Best Of The Western Cape

The Western Cape is such a great self-drive destination, and on this nine-day tour you will see why. Great roads and picturesque locations make seeing the sights a superb experience. A choice of recommended accommodation is available to suit your style and budget.

Standard Self-Drive Tour

DAY 1 HEATHROW-CAPE TOWN
Overnight flight from Heathrow to Cape Town.

DAY 2 WINELANDS
Arrive at Cape Town International airport where a representative will meet you and assist you with collecting your hire car. Travel to the Cape Winelands, the largest wine producing region in the Western Cape (40 km – approximately 40 minutes). Overnight: The Spier Hotel, Stellenbosch.

DAY 3 WINELANDS
Spend today exploring the Cape Winelands at your leisure. Visit some of the many wine farms, or stroll down a beautifully restored street in one of the historical town centres and visit the museums and monuments that pay homage to the proud history. Overnight: The Spier Hotel. (b)

DAY 4 OUDTSHOORN
Depart the Cape Winelands today and head for ‘Route 62′, one of the most beautiful routes in South Africa. Arrive in Oudtshoorn, affectionately known as the ‘feather capital’, because of its large ostrich farming industry (400 km – approximately 5 hours). Overnight: La Plume Guest House. (b)

DAY 5 OUDTSHOORN
Spend a full day exploring Oudtshoorn, home to many attractions. Visit an ostrich show farm or explore the Cango Caves. Also worth a visit is the Cango Wildlife Ranch, an endangered special breeding facility. Overnight: La Plume Guest House. (b)

DAY 6 KNYSNA
Travel over the scenic Outeniqua Pass to George, nestled below the Outeniqua Mountains, and onto the lagoon town of Knysna (130 km – approximately 2 hours). Spend today exploring Knysna, one of the Southern Cape coast’s best known holiday destinations, situated between lush forests and the shores of the peaceful lagoon. Overnight: Protea Hotel Knysna Quays. (b)

DAY 7 KNYSNA
Knysna offers its visitors many activities and attractions. The most well known attraction being the ‘Heads’, two great sandstone cliffs guarding the mouth of the lagoon which connects the estuary with the sea. Take a ferry boat cruise across the lagoon to the Featherbed Nature Reserve for a stroll through the forests and a view of the ‘Heads’. Overnight: Protea Hotel Knysna Quays. (b)

DAY 8 HERMANUS
Travel the scenic coastal route south to the seaside village of Hermanus (420 km – approximately 5 hours 30 minutes). Hermanus has become known as the heart of the Cape Whale Coast with numerous vantage points for viewing the southern right whales during their annual migration (July to November). Overnight: Auberge Burgundy. (b)

DAY 9 HERMANUS
Spend the day exploring this quaint village, or venture out to some of the wine estates and country restaurants in and around the area. Overnight: Auberge Burgundy. (b)

DAY 10: CAPE TOWN-HEATHROW
Drive to Cape Town via the scenic Sir Lowry’s Pass and drop your car at the airport (120 km – approximately 1 hour 30 minutes). Check in for your overnight flight to Heathrow, or onward travel arrangements. (b)

Where Next
Add to your experience by extending your holiday to one of these easy to combine destinations: Victoria Falls, Malawi, Seychelles, Mauritius or Dubai.

This itinerary is also available as:

5* Deluxe Self-Drive Tour
Day 2 Winelands – Lanzerac Hotel & Spa
Day 3 Winelands – Lanzerac Hotel & Spa
Day 4 Oudtshoorn – Rosenhof Country House
Day 5 Oudtshoorn – Rosenhof Country House
Day 6 Knysna – St James of Knysna
Day 7 Knysna – St James of Knysna
Day 8 Hermanus – The Marine
Day 9 Hermanus – The Marine

Established in 1968, Somak Holidays is an independant Tour Operator specialising in holidays to East Africa.

Somak Holidays aim to offer inspiring holidays to the most superb locations in Africa. Above all they pride themselves on being a family-owned and run company. That means they are solely focused on the holidays they arrange, and not on appeasing shareholders. Somak Holidays continually inspect hotels and airlines, and test itineraries in order to improve some aspect or another.

Somak Holidays is a multi-award winning operator, winning such accolades as “Best Independant Tour Operator to Africa” in the Travel Weekly Awards 2010.

Our Opinion
“Somak Holidays has been arranging safaris to Kenya for over 40 years and have built an excellent reputation as the number one independant tour operator to East Africa.”