Cape Town
            Radisson Hotel

Arrive in Cape Town. If you have not previously cleared customs and immigrations in Johannesburg, proceed through customs and immigrations on arrival into Cape Town. A representative from Southern Touring Company will meet you in the arrivals area and transfer you to your ocean view room at the Radisson Hotel Waterfront. 

The luxurious Radisson Hotel in Cape Town has a prime waterfront position in Table Bay on the Atlantic Ocean with its own private marina and has the fabled Table Mountain as its backdrop. The Radisson Hotel Waterfront combines a discreet blend of nautical charm with an indisputable cosmopolitan ambience, which is certain to leave a lasting impression on the seasoned traveler. This is a first-class, international hotel, combining high levels of luxury with efficient service and the warmth of true South African hospitality. The business district and Cape Town's beautiful beaches are just a short drive away, while the world famous VA Waterfront, the shopping and entertainment hub of the city, is within a few minutes' stroll. A complimentary shuttle runs between the hotel and the VA Waterfront. 

Two day tours are included in your safari - Cape Winelands and the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve.

 Enjoy your guided Cape Winelands Tour. South Africa’s Winelands have been described as the most beautiful and scenic in the world - characterized by majestic mountains, valleys carpeted with vineyards, quaint villages, good wine, good food, art, culture, and much more. Visit two popular wineries in the Cape and taste their wines at famous wine estates set against mountain backdrops and fine Cape Dutch architecture. Lunch is included at Seidelberg Wine Estates. After lunch, return to Cape Town and enjoy the afternoon at your leisure.          

Enjoy the scenic drive along the coast to the Cape of Good Hope Nature reserve. Contrary to popular belief, Cape Point is not the southernmost tip of Africa. It is however, the place to watch the seas of both the Atlantic and Indian Ocean. It’s also a natural delight – 7,750 hectares of indigenous flora and fauna, including baboons and buck, wonderful walks and beaches. 

Three nights at the Radisson Hotel 

            Radisson Hotel/Birkenhead House           

 Birkenhead House, perched high on the cliffs of Hermanus overlooking the whale watcher’s paradise of Walker Bay, accommodates guests in the utmost luxury and is the perfect destination for those seeking the pinnacle of seaside living. An optional tour is offered by Birkenhead House to visit the Hemel n’Aarde Valley. The Hemel n’Aarde Valley in Hermanus is one of South Africa’s best-kept secrets and offers breathtaking scenery. The valley boasts two amazing wine vineyards, Bouchard Finalyson and Hamilton Russel, which have both produced award-winning wines. At both wineries the wine tasting will be complimentary.

Shark Viewing is an optional excursion.

The viewing takes place in an area called "Sharks Alley" between Dyer Island and Geyser Rock, a nature reserve that is frequented by the infamous Great White Sharks.  While waiting for the sharks you can watch the penguins, cormorants, gannets and fur seals that also frequent this body of water. Those who just wish to take pictures take seats higher up on the boat with camera ready. Since Great White Sharks are surface feeders there can be an opportunity for some incredible shots.   

For a more intense experience, take a dive in the specially designed two-man cage and descend a few feet below the surface and come face to face with the sharks as they take the bait next to the cage. There is no need to be an experienced diver to partake in this adventure as you are always in the cage and are not really "diving" for this experience. Other marine mammals you may see include the Cape Fur Seal and Bottlenose Dolphin. 

After returning to the Birkenhead House the remainder of the day is yours to enjoy at your leisure.

Two Nights at Birkenhead House    

            Hermanus – Johannesburg - Madikwe Game Reserve

Today you will be transferred back to Cape Town International Airport for your flight to Johannesburg. A private charter will fly you to your next destination, the Madikwe Game Reserve for Mateya Safari Lodge.

The Mateya Lodge draws inspiration from ancient ruins that closely resemble those found in Zimbabwe. The ruins are witness to a journey made by the great Queen Mateya who, threatened by drought in Zimbabwe, embarked on a journey in search of Modjadji, the Rain Queen. On her return she settled within the splendor of the Madikwe landscape. The remains of her settlement lie in ruins from which the ancient voice of history echoes in the African bush. Today a majestic bronze statue stands proud in resemblance of the queen.

The elegance and prestige of the Mateya Lodge, set in the rocky outcrop of the Gabbo Hills, pays perfect homage to her memory. It is at Mateya that the unique fusion of African heritage is drawn together with the utmost finesse and style. Guests with a thirst for unsurpassed blend of beauty, discerning taste and cultural delights can relax and indulge in inspiration drawn from every corner of the continent.

In celebration of a rich history of diversity and the untamed beauty to which the lodge is home, Mateya Safari Lodge has acquired one of the world's finest collections of art from throughout the continent. Each piece purposefully chosen for the way in which its canvas captivates a vibrant feel for Africa.

Proudly, Mateya Safari Lodge is home to 21 original paintings by Paul Augustinus for whom the vast landscapes and abundance of wildlife have been an emotive inspiration. Nothing quite captivates the vitality and exhilaration of the wild like Robert Glen's magnificent bronze sculpture of an agile Lioness attempting to bring down a leaping impala – 'Near Miss'.

It is at this game reserve there is a hope to view the highly endangered and rare WILD DOGS.  Sighting of wild dogs is often the goal of many well-seasoned safari enthusiasts.  The interaction and social behavior of these animals makes a viewing the highlight of a safari trip. This is the reason for the name of this safari group.

          Three Nights at Mateya Safari Lodge

           Madikwe Game Reserve - Sabi Sands

Today a private charter flight will transfer you to your next destination Sabi Sands, for Lion Sands Ivory Lodge.  Charter flight departing at 11:00am flight time arrival time approximately 12.00 noon.

Ivory Lodge is about African Euro elegance, sophistication yet simplicity, boldness yet balance, ebony and ivory, perfect harmony, exclusivity, sensitivity and complete privacy. The reception building is apart from the main safari lodge in Lion Sands Game Reserve, ensuring that guests arrive and depart without compromising the privacy of the lodge experience. 

The main safari lodge in Lion Sands Game Reserve and entrance building comprises of a private lounge and bar, wooden viewing decks, boardroom, wine cellar, health spa, curio shop and both indoor and open-air (Boma) dining area. The bedroom and bathroom areas are air-conditioned.

All rooms at this safari lodge in Lion Sands Game Reserve have a mini-bar, telephone and Internet access. The suites are 1776 sq. ft in size and are positioned at least 800 feet apart, being linked to all areas by raised wooden walkways. This picture is an aerial shot of one suite

Simple and uncluttered, the interiors achieve a European elegance. It's a bold, yet balanced contemporary, Afro ambience that uses color, texture and form. There's an overriding exclusivity, with complete privacy at this safari lodge.

Ivory Safari Lodge is in Lion Sands Game Reserve, which in turn is situated in the greater Kruger National Park conservancy area, in the 160, 000 acres Sabi Sands Game Reserve. This is the only reserve to have access to the Sabie River system.

Guests can request a picnic lunch at either one of the river hides or waterhole hides. This activity is only offered in the winter during the dry season months. When we are at Lion Sands, this is the time when wildlife are seen congregating around these points. Wildlife lectures cover a variety of wildlife subjects at Ivory Safari Lodge in Lion Sands Game Reserve

Yet another key aspect to the Lion Sands experience lies within its Safari. The philosophy of the safari experience at Lion Sands is to deliver a consistently professional, informative and holistic safari experience, ensuring that all spheres of the eco system, from the small insects to the mighty African Elephant are covered in as much detail as the guest may require.  Excellent chances for spotting Leopards at Lion Sands, often the hardest of the big five to find.

Overnight Ivory Lodge

 Three Nights at Ivory Lodge

Sabi Sands – Johannesburg Airport – Departure for USA

After breakfast you will be flown to Johannesburg Airport via a scheduled charter. Almost all international connections depart in the evening so you can make a direct connection to your departure to the USA.

 Fly home with memories of the BIG FIVE

Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Buffalo and hopefully

THE WILD DOG

Tour Includes:

• Meet and Greet at Cape Town Airport

• Private Transfer from Cape Town Airport to Radisson Hotel

• 3 Nights at Radisson Hotel in Oceanview room

• Tour of the Winelands area with wine tasting and lunch with one beverage

• Tour of Cape Point ,lunch and one beverage

• Private Transfer from Radisson Hotel to Hermanus

• 2 Nights at Birkenhead House in room selected, Fully Inclusive

• Private Transfer from Hermanus to Cape Town Airport

• Domestic Flight from Cape Town to Johannesburg

• Charter Flight from Johannesburg to Mateya

• 3 Nights at Mateya, Fully Inclusive
   Charter Flight from Mateya to Lion Sands via Johannesburg

• 3 Nights at Lion Sands Ivory Lodge, Fully Inclusive

• Charter Flight from Lions Sands to Johannesburg

• Tourism Levies and Welcome Pack

• Fully inclusive means with all meals - breakfast, lunch, dinner and local wines and spirits, premium brands excluded.

Tour Excludes:

• Tips excluded – guidelines will be advised.

• All accommodations not mentioned above

• All meals not mentioned above

• All international and domestic flights not mentioned above

• All transport not mentioned above

• All expenses of a personal nature, i.e. telephone calls, gift shop purchases

• Beverages not specified

 

WILD DOG FACTS 
 

The wild dog weighs between 17 - 36 kg (37 - 79 lb). It is generally found in plains and open woodland, although it has been found in a variety of other habitats from the Sahara Desert up into the lower forests of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Most prey species weigh between 20 - 90 kg (44 - 200 lb), but animals as small as cane rats and as large as greater kudu have been reported in the diet. The dominant prey species varies according to the most abundant prey species in the area. Dominant prey species in various areas include Thomson's gazelle, wildebeest, impala, duiker and reedbuck.

For most of the year, wild dogs roam around over the plains and in the bush, usually not staying in the same place for more than a day. Hunts take place in the morning and early evening. Prey is apparently located by sight, approached silently, and then pursued at speeds of up to 66 km/hr (41 mph) for up to one hour. Pack members generally cooperate in hunting large mammals, but individuals sometimes pursue hares, rodents or other small animals. The daytime is spent sleeping, usually in the shade of a tree or near water, with members of the pack lying very close together. Once a year the pack occupies a den for 2 - 3 months, to bear young. The den is usually an abandoned aardvark hole.

Wild dogs are social, communally hunting carnivores, which live in small cohesive packs typically composed of a dominant breeding pair, a number of non-breeding adults and their dependent offspring. Within the wild dog pack, all the males are related to each other, and all of the females to each other but not to the males. Females migrate into the pack, whereas males usually stay with their natal pack. Only the highest-ranking male and female normally breed, and they inhibit reproduction by subordinates. Pack size ranges from 2 - 43, with the average number usually between 8 -11.

The wild dog was formerly found over almost all of Africa, including parts of the Sahara. They were probably once found in every habitat except rain forests and some desert areas. However, there has been a major decline in numbers in historical times, although it still occurs over much of its original range. Most are in southern and eastern Africa; only small remnant populations remain in West and central Africa. Remaining populations are fragmented and concentrated in protected areas. The major causes of decline have been their mostly undeserved reputation as an indiscriminate killer of game and livestock, which has led to severe persecution, and the loss of its habitat as human populations have expanded. Between 2,000 and 5,000 of these dogs remain in the wild, mostly in game preserves or national parks.

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