Cape to Kalahari | South Africa | Cape Town

This unusual self drive tour contrasts cosmopolitan Cape Town with the stark beauty of the dry Kalahari with visits to the Kgalagadi National Park and the spectacular Augrabies Falls. After a few days in Cape Town and the Winelands you meander slowly north to the rugged Cedarberg Mountains with their beautiful rock formations, San rock art paintings and walking trails. You continue to Namaqualand, an area famous for its spring flowers, and on to the magnificent Augrabies Falls. You finish with a few days in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in the Kalahari Desert with its excellent game viewing.

Meals	Varied, Full Board on 2 nights, Bed & Breakfast on 6 nights, Room Only on 5 nights
Accommodation	Standard - guesthouses, lodges and National Park restcamps
Departure Dates	On request
Transport	Group B rental car with unlimited kilometres. Upgrades to larger vehicles easily arranged.
Price Includes	Meals and accommodation as shown in text, Group B car rental
Price Excludes	International flights, visas, items of a personal nature, meals not specified
Minimum Number	2
Climate	Mediterranean in the Cape, hot semi-desert conditions in the Kalahari
Best time to go	April to October, especially August and September
Health Requirements	None - sunblock essential
Combines well with
Other Ideas
Notes	Daily flights into Cape Town with SAA or BA from £595 including taxes

Day 1 : Arrive Cape Town. 3 nights, V&A Hotel, Waterfront, Bed & Breakfast
On arrival at Cape Town Airport you collect your rental car and drive to the Victoria & Albert Hotel in the Waterfront. The hotel combines elegance with innovative, modern luxury. 94 air-conditioned rooms are all spacious and well appointed, with views either over the piazza or the mountain and working harbour. The new loft suites have more contemporary styling; two with their own private terrace and outdoor jacuzzi. Each has a separate bath and shower, television, telephone, DVD player, fully stocked minibar, wireless internet access and a king size bed ensuring a comfortable stay. The restaurant and cocktail bar are set right on the water's edge with views up to Table Mountain.

Day 2 : Sightseeing in Cape Town
Cape Town is one of the most beautifully situated cities in the world. Cradled by Table Mountain, it has immense charm and historical interest whilst its unique cultural blend; part African, part European, part Asian, makes for a cosmopolitan dining experience. Take the cable car or walk up Table Mountain, visit the colourful Malay quarter or meander through the wonderful Kirstenbosch Gardens. Browse through the vibrant Greenmarket Square, head out to Robben Island or simply relax on the beach. When you want to range further, the Cape Peninsula offers one of the finest coastal drives in Africa to the Cape of Good Hope. Here you might see whales breeching just off the bay or quirky penguins on Boulder?s beach.

Day 4 : 1 night, Franschhoek Country House, Franschhoek, Bed & Breakfast
Only a short distance from Cape Town lies the Winelands region, an area of exquisite beautywith rocky mountains overlooking green vineyards; oak avenues leading to elegant Cape Dutch wine estates and some of the most charming towns and villages in South Africa. Explore the oak-lined town of Stellenbosch, a bustling university city with some unique museums; enjoy the rural charm of the Huguenot settlement of Franschhoek or meander along a wine route.

Franschhoek Country House is a Provençal-style country house hotel with 14 original rooms lovingly furnished and decorated in period style, with television, air-conditioning, telephone, minibar and full bathrooms with bath and shower. The contemporary Monneaux restaurant - rated as one of South Africa's best. - is not to be missed.

Day 5 : 2 nights, Oudrif Lodge, Cedarberg, Full board and Activities
Today you head north to the majestic and rugged Cedarberg Mountains, famous for their unique rock formations, San rock paintings and spectacular wild flowers in spring. Take a fascinating journey to the picturesque mission village of Wuppertal deep in the Cedarberg, or follow awalking trail to some of the ancient rock paintings. Oudrif is located on the banks of the perennial Doring River. The greatest attraction of Oudrif has to be its complete isolation. It is set against a landscape of pre-historic rock formations and boasts with old fossils and superb rock art sites amongst indigenous fynbos and abundant birdlife. In keeping with the conservation philosophy of Oudrif, straw bale building blocks were used. (3½ hours, 270km)

Day 7 : 1 night, Papkuilsfontein Farm, Nieuwoudtville, Breakfast
Drive north and spend one night at Papkuilsfontein Farm.

Papkuilsfontein is a little Northern Cape gem tucked away in the little 'dorp' of Nieuwoudtville, known as the bulb capital of South Africa and one of the main areas for wild spring flowers during late July to mid September. But even during other months, there is something quintessentially South Africa about this area. We recommend that you explore their canyon with its 180m waterfall. In summer you can even swim in the surrounding deep rock pools. (2½ hours, 160km)

Day 8 : 2 nights, Augrabies Restcamp, Augrabies National Park, Room only
Travel on to spend two nights at the Augrabies Restcamp in the Augrabies National Park. 'Augrabies' comes from a local korana name 'Oukurubi' meaning 'place of great noise'. The Orange River thunders through a 19 km gorgeand plunges down 200m into a rock enclosed pool below. According to legend a fortune in diamonds lies at the bottom of the pool washed down by the river but the sheer weight of water cascading down prevents confirmation! The rest camp is very pleasant - the accommodation is of a good standard for a National Park and there are three salt-water swimming pools, a self-service restaurant for the daytime, an evening restaurant and a bar. (5 hours, 470km)

Day 10 : 3 nights, Twee Rivieren Restcamp, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Room only
Continue to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park for three nights at the comfortable Twee Rivieren Restcamp. No one who has travelled through the Kalahari can forget its raw grandeur. It is one of the last true wilderness areas of Southern Africa, a secret land far to the north of the more cultivated Cape. The vast Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is a land of desert red dunes, endless horizons and huge skies. It is home to the desert-adapted Kalahari lion as well as to leopard, cheetah, hyena and immense herds of springbok, gemsbok, red hartebeest, blue wildebeest and eland. Nowhere in South Africa are you more likely to see cheetah than in the dry river beds. (4½ to 5 hours, 390km)

Day 13 : 1 night, Le Must Manor, Upington, Bed & Breakfast
Drive south to Upington to spend the night at the Le Must Manor. A Georgian style guesthouse set in a charming Provencal garden on the banks of the Orange River with an excellent restaurant. Downstairs the lounge is decorated with period South African furniture and art, and filled with a large selection of literature and music. Upington is the principal town of the North-West Cape and lies on the banks of the Orange River. (3 hours, 260km)

Day 14 : Depart Upington
Drive to Upington airport to drop off your rental car in time for your onward flight.

	1 May 2008 to 31 Aug 2008	1 Sep 2008 to 31 Oct 2008	1 Nov 2008 to 31 Dec 2008
Per person sharing	ZAR R 11,200	ZAR R 12,200	ZAR R 13,100

Prices may be based on current exchange rates and are subject to change prior to booking.

Contact us for more information or book your trip by clicking on the appropriate button below. One of our consultants will gladly help you with any questions you may have.