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South Africa
Top 5
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Bethulie, Free State |
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Bulwer, Kwazulu-Natal |
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Cradock, Eastern Cape |
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Gelukwaarts, Western Cape |
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Taung, North West Province |
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| 11 Day Sun City - Cape Town : The alternative route |
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| Sun City , Pilansberg National Park , Parys , Golden Gate Highlands National Park, Aliwal North , Graaf Reinet , Outdshoorn , Montague , Stellenbosch , Cape Town.
This trip is for the alternative traveller who enjoys leaving the main stream and doing some off beat travelling. It follows an alternative route packed with National Parks and Heritage sites. There is also some fun for the gambling man at Sun City. We can extend your trip with a Johannesburg extension of day excursions before your official day one begins
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Arrive at Johannesburg International Airport and go the car hire counter to collect you travel documentation. Alternatively, we can have one of our representatives meet you (optional) and show you to your vehicle. After completing the car hire formalities you will depart the airport driving towards Sun City. Sun City Resort has a unique heartbeat and an African rhythm of its own and is unlike any other Resort destination in the world. This is pure fantasy and here you can have your every desire met. There are four excellent hotels including the magnificent Palace of the Lost City that lights up the African sky. Under the African sun, are the brilliant rain forest surroundings. This hotel is luxurious in its detail and design.
Tonight you will stay in one of Sun City’s stylish hotels enjoying a variety of activities
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Travel
Tip: Click
here for Travel Tips in this region |
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Off
the beaten track: Click
here for unordinary places to discover
in this region |
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Adjoining the Resort is the beautiful Pilansberg National Park, a malaria free zone and home to the Big 5; this is a beautiful game viewing destination. Leave Sun City after breakfast and drive towards the Pilansberg National Park. Declared a game Reserve in 1979, Pilansberg is the third largest in the country. It now contains most of the mammals found in Southern Africa and over 300 species of birds. The main attraction of the park, apart from the game, is the fabricated lake called Mankwe meaning place of the leopard.
Spend tonight in the Pilansberg National Park
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Off
the beaten track: Click
here for unordinary places to discover
in this region |
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After breakfast and an early morning game drive (optional) depart Pilansberg and drive towards Parys in the Northern Freestate. Parys is a small and vibrant town in South Africa. Situated on the banks of the Vaal River 120km South of Johannesburg Parys lies within the 'Vredefort' dome that is the remains of an ancient crater. The crater formed 2000 million years ago when a meteorite as big as table mountain struck the earth. The crater was about 90km in diameter with the center of impact near Vredefort (Vredefort is a small town about 15 km from Parys.) Except for the koppies around Parys and Vredefort, not much of the crater remains. With its unique fauna and flora, friendly people, various tourism attractions and some very interesting geological sites, Parys is a great place to stop over. In the conservancy area, you will find baboons, jackal, unique birds, a variety of game on some of the game ranches as well as a very clever leopard that thus far has managed to elude capture.
Spend tonight in Parys enjoying the tranquillity of the countryside
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Travel
Tip: Click
here for Travel Tips in this region |
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Departing Parys, you will drive towards the Eastern Free State to Golden Gate Highlands : One of the most beautiful nature Parks of South Africa situated at the foot of the Maluti Mountains. The name comes from the “golden” colour of the sun that reflects on the sand stone of the mountain cliffs. This 11 600 hectares of unique environment is true highland habitat, providing home to a variety of mammals – black wildebeest, eland, blesbok, oribi, springbok and Burchell's zebra - and birds, including the rare bearded vulture (lammergeier) and the equally rare bald ibis, which breed on the ledges in the sandstone cliffs.
Ribbokkop, the highest point in the park is a good place to sit and look at the breathtaking sunsets. The game and the birds in this nature reserve only exist in this region. You can traverse the trails in the reserve, both on foot and with car.
You will spend tonight in the surrounding area or the park itself
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Travel
Tip: Click
here for Travel Tips in this region |
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Off
the beaten track: Click
here for unordinary places to discover
in this region |
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After breakfast, depart Golden Gate Highlands National Park and drive towards the Eastern Cape via Bloemfontein to Aliwal North. Bloemfontein is the Capital City of the Free State Province in South Africa. Centrally situated roughly in the middle of the Province, as well as in South Africa the "City of Roses", is the Judicial Capital, sixth largest city in South Africa. Stop in Bloemfontein, have a lunch, and look around this pleasant City. Continue towards Aliwal North. Aliwal North lies on a strategic ford of the Orange River used by the Bushmen and the Voortrekkers. This ford upgraded with a pontoon (boat) in 1872. The town developed simultaneously as a health resort and transport centre with the railway from East London reaching the town in 1885. The town’s principle assets are two popular hot mineral springs, which have extremely high concentrates of mineral and gases, as well as the Buffelspruit Nature Reserve.
Spend tonight in Aliwal North
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Travel
Tip: Click
here for Travel Tips in this region |
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Depart Aliwal North, staying in the Eastern Cape and drive towards Graaf Reinet. Graaf Reinet situated in the Karoo is home to some of the most diverse museums in one town. These museums range from the history of dinosaurs to the Anglo Boer War. Also home to Bushman Paintings and Rock Engravings this town has everything.
Overnight Graaf Reinet
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Travel
Tip: Click
here for Travel Tips in this region |
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Leaving Graaf Reinet follow the N9 and then onto the N12 to Outdshoorn. You will drive through scenic mountain passes in the direction of the dry and very interesting Little Karoo to Oudtshoorn –dubbed the “Ostrich Capital” of South Africa. Experience the world’s largest, flightless bird at the Ostrich Show Farms in Oudtshoorn. These birds known throughout the world for their feathers, leather and meat also make for a great riding experience - if you dare. Outdshoorn is also home to the "shy 5" i.e. meerkats and other secretive critters. In the afternoon, there is time to relax, or you can have a look at the impressive Cango Caves. The Cango Caves is just one of the many natural wonders in the Little Karoo. Water, time and simple chemistry have combined, over hundreds of thousands of years, to create a magical display of carved caverns, corridors and dripstone formations deep within the Swartberg Mountain Range. You can also decide to go up the Garden Route before continuing back to Cape Town.
Spend tonight in the Klein Karoo
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Travel
Tip: Click
here for Travel Tips in this region |
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Saying goodbye to the Karoo and the Ostriches, you will continue in a westerly direction towards Stellenbosch. This student town is 45 minutes away from Cape Town - The heart of South Africa's wine industry, Stellenbosch is a place of great beauty and culture steeped in South African tradition.
The Stellenbosch Wine Route is arguably the country's most famous, and the Stellenbosch Wines of Origin area includes 106 cellars - most of which are open to the public. Enjoy a long day's wine tasting, wine buying, and enjoy our South African way of life.
Spend your night in the wine capital
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Travel
Tip: Click
here for Travel Tips in this region |
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Leaving Stellenbosch behind you will drive to Cape Town – the Mother City one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It does not matter how long you are here, the beauty of the mountains, sea and wine estates will impress you. Cape Town is the capital of the Western Cape Province. It is a city with two faces, European and African. It is a blend of the first and third world. Cape Town has a number of very interesting museums such as the South African National Museum, with the Planetarium, the Bo-Kaap Museum and the National Gallery. In the town center is the Castle of Good Hope. This castle built in 1666 by Van Riebeeck was the first building by the VOC and still serves as the headquarters of the Western Cape Military. Table Mountain situated on the south side of Cape Town with its table shape provides a beautiful view over the entire city. The easy way up is by cable car. The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront is a working harbour and shopping/entertainment center. You can shop, eat out, watch a movie or hang out from early morning until late in the evening. Situated at the Waterfront is the Two Oceans Aquarium, with more then 300 species of marine life. Ferries depart from the Waterfront to Robben Island. This famous, or infamous, prison island can be visited on a 3,5 hour tour. You will be taken on a tour around the island and visit Nelson Mandela’s prison cell. It is a moving experience. A visit to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens should be on the agenda as well. It is one of the world’s great botanical gardens with spacious lawns and botanical diversity. It is also a starting point for many walks on Table Mountain. Stop at Rhodes Memorial on the way to the gardens for a beautiful view over the city.
Spend the next two nights taking in the sights and sounds of this spectacular City.
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Travel
Tip: Click
here for Travel Tips in this region |
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Off
the beaten track: Click
here for unordinary places to discover
in this region |
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Saying goodbye to Cape Town – make you way toward the airport where you will drop off you car and continue with you onward travels. |
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Add-ons: We can collect you car from you on day 9 and book the City Extension which is a collaboration of our favoutire day trips. Alterntively - extend you holiday and stay awhile/
Click
here for more information |
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Travel
Tip: Click
here for Travel Tips in this region |
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10 nights accommodation as per itinerary
Meals as per basis at Lodge / B&B / Hotel
11 days car hire
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Flights
Optional Activities
Travel insurance
Entrance / Concession fees
Additional meals and beverages
Personal insurance
Additional nights
Visas if required
Guide / driver
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| * Prices are indications only and are subject to change. |
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