South Africa - September 2017
Images from a 14 day trip with HF starting in Cape Town and finishing at the Kariega Game reserve east of Port Elizabeth.
More images, taken by Jim Welton can be found here
Arrival Day - Friday 8th September - Kirstenbosch Botanic Gardens
Late morning arrival, awesome picnic lunch and guided tour of the world famous gardens.
Day 2 - Saturday 9th September - Cape Town & Robben Island
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Walking tour of Cape Town Gardens District (1.76 miles), with visits to the Slave Lodge (Museum) and District 6 Museum dedicated to the township demolished after apartheid was abolished. Lunch was at the Castle of Good Hope before an afternoon trip to Robben Island and a tour of the Prison where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned and a bus ride across the island to the Penguin colony with views of Cape Town and Table Mountain across the bay. Dinner was on the Waterfront.
Thanks to Pat Eakins who supplied this postcard. It shows many of the places visited while in Cape Town.
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Day 3 - Sunday 10th September - Table Mountain
Some climbed it and some rode the cable car up and walked on the top. (1:49 hrs climbing, 3.41 miles, 1.9 mph, 2,275ft of assent)
Water droplets from a waterfall we are walking behind
Camps Bay from Table Mountain
It's not as flat as it looks from below!
Cape Town
Day 4 - Monday 11th September
Western Cape & Cape of Good Hope
The Western Cape from the old lighthouse
Day 5 - Tuesday 12th September - The Cape Winelands
Walk from the Devon Valley Hotel through the surrounding vineyards of the Stellenbosch region followed by a tasting and lunch at the Middelvlei vineyard then road trip via Franschoek to Montagu
Stellenbosch winery panorama
Day 6 - Wednesday 13th September - Montague circular walk / climb
Strenuous walk along the Cogmanskloof Trail guided by Jako (expert on wildlife and flowers of the region)
The Montagu Country Hotel is the only original Art Deco hotel in South Africa.
Montagu from the Cogmanskloof Trail
Montagu from the highest point of the Cogmankloof Trail
Day 7 - Thursday 14th September - Visit to Port Vinyard and Ostrich farm en-route to Wilderness
A day on Route 62, with coffee stop at Ladismith, Wine tasting at De Trans winery, Calitzdorp and lunch at the Safari Ostrich Farm at Oudtshoorn. Final destination Wilderness Hotel Resort & Spa.
Day 8 - Friday 15th September - Touw River walk
5.7 mile Walk along the Touw River to the waterfall and return. Included crossing the river twice using a pontoon. Some walked back to the hotel on two miles of the Pied Kingfisher Trail
Day 9 - Saturday 16th September - Knysna
Cruise on Knysna lagoon aboard the MV John Benn with the burned out Featherbed Nature Reserve in the background followed by lunch at the Cruise Cafe in Knysna. Then on to the two hectare aviary at the Birds of Eden Sanctuary before arriving at the Tsitsikamma Village Inn.
Day 10 - Sunday 17th September - Tsitsikamma National Park and Coast
Walking in the Tsitsikamma NP. After visiting the suspension bridges over the river, some took a forest trail, some a coastal stroll. 4.06 miles
Tsitsikamma Village Inn
Day 11 - Monday 18th September - Kariega Game Reserve
Long drive to the Kariega Game Reserve. Afternoon Game Drive finishing with a Sundowner overlooking the plain
Day 12 - Tuesday 19th September - Kariega Game Reserve
06:00 start for the Game Drive to try and find the Lions & Elephants - among others - then a walk along the beach at Kenton-on-Sea before another game drive, with some excellent results, before Dinner and speeches!
6am in Kariega - looking for Lions
Impala Buck
Impala
Kenton-on-Sea
Late afternoon Game Drive & sundowner
Braai area
Day 13 - Wednesday 20th September - Kariega River Cruise & departure day
Another 06:00 Game Drive to the Kariega River for an early morning cruise with the added bonus of travelling through the reserve.
