Itinerary
FRIDAY Flight departs your hometown in the evening and you will fly through the night to reach London.
SATURDAY Upon your morning arrival, there will be a layover of around ten hours. We have reserved you a day room at the Hilton to relax and refresh, or to drop your bags and head into the city to see the sights. Your flight leaves in the evening for a night flight to Namibia.
SUNDAY Your representative will meet you from your flight and show you to the light aircraft which will whisk you into the middle of the Sossusvlei Sand Dunes, where your lodge is located. During your flight, you will see the most incredible patterns forming below, the colors swirling and peaking as the shadows change position. Your lodge is small and exclusive, the only one with direct access to Sossusvlei. The 11 stylish thatched villas merge impeccably into the timeless desert landscape, each with a private plunge pool. The extensive use of neutral colors, gorgeous textures and natural light reproduce the soothing pastel tones of the desert. Each villa has a rooftop ‘skybed’ for romantic stargazing and both indoor and outdoor showers.
MONDAY Arise early for a hearty breakfast, then hit the road to head for Big Daddy, the tallest sand dune in the world towering at a whopping 1,200ft. Your morning game drive is the best opportunity to scale the dunes, whilst the sand is still cool. You can even remove your shoes and feel the silky sand between your toes, balance is much better this way. Walk the spine of the dune up to the peak, an exhilarating experience to see the steep sides fall straight away at an alarming angle. But do not fear, the sand will break your fall should you lose your footing. The morning is also the best time for photography, as the light becomes brighter so too do the dunes. Your view from the top will be absolutely breathtaking. Now for the best part, taking giant moon leaps down nearly a quarter of a mile to the base. After a walk through some remarkable scenery, including the petrified forest of Dead Vlei, you will head back to camp for a delicious lunch. After lunch you could relax by the main pool, or take a dip in your private pool. Later in the afternoon, there will be a second game drive to see the wildlife that survives in these harsh conditions, such as springbok, oryx or ostrich. In the evening, the main lodge offers a wrap-around veranda that overlooks the waterhole and provides a perfect location to view and photograph the desert sunset. A rooftop open-air area for dinner under the stars is also part of the experience.
TUESDAY There are many activities to choose from, all included in your package. We recommend the full day trip to the beautiful Naukluft Mountains. The mountains have many streams, rockpools and waterfalls to cool off in, along the varied trails. Fantastic for nature lovers, you can spot herds of mountain zebras and the occasional leopard.
WEDNESDAY You could start the day with a hot air balloon ride (at an extra cost) over the dunes, soaring silently through the crisp blue sky and landing for a champagne breakfast on the sand. Another exciting experience to try before you leave is a night drive. Night drives using spotlights often encounter small mammals such as aardwolf, bat eared Fox, hares and sometimes spotted hyenas.
THURSDAY After your morning activity and brunch, you will transferred by scheduled light aircraft to Windhoek Airport for your onward flight to Cape Town. On arrival, you will be met and transferred to your luxury beachfront hotel in Camps Bay. Your award-winning hotel affords extravagant views of the sparkling sea. An elegant lobby leads to the Azure Restaurant, café, bar and lounge. Outside, as you walk through the lush gardens, you may be tempted to dive straight into the large heated swimming pool and unwind in the whirlpool.
Arguably the best location in Cape Town, Camps Bay is just a few minutes’ drive from the city center and from the Victoria and Albert Waterfront. Yet with a west-coast style promenade lined with cafés and glamorous Capetonians sipping wine in the sun, you may not want to leave. The famous Table Mountain is directly behind you, beckoning you to take a cable car to its summit, for an outrageous view. Not to forget the beaches! We recommend Clifton 4th, definitely the best for people watching and just catching some rays. Or Llandudno beach for a peaceful sunset and stunning picture-postcard setting. After dark, there are many gourmet restaurants to choose from, either in Camps Bay or in the city centre – seafood is a speciality and the shrimps are the size of lobsters!
FRIDAY After breakfast, you will be driven to the Winelands region in the nearby Boland Mountains, for a leisurely exploration of historic Wine Route towns, their liquid delights and famed hospitality. Estates visited will vary according to your personal preferences, but there are chances en route for tastings of high quality reds and whites as well as Cap Classiques (South African ‘Champagnes’) in areas such as Stellenbosch, Simonsberg, Paarl and Franschhoek. Enjoy lunch at La Petite Ferme one of the first restaurants in Franschhoek, a town known amongst ‘foodies’ around the world for its excellent cuisine and classic style. The restaurant has a stunning verandah with wonderful views of the mountain slopes. Chef Olivia Mitchell pleases the faithful with a cosmopolitan spin on South African cuisine. Stellenbosch, South Africa’s second-oldest town provides another glimpse of classic 17th century Cape style with a chance to browse quaint Dorp Street, visit the museum or explore the many galleries and shops of this university town.
SATURDAY After breakfast, depart the city along the Atlantic coastal road and stop for a photo opportunity of Table Mountain’s towering Twelve Apostles. On past Bakoven and Llandudno, marked by shipwrecks, to the fishing village of Hout Bay. Here, board a boat to view the Cape Fur Seal colony on Duiker Island. On the way back, head over one of the world’s most spectacular passes, past the Cape’s longest beach, then have the chance to sight whales just offshore from June to November. Explore the rocky coastline and unique vegetation, home to birds like African Black Oystercatchers and Cape Sugarbirds and view other endemic fauna like cape mountain zebra, bontebok and baboon as you enter the Cape of Good Hope National Park. Climb (or ride a funicular) to the famous Cape Point lighthouse, to capture the magical vistas of False Bay, and stop at the south westernmost point of Africa, the fabled Cape of Good Hope.
A tasty lunch follows, at Harbour House in Kalk Bay. You don’t get closer to the ocean than at this ever-popular harbor restaurant. Obviously seafood is your best bet and the menu offers everything from contemporary (the prawn tian with its myriad sauces is superb) to classic (seriously tasty spice-dusted calamari, chermoula prawns). After lunch at a coastal restaurant, visit Boulders Beach, for a close-up with a colony of African Penguins, then a scenic drive home for a final night in Camps Bay.
SUNDAY Enjoy a long lie-in, followed by a leisurely breakfast. Your final day in Cape Town will be spent doing exactly as you please. Maybe take a stroll along the Promenade, explore the beaches and even take a dip in the chilly Atlantic to cool off. Your hotel has a splendid spa to relax you before your long flight home – why not try the 75-minute Moya Crystals massage, using a combination of aromatherapy and South African crystals. You will need to depart the hotel at around 4pm for your direct flight to London and onwards to your hometown, arriving on Monday morning. You will have plenty of time to reflect on the miraculous landscapes witnessed over the last week and to try and figure out when exactly you took so many photos!
