Cape Town
Cape Town or the mother City as it is known is a highly popular holiday destination for both local South African and International visitors alike. It's appeal lies not only in its spectacular setting with a backdrop of Table Mountain, the Atlantic Ocean and endless miles of sandy white beaches but in its melting pot of cultures, colourful history, marvellous cuisine and the general friendliness of the people on which it prides itself. Cape Town provides the visitor with and endless array of things to do from its cultural; and historical activities such as Robben Island and the Cape Town Castle, it's culinary delights and fine wines and vibrant night life to the fantastic views and walks of table mountain, the beauty of Kirstenbosch gardens and the endless miles of sand on Noordhoek beach.
Winelands
Situated about an hour's drive from Cape Town, and surrounding the historic towns of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek lies the Western Cape's world famous winelands. You can visit the winelands on a day trip from Cape Town (both self drive and organised tours are available) as it is relatively close however we would recommend you stay there for at least two days in order to get the most out of your experience. The winelands offer a unique and relaxing experience well worth a visit after the hustle and bustle of Cape Town. Not only can you visit the vineyards to see how their wines are produced and sample some of South Africa's wonderful array of new world wines but the towns offer a unique insight into the colourful history of the area with its French, English and Dutch influences. The winelands are also renowned for their culinary delights and are well worth the trip just to experience the fantastic array of cuisine on offer.
Hermanus
Another popular stop situated about an hour and a half's drive from Cape Town is the beautiful seaside town of Hermanus. Built on the shores of Walker Bay, Hermans is one of the best places in Southern Africa if not the world to see the Southern Right Whales which frequent the Cape Coastline from June to November when they come to calve in the relative safety of the coastlines many bays. Hermanus is also about thirty minutes drive from Gaansbaai where you can go cage diving to hopefully see the magnificent Great White Shark and is the perfect place from which to base yourself for this experience. Again a visit to Hermanus can be done as a day trip however we recommend that you stay at least one night in Hermanus particularly in whale season or if going to see the great white sharks so as to experience everything this wonderful little town has to offer.
Garden Route
Stretching East from Hermanus for approximately 500km's lies the world famous Garden Route with its dramatic backdrop of the Outeniqua mountains, the Knysna forests and it's rocky coastline of large bays and beautiful beaches. For those with a little more time on their hands we would highly recommend a trip down the garden route after your stay in Cape Town and the winelands as you will not be disappointed. Stretching from Hermanus in the East to Port Elizabeth in the West and encompassing the towns of Mossel Bay, George, Wilderness, Sedgefield, Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, Storms River, St Francis Bay, Jeffrey's Bay, and slightly off the main route but well worth a visit is the town of Oudtshoorn with its ostrich farms and the magnificent Kango Caves. The lush forests and valleys of this region give rise to the name garden route and create some of the most beautiful scenery South Africa has to offer. We generally recommend 3 to 4 nights minimum to fully experience all that this stretch of coastline has to offer. The Garden Route is all about dramatic scenery and the unique ways from which to view it, from a ferry ride on the Knysna lagoon, walking the Robberg Peninsular in Plettenberg Bay to scaling the heights of the Tsitsikamma forests in a very popular canopy tour. From its adventure activities to nature walks, beaches and superb golf courses there is something for everybody on the Garden Route. The town of George has an airport which means a visit can start and end on the Garden Route.
Eastern Cape Safari
For many visitors to South Africa, the holiday is not complete without a safari. Conveniently located within an hour's drive from Port Elizabeth are the malaria free reserves of the Eastern Cape. The best known of these are: Shamwari, Amakhala, Kwandwe and the Addo Elephant National Park, all of which offer opportunities to see the 'big 5'. Most offer accommodation in superb lodges or tented camps combined with game viewing activities. 2 to 3 nights in the region can begin or end your stay in the Cape with an approximately one hour drive to Port Elizabeth airport. Port Elizabeth is the largest city in the Eastern Cape region. It offers even more beaches and an opportunity for the extremely popular township or shebeen tour. Flights out of Port Elizabeth connect with international flights from Cape Town or Johannesburg.