betty’s Bay, Hermanus & Farm Stay

Breakfast at your hotel & check-out. Depart for the south coast of the Western Cape to Betty’s Bay & visit the African penguin colony at Stony Point. Continue to Hermanus to see the Humpback Whales that frequent this part of the coastline. In the afternoon travel to Swellendam where you will be staying overnight on a working farm. Enjoy a typical South African braai dinner in the lapa farm with entertainment. Overnight in Swellendam.

Day 6 – Agricultural Tours

After breakfast and check out, a short drive will bring you to nearby Suurbraak, where you can visit one or two dairy farms with Dairymaster equipment. Continue to an area close to Heidelberg to see a mixed farming setup of Neels & Anne-Lize Uys at the Skeiding Guest Farm. The farmer will show you his flock of commercial ostriches, Dohne Merino sheep (multipurpose sheep – giving fine wool and good quality meat), Nguni Beef cattle (indigenous breed of African cattle, resistant to most of the bovine disease), while also discussing the production of wheat and rapeseed. A farm lunch will be enjoyed here. Continue to Mossel Bay for check-in & overnight.

Day 7 – Agricultural Tours

Breakfast at hotel & check out. Depart to the outskirts of George – the first town to be established in SA under British rule. Here you will visit a vegetable production farm for discussions with the owner on production and marketing. At this time of year the main focus is on cauliflower and broccoli but other crops are grown too. Enjoy a farm lunch before driving to a neighbouring farm where potatoes are produced and where they have a significant dairy herd (Jerseys). Continue to your hotel in Knysna for check-in & overnight.

Day 8 – Free Day

Breakfast at hotel. Enjoy a free day to explore the quaint town of Knysna at your leisure. Overnight at your hotel.

Day 9 – Monkeyland, Birds of Eden Aviary & the Storms River

Breakfast at hotel & check out. Travel from Knysna via Plettenberg Bay to the Craggs, where you will visit Monkeyland for a guided tour of this primate facility. Then visit the adjacent Birds of Eden aviary – largest single dome aviary in the world. Continue to Storms River Village for a stop at the Paul Sauer Bridge. Depart for the friendly city of Port Elizabeth to check-in to your hotel. Dinner at your hotel & overnight.

Day 10 – Port Elizabeth & Kariga Game Reserve

After a leisurely breakfast, your coach will take you on a short tour of the Port Elizabeth, before continuing to Kariga Game Reserve where you will check-in for 2 nights on a full board basis. Kariga Game Reserve is an authentic South African safari were you can experience a close up viewing of the Big 5 – lion, elephant, rhino, leopard and buffalo – as well as multitudes of other safari wildlife. You will also enjoy the breathtaking vistas over the hills, valleys and rivers of the 10,000 hectares of Kariga’s pristine wilderness. Lunch, dinner and overnight at your hotel.

Day 11 – Kariga Game Reserve

A predawn wake-up call for your morning game drive and return to the lodge for a buffet breakfast. Free time during the day to enjoy the game reserve and the facilities at your hotel. Evening safari from the comfort of an open game drive vehicle. Lunch, dinner and overnight at your hotel.

Day 12 – Depart

After another early morning game drive and breakfast. Check-out of your hotel and depart. Fly from Port Elizabeth to Johannesburg and onward to Dublin. Overnight on the flight.

Day 13 – Arrive Home

Arrive in Dublin.