Days
11
South Africa
White lions and whales
White lions and whales will let take you into the magic of the Cape wonders.
This is a self-drive itinerary (also feasible as a private tour on request) for the discerning traveler. You will start exploring Cape Town and the Cape Peninsula, with its Penguins and the legendary Cape of Good Hope. Then you’ll head north on the West Coast, before going inland again in the bucolic Cape Winelands. Indulge in the joy of great food and wine tasting, before venturing in a close encounter with the Whales and the Great White of the mighty Atlantic Ocean. Get spoiled in the 5 star eco-paradise of the Grootbos Private Nature Reserve, where you’ll admire the flora and marine life of the Southern tip of Africa. And finally, end-up this journey of distinction with a big 5 safari experience in the exclusive Sanbona Wildlife Reserve.
White Lions and Whales is designed for:
- the up-market traveler
- honeymooners
- horse-back riders
The highlights of White Lions and Whales
- boutique accommodation;
- the marine wildlife of the Cape region;
- the white Lions of he Sanbona Wildlife Reserve;
Your accommodation
We have considered boutique accommodation only along this trip. Of course, quality always comes at a price. In Cape Town, we have considered a boutique hotel on the Atlantic Seabord but, if you wish, we can offer you something of similar level on the Waterfront.
When to go
All-year round. Bearing in mind that the whale season is June to November, while flowers are blooming in August and September. In the Karoo, winter nights can be freezing, while summer days baking hot.
Self-drive or private tour?
This itinerary is designed for the self-driver. However, on request, it is possible to get a private driver. This will give you a total piece of mind and a hassle-free journey. Should you need a private driver/guide speaking in Italian, French, German or Spanish, please just ask.
Programme
Day-by-day itinerary
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Days 1 Cape Town
Arrive to Cape Town, pick-up your vehicle at the airport and check-in at your accommodation on the Atlantic Seabord or at the Waterfront Marina.
Rest of the day at leisure, to start to discover the “mother city”, its beautiful beaches ad its most characteristic areas like the picturesque Bo-Kaap, the iconic Table Mountain, the lush beauty of the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens or the elegance of the residential area of Gardens, where the Parliament is located.
Accommodation: Ocean View House
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Days 2 & 3 Cape Town
Days at leisure to discover even more Cape Town and its stunning surroundings. Absolutely not to be missed the visit of the colony of penguins at Boulders Beach, in the False Bay, and the mythical Cape Peninsula, with Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope. Don’t miss the Chapman’s Peak drive, if open; its one of the most breathless drives in the world, with a one-of-a-kind view on the Atlantic Ocean. On your way back, why not stopping for dinner at the Mariner’s Wharf? It’s a cozy restaurant stuck in a an old boat on the harbour of Hout Bay, which keeps intact its sleepy atmosphere of a by-gone fishing village. The food is great and not expensive at all for what you eat.
Accommodation: Ocean View House
Meals: breakfast
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Day 4 West Coast National Park
The West Coast National Park is a gem for unknown reasons neglected by international tourists. This probably depends on the fact that most of travel agents suggest to spend a maximum of 2-3 nights in Cape Town. We think by no mean they should be less than 4, ideally 5, at least. With regard to this itinerary, we reduced to 3 the nights in the mother city for the only reason that for some of the must-see locations we have planned 1 or 2 nights, rather than a day visit from Cape Town.
Accommodation: Dunes Boutique Guesthouse Paternoster (sea-facing room)
Meals: breakfast
One of these not to be missed locations is the West Coast National Park, a mere 2 hour drive north of Cape Town, on the Atlantic coast. The gem of the park is arguably the Langebaan lagoon, which shows its splendour at best by entering from the northern gate of the park (Langebaan gate) in the early hours of the morning. Providing the sky is clear, you can enjoy the view on a crystal clear lagoon with colors recalling those of the Caribbean.
What’s amazing is the contrast between the mighty Atlantic ocean, with its rough currents and high waves, and the calm of the lagoon on the sandy little bays, just a few hundred meter away as the crow flies.
In the months of August and September, the Postberg section is open to the public. A carpet of blooming flowers is home to a plentiful of antelopes, including springbok. Amongst the predators, the elusive caracal and the bat eared fox can bee seen.
Just north of the Langebaan gate, you can find the fishing village of Paternoster, with its blue and white houses, resembling those of the Greek islands. This little village has a name for the most tasteful crustaceans of all Southern Africa.
As an alternative accommodation, for decently large groups (like small parties of friends or families traveling together), a very nice experience would be to spend the night in a houseboat in the lagoon, just a few steps from the romantic sandy bays of Kraalbaai.
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Days 5 & 6 Cape Winelands
Leave the West Coast at your earliest convenience, to head inland to the Cape Winelands, driving through idillic and bucolic landscapes. Take your time by paying a visit to some of the best wine estate for wine tasting. In the towns of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, amongst the others, there are plenty of delicious and sometimes internationally awarded restaurants.
Accommodation: Franschhoek Country Villa House (luxury room or garden cottage)
Meals: breakfast
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Days 7 & 8 Grootbos Nature Reserve
From the Cape Winelands to the Overberg, in the whale watching and shark cage-diving country.
The accommodation we suggest in this itinerary is set in its own private nature reserve, in the Walker Bay. Enjoy the ocean and, if you can, don’t miss horse-back riding among the fynbos, the dunes and along the shores.
Accommodation: Grootbos Nature Reserve, garden lodge or forest lodge
Meals: full board
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Days 9 & 10 Sanbona Wildlife Reserve
The last wonder of this journey for the discerning traveler is the exclusive Sanbona Wildlife Reserve. Home to all big 5 and, as a bonus, to the few remaining free roaming white lions of Africa. The reserve is huge (over 500 kmq) and simply stunning. The lodges offer a great service and a warm atmosphere. One of those has been specifically designed for families and kids on safari.
Accommodation: Tilney Manor House (Gondwana Family Lodge whether with kids along)
Meals: full board
Activities: 3 game drives
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Days 11 Check-out
Last morning safari, breakfast at the lodge and departure by car to Cape Town International Airport, where you will return your vehicle and will fly you to your next destination.
Meals: breakfast
Activities: morning game drive
Included
- Accommodation, meals and activities as per the programme.
- Car hire, with unlimited mileage and total cover (zero excess) insurance.
- Travel directions.
Not included
- All international fares.
- Meals and activities in Cape Town and in the Winelands.
- Fuel and pay-tolls.
- Travel insurance.
- Tips and personal expenses.
- Anything not clearly mentioned as included.
Gallery
Watch the galleries of this trip
Franschhoek
Smaller and more intimate than Stellenbosch and Paarl, but also plenty of wine farms and delicious restaurants.
Winelands
The typical Cape Dutch style of the Cape Winelands' farm houses.
Franschhoek country villa house.
Beautiful boutique hotel made of villas in Occitan style. The restaurant - Le Monneaux - is outstanding in terms of food quality and atmosphere, with a great outdoor dining area.
Langebaan lagoon (West Coast NP)
With a length of 17 km and width of 4, the Langebaan lagoon is simply stunning, with its sandy beaches and its crystal-clear water.
West Coast NP
In springtime the West Coast National Park is blooming. In the Postberg section, which is only open in August and September, you can also see lots of animals, like springbok, mountain zebra, ostrich, bat eared fox, eland, kudu and gnu. Let alone the birdlife of the lagoon.
Langebaan lagoon
The best way to experience a night inside the West Coast NP is to sleep in a houseboat, anchored in the lagoon.
Langebaan lagoon
Being protected from the cold currents of the Atlantic Ocean, the water temperature of the lagoon is much warmer than on the open sea. Kite surfing and sea kayaking are popular activities in the Langebaan lagoon.
Whale watching
From June to November is the whale watching season in South Africa, especially in the Cape. The best spotting from the shores is in Hermanus. But if you want to get really close to these giants of the sea, join a boat trip from Gansbaai.
Shark cage-diving
This is one of the most popular activities from Gansbaai (and also from the False Bay). You don't even need to be a certified diver to try the exciting experience of a close encounter with the Great White. Protected by a steel-made cage of course.
Shark cage-diving
The cage is an inch from the water, therefore you don't need tanks, a snorkel being enough.
Robben Island.
Robben Island is an island in the Table Bay, 7 km north of the west coast of Cape Town. It's a South African Heritage Site and also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the past, the island was infamous for being a top-security prison for political prisoners. The most famous of all being former President Nelson Mandela.
Robben Island
Today Robben Island is an open-air museum. The tour guides inside are former prisoners. This is a journey back to the darkest years of South Africa.
Two Oceans Aquarium
Very interesting aquarium in the Waterfront Marina. You can even scuba-dive, providing you have a valid certificate, through the underwater kelp forest or among rays, turtles and other fishes of the ocean.
Two Oceans Aquarium
For the time being the predator exhibit has been closed for renovation, and the ragged-tooth sharks have been released into the ocean.
Table Mountain
You can reach the peak of the Table Mountain by a comfortable cable ride. Or else you hike all the way up. There are several trails, some of those quite challenging, especially with bad weather conditions (that in Cape Town can occur anytime). One of the best (and safest) is to start your trek from the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.
Noordhoek
Just shortly before ending your drive down the Chapman's Peak to the False Bay, park your vehicle on the right-hand side to enjoy a great view over the 8 km long Noordhoek beach. Ideal for horse-back riding in the afternoon. A sundowner with a difference.
Sea-kayaking
If you're physically fit and have a spirit of adventure, the sea-kayaking experience from the False Bay to Cape Point is one of a kind. A much softer options is to paddle in the Walker Bay from Hermanus, where you have good chance to approach dolphins and sometimes whales.
Shark cage-diving
The capital of shark cage-diving is arguably Gansbaai, but you can also do it from Simon's Town, in the False Bay. If you come from Cape Town, you can save a lot of time, but do not expect the same visibility.
Shark breaching
From April to September, with a bit of luck, you can admire this amazing natural show occurring in the waters of the False Bay. To push your luck, the rubber shape of a seal can be used, to attract the great predator.
Chapman's Peak Drive
One of the most spectacular marine drives in the world. It connects Hout Bay, the last suburb of the Atlantic Seabord, to Noordhoek, from where you can reach in a few minutes the False Bay and the Cape Peninsula.
Noordhoek
Small village of artists, with several stables and horse trails. Great horse-back rides on the beach for a sundowner with a difference.
False Bay
Aerial view of the False Bay and the Cape Peninsula. The False Bay, despite its name, is open ocean and not a bay.
Muizenberg
Muizenberg is a sought after beach by the lovers of windsurfing. The water, in summertime, is reasonably warm. Be careful to sharks though. In the Apartheid time, Muizenberg was the main beach destination of the False Bay, but today things have changed. Khayelitsha, one of the largest (and dangerous) townships of South Africa, is almost around the corner.
Simon's Town
Simon's Town has a beautiful beach and is the main tourist centre of the False Bay. Most marine activities, from whale watching to shark cage-diving, from shark breaching to sea-kayaking, do start from here. The town is however mainly famous for the large penguin colony of Boulders Beach.
Boulders beach
This wordwide famous beach, at the outskirts of Simon's Town, is home to some 3000 penguins who started to settle here in 1982.
Cape of Good Hope
This is the most south western point of the African continent, although the two oceans officially meet at Cape Agulhas, some 150 km east. The beach is marvelous and can only be reached by walking down a long stair. Very pleasant also the 45 minute walk to Cape Point, with a great view over the ocean all along the path.
Cape Point
A few minutes by car from Cape of Good Hope. This is where everybody usually stop for lunch, as here you can find the only restaurant in the reserve. You can walk further up to the lighthouse (or take a cable car) from where the view gets lost in the ocean. The new lighthouse has been positioned at a lower level, for a better visibility.