African Tribal Heritage Tours

Tour TH3: The Cultural Heritage of Eastern & Western Cape

An eight- day, Cape heritage, theme tour, (frequently following the Swaziland / KwaZulu-Natal & Free State Tour). On this tour we experience the culture heritage of the peoples of the Cape - made up of Dutch, Malay, Xhosa, English and French historical contributions. Other highlights include The Garden Route, Oudtshoorn, the Cape Winelands, the Cape of Good Hope Peninsula, Robben Island and the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront.

Day 1: Eastern Cape: Port Elizabeth & Tsitsikamma National Park

Arrive at Port Elizabeth Airport. After a tour of general sites of the "Friendly City", we depart on a true cultural experience of local urban township life. This tour offers the rare chance to hang out in a black township. The evening includes a traditional meal in a local home, good stories on history and everyday township life and all-around fun during a visit to a shebeen (local pub). At the end of this evening of fun, we retire to our guesthouse.

Day 2: Storms River and the Garden Route

Today we travel the Garden Route of the Eastern Cape. We stop along the way to admire the extraordinary engineering achievement of the Storms River bridge (the highest bungee-jumping site in South Africa) and marvel at the beautiful and stormy Storms River Mouth. We continue through Outeniqua country (Khoikhoi Bushmen for, "man laden with honey") on our way to the oyster and arts town of Knysna, where we spend the night in the Victorian Cottages of the historic Belvedere House. Knysna is also the centre of fresh seafood and locally cultured oysters.

Day 3: Knysna to Oudtshoorn

This morning we depart for ostrich country via the Sedgefield lake district, George and the Outeniqua Pass. After a short tour of the town, we visit the world famous Cango Caves and admire its cavernous underground chambers with spectacular stalactites and stalagmites. From there we visit one of the large ostrich farms near Oudtshoorn and admire their antics and products. A ride on an ostrich is optional for the well-insured! We learn of the farmer heritage of South Africa and spend the night on the ostrich farm.

Day 4: Oudtshoorn via Montagu into the Western Cape Winelands

We enjoy a good farm breakfast and then take on the Great Karoo semi-desert on our way to the fruit-growing area and town of Montagu. From there we travel via Robertson and Villiersdorp over the impressive Hottentots-Holland mountains into the spectacular Franschhoek ("French Corner") valley of the French Huguenots. This evening we spend the night at a wine Guest Farm in the Franschhoek valley.

Day 5: French and Dutch Heritage with superior Wines

Typical Cape wineland scene Today we discover the rich French Huguenot heritage in Franschhoek. We visit the French Huguenot Museum and Monument. Thereafter, we spend a relaxing day in the Franschhoek and Stellenbosch Winelands, visiting an opulent blend of historical Wine Estates, testing their wines at each visit and enjoying the traditional "plowman's lunch" with estate wines at one of these vineyards. We tour the town of Stellenbosch to discover the Dutch heritage vested in the town. We visit four houses of various periods in history and experience the old Dutch South African traditions and proud Cape Dutch architecture. The night is spent in Stellenbosch.

Day 6: Western Cape: Cape of Good Hope Peninsula

Today it is time to experience Mother Nature's art and admire some of the more than 8000 indigenous species of Cape flora at the Kirstenbosch natural gardens. We meander through the mountains between Muizenberg and Kalk Bay on a scenic drive through the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve on to Cape Point. On the way we stop at one of the most northern penguin colonies in the Southern Hemisphere. From the heights of Cape Point you will see where the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet from the impressive cliffs - with the Cape baboons watching close-by.

Day 7: The Coloured and Malay Heritage, Robben Island and the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront

We start the day by enjoying the interesting cultural experience of the District Six Museum of "Coloured" heritage. This museum presents a lively portrayal of the role that the people of mixed blood played and their forced removal under the Apartheid regime. This is followed by a guided visit to the traditional Malay area of the Bo-Kaap, where we learn more about the colourful Malay heritage brought to the Cape in the middle 1600's. We then depart for the famous Robben Island, to see how Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners were imprisoned during the previous Apartheid era. This evening we see some of the indigenous arts & crafts at the famous Cape Town Water Front.

Day 8: Gugulethu Township Life and Vibes

The programme for the day is designed to conclude your tour in a leisurely and fun fashion, allowing time to ponder about the rich cultural heritage of the Cape and Southern Africa. Today we experience Gugulethu, one of the Cape Flats Townships. Gugulethu (meaning "our pride") was established in 1958 and is one of the oldest and fastest developing black townships in South Africa. The township boasts many shebeens, jazz clubs and up-and-coming business people. We visit an arts and crafts centre of the community, a shebeen to enjoy the local brew and savour the sounds of township jazz. After this satisfying cultural experience, you are transferred to the Cape Town Airport for your flight home, or connecting flight to Johannesburg.

Included in the tour:
  • Transport in air-conditioned vehicles
  • Services of an accredited guide
  • All breakfasts
  • Accommodation in good Guest Houses, Guest Lodges and Country Hotels (The Guest Houses/Lodges are all quality establishments, offering private rooms with private bathrooms and full breakfasts)
  • All entrance fees and conservation fee in the Kruger National Park
  • The following excursions:
    • Tour of urban Township life, Port Elizabeth
    • Storms River Bridge and Storms River Mouth
    • The Cango Caves
    • An Ostrich farm
    • French Huguenot Museum and monument
    • Two wine tasting tours and viewing of historical Cape Dutch homesteads
    • Four homesteads in Stellenbosch from various periods in history
    • Cape Point tour
    • Penguin colony
    • District Six Museum of Cape Coloureds heritage
    • Bo-Kaap Malay heritage tour
    • Robben Island and Nelson Mandela's jail
    • Cape Town Water Front & crafts
    • Gugulethu Cape Township tour
Not included:
  • Meals not mentioned above
  • All alcoholic beverages
  • All items of a personal nature
  • Tips, e.g., the tips for your local guides and the customary 10% tip in restaurants
  • Porterage
  • Optional excursions
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