Embark on an unforgettable philanthropic adventure through magnificent South Africa.
Travel with purpose in South Africa
Phinda, Cape Town, Hermanus
Conservation
Philanthropy
Culture
Wildlife
Big cats
Your journey at a glance
Embark on an unforgettable 11-day philanthropic adventure through magnificent South Africa.
Your journey begins in &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve, where you will have the captivating opportunity of tracking iconic wildlife, and the opportunity to engage with the locals on community excursions. This fascinating landscape is inhabited by an abundance of wildlife, including not only the Big Five but many rarer and less easily spotted species, including the elusive cheetah and scarce black rhino. Interact with the wonderfully diverse communities of KwaZulu-Natal that fringe the reserve and admire the significant value that they bring to caring for the land. Gain first-hand knowledge of various projects, aimed at improving education, healthcare and access to water. At an additional rate, participate in a rhino notching experience and play an active role in rhino conservation.
The next leg of your journey takes you to Cape Town, which boasts more than its fair share of magnificent natural beauty, cultural marvels and historical sites. Quintessentially modern and cosmopolitan, it is home to gourmet restaurants, trendy nightlife and a thriving café culture, combined with natural wonders ranging from miles of beautiful beaches to the renowned Cape Winelands and iconic Table Mountain. Here you can interact with the locals on an authentic day tour, angled at any particular philanthropic interests.
Your journey culminates on the whale coast, passing through the gorgeous town of Hermanus, flanked by majestic mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. This charming town offers unparalleled views of breaching whales and tranquil adventures including hiking. Meet future conservation leaders positively contributing to the region’s unique biodiversity at the Green Futures College on Grootbos Private Nature Reserve. Delve into the African Penguin & Seabird Sanctuary, and splurge on a whale watching trip (seasonal), where conservationists will have a chance to showcase their marine conservation initiatives along South Africa’s magnificent coastline.
3 nights &Beyond Phinda Game Reserve | 4 nights Cape Town | 3 nights Cape Whale Coast
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A taste of what to expect…
Day 1: Phinda Private Game Reserve
- &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve is home to a magnificent variety of wildlife, including the entire Big Five, but is best known for its large population of the elegant cheetah and the endangered black rhino. The rare sand forest is home to the shy suni and the rare red duiker, two tiny antelope that are seldom encountered elsewhere.
- Spend the rest of the day exploring your beautiful, lush surroundings and delight in your superb welcome to the bush with a riveting game drive.
Day 2: Phinda Private Game Reserve
- Rise early and explore the magnificent wilderness on an adventurous game drive in search of the Big Five
- Set out on an insightful community trip with Africa Foundation, &Beyond’s community development partner.
- Gain first-hand knowledge of the Foundation’s various projects, aimed at improving education, healthcare and access to water, as well as the development of local businesses in the area.
- Visit projects in the Mduku and Mnqobokazi communities, including the Khulani Special School, a community crèche, the Mduku Clinic, the Nkomo Full Service Primary School, the Mbhedula Craft Market or the Dongwelethu Poultry Project.
- Should you be back in time, another game drive sets off continuing after dark in search of the nocturnal predators.
Day 3: Phinda Private Game Reserve
- Explore the bush this morning on an adventurous game drive or an early morning nature walk.
- Embark on a once-in-a-lifetime rhino notching experience, and assist the veterinary team in notching the sleeping rhino’s ear for research and security monitoring, before releasing it back into the wild.
- Play an active role in the day’s adventure, and as the veterinary team flies overhead in a helicopter in search of the rhino, you will follow in hot pursuit with an expert ranger in an open 4×4 safari vehicle.
- At an additional cost, have the never-to-be-repeated opportunity to touch the anaesthetised rhino during the notching procedure. (If there are no rhino’s in need of notching, we may have elephants that need collaring or rhinos that need to be de-horned for security reasons.)
Day 4: Cape Town
- Explore the scenic beauty and varied attractions of Cape Town with your choice of exciting activities, with an optional ferry ride to Robben Island or simply exploring the stunning city of Cape Town.
- With Table Mountain – one of the most spiritual places on earth – at its heart and two oceans at its feet, the city of Cape Town, strategically situated at the south-western tip of Africa, has been famed for centuries as the Tavern of the Seas.
- Vibrant, cosmopolitan and an eclectic mix of old and new, this laid-back city is as much at home with its 17th century castle, as it is with its sleek skyscrapers and trendy malls.
- Home to South Africa’s first Mosque, oldest wine farm, a 350 year-old garden and timelessly beautiful beaches, it’s no surprise the legendary Flying Dutchman and his spectral ship have spent eternity sailing the city’s shores.
- Spend four nights at the magnificent and luxurious Cape Grace Hotel
Day 5: Cape Town
- After your scrumptious breakfast, your guide will pick you up for your half-day Uthando Tour.
- Uthando is a Non-Profit Company focused on community upliftment, and supporting many diverse types of projects.
- You will have the opportunity to visit three different community projects, where you can interact with the locals and find out about the inspiring work they are doing. The projects will showcase their work and lives to you.
- Explore day care, early learning centres, urban agricultural and environmental programmes, youth development or after school programmes where children are taught dance, music, sports etc., an old age project, animal care projects and many more.
Day 6: Cape Town
- Ascend the iconic Table Mountain in a towering cable car that promises unparalleled views of the city below
- A variety of tour options are available for you to choose from, some at an additional cost:
- Marvel at the magnificence of Clifton, housing some of the most expensive real estate in South Africa.
- Head to Greenmarket Square and relish a shopping expedition at colourful stalls in search of beautiful handcrafts
- Stroll through Company Gardens, home to historic buildings, museums, places of worship and an art gallery.
- Venture to the haunted Castle, built between 1666 and 1679 by the Dutch East India Company.
- Set your watch to watch the Signal Hill’s noon canon firing, followed by an exploration of Cape Town’s colourful Malay quarter.
- Your journey ends in spectacular fashion with an exclusive diamond tour.
Day 7: Cape Town
Today will be at your leisure where you have the choice to either explore Cape Town in more detail – we have a host of wonderful experiences and opportunities that will interest every type of person – or choose to return to one of the community projects that may have touched you or moved you to participate more closely.
Day 8: Cape Whale Coast
- This morning, enjoy an off-the-beaten track wine tasting experience, as you discover various boutique wineries scattered along the beautiful Hemel-en-Aarde (Heaven on Earth) Wine Route, in the Cape Whale Coast region.
- The area known as the Cape Whale Coast stretches along the southern coastline of South Africa’s Western Cape Province and is made up of a series of spectacular bays, coves and river mouths and hemmed in by soaring mountains and valleys, it is known as one of the best places in the world for whale watching. Almost 40 species of whales and dolphins are attracted to the rich marine environment.
- While whale watching is definitely the main attraction, there is no shortage of other adventures in the area, from shark cage diving with great whites to hiking through mountains covered with the region’s distinctive fynbos vegetation and horse riding on sandy beaches.
- Spend the next three nights a the awe-inspiring Grootbos Nature Reserve
Day 9: Cape Whale Coast
- Today, choose to visit either the Grootbos’s Green Futures College or the Siyakhula Organic Farm.
- The Green Futures College provides educational training to several unemployed young adults each year. With the main aim of giving student candidates the skills and confidence necessary to market themselves and become employable, they also contribute to the conservation and promotion of the region’s unique biodiversity through the Horticulture and Life Skills course, and empowerment of the local women of the community.
- The Siyakhula Organic Farm provides skills development in organic agriculture, sustainable animal husbandry and beekeeping to members from the local community, particularly women. The farm is run as a commercial enterprise to provide an income for Foundation projects – all produce is sold to the Grootbos lodges. Beyond skills development and food production, the farm functions as research and experimentation space for larger food security projects, specifically the innovative ‘Green Box’ home garden system.
- Afterwards, choose to embark on a tranquil 4×4 flower safari to discover over 765 flower species, enjoying a quad bike trip along scenic trails, or go hiking and venturing to an ancient cave along the rocky shores of De Kelders.
Day 10: Cape Whale Coast
- Today, you will experience an unforgettable whale watching excursion (seasonal) where you can spy the southern right whale, and perhaps even a few penguins, seabirds and to an island to view Cape fur seals.
- Between these two islands is the notorious “shark alley” where you may be fortunate enough to view the spectacular great white shark. Dyer Island Cruises, in conjunction with Marine Dynamics and the Dyer Island Conservation Trust, are deeply involved with various and diverse research and conservation projects.
- In the afternoon visit the African Seabird and Penguin Sanctuary, a Dyer Island Conservation Trust (DICT) project based in Gansbaai.
Choose a rate that suits your budget and view the full tour
2023 | 11 Days
From ZAR 139,880 per person sharing
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