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Waterberg & Cape
USD 7500
JAN-DEC
17 NIGHTS
Select your style
We are able to vary the price of this trip considerably, simply by swapping out the lodges that it contains. This is likely to have a very significant effect on the level of polish of the trip, but in all cases it will remain cool and authentic. Make your selection here and the lodges will automatically change in the itinerary below.
USD 7500 per person
This trip includes very cool, well-located and relatively well-priced lodges, suitable for more adventurous, easy-going and outdoorsy travellers.
Trip Summary
Start location : Johannesburg ORT
Johannesburg
Waterberg Mountains
02 : Mhondoro Lodge
03 : Mhondoro Lodge
04 : Mhondoro Lodge
05 : Ant’s Nest
06 : Ant’s Nest
07 : Ant’s Nest
Cape Town
08 : Four Rosmead
09 : Four Rosmead
10 : Four Rosmead
11 : Four Rosmead
De Hoop
12 : De Hoop Suites
13 : De Hoop Suites
14 : De Hoop Suites
Franschhoek
15 : Auberge Clermont
16 : Auberge Clermont
17 : Auberge Clermont
End location : Cape Town International
Johannesburg
Set to the northeast of South Africa, Johannesburg is the great commercial heart of the country and the main transport hub, a sprawling mess of a place, scarred through its heart by the gold mines. It is not somewhere safari travellers tend to linger too long, although the Cradle of Mankind may be worth a visit.
Day 1
Arrival : Johannesburg ORT
lodge
City Lodge Hotel OR Tambo
Waterberg Mountains
Set in the north of South Africa, the non-malarial Waterberg Mountains area contains several interesting wildlife reserves, with some superb scenery and relatively easy wildlife viewing, as well as options for horse-riding and golf. Guest accommodation is in around 25 decent quality lodges, many of which are relatively well priced.
Day 2 , 3 , 4
lodge
Mhondoro Lodge
Mhondoro Safari Lodge is located on the Welgevonden Conservancy in the Waterberg Mountains.
The lodge is centred on a modern main building, fronted by an underground hide.
Guest accommodation is in five substantial suites with air-conditioning and private swimming pools.
The adjacent Mhondoro Villa is a completely separate facility with two bedrooms.
Activities are centred on vehicle safari and the waterhole hide, with walking safari on request.
The primary activity is vehicle safari inside the main park.
Walking safari is also possible, but does not usually include approaches onto lions and elephants.
Day 5 , 6 , 7
lodge
Ant's Nest
Ant's Nest is located on small a private reserve in the Waterberg Mountains area.
The lodge is centred on a large main building, leading out to a nice swimming pool.
Guest accommodation is in six suite Rooms.
Activities include horse-back safari, vehicle safari, walking safari, mountain-biking, bush meals and night vehicle safari.
The primary activity is horse-back safari inside the private reserve.
Vehicle safari is also offered, but with no elephants or lions.
The lodge is very child-friendly and there are lots of special activities.
Cape Town
Set in the Western Cape of South Africa, Cape Town is a fabulous, fascinating city, tucked in the folds of a very beautiful national park, where you are never short of a view and never more than a short walk away from an epic hiking trail. There's so much to see and do that a few nights will only enable you to scratch the surface.
Day 8 , 9 , 10 , 11
Fly : Johannesburg ORT to Cape Town CPT
lodge
Four Rosmead
Four Rosmead is located in the Oranjezicht area of Cape Town.
The lodge is centred on a large 1903 house, set in a pretty garden.
Guest accommodation is in three rooms on the lower floor, two in a separate garden annex ...
... and two on the upper floor of the main house.
Activities include sight-seeing, beaches, hiking, horse-riding, mountain-biking, surfing, snorkelling, diving, kayaking and sailing, plus whale, dolphin and seal watching.
In Cape Town you are never more than a couple of minutes away from a great hiking trail.
The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront is a popular area full of stores, restaurants and museums.
The trip out to the Apartheid prison on Robben Island is surprisingly authentic and moving.
The City Centre is surprisingly compact and easy to explore on foot.
To the west there are some really gorgeous cold water beaches.
The botanical gardens at Kirstenbosch are truly spectacular and not to be missed.
Constantia contains the Cape's oldest wineries, a couple of which are open to the public.
The Cape of Good Hope makes for a really good day trip.
The route is usually best done anti-clockwise, first heading south to Hout Bay.
The dramatic Chapman's Peak Road.
The broad beach from Noordhoek to Kommetjie.
The sleepy settlement of Scarborough.
Entering the national park, we approach Cape Point.
Returning north along the eastern side of the peninsular.
The naval port of Simons Town.
The famous penguin colony at Boulders Beach.
The broad view across the Cape Flats from Muizenberg.
De Hoop
Set on the Whale Coast, De Hoop is a lovely coastal nature reserve, a real hidden gem, containing fabulous white dunes, swimmable rock pools, shore-based whale-watching (Jun-Oct), fascinating endemic fynbos flora and fauna, plus a good range of larger mammals, notably including baboons, bonteboks and caracals. There are a handful of good accommodation options.
Day 12 , 13 , 14
lodge
De Hoop Suites
De Hoop Suites are located in the De Hoop Nature Reserve on the Whale Coast.
The three suites are rented individually, each with one room.
The Dassie Suite is a particularly nice one bedroom unit.
Cloete Suite is a one rooms apartment in the main farm courtyard.
Vlei Suite is another single bedroom suite in the main farm courtyard.
Stable Suite is a cute little one bedroom unit, an authentic part of the original farmstead.
The Manor House is the original farmstead, now converted into a very nice unit with two bedrooms.
The farmstead has facilities including a restaurant, bar, shop, swimming pool, gym, spa and tennis court.
Activities include gentle vehicle safari, sand-boarding, cave tours, snorkelling, mountain-biking, quad-biking, coastal hiking and whale-watching Jun-Nov.
Modest vehicle safari is also possible, including bonteboks, zebras, elands, baboons and caracals.
The area contains some superb beaches, with excellent snorkelling pools.
The inter-tidal nature walks here are extraordinarily good, especially the super aggressive octopuses.
Quad-bike trips are also sometimes available ...
... as well as modest motorboat safari out on the lagoon.
Franschhoek
Set in the heart of the Cape Winelands, Franschhoek is a beautiful and relaxed village and a very popular place for our guests to stay, with a wealth of high class wineries, restaurants and hotels, plus options for shopping, mountain hiking and biking.
Day 15 , 16 , 17
lodge
Auberge Clermont
Auberge Clermont is located close to the village of Franshhoek in the Cape Winelands.
The hotel is centred on an authentic 1870 Huguenot farmhouse.
Guest accommodation is in Deluxe Rooms ...
Guest accommodation is in Deluxe Rooms ...
Activities include wineries, fine dining, mountain-biking and hiking.
The village of Franschhoek is a pleasant place to explore, packed with fine wineries and restaurants.
There are also excellent options for mountain and road biking in the area.
The valley contains several superb wineries that are open to visitors.
There are also some hiking options in the hills above the village.
Day 18
Departure : Cape Town International
Alternative Trips
Here is a small selection of related sample trips.
Of course, your actual trip will be precisely tailor-made.
Of course, your actual trip will be precisely tailor-made.
