Cape Floral Kingdom
Hike & Discover

An unforgettable 10 day walking and sightseeing tour, covering a few of the biodiversity hotspots of the Cape Floral Kingdom including Table Mountain, the Cape Peninsula, the Stellenbosch wine district and the Walker Bay area, famous for both its whale watching from the cliff paths and its diversity of Fynbos. The walking requires a reasonable degree of fitness, with short sections of strenuous uphill, but plenty of recovery time.

Cape Town | Cape Peninsula | Table Mountain National Park | Cape Point | Franschhoek | Stellenbosch | Tour Code CFKHD10

 

This special tour is a great introduction to this specialty of ‘The Cape’. Some of the classic sights such as Table Mountain and the Cape of Good Hope are included, but it is a hiking trail that is ideally suited to those who have an interest in botany and the natural environment. Renown as the smallest, but most diverse of the floral kingdoms of the world you will get to see the amazing diversity of the region and experience the scenery slowly, and walk with some real experts in this aspect of the region. It is not pitched at an academic level however and will appeal to those who just enjoy the experience of hiking in nature.

Cape Floristic Region – Hike & Discover
Day Primary Destination Highlights
Day 1 Cape Town Arrival and transfer to your hotel near the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. Orientation meeting with your host / guide. The rest of the day at leisure for shopping and orientation.
Day 2 Table Mountain Trail Start with a leisurely two hours in the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, before starting your hike up to the Back Table of the Mountain. Explore various paths & views on the Back Table. Overnight in Orangekloof Tented camp in the valley behind Table Mountain – traditional braai (barbeque).
Day 3 Table Mountain Trail Walk the up the spectacular Disa Ravine Maclears Beacon, the highest point of the Mountain and then on to the Cable Station. Descend via the cableway (subject to weather conditions). Transfer from hike end to hotel.
Day 4 Cape Peninsula Travel to Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve via the scenic Chapmans Peak Drive. Start with a visit to the historic Cape Point Lighthouse, before setting out on the 17 km cliff path. Views over the False Bay Coast and the interior of the Nature Reserve as far as the Atlantic Coast. Spend the night in the tented camp near the Slangkop Lighthouse in the little village of Kommetjie.
Day 5 Cape Winelands After breakfast visit the Boulders Penguins Colony in Simonstown before driving out to the to Stellenbosch wine country, where we visit the  Delvera Wine Estate for a 3 – 4 hour walk through vineyards & three different natural vegetation types to Klamutskop. Overnight in Franschhoek
Day 6 Cape Winelands After breakfast we head high up to the top of the Franschhoek Pass to the entrance to the Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve. We select from three possible alternative routes, lasting from two and half to four and half ours, all of which take you high up above the Franschhoek Valley. Overnight in Franshhoek.
Day 7 Fynbos Trail Day 1 After breakfast we head down to the coast and pop time permitting we pop in at the Harold Porter Botanical Gardens in Betty’s Bay. Later in the day, we meet in Gansbaai for a walk along the coastal cliff path. This path is renowned for its Cape Coastal Fynbos diversity, but also more commonly famous as land based whale watching view sight during the July to October southern right whale migrations season. It is an optional add on to the standard Fynbos Trail, but we think it worth including in the itinerary.
Day 8 Fynbos Trail Day 2 We drive to the regular start of the trail at Growing the Future project on the Grootbos Estate, where we are introduced to a community project aimed at supplying the local market with fresh produce and teaching sustainable agricultural practices. After this it is off on the trail itself and guided through unique local Fynbos and the unique ancient Milkwood Forests.
Day 9 Fynbos Trail Day 3 The path winds through a number of hills and valleys dominated by a wide variety of proteas, ericas and restios. There are many other species as well, all enhanced by the spectacular views across to the Atlantic Ocean. The walking is reasonably gentle and on good, well maintained paths.
Day 10 Fynbos Trial – Final On the final day it is back in to the forested area close to Grootbos as we near the end and a sumptuous lunch on the Grootbos Estate before heading back to Cape Town and the end of the tour.