South Africa luxury holiday, Garden Route & safari
A tailor made, 18 day holiday, staying at stunning locations in South Africa in terms of landscape, but also in terms of accommodation. Luxurious yet totally tied in with the landscape.
Bantry Bay, Cape Town Cedarberg Mountains Stay at private wilderness reserve Ancient rock art sites Fynbos excursions Franschhoek and Winelands Hermanus Stay at private Grootbos Nature Reserve Whale watching Knysna Garden Route Kwandwe Private Game Reserve Game drives
Price
£5200 excluding flights
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Description of South Africa luxury holiday, Garden Route & safari
Our South Africa luxury holiday follows a carefully crafted itinerary, starting in Cape Town with time to take in this stunning cosmopolitan city and all its famous sites, and ending in a top notch Eastern Cape Game Reserve.
We have chosen nothing but the best in terms of accommodation on this holiday, with three or four days in each location so that you can not only enjoy the magnificent landscapes but also some of the spas, food, wine and wildlife viewing on offer. Our guests always struggle to pick a favourite from the boutique hotels we send them to, be it in the Cedarberg Mountains, the Eastern Cape, the Winelands or on the coast at Hermanus.
At Hermanus you can go whale watching from land, as southern right whales pass through here close to land between the months of June and November. Wildlife also abounds at the private wilderness reserve in the Cedarberg Mountains, as do ancient rock art sites in their hundreds. And your final wildlife watching treat is at Kwandwe Private Game Reserve where your trip draws to a close, with three days to take in the South African bush at its most stunning.
You can chill out on this holiday or enjoy plenty of outdoor adventures on offer, such as sea kayaking, hiking or cycling along the Garden Route. This is a tailor made itinerary so we can make it as active or chilled as you like. What we will always ensure, is a stunning place to sleep with some of the country’s food and wine ready and waiting.
Price information
£5200 excluding flights
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Based on two people sharing - excluding flights
Departure information
This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirements
Travel guides
Accessibility
Accessible tourism overview:
This trip can be tailored for guests with limited mobility or in wheelchairs and can also be organised with your own driver/guide.
Limited mobility:
Accommodation and rooms on the ground level; Door to door transfers if privately guided.
Wheelchair:
Wheelchair accessible rooms can be booked, wheelchair accessible attractions and restaurants suggested for clients.
Blind or limited vision:
This trip can be tailored for guests with limited vision, particularly trips with private/driver guides.
'Free from' food:
All dietary requirements catered for; South Africa is very well versed in handling a variety of dietary requirements.
LGBT:
The trip is open to people of all backgrounds and genders. Cape Town itself has a vibrant and thriving LGBT community.
Reviews
2 Reviews of South Africa luxury holiday, Garden Route & safari
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed on 05 Oct 2022 by Caroline Higham
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The stay at Honeyguide was incredible.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Do Honeyguide after Africa on Foot as it’s more luxurious food and being unfenced makes it more special. Also tell travellers about the ongoing load shedding in SA. I wish we’d known beforehand.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
On the whole yes it benefited locals but not so much on reducing end impacts. flights are causing me guilt so will do a carbon offset. The transfers seemed inefficient as often came from Cape Town to pick us up and did wonder whether local firms could be used. However the company used throughout were excellent. Hope the camp stays have supported conservation.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent. Loved it.
Reviewed on 02 Oct 2016 by Dina Aly
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Everything! Hard to choose! The vast number of endemic plants, unbelievable diversity of flora, diversity of birds, both the endemic and the widespread, the Southern Right Whales, the seals, the Mountain Cape Zebra, the Meerkat and the Black Wildebeest. That being said about wildlife, the South African people were incredibly warm, co-operative and knowledgeable. They love their beautiful country and are perfect hosts to their visitors. I met 5 different guides in 5 different areas and every single one of them had incredible knowledge, patience and co-operation.
All the details were beautifully orchestrated by Sharon, the director of the company we travelled with. She tailored the trip perfectly to our taste. She was also kind enough to bear with me whenever I asked for changes in the details of the itinerary. I was a bit anxious since I am an Egyptian based in Cairo, and her company is based in the UK while our destination is South Africa! Nevertheless, this long distance planning worked out awesomely well, thanks to God. I highly recommend Sharon, her sincere efforts were evident all through the trip.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
The whale trip can be bumpy so be ready for that. I would have loved to stay more but 2 hourstrips are the only available ones. Be sure to see the Meerkat in Outsdoorn, it is a beautiful experience. Don't miss the flora, Sharon got us in contact with excellent guides who know the flora very well.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
It must have had because like our country, tourism is one of the main industries in South Africa. We only went to places where the environment is appreciated and preserved, like Gondwana, where several key threatened species are protected like the Cape Mountain Zebra, and Grootbos, where the owner is constantly studying and preserving the native flora. Both are breathtaking private reserves.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Responsible Travel
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we've screened this (and every) holiday so that you can travel knowing it will help support the places and people that you visit, and the planet. Read how below.
Planet
On this trip, you will see that Grootbos is about much more than just five star accommodation and eco adventures; it’s about making a real and effective contribution to the unique natural environment of the Walker Bay region and its people.From the beginning, it has been committed to the conservation of the region’s biodiversity as well as the upliftment of the local community.
The non-profit Grootbos Foundation was established during 2003 to run the Grootbos environmental and social development programmes and has as its mission:
The conservation of the biodiversity of Grootbos and its surrounds & the development of sustainable nature-based livelihoods through ecotourism, research, management and education.
Funds generated by the Grootbos ecotourism business, together with donations received from guests and other donors are invested through the foundation into implementing key conservation and development projects. In this way all guests are directly supporting biodiversity conservation and social upliftment in the Walker Bay region.
The key projects developed by the foundation to achieve its goals are: Green Futures, Growing the Future, the Youth Development Programme and Future Trees.
People
The Grootbos Foundation supports the Youth Development Programme, which is an inspiring project that uses sport as a vehicle to promote education, health, social integration and participation amongst the culturally diverse communities of the Gansbaai area, especially the underprivileged youth.Identifying the need for a communal sport facility and seeing the opportunity for community development, the Grootbos Foundation played a key role in the establishment of the Gansbaai Communal Sports Centre, which includes a full-size artificial football pitch, two additional grass pitches, and several other world-class sporting facilities including a multi-purpose clubhouse.
The Gansbaai Communal Sports Centre is intentionally situated right in the middle of the racially diverse communities of Gansbaai, serving as the perfect catalyst for social integration in a traditionally segregated area. A wide variety of sports including football, rugby, hockey, netball and athletics are offered to encourage a wide spectrum of participation.
Our various accredited youth and adult education programmes use sport to address environmental awareness, HIV/AIDS, health, computer literacy, life skills training, career development and entrepreneurial development.
Across the different sports and educational programmes, the project reaches about 600 children and adults from different racial groups in Gansbaai, Stanford and Hermanus every week.
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