Extension: The Best of Cape Town

As a group, we will fly from Livingstone, Zambia to Johannesburg at the end of main program #13938, African Safari: a Close-up on Wildlife. Upon a mid-afternoon arrival in Johannesburg, we will connect to our commercial flight to Cape Town for an evening arrival. Our Group Leader for the extension will meet us at the airport in Cape Town for our transfer to the hotel in the heart of the vibrant V&A Waterfront.

Dinner in flight.

Our Group Leader will give us a brief orientation to the schedule for the next few days. The remainder of the evening is at leisure.

Taken at the hotel, breakfast will be an expansive buffet featuring a variety of cold cereals, fresh fruit, cold meats and cheeses, pastries and hot items such as bacon, sausage, tomatoes and mushrooms. Omelettes, eggs and waffles can be cooked on demand. Fruit juices, coffee, tea and water provided.

After breakfast at the hotel, we will depart toward Cape Point via the coastal route passing through South Africa’s famous beach resort town of Camps Bay, past the Twelve Apostle Range, through Hout Bay, and along Chapman’s Peak Drive, one of the most spectacular coastal roads to be found in Africa, finally arriving at the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. Cape Point, the southwestern-most point of the African continent, is one of the world’s most beautiful places – a stretch of rocky mountain jutting southward into the sea. We will board the Flying Dutchman funicular, which will bring us up to a viewpoint walkway on the peak, the lower station; the upper station, where the lighthouse is located, is accessible by stairs from here. At Cape Point we will find a myriad of pristine beaches, sheltered bays and coves, as well as a rich array of indigenous flora. The fynbos reserve (a unique vegetation type of the Cape Floral Kingdom) is home to a variety of wildlife and bird species. Whales (dependent on season), penguins and seals may be spotted from this point. Lecture: Fynbos.

We will enjoy a picnic lunch with bottled water, taken at a scenic spot on the peninsula.

We will continue to Boulders Beach to view the resident African penguin colony. Our Group Leader will lead us to the beach, which is nestled in a sheltered cove between Simon's Town and Cape Point, and introduce us to the penguins. Boulders has become world famous for its thriving colony of African penguins and magnificent wind-sheltered beaches. Boulders is one of the few sites where this vulnerable bird (Spheniscus demersus) can be observed at close range, wandering freely in a protected environment. In the late afternoon, we will return to the hotel with time to freshen up before dinner.

Dinner will be taken at a local restaurant on the V&A Waterfront, and will consist of a three-course, set menu meal including water, coffee, tea; additional beverages available for purchase.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

After breakfast, we will embark on an exploration of the city with our Group Leader. Sites we will visit include: the Bo Kaap, a colorful and predominantly Muslim neighborhood; the Company Gardens, a lovely garden in the heart of city center that is surrounded by the Houses of Parliament; the Anglican Cathedral of South Africa, where Desmond Tutu was bishop; Greenmarket Square, an historic and vibrant meeting place in the business district; the Castle of Good Hope, a former fort that is the oldest building in South Africa; and District Six, which serves as a poignant reminder of the impact of apartheid.

Lunch will be on our own accounts to discover a local lunch spot.

Free Time. On your own to see and do what interests you most in Cape Town. Our Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Activity options are many, including a hop on/hop off bus. There are also multiple museums and an aquarium in the city.

On one's own account to explore local fare in Cape Town.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

This morning, we will depart for the Cape Winelands to spend the day exploring the wine-producing region around Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. This area is not only the most important wine growing region in South Africa, but Stellenbosch is one of the oldest, most beautiful and well-preserved towns in South Africa. The vineyards form a patchwork in the fertile valleys and seem to be overshadowed by dramatic mountains. There is an almost European atmosphere with beautiful Cape Dutch architecture seen everywhere. We will partake in a wine tasting, complemented by a lecture on the area’s architecture, history and viniculture. We will have time to explore both Stellenbosch and Franschhoek today.

We will enjoy lunch today at a wine estate near Franschhoek. The three-course, set menu meal changes seasonally and is inspired by the variety of local ingredients available. Lunch will include one glass of wine per person and water; additional beverages available for purchase.

We will continue our exploration of the Cape Winelands, returning to the city in the late afternoon.

On one's own account to explore local fare back in Cape Town.

At leisure.

Hotel buffet.

Free Time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most in Cape Town. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Lunch will be on our own accounts.

We will visit Kirstenbosch Gardens, one of the world's leading botanical gardens. Few gardens can match the sheer grandeur of its setting, against the eastern slopes of Table Mountain. Kirstenbosch was established in 1913 to promote, conserve and display the extraordinarily rich and diverse flora of southern Africa, and it was the first botanic garden in the world to be devoted to a country’s indigenous flora. On display in the gardens is a wide variety of the unique Cape Floristic Region plant life, as well as plants from all the diverse regions of southern Africa; there are over 7,000 species in cultivation at Kirstenbosch, including many that are rare and threatened. In 2004, the Cape Floristic Region, including Kirstenbosch, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We will walk around the garden in the company of our Group Leader and a local specialist, who will talk about the different plants seen.

Tonight's farewell dinner will be at a local restaurant and consist of a multi-course, set menu featuring traditional African food. Water, coffee, tea provided, with additional beverages available for purchase.

At leisure. Be sure to pack and prepare for check-out in the morning.

Hotel buffet.

After breakfast, we will head to Table Mountain where a cable car ride up the steep granite slopes (weather permitting) will give us splendid views of the city and peninsula; it is perhaps one of the most magnificent views in the southern hemisphere. We will have the opportunity to explore our choice from the various walking paths on top of the mountain, where we may come across the unique rock hyrax, whose closest genetic relative is the elephant! In the late morning, we will descend in the cable car and return to the hotel.

Lunch will be on our own accounts.

We will have the afternoon free to explore Cape Town on our own and pack. Our hotel rooms will be available until our departure this evening. Airport transfer will be provided for evening flight departures. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Please join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures. Best wishes for all your journeys!

Early morning arrivals back in North America.