Cape Town & the Garden Route: Whale Watching special departure

Depart on your scheduled flight to Cape Town.

Arrival in Cape Town. There will be a short orientation tour of the city prior to transferring to your hotel for a three night stay. Afternoon at leisure. Cape Town was founded in 1652 as a victualling station for ships of the Dutch East India Company. Today, it is one of the world’s most beautiful cities. It enjoys an incomparable setting within easy reach of vine-covered valleys, plunging cliffs, spectacular mountains and golden sandy beaches. Framed by the sparkling Atlantic Ocean and the majestic backdrop of Table Mountain, one of the world’s best known landmarks, Cape Town is South Africa’s oldest city and also its most cosmopolitan. Towering some 3,500ft above the city, the distinctive silhouette of Table Mountain dominates the bay and the views from the top, weather permitting, are absolutely stunning.

Today join an optional full day Cape Peninsula tour.

Day at leisure to relax or why not join one of the following optional excursions:

Helicopter Flight - Enjoy a spectacular flight by helicopter over Cape Town. This will give you an amazing new perspective of this stunning area and something that is sure to be an enduring memory for years to come.

Walk to Freedom - Any understanding of the present day conditions in South Africa is greatly enhanced by looking at past injustice and development initiatives underway at present. This half day tour includes a visit to one of Cape Town's townships, where you will be able to talk to the locals, a visit to Bo-Kaap, home to the Muslim community, and District Six, an area where Capetonian families were once forcibly removed.

You will drive along the magical Garden Route to Hermanus for an overnight stay. This former fishing village is built along the shores of Walker Bay near the southernmost tip of Africa. Magnificent mountains watch over the town which is home to the Southern Right whale. These whales are so called because they were considered to be the right whales to catch, but excessive whaling meant they became an endangered species and are now protected. Northern Right Whales are almost extinct, but Southern Right Whales are more in abundance and appear to be increasing in numbers. Hermanus is renowned for being one of the best places to view them, because they swim very close to the shore, meaning they can be seen both from land and by boat.

From Hermanus we include a boat trip for the opportunity to spot these magnificent creatures. The coastline around Hermanus also has pristine beaches, excellent bird watching and wonderful fishing opportunities so it's easy to see why this beautiful area attracts visitors from far and wide.

Today you can take an optional excursion to cruise to Featherbed Nature Reserve with the opportunity to walk along the coastline. Lunch is included on this excursion. Return to Knysna before free time to explore the waterfront area.

After breakfast continue to Oudtshoorn, via the scenic Outeniqua Mountain Pass, for an overnight stay. You visit an Ostrich Farm on the outskirts of the town to see these majestic birds strutting around and enjoying the hot, dry climate. Back in Oudtshoorn you can stroll round the streets and browse through shops selling ostrich feathers, empty ostrich eggs and other souvenirs such as ostrich-hide wallets and lamps etc. This afternoon we have included a scenic drive along the mountain road beside the meandering river lined with weeping willows to visit the spectacular Cango Caves in the foothills of the Swartberg or Black Mountain. The walls near the entrance are covered in murals painted by the Bushmen who used to shelter in the caves and further inside you will come across a fantastic array of stalactites and stalagmites.

We set out on the drive to Montagu for an overnight stay. The journey will take you through Calitzdorp, along Route 62, and give you the opportunity to view the rugged mountains, rock formations and landscape of the vast arid Karoo Desert.

The journey back to Cape Town takes us through the spectacular Winelands past the vineyard covered valleys and along scenic country roads with famous names such as Paarl, Stellenbosch and Franschoek. We will stop en route for an included cellar visit and a tasting of the delicious local wines. Arriving in Cape Town you will transfer to the airport for your return flight to the UK.

Arrival in the UK.