South Africa: Johanesburg to Cape Town
(Bloemfontein, Graaff-Reinett, Outdshoorn, Kynsna, Hermanus, Cape Town & Stellenbosch)

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Whale watching in Hermanus / Fynbos flowers

After the basic trip of 14 days Kruger National Parks and Victoria Falls, eight of us including six retiress, extended our holiday in two hired cars. After a morning at Joburg's Bruma flea market, we drove to Bloemfontein whcih 4 hours south of Joburg, where we stayed the night. We checked out early in the morning and visited this justice capital of South Africa which has many beautiful old buildings.

Our next destination 4 hours away was the town of Graaff Reinett, described by Lonely Planet as the gem of the Karoo with a superb architectural heritage. Did a safari at nearly Karoo Nature Reserve and saw a surprisingly quantity of wildlife, including herds of wilderbeest.. We slept on brass beds in a very pleasant cottage, converted into a hotel.

As usual, we left early in the morning to get to Oudtshoorn. Unfortunately we has some engine problems but still arrived there in the evening. Day 4 of our extension trip saw us visiting Swartberg Pass and Cango Caves described by LP as the most beautiful mountain pass and cave formations in SA. Oudtshoorn is also the ostrich capital of the world with 60% of the world's reared birds.

After two wonderful night, we left for the coastal town of George some two hours away. Went on the famous Outeniqua Cho-Tjoe steamtrain to Kysna, another pretty coastal town passing through some of the most beautiful and varied scenery in South Africa. We spend the night in nearby Fairydown.

On day 6, we went sailing to seals island in Mossel Bay, the home of Great White Shark diving and visited a fish processing factory. Stopped for lunch in Swellenham, another historic town passing by some beautiful rolling wheat country before arriving in Hermanus in the evening. Hermanus is only 122km from Cape Town and is probably the best place in the world for onshore whales watching. The fronting Walker Bay is the site of mating and calving of the southern right whales. We had more than six whale sightings, one not more than 30 meters away. Also visited Fernkloof Nature Reserve to see wildflowers.

    
We prepare our own meals / Jack-ass penguins in Boulders Beach

After a relaxing two days stay in Hermanus, we made the two hours journey to Capetown. We spent a total of three nights in Capetown going almost the full tourist circuit. On the first day, we covered the Cape of Good Hope Reserve and bought lobsters! for dinner. Also dropped by Groot Constantia, the oldest and grandest vineyard in the Cape built in 1692.

On the second day, did a half day trip to the vine district of Stellenbosch and Boschendel. Then it was off to the Kiristenbosch Botanical Gardens, described by LP as one of the best botanical garden in the world. We lunched at a Malay restaurant in Bo-Kaap Cape Town and visited Table Mountain. After breakfast on day 11, we left for the airport and flew home.

Table Mountain and Cape Town

Email: yongleemin@pd.jaring.my or yongleekeng@yahoo.com
Mail: No 2 Lorong Air Bersih Satu, Air Panas, 53200 Kuala Lumpur
Phone Lee Min: 016-220 9033 or 603-4023 8210
Phone Lee Keng: 012-315 8353 or 603-6137 9937

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