South Africa - Art

ITINERARY

DAY 1 FRI   NEW YORK / JOHANNESBURG (D, B in-flight)

Depart from USA to South Africa.
Enjoy complimentary cocktails, dinner, and movies during your overnight flight.

DAY 2 SAT   JOHANNESBURG (D)

Welcome to South Africa!  After clearing customs and immigrations, you will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel.  
Your guide will assist you with check-in, give you a briefing on the hotel and neighborhood and advise you of the meeting time for tonight’s dinner.  

After some time to rest and freshen up, we meet our hosts for this evening’s event: Steve (played by Denis Creighton), Baba (played by Tamsanqa Ndimande) and Mandla (played by Happy Morake) and the rest of the cast of Kwela Gumboots and all that Jazz.  This is a musical set on the streets of Soweto town and it tells the story of Soweto, its culture, history and evolution through Apartheid and the struggle days to Democracy using music, drama and dance.  The duration of the show can be modified to suit the arrival time of the group.

Selle – ou – Storie (Same Old Story) at 8:30PM at the Tesson Theatre in the Johannesburg Civic Theatre

South Africa’s most famous, glamorous and constantly fighting sisters, Evita Bezuidenhout and Bambi Kellerman, will star in two plays by Pieter-Dirk Uys.  Two theatre dramas about the same tensions and fears, passions and farce: yet one set in Hillbrow on 16th June 1976 and the other in London on 11th September 2001.  Selle ou Storie is the Afrikaans classic that took the nation by storm in the 1970s and fell foul of censorship.  Mrs. Bezuidenhout will make her stage debut as the legendary Boer-doyenne Ester Viljoen; or

Dinner at hotel (TBA).

DAY 3 SUN   KRUGER NATIONAL PARK (B, D)

Mpumalanga
After an early breakfast we check-out and depart from our hotel towards Mpumalanga.  We travel out of Johannesburg on the N4 towards Maputo.  We bypass Middleburg and near Machadadorp we leave the freeway, passing through Lydenberg, which was established in 1849.  The English translation of this name is the ‘Town of Suffering’ and it was named after its founders, who had suffered greatly as a result of malaria and floods in the original town of Ohrigstad.  From here we take the scenically spectacular Long Tom Pass over the Mpumulanga Drakensberg to Sabie.  The pass is 57km long with a summit of 2,149m.  The origin of the pass goes back to 1871, when a wagon track was built to connect Lydenberg with Lourenco Marques (Maputo).  In September 1900 the British recaptured Lydenberg during the Anglo-Boer war.  The Boers used a 15cm cannon to shell the British and the gun was nicknamed ‘Long Tom’ by the British troops – a name which has remained until this day.  We travel via Graskop, the center of a substantial timber industry, and have an optional lunch in a local restaurant.  From Graskop we take in some of the sights of the scenic Panorama Route. 

Kruger Park
In the late afternoon we proceed down the northern Drakensberg and enter the world famous Kruger National Park, with an area extending 2mil hectares.  We are faced with excellent sight opportunities, such as a good chance of encountering the “Big Five”, as well as a wide variety of mammal, bird and insect species. 

You will check in at the Hotel. You have a Boma Braai dinner, served by a bonfire.

JAN 4 MON/  KRUGER NATIONAL PARK (B, D)
JAN 5 TUE

Game Drive
Today and tomorrow are two full days!  We start today by having an early breakfast then loading all our packed luggage on the tour vehicle as the open vehicle game drive ends at the next camp, where we overnight.  Dress warmly and take hats, sun-screen for later on in the morning and money for a light optional lunch en-route.  We spend the whole day (approximately seven hours) game viewing in open safari vehicle (with professional bush guides) with the opportunity to see many of the exciting animals (including the “Big Five”) that Kruger has to offer. 

The optional lunch is served at one of the picnic sites in the park where it is safe to leave the vehicle or at one of the other park camps and we are able to buy light lunches and drinks.  The coach waits for us at the overnight camp with our luggage and we have time in the late afternoon to take in the camp surroundings and freshen up before we meet for dinner.

You will check in at the PRETORIUSKOP CAMP (or similar) in comfortable thatched chalets.  Here, our two (2) night stay includes breakfast and all park taxes.

After an early dinner (served at the camp restaurant on both nights), towards dusk, we board the open vehicles again for another game drive in search of the nocturnal animals – remember to dress warmly and to bring a windproof jacket.

DAY 6 WED   KRUGER NATIONAL PARK / DURBAN (B, L)

Today we have a much needed leisurely morning after the last few early start mornings.  An optional extra tour for those still wanting to do more game viewing would be a last early morning game drive.

We check out of the camp and continue on to the Shangaan Cultural Village.  We are given insights into the traditional Shangaan way of life, their culture and their dances as well as being treated to a fine traditional lunch to then proceed to the airport in time for our flight (around 3:30PM) to Durban (approximately 1hr and 20min flying time). 

Upon arrival in Durban, we are met by our guide and transferred to our hotel, the HOLIDAY INN GARDEN COURT NORTH BEACH.  Here, our two (2) night stay includes daily breakfast and hotel taxes.

Balance of the day and dinner at leisure.

DAY 7 THU   DURBAN (B, D)

Drumming Session & Ushaka Marine Theme
This morning, after breakfast, we have the opportunity to participate in a high intensity and interactive drumming session where we are ‘coaxed’ into feeling the rithym of Africa, visit the world acclaimed Ushaka Marine Theme Park, visit the vibrant Indian Market or Kingdom for fascinating insights into the Indian Culture in Durban.  We may also visit the Killie Campbell Museum for fascinating insights into the Zulu Culture followed by spending time with some of the ladies that produce magnificent examples of the traditional Zulu beadwork that Kwazulu Natal is famous for. We may also have a hands-on encounter with performing artists at a community art centre.

After an optional lunch we return to our hotel to rest for this evening’s event.

This evening we are met by our guide and transferred to a local restaurant for a typical dinner, followed by a live show at the Playhouse Theatre (show selections for January still to be announced). 

JAN 27 FRI   DURBAN / CAPE TOWN (B, D)

After breakfast we have time for a walk along the promenade to then check out and transfer to the airport in time for our flight to Cape Town.

Upon arrival in Cape Town, we are met by our guide and transferred to our hotel, the BREAKWATER LODGE HOTEL (V&A CITY LODGE).  Here, our three (3) night stay includes daily breakfast and hotel taxes.

We may spend the afternoon taking in the sights, smells and sounds of the V&A Waterfront.

This evening we are met by our guide for dinner at a local restaurant. (Weather permitting we might include a sunset trip up Table Mountain on arrival or we would fit it in one of the two full days in Cape Town).

DAY 8 SAT   CAPE TOWN (B, L)

Kirstenbosch Gardens Tour
After breakfast we are met by our guide for our Kirstenbosch Gardens Tour, which is a gift to the nation from Cecil John Rhodes.  The gardens were planned as a garden where indigenous flora of Southern Africa would be collected, propagated, studied and preserved or time to just relax and do some shopping at the V&A Waterfront.  Around lunchtime we travel through to the Spier Estate which was one of the founder members of the Stellenbosch Wine Route and where they have one of the oldest wine cellars in the country dating back to 1767.  Set in one of the most picturesque wine land settings in the world it is also home to the Spier Arts Trust - a theatre and orchestra set in the vineyards with gourmet restaurants.

A Moyo lunch is an unforgettable outdoor experience and in the late afternoon the group returns to Cape Town, stopping at an estate en-route for further wine tasting.

Moyo at Spier is an unforgettable outdoor dining experience that captures the essence of our unique Cape African culture. A fusion of modern sophisticated décor and distinctly African flavored dishes create an inspiring culinary affair.  Relax and enjoy the spectacular vistas while we are treated to our own colorful brand of Cape African hospitality.  Serving an extensive buffet as rich and exciting as the many diverse cultures we draw from.

The tree-lined garden is filled with Bedouin tents and gazebos made from wrought iron and the tree houses are clad with beautiful hand crafted copper water features. Live performers entertain us to indigenous theatre, dance, opera and traditional storytelling from noon until late in the afternoon.

DAY 9 SUN   CAPE TOWN (B, D) 

Cape Peninsula
After breakfast we depart for a full day tour exploring the Cape Peninsula.  The tour starts with a drive along the coast, past Clifton, Camps Bay and Llandadno to Hout Bay.  We then travel into the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve.  The coastline stretches for almost 40kms of Southern Africa’s most dramatic scenery, including the famous promontory of the Cape of Good Hope where we stop and, weather permitting, we may walk up to the lighthouse. 

Beach National Park & Cable Car
After an optional lunch, we continue to Boulders Beach National Park for great views of an African Penguin colony.  Nestled in a sheltered cove between Simonstown and the Cape Point the penguin colony has grown from just two breeding pairs in 1982 to around 3000 pairs today. On our way back to our hotel we stop at the Rhodes Memorial for an optional late afternoon tea and spectacular views of Cape Town (time availability permitting) or we may take an evening trip on the Cable Car to the top of Table Mountain (weather permitting). 

This evening we meet our guide for our Farewell to South Africa Dinner & Show at a local restaurant close to the theatre (show selections for January still to be announced).

DAY 10 TUE   CAPE TOWN / NEW YORK (D in-flight)

Morning at leisure for last minute shopping and sightseeing.

Late morning we check out of the hotel and transfer to the airport in time for out flight to New York City.  Enjoy complimentary dinner, movie and cocktails on overnight flight.

DAY 11 TUE  NEW YORK (B in-flight)

Arrive in JFK in the morning and clear customs. 

Included Features

• Roundtrip airfare USA/South Africa/USA
• All accommodations, meals as per itinerary
• Daily buffet breakfast at the hotels
• All tours and transfer as specified including entry fees, on a private basis
• All airport transfers and local transportation for tours
• All hotel taxes and service charges
• Local English speaking guides/services throughout

Not Included

• Cost of passport
• Items of a personal nature
• Drinks at meals
• Optional city tours or evening excursions
• Tips to guides/drivers
• Airpot Taxes