Flower-Power Safari:
West Coast and Namaqualand during the months of June, July, August and September. This is the season of year when the amazing wild flowers of the West Coast and Namaqualand are in bloom. (Code AS)

Overview:
Cape Town to De Brug where we'll stay for the duration of the tour. Travel to known flower spots during each day. Visit the world famous "Bulb" capital of the world - Nieuwoudtville, also the towns of Vanrhynsdorp, Clanwilliam, Vredendal and Lambertsbaai - all famous for wild flowers.

Complete itinerary:

Day 1:
Guests will be met at Cape Town Airport. We then proceed to the VICTORIAN & ALFRED WATERFRONT with its shopping malls, sea cruises, restaurants, pubs, semi precious stone factory, Aquarium, Craft Center, Theatre, and helicopter flips around the Peninsular. This is a 30-minute drive and we take our lunch there after exploring the Waterfront.

Travel via the N7-route to De Brug, our own guest farm. This is a lovely drive through the heartland of South Africa's wheat production areas and through the Cederberg Mountains with its beautiful citrus farms. De Brug - our guest farm, lies on the banks of the Doring River. The scenery is breath taking with the magnificent Nardouws Mountains commanding the view. The total distance of 300 km is covered in a leisurely drive of about 4 hours for us to arrive just before sunset.

Day 2:
Depart for Clanwilliam in the heartland of the world famous Rooibos tea farms. We follow route R362 which was the old main route from Cape Town to Windhoek in Namibia. This road takes us pass the beautiful Bulshoek dam that was build in 1928 using only natural sandstone.

Visit Ramskop Park to enjoy the magnificent flowers. Enjoy lunch in the town. Drive over the Cederberg Mountains into the Bidouw valley with it's magnificent view of the Tankwa Karoo. Take a short walk to view San rock paintings along the way. Return to De Brug guest farm in time for supper. The total distance is 180 km but we use the whole day to cover it. Mostly dirt roads.

Day 3:
Depart for Trawal Winery. This little winery is quickly becoming the showcase of South African red wine production and has won many an award. We then travel via dirt road to the Heerenlogement Mountain and take a short walk to visit the cave with handwritings of many famous explorers. Lunch is taken picnic style along the way. This is in the amazing Sandveld region where we have actually counted 26 species of flowers within a 50-meter walk!

We then proceed to Lambertsbaai with it's famous Bird Island with thousands of birds. Spend the afternoon visiting the quaint little fishing town and walking on a breakwater to the bird island. Depart for Muisbosskerm, the most famous open-air restaurant in Africa for a dinner that you will never forget. Return to De Brug guest farm.

The distance we covered is about 220 km of which the first part is done in a leisurely way on dirt roads. The last section back to De Brug we follow the main road.

Day 4:
Depart for Doringbos in die Bidouw valley. Follow the Moedverloor road to Nieuwoudtville. We start in the Tankwa Karoo which is the part of South Africa with the lowest rainfall and proceeds up the Bokkeveld Mountains with a very high rainfall - all within 30 km. The biosphere is diverse and amazing. Nieuwoudtville has the highest speciation of bulbs in the world - 480 different species at the last count.

Lunch is taken picnic style along the way and supper is taken at De Brug. We then travel back to De Brug via the Knersvlakte for a drive of 300 km.

Day 5:
Depart for Gifberg. Visit succulent nursery at Vanrhynsdorp which is the biggest succulent nursery in the world. Drive to the amazing Ouberg waterfall and has a picnic style lunch there. Travel via Ouberg to the Gifberg. This is a beautiful scenic drive through the Matzikamma mountain range with many varieties of Erica, Protea and other fynbos. Return at sundown to De Brug to get a beautiful sunset view over the Knersvlakte. Total distance is only 150 km driven in a leisurely way.

Day 6:
Visit the Vredendal Winery which is the biggest in Africa and take our lunch there. Proceed to Lutzville, Papendorp, Strandfontein on to Doringbaai and back to De Brug. This is a beautiful drive of about 200 km down the Olifants river valley to it's mouth and then to the quaint little fishing villages of Papendorp and Doringbaai

Day 7:
Travel via Leipoldville and the Verlorenvlei to Elandsbaai. We pass beautiful lagoons and marsh areas on the way. Then we follow a dirt road to explore the little pan of water at Rocherspan - it is a true bird watchers delight. Then on to the quaint little settlement of Paternoster. Here, on this beautiful beach, a sailing ship belonging to the shipping line of Karl Stephan of Hamburg in Germany stranded many years ago and thus the place was named.

Today it has one of the most amazing little eateries and we enjoy a last feast together at the "Voorstrand" restaurant.

The total driving time of the 350 km should not take more than 4 hours so we have plenty of time to enjoy the last bit of the West Coast. Cape Town by 18:00 in time for any departing flight.

Total distance traveled: 1750 km

Vehicle used: 4x4 sedan type car seats 3 guests comfortably.

Accommodation: De Brug Guest farm. Well appointed rooms.

Total meals: 19.

Includes: Accommodation, food, soft drinks, entrance fees.

Excludes: Tips, alcoholic drink, own shopping.

Price per person: 1000 Euro

Number of guests: 2 - 9 people
NB: A minimum of 2 people is require for this safari.

Prices are in Euro but can be paid in any accepted currency, according to the existing exchange rate.

This tour is specialy planned for the flower lover. The day trips can be altered to include a particular area where the flowers are in high bloom at the time.

We can add a 2-day "White-Water-Rafting" trip and another day trip to extend this tour to a 10 day tour. We sub-contract a registered "River Safari" group to do the trip on the Doring River. This is a graded 3 - 5 river, depending on the height of the water and is the best river rafting in South Africa. Total distance - 50 km.

The last day is spend on a trip via Clanwilliam into the Cederberg Mountains to Algeria. Then via 4x4 route to Wuppertal and back to De Brug. This 4x4 route is quite adventurous and the Cederberg Mountains are famous for the scenery. Total distance - 240 km

During these last 3 days, the tourist will experience a bit of "wild" Africa with real 4x4 driving and a wonderful river rafting experience. River rafting on the Doring River is one of the best-kept secrets of South Africa and a must. Age limit is 16 - 75 and you are in the hands of very capable and well qualified 'River Rafters". Full details on these companies and the rafting trip is available on request.