Day 1: Arrive at Johannesburg International Airport; a representative of Beks Safaris will meet guests; hand over travel related documents and take guests to Domestic Departures for a scheduled flight to Richards Bay. (Flight not included)
Arrive at Richards Bay Airport; air transfer to Rocktail Bay Lodge
(1-hour flight time)
Overnight at Rocktail Bay Lodge for 2 x Nights
(Included: Accommodation, all meals, lodge activities, 14% VAT, Satour Tourism Levy and Park Fees)
(Excluded: Drinks and scuba diving related costs.)
Day 3-5: Guests will enjoy breakfast at Rocktail Bay Lodge and then transferred by air to Ngala Tented Camp (1 hour 45 minutes flight time)
Overnight at Ngala Tented Camp for 3 x Nights
(Include: Accommodation; All Meals; 2 x Games drives in Open vehicles and nature walks; all soft drinks; house wines at meals; local brand spirits and beers)
(Excluded: Park Fees (R80.00pp payable at Lodge)
Ngala Tented Safari Camp is situated on the banks of the great Timbavati River on 14 780 hectares on privately owned land. The 6 deluxe tents feature outdoor showers, baths, and twin hand-basins, extra-length twin beds that can be converted to double beds, overhead fans, and electric blankets for winter. Giant shade trees form a cool, green canopy over the camp. A hide overlooks a waterhole, offering guests the opportunity to photograph game at close quarters. The pool is an ideal “waterhole” where guests may cool off, and open fireplaces and a viewing deck overlooking the riverbed ensure enjoyable leisure time. Activities include twice-daily game drives in 8 open Landrovers and guided nature walks on the reserve. Stargazing, bird watching, moonlit bush dinners and bush sundowners are also available. Spectacular alfresco dinners in the riverbed promise to be an unforgettable experience. The Timbavati comes down in flood once or twice a year, but for the remainder of the year it is an impressive dry riverbed featuring islands of reeds - a birdwatcher’s paradise.
General
Weather - Hot, wet (568mm/22”) summers, cool to dry winters.
Rainfall - September to April late afternoon & evening thunderstorms.
Temperature – Summer: 18 - 36C/64-96F
Winter: 2 - 16C/36-61F
Best time to travel – Game viewing excellent year round
Malaria – Ngala is in a malaria area and necessary precautions should be taken
Day 6-8:
Guests will enjoy the early morning game drive, return to the Camp to enjoy breakfast before guests are transferred by air to Singita Private Game Reserve / Ebony lodge. Check-in; relax before guests enjoy an afternoon/evening game drive in an open land rover.
Return to the Lodge to enjoy dinner.
Overnight at Singita Private Game Reserve for 3 x Nights (Include: Accommodation; 3 meals daily; teas/coffees; all drinks including premium wines; spirits & liqueurs (exclude champagnes); 2 x game drives a day; walking safaris; laundry & valet services and return road transfers from the Singita Airstrip to the lodge)
Singita Private Game Reserve, located in the game-rich Sabi Sand Reserve, offers exquisite luxury, rare solitude and perfect tranquillity. Singita, which means “The Miracle” in the local Shangaan language, has four distinctive lodges: Ebony Lodge, Boulders Lodge, Castleton Lodge and Lebombo Lodge. Singita Ebony Lodge has 9 beautifully
appointed double suites set in shady woodland above the Sand River. Each suite has an en suite bathroom complete with outdoor shower, a double-sided fireplace, air-conditioning, private leisure deck with pool and living area. There is an outdoor “boma” and swimming pool. Dinner is served by the light of oil lamps on the moonlit deck,
or in the library surrounded by a fine collection of antique and modern books on Africa. Guests at Singita can enjoy dawn and dusk game drives or walking safaris under the guidance of skilled rangers and Shangaan trackers. Ebony Lodge has a fully equipped gym, and there is a safari boutique servicing both lodges. Day 9:
Early morning game drive; return to the lodge for breakfast before guests are transferred by air to Hoedspruit Airport (Flight time 25 minutes). Scheduled flight from HDS Airport to Cape Town (Flight not included)
Arrive at Cape Town Airport; Guests will be met and transferred by Road (Private transfer) to the Twelve Apostles Hotel. Check-in; freshen up before guests will enjoy a Half Day Cape Town City & Table Mountain Tour.
Return to the hotel in the late afternoon.
Overnight at the Twelve Apostles Hotel for 3 x Nights: Superior Sea Facing Rooms (Bed & Breakfast)
PRIVATE HALF DAY CITY AND TABLE MOUNTAIN TOUR:
Depart from the hotel and drive up Kloof Nek between Table Mountain and Signal Hill to Tafelberg Road and the lower cable station. Board the new Rotair cable car that takes under 5 minutes to reach the summit of Table Mountain, 1036 metres above sea level. The views of the city and surrounds are spectacular and there is a chance to walk around the top of the table to view various parts of the city.
Return to the city via the Bo-Kaap, the Cape Malay quarter, and then leave the vehicle to walk through Government Avenue where the original settlers planted their vegetable gardens. Today it is home to the South African Museum, the Cultural History Museum, the Houses of Parliament, the National Gallery and St George’s Cathedral. Walk through the city to the old Town Square, bustling with the market traders of Greenmarket Square and St George’s Mall.
We then drive to the castle, the oldest building in the country with its beautiful collection of old Cape paintings and home to the Western Cape Command. We see the Grande Parade where Nelson Mandela spoke to Capetonians after his release in 1990.
Visit the District Six Museum that highlights the horror of the forced removal of people from their homes. The museum contains a moving collection of memorabilia donated by former residents of the area and their descendants.
Day 10:
Guests will enjoy breakfast at the hotel before they depart on a Full day Winelands Tour:
WINELANDS PRIVATE TOUR
Leave Cape Town and drive towards the Winelands region, nestled below the spectacular Boland Mountains, some 50 minutes drive from the city. Today will be a leisurely experience as we explore the Cape’s wine route towns of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek, tasting the “fruits of the vines” and enjoying the charm and hospitality of this unique area.
Estates visited vary and are selected after discussing personal preferences. Examples are Uitkyk, Warwick, Moreson, Mont Rochelle for fine red and white wines, and Glen Carlou or Fairview for wine and cheese tasting.
We enjoy lunch at one of the many restaurants in the area.
A visit to the Paarl Bird Sanctuary can be included for the nature lovers, and we can visit the Afrikaans Language Monument with its indigenous gardens and sweeping views across the Boland.
Drive to Boschendal and visit the historic estate with its beautifully preserved Cape Dutch buildings and its collection of priceless period furniture, giving us an insight into how the early settlers lived at the Cape.
Visit Franschoek nestled in the “Valley of the Huguenots” where the French first settled in 1688. We may visit the Huguenot Memorial and Museum and explore this country town with its lovely antique shops and gardens.
We explore Stellenbosch, the second oldest town in the country, driving along Dorp Street with its beautiful Cape Dutch houses. We visit the museum to see the different styles of architecture in the Cape from the 17th century. Stellenbosch is a university town and we may visit some of the many shops and galleries it has to offer.
Day 11:
Guests will enjoy breakfast at the hotel before they depart on a Full day Private Peninsula Tour:
PRIVATE FULL DAY PENINSULA TOUR
Depart from the hotel and drive down the Atlantic coast passing the seaside suburbs of Sea Point, Bantry Bay and Clifton. We will stop on the granite boulders where we have magnificent views of the Twelve Apostles along the Atlantic coast side of Table Mountain and the beach of Camps Bay. We continue along Victoria Drive past Bakoven and Llandudno to Hout Bay, a charming little village and fishing harbour. We board a boat to see the mass of Cape Fur Seals on Duiker Island (weather dependent). The seals are mainly males waiting until they are the right breeding age.
Time permitting, drive as far as the old Chapman’s Peak lookout point, from where the road is now closed, for spectacular views across Hout Bay to the Sentinel and Karbonkelberg Mountains. Leave Hout Bay and travel over the mountain, through the Constantia Valley and over Ou Kaapse Weg to the Noordhoek area. Drive through Kommetjie and Scarborough, little hamlets on the Atlantic Coast, where between June and November there is the chance of seeing whales along the coastline. These are mainly Southern Right Whales that come into these waters to mate and calve.
Enter the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve where we can take a drive off the main road to the untouched area of Olifants Bay. There is a herd on endemic Bontebok living on this side of the reserve and we have the possibility of seeing them on the beach and in the surrounding “fynbos”, our magnificent indigenous floral vegetation with flowering species throughout the year.
We enjoy lunch at one of the restaurants along the coast.
We spend time exploring the rocky coastline and fynbos with the possibility of seeing the African Black Oystercatchers and Avocets as well as fynbos endemics such as the Cape Sugarbird and Protea Canary, as well as various Sunbirds.
We drive to the tip of the Cape Peninsula and either walk or take the funicular to the lighthouse at Cape Point with its beautiful views overlooking False Bay, so named as the early navigators thought they had arrived at Table Bay. We drive to the Cape of Good Hope, the south western most point of the African continent.
Leave the Reserve and drive along the False Bay coastline to Boulders Beach for an opportunity to study the only penguins to be found on the continent of Africa, the African Penguin. We continue on through historic Simonstown, with its past and present naval traditions and travel along the coast to Fish Hoek. We return to the city over Boyes drive with views of the fishing village of Kalk Bay and the seaside towns of St James and Muizenberg.
Day 12
After breakfast guests will be transferred by road (private road transfer) to Cape Town Airport and fly out.
This quote is inclusive of:
Accommodation and meals as stated
Meet and greet service as stated
14 % Value Added Tax
Road Transfers as stated
Air Transfers as stated
Excursions / activities as indicated
This quote is exclusive of :
Travel, cancellation, curtailment and medical insurance
Passport and visa costs and arrangements
Items of a personal nature, other meals, all drinks, entrance fees, tips, porterage, tours + transfers not specified etc
All scheduled Domestic and International flights and relevant airport taxes
Fuel deposits and fuel costs for the hired vehicle, as well as the compulsory non-waiverable responsibility deposit of R3000 per rental.
Please note :
Our standard booking conditions apply to all travel arrangements (copy on request)
The quote is subject to availability of accommodation / vehicles / guides
The cost is subject to increase of VAT, fuel, and Government levy and currency fluctuations
We strongly recommend that you take out comprehensive travel, medical, cancellation, curtailment and default insurance. We will not be held responsible for clients travelling without insurance.
Please ensure that you furnish us with the correct flight information and that you keep us updated on any changes that may occur to their itinerary.
Please note (where applicable) : the currency quoted is South African Rands. If you accept our cost proposal and wish to pay us, you can either send us a Rand draft at your own expense, or we will advise you which rate of exchange to use, to convert our Rand to your local currency.
If our cost proposal is not accepted for whatever reason, please contact us immediately so that we may perhaps look at a different option or standard of accommodation. We value your business.
Beks Safaris has a policy whereby we will hold the provisional booking, as stated above, for 2 weeks. At the end of the two-week period we will require a confirmation or cancellation. If we have not heard from you by the end of the two-week period, your booking might be released.
Deposits: Please note that we work on a 20% non-refundable deposit system. Please ensure that you are holding this 20% deposit from your client. Confirmed bookings can only be made once you are holding this deposit. Our cancellation fees are applicable once a firm booking has been made. Please ensure that you are aware of our booking and cancellation conditions.
Estimated Cost—Priced From US$7600 (June-Sept) and from US$7846 (Oct-Nov)
