Winelands & Wildlife

from 

AU$13,165

per person
 
Duration: 19 Nights
Destination: Africa
Region: Africa
Deal Code: PAEGY0A

 

 

Description

A Cape Town to Cape Town return trip that offers the very best of Namibia and South Africa’s coastal cities. Start with the raw drama of Luderitz, before sailing to the cusp of the sun-scorched Namib Desert for an overnight in Walvis Bay. Two sea days lead you to Mossel Bay, before another sea day delivers you to Durban and Richards Bay. Enjoy an overnight in both of these unpretentious African ports before two days of sailing take you back to beautiful Cape Town.

Your fly, stay and cruise package includes:

  • $2000 flight credit per person
  • 4 night 5* accommodation in Cape Town
  • Includes Free Wi-Fi and Beach Shuttle
  • Winelands BBQ (Braai) and Wine Tasting Experience
  • Half Day Table Mountain & City Tour
  • 15 night Africa cruise onboard Silver Spirit, Cape Town return
  • Includes gourmet restaurant dining, beverages in-suite and throughout the ship
  • Butler service, unlimited free wifi plus more
  • Onboard entertainment and complimentary transport into town
  • Port charges & prepaid gratuities onboard your cruise
  • Private transfers from your home to the airport and return
  • Private transfers in Cape Town throughout

***Rate based on twin share for travel 8 to 27 January 2024.***


Winelands BBQ (Braai) and Wine Tasting Experience
Join us for an authentic, local experience on a day out in the picturesque Cape Winelands. Visit a local cheesery that specializes in the production of handmade, full flavoured cheeses paired with a wine tasting, followed by a typical South African Braai on a boutique style wine estate, beautifully set amongst the vineyards. End the day with a visit to the Franschhoek Valley with its breath-taking scenery and warm hospitality for a final wine tasting before returning to Cape Town. Includes return transfers from Cape Town city centre hotels, drive past the Victor Verster prison where Nelson Mandela was released from in 1990, 1 cheese & wine pairing, 1 wine tasting and a BBQ (Braai) lunch.

Half Day Table Mountain & City Tour
Start with a scenic drive through the city centre past famous landmarks such as the Castle of Good Hope built in 1666 by the Dutch East India Company, the imposing Renaissance-style Edwardian City Hall, constructed from honey limestone a baroque building, and South Africa’s largest public space and former military parade ground the Grand Parade. Continue along the city’s main road, Adderley Street, where we will see St. George’s Cathedral, the Anglican Diocese of Nobel Peace Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Pass Company Gardens and the Malay Quarter (also known as the Bo-Kaap) which means "Above Cape" due to it being up against the slopes of Table Mountain. In the early 18th century, a multitude of slaves from Java, Ceylon and other Far Eastern regions were brought to Cape Town. After slavery was eliminated, their descendants, known as the Cape Malay’s, settled here. Our route then leads us via Kloof Nek to the magnificent and famous Table Mountain where you will ascend to the top (weather permitting) by the revolving cable car. Here, you can see wild flowers and the famous silver tree, and marvel at the bird’s eye view of the city and its beaches. On a clear day, it is even possible to see from this vantage point Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned on one side of the mountain and Cape Point on the other. Conclude this amazing day by descending the mountain from the Upper Cableway station and gazing at the fascinating landscapes.


Africa Cruise

Day 1: Cape Town
Sprawling across endless, staggeringly blue coastline, and watched over by the iconic plane of Table Mountain, Cape Town is without doubt one of the world’s most beautiful cities. A blend of spectacular mountain scenery, multiculturalism and relaxed ocean charm awaits in the Mother City, where you can venture out to rolling vineyards, dine in laid back sea suburbs, or spend days exploring cool urban culture. Cape Town’s natural splendour fully reveals itself as the cable car rears sharply to the top of Table Mountain. From the summit, 3,500 feet above sea level, you can let the scale of the panoramic vistas of the city rolling down towards the ocean wash over you. Another heavenly perspective waits at the top of Lion's Head’s tapering peak. A sharp hike and an early start is required, but the views of the morning sun painting Table Mountain honey-gold are some of Cape Town’s finest. Cape Town’s glorious sunshine and inviting blue rollers can be a little deceiving - these oceans are anything but warm at times, with nothing between the peninsula’s end and Antarctica’s icy chill. This cool water has upsides though, bringing a colony of adorably cute African penguins to Boulders Beach. Boarded walkways offer the perfect vantage point to see the cute creatures dipping into the sea and lounging in the sun. Nearby, journey to the end of Africa at the Cape of Good Hope, where you can stand at the bottom of this mighty continent, watching out over the merging waves of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Cape Town’s beauty is counterpointed by the ominous island form, which sits four miles offshore from the bustling restaurants and lazy seals of the lively V&A Waterfront. A living history lesson, you can sail in the ships that transported prisoners out to Robben Island, before a former prisoner tells of the traumas of life on this offshore prison. Your guide will show you the cramped cells, and render Mandela’s long walk to freedom in heartbreaking, visceral clarity.

Day 2: Indulge At Sea
Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale watching, catching up on your reading or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side.

Day 3: Luderitz, Namibia
The scorched desert that surrounds Luderitz means the city’s collection of German art nouveau architecture couldn't look more unusually placed along the Namibian coastline. This quirkiness is what gives the destination its charm. See gangs of playful penguins skipping across the waves, pink flamingos wading by the coast, and dolphins leaping into the air near Penguin Island and Seal Island. A much more haunting location, with an incredibly dark past, is Shark Island - which witnessed the deaths of between 1,000 and 3,000 people when it was the location of a German concentration camp, between 1905 and 1907. Inland from Luderitz is Kolmanskop, the site of a famous diamond mine and ghost town.
Included excursions: Kolmanskop – Ghost Town Walking Exploration > Luderitz Walking Orientation > Halifax Boat Cruise
Optional excursions: Wild Horses of the Namib > Klein Mountain Hike > Grosse Bucht Hike

Day 4 & 5: Walvis Bay, Namibia
Home to a beautiful lagoon, washed pale pink by a colony of resident flamingos, Walvis Bay is a colourful African call, where you can meet some of the continent’s most flamboyant wildlife. A small Namibian city on the Atlantic coast of southern Africa, the city takes its name from Whale Bay - which gives a clue as to the wonderful wildlife watching opportunities available here. The deep-water blossoms with rich levels of plankton, drawing curious marine mammals in large numbers to feast. As Namibia’s only deep-water harbour, Walvis Bay is an important fishing centre for the country, and its sunny shores and natural wonders make it a popular spot for holidaymakers. Walvis Bay is a bird lover's paradise, and hundreds of thousands of birds assemble here, to make the most of the tidal lagoon. Boat tours can take you out amongst the preening crowds, or you can admire the flamingos, herons and carefully treading wading bird species from afar. Meet the pelicans at nearby Pelican Point – a sandy spit, which calms the waves heading for the waterfront. With whales and dolphins frolicking offshore too, there’s a wide variety of wildlife to see here. On the cusp of the sun-scorched Namib Desert beyond, Dune 7 rises up to form the highest sand dune in the country, with sands piling up 380 metres. Perfect for a picnic, or a pulse-raising desert sport, like sand skiing or sandboarding. Climb to the top for views from its heights, or you can take a flight tour to see further afield and spot some of the extraordinary land animals who roam the landscapes. See the natural drama of Sandwich Harbour, where the golden sand dunes plummet directly into the ocean’s waves.
Included excursions: Sandwich Harbour & Dune Drive by 4x4 > Mondesa Township > Flamingoes, Gin & Dunes > Dolphin & Seal Cruise > Namib Desert Adventure by 4x4 > Swakopmund Highlights
Optional excursions: Skeleton Coast & Brandenberg Scenic Flight > Evening Extravaganza > Sossusvlei Scenic Flight > Topnaar Tribe > Swakopmund Orientation & Dinner > The Living Desert by 4x4 > Bird-Watching Experience > Pelican Point Kayaking & Dune 4x4 Drive > Marine & Dune Adventure

Day 6 & 7: Indulge At Sea

Day 8: Mossel Bay, South Africa
Halfway between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth lies the sunny, shallow waters of Mossel Bay. As you sink your toes into the pristine sands of Santos beach and watch the warm waters of the Indian Ocean lap the shore, the only decision to make is just how active you want to be. For the adventurous the list is longer than your adrenalin supply, from shark cage diving, wreck diving surfing and snorkeling, bungee jumping to skydiving. Around the Point, the rocky tip of the peninsular, there are some top surfing spots. To unwind and relax explore the golden sandy coast that’s stretches for over 60kms, refresh yourself with a swim in the clear blue ocean or at low tide try the wide natural rock pool, complete with a diving board on the Point. Stretch your legs on the St Blaize trail on a visit the old lighthouse which gives stupendous views of the bay. Mossel Bay has a fascinating history, learn about the emergence of the earliest humans, which happened here some 164,000 years ago at the Point of Human Origins archeological site. The Bartolomeu Dias Museum Complex centres on modern history, the exploits of Portuguese explorer Bartolmeu Dias, who landed in and named the bay in 1488 whilst looking for India. Seeing an exact replica of the tiny boat that Dias sailed in makes you realise what an adrenalin junkie he must have been. Outside the museum, find the Post Office Tree, South Africa’s very first post office that’s functioned one way or another since 1500, where you can still send a postcard or two.
Included excursions: St Blaize Hiking Trail > Scenic Mountain Passes > Mossel Bay City Orientation > Traditional Cheese & Local Wine > Gin Tasting Experience
Optional excursions: Botlierskop Private Game Reserve Safari > Cango Caves & Ostrich Farm > Garden Route Private Game Reserve – Safari & Lunch > Gin Making at Cape St Blaize Distillery > John Benn Lagoon Cruise & Knysna City Orientation > Yacht Lagoon Cruise & Knysna > Silver Shore Privato: Private Car with Driver/Guide (Half or Full day)

Day 9: Indulge At Sea

Day 10 & 11: Durban, South Africa
What is it about South Africa’s third most popular city that draws people so much? Is it the vibrant waterfront, complete with street performers and sand artists? Is it the melting pot of ethnicity, with all cultures from Zulu to Indian finding a home here? Is it the laid back life style that has locals calling it simply “Durbs”? Is it the sweeping landscape? The clement climate? One visit to Durban will quickly make you see the reason people love it so is a combination of all of the above. Durban has always been a beach city but it was the massive investment for the 2010 World Cup that really put it on the map. A huge revamp of the promenade has brought with it some fantastic eateries which serve up all kinds of “chow” from traditional bunny chow to bobotie, (a sweet spiced mince dish with egg topping). Expect Asian influences wherever you go, too. Durban has the largest Indian population outside of India. Although there is little evidence, it is known that the city of eThekwini – Durban in Zulu – was inhabited by hunter-gatherers as early as 100,00 BC. It was first sighted by Vasco de Gamma in 1497, but it was not until 1824 that the British settlers raised the Union Jack. This was after King Shaka gifted “25-mile strip of coast a hundred miles in depth” to Henry Francis Fynn after Fynn helped him recover form a stab wound. It remained part of the British Commonwealth until 1960, when it became part of the Republic of South Africa. The city’s Euro-African heritage remains to this day.
Included excursions: Scenes of Durban > Tala Private Game Reserve > Valley of a Thousand Hills > Traditional African Healer > African Market Experience > Little India Orientation Tour
Optional excursions: Durban Scenic Flight by Helicopter > Durban Coastal & High Tea > Howick Falls & Ardmore Ceramics > Indian Dinner Delight > Silver Shore Privato: Private Car with Driver/Guide (Half or Full day)

Day 12 & 13: Richards Bay, South Africa
Considered as the official gateway to Zululand, Richard’s Bay has morphed from being a tiny fishing village into a bustling harbour town. Today, the 30 km2 lagoon is the major port of the region (and also the deepest in Africa), a growth spurred on by the significant mineral deposits, wonderful wetland scenery, unspoilt beaches and game reserves. Located on the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal, Richards Bay was for founded in 1879. British Rear Admiral Sir Frederick William Richards eponymously named the port after landing there during the Anglo-Zulu colonial wars. Despite its superlative natural setting, Richards Bay was long considered a southern African backwater, with as little as 200 residents as recently as 1969. This number grew when it was proclaimed a town, but even today it is relatively underpopulated, with fewer than 60,000 calling the province home. The town’s Zulu heritage is omnipresent so be sure to look out the local arts and crafts. Nearby Zulu village Dumazulu is the only Zulu village to be opened up to tourism by King Goodwill Zwelithini, and the only authentic example of Zulu traditions that foreigners are allowed to into. If African culture is not your cup of tea, the hinterland offers fascinating flora and fauna, including a chance to see the incredibly rare white rhino along with the bucket list Big Five. Richards Bay’s attractions can be found closer to port too – the 350 kilometres of coastland, also known as “Dolphin coast”, are a joy for divers and beach lovers alike.
Included excursions: Hluhluwe Safari Game > St. Lucia Nature Reserve - Hippo Haven > Dumazulu Cultural Village > Afternoon Hluhluwe Safari Game > Bird Watching Walking Exploration > Marine Beach Walking Exploration
Optional excursions: Golf at Richards Bay Golf Club > Cape Vidal Nature Drive, Snorkeling & Beach BBQ > Sunset Zulu Nyala Safari with Dinner > Hluhluwe Safari Game & St Lucia Lake Boat Cruise > Thula Thula Game Reserve - Safari & Lunch > Silver Shore Privato: Private Car with Driver/Guide (Half or Full day)

Day 14 & 15: Indulge At Sea

Day 16: Cape Town, South Africa

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Terms & Conditions

Prices listed are per person in Australian/New Zealand Dollars, based on twin occupancy, including all discounts unless otherwise stated. The offer is subject to availability at time of booking and shown on the lowest Inside category available at the time.  Fares are capacity controlled and are subject to change at any time without notice. Prices/Offers are correct as at 22 June 2022 and can be withdrawn without notice. Cabin categories include prepaid government fees and port taxes unless otherwise stated. Hotels may charge resort fees not included in this package, payable direct upon check in. Visas are not included. Air credit is applicable on airline of choice, subject to availability and subject to the carriers’ flight schedules and conditions. Payments made by credit card will incur a surcharge.