Western and Eastern Capes

Four Rosmead
Built in 1903, Four Rosmead is a stylish boutique hotel situated in the pretty Cape Town suburb of Oranjezicht, on the slopes of Table Mountain – a privileged position offering marvellous views of the city and bay. It's a gorgeous hotel with a long history, but don't expect a rustic retreat; Four Rosmead has undergone several thorough renovations in the 100+ years since it first opened to become a distinctly modern boutique hotel.

Small and exclusive, Four Rosmead has just seven suites and one private cottage (separate from the main villa). The rooms are furnished in a clean, contemporary style that belie the hotel’s age, but have all the amenities you would expect of a top-class Cape Town boutique hotel, including WiFi, satellite TV, iPod dock, DVD player, safe, tea/coffee facilities, and fireplace. En-suite bathrooms feature walk-in showers, heated towel rails, plush bathrobes and luxury toiletries.

Four Rosmead is booked on a bed & breakfast basis. Breakfast/brunch buffets are provided in the morning, with a lovely selection of hot and cold treats. Lunch and dinner are not provided, but the hotel will arrange for a take-away dinner to be delivered to you from one of the nearby local restaurants on request. It's more likely, however, that you'll want to explore the many restaurants in and around Cape Town in the evening. Four Rosmead is within walking distance of central Cape Town and lively Kloof Street, well known for its restaurant and café culture.

Your hire car will be delivered to the guesthouse later today.

The fashionable Cape Town suburb of Oranjezicht lies at the foot of Table Mountain and Signal Hill. Its aged, narrow streets are lined with 19th-century Cape Dutch architecture, carefully restored and now housing colourful pavement cafes, art galleries and some of the best restaurants in town. Midway between the city centre and the Table Mountain Cableway, and within easy reach of several of Cape Town’s finest beaches, it’s the perfect base for your explorations of the city and surrounding regions.

Bushmans Kloof
Bushmans Kloof is a private wilderness reserve and mountain lodge situated in the foothills of the Cederberg Mountains. It contains within its boundaries a diversity of flora and fauna, as well as over 130 remarkably well-preserved San rock art sites, some of them estimated to be over 8,000 years old. Not without reason has this area been designated a Natural Heritage site!

The lodge itself is a converted 19th-century farmhouse. Though the atmosphere is that of a rustic country retreat, Bushmans Kloof is spacious and furnished to modern standards, with 16 twin / double rooms and a private villa accommodating up to 10 guests. It is one of South Africa’s most upmarket safari lodges, and stands out as much for its characterful design as its fabulous location.

Bushmans Kloof is booked full-board (drinks excluded).

There are a number of activities available within the reserve and the surrounding region, including:

- Daily guided rock art walks through the natural fynbos
- Guided nature drives in game-viewing vehicles
- Bird watching, nature hikes, organic garden tours, botanical tours
- Archery, mountain biking, canoeing, croquet, star-gazing, fly-fishing
- Special culinary weekends
- Swimming in natural pools and waterfalls
- Yoga and guided meditation (at an additional charge and by prior arrangement)

Local excursions:
- Wupperthal village & the historic Moravian mission station
- Explore the Cederberg Mountains on foot
- Biedouw River canoeing & fly-fishing
- Lambert's Bay (fishing village and seabird colonies)
- Goue Valley wine cellars

There’s no fixed schedule at Bushmans Kloof allowing you to set your own timetable. The staff will be happy to help plan local excursions.

On arrival, check-in at Le Quartier Français for two nights.

Le Quartier Français
Displaying a rustic Mediterranean style, rather than the Cape Dutch fashion that is common to this region, Le Quartier Français is a charming auberge that accommodates only a small number of guests in its 21 rooms.

Le Quartier’s buildings were originally labourers’ cottages which have since been restored but still retain their original Provencal façades. The cottages surround pristine landscaped gardens and a large, natural pool – perfect for relaxing while appreciating the mountain scenery.

Le Quartier Français is renowned for its cuisine. The Tasting Room offers four, six or eight course dinners from an award winning menu, while iCi is a relaxed street side café and bar open seven days a week – ideal for breakfast, lunch or a casual dinner.

Le Quartier Français is booked B&B basis.

The Cape Winelands region is one of great scenic beauty, famed for its picturesque valleys populated by country estates, pretty towns and endless vineyards. It is also a region that is steeped in culture and history, as a home to some of the finest examples of Cape Dutch architecture in South Africa, much of it dating back to the 17th century.

Rather than a single province, the Winelands are in fact a loose collection of 20 wine-producing regions, at the heart of which are the famous towns of Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl. Each has its own attractions, with Franschhoek widely regarded the culinary capital of South Africa, while Stellenbosch and Paarl are noted for their Cape Dutch buildings, and their oak-lined streets lined with quaint coffee shops, art galleries, and museums.

Then, of course, there’s the vineyards. Some of the best wines in the world are produced in the Cape Winelands, and certainly the best in South Africa. There are hundreds of wine estates scattered throughout the region, each offering their own unique blends for you to sample. Designated ‘wine routes’ link the various wineries, making them more accessible. Guided Cape Wineland tours of varying duration are available, though many prefer to explore the region independently.

More than anything else, however, Hermanus is famous as a centre for whale-watching, offering arguably the best off-shore and on-shore whale-watching of any location in the world. Nature lovers from all over visit the region to view these magnificent creatures, with Hermanus’ misty cliffs providing the perfect vantage point onto Walker Bay, a breeding ground for the Southern Right Whale.

On arrival in Hermanus, check into Ocean Eleven Guesthouse for two nights.

Ocean Eleven Guesthouse
A 5-star guest house in the Cape Cod style, Ocean Eleven sits perched on the famous cliffs of Hermanus, with breath-taking views of Walker Bay. In the main house all the original ceilings, windows and teak floors have been retained and restored. Large French doors open out from the breakfast room onto the pool deck, directly overlooking the Bay. The bedrooms, too, enjoy sea views, as well all the amenities and fittings expected of a luxury B&B: DSTV, heated towel rail, mini bar.

Ocean Eleven Guesthouse is booked B&B basis.

The whale watching cruise departs from New Harbour (approx. 20 minute walk, or a five minute drive away) late afternoon. You should arrive 30 mins early for the on-land briefing presented by your whale specialist guide before heading down the jetty to the boat. You then set off from the Harbour in search of the ‘gentle giants.’ During the tour, the knowledgeable crew will assist you in finding the perfect photo opportunity.

The whale-watching usually lasts about 2 hours but this depends on how quickly you find the whales. It can last as long as 3 hours. While sightings are not guaranteed, they are expected.

Return to Ocean Eleven Guesthouse early evening.

Southern Cross Beach House
Southern Cross is a gorgeous beachfront villa directly overlooking Plettenberg Bay. Owner-run and managed, Southern Cross accommodates no more than ten guests in its five en-suite bedrooms, all of which offer direct access to the quieter end of Robberg Beach, one of the finest stretches of coastline in South Africa.

The views of the bay and Tsitsikamma Mountains from the breakfast patio are magnificent – with dolphins, whales and seals sometimes sighted in the waters. Robberg beach can be reached directly from the house via a boardwalk and its 5km of unbroken sand offers easy walking and jogging at low tide.

The sound of the sea is always with you and in winter, when the Southern Right whales are in the bay, one can sometimes hear them blowing at night.

The emphasis at Southern Cross is on relaxed informality where generous service is provided but not imposed. Hosts Neill and Susie are on hand to tend to your needs, and help create a real home-from-home feel.

Southern Cross is booked B&B basis.

Take the time to visit the Birds of Eden domed aviary – the largest in the world at 3.2 acres. Plettenberg also has a small but growing wine industry and produces some delicious Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. A visit to the Bramon Vineyard with lunch is a very enjoyable treat!

For a pleasant day trip, visit Knysna and sample its delicious oysters and champagne. This seaside town is most famous for the spectacular Knysna Heads, enormous sandstone cliffs which guard the entrance to the lagoon. You can take a cruise around the lagoon to Featherbed Nature Reserve for a guided walk and superb views of the sea and coastline.

If it’s beautiful scenery that you’re after, try to find time to explore the fabulous walking trails of Robberg Nature Reserve, or take a river ferry into the Keurbooms Nature Reserve. Also within easy reach of Plettenberg is Tsitsikamma National Park (now part of Garden Route National Park), famous for its huge yellowwoods (South Africa’s national tree), varied birdlife and its long rocky coastline extending over 50 miles. Walking, climbing, abseiling and mountain biking are all possible here.

Great Fish River Lodge
Great Fish River Lodge comprises nine suites set on the banks of the Great Fish River, right in the heart of Kwandwe. The sturdy stone, glass and thatch suites have been designed to blend in easily with the rugged surrounding environment. Inside, however, they are furnished to deluxe standards. Designed so as to make the move of the wonderful views, each features floor-to-ceiling windows and opens onto a private viewing deck with plunge pool overlooking the surrounding wilderness. Bathrooms feature indoor and outdoor showers and bathtubs.

The guest areas at Great Fish River Lodge are equally lavish. The glass-fronted dining room and lounge are furnished with ornate light fittings and Settler-era period pieces, and offer marvellous views of the river and hills.

From Plettenberg, it’s a lengthy drive of 4-5 hours to Kwandwe via Port Elizabeth; we recommend setting off in good time this morning in order to reach the lodge in time for lunch. After checking in and resting, enjoy a late afternoon game drive to explore the reserve.

Kwandwe Game Reserve is made up of almost 50,000 acres of former farmland, which, since 2001, has undergone a process of rewilding that has seen over 7,000 mammals reintroduced to the area, including lion, buffalo, elephant and both white and black rhino. Today, the reserve is once again home to the big 5, as well as giraffe, kudu, hippo, hyaena, gemsbok and much more. It ranks among the best private game reserve in South Africa in terms of game-viewing opportunities, particularly for rhino viewing.

As well as being rich in game, Kwandwe is also a region of dramatic scenery, of rugged bushveld and grass plains intersected by the Great Fish River. With good reason, Kwandwe was rated the third best game reserve in the world by the Sunday Times in 2003. Over a decade on it still stands out, even as many new reserves have opened up in South Africa and beyond.