Gallery

The ultimate tour to South Africa – an entire world in one country. This tour will give the traveller breath-taking views of pristine, natural scenery; provide insight into the unique combinations of diverse cultures and heritage as well as first-hand encounters with a world-renowned “BIG 5” safari experience.

This tour will also emphasise the Jewish history, culture & lifestyle in South Africa; including visits to Jewish museums, symbolic landmarks & iconic synagogues.

DAY 1 – CAPE TOWN

Travellers will arrive in Cape Town via flights from the US and will meet the Hebrew & English-speaking National tour guide on arrival. After being transferred to the hotel and having a brief rest, the group will get their first taste of Cape Town with a stop at Signal Hill to get a spectacular view of Table Mountain, the ocean and the city in between.

We then will drive to the bustling Victoria & Alfred (V&A) Waterfront – the famous harbour, bringing in over 23 million tourists annually. With an abundance of shops, restaurants and cultural attractions, the Waterfront will provide the traveller a true feel of Cape Town’s prime social hub (for both locals and tourists).

We will then return to the hotel for dinner.

Attractions: Signal Hill viewpoint, V&A Waterfront

Meals: Dinner

Accommodation: 3 or 4-star hotel in Cape Town

DAY 2 – CAPE TOWN (PENINSULA TOUR) [140KM]

We will start the morning with a cable car ride up to the top of Table Mountain, the mountain that gives Cape Town its unique personality. Table Mountain was named one of the New Wonders of the World in 2011. We will soak in the amazing views of the city and its surroundings before riding the cable car down to proceed with our tour of the peninsula.

The next stop will be the upmarket Camps Bay, the Riviera of Cape Town, to get the best views of the 12 Apostles and the Atlantic coastline and to get a taste of one of Cape Town’s wealthiest suburbs. We will continue on to Hout Bay and stop at the harbour, one of the Western Cape’s busiest, to walk around and then take a boat trip to Seal Island. Seal Island, or Duiker Island, is the habitat for hundreds of Cape fur seals. Upon returning we will drive along the panoramic Chapman’s Peak drive towards Cape Point.

Cape Point, at the Southeast corner of the Cape Peninsula, is the place where hundreds of ships met their demise during explorers’ long sea journeys from Europe to the far East. Cape Point is the meeting place of the two ocean currents – the cold Benguela (Antarctic) current and the warm Agulhas current from Mozambique. At Cape Point, we will catch the “Flying Dutchman” funicular to see the old lighthouse and spectacular views of cliff faces.

Our journey will continue to Simon’s Town, a previously British Naval town and now housing SA’s naval base. We will visit the famous African penguin colony at Boulders Beach and stop over for lunch in town thereafter.

Kalk Bay, the bohemian fishing village, will be en-route to our next stop at Muizenberg. Muizenberg was a vibrant Jewish community and holiday resort and, to this day, has an active Shul that once used to be the centre of Jewish life. We will tour the town and the colourful Muizenberg waterfront, extremely popular amongst surfers.

After returning to the hotel, travellers will enjoy the evening at leisure, with an option to visit the V&A Waterfront once more.

Attractions: Table Mountain, Camps Bay viewpoint, Seal Island boat ride, Chapman’s Peak drive, Cape Point with an optional walk, Penguin colony in Simon’s Town, Muizenberg tour & Shul

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: 3 or 4-star hotel in Cape Town

DAY 3 – CAPE TOWN

This day will be spent seeing the beautiful city centre and its surroundings. The first stop will be the world-famous Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, set on the Eastern slopes of Table Mountain.

Time permitting, we will visit the Kaplan Centre for Jewish Studies and Research at the University of Cape Town before making our way into town for a tour by bus and by foot. The tour will start at the bright & colourful Bo-Kaap, a centre of Cape Malay culture in Cape Town. We will then proceed to the Company’s Gardens (Dutch East India Company), the cradle of life in the 17th century, filled with museums, trees and squirrels. We will visit the South African Jewish museum, set in the first Shul of Cape Town, to get a perspective of the Jewish community and life in South Africa. The Hebrew congregation of Cape Town was established in 1841 and is the oldest in the Southern Hemisphere. The first Shul was built in 1863 and the big synagogue in 1905. We will also visit the Cape Town Holocaust Centre, a permanent exhibition in the city.

The tour by foot will stop at Greenmarket Square – where many African traders thrive and are surrounded by historic buildings. We will continue through the famous Church and Long Streets before seeing the remaining city highlights by bus.

In the evening we will go to Chabad for dinner and Kabbalat Shabbat.

Attractions: Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Centre for Jewish Studies, Cape Town City Tour – Bo-Kaap, Company’s Gardens, Greenmarket Square, Jewish Museum, Holocaust Centre, Company’s Gardens Shul, Chabad Shabbat dinner

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: 3 or 4-star hotel in Cape Town

DAY 4 – CAPE TOWN – FRANSCHHOEK – HERMANUS [250KM]

We will depart Cape Town towards the Cape Winelands and head for Franschhoek and Stellenbosch – the two most acclaimed wine routes (out of 17 in the Western Cape). The viticulture was established in the 17th Century by French Huguenot refugees (protestants) and the Cape Winelands offer arguably some of the world’s best wines.

On the way to Franschhoek, we will visit the Mandela statue, located in Drakenstein Correctional Centre, where Mandela was released from prison. At Franschhoek, we will explore the quaint French heritage town and visit the Huguenot monument. We will also experiment with Kosher wine tasting. We will then continue to the university town of Stellenbosch (2nd oldest city in South Africa) for a historical city tour by bus and to see the old Shul.

We will then proceed by driving along the ocean towards Hermanus (the popular whale-watching town), with a stop by Kleinmond harbour en route. We will take a short drive around the town before having dinner in and transfer to the hotel.

Attractions: Mandela statue, Huguenot Monument, Kosher wine-tasting, Stellenbosch tour & Shul, Kleinmond Harbour

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: 3 or 4-star hotel in Hermanus

DAY 5 – HERMANUS – BARRYDALE – OUDTSHOORN [370KM]

Hermanus is considered by many to be the whale capital of the world and every year between June and October these mammals arrive for mating, which brings an influx of visitors and led to the creation of an annual “whale festival”. When out of whale season we will do a city tour of Hermanus and visit the beautiful old Shul in town.

We will leave the town via the Hermanus wine route, well-known for its white wines and acclaimed wine farms, and head towards the small town “Dorpie” of Barrydale via the scenic Tradouw Pass. Upon arrival, we will drive along the famous “Route 62” and stop over for lunch and refreshments.

Our drive will continue past the Ladismith Shul and towards Oudtshoorn, previously considered the “Jerusalem of South Africa” due to its Jewish heritage. Oudtshoorn is well-known as the ostrich capital of the world and in the 19th Century went through an economic boom due to the rising popularity of Ostrich feathers, bringing in an influx of Jews from Eastern Europe. Two synagogues were built in Oudtshoorn, one remains intact and the other was moved entirely to the CP Nel Museum.

In the evening guide will give the group a lecture about the history of the Jewish community in the area of the “Klein Karoo” during the 19th and 20th Centuries. The remainder of the evening will be leisurely in Oudtshoorn.

Attractions: Hermanus city walking tour, Hermanus Shul, Hermanus Winelands, Ladismith Shul, Tradouw Pass, Barrydale, Lecture on Jewish life in Karoo

Meals: Lunch in Barrydale

Accommodation: 3 or 4-star hotel in Oudtshoorn

DAY 6 – OUDTSHOORN – KNYSNA [190 KM]

We will start the morning with a visit to the CP Nel museum – which is one of the few secular museums in the world that house a Shul. The Shul is occasionally still used for services. We will then continue to the Cango Wildlife Ranch where we will see an endangered animal such as leopards and tigers.

Our next stop will be the Cango Caves, a 20-million-year-old caving network that consists of a series of hidden chambers, cut deep into limestone rock layers on the foot of the Swartberg mountains. We will then proceed to the 5-generation Jewish-owned Safari Ostrich farm, where a local guide will explain more about the fascinating birds and the brave (and light) will have an opportunity to sit on them.

We will then leave Oudtshoorn and continue towards Knysna via the Outeniqua Pass – part of the world-famous Garden Route. The route is stretched between mountains and the Indian Ocean and brings in tourists from all over the world. We will drive past various Lagoons before arriving in Knysna, where we will have dinner at the Knysna Waterfront, followed by some leisure time in the town.

Attractions: CP Nel Museum, Cango Wildlife Ranch, Cango Caves, Jewish-owned Safari Ostrich Farm, Outeniqua Pass, Knysna Waterfront

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: 3 or 4-star hotel in Knysna

DAY 7 – KNYSNA – TSITSIKAMMA [90KM]

In the morning we will continue through the Garden Route towards Tsitsikamma, said to mean “clear water” in Khoi. We will stop at the beautiful Robberg Nature reserve, with an option of a scenic walk.

We will visit the Shul in Plettenberg Bay – a popular resort town amongst the South African Jewish community. Thereafter we will proceed to Monkey Land, the first free-roaming, a multi-species sanctuary for endangered animals, where close encounters with the animals can be experienced. This will be followed by the Elephant Sanctuary, where we will learn more about the African Elephant and visitors will be allowed to touch and walk with the majestic animals.

We will cross over from the Western Cape to the Eastern Cape, where the scenery changes almost immediately and stop by Bloukrans to view the bungee jumping – the tallest commercial bridge bungee jump in the world. We will proceed onwards to Tsitsikamma Nature Reserve, going past pine plantations and indigenous forests upon arrival we will have dinner at the hotel and the evening at leisure.

Attractions: Robberg Nature Reserve with an optional walk, Shul in Plettenberg Bay, Monkey Land, Elephant Sanctuary, Bloukrans bungee viewing

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: 3 or 4-star hotel in Tsitsikamma

DAY 8 – TSITSIKAMMA – PORT ELIZABETH [190KM] – JOHANNESBURG

In the early morning, we will enter the Tsitsikamma National Park and head towards the Storms River Mouth. Storms River is a key attraction for tourists from all over the world and symbolises the true beauty and characteristics of the Garden Route. We will walk along the mountains through indigenous forest vegetation towards the suspension bridge thereby crossing the river mouth.

Thereafter we will take a short walk to see one of the oldest surviving Outeniqua Yellowwood trees, at over 800 years old. We will continue our journey towards Port Elizabeth, the town where the English settlers arrived in the 1820s. We will do a historical tour by bus and see the stone pyramid built in memory of Elizabeth Duncan, the governor’s wife that died in India and after-which the city was named – but did not see the city during her lifetime. We will also visit the Jewish Pioneers Memorial Museum, originally a synagogue and now a museum that commemorates Jewish history in Port Elizabeth.

We will then proceed to the airport and fly to Johannesburg, where will transfer to the hotel and have dinner.

Attractions: Suspension Bridge over Storms River Mouth (Tsitsikamma), Big Tree, Port Elizabeth Historical Tour, Jewish Pioneers Memorial Museum

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: 3 or 4-star hotel in Johannesburg

DAY 9 – JOHANNESBURG – MPUMALANGA [430KM]

Johannesburg is the economic hub of South Africa and also the largest city. In the morning we will visit the Apartheid museum to get an eye-opening perspective of South Africa’s complicated history.

We will then make the long journey towards Mpumalanga, one of South Africa’s 9 provinces and home to both the amazing Kruger National Park and the Blyde River Canyon. During the drive, the tour guide will engage with the group in an open debate on Apartheid and the Jewish community of South Africa.

We will stop at Dullstroom en route (one of the coldest villages in South Africa) and then continue to Hazyview (near Kruger) to the hotel where dinner will be held.

Attractions: Apartheid Museum

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: 3 or 4-star hotel in Hazyview

 DAY 10 – KRUGER NATIONAL PARK

The Kruger National Park is one of Africa’s largest game reserves – at a size of 19 485 km^2, it is roughly the size of the whole of Israel or the US state of New Jersey.

The Kruger boasts an extremely high density of animals, including the BIG 5 – Lions, Leopards, Elephants, Rhino and Buffaloes – together with many others such as Zebras, Giraffes, Antelope, Wild dogs, etc. Altogether the Kruger has 147 game species, more than any other African game reserve.

Today will be spent at Kruger Park for the whole day. A ranger will take the group in an open-top safari vehicle for game viewing and park exploration, with a stop for lunch and shopping in one of the main campsites in the park. Travellers will be encouraged to spot as many of the Big 5 as possible – although some are very difficult to find due to their evasiveness (Leopard) or endangerment (Rhino).

The day will be spent at the park with a return to the hotel in the evening.

Attractions: Full-day safari in Kruger National Park in an open-top 4×4 vehicle

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: 3 or 4-star hotel

DAY 11 – PANORAMA ROUTE – PRIVATE SAFARI [170KM]

We will start the day by setting off towards the Panorama Route along the Blyde River Canyon – Blyde meaning Happiness in Afrikaans – the third largest canyon in the world. Unlike the other large canyons, this canyon has lush vegetation and wildlife. The Panorama Route leads through the mountain terrain of the Northern Drakensberg mountain range and is part of the greater escapement – where the inland plateau declines steeply and opens fantastic views of the Lowveld. We will stop at God’s Window for spectacular views, at the Three Rondavels, Bourke’s Luck Potholes and at various waterfalls throughout this journey.

We will continue our route to a private luxury game reserve where we will receive a warm welcome and lunch. Thereafter we will go for an afternoon safari game drive and try to locate all the animals that were not spotted in the Kruger National Park. We will have dinner at the game reserve.

Attractions: Panorama Route – God’s Window, The Three Rondavels, Burke’s Luck Potholes, Various Waterfalls, Game drive at a private game reserve

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: 4 or 5-star private game reserve

DAY 12 – PRIVATE SAFARI – JOHANNESBURG [430KM]

We will wake up early for another safari game drive, followed by breakfast at the game reserve. We will then make the journey back to Johannesburg to the airport, depart from the tour guide and travellers will make their onward journey to the country of origin.

Attractions: Game drive at the private game reserve

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: N/A

TOUR INCLUSIONS

• International flights (New York – Cape Town, Johannesburg – New York), Domestic flight (Port Elizabeth – Johannesburg) including airport taxes & fuel levies
• Guaranteed services of a Jewish, English & Hebrew Speaking registered South African tour guide for the duration of the tour. The tour guide will meet the group in Cape Town upon arrival
• 4-star or (high) 3-star hotels and lodges for the duration of the trip
• 1 night at a luxury private game reserve
• Half-Board (breakfast & lunch or dinner) for days on tour, including 1 additional meal
• All land transportation in private A/C bus
• All entrance fees to sites/attractions per itinerary
• All Porterage and gratuities
• Mineral water during the trip

TOUR EXCLUSIONS

• Visa to South Africa
• Personal travel insurance
• Meals and beverages other than those per itinerary
• Any personal expenses, including malaria medication

IMPORTANT NOTES

• The itinerary is subject to change. Should the mentioned accommodation/activities become unavailable, accommodation/activities of a similar monetary value will be used and will be listed in updated itineraries
• Room types in several hotels/lodges may differ amongst travellers due to limited capacity

CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION:

917 670 1280 | newyorkjewishtravelguide@yahoo.com | www.newyorkjewishtravelguide.com

 NEW YORK JEWISH TRAVEL GUIDE