The Cape Wilderness

Nights

10

Party

2–4 guests

Countries

South Africa

From

US$ 27,500 per person, based on four guests sharing, including private aircraftExcludes international flights to and from Africa.

Best season

Year-round; whales Jun–Nov

Ten nights along South Africa's south coast and into its wild places. Two at the Twelve Apostles, below the mountain at Camps Bay. Two at Birkenhead House on the cliff above Walker Bay, where southern right whales bring their calves in from about June to November. Two in the fynbos at Gondwana, two among the Addo elephant at Gorah, and the last two in the Sabi Sand at Dulini Leadwood. The coast comes first and the bush last. The helicopter and the aircraft do the long stretches, so the Garden Route and the Eastern Cape take an hour each instead of a day.

Highlights

• Snorkelling the kelp forest
• Whales from Birkenhead's terrace (Jun–Nov)
• Shark cage diving off Gansbaai
• Fynbos walk at Gondwana
• The elephant of Addo
• Finishing in the Sabi Sand

1. Day 1–2

   Cape Town · Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa (2 nights)

   You arrive in Cape Town on your international flight and drive out along the coast to the Twelve Apostles, between the mountain and the sea at Camps Bay. The first evening is dinner at Azure, the hotel's restaurant on the cliff, as the light goes off the Atlantic. Next day a private session at the Two Oceans Aquarium takes you snorkelling through the kelp forest. It is the same cold-water forest that runs all along this coast, and the best way to understand it.

2. Day 3–4

   Cape Town → Birkenhead House, Hermanus (2 nights)

   A helicopter takes you east along the coast to Hermanus and Birkenhead House, on the cliff above Walker Bay. Between about June and November southern right whales and their calves roll in the bay below the terrace, and one morning a private boat takes you out among them. Outside those months we plan that morning differently. Either way, the other morning is spent at Gansbaai for a private shark cage dive in Shark Alley. Birkenhead's private chef cooks for you both evenings.

3. Day 5–6

   Hermanus → Gondwana Private Game Reserve (2 nights)

   The helicopter carries on east along the Garden Route to Gondwana, near Mossel Bay, a Big Five reserve in the fynbos. A specialist guide walks you through the plants of the Cape Floristic Region: the flowers, the proteas, the ones used as medicine. Afternoons are for drives across the reserve with your own vehicle and guide.

4. Day 7–8

   Gondwana → Gorah Elephant Camp, Addo (2 nights)

   Your Pilatus PC-12 flies east to Gqeberha, and a short private drive takes you into Addo Elephant National Park and Gorah, a colonial-era camp of eight tented suites. Addo has more than 600 elephant. Sit on Gorah's veranda in the afternoon and the family herds come down to the waterhole in front of you.

5. Day 9–10

   Addo → Dulini Leadwood Lodge, Sabi Sand (2 nights)

   The PC-12 flies north to the Sabi Sand. Over the bush strip the pilot makes a low pass to move the impala and warthog off. Dulini Leadwood is a small lodge of six suites in the Exeter concession. Two nights of drives with your own vehicle and guide, looking for the leopard the Sabi Sand is known for.

6. Day 11

   Sabi Sand → departure

   The PC-12 flies you from the Sabi Sand to Johannesburg in time for your international flight.

Flown by turboprop and helicopter. How we choose the aircraft