Tour Price:  Twin share $23,995 per person.  $27, 395 per person for own room in Cape Town, Hermanus, Franschhoek with shared superior chalet in safari camp.

Tour Dates:  14 – 25 September 2024

Tour Category:  Luxury +

Tour Starts:  Cape Town

Tour Finishes: Cape Town

PRICE INCLUDES:

• Fully escorted from Cape Town by Andrea Powis, Founder Travelling Divas & Jane Thomson OAM, Founder The Fabulous Ladies Wine Society
• 4 nights’ luxury 5-star accommodation, Cape Grace Hotel Cape Town
• 1 night’s luxury 5-star accommodation, The Marine Hermanus
• 3 nights’ luxury 5-star accommodation, Mont Rochelle Franschhoek
• 3 nights’ luxury 5-star safari camp accommodation, Londolozi Varty Camp (or similar)
• Meals and wine included as per the itinerary, all meals include wine (except breakfast….)
• Exclusive access visits to selected wineries as per the itinerary
• Economy flights Cape Town – Skukuza – Cape Town
• Exclusively hosted experiences across art, fashion, diamonds, dining and more as per the itinerary
• Wine tasting experiences throughout
• Taxes and surcharges

NOT INCLUDED:

Airfares unless stated in the itinerary; items of a personal nature; phone calls; passport and visas (if applicable); entry or departure fees charged at the airport; laundry or tips. Any transport outside of included transfers and activities; excess baggage; security and additional government taxes not covered already; travel insurance. Meals not specifically mentioned in the itinerary; beverages unless specifically described. Optional excursions or activities that may be offered but are not included in the tour price.  Any COVID required testing or documentation required by the countries of entry.

SEPTEMBER 2024

DAY 1 – SATURDAY 14:  WELCOME TO CAPE TOWN AND THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY JOURNEY

Welcome to the divine city of Cape Town.  On arrival there is a meet and assist with your VIP agent through immigration and to assist with baggage collection.

Enjoy a private transfer to your hotel, check-in, settle in and enjoy some post flight down time.

This evening, start your luxe experience as you mean to finish with a divine welcome dinner paired with wine, hosted by Jane & Andrea.

Overnight Accommodation:  Cape Grace Hotel

Included Meals:  Welcome dinner

DAY 2 – SUNDAY 15:  FABULOUS WOMEN AND THEIR DELICIOUS WINE PLUS SOME ‘WILD FOOD’

Time for an early breakfast before an early morning departure from the hotel to the Constantia Wine Route.

In 2024 Constantia will celebrate 339 years of wine-making in the Constantia valley and there are now a number of women at the helm of wineries on the route… An exciting full circle moment for Constantia when you consider that history dictates one Catharina Ras was the first woman to own land in the Cape back in 1682 – the very first agricultural farm “Swaaneweide”, now known as Steenberg.

We visit the Steenberg Farm:  with infinity pools and reflective water features set before some of the most remarkable scenery in Cape Town, guests are able to relax and appreciate the natural beauty and architecture around them.  Enjoy a stroll around the garden, before we meet with Elunda Basson, responsible for managing the entire winemaking operations at Steenberg, and enjoy an Executive tasting in the Wine Cellar.

We continue to meet Roushanaand her team for a Wild Food Lunch experience – a celebration of wild flavours on a unique pop-up meal experience where the season determines the menu. Dedicated to sustainable cuisine that will tantalize all of your senses, this interactive 5 course meal experience will be curated and created using fresh seasonal ingredients and locally produced products. Vegetables, herbs and wild foods will be picked and prepared on site our gardens. Included in the meal will be wild herbs gathered from the mountainside, seaweeds foraged from the nearby coastline, edible flowers picked from the gardens and offerings from our wild pantry that preserve moments and memories in time. This 3 hour experience includes: Botanical drinks on arrival, a wild flavour talk by the foragers and chef, a wild flavoured rainbow coloured multi course meal paired with local wines and wild sodas.

If time permits, our last stop for the day is to visit the African Penguin Colony – we visit a smaller secret beach and avoid the main crowds at Boulders.

Dinner this evening will be at  Time Out Market in the Waterfront (opening late 2023).   Time Out Market will be located in a historic harbour. It’ll have 14 kitchens, all run by different top Cape Town chefs, and four bars with drinks co-curated by the city’s best bars. There’ll also be a stage for live performances. And of course there’ll be room for guests: 750 seats in total, including quayside tables with jaw-dropping Table Mountain views. Time Out Market Cape Town will be the first Time Out Market to open in Africa, and a big thumbs-up to one of the continent’s most exciting cities – and the people and independent businesses that make it great.

Overnight Accommodation:  Cape Grace Hotel

Included Meals:  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 3 – MONDAY 16:  YOUR CAPE TOWN EXPLORATION

After breakfast this morning meet your guide and depart on an exploration of Cape Town.

Start the day by ascending by way of cable car to the top of Table Mountain(weather permitting- fast track to avoid any queues), and enjoy the stunning views from a variety of vantage points at the top.  Toast the City below with a glass of Bubbly (a superior Cap Classique will be selected for your by Caroline of Caroline’s Wine Fines).

We descend again via the cable car and into the heart of the city for a Guided City Walking journey where the story of the city and her inhabitants is told through food and drink.  We aim to climb under the skin of the city and taste her flavours.  We stop to chat in local cafes, wine bars and explore our history, our people and our cuisine.   We sample some of the food and wines of our favourite local artisans and some of our unique traditional treats.

At each stop you will enjoy a variety of treats, which will also be your lunch for the day.

Return in the afternoon to your hotel.

Dinner this evening is at Fyn Restaurant  for a delectable food and wine pairing (In 2022, it broke into The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list for the first time, picking up The Best Restaurant in Africa award in the process.)

Depending on your mood why not visit a few of Cape Town’s iconic Wine Bars such as Culture Wine Bar, CellarClub and Bouchon to round out an already fabulous day.

Overnight Accommodation:  Cape Grace Hotel

Included Meals:  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 4 – TUESDAY 17: DIAMONDS ARE A GIRLS’ BEST FRIEND, AREN’T THEY?  OR IS IT FASHION…OR ART

This morning is all about diamonds and fashion.

Start with a Jewellery Making Session which includes bottomless bubbly,  chocolate truffles and a guided jewellery making class to make your very own special piece. Secrets of what makes the featured gem special are shared by a Gemologist.  Use of all tools and the precious materials supplied are included with each workshop featureing a different gem and different piece of jewellery.

We then meet with your Specialist Shopping Guides Mira and Louise to explore some of Africa’s top fashion and object designers.

Mira studied Fashion Design at the London International School Of Fashion & went on to intern at Elle Magazine, where she fell in love with creative writing and styling. She’s worked as Head Stylist at SA’s favourite online retailer, Superbalist, Fashion Editor of GQ and Glamour Magazine & is now a freelance Creative Director, Stylist and Producer, working for brands such as Polo, Reebok, Freedom of Movement, Calvin Klein and more.  Louise is a qualified fashion designer and stylist with over 20 years industry experience.  She is passionate about South African Fashion and dedicated her career to helping people discover local talent.

Stop of for a well earned lunch on the way through and then time for art!

We walk across to the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary African Art for a Curator-led visit.  As an institution committed to making a significant contribution to the development of contemporary art in Africa and its diaspora, Zeitz MOCAA features rotating temporary exhibitions and a dedicated space for its permanent Zeitz MOCAA Collection. The institution also supports educational, discursive and enrichment programmes related to its exhibitions as well as a Centre for Art Education, a Centre for the Moving Image and project space for emerging artists.

Return mid-afternoon to the hotel to recover for a little while.

Transfer to Constantia where dinner this evening is at La Colombe – another World’s Best Restaurant Top 100 entry.

Overnight Accommodation:  Cape Grace Hotel

Included Meals:  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 5 – WEDNESDAY 18:  TO HERMANUS WE GO

Breakfast and check-out.

This morning we transfer to Hermanus.

Begin the day with the Dylan Lewis Sculpture Guided Garden walk.  In this garden of private myth, the artist explores the Jungian notion of ‘the wilderness within’. More than 60 sculptures constituting a comprehensive record of his artistic development thus far have been carefully sited along 4 kilometres of paths.  The garden focuses on indigenous species, particularly fynbos. Although planted to give year-round colour, it peaks in July and August into September, when its many buchus and ericas are in fragrant flower.

Then time take a drive over the mountains and through fertile farmlands, with a stop at a local ‘farm stall’ en route toBot Rivier.

Proceed direct to Hemel-En-Aarde Valley.  Visit with Olive Hamilton Russell at the Hamilton Russell Estate.  A light farm-style lunch will be enjoyed on the farm.

Then in the afternoon we proceed to Hasher Family Estate – with Céline Hasher and winemaker Natasha Williams, who also has her own brand, Lelie van Saron.

We continue the short distance to Hermanus, where you may have the opportunity to observe whales as they migrate to colder waters.

Check-in at the hotel and take a stroll along the cliff-paths.  September is Whale Season, so chances are good that you will see  these majestic creatures go through their paces in the safe haven of Walker Bay. There’s nothing quite like the sight of a Southern Right breeching or lob-tailing.

Dinner is in house at the hotel tonight.

Overnight Accommodation:  The Marine Hotel

Included Meals:  Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY 6 – THURSDAY 19: CREATION AT ITS BEST THEN TO THE BEAUTY OF FRANSCHHOEK

Enjoy Breakfast and then time for some amazing wine experiences today.

We visit Creation for a vine-to-wine tasting in the vineyards with Carolyn Martin. This will include a visit to the Art of Creation Chardonnay and Art of Creation Pinot noir vineyards and tasting in situ, with a discussion on biodiversity, weather permitting. Should the weather change, we will start with Creation Elation and have some fun blind tasting.

Then time for a Wine and Wellness Wine Paired Lunch, here we investigate and discover the 8 senses and 6 tastes, including aroma, texture, mouthfeel and minerality, and how we each taste differently, so we are going to have fun experimenting with everyone. This will include a 6-course small portion menu and 8-wines (followed by a nap on the bus!)..

Once we have finished enjoying this amazing experience we transfer to the gorgeous Franschhoek Valley and check into Mont Rochelle Hotel,  set in the beautiful vineyards of the Franschhoek Valley, providing a quiet retreat only an hour’s drive from Cape Town. You might feel like a stroll through the vineyards, or you can explore the wine estate by horseback or mountain bike.  For those in the mood enjoy your complimentary wine-tasting experience!

This evening dinner is at the hotel!

Overnight Accommodation:  Mont Rochelle Hotel

Included Meals:  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 7 – FRIDAY 20:  TODAY ITS ALL ABOUT DIAMONDS AND WINE – IN FRANSCHHOEK

This morning we depart the hotel to meet winemaker Ronell Wiid at Bartinney Estate.  Enjoy a unique Cape Fynbos and Wine Tasting.The multi-sensory tasting changes your perceptions of the wines and highlights the estate’s ongoing commitment to conserving the unique Cape biodiversity.

A short drive sees us arrive at Delaire Graff – to view Diamonds, Gardens, Art & Savour Wine. The Estate is known as the ‘Jewel of the Cape Winelands’.  Much like polishing a diamond to reveal its brilliance, jeweller Laurence Graff has transformed an extraordinary natural setting into a world-class destination for wine, art and cuisine.

Take in the Graff Boutique – meticulously crafted jewels from the Butterfly, Spiral, Threads and Classic Graff collections are positioned alongside luxury timepieces in Africa’s first Graff boutique.

Enjoy a tutored tasting of the estate’s wines on the spacious terrace, encircled by dramatic mountain views.  To enhance your experience, enjoy a selection of platters featuring locally produced cheeses and charcuterie.

After your wine experience, wander the Estate gardens. Spectacularly in bloom every day of the year, the Estate acts as an incredible backdrop for art and sculpture, where Laurence Graff’s personal collection is a carefully curated to showcase South Africa’s finest contemporary artists.

In the afternoon we proceed to the small suburb of Pniel, which is quite the contrast to Delaire.  Here we meet Jane Lello and Rose Kruger at Stellekaya.  Stellekaya is a privately owned boutique wine producer. Their cellar is in the middle of Stellenbosch and all grapes are sourced from the area. They focus on producing noble red wine varietals.

Return to your the hotel for a lld (little lie down) or a wander around the beautiful grounds.

This evening enjoy a late dinner at Protégé where you will enjoy a refined, flavour-packed approach to casual fine-dining.

Overnight Accommodation:  Mont Rochelle Hotel

Included Meals:  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 8 – SATURDAY 21:  DIVINE WINING AND DINING CONTINUES, WITH A TOUCH OF NATURE FOR BALANCE

Departure for Babylonstoren Farmfor breakfast at Babel.  Babel’s fresh approach to eating promotes healthy options and the chef always select the season’s best. Enjoy the morning harvest, together with produce from local farmers.

Then enjoy a divine guided walk where the charming gardener Gundula will be your guide and you are encouraged to pick, taste, smell and touch while walking through the stunning garden.

Set within 3,5 hectares (8 acres) of cultivated fruit and vegetables, the big garden at Babylonstoren is at the heart of the farm. It was inspired by the historic Company’s Garden in Cape Town, which supplied sailing ships of the Dutch East India Company with fresh vegetables and fruit during the days when the Cape was a halfway station between Europe and Asia. But we also link back to the mythological hanging gardens of Babylon. Those were thought to have been created by Nebuchadnezzar in the sixth century BC, for his wife who longed for the mountains and valleys of her youth.

We continue on through Stellenbosch town and then meet Thea at Jordan Wines.  Enjoy a guided tour through the wine cellar explaining the winemaking process and what makes Jordan Wines Estate so unique and a vineyard safari.

Lunch today will be a picnic at Jordan wines.

We then continue to Mitre’s Edge Wine Estate and meet winemaker Lola Nicholls.The family-owned and managed boutique winery focuses on red wines and Bordeaux style blends. It was in 1999 that Bernard and Lola Nicholls took over the farm from Lola’s father, Martin Hunting, who had farmed there since 1969.

Return to your Hotel to relax and get ready for a delicious dinner this evening.

Dinner tonight is at Rust en Vrede Estate for a food and wine matched experience – this dining experience can be heightened by the combination of outstanding wine with excellent food. The restaurant is housed in the Estate’s original cellar, a historic monument which has been transformed into a sophisticated yet relaxing fine-dining setting.

The international wine list is overseen by sommelier James Mukosi, who works closely with Chef Fabio to find the best wine pairings for each dish. Combining a balanced menu with wines to enhance each dish, rounded off with stellar service, they aim to offer you a singular experience.

Overnight Accomodation:  Mont Rochelle Hotel

Included Meals:  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 9 TO 11  – SUNDAY 22 –  TUESDAY 24:  IT’S SAFARI TIME

This morning an early breakfast, checkout and it’s safari time!

Private Transfer to Cape Town International Airport and then fly from Cape Town to Skukuza.

Collect your luggage and transfer by road to your private camp set in the Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve.

Meet your Lodge hosts and settle in.

Enjoy afternoon tea and then set off on your first safari drive with your ranger and tracker.

With nearly 100 years of experience, Londolozi embodies the best of all the inclusive, high-end experience you could look for in one of the best, if not THE best African safari destination on the continent.

As Londolozi’s original camp, Varty embraces the conservation principles of generations of the Varty and Taylor families, dedicated to providing a sanctuary for wild life. Varty Camp’s central thatched living area overlooks the magnificent Sand River, where you can relax in comfort while you take in the views. The living spaces are positioned under the shade of trees, raised off the ground by wooden platforms. The camp’s holistic approach to an African safari means that there are many things to keep you occupied both in camp and out in the bush.

From massages and reading a book from the library, to watching passing wildlife from the deck or swimming pool. The camp offers several different game viewing opportunities. Game drives and walking safaris guided by experienced rangers and trackers will give you the opportunity to view the Big 5, and star-gazing and bird watching is a great way to simply admire this beautiful area.

No two days are the same while on safari at Londolozi and your experience is tailored to suit individual preferences and expectations. Still, there is a certain rhythm and pace to the experience that stirs a sense of homecoming on repeat visits and a pleasing sense of order for first time bushveld visitors.

Life at Londolozi is dictated by the seasons; the vegetation and the animal behaviour shift with the rains of summer and the chill of winter. What is unchanging is the warmth of the welcome by your camp manager and the opportunity to experience a deep and authentic connection with the natural world.

Game drives at Londolozi are taken by professional, passionate and knowledgeable rangers and trackers, who have 350 years of experience between them. With over 34,000 acres of traversing wilderness, no two game drives are ever the same.

This is a rough guideline of what to expect during the summer season. Each safari experience is tailor-made and may differ from day to day.

5:00  WAKE-UP CALL

The day begins with a dawn chorus of birdsong and the haunting calls of Fish Eagles, air rich with the night flowers’ perfume and a delightfully cool temperature.

5:30  SUNRISE GAME DRIVE

By 7:30am the magic hours have passed, and soon the animals will sink into the torpor brought on by the midday heat.

9:30  BREAKFAST

10:30  OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES

On returning from the game drive and fortifying yourself with breakfast you can either retire to the cool sanctuary of your suite or indulge in a myriad of bushveld activities which include the following:

• Bush walks
• The Photographic Studio
• The Futuristic African Village Experience
• A wellness offering ~ The Londolozi Healing House
• A community experience with the Good Work Foundation
• An inclusive yoga class
• Safari boutique shopping
• Storytelling in the Ubuntu Hut
• Sustainability Tour

FUTURISTIC AFRICAN VILLAGE

Take a walk with us…

Londolozi’s Futuristic African Village is an atmosphere of profound beauty, enchantment, care, trust and kindness. It’s about creativity and the expression of personal essence in a place that accelerates the awakening.

PHOTOGRAPHIC SAFARI

The Ultimate African Photographic Studio

PHOTOGRAPHIC SAFARI

The Ultimate African Photographic Studio

Londolozi is the home of the photographic safari and has long been recognised as a superb location for wildlife photography, specialising in the big cats.

HEALING HOUSE

Bringing Wildness back to Wellness

HEALING HOUSE

Bringing Wildness back to Wellness

Looking for luxury wellness retreats in Africa? We invite you to experience the Londolozi Healing House, one of Africa’s most forward thinking emotional wellness offerings and the home of the pioneering wellness safari retreat.

13:30 LUNCH

16:00 AFTERNOON TEA

In spring and summer, the early evening air along the Sand River often carries the nostalgic call of the African fish eagle signalling the start of your afternoon drive.

16:15 SUNSET GAME DRIVE

19:30 DINNER

Overnight Accommodation:  Londolozi Varty Camp (or similar)

Included Meals:  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 12: TIME TO SAY FAREWELL

Sadly all good things must come to an end.  Enjoy your last morning safari, then breakfast and check-out.

Road Transfer to Skukuza Airport for your flight to CapeTown.

VIP Meet and Assist to the International Flight Check-in, customs & immigration and to your boarding gate for your onward connections home.  Want to say a little longer and explore more – ask us how!

Included Meals:  Breakfast

Cape Town:

 

Cape Grace Hotel:

Situated on a private quay between Cape Town’s bustling V&A Waterfront and the tranquil yacht marina, there is no better position from where to soak in the natural beauty of our Mother City and the very essence of Cape Town living at its best. Our elegant and warm atmosphere begins at the welcoming reception lounge and extends to our spacious harbour and mountain-facing rooms. We invite you to share in tailor-made experiences, all thoughtfully created to enhance your journey in the Cape and with us.

Comment from Hotel Manger: As of 22 May 2023, Cape Grace, and all our outlets, will be temporarily closed until 1 December 2023 for an exciting re-fashioning, as a part of our transition into a Fairmont Hotels & Resorts property, now known Cape Grace, A Fairmont Managed Hotel.

Hermanus:

The Marine Hotel:

The Marine is one of South Africa’s most spectacular seaside hotels. Located on Hermanus’ famous cliff path, overlooking the breathtaking Walker Bay in the Western Cape’s Overberg region, this Small Luxury Hotels of the World property is the ultimate location for whale watching during our whale season – most often directly from the comfort of the sea view bedrooms.

 

Franschhoek:

Mont Rochelle Hotel & Vineyard:

Mont Rochelle is a stunning 26-bedroom hotel and vineyard spread over 39 hectares in Franschhoek, a town in the Western Cape Province of South Africa famously known as the French Corner. Escape to this picturesque corner at the foot of the Klein Dassenberg Mountain Range for relaxation and a superb culinary experience accompanied by some outstanding wines.

Londolozi:

Londolozi Varty Camp:

This original camp is a tapestry of brick paths, dolerite rock walls, waterfalls and tangled vines echoing simple spaces with unencumbered river view backdrops. The tones of the camp reflect the owners’ almost 100-year love affair with this land and therefore place an emphasis on family and heritage.

With 10 private chalets, the lodge is situated on the Sand River in the very heart of the Sabi Sand Game Reserve. This reserve forms part of the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a growing area that currently covers six million acres and incorporates the famous Kruger National Park. Wild animals move freely across this vast space, offering spectacular game viewing and a true wilderness experience.

Breeding herds of elephant and buffalo roam throughout Londolozi, while white rhino and lion concentrations are among the highest recorded on the African continent. Yet it’s the leopards of Londolozi that make us world famous for wildlife, and lie at the heart of the Londolozi feeling. Over the course of more than four decades, a unique relationship has developed between our rangers and trackers and generations of wild leopards. Intimate leopard sightings are frequent here, an experience that our guests agree is a pinnacle life experience.