We hope that this example holiday will give you give some inspiration to help you begin to plan your own dream holiday to Africa.
The next couple of pages show a summary of the itinerary, followed by a detailed page on each destination.
Important travel information for visitors to South Africa is included at the back of this document.
All the holidays we offer to our clients are tailor-made so we can adjust this trip to fit in with your travel dates, interests, preferred accommodation...and of course your budget.
All our travel consultants have extensive knowledge of travel throughout Southern and East Africa, and our strong relationships with suppliers mean that our rates to you will always be competitive.
Let us take the hard work out of planning your trip: you can get in touch either by giving us a call on +44 (0) 1483 266725, completing the Enquiry Form on our website or emailing us at info@travelbutlers.com.
We look forward to hearing from you!
The Travel Butlers Team
Holiday Title: Classic Escape to the Cape
Holiday Destination: Holiday to South Africa for 12 nights
Passengers: 2 Adults
*Excludes international flights from your home country - please ask us if you would like us to include these for you.
ABTOT provides protection for your booking as set out in Section 6 of our booking conditions.
Arrive into Cape Town Airport. Collect your luggage and make your way to the Europcar Rental office. Complete the necessary paperwork - you will need to present your driving licence, passport and credit card. The keys to your hire car will then be handed over to you.
13 Day Car Rental: Group D Economy Auto - Hyundai Venue Automatic or similar (Classic Plus Cover GPS PACKAGE)
Drive to Kensington Place, situated in the exclusive suburb of Higoovale and nestled at the foot of Table Mountain. Cape Town is consistently voted amongst the top cities in the world to visit so it is no surprise that this wonderful city is one of the highlights of a holiday to South Africa.
Cape Town
Allow about an hour to drive to Franschhoek, a small village nestled at the bottom of a valley in the heart of the Cape Winelands and surrounded by rolling green hills, strawberry farms and endless rows of grapevines. One suggestion during your stay here is to take a hop-on/hop-off tour on the Franschhoek Wine Tram - a totally unique and leisurely way to see the Franschhoek Valley as you trundle in an open-side tram bus through vineyards and stunning scenery, stopping at wine estates along the way.
The Cape Winelands
Allow about 4 hours to drive the Route 62 to Oudtshoorn, which offers the scenic alternative to the N2 highway. The ever changing colours of the majestic mountains, scenic passes, rivers, vineyards and orchards will give you an unforgettable drive. Oudshoorn itself is famous for its meerkat adventures and its Ostrich Show Farms, as well as the impressive Cango Caves, which are only 30 km from Oudshoorn. The caves are illuminated to show some of the biggest stalagmite formations in the world.
The Klein Karoo
Drive to Plettenberg Bay (the journey is about 155 km so allow about 2 hours). Plettenberg Bay is home to some of the best beaches along the Garden Route. It is a trendy, upmarket beach town set in a curving bay with a backdrop of rugged mountains. The endless white sandy beaches are ideal for swimming or for just relaxing and enjoying the sunshine.
The Garden Route
Drive to Amakhala Game Reserve (a drive of approximately 280 km so allow 3 hours). Become part of Africa as you experience a Big 5 safari adventure here on daily morning and evening game drives. Wildlife likely to be encountered during the game drives in the reserve are lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and leopard as well as cheetah, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest and plenty of antelope species. Woodbury Tented Camp offers rustic and secluded accommodation coupled with an authentic African wildlife safari experience.
Amakhala Game Reserve
Nestled at the foot of the majestic Table Mountain and bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, Cape Town is consistently voted amongst the top cities in the world to visit and it is no surprise that this wonderful city is one of the highlights of a holiday to South Africa. The climate is Mediterranean, with mild winters and hot summers.
One of the main tourist attractions is the tastefully restored V&A Waterfront with its many shops, bars and restaurants. There is also an aquarium and one of the largest craft markets in Southern Africa. Boats offer tours of the harbour from the quayside and the whole place is always buzzing with life and activity. The City Bowl is home to many museums and historical buildings which can all be viewed from a 'topless' hop on/hop off tourist bus, complete with interesting commentary as you ride around the city.
The adventurous can climb up (or abseil down) Table Mountain, windsurf or kitesurf at Bloubergstrand Beach, dive in shark tanks, or do any one of a dozen more adrenalin pumping activities. For a more relaxed pace of life, there are miles of sandy beaches for soaking up the African sun, or enjoy a quiet stroll through the beautiful Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.
Situated on the slopes of Table Mountain, in the quiet, leafy suburb of Higgovale, Kensington Place is a luxury boutique hotel, offering outstanding service and accommodation to all its guests.
The rooms are spacious and tastefully decorated in the most contemporary style. Facilities include iPod docking facilities, safe and laptop and Skype phone facilities.
In between exploring the city and the surrounding areas, why not just relax around the sparkling plunge pool or enjoy sumptuous outdoor dining set in the tranquil seclusion of the lush, distinctively landscaped garden.
Nights: | 3 Nights | ||
Adults: | 2 | Children: | 0 |
Room: | 1 x Standard Room | ||
Includes: | Breakfast is included. |
Just an hour's drive from Cape Town and situated in the peaceful Franschhoek Valley, La Fontaine is just a short stroll away from the main village centre of Franschhoek.
With its friendly small village atmosphere, Franschhoek has a number of delightful art and design shops, as well as the Huguenot Museum or the famous Franschhoek Motor Museum. The village is also home to many award-winning restaurants.
The Franschhoek Wine Tram is a totally unique and leisurely way to visit the vineyards and wine estates of the Franschhoek Valley, or the guest house also has bicycles for hire should you wish to explore by pedal power. Private wineland tours taking in not only a selection of the finest wines but also rolling vineyards and quaint Dutch homesteads can be arranged (on request and at an additional cost).
If rest is what you need, stay in and enjoy the tranquil gardens and swimming pools that stretch over 2 properties. The outdoor breakfast patio and front veranda under their vine and wisteria pergolas boast views of the surrounding mountains and tranquil settings.
There are 17 large rooms and suites to choose from, all decorated with individual themes and character.
The Mountain View Suites have a fully equipped bathroom with a large bathtub and separate shower. The larger of these 2 suites also has its own wood burning fireplace. The Luxury Suites have light bathrooms and a seating area for extra comfort.
The Luxury Rooms offer the same standard of luxury decoration but with a slightly smaller footprint. The Deluxe Rooms are the smallest room type but still retain their own charm and elegance.
Nights: | 2 Nights | ||
Adults: | 2 | Children: | 0 |
Room: | 1 x Deluxe Room | ||
Includes: | Breakfast is included. |
Just 7 km outside Oudtshoorn, a warm welcome awaits you at De Zeekoe Guest Farm, set on 200 rolling hectares of succulent Klein Karoo. Around 3,000 ostriches browse the pastures and hundreds of springbok and other naturally occurring game make this farm their home.
Activities that can be enjoyed during a stay here include fishing, canoeing, biking and hiking along the many nature trails, all of which can be enjoyed within the borders of the farm. The incredible Cango Caves, the Cango Wildlife Ranch (the oldest and biggest cheetah contact centre worldwide), the Ostrich Show Farms, meerkat tours (pre-booking is essential!) and the great Swartberg and Outeniqua Mountain passes are other attractions in the vicinity which are worth a visit.
The most popular activity, however, is the daily wild habituated meerkat tours. These tours commence only at sunrise and are dependent on fair weather, since these little creatures will not venture outside their burrows on cold and rainy days. The tours last between 2-3 hours and booking is essential.
In between activities, guests can relax at the poolside.
Guests can choose from a variety of accommodation options.
The en-suite rooms in the main house are all tastefully styled with textures of wood, earthy fabrics, colourful rugs and soft lighting.
The cottages are a short 3 minute drive from the main house and offer a totally private stay. Each cottage has a fireplace, stunning views and a private pool.
The Manor House is ideal for groups of up to 6 people, and is sold on a self-catering basis. It is only 100m from the main guest house and has 3 en-suite bedrooms. There is an inside and outside braai/BBQ area as well as a kitchen and dining area.
Nights: | 2 Nights | ||
Adults: | 2 | Children: | 0 |
Room: | 1 x Luxury Room | ||
Includes: | Breakfast is included. |
Originally called Baia Formosa, or Beautiful Bay, by the early Portuguese, Plettenberg Bay is home to some of the best beaches along the Garden Route. Set around a curving horseshoe bay, schools of playful dolphins and resident Orca and Bryde's whales are often seen and between July and December the migratory Southern Right whales come to the bay to calf.
The small town is filled with restaurants, galleries, studios and interesting craft shops. With its exceptional climate and beautiful view sites over the Indian Ocean, Plettenberg Bay is perfect for tourists interested in exploring, whale and dolphin watching or just relaxing.
Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy mountain biking, horse riding, hiking trails, golf, diving, excellent salt and fresh water fishing - even skydiving!
The nearby Robberg Nature Reserve is situated on a rugged coastal peninsula with sweeping views of the bay, as well as superb whale and dolphin watching, excellent birding, hiking trails and the Nelson Bay Cave - an archaeological site with evidence of human habitation that stretches back for more than 120 thousand years.
Periwinkle Guest Lodge is a beachfront guest house offering panoramic views where you can watch the whales and dolphins frolicking in the waves whilst enjoying a scrumptious breakfast.
All the rooms are individually decorated in bright, happy colours which reflect the surrounding sea and mountains.
Six of the 7 rooms have private balconies where guests can enjoy the view from the Robberg Peninsula to the right and the Tsitsikamma Mountains to the left. All rooms have TVs, direct dial telephones, tea/coffee making facilities and bar fridges.
Nights: | 3 Nights | ||
Adults: | 2 | Children: | 0 |
Room: | 1 x Standard Room | ||
Includes: | Breakfast is included. |
The Amakhala Game Reserve is a 8,500 hectare malaria-free game reserve situated just an hour from Port Elizabeth. A safari experience here will include twice daily game drives in the company of a professional ranger in search of the Big 5 of the African bush - lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and the elusive leopard. Over 16 antelope species are also here, alongside giraffe, wildebeest, zebra and cheetah.
As part of one game drive during your stay you can also enjoy a relaxing river cruise down the Bushmans River (subject to river levels). Guided walks with one of the qualified rangers are also offered (additional cost and on request).
Woodbury Tented Camp is set in the heart of the reserve and the tranquil surroundings of the open bushveld allow you to truly experience a quiet getaway. Camp life is centred around the thatch-and-canvas dining and lounge area with its expansive deck overlooking the Woodbury plains. A wide variety of game species such as zebra, giraffe, buffalo and elephant can often be seen from the deck, while the haunting cry of fish eagles echoes across the valley. There is a pool for relaxing by in between game drives.
Guests can also enjoy a range of relaxing treatments by qualified beauty therapists, trained to pamper and soothe their clients - on request, guests can be taken over to the nearby Bush Lodge to enjoy their treatment.
Ten tents are on raised bases with private decks, providing seclusion and intimacy with the bush. Each canvas safari tent has an en-suite basin, shower and a separate private toilet. Four of the tents have breathtaking views looking out onto the reserve and the other tents are nestled amongst the trees.
Families are also able to enjoy the African bush together as there are 2 family tents hidden amongst the trees. These units comprise of 2 adjoining tents linked by a private wooden deck, enabling parents to enjoy some privacy while knowing the children are not far away.
Nights: | 2 Nights | ||
Adults: | 2 | Children: | 0 |
Room: | 1 x Standard Tent | ||
Includes: | All meals; all local beverages (excluding premium drinks); the Amakhala Conservation/Community Levy; and 2 shared game drives per day are included. Children must be 6 years and older to join a bush walk. Please Note: As the animals are wild, it is not possible to guarantee what you will see during your safari. |
Latest Travel Updates
For up-to-date travel information from the UK government, please check:
UK Government Advice: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/south-africa
Normally, holders of the following passports do not require a visa to enter South Africa when travelling as a tourist for stays up to 90 days: United Kingdom; United States of America; Canada; Australia; Ireland; Belgium; Netherlands; Italy; France; Germany; Spain, Switzerland.
If you are a passport holder from another country, please contact your local South Africa High Commission or Embassy for up-to-date visa requirements, as citizens of certain countries (including New Zealand) are required to obtain visas before travelling. Please note that if you are applying to the Embassy for your visa, some visas can take a long time to be processed so please do take this into consideration, as it is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct visa in place before you travel.
Children under 18 years of age who require a visa to enter South Africa may be required to provide additional information when applying for the visa including an unabridged birth certificate and affidavit if travelling with only one parent. There are also additional rules for unaccompanied minors and/or South African children - details available on request or via the SA Department of Home Affairs at http://www.dha.gov.za.
Please note that anyone travelling to South Africa should have a valid return ticket and a valid passport. Your passport should be valid for a minimum period of 30 days from the date of exit from South Africa. However, some immigration officials still request that a passport should have at least 6 months validity from the date of entry to South Africa so to avoid problems on arrival, we advise that your passport meets this requirement instead. The passport must also have sufficient pages for entry/exit stamps - AT LEAST 2 BLANK PAGES.
South Africa has implemented biometric capturing at all ports of entry. This may result in some delays at land borders so you should allow additional time for border crossings.
PLEASE NOTE: Countries can change their entry requirements at any time. Travel Butlers try to ensure that the information displayed here is correct, but the onus remains with the traveller to verify the information with the relevant High Commission or Embassy and ensure that they can comply with the applicable entry requirements.
You are advised to contact your doctor or clinic around 4-8 weeks before your trip to check whether you need any vaccinations and to get their professional medical advice regarding travel to South Africa.
To help avoid heatstroke, drink plenty of bottled water/fluids, and keep out of the midday sun.
Tap water is purified and safe to drink in major cities and towns, however, we do advise that you do not drink the water in more remote places such as the camps in the National Parks - the water may be safe to drink, but it simply is not worth the risk, as bottled water is widely available.
Whatever you do, do not drink water from any river lake without firstly purifying the water. Always take water with you when you go on a hike, and have a bottle in the car on a long journey to avoid dehydration.
There is a risk of malaria in and around the Kruger National Park/Mpumalanga Province, the Limpopo (Northern) Province, and the north-eastern part of KwaZulu-Natal - check with your doctor about suitable antimalarial tablets. Try to avoid mosquito bites wherever possible - wear loose long-sleeved clothing and trousers, and use a repellent on clothing and exposed skin.
There is no risk of yellow fever in South Africa, so a yellow fever vaccination is NOT required for travellers whose sole destination is South Africa. However, in accordance with International Health Reguations, South Africa requires all travellers over one year of age arriving from a yellow fever risk country, or having transited through a yellow fever risk country, to have a yellow fever certificate. These countries include Kenya and Uganda but it is up to the traveller to check the full list here https://nathnacyfzone.org.uk/factsheet/60/yellow-fever-maps
If you need emergency medical assistance during your trip, dial 10177 and ask for an ambulance.
The 11 official languages are Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, Pedi, English, Tswana, Sotho, Tsonga, Swati, Venda and Ndebele. Whilst many visitors will hear at least a couple of the tribal languages during the course of their stay, it is possible to travel extensively and comfortably with just English as a language.
The South African society is quite liberal, as gay marriage was legalised in 2006 nationwide and everyone’s rights are protected under the constitution. In some more rural areas, however, the local people may not be quite as liberal thinking, so whilst everyone is of course entitled to their own sexual preferences and gender identity, we would advise all clients of the LGBT+ community to refrain from public displays of affection (including kissing and holding hands) and to be as discrete as possible about their relationship if travelling to a rural/remote area.
Travel Butlers have 20 years experience of booking travel to Africa and the Indian Ocean for clients from all around the world. In this time we have supported clients through disruptions caused by numerous unexpected events including natural disasters, localised disease outbreaks and airline cancellations. Nobody can be certain exactly what will happen in the future, however Travel Butlers can offer you peace of mind and flexibility to ensure that you feel confident booking a holiday with us.
Our team are specialists in travel to Africa and the Indian Ocean, and we are constantly monitoring the changing situation regarding travel to the region. If your trip cannot go ahead due to specific travel restrictions related to Covid-19 then we will get in touch to offer you the choice of the following:
The specific Covid-19 travel restrictions are defined as follows:
We would not normally be able to confirm that your trip cannot proceed due to travel restrictions until a couple of weeks before the start of your trip, however should you want to look at postponing or altering your trip before then we would aim to be as flexible as possible.
If we confirm that your trip is unable to proceed due to Covid-19 travel restrictions, then we will not charge you an amendment fee if you choose to postpone your trip or move it to another destination. We may need to adjust the cost of your trip to reflect the new dates, particularly if those coincide with a more expensive season of travel or higher grade of accommodation. Equally, if the cost of your postponed trip is less, we will reduce the cost accordingly.
You should still take out travel insurance that includes Covid-19 to cover you in the event that your trip can go ahead but you are unable to travel due to illness or a change in your personal circumstances. If there are no travel restrictions in place that mean your trip could not go ahead but you need to cancel due to illness or a change in your personal circumstances then our normal terms and conditions would apply. You should ensure that your travel insurance provides adequate cover for cancelling due to illness, including Covid-19, and you may be able to make a claim against your travel insurance depending on the cover offered by your policy.
We offer 24/7 telephone assistance to all our clients whilst they are away, and also have partners in each country that are able to assist with any PCR tests or other issues that might arise during your trip.
If you fall ill whilst you are away, or if your trip is disrupted due to Covid-19 whilst you are travelling, then our experienced team will be on hand to assist you in whatever way you need. You would need to pay any additional costs incurred due to illness or travel disruption whilst you are away, however you may be able reclaim these expenses on your travel insurance depending on the cover offered by your policy. Travel Butlers will be able to assist by providing supporting documentation for your claim.
All of the holidays we sell are 100% financially protected through our ATOL and ABTOT bonding so your money is in safe hands when you book a Travel Butlers holiday. Furthermore, our business is well positioned to navigate through the challenges which the travel industry is currently facing.
Please read our Terms and Conditions for more information.
You can now get insurance that offers cover for disruption related to Covid-19, and these policies could include cover for:
Not all policies offer this kind of cover, not necessarily even all policies from the same provider, so you should ensure you check the policy details carefully before buying your insurance.
You can read more about choosing suitable travel insurance in the FCDO guide to travel insurance.