DAY 1 DURBAN
Arrive
in Durban any time and make your way to the joining point hotel. Be in time for
your welcome meeting with your fellow travellers and CEO, and get to know the
members of your group. Upon arrival look for information from your tour leader
on the hotel bulletin board regarding the meeting time.
Explore the beach front opposite our guest house, or venture into the centre of
town, taking in the fair grounds, restaurants, water sports and the now world
famous “uShaka Marine World”. In the evening at the meeting, you will meet your
group, some of whom may in fact be arriving into Durban on a previous G
Adventures tour.
Very little is known about the first residents of the area around Durban as
there is no written history of the area before it was “discovered” by the
Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama in 1497. Da Gama had applied the name Natal
(nativity) to this stretch of coast, first seen on Christmas day of that year.
The first European settlers in the area where mostly survivors of shipwrecks.
One of these survivors, Rodrigo Tristaa, survived a wreck in 1552 of the
Portuguese galleon Saint John, was the first to make his home here.
The Zulu nation’s formation provided wealth for a trade market in this area -
European merchants set up a harbour where the base of trade with Zulus could be
formed. Durban was thus created by a population of 26 hard-living traders and
ivory hunters. It was named on 23 June 1835, after the governor of the Cape,
Sir Benjamin D’Urban. The centre of Durban grew around its sugar cane
plantations, as large numbers of Indians were brought to work on the
plantations. As a result, present-day Durban it the city with the largest
Indian population outside of India.
The city has grown into one of South Africa's best-known and most popular
coastal resorts and commercial ports. With stretches of safe, sandy beaches and
abundance of holiday accommodation destinations available and all-year sunshine
attract visitors to this festive city every year. This city is enjoyed for its
vibrant mix of cultures and experiences, with a large diverse population of
people. The beach front area has the usual attractions, from fair grounds to
restaurants, to water sports and the now world famous “uShaka Marine World”.
DAY 2 PORT ST. JOHNS (B,L,D)
Approximate
Distance: 530km
Estimated Travel Time: 7 hrs
South from Durban, we travel through to the Eastern Cape province, into the
heartland of the Xhosa people, and to Port St. Johns, a paradise on a large
stretch of Indian Ocean coast referred to as the Wild Coast. Here you will have
time to explore the dramatic scenery of the rocky beaches, hidden lagoons, and
coastal cliffs.
Our campsite is about 8km's outside of town, so after arrival you can take a
walk into Port St Johns.
DAY 3 CINTSA (B,L,D)
Approximate
Distance: 360km
Estimated Travel Time: 6 hrs
Travel along the national highway toward the former homeland, known as the
Transkei, enjoying views of rolling hills, farmland and traditional Xhosa
villages.
Cintsa is a little piece of paradise. The residents of Cints wants to keep it
unspoilt but they also love sharing their piece of paradise with visitors.
Cintsa has a subtropical climate – Summers are hot and winter day are average
21degrees Celcius with night temperatures dropping to 10 degrees. They received
their highest rainfall in November.
With unspoilt sandy beaches and a variety of fauna and flora, this eastern
coast forest reserve provides a refuge from the big cities. The beach area from
Cintsa west to Cape Henderson, including Cintsa East is regarded by most
conservationist as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
DAY 4 ADDO ELEPHANT NATIONAL PARK
(B,L,D)
Approximate
Distance: 280km
Estimated Travel Time: 5 hrs
Today we cross many unique valleys as we continue on to the Addo Elephant
National Park, a unique wildlife area. Although famous for the Addo elephants,
this park is home to a wide variety of wildlife, and we embark on an afternoon
game drive (in own vehicle) in search of the resident elephants, black rhino,
lion, buffalo and even leopard. Listen to the wild sounds of Africa while
enjoying your sundowner and sitting around the campfire at night.
Although the Addo Elephant belongs to the same species as the African Elephant,
it is smaller, with more rounded ears and the females generally have no tusks.
The park was named after the KhoiKhoi name Kadouw, which they gave to a forting
place over the nearby Sundays River. The bush here is a combination of acacia,
Spekboom, Gwarrie and Boerboon. The English name for the Spekboom is “Elephants
food”.
In 1919 the professional hunter, Major Jan Pretorius, was hired by the
administration of the Cape Province to destroy the entire herd that inhabited
the area at the time. It took him a year to kill 120, but he was then stopped
due to a public outcry. Only sixteen Addo Elephants remained, but they were
peppered with bullet holes, panic stricken, vengeful and cunning. And they
declared war on man.
In 1931, after a change in policy, the area was proclaimed as a national park.
The Elephants, however, were still on the war path, destroying crops and
attacking anyone who came near. Finally, in 1952, one of the beleaguered
farmers of the area suggested that a fence made up of tram rails and lift
cables be erected around the park. This finally kept the Elephants secure and
out of the surrounding farming area.
The black rhino was re-introduced into the park in 1961, and now the park is
home to a number of different animals, including the big 5 (elephant, black
rhino, lion, buffalo, and leopard), zebra, kudu, eland, warthog, and many types
of buck.
DAYS 5-6 TSITSIKAMMA (2B,2L,2D)
Approximate
Distance: 235km
Estimated Travel Time: 5 hrs
Indigenous Tsitsikamma forests surround the campsite in the village of Storms
River. Optional Activities in the area include hiking a portion of the Otter
Trail or along the coastline, abseiling, scuba diving, snorkeling, boat rides,
canoeing, whale watching, or even the world’s highest bungee jump.
DAY 7 KNYSNA (B,L,D)
Approximate
Distance: 100km
Estimated Travel Time: 1.5 hrs
Today we’ll visit the Tsitsikamma National Park. Tsitsikamma is a Khoisan word
meaning, “place of much water.” Covering a thin belt of marine along 68
dramatic kilometres of South Africa's most spectacular, the Tsitsikamma
National Park protects a wonderland of inter-tidal and marine life. Here, surging
waves crash over rocky coastline and old hardwood forests knot the coastal
cliffs.
Although Tsitsikamma boasts a magical world of intertidal life and reefs in its
marine part, there is also the famous terrestrial part of the park with its
lush forest, delicate fynbos and sheer cliffs. The park thus offers a variety
of habitat for many species of birds; cormorants (Cape and White-breasted),
Kelp Gulls and African Black Oystercatchers are prominent along the coastline,
and the forest hosts African Crowned Eagle and African Wood Owl, plus some of
the accipiters such as African Goshawk and Black Sparrowhawk.
The highlight of the Tsitsikamma National Park is the Storms River Mouth, a
large and abrupt estuary over which a precarious rope-bridge is slung. In
addition, there are the more sheltered water ways such as the Nature’s Valley
Lagoon and the Groot River. Walking is the main activity in the park – you will
have time to hike a portion of the famously spectacular Otter Trail. A walk in
the area is well worth it – the scenery of the unspoiled nature in the area is
breathtaking.
DAY 8 OUTDSHOORN (B,L,D)
Approximate
Distance: 220 km
Estimated Travel Time: 6 hrs
After visiting "The Heads" in Knysna, a town nestled on a tranquil
lagoon on the coast, we take a scenic drive to travel over the Outeniqua
Mountains into the area known as Klein Karoo (“Little Karoo”), where we make
the quite town of Oudtshoorn our base. In the late afternoon, go and explore
the Cango caves or visit an ostrich farm (optional).
The Cango Caves are sculptured by nature through the ages, and is filled with
mysterious and breathtaking limestone formations in a wide variety of natural
colours. They lie in the Swartberg Mountain Range in a limestone belt measuring
1.5km in width and almost 16km in length. This part of the continent was once
below the ocean. As the continent rose, the Little Karoo found itself above the
water level. The caves started to form some 20 million years ago, when the
water level dropped to such an extent that the ground water could start to seep
into the limestone. As the water seeped into the ground it absorbed carbon
dioxide from the decaying plant and animal matter in the soil and this made it
fairly acidic. As it seeped into the limestone, cavities were created that
filled with water. Rivers also formed on the surface and cut deeply enough into
the limestone to allow them to reach the level of the water pockets. This
caused the water to flow out about 4 million years ago. The cave was then, for
the first time, exposed to air and the speleothems (cave formations) began to
form. The portion of the caves that are accessible to the public extends for
1.2km, with a further 4.1km being kept closed for conservation.
Oudtshoorn is notably the ostrich capital of the world. Here ostriches are
found in great numbers and the region produces the world’s best feathers,
leather products and meat. Amidst the 400 ostrich farms surrounding the town,
three have distinguished themselves worthy enough to be named show farms. In
addition, the Klein Karoo is one of South Africa's eight wine regions, where
the sweet and desert wines are well known.
DAY 9 CAPE TOWN (B,L)
Approximate
Distance: 450km
Estimated Time: 8 hr
Cape Town offers many different activities – something for everyone. Visit
Robben Island, Table Mountain, explore Cape Point (Cape of Good Hope), embark
on a wine tour in and around Stellenbosch (45min drive). Visit the old French
Hugonote town of Franschoek and surroundings (1h drive). For the not so faint
hearted there is numerous adrenaline activities in the surrounding areas, from
skydiving to abseiling to cage diving and having a close encounter with the
great white sharks. Or wonder through the city centre with some of the oldest
buildings and gardens in South Africa (Botanical Gardens and Parliament
Gardens). Do not miss the wonderful Cultural Historical Museum, Planetarium and
numerous other small museums and theatres.
Cape Town's name originated from the term 'Cape of Good Hope' when Bartholomew
Diaz and other seafarers looked forward to the sight of Table Mountain, like an
inn that promised hospitality and prosperity. The city is steeped in a rich
history and is a cultural melting pot with its diverse and vibrant character
being derived from Khoxisan and other African tribes from the North, and
Indonesian, French, Dutch, British and German settlers. Cape Town is the third
most populous city in South Africa, with over 3 million inhabitants, and is the
provincial capital of the Western Cape. It is also the legislative capital of
South Africa, where the National Parliament and many government offices are
located.
For shopping, dining and entertainment the V&A Waterfront is a hotspot for
foreigners and locals alike. Still a working harbour, the Waterfront is an
example of creative architecture and restoration and has become South Africa's
most visited tourist attraction. The Waterfront offers over 250 shops from
designer boutiques to craft stalls, a host of restaurants and coffee shops and
plenty of other activities.
For cultural exchange, you shouldn’t miss out a "Local Dinner” in a
private home in an informal settlement. This authentic community experience
provides guests the opportunity to get deep inside the heart of Cape Town.
Choose from Cape Malay, Xhosa traditional or Cape Town fusion foods, and visit
families in their private homes in townships and get insight into South African
realities - be part of the family for an unforgettable night. Proceeds go into
the community.
Visit Red-Hill pre-school, one of our Planeterra project. Planeterra - the G
Adventures Foundation is our non-profit organization that was developed to give
back to the people and places we visit on our tours. Planeterra supports local
community projects, non-profit organizations and international charities that
focus on the areas of health, education, community development, environmental
conservation and employment skills training.
DAY 10 DEPART CAPE TOWN (B)
Depart
any time.
TRAVEL VISAS:All
countries require travellers to have a valid passport (with a minimum 6 months
validity), and you are required to acquire the entry visas for each of the
countries visited.
Please double check with your agent and/or visa agent what the visa requirements
is for each country that you will be traveling to. Some countries do require
that you get your visa before arrival. If you show up at a border and should
you not have the required visa you will be denied entry to the country and be
send back to the closest embassy/high commission to get the visa. All
arrangements and expenses for that will be at your own cost. The CEO will
assist you with travel arrangements but will not be able to accompany you. You
will also have to catch up with the group at their next destination at own
cost.
We
have been experiencing a lot of problems with people that need visas for
Namibia and Malawi. Namibian and Malawian visas is not available at the border,
so please make very sure if you do need a visa before arrival.
The
information provided here is to be used as a guide only. Please consult with
the relevant embassy or your travel agency before you travel. We cannot take
any responsibility whatsoever for the use of this information.
South
Africa
http://www.dha.gov.za/Counties%20Exempy%20from%20SA%20Visaa.html
http://www.home-affairs.gov.za/Applying%20for%20a%20South%20African%20visa.html
http://www.southafrica.info/travel/documents/visas.htmVisas are not issued at South African ports of entry, and airline officials are
obliged to insist on visas before allowing passengers to board. If you arrive
without a visa, immigration officials are obliged to put you onto a flight back
to your home country.
If you are a passport holder of the following countries/areas you do not need a
visa for stays of LESS THAN 90 days:
African Union / Unity Laissez Passes, Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria,
Belgium, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador,
Finland, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New
Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Spain, St Vincent
& the Grenadines, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Venezuela,
United States of America, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Israel, Italy,
Jamaica.
If you are a passport holder of the following countries/areas you do not need a
visa for stays of LESS THAN 30 days:
Antigua and Barbuda,Barbados,Belize,Benin,Bolivia,Hong
Kong,Hungary,Jordan,Lesotho,Malaysia Cape Verde,Costa
Rica,Cyprus,Gabon,Guyana,Peru,Poland,Seychelles,Slovak Republic ,South
Korea,Swaziland,Thailand,Turkey,Zambia
Visa
costs
The visa fee is different for every nationality, so please check this with your
agent or closest embassy.
This
information is accurate at the time of writing, and please contact your local
embassy or consulate for the most up-to-date visa requirements and costs,
regarding these, and the other countries visited, or see your travel agent. It
is your responsibility to have the correct travel documentation.