A celebration of women! Imagine the experience of traveling together with other like-minded mothers and daughters - or granddaughters, nieces, aunts. Get to know and love the women and children of South Africa as you tour this spectacular country. Take this rare opportunity to learn and explore together. Both educational and fun.
Your Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive Johannesburg. Our representative meets you at the airport and transfers you to your hotel. Conde Nast Traveler calls the hotel: “contemporary, edgy and Afro-centric.” Each spacious room has a patio overlooking the pool and well-kept gardens. The hotel is within walking distance of the trendy Melrose Arch Precinct, with many fun restaurants, shops, and entertainment facilities. After a brief rest, we enjoy an African dinner at Moyo restaurant. Moyo is a treat for the all the senses and features contemporary and traditional music, exotic foods, and art.
Day 2: Rise and shine. We start the day in the vibrant townships of Soweto and Alexandra. In Soweto, we tour Nelson and Winnie Mandela’s former home, peek over the fence of Bishop Desmond Tutu’s current house, and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Our guide takes you to his own neighborhood in Alex and shows you what life is like in the township. We will end the day with a visit to the Apartheid Museum. You are free to explore upscale Sandton (check out the mall) in the evening if you wish, or have dinner at the hotel.
Day 3: After a leisurely breakfast we depart for the Drakensberg mountains. En route to the Drakensberg, we stop at a wonderful pottery studio and retreat, where we meet local women potters and maybe buy some Ardmore treasures. We stay at a lovely, small hotel is perched on hill in central Drakensberg, where refreshing mountain walks and gentle hikes are just outside your door. The afternoon free for hiking, walking, swimming or just relaxing.
Day 4: In the morning, we drive out to Didima to visit the Bushmen’s art center. This area is renowned for Bushmen rock paintings. The fascinating, small museum is the best way to see the art and learn about the San (Bushmen), the first inhabitants of the area. In the afternoon, we spend time with a local Zulu family, who live without electricity and running water, learning about their customs and culture. We also visit a special, local orphanage. It is important to understand how HIV/AIDS impacts the women,children, and communities of this country.
Day 5: Leaving the Drakensberg after breakfast, we drive to Durban and the south coast. We spend the night at a small Victorian boutique hotel in the suburb of Berea, with lovely shops and restaurants in the vicinity.
Day 6: Time for safari! We drive to two hours north of Durban to one of our favorite game reserves - it is owned by Conservation Corporation Africa (CC Africa), a company deeply committed to the renaissance of Africa, its wildlife, and its people. Upon arriving we will have tea and muffins and then head right out for our first game drive.
Day 7: We spend a full, exciting day at searching for cheetahs, white and black rhinos, elephants, and lions. The reserve also offers excellent plains game (such as zebras and kudus) viewing and bird-watching. Imagine going to sleep to the roar of the lion and waking up to the exotic call of the fish eagle. Accommodations are air-conditioned glass suites built on stilts that appear to float between a rare sand-forest floor and the towering torch wood trees. Not one tree was lost when the lodge was built.
Day 8: After a morning game drive and a hearty breakfast, we make our way back to Durban airport. From Durban we fly to the upscale Garden Route area along the southern coast of South Africa. We stay in a wonderful Manor, in luxury rooms, for two nights. This hotel is situated on the edge of Knysna, overlooking the tranquil Knysna lagoon, with lovely gardens and old world ambiance. Here you can also indulge in some downtime and relaxation, perhaps even a massage. Later we eat oysters and drink wine at the local tapas bar, and possibly take a trip on the Outeniqua Tjoe Tjoe Train.
Day 9: After breakfast, we visit the township above Knysna and meet Selena, our favorite Sangoma. Her work with the women and children of the township are inspiring; you see how one person really can make a difference.The afternoon is free for shopping and sightseeing in the quaint town of Knysna.
Note: On the May trip we will celebrate Mother’s Day with a special dinner and some surprise guests at one of our favorite Garden Route places.
Day 10: We visit the upscale coastal towns of Pettenberg Bay and Wilderness, stopping for a sea-side lunch at the luxurious Plettenberg hotel. In the afternoon, we visit the Featherbed Nature Reserve, a South African Heritage site. This pristine piece of paradise situated on the Western Head of Knysna is accessible by ferry only, a lovely way to spend the afternoon.
Day 11: We travel today from the Knsyna area to Cape Town, stopping for a light (organic) lunch at one of the oldest towns in South Africa, Swellendam. If we are lucky, we might enjoy some impromptu roadside jazz as we come into town. Continuing on to Cape Town we stop in Stellenbosh, the famed wine region of South Africa, for dinner. There is time for some souvenir shopping. Accommodation in Cape Town is at one of our favorite hotels, built around a stunning indoor garden area, many of the well-appointed rooms have ocean views, and there is a great walking/jogging path right across the street
Day 12: The day starts with an entertaining, educational, walking tour of Cape Town. We visit Table Mountain, Green market Square, Parliament Buildings, Cape Castle, and Company Gardens. We enjoy a quick, light lunch at the Cape Quarter and spend the afternoon visiting museums and galleries, ending with High Tea at the Mount Nelson Hotel. Dinner at your leisure. There are many interesting restaurants within walking distance or a short taxi ride.
Day 13: Today we visit both of the Cape townships, with a stop first at the interesting District Six Museum. We spend the afternoon with the women and girls of Langa township, watching them cook traditional foods and hearing their personal stories. We visit projects designed to help the women of the townships start businesses and improve their lives. We have arranged for you to meet with an Afrikaans mother and daughter and hear some Afrikaans history and sample traditional foods. Or you can choose to spend the night in one of the townships. Please ask us about this, if interested.
Day 14: No visit to Cape Town is complete without a visit to Cape Point. We head out in the morning with a stop in Simon’s Town to see the penguins (andmaybe a whale or two) and then on to the southern-most, mysterious tip of South Africa. You can hike all the way out to the lighthouse. So bring your walking shoes, your jacket, and watch out for the baboons. In the afternoon, we visit the historic waterfront and you can shop at the Victoria and Alfred shopping center to your heart’s content. You might want to stay and have dinner in one of the superb restaurants or have dinner in another part of town. You are free to explore.
Day 15: On our last morning we take the ferry out to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 25 years. After we return from the island, you are at leisure to do last-minute exploring or shopping, or just relax on the beach or at the pool until your evening flight. Transfer from hotel to airport.
Dates:
- May 2-16, 2009 (goes over Mother's Day, May 10)
- August 1-15, 2009 (goes over National Women's Day in
South Africa, August 9).
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price Includes:
- All hotels
- All group ground transportation including airport transfers
- All entrance fees
- All safari costs
- All meals as indicated
- Driver/guide expenses (except tips).
Price Excludes:
- International or domestic air travel
- Domestic flight from Durban to George
- Alcoholic beverages except where included in dinners
- Personal expenses (laundry, cleaning, room service, massage, tips)
- Personal transportation expenses apart from group activities.
Also see tour packages in:
Africa
South Africa
Sweet Harmony
Women Tours
Cultural Journey
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