Malaria-free (North West Province’s Madikwe Reserve) Big 5 Safari & Cape Town Tour
7 days ; 6 nights
Exhilarating Bush experiences on the Big Five Madikwe Game Reserve, situated in a malaria-free ancient land in the North West Province bordering Botswana and lying on the edges of the Kalahari desert. Experience dawn breaking over the African bush, the call of the endangered and elusive Wild Dog and romantic settings on wooden decks overlooking the vast plains. Fall in love with Cosmopolitan Cape Town the “Mother City”, cradled in the amphitheatre of the Table Mountain, Lion’s Head and Devil’s Peak mountain ranges.
Day 1 : ARRIVAL MADIKWE GAME RESERVE
- Travel Options
- Via Air from Johannesburg or
- Via Scenic drive from Johannesburg
- Arrive on the 75000 hectare Game Reserve with its large diverse mammal population as a result of Operation Phoenix, one of the largest relocation programmes of its kind. More than 350 bird species have been recorded and the reserve is home to many raptors.
Overnight Lodge Options:
(Elegant Luxury 4-star Lodges or
Exquisite Premium 4 and 5-star Ultimate-in-Luxury Lodges)
Day 2 & 3 : GAME EXPERIENCES ON MADIKWE GAME RESERVE
- Game excursions on this semi-arid landscape in search of the game. Explore the vast plains of open woodlands and grasslands, dissected by the rugged Rant van Tweedepoort, and bordered in the south by the Dwarsberg Mountains. The area is dotted with huge rocky hills or inselbergs. Aside from being home to the Big 5, we look out for giraffe, impala, oryx, springbok, red hartebeest, spotted and brown hyena. Look out for the two strong packs of African Wild Dog
- Experiences may include : watching African sunsets and dawn breaking over African bush, sitting on a wooden deck overlooking the African plains, sundowners, evening game drives
Overnight Lodge Options:
(Elegant Luxury 4-star Lodges or
Exquisite Premium 4 and 5-star Ultimate-in-Luxury Lodges)
Day 4 : MADIKWE TO CAPE TOWN VIA JOHANNESBURG
- Final Game drive, bidding farewell to Madikwe
- Travel Options
- Via Air to Johannesburg ; Flight to Cape Town
- Via Scenic drive to Johannesburg ; Fight to Cape Town
- Arrive In Cape Town
Overnight Venue : Guest House / Hotel in Cape Town
(Classic Modest or Elegant Luxury 3 and 4-star Value for Money Options or
Exquisite Premium 4 and 5-star Ultimate-in-Luxury Options)
Day 5 : CAPE TOWN CITY, TABLE MOUNTAIN AND OPTIONAL ROBBEN ISLAND
Experience interesting conversations and stories, iconic Cape Town landmarks and discover how Cape Town developed from the original “tavern of the seas”, half-way refreshment post en route to the Spice Islands, to the sophisticated city of today including:
- Table Mountain, the iconic mountain of the Southern Hemisphere.
- Cable car trip to the top of Table Mountain for a perfect 360º view of “the fairest Cape in the world”
- Famous streets and their stories e.g. bustling Long Street with its shops, african markets, restaurants and street-walk cafés
- The colorful Malay Quarter (“Bo-Kaap”) with its interesting homes, occupied by descendants of slaves originally from faraway places
- The imposing Castle of Good Hope, fortress built to protect the early Dutch Settlers
- “Picture postcard” view of Table Mountain from Bloubergstrand (beach)
- The tranquil Dutch East India Company Gardens
- Trendy Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town’s lively and colorful link with the sea
- Green Market Square, a vibrant African Market
- City Hall, where Nelson Mandela made his first speech as a free man
Overnight Venue : Guest House / Hotel in Cape Town
(Classic Modest or Elegant Luxury 3 and 4-star Value for Money Options or
Exquisite Premium 4 and 5-star Ultimate-in-Luxury Options)
Day 6 : CAPE POINT AND PENINSULA
Experience interesting conversations and stories, abundant scenic beauty and sea faring history including:
- Magical Cape Point –meeting place of the cold and warm ocean currents
- Impressive views over the vast South Atlantic Ocean from the lighthouse on the edge of the most South Western tip of the African Continent
- Historical Cape of Good Hope, dangerous passage for the early sea explorers
- Shipwrecks along the Peninsula coastline
- The Atlantic Seaboard, the curvy stretch of coastline also known as Millionaire’s Mile
- Imposing 12 Apostles Mountain range – up close and personal
- Beautiful white beaches of Clifton, Camps Bay, Llandudno, Noordhoek
- Trendy Sidewalk Café’s and Promenades along the beach
- The charming Penguin Colony at Boulders Beach
- Picturesque Hout Bay and Mariner’s Wharf (the original Cape Town waterfront)
- Optional from Hout Bay harbour : Boat Trip to Duiker Island (home to a large Cape Fur Seal colony)
- Dramatic Chapmans Peak with its steep cliffs into the ocean and views beyond compare
- Illustrious naval heritage of Simonstown
- The quaint holiday and residential villages of Kommetjie and Scarborough
- Magnificent views from Boyes drive over Muizenberg and False Bay, largest bay in South Africa
- Exquisite Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, oldest indigenous botanical garden in the world
Overnight Venue : Guest House / Hotel in Cape Town or in the Winelands
(Classic Modest or Elegant Luxury 3 and 4-star Value for Money Options or
Exquisite Premium 4 and 5-star Ultimate-in-Luxury Options)
Day 7 : STELLENBOSCH, FRANSCHHOEK AND PAARL WINELANDS
Experience interesting conversations and stories, enjoy a feast of culinary delights, savour the flavours of the wines and discover the abundant scenic beauty of the Cape’s three most celebrated Wine Routes:
- We travel along the Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl Wine Routes which have become legendary for both the excellent wine they produce as well as the scenic feast of valleys and vineyards surrounded by majestic mountains
- The Winelands offer a vast selection of diverse wine estates ; whether you are interested in red wine, white wine, cheese tasting, chocolate & wine tasting, magnificent homesteads, contemporary wineries, exquisite gardens – our guides will recommend the best wine estates to visit that matches your personal interests
- Wine Tasting at a minimum of three leading wine estates
- We have carefully selected a wide range of possible lunch venues to tempt and tantalise your tastebuds. Leading chefs create everything from world-class cuisine to light meals to gourmet picnics to mouth-watering lamb on the spit in restaurants chosen for their exceptional food and scenic delight.
- Stellenbosch, known world-wide for its quality wines and the spectacular beauty of the surroundings, is home to one of the most prestigious Wine Regions in the world. Founded in 1679, Stellenbosh is the oldest town in South Africa next to Cape Town and boasts beautiful historical buildings, Cape Dutch Architecture and a magnificent university campus
- Savour the hospitality and ambience of picturesque Franschhoek, Gourmet Capital of South Africa, which lies nestled in a valley surrounded by spectacular mountains. Franschhoek is a quaint little village rich in history and influenced by the Huguenots who brought with them their age-old wine and food culture.
Overnight Venue : Guest House / Hotel in Cape Town or in the Winelands
(Classic Modest or Elegant Luxury 3 and 4-star Value for Money Options or
Exquisite Premium 4 and 5-star Ultimate-in-Luxury Options)
Additional Options to personalize your tour and enhance your Garden Route experience :
- Extend your experience by adding an additional day at Sun City close to Madikwe Game Reserve
- Add the Garden Route to your tour