You will be met at Cape Town Airport and transferred to your hotel in this beautiful city, within sight of Table Mountain. Check in and relax in your magnificent surroundings.

Today is free for independent sightseeing in Cape Town. We recommend you purchase a day pass onboard the convenient Hop-Off Bus, which stops at all Cape Town’s key sights and beaches. The "Red Route" bus stops at the Table Mountain base station, where you can buy a ticket to ascend by cable car and enjoy one of the world’s most famous views. Continue to Camps Bay beach and the many attractions of the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront.

At leisure to relax and explore the 'Mother City' of Cape Town. Many optional activities are available in this beautiful city. You can visit Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned (advance booking essential in season), Kirstenbosch Gardens and the vibrant Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. Golf and deep sea game fishing are available, or you can or simply relax on Camps Bay beach – the choice is yours.

This morning your hire car will be dropped off at your hotel. We recommend you spend the day exploring the beautiful Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve peninsula. Start with an optional short boat trip from Hout Bay to view Cape Fur seals at Seal Island and continue via Chapman’s Peak Drive to spectacular Cape Point where you may see baboons, ostrich and perhaps even dolphins or whales in season (July/November). On the return journey we recommend driving through naval Simons Town and visit the resident penguin colony at Boulders Beach. You can also make a short stop at the world famous Kirstenbosch Gardens, before returning to your hotel in the late afternoon.

Drive 2-hours from the Cape Peninsula along the scenic coastal route through Gordon’s Bay and along the False Bay coast to the small seaside town of Hermanus. Along the way we suggest stopping at the Stoney Point Penguin Colony in the small coastal town of Bettys Bay. You may also want to visit Harold Porter Botanical Gardens, renowned for its fynbos flowers. The walk through the gorge and down to the waterfall is particularly rewarding (pay all entrance fees locally). Continue to Hermanus and check into your hotel. From July to November, southern right and humpback whales come here to breed and this is considered the best location for land-based Whale Watching in the world. Once severely endangered, these magnificent creatures of the deep are now breeding successfully in the area due to a major international conservation effort.

This morning drive 2-hours from Hermanus through the fertile Overberg region to the 34,000 hectare De Hoop Nature Reserve, travelling along a good gravel road for the last 30 miles (50 km). This conservation area is a favourite destination for hikers, cyclists and bird watchers. The reserve contains 86 different mammal species, including the rare bontebok and Cape mountain zebra, as well as eland, grey rhebuck, baboon, yellow mongoose, caracal and the occasional leopard. Check into your hotel at De Hoop, where marine mammals such as dolphins and seals occur in the waters off the coast, and Southern right whales seasonally calve in the sheltered bay.

Today we recommend driving to Cape Agulhas, the southern most point of the African continent and the true meeting point of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. Alternatively simply relax and enjoy the many walking trails in De Hoop Nature Reserve.

Today drive 2.5-hours from De Hoop to your game lodge on the Garden Route. Check in, relax and enjoy the wildlife of this beautiful region.

Rise at dawn to enjoy an open-top game drive in your malaria free Private Nature Reserve - where you can hope to see lion, elephant, zebra, giraffe, kudu, warthogs and many other interesting species before returning to your lodge for breakfast. The rest of the morning is free to relax by the lodge swimming pool, before setting out again in the late afternoon for another game drive. With many different bird species, outstanding bird watching is also guaranteed. After a beautiful African sunset, enjoy the balmy evening and pristine stars of the Milky Way as you have never seen them before – as well as the spectacular Southern Cross. Note: children < 7 are not allowed on game drives

After an early morning game drive, check out of your game lodge and drive 2-hours to Knysna Check into your lodge and relax in this great wildlife wilderness. Note: In season we recommend bookings Knysna restaurants online in advance of your visit, to avoid disappointment.

Today we recommend making your way to the Knysna Waterfront for the ferry to Featherbed Nature Reserve situated on Knysna's Western Head, one of two magnificent sandstone cliffs guarding the entrance to the vast Knysna Lagoon. This spectacular nature reserve is only accessible by ferry, followed by a short trailer ride to the top of the reserve which offers panoramic views. Most visitors choose to return on foot along a 1-mile guided nature walk through natural coastal forest onto the cliffs, through caves and along a scenic coastal path, followed by a seafood buffet lunch served under the old Milkwood trees. In the afternoon we recommend a visit to Knysna Elephant Park where you will have the opportunity to feed one of these gentle giants (pay entrance fee locally). The remainder of the afternoon is free to explore Knysna. This lively town is famous for its oysters, which are grown in the lagoon. It offers good shopping opportunities and many interesting craft shops.

Today drive 2-hours along the beautiful Garden Route from Knysna via the lakes of Sedgefield and the beaches of Wilderness to Oudtshoorn in the arid Little Karoo. Along the way you can make a short detour to visit the Dias Museum in Mossel Bay, which has a life-sized replica of the ship that the Portuguese explorer Bartholemew Dias sailed when he became the first European to set foot on South African soil and erect a cross. At the centre of the complex is the famous Post Office Tree, an ancient Milkwood where early sailors left mail for homebound ships. Continue through the spectacular Outeniqua Pass to Oudtshoorn. Here we suggest you visit the famous Cango Caves – a vast series of underground halls and caverns formed over 20 million years ago in the foothills of the Swartberg Mountains. The caves, which extend for over three miles, contain spectacular stalagmites and stalactites and offer relatively easy access. It is also possible to visit Cango Wildlife Ranch to see cheetah and crocodiles up close. If you are adventurous and enjoy driving on steep gravel mountain passes, you can detour via the Swartberg Pass (about 1-hour) to Prince Albert. You can return the same way, or head east along the base of the mountain and return to Oudtshoorn via the Meiringspoort Pass (about 2-hours) - both offering spectacular views.

Today we recommend visiting an Ostrich Farm to view these huge flightless birds in their natural surroundings. Afterwards drive 2-hours to the Karoo National Park outside Beauford West. Situated in the vast and unforgiving landscapes of the Great Karoo (which means "land of great thirst), this wildlife sanctuary is dominated by the lofty Nuweveld Mountains and its surrounding plains. Check into your rest camp in this isolated region that is home to a fascinating diversity of species - all having adapted to survive in these harsh conditions.

Today enjoy self-drive game viewing in Karoo National Park. We recommend setting off early each morning as the camp gates open (05h30 to 06h00 depending on the season), to take advantage of the best game viewing conditions of the day. Endemic wildlife found in these harsh arid conditions includes brown hyenas, lions and Cape mountain zebra. Over 20 breeding pairs of black eagle also find sanctuary here and there is a wide diversity of succulent plants and small reptiles.

Drive for 4.5-hours today from Karoo National Park throught beautiful semi-desert scenery to the scenic Stellenbosch Winelands Check into your hotel in this famous wine producing area, relax under the giant oak trees and savour the fine food and wines of this region.

At leisure to relax in beautiful Stellenbosch, surrounded by its mountains and vineyards. Explore this old university town with its many street markets, craft shops and museums, including the Modern & Contemporary Art Gallery, or visit Stellenbosch Botanical Gardens. You can also self-drive the wine routes of Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl with many opportunities for wine tasting at famous wine estates. Alternatively use the Vine Hopper hop-off bus to explore these winelands (note: the bus does not operate on Sundays) or book an optional small group tour. In the evening there are several fine dining restaurants in the area (advance booking strongly recommended).

Drive to Cape Town Airport for your flight home.