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DAY 1: ARRIVE JOHANNESBURG Upon arrival in Johannesburg, you will be met by our local representative and taken to your hotel. The Grace Hotel (Luxury Room) is conveniently located in Rosebank, a fashionable and leafy suburb outside Johannesburg. Check in to this intimate establishment and spend the afternoon at leisure. This evening, enjoy dinner at the hotel restaurant, which boasts excellent food and a superb wine cellar. (B,D) DAY 2: JOHANNESBURG - MAURITIUS After breakfast, you will be met and taken to the airport for your flight to Mauritius.* Upon arrival, you will be welcomed by our local representative and taken to the Oberoi (Luxury Pavilion) for a five-night stay. Mauritius basks in splendid isolation in the Indian Ocean, just inside the Tropic of Capricorn. It is bounded by Africa, India, and Australia. Within its 720 square miles, roads are lined with bougainvillea and flame trees. You will also find craggy mountains, deep craters, wild waterfalls, villages hidden in lush coastal vegetation, charming old colonial houses, and flowers blossoming everywhere. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure to soak up the sun. This evening enjoy a candlelit dinner on the terrace of your luxury villa. (B,D) DAYS 3 - 6: MAURITIUS These days are at leisure. Some guests at the Oberoi find that it's hardly necessary to leave their luxury villa to have a full and enjoyable day; each villa features a walled courtyard and open-air dining pavilion, a perfect spot to have breakfast and slowly wake up. A marble sunken bath in each villa looks out onto a lush private garden, and daily fresh fruit baskets and flower arrangements add a personal touch and an extra feeling of opulence. The Oberoi nestles into the Baie Aux Tortues on the northwest coast of the island; it has 600-meters of oceanfront property where golden sands melt into the turquoise sea. You may wish to take advantage of the health spa, which incorporates a wide range of holistic treatments. In addition to two ocean-facing swimming pools, leisure pursuits on offer at the resort include tennis, wind surfing, water skiing, sailing, scuba diving, deep-sea fishing, and golf. DAY 7: MAURITIUS - CAPE TOWN Enjoy a final leisurely morning in Mauritius before being taken to the airport for your flight to Cape Town via Johannesburg.* Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel for a four-night stay. The Cape Grace (Luxury Room) is spectacularly situated directly on Cape Town's dazzling waterfront. You may want to join a few other guests at the hotel for Cape Grace's infamous wine tasting and orientation to the Cape at 18h00 every evening - an informal and relaxing time to taste a varied selection of Cape wines, while gaining an insight into the diverse and rich history and culture of the Western Cape of South Africa. The hotel also has an exceptional spa, featuring African-inspired healing treatments, reflexology, facials, and more. Discuss booking a treatment with your Absolute Africa travel specialist at an additional cost; the spa is very popular so arrangements must be made ahead of time. DAY 8: CAPE TOWN TOUR Cape Town's location has allowed it to absorb a wide range of cultures that were drawn to the city for its key position on the trade routes between Europe and Asia. Begin to explore the city on a private half-day tour. A trip to the top of Table Mountain is a splendid highlight on a clear day: the mountain is part of a nature reserve, and boasts a wide range of plants and animals unique to the surrounding area. Tour the museums, browse the market at Greenmarket Square, and stroll past the curio sellers who line the pavements with their wares. (B) DAY 9: CAPE WINELANDS TOUR Depart today to explore the charming Winelands regions of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. The region is increasingly popular amongst visitors and locals alike, who are drawn to the superb architecture and lovely scenery of the vineyards. The wine routes are clearly marked and attractive wine estates, set in rolling vineyards, are open for cellar tours and tastings. In addition, this area is increasingly known for its fine restaurants, which attract Cape Town's finest for Sunday lunch and evenings of fine food and wine. Franschhoek is also cherished for its late Victorian architecture, and has earned a reputation as the culinary capital of the region. In Paarl, visit the Fairview Wine Estate for wine and cheese tasting. (B) DAY 10: CAPE POINT TOUR This morning head off on a tour of Cape Point, a scenic trip with many enticing villages en route. Head straight to the sea and follow the coastal road through Muizenberg with its long stretch of sandy beach, Simon's Town, and on to Boulders Beach, home to the Jackass penguins. From here, keep your eyes peeled for baboons on or beside the road, and finally enter the Cape Peninsula National Park where you will find Cape Point, traditionally considered the meeting point of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. This wild and scenic area is spectacular, boasting a unique array of over 2000 plants that flourish nowhere else in the world. Ostriches, antelopes, and tortoises live in the nature preserve. Cape Point is also known as the Cape of Storms: many ships have met an untimely demise amidst the tumultuous waters off shore, and as the Indian and Atlantic Oceans converge, their crashing waves can be enjoyed from the Point. Before heading home, make a stop at Hout Bay Harbor and take a quick boat ride to Seal Island. Return to your hotel later this afternoon. (B) DAY 11: CAPE TOWN - KRUGER NATIONAL PARK Transfer to Cape Town International Airport for your flight to Hoedspruit Airport*; upon arrival, you will be transferred by road to Londolozi Private Game Reserve (Tree, Pioneer or Bateleur Camp), beautifully situated in the Kruger area. Arrive in time for a delectable lunch, followed by an afternoon game drive. Accompanied by a skilled tracker and ranger, head off into the bush in search of Africa's big game. Such game drives include the opportunity for sundowner cocktails served in the bush, and continue after dark when spotlights are used. Return to the lodge for dinner under the stars. This is a rich area for wildlife spotting. Morning, afternoon and evening game drives, as well as bush walks and visits to the local community, allow you to gain insight into the natural and cultural environment. (B,L,D) DAY 12: KRUGER NATIONAL PARK Enjoy a full day of game viewing activities in the morning and again in the afternoon or evening. Bush walks during the day offer close encounters with the subtleties of nature and a brush with the traditional legends and uses of plants. This region supports an astonishing variety of wildlife including the "Big Five." Breeding herds of elephants make for exceptional viewing. Around 260 species of birds may be seen, including the Woodland Kingfisher, Scops Owl, Crested Barbet, Marico Sunbird, Spotted-backed Weaver, and White-throated Robin. (B,L,D) DAY 13: DEPART SOUTH AFRICA After an early morning game drive, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Johannesburg and onward international flight. (B) *International airfare between Mauritius and South Africa is not included in the cost of the trip. |