Cape Town - Port Elizabeth

Day 1 - Mossel Bay
We collect you from your overnight accommodation and make our way to Mossel Bay where we visit the interesting Diaz Museum in the town. This building was originally erected in 1901 to serve as a grain and sawmill. It was adapted to serve as a unique Maritime Museum and houses, among others, the impressive life-size replica of Bartolomeu Dias's caravel, the ship in which he sailed into Mossel Bay in the year 1488. It also displays ship models of a bygone era, route maps to the East and exploration of the Dark Continent in general, as well as the Post Office Tree, the Granary, the Shell Museum and more.
Overnight Protea Hotel Mossel Bay (or similar). This luxurious 31-roomed Protea Hotel Mossel Bay is a graceful landmark, built in 1846, overlooking Santos Bay and harbour. Nestling on the Mossel Bay shoreline with the majestic Outeniqua Mountains as a backdrop, the Protea Hotel Mossel Bay is singled out from other establishments. The stone walls and Mediterranean-style outbuildings belie the fact that the main building is one of the oldest in Mossel Bay and forms part of the Dias Museum Complex. Previously The Old Post Office Tree Manor Hotel, the Protea Hotel Mossel Bay, situated off Santos beach, could best be described as a hotel complex. It comprises of a breakfast patio with sea view, the Cafe Gannet Seafood Restaurant - Mossel Bay's Seafood House and the Blue Oyster cocktail bar, adjacent to the pool, which overlooks Munro's Bay and the Jacana curio shop.

Day 2 - Knysna (Breakfast, Lunch)
After breakfast we make our way to the “Featherbed Nature Reserve” in Knysna. This spectacular four-hour eco-experience includes a return ferry, walk and lunch and a 25-minute ferry trip on the Knysna Lagoon to the Western head (The Reserve is only accessible by ferry.) Upon arrival, guests board a Unimog drawn trailer and drive up to the top of the Reserve. While stopping at a scenic lookout point, our specialist guides will share with you some fascinating tales about Knysna and the surrounding area while you enjoy the panoramic views. An optional 2,2 km guided nature walk takes you through the forest, onto the cliffs, into the caves and along the scenic coast. Once back in the Food Forest, a unique outdoor restaurant situated under the Milkwood Trees, guests can enjoy a spectacular 12 dish buffet lunch. The afternoon is yours to enjoy.
We overnight at the Knysna River Club (or similar). The award winning Knysna River Club comprising of 35 luxury chalets is situated on the edge of the famous Knysna Lagoon, offering a unique opportunity to experience an unforgettable stay at one of South Africa's prime destinations. The remainder of the day you are at leisure.

Day 3 – Oudtshoorn (Breakfast, Lunch)
Today we visit the Cango Caves near Oudtshoorn, which are among the biggest stalagmite formations in the world. Some of the sandstone formations are colourfully illuminated and the bizarre shapes in the caves are mainly composed of calcium carbonate. They develop as limewater drips from the stones and evaporates. The structures growing down from the cave ceiling are called stalactites, while those that grow from the ground to the top are called stalagmites.
We will also visit a working ostrich farm where one can learn more about these fascinating birds. Commercial ostrich farming started during the late 1880's in South Africa; this was also the start of the ostrich industry worldwide. The fashion demand in Europe for ostrich feathers inspired the growth of the industry, with the Oudtshoorn district quickly being established as the “ostrich capital of the world”. During the first decade of the previous century, ostrich feathers gained record prices on foreign markets, ranking 4th on the list of South African exports, after gold, diamonds and wool. The consequence of this newly found opulence meant that ostrich farmers were able to build beautiful sandstone mansions. A unique feature of the farm experience is a visit to the Ostrich Palace "Welgeluk" which was built at the height of the feather boom in 1910. The homestead is a National Monument and is a superb example of the type of architecture that was used at the time. Safari Ostrich Show Farm was established more than 40 years ago. Lunch will be enjoyed at this farm.
We overnight at Fosters Manor (or similar). Experience the days gone by of ostrich feathers and feather palaces at Foster`s Manor Bed & Breakfast - the embodiment of the ambiance of the era when the ostrich and its feathers reigned supreme in the Little Karoo. The Ostrich feather palace, Foster`s Manor, was the only one to be established as a charming Bed & Breakfast and was declared a national monument in 1974.     

Day 4 – Oudshoorn (Breakfast)
After a superb breakfast we go on the 27 km Swartberg Pass, which is considered one of the most impressive mountain passes in the world:  an untarred road that winds to the summit 1583 meters above sea level in steep zigzags and sudden switchbacks with breathtaking views at every turn. The road is supported in places by hand-packed stone walls, a trademark of Thomas Charles Bain, the brilliant road engineer of the 19th Century. Along the way there are relics of old prisons, tollhouses, and Way stations that bear historic testimony to past adventures. Often covered with snow in winter, the mountain's microclimate supports fynbos and a rich bird life, in contrast with the arid-zone flora and fauna outside its cool shady kloofs. The Swartberg Pass was declared a National Monument in its Centenary year, 1988. Those who have crossed the pass will never forget it. Once we have summitted the Pass, we do a lunch stop at the quaint little town of Prince Albert and then go onto Meiringspoort.
Meiringspoort is a deep cleft through the seemingly impenetrable Swartberg Mountain range. This natural passage forms a convenient link between the Great and Little Karoo. Soaring cliff walls with spectacular rock formations line the 25 km tarred road, which winds along the floor of the gorge, crossing the Groot River 25 times. Entry to the Poort is via Klaarstroom, 55 kms east of Prince Albert, en route to Oudtshoorn and the coast. Hardy plants, including indigenous pelargoniums, cling to the precarious rock faces while birds, baboons and smaller fauna abound in the protected kloofs & crevices. Among the most scenic spots is the waterfall tumbling into a dark pool that, according to legend, is bottomless. In Meiringspoort one feels insignificant against the overwhelming grandeur of the surroundings. Driving through this Poort with its winding road, the traveller is enchanted by the scenery with a kaleidoscope of every changing colour. The richness of the vegetation along the river will intrigue plant lovers and birdwatchers will be amazed at the bird life. Meiringspoort was originally opened to traffic on the 3rd March 1858. Please note that this trip is only possible if the pass has not been closed. This usually happens when there has been heavy snowfall or very heavy rain, making the road dangerous.
Overnight at Fosters Manor.

Day 5 – Graaf Reinet (Breakfast, Dinner)
Today we leave Oudtshoorn en route to Graaf Reinet, which is home to more national monuments than any other town or city in South Africa. Round every corner a piece of our history is revealed to interested visitors. A short stroll down Cradock Street will reveal more than 50 of these historic homes. This afternoon we visit some of the historical buildings and museums.
We overnight at the historical Drostdy Hotel (or similar)in Graaf Reinet which was completed in 1806 and was originally the seat of local government for 40 years. It has undergone many structural changes during its lifetime, but in 1977 was restored to its original pristine elegance and it is still in operation today. The present hotel is a little museum that cannot fail to fascinate even the most unhistorical-minded person. It offers traditional Karoo meals in a unique setting of brass candlestick chandeliers and many tourists have commented on its wonderful ambience.
The Stretch's Court is a complex of mid-19th century cottages with wooden shutters and whitewashed walls offering beautiful bedrooms, some with antiques and brass beds. These houses were the homes of emancipated slaves in the mid-nineteenth century. Several stylish rooms are decorated with Victorian pieces, while the rest reflect a country style.

Day 6 – Cradock (Breakfast, Dinner)
This morning we visit the “Valley of Desolation” outside Graaf Reinet before we make our way to the Mountain Zebra National Park near Cradock. The craggy heights of the Mountain Zebra National Park's Bankberg embrace rolling plains and deep valleys, and have become an entrancing preserve for the Cape mountain zebra. The proclamation of the park in 1937 saved these animals from extinction, and currently their population stands at 300. Other mammals found here include the cheetah, Cape buffalo, black rhino, eland, black wildebeest, red hartebeest and gemsbok, while mountain reedbuck and grey rhebok frequent the higher areas. Caracal occupies the niche of primary predator. We will spend the remainder of the day game viewing in this popular game reserve – game drives to be conducted by your guide in his vehicle.

Day 7 – Addo (Breakfast, Dinner)
This morning we depart for the Addo Elephant National Park where we overnight. The Addo Elephant Park lies deep within the shadows of the dense valley bushveld of the Sundays River region of the Eastern Cape. Here the evenings are punctuated by the strident howl of the black-backed jackal, and the francolin's call heralds each new dawn. Safe from relentless persecution in the past, the grey leviathans of the bush now roam in peace. The original Elephant section of the park was proclaimed in 1931, when only eleven elephants remained in the area - today this finely tuned ecosystem is sanctuary to over 420 elephants, Cape buffalo, black rhino, a variety of antelope species, as well as the unique flightless dung beetle, found almost exclusively in Addo. We will spend the remainder of the day game viewing in this popular game reserve – game drives to be conducted by your guide in his vehicle.

Day 8 – Addo (Breakfast)
After extended game drives here we depart for Port Elizabeth where we drop you off at the airport or at your overnight accommodation in the mid-afternoon.