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Gourmet
Cuisine Wine & Spa with Safari
From $1329 land only $2529 with air/land
Package includes:
* Meet and Greet at Cape Town airport
* 3 nights in a non-seafacing classic room at the 4-star Winchester
Mansions on a B&B basis
* 2 nights in a standard room at the 5-star Klein Genot Wine
Estate and Spa in Franschhoek on a B&B basis
* 2 nights in a thatched chalet at the 4-star Lalibela Game
Reserve on a fully inclusive basis (includes accommodation,
all game drives, meals and all drinks)
* Half-day Cape Malay Food tour (includes lunch)
* This program is totally customizable. You can add nights,
and options and upgrades.
Day One – Cape Town
You are met at Cape Town airport by our representative and
handed your travel documents. You travel into Cape Town and
check in at the 4-star Winchester Mansions, situated on the
Atlantic seaboard with uninterrupted sea views. It is five
minutes’ drive from the trendy Victoria & Alfred
Waterfront. This charming and gracious hotel offers its guests
understated elegance and service. The luxurious rooms have
sea or mountain views. Sip sundowners whilst viewing the spectacular
ocean sunsets and relax around the decked pool. There is an
in-house spa offering health and beauty treatments. The Winchester
Mansions’ in-house restaurant, Harvey’s, is fast
becoming a culinary hot spot in Cape Town. Hard to find among
Cape Town restaurants today, Harvey’s offers discerning
diners an appetising taste of traditional Cape cuisine. The
Harvey's Bar, adjoining the restaurant, allows you to enjoy
arguably Cape Town's best view - the sun slipping into the
Atlantic - while sipping a long cocktail on the terrace. The
rest of this afternoon is at leisure to relax or you can take
an optional half-day city tour of one of the one of the world’s
most beautiful cities. You will visit the historic Castle
and the Bo-Kaap Malay Quarter with its narrow cobbled streets
and colourful mosques. You view the Houses of Parliament and
then, weather-permitting, you will ride the cable car up Table
Mountain to enjoy the view over Cape Town and across Table
Bay to Robben Island (cable car fare is not included in tour
price). If the weather is inclement, you will be taken on
a scenic drive up Signal Hill. You will be dropped off at
the hotel after the tour. Accommodation: Winchester Mansions
Basis: bed & breakfast
Day Two – Cape Point
Today is at leisure in Cape Town. We suggest you either take
a tour or self-drive along the coast around the Cape Peninsula
to Cape Point. You travel along the Atlantic seaboard via
glamorous Clifton to the quaint seaside village of Hout Bay.
Here you can take a boat ride from the fishing harbour out
to the seal colony on Seal Island . Continue via the scenic
Chapman’s Peak Drive to Cape Point. Looking at this dramatic
promontory jutting into the sea gives one an idea why early
sailors nicknamed it the Cape of Storms . You then follow
the coastline northwards via Simonstown, where you can visit
the penguin colony of Boulders Beach. A leisurely drive through
the leafy southern suburbs will bring you back to the hotel
in the late afternoon.
Accommodation: Winchester Mansions Basis: bed & breakfast
Day Three – Robben Island and the V&A Waterfront
We suggest you spend this day at leisure exploring the Victoria
& Alfred Waterfront, which is a five minute drive from
the hotel. If you do not have a hire car, your hotel concierge
will call a taxi for you. The Waterfront is Southern Africa’s
trendiest shopping precinct and is a great place to look for
gifts. You can take a ferry from the Waterfront across Table
Bay to Robben Island. An ex-prisoner takes you on an extensive
tour of the prison, which includes a visit to Nelson Mandela’s
cell, the limestone quarry and the old leper colony. Today
you will take a half-day Cape Malay food tour, which includes
a hands-on cooking demonstration in a Cape Malay home followed
by lunch.This afternoon you could visit the Waterfront’s
Two Oceans Aquarium, which is highly recommended for the insight
it gives into life in the two oceans off the southern tip
of Africa – the cold Atlantic Ocean and the warm Indian
Ocean. Alternatively, you may like to relax on one of the
trendy beaches of Camps Bay or Clifton. Museum lovers can
wander through the South African Museum and the National Art
Gallery . This evening would be a good time to go up Table
Mountain if the weather was inclement on Day One. Tonight
you may like to try one of the fine quayside restaurants at
the Waterfront.
Accommodation: Winchester Mansions Basis: bed & breakfast
Day Four – Cape Town to the Winelands
This morning you travel to the Winelands, with its backdrop
of majestic mountain ranges and lush valleys and vineyards.
If you are self-driving, we suggest you stop for a wine tasting
and cellar tour at Fairview and Boschendal Estates. A scenic
drive over the Helshoogte Pass (Hell’s Heights) takes
you from Stellenbosch to the Franschhoek Valley, where you
check into the 4-star Franschhoek Country House. Surrounded
by enchanting vineyards and majestic mountains, the restored
manor house and former perfumery is situated in the heart
of the picturesque village of Franschhoek . An indulgence
to discerning travellers, the guest house consists of individually
appointed rooms and suites, with a wide range of facilities
complemented by unobtrusive personal service. Franschhoek
Country House’s famous Monneaux Restaurant is rated as
one of South Africa ’s best and serves an inspired fusion
of French and Eastern cuisine to delight any gourmand.
Overnight: 5-star Klein Genot Wine Estate and Spa in Franschhoek
Basis: Bed & Breakfast
Day Five - Winelands
We suggest you spend today following the Stellenbosch, Paarl
and Franschhoek Wine Routes. You can either self-drive or
arrange a tour through your hotel concierge. You can stop
for tastings at wine estates along the way and you will have
the chance to purchase some of the wines you have tasted.
Other sights worth seeing in the Winelands are Stellenbosch,
the “town of oaks” and South Africa ’s second
oldest town. In Franschhoek itself you can visit the memorial
to the French Huguenots, who sought refuge from religious
persecution in Europe and settled here in the late seventeenth
century. Paarl, with its three imposing granite domes and
monument to the Afrikaans language, is also an interesting
stop. Franschhoek is known as South Africa ’s gourmet
capital. For dinner you might like to try Le Quartier Français
Restaurant, which has been rated by Restaurant Magazine in
London as one of the world’s 50 Best Restaurants. Another
excellent Franschhoek Restaurant is Haute Cabrière.
A combination of fine wine and food, the elegance of the cellar
venue and the breath-taking views have put Haute Cabrière
in all the top 10 listings in South Africa .
Overnight: 5-star Klein Genot Wine Estate and Spa in Franschhoek
Basis: Bed & Breakfast
Day Six – The Winelands to Lalibela Game Reserve
You depart Franschhoek and travel to Cape Town airport to
catch a flight to Port Elizabeth. From Port Elizabeth you
travel to the Big Five game reserve, Lalibela. Upon check-in
at 13h00, you are served lunch at reception. At 14h30 you
are transferred by landrover to your Lodge. At each of Lalibela’s
4-star lodges, secluded thatched chalets are placed where
magnificent indigenous gardens merge into the surrounding
bush. Each en-suite unit has a private observation deck to
make the most of the views. The lodges also all boast a large
lounge, viewing deck and a sunny swimming pool where you can
spend a lazy afternoon. They also have an outdoor dining “boma”
for fireside dinners and open-air brunches. At Lalibela, food
is true safari cuisine with an emphasis on local specialities,
ranging from centuries-old recipes to exciting contemporary
African dishes. After high tea, you are taken on your first
game drive at Lalibela. This late afternoon/evening game drive
is an opportunity to search for nocturnal animals, such as
the elusive bat-eared fox, aardvark, black-backed jackal,
aardwolf and the curious spring hare. You return to the lodge
in time for a sumptuous safari cuisine dinner.
Overnight: Lalibela Game Reserve Basis: Fully Inclusive
Day Seven – Lalibela Game Reserve
This morning after a light breakfast you are taken on another
game drive. Game drives at Lalibela bring you face to face
with a multitude of game species, ranging from the mighty
Big Five (lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and leopard) to tiny
blue duiker and rock Hyrax. Lalibela is also home to African
wild dog, cheetah, hyena, hippo, giraffe, zebra, warthog and
numerous species of antelope. You return to the lodge for
a grand brunch. There is time to relax around the pool, do
some bird-watching from the observation deck, or read a book
in the privacy of your room’s private deck. After tea
you set off on another night drive, returning again in time
for dinner. Overnight: Lalibela Game Reserve Basis: Fully
Inclusive
Day Eight – Lalibela Game Reserve to Port Elizabeth
This morning you are taken on your last game drive at Lalibela.
After brunch you bid farewell to this African wonderland and
are transferred by landrover to reception. You travel back
to Port Elizabeth airport and board your flight home.
Optional add-ons:
* Group D car hire (Toyota Corolla or similar – automatic
transmission, air-conditioning and power-steering) with unlimited
mileage and supercover insurance, but excluding a car hire
contract fee of R25, a fuel deposit of R1,000 and optional
additional driver charge of R110 (These charges are payable
direct to the car hire company when you collect the car in
Cape Town): $79 per day
* Transfer from Cape Town Airport to Winchester Mansions:
$25 per person
* Upgrade to a sea-facing suite at the Winchester Mansions:
additional $45 per person per night (01/05/2006 to 31/08/2006)
and additional $69 per person per night (01/09/2006 to 30/04/2007)
* Upgrade to a luxury room at the 5-star Cape Grace (with
in-house spa): additional $259 per person per night (01/05/2006
to 31/08/2006) and additional $299 per person per night (01/09/2006
to 30/04/2007)
* Half-day Cape Town city tour (includes pick-up & drop-off
at hotel and entrance fees but does not include the Table
Mountain cable car fare as this is weather dependent): $49
per person
* Full-day Cape Point Tour (includes entrance fees but does
not include lunch): $75 per person
* Transfer from Winchester Mansions to Franschhoek Country
House: $69 per person
* Transfer from Franschhoek Country House to Cape Town airport:
R350 per person
* Transfer from Port Elizabeth airport to Lalibela Game Reserve:
$79 per person
* Upgrade to the 5-star Shamwari Game Reserve (with in-house
spa): additional $219 per person per night (01/05/2006 to
31/08/2006) and an additional $349 per person per night (01/09/2006
to 30/04/2007)
* Transfer from Lalibela Game Reserve to Port Elizabeth airport:
$75 per person
Dates............................. Air/Land .............Land
MAY 01-20..................... $ 2529 ...............$ 1329
MAY 21- 31 ....................$ 2599............... $ 1399
JUN 01 - JUL 10.............. $ 3179 ...............$ 1499
JUL 11-30 .......................$ 3179 ...............$ 1499
AUG 01-20 ......................$ 3179 ...............$ 1499
AUG 21- AUG 31 .............$ 2799 ...............$ 1499
SEP 01-Oct 06 ................$ 3699 ...............$ 2422
OCT 07-Oct 31................ $ 3597 ...............$ 2399
OCT 07- NOV 15 ..............$ 3399 ...............$ 2199
Contact Exclusive
Wine Vacations for more information
845-485-7221
or 877-485-7221
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