Itinerary

DAY 1: ARRIVE CAPE TOWN
On arrival at Cape Town International Airport, you will be met by our representative and transferred to the Cape Grace Hotel for the next four nights. This elegant hotel is situated on its own private quay on Cape Town's vibrant Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. The Cape Grace has recently completed an extensive "refashioning" that thoroughly refreshed the rooms and public spaces; now, antiques and exquisite hand-painted fabric lend a sense of local style and each of the rooms is individually decorated. The Cape Grace also has its own sailing vessel and fine-dining restaurant, Signal. The remainder of the day is at leisure; if you would like to do some independent exploration, the hotel has a fleet of cars available for complimentary transfers within the city.

DAY 2: CAPE TOWN
This morning, you will be collected from your hotel for a brief tour to introduce you to Cape Town. After, head to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront to board your helicopter for a 20-minute scenic flight. From the air, you can see the beaches of Clifton and Camps Bay, the Twelve Apostles mountain range, and Table Mountain. Stop at Azure Restaurant for lunch, after which you can hike up the mountains behind the hotel – most of the trails take less than an hour. After, return to your hotel for an afternoon at leisure. (B)

DAY 3: CAPE PENINSULA DAY TRIP
This morning, you will be collected from your hotel for full day Cape Point and Peninsula tour. Start at the beaches of Clifton and Camps Bay and then cross over to Hout Bay, where you can join an optional short cruise to Seal Island to see the breeding colony of Cape Fur Seals, if you wish. From here, drive to the Cape of Good Hope National Reserve via Chapman’s Peak, where you will board a funicular for an excellent vantage point from which to observe the symbolic meeting of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans and spectacular views over False Bay. Continue to the naval base at Simonstown and visit the African Penguin breeding colony at Boulders Beach. After lunch at the elegant Rodwell House, stop by Kirstenbosch Gardens for a stroll. Return to your hotel in the afternoon. (B,L)

DAY 4: CAPE TOWN
After breakast, you will be transferred to the V&A Waterfront to catch the ferry to Robben Island. During the years of apartheid, Robben Island was where political prisoners were exiled -- its most famous resident was Nelson Mandela, who spent nearly 27 years in confinement there. Your guide on Robben Island will be someone who was imprisoned there during apartheid and his unique perspective is both deeply personal and moving. Return by ferry to Cape Town and head to Table Mountain to ride the cable car to the top.* A trip to the top of Table Mountain is a splendid highlight on a clear day: the mountain is part of a nature reserve, and boasts a wide range of plants and animals unique to the surrounding area. Spend the remainder of the afternoon souvenir shopping or checking out the many art galleries.

*The cable car to the top of Table Mountain does not run in inclement weather.

DAY 5: CAPE TOWN - WINELANDS
Today, check out of your Cape Town hotel and head out on a guided gourmet tasting tour of the Winelands region. If you wish, along the way you can stop by Paarl to see the Afrikaans Language Monument and estates like Seidelberg and Fairview. Continue to the Franschhoek Valley in the heart of the Winelands, where elegant estates like Haute Cabriere, Moreson, La Motte, and Grande Provence create exceptional wines. Sample some of the wines, have a cheese tasting at La Fromagerie at La Grange and then finish with a chocolate tasting at the Franschhoek Chocolate Factory. At the conclusion of the day’s touring, check in to La Residence for a two-night stay. (B)

DAY 6: WINELANDS
Spend a full day at leisure enjoying your hotel and the surrounding area. Even with the impeccable décor and lovely architecture, La Residence has a homey feel and a relaxed sensibility: comfortable sofas and crackling fires create a pleasant atmosphere in which to enjoy the gourmet food and gracious hospitality. (B)

DAY 7: CAPE TOWN - JOHANNESBURG
After breakfast, transfer to the Cape Town airport to connect with the flight to Johannesburg. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to the Saxon Hotel for one night. Set among six acres of landscaped gardens, the exterior of the hotel is a modern gray buildings that belies the airy, sun-drenched interior. In the afternoon, set out for a tour of Soweto, where Nelson Mandela grew up and still lives. Soweto is actually comprised of 26 individual townships, and the housing ranges from sizable mansions to humble tin-roofed shacks. Soweto is where the first organized struggles against apartheid began in the 1970s, with students protesting and demonstrating in actions that met with a violent response from police. The tour will also include a visit to the Apartheid Museum, which outlines the history – and ultimate dismantling – of the apartheid system, Hector Pieterson Square, and the homes of Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Winnie Mandela. (B)

DAY 8: JOHANNESBURG - MPUMALANGA
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your charter flight to Singita in the heart of the Sabi Sand Game Reserve. You will be staying at Boulders or Ebony: Boulders is smaller and intimate with a contemporary, airy feel and Ebony Lodge is the most traditional of the Singita lodges, with a more classic safari style. Both lodges (and, indeed, all of the lodges in the Singita group) are famous for their luxury and commitment to privacy and exclusivity. (B,D)

DAYS 9 & 10: MPUMALANGA
Spend two full days at Singita. A typical day on safari begins at sunrise for an early morning game drive, which is the best time to spot hungry animals looking for their first meal of the day. Return to camp for brunch and then spend the hottest hours of the day relaxing at the lodge – enjoying the pool or reading and taking in the view. In the mid-afternoon, head out on another game drive that lasts until sunset; frequently, you will stop for “sundowner” cocktails in the bush. Return to the camp for a gourmet dinner and then relax until bedtime. (B,L,D)

DAY 11: MPUMALANGA
Today, take a short charter flight to Royal Malewane for a two-night stay. Along the western edge of Kruger National Park, the luxurious Royal Malewane has played host to a bevy of celebrities and rock stars who, like every guest, appreciate the privacy, opulence, and discreet attention they receive here. A maximum of 20 guests at one time can enjoy the colonial splendor of the accommodations, which feature Persian carpets, crisp embroidered linens, antique furniture, and high four-poster beds draped with airy mosquito netting. (B,L,D)

DAY 12: MPUMALANGA
Spend the full day gameviewing at Royal Malewane. In addition to the “Big Five” (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino), there are over 300 bird species and countless other animals on the expansive reserve. In addition to the gameviewing opportunities, the property has a famously sumptuous spa called the Waters of Royal Malewane Bush Spa – book a treatment directly with the property if you would like to try it. (B,L,D)

DAY 13: MPUMALANGA - JOHANNESBURG, DEPART SOUTH AFRICA
After breakfast, take the short flight to Johannesburg and connect to your international departure flight. (B) 

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