DAY 1 – CAPE TOWN
On arriving at Cape Town, you’ll be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel where you can relax and unwind. In the late afternoon, get together for a guided walkabout within the indigenous garden landscaped by Ann Sutton, before a welcome dinner.
Stay for 4-nights in a haven of tranquillity nestling on the back slopes of Table Mountain, on six acres of beautifully landscaped gardens on the banks of the Liesbeeck river.

DAY 2 – THE CAPE PENINSULA  |
Find out about ”fynbos’ from an engaging horticulturalist. The Cape Floral Kingdom is a biological treasure chest, with one of its most brilliant botanical gems, the Cape Peninsula harbouring a staggering 2,285 species – with 1,500 alone on the mountain, just fewer than in all of Britain.
First, get an eagle’s view of The Peninsula from the top of Table Mountain by way of cable car, taking an easy stroll around this World Heritage site and iconic landmark.
Travel south along the Atlantic seaboard, stopping off for a fynbos-food-focussed interlude, before exploring Cape Point – celebrated as the legendary meeting place of two oceans. Return via the Indian Ocean coastline. Dinner is at your leisure. 

DAY 3 – THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN OF THE CAPE FLORAL KINGDOM|
Be shown over Arderne Garden, an arboretum with one of the most diverse and valuable collections of exotic trees in all of South Africa, and a National Historical Monument.
Then, spend the balance of the day exploring Kirstenbosch in a leisurely fashion, also lunching here.
One of the world’s Magnificent Seven Gardens, Kirstenbosch is the first botanic garden in the world to be included in a World Heritage Site. It’s the jewel in the crown of the Cape Floral Kingdom, with a huge indigenous collection that showcases South Africa’s floral wealth. Later, enjoy drinks and dinner with informative locals. 

DAY 4 – MORE CAPE GEMS
Visit Stellenberg, a venerable Cape Dutch home, whose classical formal garden designed by internationally acclaimed David Higgs reflects the estate’s history dating back to the 17th century. Be shown over ”European garden traditions in a very African context that combine formality and a leaping joy rarely equalled, let alone bettered”– Monty Don.
In the heart of the city, take a quick look over the Oranjezicht City Farm (OZCF), a non-profit, self-sustaining urban farm that celebrates both food and community.
Then, hear about the genesis of The Company’s Garden – the original vegetable garden laid out by The Dutch East India Company in 1652 – and reason for the city’s existence, while trying out some thirst-quenching fynbos-flavored beverages.
The rest of the day is yours. In the V&A Waterfront there are a host of possibilities for you to independently explore, and oodles of restaurants to try out. The Watershed has 150 artisanal traders and arts and crafts offerings. The Aquarium is fascinating. A flagship location is The Silo District, with the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA). 

DAY 5 – THE WINELANDS
Leave Cape Town for the Winelands, about an hour’s drive away.
At Vergelegen, the country’s premier wine estate with its gracious homestead and spacious gardens – awarded the International Camellia Garden of Excellence. stroll around its impeccable grounds, hearing about its biodiversity projects, and trying out some of its award-winning wines over lunch.
In the afternoon, on the slopes of Stellenbosch Mountains, be shown over a maginficent indigenous garden, landscaped and earthscaped by South Africa’s foremost sculptor – Dylan Lewis.
Continue on to Stellenbosch in the heart of the Winelands, with its oak lined streets and Cape Dutch gables, checking into your centrally located  hotel.
Enjoy dinner by a celebrated chef in a tucked away spot in this university town.  In Stellenbosch, stay for 2-nights at a historic hotel that blends two centuries of design, with a secluded inner garden and pool, as well as a tranquil courtyard.

DAY 6 – VINEYARDS & VALLEYS 

At Babylonstoren, you’ll be shown over a beguiling gardenscape inspired by The Company’s Garden, recreated by Patrice Taravella of Prieuré d’Osan fame. Spanning eight acres, it’s divided into fifteen clusters with over 300 edible varieties of plants.
Lunch-with-a-view on an estate located at the top of a mountain pass precedes entréeto the owners’ private garden with a guided walkabout. Have dinner with an engaging local. (B, L, D)

DAY 7 – WALKER BAY  REGION /  A FLOWER SAFARI
Depart Stellenbosch, venturing along less travelled roads, to the Walker Bay coastal nature reserve region, in the south-western Cape, just east of Hermanus.
En route, stop at Freshwoods, a rambling, romantic plantsman’s garden, esteemed for its conservation of old roses from the Cape, and acknowledged for its excellence by the World Federation of Rose Societies.
Reach Grootbos Private Nature Reserve in time for a reviving, late lunch.
On your first 4X4 Flower Safari, discover the scale and splendour of this pristine wilderness with over 765 species – 6 of which are endemic. Uncover the co-dependent relationships between flowers, insects, birds, animals and the elements of nature. Discover how a flower perfectly matches the shape and size of a sunbird’s beak, how ravaging fires bring forth new life and how fynbos thrives in soils almost devoid of nutrients.
Stay at Grootbos Private Nature Reserve, a 5-star eco-resort with unparalleled floral diversity, nestling between mountain and sea, for 3-nights, all-inclusive.

DAY 8 – A FLOWER SAFARI
After breakfast, spend a half day out in the field with Grootbos’conservation director/ fynbos ecologist, followed by a presentation on its conservation program, and hearing about its responsible tourism initiative.
In the afternoon, you could journey back to Stone Age times on a guided coastal walk to Klipgat Cave, of World Heritage significance. With a variety of activities on offer,  you can experience nature’s incredible diversity, plus some of the best land-based whale-watching in the world, that could precede dinner. 

DAY 9 – A FLOWER SAFARI
In between 4×4 Flower Safaris / activites of choice, take a Florilegium Art Gallery tour with resident curator / artist, hearing about this first-of-a-kind project in the Southern Hemisphere depicting select plants alongside their pollinators.

DAY 10 – THE CRADLE OF HUMANKIND
Leave this eco-paradise for Betty’s Bay, where you’ll be shown over The Harold Porter Botanical Garden, one of the country’s 10 gardens run by the SA National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) and part of the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve, with 700 species of indigenous plants and over 100 species of birds.
En route to Cape Town airport, you’ll have photo-ops along Clarence Drive, a scenic coastal route, before your afternoon, 2-hour flight to Johannesburg’s Lanseria airport, and thence short transfer to  your hotel.
The Cradle is a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and home to around 40% of the world’s human ancestor fossils. Almost 7,000 hectares in extent — second only to the Cape Floral Kingdom in terms of floral diversity, its landscape is dominated by the Rocky Highveld Grassland which supports a great diversity of plants and animals, some of which are rare and endangered.
Stay at The Cradle Boutique Hotel for 2-nights, situated on a private nature reserve in the heart of the Cradle of Humankind. Dine on a deck with panoramic views of the game-filled valley below. 

DAY 11 – A HUMAN ORIGINS SAFARI
A day with a different perspective! In the morning, go on a ‘Human Origins Safari’ in an open air vehicle led by a specialist-guide. See firsthand, two active fossil digs, Gladysvale and Malapa, where a previously unknown species of pre hominin (pre-human) was discovered by National Geographic Explorer, Prof Lee Berger.
In the afternoon, head down the hill, to NIROX Sculpture Garden, a high-end cultural hub set among lush acres, landscaped by Patrick Watson, alighting on artworks in unexpected places. Revel in the garden’s creativity, and celebrate your last night under the Southern Cross, dining in this tranquil landscape. 

DAY 12 – RETURN  / OR  ONWARD SAFARI
Depending on your onward plans, you’ll be transferred to Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport in time for your homebound flight or optional safari.
Otherwise, spend the morning exploring the Rocky Highveld Grassland biome before being transferred to the airport.