South African Private Safaris & Self-drives | Southern African Tours
Safari Tour Company in Cape Town South Africa
OVERVIEW
DeHoop to De Hel is a private tour that leaves the mainstream of South Africa to explore small towns and the majesty of two oceans. You will see vegetation that survived the Ice Age and marvel at wonder caves. Visit a valley where European inhabitants lived for two hundred years without contact with the outside world and travel up and down incredible mountain passes. Come experience South Africa like no one else!
| South Africa | |
| Start | Cape Town (Day 1) |
| Day 1-2 | De Hoop NR |
| Day 3 | Oudtshoorn (Garden Route) |
| Day 4 | Die Hel |
| End | Cape Town (Day 5) |
Activities & Transportation
- Activities: nature hikes/walks
- Getting around: normal 4×4 vehicle
- A transfer from and back to the airport can be arranged for an extra cost
Day 1
Cape Town – De Hoop Nature Reserve
You will depart Cape Town with a view of the magnificent Cape Peninsula while ascending Sir Lowry’s Pass, through the apple orchards of the Elgin Valley. You will stop at the “must see” Elgin Farm Stall to see the best of locally produced South African favorites of food, wine & artifacts. You will continue over to the Houwhoek Pass. Enjoy a glass of wine in Archangeli Wine Estate at Bot River, passing the towns of Caledon, Napier, Bredasdorp, Struisbaai & Cape Agulhas before going to the spot where the Indian & Atlantic oceans meet. After lunch on the rocks at Cape Agulhas, you will visit the Shipwreck Museum in Bredasdorp before arriving at De Hoop Nature Reserve and checking in at the Whale Trail Cottages for dinner and your overnight stay.
Main Destination:
- De Hoop Nature Reserve
Accommodation:
- Whale Trail Cottages
- Mid-range cottage located inside De Hoop NR
Meals & Drinks:
- Dinner (Breakfast & lunch not included)
- Non-alcoholic drinks
Day 2
De Hoop Nature Reserve
After breakfast you will prepare your whale watching check-list, put on your walking shoes, sun hats, sunscreen, and make sure you have your camera, binoculars and a bathing suit. You will have a picnic lunch to enjoy during the day. De Hoop is the best place to view whales in South Africa. You can sit on the sand dunes close to the ocean and marvel at the world’s largest mammals who swim to the southern seas each winter to spawn and calf. They return, by instinct, to the same spot each year. Due to the continental shelf being close to the shore, no where else in the world are pods of whales seen so up close to land. The whales are inspiring and they may put on a magnificent aquatic display for you. After your picnic, you will walk through the rock pools on the unspoilt coastline, hike through Fynbos which survived the Ice Age and see endangered antelope like the Cape Mountain Zebra and Bontebok. Later in the evening, you will return to the cottages for dinner and your overnight stay.
Main Destination:
- De Hoop Nature Reserve
Accommodation:
- Whale Trail Cottages
- Mid-range cottage located inside De Hoop NR
Meals & Drinks:
- Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included)
- Non-alcoholic drinks
Day 3
Cape Coast – Oudtshoorn
After breakfast, you will make your way through the Tradouw Pass onto the town of Barrydale on Route 62. This is where you will stop for lunch. Route 62 with its small towns between Worcester and De Rust, become a haven for writers, artists and alternatives of all descriptions; making these small towns well worth exploring. The landscape is known as the Little Karoo or “Dry Place” in the original language of the first inhabitants. The folks are friendly and the towns are bustling. After the town of Ladysmith, you will travel through the Huisrivier Pass with its amazing rock formations and towering cliffs to the Port Wine capital of South Africa Calitzdorp. You will arrive in Oudtshoorn for an Ostrich farm tour and then drive to De Denne Guest House. You will check-in, and enjoy dinner in their excellent restaurant. After dinner you will settle in for your overnight stay.
Main Destination:
- Oudtshoorn (Garden Route)
Accommodation:
- De Denne
- Luxury guest house located in or near Oudtshoorn
Meals & Drinks:
- Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
- Non-alcoholic drinks
Day 4
Die Hel Wilderness
After breakfast, you will check-out and drive to the magnificent Cango Caves for an early morning tour. You will then ascend the south side of the Swartberg Pass, built in the 1800’s and regarded as an incredible engineering feat. At the summit you will stop for a light snack before a trip down to Die Hel on the iconic gravel road, an off roaders “bucket list”. The road to Die Hel is narrow, making it a true adventure. There are seven passes to navigate before reaching the oasis at the bottom. Some of the old houses have been restored for guest accommodations and a restaurant. There will be time for a hike to explore where a population of people lived before modern day life caught up with them. It is an experience to treasure and a memory which will stay with you. Later in the evening you will check-in at the The House of Piet & Hester Swanepoel for dinner and your overnight stay.
Main Destination:
- Die Hel
Accommodation:
- The House of Piet & Hester Swanepoel
- Mid-range cottage located in or near Die Hel
Meals & Drinks:
- All meals included
- Non-alcoholic drinks
Day 5
Die Hel – Cape Town
After breakfast, you will check-out and return to the summit of the Swartberg Pass and start down the north side with numerous switchbacks on the gravel road. Designed and constructed in the 1880’s, the road is brilliantly built and although gravel, takes very little work to maintain. Take the time to stop and see the view and the beautiful folded rock formations as you descend. Nestling at the bottom of the pass is the beautiful little hamlet of Prince Albert, a near perfect little Victorian village. You will now head south for the restored Victorian Spa of Matjiesfontein for afternoon tea, where your guide will give you a brief introduction on how the Victorians & Edwardians lived life in the Colonies and how it was used during the Anglo Boer War. Later in the evening you will return to Cape Town through the Huguenot Tunnel. Upon arrival in Cape Town, you will be dropped off at your chosen accommodations. This is where your safari will end.
Main Destination:
- Cape Town
Accommodation:
- No accommodation (End of tour)
Meals & Drinks:
- Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
- Non-alcoholic drinks
