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 before a welcome dinner.
Stay at a haven of tranquillity nestling on the back slopes of Table Mountain, on six acres of beautifully landscaped gardens for 4-nights.

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 up, 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, it’s the first botanic garden in the world to be included in a World Heritage Site.
IAnd 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 a delectable 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, 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. 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). You could linger in The Waterfront at one its many dining options.

DAY 5 – THE WINELANDS
Leave Cape Town for the Winelands, about an hour’s drive away. Vergelegen is 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 for 2-nights before dinner by a celebrated chef in a tucked away spot.

DAY 6 – VINEYARDS & VALLEYS
At Babylonstoren, be shown over a beguiling gardenscape inspired by The Company’s Garden, recreated by Patrice Taravella of Prieuré d’Osan fame in France. 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 entrée to the estste owners’ private garden with a guided walkabout. Later, dine with an engaging local or two in this university town.

DAY 7 – WALKER BAY  REGION /  A FLOWER SAFARI
Depart Stellenbosch for Walker Bay, a 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.
A 5-star eco-resort with unparalleled floral diversity, nestling between mountain and sea, Grootbos is your destination for 2-nights. Have a reviving, late lunch before  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 nature, how ravaging fires bring forth new life, and how fynbos thrives in soils almost devoid of nutrients.

DAY 8 –  A FLOWER SAFARI
After breakfast, spend a half day out in the field with  the conservation director/ fynbos ecologist, followed by his presentation on its conservation program, and 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, which could precede dinner.

DAY 9 –  A  ‘FLOWER SAFARI’
In between Flower Safaris / activites of  your choice, take a Florilegium Art Gallery tour with the 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 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.
Clarence Drive is a scenic coastal delight enroute to your 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, with some of the most pristine areas of the high altitude dolomitic grasslands — 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 on a private nature reserve in the heart of the Cradle of Humankind for 2-nights, dining 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, venture on a safari in an open air vehicle led by a specialist-guide, to see firsthand, two active fossil digs, Gladysvale and Malapa, where a previously unknown species of pre hominin (pre-human) was discovered. In the afternoon, head down the hill, to NIROX Sculpture Garden, a high-end cultural hub set among lush, landscaped acres, 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 schedule , you’ll be transferred to Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport in time for your homebound flight or optional safari. Otherwise, enjoy another morning outing with a specialist guide, exploring the Rocky Highveld Grassland biome, and having a picnic lunch before being transferred to the airport.