More Cape Town & Madikwe

Enjoy an in-depth visit of South Africa as you explore Cape Town and the Madikwe Game Reserve. Begin your journey in Cape Town where you will tour the famous city and all it has to offer. Venture along the coast and explore Cape Point and the Constantia Winelands. Make your way to Madikwe Game Reserve to spot an array of wildlife including the white rhino and elephants. From bustling, modern cities with prosperous hotels to the more historical scenic towns and villages with cultural museums and monuments, there is something here for every visitor.

Stay eight nights and receive two nights free (one night in Cape Town and one night in Madikwe).Included savings up to $1,000 per person!Book by July 31, 2019, and receive a $50 per person spa credit at Madikwe Safari Lodge. Terms and conditions apply. 

Trip Type: Adventure, Cosmopolitan, Wildlife

Gallery

Day By Day

Day 1 – Fly USA to South Africa

Today you will begin your Swain Destinations customized itinerary. Please note, international air has not been included in this package price.

Day 2 – Welcome to Cape Town

Upon arrival, a driver will meet you in the arrivals hall to transfer you to your accommodation.

MORE QuartersMore Quarters is a collection of converted heritage townhouses which offers all the spoils of five-star hospitality and the privacy of individual accommodations. This is the ideal base from which to explore the city and its surrounding beaches, mountains, and Winelands, and to come back to – where you can kick off your shoes and flop on the couch. The apartments are ideally located just off Kloof Street, referred to as the "heart of Cape Town" by the locals. This is partly due to the area being relatively untouched by mainstream tourism, hence adding to the authenticity and value of the Kloof Street address. The ability to walk to both restaurants and boutique shops provides guests with an experience where one becomes part of the city’s cosmopolitan way of life. There are exclusive and casual retailers and eateries, all within walking distance of More Quarters.

Starting Accommodation: More Quarters

Day 3 – Cape Town City Experience

Visit the Bo Kaap or Cape Malay Quarter which has a rich cultural, religious and architectural heritage, and is a mixed and cosmopolitan neighborhood with strong links to Muslim traditions and culture. The Cape Malays were originally shipped into the Cape Colony as skilled artisan slaves. The Bo Kaap is also home to the oldest mosque in South Africa, the Auwal Mosque, established in 1798. Next, it’s up Table Mountain which offers spectacular views in all directions and gives a bird’s eye view of the city. The upper cable car station is situated at 3,500 feet and the cable car floor rotates 360-degrees, enabling visitors to take in all the breathtaking views. At the top, there are numerous pathways, viewing decks, souvenir shops, a self-service restaurant, and coffee shop. Stop at Company Gardens which is the oldest in the country and was formally established in 1652 by Dutch settlers who sought to establish a victualing station to service spice-trading sailing shops on the long sea route to the East. The Company Gardens is also home to a beautiful rose garden, Japanese garden, fish pond, and bird aviary. It is adjacent to numerous important landmarks, including the present-day Houses of Parliament, the Iziko SA Museum and Planetarium, the SA National Gallery and other historical buildings. Explore the Castle of Good Hope, one of the oldest buildings in South Africa, it was built between 1666 and 1679 by the Dutch East India Company as a maritime replenishment station. The Castle Military Museum depicts Cape military history with one of the most impressive sword collections in the country. The William Fehr Collection of historical paintings and period furniture has special relevance to the Cape. The Key Ceremony is performed during weekdays, followed by the firing of the Signal Cannon. Horse and carriage rides are also available. Your final stop is Green Market Square, one of Cape Town's oldest market is set on a cobbled square and still has an exciting buzz with some colorful and eccentric characters. You can pick up local art, crafts, fabrics, and artifacts from almost every country on the African continent.

Starting Accommodation: More Quarters (B)

Day 4 – Best of Cape Experience

Start off the day with a visit to the Cape Peninsula and end with a visit to the Constantia wine region in the afternoon. Travel along the Atlantic Seaboard past the beautiful beach locations of Clifton and Camps Bay towards the Cape Point, the most Southwestern tip of the African Continent. Within Cape Point, the treacherous cliffs forming the most southwestern tip of Africa are some of the highest in the world and mark the spot where the cold Benguela current on the West coast and the warm Agulhus current on the East coast merge. The Cape of Good Hope is one of the two world-renowned landmarks within the Table Mountain National Park, the other is Table Mountain. This part of the park is home to an array of fynbos, over 250 species of birds, ducks, baboons, and Cape mountain zebras. Hop aboard the funicular and you will be whisked away on a scenic trip 780 feet above the ocean to where the old lighthouse keeps watching over the seas. The journey continues to False Bay one of the largest and most picturesque stretches of coastline. Known for its scenic beauty, it encompasses small seaside villages along the coastline. The most popular small towns include the historical naval village of Simon’s Town, Muizenberg (known for its epic waves), St. James (with its colorful huts), Kalk Bay (with great seafood restaurants) and Fish Hoek (with one of the best beaches). Boulders the African Penguin Colony in Simons Town is home to the African penguin and now has over 3,000, though the species is listed as endangered. Wooden walkways allow visitors to view the penguins in their natural habitat. Leave the coast behind as you travel to the Constantia Valley, Cape Town’s Vineyard. Nestled beneath Table Mountain National Park and commanding vistas of the Constantiaberg and Table Mountain ranges lies Constantia, the oldest wine-making region in the southern hemisphere. Filled with heritage and landscapes of unsurpassed beauty, Constantia offers award-winning wine estates and restaurants.

Starting Accommodation: More Quarters (B)

Day 5 – Day at Leisure

Today is at your leisure to explore all that Cape Town has to offer.

Starting Accommodation: More Quarters (B)

Day 6 – Cape Town to Madikwe Game Reserve

A driver will meet you in the lobby of your hotel to transfer you to the Cape Town Airport. You will fly to Johannesburg before your transfer flight to Madikwe Game Reserve.

Madikwe Safari Lodge - DithabaDithaba (meaning "mountain" in the local dialect) is a luxury lodge located in the mountains of Madikwe. The lodge offers awe-inspiring panoramas of this precious wildlife sanctuary that displays endless savanna, woodland, and mountains to the horizon. The Madikwe Game Reserve is 75,000 acres of incredible topography, vegetation, and faunal diversity. From the Dwarsberg Mountains in the south, peaked by the blood-red Brandwacht; north over the undulating golden woodlands where black and white rhinos find refuge; over the Tweedepoort escarpment and into the rolling savannas - this is classic African big-sky country where plains game - zebras, springbok, wildebeests - graze, one eye always watching for lions, cheetahs or wild dogs. The west of the reserve is bounded by the perennial Marico River - a rich green vein of life in this semi-arid vastness; the eastern reaches blend into the boundless Kalahari Desert. The camp is ideal for whole families and close friends who want to experience Africa in intimate luxury. Each of the four sumptuous suites at Dithaba boasts a lounge with a fireplace, private plunge pool and the ultimate comfort of the outdoor lounge that’s ideally positioned to take advantage of the African views extending endlessly into the distance. Included is a private butler, ranger, safari vehicle and chef. Dithaba offers delicious cuisine from the legendary Madikwe Safari Lodge menu, which can be tailored to all travelers’ tastes. The butler caters to guests and a dedicated ranger and safari vehicle allows wilderness adventures to be tailored to suit guests’ needs. The highly-trained rangers of Madikwe Safari Lodge will show you the riches of this wilderness wonderland on game drives in the mornings and at night. If you like, you can also choose to discover some of the smaller inhabitants - insects, birds, flowers - on foot. With your ranger, you could also piece together the story told by the tracks and signs left by Madikwe’s myriad creatures.

Starting Accommodation: Madikwe Safari Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 7 – Activities at Madikwe Game Reserve

Madikwe, with its rugged terrain, bold colors and habituated wild animal species make for a Photographer’s Dream. Madikwe’s landscapes are many and varied, and simply breathtaking! At 75,000 acres, this reserve is one of the largest in South Africa. This, coupled with it being in a non-malaria area, has made it a very popular destination for families. Madikwe’s game viewing is of a very high standard, with regular sightings of zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, warthog, white rhino, lion, elephant, and the brown and spotted hyena. Leopard sightings have become a lot more frequent as individuals are more relaxed in the presence of vehicles in the area. Along with buffalo and black rhino, leopard is now seen regularly in the reserve. Sightings are generally limited to a maximum of three vehicles at any given time so as not to unduly stress the animals.

Starting Accommodation: Madikwe Safari Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 8 – Game Activities at Madikwe

Game Drives head out early morning at sunrise, and the late afternoon just before sunset in search of the many animal species which call this place home. No more than eight people at a timeshare in a private and intensely personal safari experience in the company of their Madikwe Guide. Vehicles will stop off in a scenic spot over the course of each drive to enjoy a hot or cool beverage under a vast African sky.

Starting Accommodation: Madikwe Safari Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 9 – Game Activities at Madikwe

The bush takes on a completely different perspective when you are on foot. Each of your senses will be on full alert as you feel the grass and stones beneath your feet; touch the leathery leaves of trees you walk beneath;  smell the musky scent of wild animals in the vicinity; taste the sweet grass of the veld; and hear the crack of a branch indicating you are not alone. Every guest has unique interests, and the guides are adept at playing to those interests - be they mammals, birds, flora, insects or geology. Walks generally take place after breakfast and last approximately one-and-a-half to two hours, depending on the fitness level of guests.

Starting Accommodation: Madikwe Safari Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 10 – Fly Madikwe Game Reserve to the USA

Today, you will be transferred to the Johannesburg Airport where you will begin your journey back to the USA. (B)