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SUGGESTED HONEYMOON TRIP TO : DISCOVER SOUTH AFRICA
This tour lives up to its name by providing an opportunity to experience a diversity of activities, breathtaking scenery, cultural attractions, sight seeing wonders – all while traveling in comfort and staying in style. South Africa is home to great private game reserves, most notably the Sabi Sand, adjacent to Kruger National Park. This is the first stop on your tour capturing the true spirit of South Africa; witness the Big Five as they roam undisturbed, see the hundreds of species of birds as they soar high above the African skies. Experience the rush of real bush adventure on the daily game viewings drives through the reserve, accompanied by a qualified ranger and tracker. Discover the many species of wildlife that roam free through nature’s untouched land. You then fly to cape Town and transfer to Grootbos Private Nature Reserve. Grootbos Private Nature Reserve is a magical place overlooking the magnificent Walker Bay. Grootbos provides nature lovers with the unique opportunity to explore the wonders of the Cape's beautiful flora and fascinating coastal and marine life. Dedicated conservationists accompany guests daily on botanical tours and nature trails, 4X4 drives, horse riding expeditions and land-based whale watching trips. A magnificent thirty kilometers coastline provides secluded white sandy beaches and fascinating archeological caves. Grootbos provides an unforgettable combination of nature, hospitality, friendship and professionalism. From Grootbos you transfer by road to the exclusive Relais & Chateaux Bushman’s Kloof. Bushmans Kloof, a heavenly wilderness reserve, a retreat of unparalleled beauty and recreational diversity and discover the continued re-birth of a long forgotten land. This refuge for body and soul is surrounded by thousands of acres of majestic, savage beauty and wind-sculpted landscape of reddish sandstone rock formations – in the heart of the Cederberg Mountains in the Western Cape. The final leg of your tour takes you into Cape Town. When Sir Francis Drake rounded the Cape in 1580, he declared, “this Cape is the most stately thing and the fairest Cape we saw in the whole circumference of the earth”. Cape Town, South Africa’s “Mother City”, lies nestled between Table Mountain and Table Bay. It is truly one of the world’s most gracious and lovely cities. You will have the opportunity to tour this beautiful city over the next few days.
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Day 1- Johannesburg
Meet and Assist on arrival at Johnnesburg International Airport and walk to your hotel-
The Airport Sun Intercontinental Hotel offers the following hotel features: 24-hour front desk, concierge services, laundry/valet services, video review checkout, duty-free shopping, car rental desk and airline boarding desk for participating airlines, early check-in and/or late check-out including express check-out. Accommodation consists of twin and double bedded rooms and each room is equipped with all the technological mod-cons, including direct dial telephone with voicemail, wake up call facility, fax modem point, mini bar, in-room safe and television with limited satellite channels. The top floor of the hotel provides an exceptional relaxation area, comprising a health and fitness centre, with a 360-degree view across Johannesburg. The magnificent in door, heated swimming pool follows the semi-circular architectural lines of the building, jutting out against the double volume glass windows. The range of equipment in the fitness centre includes weights, exercise machines, steam room and a masseur. The hotel’s Quills Restaurant is aptly named after the unique 18m long porcupine quill mobile, which is lit up for dramatic effect, and spans the entire length of the restaurant. Menu items range from designer hot breakfasts to delicious soups such as roasted corn, sweet potato and coriander, from African meze platters, to steamed linefish in pickled ginger and lemongrass. The remainder of your day is at your leisure.You stay at Airport Sun Intercontinental -no meals
Day 2 - Day 5 -Sabi Sands Game Reserve
Fly to Lion Sands Private Game Reserves.
Lion Sands Ivory Lodge or River Lodge.
The Ivory Lodge is built on the banks of the Sabie River with magnificent views extending onto the open sand banks of the Kruger National Park. The 6 ultra-luxurious suites each boast an en-suite bathroom, outdoor and indoor shower, full lounge with fireplace, wooden viewing deck, patio and private plunge pool. The bedroom and bathroom areas are air-conditioned and overhead fans cool the lounges. The lounge is equipped with a full size refrigerator stocked with fresh fruits, yoghurts, chocolates and savory snacks, tea and coffee making facilities, a service hatch to enhance privacy, internet points and a large open wooden fireplace. Sliding doors open up onto a viewing deck, which has a spotting scope to assist with getting close to the abundance of game that drinks from the Sabie River in front of the suite. The Health Spa, appropriately named 'Lalamuka' - the Shangaan word for 'unwind' - offers facial therapies, aromatherapy, reflexology, massages and aqua treatments.
The River Lodge is built on the banks of the Sabie River as well. It faces due east, catching the sun as it rises over the Kruger National Park. There are 18 luxurious thatched bedrooms with en-suite bathroom, outdoor & inside shower & wooden viewing deck. The bedroom area is air-conditioned with an overhead fan. All rooms have mini-bar & telephone access. The rooms are linked to all areas by raised wooden walkways. The lodge comprises the following: a private lounge and bar, 2 swimming pools, wooden viewing decks, a secluded bird hide, private hammocks, conference room, health spa, curio shop & both an indoor and open-air (Boma) dining area. River Lodge is the soul of Lion Sands. It is positioned on a site with trees dating back 800 years. The lodge is about spirit, warmth, nature & relaxation. It is hosted by a family of staff that will make it feel like home from home. Relax, enjoy and experience African hospitality at its finest. The rooms at River Lodge offer respite and protection from the Lowveld heat. The interior is a tranquil purple and cream haven; cool in the summer, cozy in the winter. The bathroom, with its tranquil look and pebble-inlaid floors complements the bushveld well. Each bedroom has its own deck with a view of the river
The Lion Sands culinary experience is as diverse and interesting as the African bush itself. Janine Hobbs, executive chef, and her team use imagination, passion and natural flair to produce the most delicious meals served on the banks of the Sabie River, under starlit skies, out on the wooden decks under the shade of the Mahogany trees or in the bush under African Acacias. Guests are welcome to enjoy wine tastings in the cellar, which holds some of South Africa's most outstanding wines. Lion Sands is renowned for not only exceptional hospitality and game viewing, but also the great variety of ancillary activities it offers over and above the usual twice daily 4 x 4 game drives. Be it astronomy during the evening game drive, bush breakfasts on the open plains, bush dinners in dry riverbeds, bush walks or magical full moon walks, river tours to look for crocodiles and hippopotamus, safari lunches at a hide in winter and regular wildlife lectures covering a variety of subjects – “ never a dull moment” for sure.
You stay at Lion Sands Ivory Lodge or River Lodge :Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5 - Day 8 -Grootbos Nature Reserve
Fly to Cape Town and transfer Grootbos Nature Reserve.
Set among the ancient milkwood trees, the large, private suites of Grootbos give the guest a chance to unwind, surrounded by the splendours of nature and pampered by all the comforts of home. Each suite has its own secluded balcony from which you can admire the sunsets over the ocean or start the day in tune with the forest birds. Natural textures and colours bring the harmony of nature into your suite. Spacious, finely appointed bathrooms complete the feeling of utter luxury. Between the suites and the main lodge, pathways wind through the largest milkwood forest in the world. Accompanied by specialist guides, guests explore the tidal rock pools and coastal caves and hear of the early inhabitants and famous shipwrecks along the coast. Venture out on 4x4 nature drives or enjoy the safe swimming beaches and a picnic lunch. The cliffs of Walker Bay offer the best land based whale viewing in the world. Mothers, calves and energetic bulls come to within 30 metres of the rocky shoreline. This coastline offers a marine experience like no other. See 40-ton Southern Right Whales only metres from your boat or admire the underwater antics of a 60,000 strong Cape Fur Seal colony. Be amazed by the awesome spectacle of a great white shark breaking the surface. For the brave at heart, close encounters with the Great White shark by way of shark cage diving and surface viewing can be arranged near Dyer Island, possibly the best place in the world to view these magnificent predators (optional at an additional cost).
You stay at Grootbos Private Nature Reserve Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8 - Day 11 - Bushman’s Kloof
Private road transfer from Grootbos Nature Reserve to Bushman’s Kloof
Bushman’s Kloof nestles between the majestic mountains of the Cederberg and the vast plains of the Great Karoo some 270 kilometers north of Cape Town. Unique and unspoilt, what used to be the hunting ground of the intrepid San people, is still home to an incredible variety of wildlife and plant species, and is a premier spring flower destination. The rooms and suites all have designer en-suite bathrooms and private terraces with magnificent views over rolling lawns, the river and onto dramatic rock formations. The Riverside Honeymoon Suite comprises a spacious sitting room with fireplace, a luxurious bedroom and a bathroom with spa-bath for two. The luxury and comfort of the bedrooms are enhanced by hand-made bed linen and custom made fabrics which blend into a feeling of restfulness and peace. All rooms have direct-dial telephones, under floor heating, ceiling fans, mini-bar fridges and temperature control units. Guests are invited to participate in a variety of activities to invigorate the body and feed the soul. One of the highlights of the day at Bushman’s Kloof is the sunset game drive in open game viewing vehicles, with drinks and snacks served at one of the many vantage points in the reserve. Knowledgeable rangers lead the game drives where guests can view at close range a variety of game, both large and small, and enjoy the ever-changing vistas and vegetation. Early morning rock art tours provide the visitor with an insight into an ancient culture that has been lost forever. Botanical walks, mountain hikes and bird watching are also available. Mountain biking down one of the many rocky slopes offers a challenge to the very adventurous, while fly-fishing enthusiasts may opt for a day excursion to the Biedouw River to challenge the famous Clanwilliam yellowfish on a catch-and-release basis. Swimming in one of the river's crystal clear natural rock pools or in the Lodge's swimming pools offers welcome relief on a hot summer day. Guests may also picnic in the reserve or simply relax on the rolling green lawns alongside the river.
You stay at Bushman's Kloof Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 11 - Day 14 -Cape Winelands
Private road transfer from Bushman’s Kloof to The Franschhoek Hotel in Cape Winelands
The Franschhoek is a luxury boutique hotel, a historic residence in the centre of what many regard as the most charming and picturesque village in the Cape Winelands. Elegantly restored in the Cape Huguenot tradition, The Franschhoek is right in the heart of what has become the utopia for food and wine lovers in the Cape. All the superior qualities of The Last Word Residences abound in this luxury winelands hotel. The Franschhoek features 6 luxurious en suite Superior Double Rooms. Each room has its own traditional Cape charm and opens onto a small shaded garden for extra luxury and comfort
The days are at leisure to explore the town, and visit the numerous wine farms surrounding Franschhoek. You have options to explore other wine regions which are abound with activities – Stellenbosch and Paarl.
Franschhoek is a quaint village situated in the heart of the fertile Franschhoek Valley. Surrounded by lush vineyards, rugged mountains and spectacular scenery, Franschhoek is the ideal base from which to delight in the attractions of the Winelands region. Franschhoek was founded in 1688, when hundreds of Huguenots fled their French homeland, arriving by ship at the Cape of Good Hope. Many of them were given land by the Dutch government in a valley called Oliphantshoek (Elephant Corner) - so named because of the vast herds of elephants that roamed the area. Soon after they settled here, it became known as Franschhoek (French Corner). This heritage lives on today with the Huguenot monument standing proudly at the top of the village. Many of the original farms still carry their original French names. Bastille Day on the 14th of July celebrates the village's French Heritage with a festival of fine French food and wine.
Franschhoek is the food and wine capital of South Africa, where splendid wines are produced and top chefs create international and traditional gourmet cuisine in some of the country's top restaurants. Home to eight of South Africa's top 100 restaurants, Franschhoek is a food lover's dream. Most of the wine farms in the region offer top-class restaurants on their individual estates. The town boasts many excellent restaurants varying in cuisine, ambience and style and of course all include impressive wine lists! Many of the local restaurants are noted for their innovative cuisine and warm hospitality. Particularly noteworthy is Le Quartier Francais - rated as South Africa's top restaurant, and one of the Top 50 restaurants in the world.
You stay at The Franschhoek Hotel - Breakfast
Day 14 -Depart
Private road transfer from The Franschhoek to Cape Town International Airport
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