10 Day Cape Town to Addo - Code PS 10
The Cape Town to Addo photo tour explores Cape Town before traveling on to the Overberg region and subsequently the Garden Route. A few days spent in the Garden Route is followed by a safari a short visit to the coastal city of Port Elizabeth before enjoying a photographic safari in the Addo Elephant Park.
This photographic tour is led by an African Sky guide. Upon completing the safari experience in Addo clients are transferred to Port Elizabeth Airport for a flight to Johannesburg where a memorable traveling experience comes to an end.
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Tour Information
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| Tour Price: |
Available at the bottom of the price list page |
| Tour Starting Date: |
Any date specified by clients |
| Tour Starting Point: |
Johannesburg |
| Tour Ending Point: |
Johannesburg |
| Flights Included: |
Johannesburg to Cape Town
Port Elizabeth to Johannesburg |
| What is Included: |
Accommodation as specified in the itinerary
Services of a registered guide/resident rangers
Meals as specified in the itinerary
Tourism levy
All applicable taxes
All land transportation in air conditioned vehicles
All activities and entrance fees to places mentioned in the itinerary
All park fees if applicable |
| What is Excluded: |
International airfare
Personal and medical insurance
Activities not specifically stated in the itinerary
Drinks
Gratuities
Meals not specifically stated in the itinerary |
Detailed Itinerary
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Day 1: Cape Town |
| Guests are met upon arrival at Cape Town International Airport from where a day is spent exploring one the world's most beautiful cities. Table Mountain, arguably the most famous natural landmark in South Africa is first on the agenda. From Table Mountain one of the most impressive views of the world can be enjoyed, the Indian Ocean and the deep blue waters of the Atlantic and the Cape Peninsula which sinks away and allows these two great oceans to meet at Cape Point. We also visit the world famous Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens which had its conception when the mining magnate and philanthropist Cecil Rhodes donated the land to the people of South Africa. The garden is home to 4000 of the 18000 species of flora which is found in South Africa and creates a most remarkable display. It is the memorial to one of Africa's greatest son's from where sweeping views of the entire Cape Flats can be enjoyed where we end an unforgettable day. |
| Overnight: Cape Cadogan |
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| Meals: Breakfast, Dinner |
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Day 2: Cape Town |
The spectacular Chapman's Peak drive cut into the 650m high Chapman's Peak leads the tour through the town of Noordhoek to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. A botanical and scenic delight the reserve is home to several antelope species as well as a great diversity of flowering plants and birds. A highlight is sure to be the walk to the summit of Cape Point , where it is said the stormy waters of the Atlantic are met by the calming influence of the Indian Ocean. This Cape which has played such a central role in the tales and legends of the ocean was and remains an important landmark situated at the South Western Edge of Africa, proclaiming that this is where the two halves of the world, east and west meet.
The tour traces the Indian Ocean Seaboard on the way back to Cape Town with a visit to Boulders Beach an attractive secluded haven, which comprises a tumble of huge round rocks on a sandy shore. The boulders are an ideal vantage point for watching the antics of the colony of mainland-based African penguins. |
| Overnight: Cape Cadogan |
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| Meals: Breakfast, Dinner |
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Day 3: Cape Town |
| Situated in one of the most picturesque valleys of the Cape, the town of Franschhoek owes its existence to the first French settlers who worked the Drakenstein Valley. Some time is devoted to exploring the town and its memorial to the French Huguenots, set in a lovely garden before visiting three of the fine wine estates in the Valley, which are renowned internationally for the exceptional quality of wines these fertile soils produce. All the noble cultivars and classic styles are on show here. From superb whites such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Semillon and Chenin Blanc to the rich reds of Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Pinot Noir and Merlot. During the late afternoon the tour makes its way back to Cape Town. |
| Overnight: Cape Cadogan |
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| Meals: Breakfast, Dinner |
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Day 4: Overberg |
The tour traces the coast from Gordon's Bay, traversing the towns of Rooi Els and Betties Bay on the way to Hermanus. En Route several stops are made at vantage points from where the Southern Right Whale can potentially be spotted. These whales frequent the waters of South Africa's coastline during the months of May to November. They travel approximately 2000 km's from the Southern Ocean to give birth in these waters. Spotting these graceful mammals regally splashing about is a most rewarding experience.
Lunch is enjoyed in Hermanus with its sweeping views of Walker Bay, said to be the best place on the entire coast from which to do Whale watching. After some time spent in Hermanus the tour continues via Bredasdorp to the quaint fishing village of Arniston. The Village takes its name from a tragic shipwreck which occurred in these treacherous waters in 1815. The village is situated a stone's throw from the Southern Tip of Africa and the coastline surrounding it is noted for its bizarre marine erosions of which the most famous is the Waenhuiskrans, an enormous cavern eroded from the cliffs within walking distance of Arniston. After a visit to the Waenhuiskrans we retire to the overnight destination. |
| Overnight: Arniston Hotel |
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| Meals: Breakfast, Dinner |
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Day 5: Garden Route |
After breakfast the tour travels to the Coastal City of Mossel Bay. It is here where the Portuguese explorer Bartholomew Dias set foot on shore in 1488 and we dedicate some time to visiting the museum which bears his name. The museum stands not far from the Milkwood Tree and fountain which served respectively as a post office and watering hole to seafarers in centuries past.
A short drive then brings guests to Mossel Bay Station where guests board the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe. It is the last of the scheduled departure steam train services in South Africa. The short train journey reminds of a gentler age, when travel was conducted at a more leisurely pace. The train follows a coastal route with breathtaking ocean views as it plies its way between Mossel Bay and George. Guests are met at George Station from where a scenic drive of about an hour leads to Knysna, the jewel of the Garden Route. |
| Overnight: Villa Castollini |
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| Meals: Breakfast, Dinner |
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Day 6: Garden Route |
The Outeniqua Mountains form the barrier which divides the semi arid interior from the lush coastal plains of the Garden Route. The tour crosses this barrier via the Outeniqua Pass to Oudtshoorn, the Ostrich Capital of the World. The town is situated in the great valley which is known as the little Karoo, with the Langeberge and Outeniqua ranges forming its boundary to the east and the Swartberge forming its western boundary. Our first stop is the Cango Caves which lie in the foothills of the Swartberge - a great cave system which is amongst the worlds largest and is blessed with elaborate drip stone formations, the highest of which stands 12.6m tall.
The caves extend up to about 1600m into the Limestone rich Hills and is a truly impressive sight. Lunch is followed by a short drive to an Ostrich Farm where we focus on the farming of these the largest of the worlds birds. Great fortunes where built in the heyday of the industry when the feathers where prized fashion accessories. Today the meat with its low fat content is sought after in a world ever more preoccupied by healthy living and the leather is prized raw material in the production of fashion accessories. The brave can even endeavor an Ostrich Ride before we make our way back to the overnight destination. |
| Overnight: Villa Castollini |
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| Meals: Breakfast, Dinner |
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Day 7: Port Elizabeth |
The Scenic splendor of the Garden Route is evident again as the tour makes its way north en- route to Natures Valley. It is reached after descending the Grootrivier Pass into the valley below where the quaint seaside resort of Natures Valley lies nestled on an alluvial plain next to the Grootrivier Lagoon. This river also marks the Western Boundary of the Tsitsikamma Nature Reserve.
The road then bridges the Bloukrans River as it ascends 183m in three kilometers with some of the most dramatic scenery in the Garden Route guiding the way. Storms River mouth set in the Tsitsikamma National Park is reached after a short drive. The main attractions here include a waterfall and spectacular views of the coastline as well as the rich bird life in the area. After a visit to Storms River Mouth, the tour continues to the overnight destination of Port Elizabeth. |
| Overnight: Beach Hotel |
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| Meals: Breakfast, Dinner |
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Day 8: Addo Elephant Park |
| An hour and a half's drive inland from Port Elizabeth brings the tour to the Addo National Park, where an extraordinary assembly of tough drought resistant plants, shrubs and stunted trees combine to produce the famous Addo Bush. The original Elephant section of the park was proclaimed in 1931, when only eleven elephants remained in the area - today this finely tuned ecosystem is sanctuary to over 350 Elephants, 280 Cape Buffalo, Black Rhino, a variety of antelope species, as well as the unique flightless dung beetle, found almost exclusively in Addo. Large parts of the Park are set in the foothills of the Zuurberg Mountains and it is home to no less than five of South Africa's seven vegetation zones which support a multitude of different species of which the Big Five are notable. The afternoon is devoted to a first game drive accompanied by your experienced guide. |
| Overnight: Addo Main Camp |
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| Meals: Breakfast, Dinner |
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Day 9: Addo Elephant Park |
An early morning and late afternoon game drive in this area of unique ecology are the focus of the day. From the graceful Elephant, who embodies Africa in some mysterious way to the rare Black Rhino, much smaller than the white but reputed for its temperament which could flare, sometimes seemingly unprovoked. The Big cats and a large number of different grassland game species that once again roam free in this their ancestral grazing grounds afford a glimpse of Africa in all her glory. The focus is on interpretive game viewing, with the guide enhancing guests understanding of the animals through their knowledge of the habits and behavior of the different species..
| Overnight: Addo Main Camp |
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| Meals: Breakfast, Dinner |
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Day 10: Departure |
| A morning bush walk, accompanied by a resident ranger lends a different perspective to the wilderness experience. The excitement of being on foot in close proximity to Elephant, and the sense of awe as the full realization of their size in relation to humans becomes more evident in the absence of a vehicle. After the bush walk guests are transferred to Port Elizabeth Airport for a flight to Johannesburg. |
| Overnight: None |
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| Meals: Breakfast |
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