• Arrive at Cape Town International Airport where Alison and Sidney meet you personally and you will be transferred to Zevenwacht Wine Estate for a welcome drink overlooking the Cape peninsula.
• If you arrive before lunch, you can enjoy a light lunch in the garden or make a reservation for The Manor House Restaurant for lunch.
  This is for your own account.
• Settle into your room. Situated in the heart of Zevenwacht’s picturesque vineyards, the Country Inn offers guests luxuriously appointed, air-conditioned suites, each with its own private terrace and uninterrupted view of Table Bay and False Bay. Facilities at the Country Inn include a club house, swimming pool, tennis court and sauna.
  Take a rest before you are given a guided tour of one of South Africa’s Trophy Wine Estates. Both Alison and Sidney played a major role during the infancy days of Zevenwacht.
• After the tour we have a wine tasting, followed by a Cape Malay Dinner by Zevenwacht Lake where Sidney will share with you some of the Cape Malay Culinary secrets.

Situated on the Stellenbosch Wine Route, Zevenwacht has viticulture roots which penetrate deep into the historic past of South Africa. While literally meaning Seven Expectations, the name Zevenwacht exemplifies the abundant delights which await visitors to the Farm. A leader in wine tourism, Zevenwacht was one of the first Wine Estates to establish a restaurant, hotel and conference facility, and spa on the estate.

The wines of Zevenwacht are distinguished by their classic style and finely crafted elegance. Winemaker Jacques Viljoen honors century-old wine-making traditions, yet is boldly innovative, welcoming the contribution that modern technology makes to the vinification of premier wines. Covering 120 hectares of the 450-hectare property, the vineyards are ideally situated for the growing of quality grapes. Zevenwacht is characterized by good quality, varied soils and the vineyards have been selectively planted with red and white noble varietals.

• Breakfast in the Manor House
• This morning you have your first cooking class that will expose you to the world of Cape Malay Cooking. Sidney believes that South Africa is unrivalled when it comes to comfort food and he will tell you that nothing reflects the rich historical background and diverse origins of this nation better than its cuisine.
• Lunch, we enjoy our mornings work for lunch on the kitchen terrace.
• After lunch we take a trip to Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront, now one of Africa’s most popular tourist destinations, within a stone’s throw from the Cape Town Stadium and in the heart of Cape Town’s working harbor. The V&A Waterfront offers the visitor an abundance of unforgettable experiences. Indoor shopping and entertainment venues seamlessly merge with ocean vistas and mountain views and the fresh sea breeze and warm African sun add zest to a cosmopolitan, vibrant atmosphere. More than 80 restaurants bring a fusion of international food, from rustic al fresco fish and chips to starched tablecloth cuisine.
• You will be given time to enjoy South Africa’s premier shopping experience before we meet for dinner sampling South African Cape Malay cooking at its best.Dinner is for your own account and if you would rather choose from one of the many dining areas around the waterfront, please feel free to do so.
• As the afternoon is yours to shop, you may wish to take the advantage of this time and take a boat trip to Robben Island which needs no introduction with regards to the significance of its place in South Africa and indeed the world’s history. As ‘Home’ to one of the world’s most famous prisoners, statesmen and leaders in Nelson Mandela, Robben Island is quite possibly the most well-known prison on the planet. Should you wish to take this trip, it will be for your own account and can be booked online www.robben-island.org.za and we advise you take the 15.00 hrs boat.Cape Town Afrikaans: Kaaps; Xhosa: iKapa is the second-most populous city in South Africa, after Johannesburg, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality. The city is famous for its harbor, for its natural setting in the Cape floral kingdom, as well as for such well-known landmarks as Table Mountain and Cape Point.

  Located on the shore of Table Bay, Cape Town was first developed by the Jan van Riebeeck’s arrival on 6 April 1652 established the first permanent European settlement in South Africa. Cape Town quickly outgrew its original purpose as the first European outpost at the Castle of Good Hope, becoming the economic and cultural hub of the Cape Colony. Until the Witwatersrand Gold Rush and the development of Johannesburg, Cape Town was the largest city in South Africa. Today it is one of the most multicultural cities in the world, reflecting its role as a major destination for immigrants and expatriates to South Africa. In 2011 the metropolitan region had an estimated population of 3.74 million. The city was named the World Design Capital for 2014 by the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design. In 2014 Cape Town was named the best place in the world to visit by The New York Times.

  

   

• Breakfast in The Manor House
• This morning you are taken on your second culinary trip in the kitchen where Alison will share with you two of South Africa’s most popular desserts
  ‘Melk Tert’ a beautiful creamy milk tart with a dusting of cinnamon
  ‘Malva Pudding’ Rich Buttery syrup laden cape malay pudding served with Alison’s take on Amarula Ice Cream
• Sidney will then share with you Edith’s Buttermilk Pudding with Orange Sauce
  Edith was Sidney’s Zulu nanny who took care of him most of his childhood
• Lunch is served on the kitchen terrace.
• After lunch depart for Cape Town and travel up to what is known as one of the most beautiful sights in the world, Table Mountain. We will take a cable car up the mountain and enjoy the panoramic view and walk on the mountain.
• We then take a tour around the Cape Peninsula travelling on what is said to be one of the world’s most breath-taking coastal drives, Chapmans Peak.
• We then visit Simons Town, home to a Penguin Colony and will enjoy dinner with an old friend of Alison and Sidney in a casual Fish Restaurant in Fish Hoek a small coastal town.

• Breakfast in The Manor House
• After breakfast you will enjoy a Wine Tasting and Cellar Tour by the Cellar Master himself, Jacques Viljoen whose passion and dedication has taken Zevenwacht Wines to being award winning and sought after wines in South Africa and abroad.Jacques grew up in a Family dedicated to viticulture which established his roots in the field of viticulture and winemaking.   He obtained his degree in BSc. Agriculture from the University of Stellenbosch in 2001. He finds the diverse nature of being a winemaker extremely rewarding as he gets to work with nature from the viticulture perspective, uses some physical strength and technical skills when working in the cellar, which is run with a small team at Zevenwacht, uses his creative flair in the winemaking process and also has to be a ‘marketer’ of his wines.When it comes to his favourite cultivars – Jacques does not restrict himself to any single varietal but is passionate about Rhone blends and is excited about the development of the Grenache vineyards on Zevenrivieren.
• Sidney, Alison and Jacques will then take you on a journey of a Wine and ChocolateTasting.
• For lunch today we will visit Boschendal Wine Estate. We will languish in the summer afternoon at the very popular ‘Le Pique Nique’ on the famous Pavilion lawns immersed in the breath-taking beauty of the mountains and vineyards.
• We are in the middle of the famous Cape Winelands surrounded by the towering mountains and lush vineyards and will after lunch visit two of South Africa’s most prestigious Wine Estates for a wine tasting.
  Kanonkop Estate is situated on the lower slopes of the Simonsberg Mountains in the Stellenbosch Region of the Cape and confidently boasts some of South Africa’s most premium wines.
  Lanzerac Estate situated on the outskirts of the historic town of Stellenbosch, the Lanzerac Estate is a 300-year-old private working wine estate in the Jonkershoek Valley. The Lanzerac Pioneer Pinotage is a tribute to the world’s first bottled Pinotage
  a 1959 Lanzerac Pinotage.
• Tonight we enjoy dinner in The Zevenwacht Manor House

• We have an early rise to meet our Flight from Cape Town International Airport to Namibia and our next chapter of our Culinary Adventure
• Upon arrival at the Hosea Kutako International Airport you will be met by our partners in Namibia who have our vehicle ready for our onward journey and drive 40km to the capital city of Namibia, Windhoek where we visit the local Craft Centre.
• You will have the opportunity to spoil yourself to coffee and cake for your own account before we depart Windhoek, driving north towards Etosha. Your accommodation is situated close to one of Namibia’s major attractions, the Etosha National Park.

Windhoek. An African capital with a difference; dubbed as the ‘Cleanest City in Africa’, Windhoek is the Capital City of the Republic of Namibia, a country described as one of Africa’s most vibrant and successful sovereign states.

Situated in the country’s central Khomas Region, Windhoek is nestled in a basin surrounded by scenic mountains in the central highlands of Namibia; Windhoek can be better described as a ‘Working City’. It is a thriving active, administrative, commercial and industrial centre, serving as the melting pot and hub of most economic and technological developments and activities in the country.

Whether enjoying the continental flair of Independence Avenue; browsing through the numerous shops; exploring the historical buildings or searching the markets for that special Namibian memento – we know that you will enjoy the harmonious blend of African and European cultures and traditions that make our capital city.

History – Around 1840, Windhoek became the headquarters of the Nama-Oorlam Group under Jonker Afrikaner in central Namibia. The name Windhoek dates back to 1844, when it was used in a letter written by Jonker Afrikaner, it is thought that in a moment of nostalgia, he named the place Winterhoek after the farm in the Cape where he was born. German colonial administration was established in 1890 when Major Curt von Francois established a military post in Windhoek. During this administration the town was known as Windhuk,
which later became Windhoek.

• We check into Toshari Game Lodge.

Toshari Lodge, nestled on an outcrop of dolomite rocks under a forest of Mopane and white Seringa trees, offers enchanting accommodation and gateway to Etosha National Park, one of Namibia’s major attractions.
Absorb the peace and tranquility of the natural African bush as you amble through a blend of manicured lawns and rustic bush gardens to your private room. Take a refreshing dip in our sparkling pools and enjoy the tranquility of our striking African lapa with its stunning photographs of local Etosha wildlife.

• Tonight’s dinner will be enjoyed in the lodge.

Etosha National Park

• Breakfast today will be early as we depart from the lodge early morning in open game viewing vehicles for a half day guided game drive in the Etosha National Park.
• Lunch will be enjoyed as a picnic inside the park.

ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK

Alison and Sidney believe this to be the world’s most unspoilt game sanctuary and have for 26 years made it their favourite destination. It is here where they both lived after deciding to get married and where their daughter Hannah was born. Sidney will tell you that it is here where he feels that the human race need to take stock and come to terms with the impact the human race has on wildlife.

Etosha will remain in your heart and soul long after you have left.

The Park was proclaimed as Namibia’s first conservation area in 1907. With subsequent additions it became the largest game reserve in the world, covering a vast area of 93,240 km². For political considerations its size was progressively diminished, until by 1975 it had been reduced to its present surface area of 22,270 km². It is still one of the largest game reserves in Africa!

A vast area on Namibia’s central plateau, the park’s focal point is the Etosha Pan – a flat saline desert, 130 km long by 50km at its’ widest in the eastern sector of the park.

The Pan itself is believed to have originated over 12 million years ago as a shallow lake fed by the Kunene River. Subsequent climatic and tectonic changes have since lowered the water level so that the pan only holds water for a brief period each year – it teems with flamingos and pelicans in the summer. The saline and mineral residues together with moisture from perennial springs attract an immense number and variety of game and birds from mid-March into November just before the new wet season starts.

Of the 114 mammal’s species found in the park, several are rare and endangered, such as black rhino, cheetah and black-faced impala. The latter is endemic to north-western Namibia and south-western Angola. Etosha’s current population of more than 600 black rhino represents one of the few growing populations of black rhino in the world.

Other large mammals in the park include giraffe, blue wildebeest, mountain and plains zebra, hyena and lion. Cheetah and leopard complete the trio of ‘big cats’. Antelope species range from kudu, gemsbok and the large and stately eland, to the diminutive Damara dik-dik. Smaller mammals include jackal, bat-eared fox, honey badger, warthog and the ubiquitous ground squirrel.

Around 340 bird species occur in Etosha National Park, about one third being migratory, including the European bee-eater and several species of waders. Larger birds include ostrich, kori bustard and greater and lesser flamingo, millions of which congregate on the pan to breed during a good rainy season. Ten of Etosha’s 35 raptor species are migratory. Those most commonly seen are lappet faced, white-backed and hooded vultures, while sightings of the Cape, Egyptian and Palmnut vultures have been recorded. There are eight species of owl, including pearl spotted and white faced, and four species of nightjar.

For the greater part of the year (the dry season) Etosha’s animals and birds are dependent on about 30 springs and waterholes. These provide excellent game viewing and photographic opportunities. During the rainy season, especially, the bird life at the main pan and Fisher’s pan is worth viewing.

• We return to the lodge after lunch for some free time.
• Dinner Tonight you’ll be treated to a local African Braai.

Etosha National Park

• Enjoy another early breakfast and then depart from the lodge in open game viewing vehicles for yet another exciting half day guided game drive in the Etosha National Park.
• Return midday and have a lovely lunch at the lodge. Afterwards we can relax around the pool and enjoy the Namibian sun.
• As we are now seasoned ‘African Culinary Adventurers’ we will cook our own dinner over the coals around the open fire under the African Night Sky.

• After a relaxed breakfast we depart south via Otjiwarongo to Okonjima home to The Africat Foundation.
• We stop enroute for a quick lunch and then continue towards Okonjima.

Lunch is for your own account as there are several meal options and you may feel you do not want a full meal as you will enjoy Okonjima’s homemade cakes and pastries this afternoon.

• Upon arrival at the lodge you can settle into your room and relax.

• Afternoon coffee, tea and cake will be served at the lodge

• Enjoy an afternoon activity of Carnivore Tracking by vehicle and enjoy a sundowner in the bush.

• Dinner is enjoyed at the lodge overlooking the plains and a watering hole.

Otjiwarongo – This town provides a convenient stop over on route to the north of the country. As, with most towns in central Namibia the name Otjiwarongo originates from the Herero language, which translated means “place of the fat cattle” or “beautiful place”. Given the central role that cattle play in the Herero culture, both meanings are appropriate. The town was officially founded in 1906 upon the arrival of the narrow gauge railway linking the important mining centre of Tsumeb and the coastal town of Swakopmund.

Okonjima Lodge

West of the Waterberg Plateau, the vast plains are occasionally broken by the remnants of ancient Sandstone outcrops, which once covered large areas of northern Namibia. Nestled among the Omboroko Mountains lies Okonjima – a Herero name meaning Place of the Baboons. This is much more than just a lodge.

Established in 1993, The AfriCat Foundation started off as a sanctuary for Cheetah and Leopard rescued from irate, livestock farmers.  Today, AfriCat is dedicated to the protection and long-term conservation of all large carnivores in Namibia and has since become renowned for much-needed; “Environmental Education, Carnivore Research, Rescue, Release & Rehabilitation programmes, and Carnivore Welfare, Human Wild-life Conflict Mitigation and Community Support projects – throughout the whole of Namibia”

• After an early morning Coffee and Muffin.
• Okonjima we are invited to participate on foot of the rehabilitated Cheetahs, Wild Dogs or the Spotted Hyenas on the Tracking Trail within the 20 000ha / 200km² rehabilitation nature reserves.
• After our Carnivore Tracking morning you will have brunch at the lodge.
• Relax and enjoy the African sun on the terrace of your lodge or around the pool.

Plains Camp offers 2 large, secluded swimming pools with sufficient shade-area, surrounded by a lush lawn. The pool closest to The Plains Camp over-looks the grass plains.

• Afternoon coffee, tea and cake will be served at the lodge
• Late afternoon we enjoy hands on cooking adventure with Sidney and Alison preparing local game dishes. We will be joined by some of Okonjimas chefs who share their passion to cook with us.

Sidney and Alison will share with you some of their African influenced dishes which appear in their book, ‘A Culinary Adventure with le Calabash’

• We enjoy our dishes prepared for dinner tonight.

Okonjima Africat Foundation – Windhoek – Sossusvlei

• Today we have breakfast and depart back to Windhoek.

We will stop by a roadside craft centre where local craftsmen peddle their craft.

Do remember you need to practice your very best haggling skills here, for the first price you are quoted is at least 150% more than they will settle for. 

• Lunch will be enjoyed at the legendry Joe’s Beer House, a real Namibian treat.

This is for your own account.

• After lunch we make our way to Eros airport for your charter flight to Sossusvlei.

Sossusvlei Lodge

Sossusvlei Lodge is situated ±330km south-west of Windhoek on a 40 000-hectare private reserve amidst the Namib Desert. It is located directly adjacent to the entrance gate of the Namib Naukluft Park that is sanctuary to some of the highest dunes in the world’s oldest desert, the famous Sossusvlei and the awe inspiring Sesriem Canyon.

• Upon arrival we settle into our rooms and freshen up before we depart for a Sundowner Drive on the lodge property.
• Dinner will be enjoyed at the lodge.

• Today requires a very early start as we leave for the Sossusvlei & Sesriem Canyon excursions before sunrise.
• Breakfast will be enjoyed in the park in the form of a picnic.

Soussusvlie

Sossusvlei has monumentally high dunes; their sinuous crests and warm colours changing as the day waxes and wanes. These gigantic star-shaped mountains of sand are formed by strong multi-directional winds; they are at their highest and most spectacular where the west-flowing Tsauchab River empties itself into the Vlei.

The warm tints of the sand, ranging from apricot to orange, red and maroon, contrast vividly with the dazzling white surfaces of the large deflationary clay pans at their bases. When it has rained sufficiently in the interior for the Tsauchab River to come down and fill the main pan, flamingos and other aquatic birds are drawn to the area.

Serriem Canyon

At the park entrance to Sossusvlei is Sesriem Canyon, where centuries of erosion have incised a narrow gorge about 1 km in length. At the foot of the gorge, which plunges down 30 to 40 m, are pools that become replenished after good rains. Sesriem derives its name from the time when early pioneers tied six lengths of rawhide thongs together to draw water from the pools.

• We arrive back to the lodge for lunch and then you can relax around the pool for the rest of the afternoon.
• Tonight you are taken on a Culinary Adventure and a bush dinner in the desert.

• Breakfast and depart back to Windhoek

We leave the sand dunes of the Namib Desert behind as we make our way back towards Windhoek via the Remhoogte Pass. We make our way to GocheGanas Nature Reserve.

• Check in at your accommodation at Sun Karros Resort, freshen up and return to the city for curio shopping at Penduka in Katutura.

Gocheganas
Situated a mere 29 kilometres south east from Windhoek on a hilltop overlooking a spectacular landscape, GOCHEGANAS is a luxury lodge offering a unique combination of Wildlife, Nature and Wellness experiences.

“GOCHEGANAS” – a descriptive Damara name, meaning: “Place of Camel Thorns, abounding with Candle-Pod Acacias” is more than just a place, it is an experience….

Complimenting and enhancing the Lodge, is our Wellness Village, boasting state of the art wellness facilities, as well as heated indoor pool and cave sauna. A variety of wellness treatments and massages are offered.

Upon arrival we will be collected from the car park for a transfer up to the lodge. Settle into your room and then you have the afternoon at leisure to relax next to the pool, enjoy a wellness spa treatment or go for a walk on one of the trails.

Dinner will be a special last night Braai in the Boma.

Upon arrival we will be collected from the car park for a transfer up to the lodge. Settle into your room and then you have the afternoon at leisure to relax next to the pool, enjoy a wellness spa treatment or go for a walk on one of the trails.

Dinner will be a special last night Braai in the Boma.

• Today marks the end of our journey as we all head to the airport to catch our return flights back home.
• Depending on our flights we will have breakfast or if we have a sunrise flight, we will enjoy breakfast on or flight.

Time to say goodbye or as Sidney would say in Zulu
Hamba kahle futhi babe nohambo ephephile