For diversity and colour, nature lovers are drawn to South Africa. The country has more than 24 000 plant species and is home to one-tenth of the world's flowering plants, including orchids, lilies, gladiolas, freesias, geraniums, numerous succulents and proteas.

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Day 1        Arrival in Cape Town

Welcome to Cape Town!  Upon arrival at Cape Town International Airport, you will be met by an iKapa International Travel Management Company Representative and taken on a City Orientation Tour of Cape Town (depending on time of arrival).  Time permitting you will visit an Art Gallery in Town.

Continue to your hotel situated in the city centre.

This evening you will be collected from your hotel and transferred to a local home for a special welcome dinner.  Local gardeners and artists will be joining you tonight.

Overnight:    Mount Nelson Hotel                    Welcome Dinner, Bed & Breakfast

Day 2        Full Day Touring including Darling Wildflower Show

This morning after a leisurely breakfast, you will be collected from your hotel and taken to the West Coast region of the Western Cape. 

Darling is the heartbeat of the West Coast region. The little village lies tucked away between hills of vineyards and golden wheat fields.  Browse through the antiques and collectables and visit the interesting craft and gift shops.  Darling is known as the Flower of the West Coast and the abundance of flora and natural flowers is undoubtedly its greatest asset.  The West Coast flower region, an integral part of the Cape Fynbos Kingdom, boasts more than 1200 species of flowering plants. About 80 of these are endemic to the West Coast and known nowhere else. 

The Darling Wildflower Show takes place annually over the third weekend in September at the Darling Club. Since the early shows, the wildflower show has grown from a hall with floral arrangements to include natural displays. Which reflect the geographical diversity of the veld surrounding Darling. All flowers and plants on show grow wild in the Darling district and are picked under strict supervision of the Darling Wildflower Society. The displays include the botanical and common names of all flowers exhibited as well as interesting information on conservation. The detail can vary substantially, being that the Darling Flora is all about the extravagant diversity and fragrance. While the big picture displays such as the fields of daisies, are magnificent, it is the small detail that will fascinate, as will the wondrous scent of the veld.

Lunch en route.

Return to Cape Town in the late afternoon.

This evening dinner will be at the hotel’s restaurant, The Cape Colony.

Overnight:    Mount Nelson Hotel                    Lunch, Dinner, Bed & Breakfast

Day 3        Full Day Touring including Table Mountain, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens

Depart for Table Mountain.  Table Mountain is famous for its extra-ordinary floral biodiversity, mainly fynbos. Table Mountain alone has over 1500 species of plants, roughly the same number as are found throughout the entire British Isles. Table Mountain National Park is the richest corner of the Cape Floristic Region and richest single floristic area in the world.

Visitors can expect to encounter dassies (rock hyrax) at the top of Table Mountain. The dassie is about 50cm in length and resembles a rabbit. The dassie however, is not a rodent and in fact, anatomically is a close living relative of the elephant.

The indigenous birds that can sometimes be seen are the Black Eagle, Rock Kestrels and Sunbirds. Not indigenous to the mountain, but certainly the most likely to be seen, are the Red-winged Starling and Black-winged Starlings. These handsome birds nest on cliff faces so they are right at home among the steep crags of Table Mountain.

Ascend Table Mountain by Cable Car and enjoy the wonderful views that Cape Town has to offer.

Continue to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.  Kirstenbosch grows only indigenous South African plants. The Kirstenbosch estate covers 528 hectares and supports a diverse fynbos flora and natural forest. The cultivated garden (36 hectares) displays collections of South African plants, particularly those from the winter rainfall region of the country. The Kirstenbosch Visitors' Centre includes an information desk and various retail outlets and a coffee shop. The Centre for Home Gardening has outlets for plants and other services to support the home garden.

Lunch will be enjoyed at the Silvertree Restaurant at Kirstenbosch. 

This afternoon depart to the Cellars Hohenort Hotel.  The Hotel is adjacent to the world famous Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.  It has nine acres of magnificently landscaped gardens and a small vineyard. The gardens feature roses, herbaceous borders, herbs, indigenous flora as well as a unique Knot Garden.  An avid and knowledgeable gardener Liz Mc Grath's exquisite gardens at The Cellars-Hohenort are acknowledged as one of the finest hotel gardens internationally. Recently voted by Garden Design a top American magazine as one of the top 30 hotel gardens in the world. An example of her interest is her recent discovery of 8 camphor trees in the grounds.

Return to the hotel in the late afternoon.

Tonight dinner will be for your own arrangements.

Overnight:    Mount Nelson Hotel                    Lunch, Bed & Breakfast

Day 4        Full Day Winelands & Garden Tour

This morning you will be collected from your hotel and taken on a full day tour of the Franschhoek & Stellenbosch Winelands.  Founded in 1688 by French Huguenots, Franschhoek, the scenic gem nestles in a rich and fertile valley…between glorious towering mountains, right in the beautiful Heart of the Cape Winelands.

The French Huguenots settled in this picturesque valley some three hundred years ago. It is perhaps as result of this French heritage that Franschhoek valley produces some of the country's finest wines and is recognized as the culinary capital of South Africa. The tour allows for the opportunity to taste some of the internationally acclaimed wines produced in the valley.

Visit a private garden.

Lunch at Tokara Restaurant.  The exclusive combination of Tokara Restaurant’s illustrious cuisine, breathtaking views and avant garde architecture promises guest a unique and memorable experience.

Return to your hotel in the late afternoon.

This evening you will be collected from your hotel and transferred to Baia Restaurant for an excellent seafood meal.  Baia is the new landmark for fine seafood and cuisine in Cape Town.  With sweeping terraces that offer spectacular views, Baia (meaning the Bay), lives up to its name in every way. Chic and contemporary, Baia is on the cutting-edge of the restaurant scene, serving signature seafood dishes and fabulous fare in a glorious setting that welcomes visitors to Cape Town in style.

Overnight:    Mount Nelson Hotel                    Lunch, Dinner, Bed & Breakfast

Day 5        Full Day Garden Touring

This morning you are collected from your hotel and transferred to Kenilworth to visit Stellenberg. 

Not generally open to the public, a guided tour of Stellenberg offers a unique opportunity to garden lovers.  This very lovely classical garden is complemented by the magnificent Cape Dutch manor house and outbuildings and surrounded by oak trees and carefully tended lawns with a formal garden designed by internationally acclaimed designer David Higgs. The owners, Andrew and Sandy Ovenstone, have taken great care to complement the historic homestead and outbuildings with carefully designed garden "rooms" reflecting the history of the owners since the original land grant was made by Governor Simon van der Stel in the 18th C.

Lunch en route.

Visit a community garden.

Private Garden tour in Hout Bay, including high tea and snacks.

Return to your hotel in the late afternoon.

This evening you will be collected from your hotel and transferred to the V&A Waterfront for dinner at Emily’s.  Since opening Emily's has evolved into one of the finest eateries in South Africa. From a starting point of Afro-Euro-centric, the food philosophy now makes the strongest single statement for South African food in the country. Each plate becomes a canvas of the best available ingredients with flavours from all over the African continent.

Overnight:    Mount Nelson Hotel                    Lunch, Dinner, Bed & Breakfast

Day 6        Cape Town to Durban

After breakfast you will be collected from your hotel and transferred to Cape Town International Airport for your domestic flight to Durban.  Once you have arrived at King Shaka International Airport, you will be met by a specialist guide for the following 3 days.

En route to your hotel, stop for lunch.  Thereafter visit a Ceramic Studio.

Continue to your hotel.

Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight:    Fordoun Hotel & Spa                    Lunch, Dinner, Bed & Breakfast

Day 7        Full Day Touring

Driving through the scenic Drakensberg range, we arrive at Giant's Castle a world heritage site for a half hour easy walk to see the Bushman paintings, whilst seeing incredible scenery and hopefully the rare bearded vulture amongst other small game species.

Lunch en route.

In the afternoon visit a Clivia Collection.  Kwa Zulu Natal is very fortunate to have 3 of the 6 known species of Clivia endemic to our borders. The wild populations within our borders are a source of genetic diversity and should be protected at all cost.

Return to the hotel in the late afternoon.

Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight:    Fordoun Hotel & Spa                    Lunch, Dinner, Bed & Breakfast

Day 8        Durban to Johannesburg

Depart towards Durban.  En route visit a garden at Karkloof.  The property is undeniably amongst the most picturesque on the African continent, nestling in the almost cinematic splendours of the Karkloof Valley. There are five waterfalls, various dams and three rivers, all located within its confines, which makes for an amazingly varied landscape and flora.

Depart on domestic flight to Johannesburg.  Upon arrival at O.R Tambo International Airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel via a short Johannesburg City Orientation Tour.

Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight:    The Westcliff Hotel                    Lunch, Dinner, Bed & Breakfast

Day 9        Full Day Touring including Savanna Rock Garden, Brenthurst Estate

Travel to Magaliesberg and visit the Savanna Rock Garden - A rock garden created by a married couple (one a sculptor, the other an artist).  Lunch en route.

In the afternoon depart to Brenthurst. 

There are not many people around town who have 45 gardeners to tend their garden. But then there're not many people around town who have 45 acres of gardens that need tending. One person who does is Strilli Oppenheimer of Brenthurst, in the heart of Parktown.

And those 45 gardeners are doing a magnificent job - the gardens are breathtaking. Led by head gardener and horticulturist Dawid Klopper from Kirstenbosch, who joined the team at Brenthurst two years ago, the gardens range from gracious avenues of planes and oaks, to indigenous grass enclaves, beautifully manicured circular lawns, and several miniature forests. All this is interspersed with tumbling fountains and sculptures, and several kilometres of stone pathways. We also visit the Brenthurst Library during our time at the Brenthurst Estate.

This evening enjoy dinner with South Africa’s favourite gardener.

Overnight:    The Westcliff Hotel                    Lunch, Dinner, Bed & Breakfast

Day 10        Full Day Touring including Thukhuka School Garden

This morning visit a School Garden.  This garden is a school vegetable patch in Thembisa, one of Johannesburg's townships.

Thereafter continue to the Cradle of Humankind.  The Cradle of Humankind Site comprises a strip of a dozen dolomitic limestone caves containing the fossillised remains of ancient forms of animals, plants and most importantly, hominids. The dolomite in which the caves formed, started out as coral reefs growing in a worm shallow sea about 2.3 billion years ago. 

Lunch at the Cradle of Humankind.

Return to your hotel in the late afternoon.

Dinner TBA.

Overnight:    The Westcliff Hotel                    Lunch, Dinner, Bed & Breakfast

Day 11        Full Day Touring including Constitution Hill, Private Garden Visit

Nowhere can the story of South Africa’s turbulent past and its extraordinary transition to democracy be told as it is at Constitution Hill. This national heritage site has witnessed a century of South Africa’s history.  Visit Constitution Hill and learn about the injustices of South Africa’s past while observing the process by which freedom was won and is now protected.

Enjoy a talk by Albie Sachs.  He is a justice on the Constitutional Court of South Africa.  He was appointed to the court by Nelson Mandela in 1994.

Lunch TBA.

This afternoon visit a private garden.

Return to your hotel in the late afternoon.

This evening you will be collected from your hotel and transferred to the Goodman Gallery for a special farewell dinner, guests will include artists from the region.

Overnight:    The Westcliff Hotel                    Lunch, Dinner, Bed & Breakfast

Day 12        A fond farewell…

Today you will take home fond memories of your wonderful visit to South Africa, as you are collected from your hotel and transferred to O.R Tambo International Airport for your homeward flight.

*** End of Services ***

Please contact us for detailed pricing on info@ikapa.co.za

Includes

Accommodation in standard rooms or similar.

Meals as stated in itinerary

Transfers as stated in itinerary

Sightseeing and excursions as stated

Welcome Pack

Excludes

All flights & taxes

All visas and passport documentation

All other meals

All other sightseeing

All other items other then stated in the above

The Darling Wildflower Show takes place annually over the third weekend in September at the Darling Club.

The flower season is at its best from August to October in the Western and Northern Cape.