We will be offering tours from early June until day before match day, which is 11th June and then again from 20th July.

13 – 14 days or parts of this itinerary  – 4 nights Cape Town, 3 nights Garden Route, 2 nights Safari, another 2 nights in Garden Route area then a night back in Cape Town or Hermanus for big 6 – Whale watching, then home.

You can see the itineraries on my website – www.flamingotours.co.za

As each tour is personalised to your requirements, we do not have schedule tours or listed prices, each tour is designed to suit your interests and ability. so contact us and we can arrange this JUST FOR YOU! 

Another visit – Tenikwa and Meet the People tour – also excellent service and the animal encounters are excellent and meeting the people in Mossel Bay also a unique experience.

Cango wildlife ranch also a favourite with service above the usual standard from their excellent guides there.

Spring Flowers – off to see the wild flowers that “decorate” the West Coast of SA at this time of the year. Wait for the next blog to see these fantastic photos. Talk with you all next week.

We set off from Cape Town through to the Garden Route via the R62, the longest wine route in the world, overnighting in Oudtshoorn, the Ostrich capital of the country. Here we visited the Cango Wildlife Ranch, where they have a breeding programme for the endangered Cheetah. They also have White Lion, White Bengal Tigers and many more very interesting animals and birds, many endangered such as the Cape Vulture.

We then visited the Safari Ostrich farm, for a tour and lunch ( no potatoes!!). Afterwards we  then headed to the coastal area over the Outeniqua pass to Knysna for a night. This is where the real adventure began, with sightings of Elephant, Buffalo and Warthog. Yes we saw 2 of the 6 Lion, a female that decided she liked the look of us staring at her from a koppie and decided to walk back up the hill, so back into the car – fast – and then tried to follow her, but she slunk off into the thick Spekboom vegetation fast.

The next morning the sunrise was beautiful and as I was taking a photo of it, I heard a roar, Keith shouted he’s walking at about 200m direction 12 o’clock from the guest house that overlooked a waterhole and low and behold what a beautiful male Lion. More of this was on the cards over this very lucky spell.

We arrived at Shamwari and in the first game drive of the evening, we followed a male Cheetah on the hunt. This happened a few times. We also followed a female with 2 cubs a few times over the 8 game drives we did. The Elephant encounters were also special, with the young bulls really play fighting a lot. Other sightings included a herd of Elephant and a White Rhino with calf, which were in the same location as the Elephant.

In the mix

We also encountered that same White Rhino with calf who had rolled in the red sand with a Black Rhino who was totally out in the open, who took a dip in a very small mud pool. We managed to get a photo of both types of Rhino together – another first for the rangers.

So many firsts for seasoned rangers on this trip the angles were really smiling down on us. And so it went on with one special encounter after the other. A Lioness with 2 cubs of about 6 months, was not happy with the males advances,  and tore a strip off him by growling and chasing him. He tried to block her wanting to leave, but she chased him with lots of growling and roaring – a sight I tried to video but was shaking too with excitement.

More Lion encounters, chasing the Male cheetah out of their territory. I can almost write a book about these 4 days at this private game reserve. Well, the verdict at the end of the tour was – after having visited most of the Sub Saharan countries of Africa over 28 years and doing many game encounters, this was by far the best ever experience for Keith, Liz & Tom. Seb enjoyed his first visit and I am sure he will be back, as I am sure the Somerville’s will be.

Keep reading and I hope to set up a photo gallery for these magnificent safaris we do in MALARIA-FREE area – Cheers for now – Pam Taylor.

Lioness one of many seen

Return to Gallery

CAPE TOWN

DAY 1.
Collect from Cape Town airport and transfer to V&A Waterfront hotel or hotel of your choice. Rest of day at leisure.

DAY 2.

The next couple of days are run according to weather conditions
Take the cable car up to the top of Table Mountain, this epic icon of the Mother City – Cape Town.
Enjoy the 360 degree breathtaking views from the top of Robben Island, city, harbour and down the Peninsula. Later we continue with a drive through the city pointing out places of historical, cultural and architectural interest. We visit the famous Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, where an optional lunch can be enjoyed with more views of the mountain. We also visit Hout Bay with an optional boat trip to Duiker Island to view Cape Fur Seals. Return to hotel around 17h00. Evening at leisure.

DAY 3.
We have an exciting days planned with more stunning coastal and mountain scapes. We visit the Boulder Beach Penguin Colony, then head along the False Bay coastline to Cape of Good Hope Reserve, where we ride the funicular to the Old Lighthouse for more breathtaking views. Lunch in area of own account. We return via the Western seaboard over Chapman’s Peak drive (if open) and arrive back at hotel around 17h30/18h00. Evening at leisure.

DAY 4.
Our famous winelands of Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl on the list to visit today. We start with a wine and cheese tasting in the Paarl area and then continue to Franschhoek for a further tasting and lunch in area for own account. In the afternoon we visit Stellenbosch, this very picturesque village with many national monument buildings. We either do another wine tasting or visit the local museum with its 4 styles of Period Houses. Return to hotel around 17/18h00. Evening at leisure.

GARDEN ROUTE

DAY 5.
Today we start down the Garden Route with our first night in the Klein Karoo. We drive via the Huguenot Tunnel into the Breede River Valley and stop for a wine stating en-route (not on Sunday). We then continue along the longest wine route in the world – R62 to lunch in Barrydale and overnight in Calitzdorp on a D,B&B basis.

DAY 6.
A very special day is planned and we endeavour to make sure you see as many of the endangered animals in the Wildlife Ranch as possible, in order to have a very memorable experience.
We see the Good, the Bad and the Ugly! Plus the cute, the cuddly and the furry creatures they look after. We also visit an Ostrich farm for a tour and lunch to find out more about these fascinating flightless birds. WE then head to the coastal area of the Garden Route and overnight in Knysna area on B&B basis for 2 nights. Evening at leisure.

DAY 7.
A free morning to explore the Knysna Waterfront  and local area on your own. This town has a Royal history and  many interesting characters, so if shopping is not your game, people watch from one of the many sidewalk café’s, followed by a leisurely cruise on the Knysna lagoon, with optional lunch on board. Then we head out in to the countryside to feed the Gentle Giants of Africa. This experience is one that will linger in your memory forever and be imprinted in your soul. Evening at leisure.

GAME VIEWING – MALARIA-FREE

DAY 8.
We drive to the malaria-free area of the Eastern Cape to the award winning Shamwari 5 star, Private Game Reserve for 2 nights on full board basis. Lunch at reserve followed later by a 3 hour game drive, followed by dinner.
They have the BIG 5!

DAY 9.
On the reserves programme where they will endeavour to find as many of the big 5 as possible on this prized reserve for an epic journey of a lifetime.

DAY 10
After another early morning game drive and breakfast we head back down the Garden Route to either Plettenberg Bay or back to Knysna area for a further night on B&B basis. We stop en-route at interesting spots, as well as Port Elizabeth. We drive via the Old Passes road to our destination.

DAY 11.
Mossel Bay houses the Maritime Museum with a replica Caravel ship used for the 500 year re-enactment of the famous voyage of Bartholomew Dias who sailed around the Cape in 1488 trying to find the way to the East, wanting to open up the Spice Route. We can stop for optional lunch in area and then continue to a Guest Farm in the Heidelberg District for overnight on D,B&B basis.

DAY 12
After a tour around the farm if so desired, we head back to Cape Town via the historical town of Swellendam, stopping for a Berry Liquor tasting and lunch in area for own account.
We overnight at same hotel on B&B basis. Evening at leisure.

DAY 13.
Check out of hotel at 10-11h00. You will be collected from hotel 4 hours prior to flight departure time.
End of Services. Thank You!

FOR INFORMATION OF INCLUSIONS AND EXCLUSIONS PLEASE CONTACT US.

COSTS FROM – R22 000.00 Per person sharing for 6 people travelling together.