Welcome to Enchanting Journeys

Welcome to Rainbow Kingdom – the Gateway of Africa - a country on the southernmost tip of the African continent, marked by several distinct ecosystems. Inland safari destination Kruger National Park is populated by big game. The Western Cape offers beaches, lush winelands around Stellenbosch & Paarl, craggy cliffs at the Cape of Good Hope, forest & lagoons along the Garden Route, and the city of Cape Town, beneath flat-topped Table Mountain. Traveling in Africa can be challenging, but the smiles of the people & the sounds of the animals make it worthwhile.

Arrive in Cape Town occupying one of the world's most stunning locations, it is the 2^nd most populous city in South Africa, famous for its harbour as well as its natural setting in the Cape floral kingdom, including such well-known landmarks as Table Mountain & Cape Point.

After you exit in the Arrival Hall at Terminal? - Cape Town International Airport, subsequent to Customs & Immigration, you will be met by The Journeys representative who will ensure your comfort and transfer you to the hotel. He / she will provide assistance during Check-in and also discuss the program for the next few days.

If, for any reason you are unable to make contact with our representative within 30 minutes of waiting, please call the local Emergency telephone # listed on your Contact List. Please follow the advice given by our 24 / 7 Duty Officer.  Please do not exit the Airport & make your own way to the hotel unless advised.

Reach the hotel & Check-in.

*Check-in time is 02.00 pm. For earlier arrivals in the morning, we will request the hotel for a complimentary early Check-in but cannot be guaranteed unless reserved & paid for ‘immediate occupancy’.

A coming-together of cultures, cuisines & landscapes, there is nowhere quite like Cape Town, a singularly beautiful city crowned by the magnificent Table Mountain National Park.

African Landscapes | People & Culture| Culinary Feast | Art & Design

Long before the Dutch took a fancy to the Cape Peninsula in the 17^th century, the land was home to the Khoisan people who valued the spiritual power of the mountains and their life-providing water. While the European immigrants & the slaves they brought here, have all shaped the physical environment of South Africa's third-largest city, Table Mountain - now protected within a national park that covers some 75% of the peninsula - remains at Cape Town's heart. This ever present backdrop is the city's adventure playground, as well as a source of legend & continuing spiritual nourishment. Under the Khoisan name of Hoerikwaggo - meaning 'Mountain in the Sea' - the national park is promoting a new series of trails that will allow visitors, for the first time, to sleep on the mountain top while hiking a world-class trail from Cape Point to the City Bowl. There are many other equally gorgeous natural landscapes within the park’s extensive boundaries. Cultivated areas, such as the historic Company’s Garden, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden & Green Point Urban Park, also make exploring the city a pleasure. Follow the lead of locals by taking full advantage of the abundant outdoor space: learn to surf; go hiking or mountain biking; tandem-paraglide off Lion’s Head; abseil off the top of Table Mountain - just a few of the many activities on offer.

Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu & traditional African beliefs coexist peacefully in this proudly multicultural city. Given South Africa’s troubled history, such harmony has been hard-won & remains fragile: nearly everyone has a fascinating, sometimes heartbreaking story to tell. It’s a city of determined pioneers - from the Afrikaner descendants of the original Dutch colonists & the majority coloured community to the descendants of European Jewish immigrants & more recent Xhosa (isiXhosa) migrants from the Eastern Cape. They all bring unique flavours to Cape Town’s rich melting pot.

Human creativity is also self-evident here - it's one of the things that made the city a World Design Capital in 2014. From the brightly painted facades of the Bo-Kaap and the bathing chalets of Muizenberg, to the Afro-chic decor of its restaurants & bars and the striking street art & innovation incubators of the East City and Woodstock, this is one great-looking metropolis. The informal settlements of the Cape Flats are a sobering counterpoint, but these townships also have enterprising projects that put food from organic market gardens on tables, or stock gift shops with attractive souvenirs

Wrenching yourself away from the magnetic mountain and all the delights of the Cape Peninsula is a challenge, but within an hour you can exchange urban landscapes for the charming towns, villages and bucolic estates of Winelands destinations, such as Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. Hermanus is a prime whale-watching location, and also a base from which to organise shark-cave diving. Further afield, the delights of the Garden Route unfold, with more inspiring scenery to be viewed on thrilling drives down the coast and over mountain passes.

As beautiful as the surrounding beaches and vineyards can be, it is the rugged wilderness of Table Mountain, coated in a unique flora that grabs everyone's attention

Balance of the day at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Overnight.   

Complementing the mountain's natural beauty is Cape Town's eye-catching way with design & colour in everything from the brightly painted façades of the Bo-Kaap & the Victorian bathing chalets of Muizenberg, to the contemporary Afro-chic décor of the many excellent guesthouses, restaurants & bars. The city is crammed with galleries displaying amazing artworks & shops selling wonderfully inventive craftwork. It is also getting a reputation as the fashion nexus of South Africa. This creativity seems to spring naturally from the city's multi-ethnic population, proof of South Africa’s status as the rainbow nation & a visual record of the country's tumultuous recorded history of over 350 years.

For all the city centre's visual harmony & cosmopolitan atmosphere, you don't need to be in Cape Town for long to realise that the scars of modern South Africa's violent birth & apartheid adolescence still run deep. Seeing life in the townships may shock & upset, but you will also discover it's not a one-note story of grim survival. And there is ubuntu, true African hospitality & care for fellow human beings. Look across the city & you will also see people of all skin colours working together to make Cape Town a better place for everyone. Discovering the Mother City's true diversity & spirit is all part of getting the most out of a visit here.

Reality check aside, Cape Town is an old pro at showing visitors a good time. There may not be game parks on Kruger's scale, but there are plenty of great wildlife-spotting opportunities, from the penguins at Boulders to the antelopes, buffaloes and black rhino at Solole Game Reserve. The restaurants & bars compare favourably with those of other cosmopolitan cities. There is a lively cultural scene, particularly when it comes to music, which pervades every corner of the city, and if outdoor activities & adrenaline buzzes are your thing, you have come to the right place.

The capital of Western Cape province and the parliamentary capital of the republic, Cape Town works in a way that so few cities on the African continent do. Historic buildings have been saved, businesses are booming, inner-city crime is coming under control and you will seldom be stuck for a parking space. Factor back in those stunning mountains, magnificent surf beaches & outstanding vineyards & you will soon discover - like many before you - that it is easy to lose track of time while exploring all the wonders of this unique Southern African city. Now don't you think it's time you made a date with Cape Town?

After, around 01:00 pm, you will be met by the Tour-guide & proceed for a 4 hour exploration of Cape Town, known affectionately as the Mother City.

Your tour will take in the Houses of Parliament, the Castle (built between 1666 and 1679, this is South Africa’s oldest building), lively Greenmarket Square with its daily market, the Company Gardens  & of course Table Mountain which will give you spectacular views over the city and Peninsula (cable car fee is not included as it is weather dependent). On our descent, we stop at the Bo Kaap, home to the Cape Malay community, with its cobbled streets & brightly coloured houses.

You will have the choice of being dropped off at the Waterfront to experience this vibrant location at your own pace, with its many shops, restaurants & pubs or at your hotel at the end of the tour (in that case, you will find your own way back to the hotel).

Return to the hotel.

Balance of the day at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Morning at 08:30 am, depart for Oudtshoorn, passing through Montagu - a historic spa town, and the ‘Little Karoo’. You will also stop at the pretty village of Barrydale & enjoy ‘wine tasting’ along Route 62, known as “The World’s Longest Wine Route”.

In Barrydale, stop to visit a local farm school, interact with the children & teachers, spending time with them in the classroom learning more about the local farming community (school visit is subject to school being opened).

Continue travelling & enjoy the wonderful views of the spectacular Outeniqua Pass enroute to Oudtshoorn, centre of the world’s Ostrich farming industry

Arrive by late afternoon & Check-in.

Oudtshoorn is a town in the Klein Karoo area of South Africa’s Western Cape, known for its ostrich farms along the Route 62 wine route. In the late 1860s, no self-respecting society lady in the Western world would be seen dead without an ostrich plume adorning her headgear. The fashion boom in ostrich feathers lasted until the slump of 1914 & during this time the ‘feather barons’ of Oudtshoorn made their fortunes. You can still see their gracious homes, along with other architectural pointers to Oudtshoorn’s former wealth such as the CP Nel Museum (formerly a school).

The town remains the ''feather capital of the world' & is now a popular stop of the Little Karoo. Ostrich leather is much sought after (& expensive), feathers, eggs & biltong are available everywhere, and the meat is always on the menu (a healthy option, low in cholesterol). The central C.P. Nel Museum traces the ostrich-feather boom era & houses a working synagogue. The nearby Cango Wildlife Ranch is a conservation park offering animal petting. To the north, the Cango Caves are a 20-million-year-old network of limestone chambers.

Balance of the day at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Overnight.   B D

Morning, accompanied by the Tour-guide, at 08:15 am proceed to visit the spectacular limestone caverns of the Cango Caves, one of the world's great natural wonders, sculpted by nature through the ages.

The Cango Caves, a system of spectacular limestone caverns and the oldest attraction in the region are filled with a wonderland of stalactites, stalagmites and helictites (dripstone formations that grow in unusual directions), which have been formed over millions of years. The countless dripstone formations in many instances imitate everyday objects & have been given names such as Cleopatra's Needle, The Organ Pipes, the Bridal Couple, Cango Candle & the Hanging Shawl. Because of the extreme fragility of the formations, only Cango 1 is open to the public.

Later, depart for Knysna driving along Outeniqua Pass to George, the sixth oldest town in South Africa, with many historical landmarks like the Slave Tree and King Edward VII Library building, said to be the best example of Edwardian architecture in the town.

Travel through Victoria Bay, a beautiful cove enclosed by cliffs, to Wilderness, an attractive holiday resort with beautiful beaches.

Reach Knysna, known as the oyster box of South Africa by afternoon.

Check-in at the hotel.

Knysna - a pearl of the scenic Garden Route, is situated between George and Plettenberg Bay. Perennially green thanks to a Mediterranean maritime climate and with indigenous forests, fynbos, lakes, rivers, mountains and beautiful coastlines combined with a moderate climate make the Knysna area a natural Eden. Nestled between the impressive Outeniqua Mountains and the Indian Ocean, the culinary capital of oysters and other delectable seafood is a compulsory stopover on every traveler. At the heart of Knysna is a lagoon protected from the sea by the monolithic sandstone "Heads" - best explored on board a catamaran or from along hiking paths in the Featherbed Nature Reserve. A hotspot for art and craft, as well as adventure activities such as tree canopy gliding, kloofing and abseiling, Knysna offers something to everybody. From leisurely relaxation, high energy adventure and sporting activities to shopping, haute cuisine, Knysna oysters or downing the locally brewed beer, Knysna reflects the finer things in life.

Balance of the day at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Overnight.   B

Morning at around 10:00 am, depart with the Tour-guide for a 5 hour excursion to Featherbed Nature Reserve.

Enjoy a lagoon cruise to the Featherbed Nature Reserve which offers a pristine nature & dining experience at the gateway to the sea on Knysna Lagoon on the Garden Route. You can take a trailer ride to the top of the Western Head to enjoy panoramic views of the town and lagoon.

The unspoiled Western Head of Knysna is one of two sentinels that stand between the tranquil estuary water of the lagoon and the surge of sea water from the Indian Ocean. Home to the famous Knysna Loerie, the rare Knysna Sea Horse & the Blue Duiker, the Reserve occupies 150 hectares on the Western Head.

Other attractions here include Paddle Steamer and Lagoon Cruises, Sailing adventures and superb meals served overlooking the Knysna Lagoon under a canopy of Milkwood Trees & we are sure you will enjoy the Lunch here.

Come back to the hotel.

The afternoon is at leisure to further explore this charming town set around a natural harbour lagoon.

Track the mysterious Knysna forest elephant, take a ferry trip or a sunset yacht cruise, hike or cycle in the beautiful forests, take a walk on the beach or sip your favourite drink while watching the sun set over the estuary. With a rich history, gourmet restaurants and a variety of art & craft rambles to add, the options are limitless. Explore the local Rastafarian community, eat an African delicacy called “Roosterkoek” or take part in a drumming session. Meet the people - from the Woodcutters in Karatara, to the Italians in Gouna, the Khoi and San Tribes like the Griqua and the Xhosa Speaking people. Experience the Rainbow Nation at its best.

Morning at 08:30 am, depart to explore the natural beauty of the Knysna

You will have the opportunity to visit the Garden of Eden, set in the lush, green, indigenous Knysna forest. The major attraction is the forest itself, beautiful yellow wood trees, thick green foliage & streams.

The Garden of Eden is a walking route set in the lush, green Knysna indigenous forest. The garden itself comprises smaller trails, so it is up to you if you wish to do the short walking trail, or meander off to explore further. There is also a 800 m board walk suitable for wheelchairs.

The walk takes place almost solely on wooden board walks that take one across bridges over streams. The trail is easily marked and the route is a short board walk through the forest in a circular shape. This walk may be short (little more than a path to stretch your legs), but it is through one of the most beautiful examples of Wet Highforest - an unusual kind of forest thick with tall stinkwood, kalander, wit-els  & other moist forest types. There are wooden benches & tables ideal for picnicking.

Then, move on to visit Monkeyland Primate Sanctuary, where you will be able to see a variety of primates, roaming free in the forest. The sanctuary is well known for its efforts to rehabilitate & free previously caged primates.

Conservationist Tony Blignaut started this in 1998, it has become one of the Garden Route’s favourite attractions. Around 400 monkeys of 15 different species have found a home in this forest.

This is the first place in the world where different species of monkeys, all born in captivity, can roam free in a massive forest sanctuary. Many of them had never even seen trees before when they first arrived, & are sometimes nervous & unskilled. "I remember the time we released the first squirrel monkeys from their cage, and a little later, it was like raining monkeys, plop, plop, out the trees. But they learned fast," grins Tony.

Many monkeys are former pets, others come from zoos where they have outbred the available space. Some of the zoo-bred lemurs took months before they would climb higher than 2m, the height of their previous enclosure. Now you would swear they had always been wild.

The tour continues to the famous Eastern Head, where you will enjoy spectacular views of the Knysna Heads (weather permitting).

Knysna's most famed attraction - the Knysna Heads, is the treacherous entry into the Knysna lagoon where many an ancient sailing vessel met its doom. The lagoon is protected from the sea by the monolithic sandstone "Heads".  Today the Featherbed Nature Reserve pays homage to the richness of fauna & flora that Knysna has to offer on the southern head, while the northern head forms part of the sprawling residential development that is Knysna

Spend some time at the next stop, Brenton on Sea - a breathtaking holiday location & a nature lover’s paradise with its unspoilt beaches and peaceful surroundings.

Come back to the hotel.

Balance of the day at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Morning by 09:30 am, depart for the beautiful Tsitsikamma National Park, driving along the famous coastal Garden Route to Plettenberg Bay, the jewel of the Garden Route,

Stop at the Birds of Eden for a tour.

Birds of Eden is the world's largest single-span free flight aviary and bird sanctuary, located near Plettenberg Bay.

Birds of Eden's unique two hectare dome (the world’s largest) spans over a gorge of indigenous forest. The sanctuary has its own mysterious ruin, which incorporates a walk-behind waterfall. The sanctuary encompasses 2.3ha of partly forested land, covered by a 3.2ha mesh & criss-crossed by a 1.2 km walkway. The sanctuary terrain includes a deep gorge with a waterfall & the highest point in the aviary is approximately 50m, covering all the treetops and allowing ample flying space for its winged inhabitants.

The sanctuary is home to over 3,500 birds of around 220 species, including touracos, Knysna Loeries, swans, spoonbills, weavers, scarlet ibis, barbets, parrots, parakeets, waterfowl, flamingos, starlings, robins and cranes. Also living at Birds of Eden are some of the miniature primates. Cotton-top tamarins, golden-handed tamarins & bush babies. Giant fruit bats from South East Asia & the indigenous blou duiker buck can be admired in this stunning aviary.

The decision to develop Birds of Eden stems from the need to create a safe environment in which to release a large collection of free-flight African birds, miniature monkeys and the sanctuary also enables bird owners to apply to release their pet birds into the sanctuary, after undergoing rehabilitation. Since most of the birds have spent their entire lives in captivity, this is their first chance to make adequate use of their wings & to experience natural avian behaviour.

Continue to Bloukrans Bridge, the highest single span arch bridge in the world, currently offering the highest commercially operated Bungy Jump in the world. 

The Garden Route stretches from the south eastern coast of South Africa and runs from Heidelberg in the Western Cape to the Storms River in the Eastern Cape. Famous for its magnificent scenic views, it boasts several different eco-systems and a variety of landscapes, all unique to South Africa and truly breathtaking. As most of the route follows a coastal road between the Indian Ocean, various mountains, quaint & quiet seaside towns, it offers stunning scenery and a vibrant yet laid back atmosphere and is a truly idyllic getaway. The region became known as the Garden Route due to its ecologically diverse vegetation and numerous lakes and lagoons. It is also home to over 300 bird species, an elephant sanctuary & several game reserves. During the whale season, you can also observe the graceful Southern Right Whales from the coast line.

Visit the beautiful Tsitsikamma National Park and to try a walk on the suspension bridge across the Storms River.

Tsitsikamma National Park is a multi-dimensional destination with dramatic coastal scenery, reefs, rivers, lush forest and delicate Fynbos. A hiking and water sports paradise, this region forms the top section of the magnificent Garden Route National Park. Here you will see booming breakers of the Indian Ocean relentlessly pound rocky shores, temperate high forest & Fynbos (indigenous plants) rolling down to the sea in an unspoilt verdant carpet. Age old rivers carve their way to the sea and wonderful marine creatures swim along the shore. The boundary of the Park, stretches some 5 km out to sea, protecting a wonderland of inter-tidal life, reef and deep-sea fish. Beautiful Dolphins play and surf in the breakers. The Southern Right Whale visits these waters in season, coming inshore to breed. There are many hiking trails of varying lengths and nature walks in this region, the most famous of them being the Otter Trail, one of the best in the world.

Arrive at the hotel by afternoon & Check-in.

Balance of the day at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Morning at 09:00 am or earlier, depart for Port Elizabeth.

Head eastwards along the Tsitsikamma Forest & farm lands through Jaffrey’s Bay.

Arrive in the city & drive around the city for a short orientation tour.

Port Elizabeth  (or just PE if you want to sound South African), the country’s 5^th largest city  located on the Indian Ocean coast half-way between Cape Town & Durban, offers visitors a choice of stunning beaches, interesting museums and memorials, award-winning wildlife destinations, cultural and historical nuggets, and some of the friendliest folk in the country.

Also known as the ‘friendly city’ & the ‘windy city’, it tends to live up to both names. A perfect complement to the Garden Route, the Friendly City is a major sea port & tourist destination set along the beautiful shores of Nelson Mandela Bay. A popular and significant destination for water sports,

Port Elizabeth also offers many historical attractions, such as the historic Donkin Heritage trail, taking visitors along the footsteps of the 1820 settlers. British heritage is reflected in the Port Elizabeth Cricket Club & the oldest Bowling Green in South Africa. Port Elizabeth’s greatest treasures, however, are malaria-free wildlife areas in its vicinity & clean beaches washed by warm water. Its Oceanarium & Snake House are also notable & worth a visit.

An astonishingly diverse region fused by its prolific wildlife, breathtaking landscapes & remnants of ancient culture, Africa’s natural history alone would make a dozen visits worthwhile - where else on earth can you fall asleep to the sound of lions roaring, or watch a million flamingos take off from the waters of a remote soda lake? Parts of Africa boast scenery so spectacular they will damn near blow your mind, but the essence of this incredible continent isn’t in any desert, mountain or lake. Southern Africa is Africa at its most memorable. Black-maned lions framed against Kalahari dunes; powdery beaches lapped by two oceans; star-studded desert skies; jagged, lush mountains - this truly is a region of astounding diversity.

Alas, the experience comes to an end & it is time to say good-bye to Africa’s warm hospitality & go home. It is the spirit of the people - pushing, shoving, sweating, dancing, singing & laughing - that infects so many visitors with a travel bug so powerful they will never stop coming back, sometimes against all sense or reason. And we are sure South Africa or Africa will tempt you to come again.   

“When you leave Africa, as the plane lifts, you feel that more than leaving a continent you are leaving a state of mind. Whatever awaits you at the other end of your journey will be of a different order of existence.”  – Francesca Marciano

You will be dropped at the Hotel if you are staying longer or at Terminal? - Port Elizabeth International Airport  for your onward journey.   B

***        End of Services      ***