BELLINGHAM SAFARIS SCHEDULED TOUR SOUTH …...Day 1 Ngala Private Game Reserve Today you will be met off your international flight in Johannesburg by your Bellingham Safaris tour leader,

BELLINGHAM SAFARIS | TEL: +27-(0)21-783-4380 | WWW.BELLINGHAMSAFARIS.COM

PHOTO CREDIT: LION BY GREG WHELAN

GREATER KRUGER PARK & CAPE TOWN

BELLINGHAM SAFARIS SCHEDULED TOUR

SOUTH AFRICA

August 2019

BELLINGHAM SAFARIS SCHEDULED TOUR SOUTH AFRICA 2019


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This proudly assembled scheduled tour of South Africa is a wonderful combination of iconic destinations; the fabulous Greater Kruger National Park, where you will experience sensational wildlife viewing of the famed “Big 5” and more and the South-western Cape, renowned not only for its iconic Table Mountain and extraordinary wines but also for its unique flora (Cape Floral Kingdom), breath-taking scenery, fascinating cultural heritage, wintering Whales and of course, Penguins!

TOUR AT A GLANCE

Day Date Location Accommodation

01 Aug 2019 Ngala Private Game Reserve Ngala Safari Lodge (FI)




05 Aug 2019 Cape Town Breakwater Lodge (FI)





10 Aug 2019 Day of departure

FI = fully inclusive (all meals, snacks and standard beverages)

TOUR MAP



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DAILY DETAIL

Day 1 Ngala Private Game Reserve

Today you will be met off your international flight in Johannesburg by your Bellingham Safaris tour leader, before winging your way to Ngala Safari Lodge, where you will spend the next 4 nights.

Ngala, whose name is means “Lion” in Shangaan, the local language, supports several prides of these powerful felines, and is renowned for its superb game-viewing, immense wilderness and expert trackers. Now part of the Greater Kruger conservation area, Ngala was the first private reserve to be incorporated in the Kruger National Park (South Africa’s largest wildlife sanctuary) and the lodge boasts over 14,700 hectares (36 300 acres) of some of the best game viewing habitat in all of Kruger. In one of Africa’s most innovative conservation partnership agreements, an annual lease, traversing fee and percentage of Ngala’s profits is paid to the National Parks Trust to further conservation projects throughout South Africa.

PHOTO CREDIT: LIONESS AND CUB BY GREG WHELAN

This evening will be you first opportunity to head out on a game drive in search of animals, including the legendary “Big 5”, which all occur here. There will also be the opportunity to explore for nocturnal birds and mammals. Success on night drives varies greatly, but the list of possibilities is rather impressive and includes a plethora of owls and also for sightings of less frequently seen mammals including both Large and Small Spotted Genets, Lesser Galago, African Wild Cat, African Civet, Serval, Caracal, Honey Badger and Spotted Hyaena. You will have excellent chances of connecting with the normally elusive Leopard for which the reserve is justly famed.

PHOTO CREDIT: MALE LEOPARD BY GREG WHELAN



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Flight: Johannesburg to Ngala Private Game Reserve

Overnight: Ngala Safari Lodge

Day 2 - 4 Ngala Private Game Reserve

You will have 3 full days to explore the park in an open game drive vehicle in an attempt to locate the wonderful wildlife that abounds. You are also able to enjoy the bush on foot with an armed guide exploring the macro and microsystems. Here you will be introduced to the subtle art of track and sign as you team up with a local tracker and guide who along with your tour leader, will assist you in your search for the wonderful wildlife of the region. The seasonal Timbavati River is a feature at Ngala. The sandy riverbed, flanked by tall forest, makes for dramatic scenery and is a good place to find ambling Elephant bulls and lazing prides of Lion.

PHOTO CREDIT: ELEPHANT BULL BY GREG WHELAN Ngala will offer wonderful opportunities to watch these spectacular animals in their natural habitat and some of them you may encounter in staggering numbers and at close quarters. Other highly sought-after animals you have a chance of finding are Cheetah, African Wild Dog, Hippopotamus and a myriad of antelope and other mammals, including Giraffe, Plains Zebra, Blue Wildebeest, Greater Kudu, Impala, Klipspringer, Bushbuck, Warthog, Chacma Baboon, Vervet Monkey and Dwarf Mongoose.

PHOTO CREDIT: AFRICAN WILD DOGS BY GREG WHELAN



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Overnight: Ngala Safari Lodge

Day 5 Cape Town

After a final morning game drive to soak up the African bush and breakfast, you will transfer by road to Hoedspruit for your flight to Cape Town.

PHOTO CREDIT: WHITE RHINO COW AND CALF BY GREG WHELAN

Upon arrival in Cape Town, you will transfer to your hotel, situated in the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront; with its stunning views of Table Mountain, this spectacular location is a destination unto itself. This evening you will have a chance to reminisce over all the wonderful sightings you had on safari, while enjoying a lovely dinner at one of the many fine restaurants situated within walking distance of your hotel.

PHOTO CREDIT: VIEW OF TABLE MOUNTAIN AT DAWN FROM THE V&A WATERFRONT

Transfer: Ngala Safari Lodge to Hoedspruit Airport (approx. 1 hour)

Flight: Hoedspruit Airport to Cape Town (approx. 3 hours)



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Overnight: Breakwater Hotel

Day 6 Cape Town

You will have 4 full days to explore the wonders of Cape Town and its surrounds. Cape Town is widely considered one of the world’s most beautiful cities and offers some remarkable wildlife encounters, unrivalled natural beauty and diverse botany complemented by fine wine, excellent cuisine and a vibrant city culture. Some of the activities will depend on the elements being fine in nature. Therefore there will be some flexibility in this itinerary’s design in order to make the most of all the incredible offerings.

PHOTO CREDIT: VIEW OF CAPE TOWN FROM ROBBEN ISLAND BY CAPE TOWN ROBBEN ISLAND TOURS This morning you will have the opportunity to take a poignant ferry (approx. 30min each way) across Table Bay to Robben Island. The views of Table Mountain and Cape Town from the Island are simply spectacular. Once on the island, you will begin your private tour, which includes a visit to the Maximum Security Prison led by an ex-political prisoner. This notorious island, now a World Heritage Site, was not always a prison; from the mid 1850’s until early 1930’s it was a hospital for people suffering mental illnesses and leprosy and during World War II it was used as a training & defence station. However, it is most well-known as the penitentiary, which held anti-apartheid activists including South Africa’s first black president, Nelson Mandela. Weather-permitting, you will once again enjoy some more sensational views of the Mother city and Robben Island, as you make your way up to the lower cable car station after lunch, before heading up to the top of Table Mountain in the revolving cable car and spend the late afternoon on top of one of the world’s natural wonders.

PHOTO CREDIT: TABLE MOUNTAIN AERIAL CABLEWAY



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Day 7 Cape Town

This morning will be an early start as you head to Simon’s Town in False Bay to undertake a private sea excursion aboard a dedicated Whale-watching boat to take advantage of the annual Southern Right Whale migration. During this 2-3 hour excursion, you will have time to appreciate the beauty, bulk and astonishing behaviour of these Whales.

PHOTO CREDIT: SOUTHERN RIGHT WHALE BREACHING BY DAVE HURWITZ

Southern Right Whales populate the protected Cape bays during winter, escaping the harsh Antarctic climate in order to calve and nurture their young. This is far from a single species expedition and other cetaceans that we may possibly encounter include Bryde’s and Humpback Whales as well as Common, Dusky and Bottlenose Dolphins. The cold upwelling of the Benguela current off Cape Town supports a wealth of pelagic seabirds, with vast concentrations of albatrosses, petrels, shearwaters and prions and we may also find ourselves marvelling at these fascinating birds as we search for cetaceans.

PHOTO CREDIT: COMMON DOLPHINS IN FALSE BAY BY SIMON BELLINGHAM



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After lunch you will then visit the famous African Penguin colony at Boulders Beach in Simon’s Town. This is the largest breeding population of this species on the African mainland and as many as five hundred penguins grace the beach, often in and around nearby nest burrows. We will have superb viewing and photographic opportunities of these undeniably, adorable birds. Other notable birds to watch for include the endemic African Oystercatcher found along the adjacent rocky shoreline and the offshore islets, which also hold populations of the endemic Crowned, Bank and Cape Cormorants.

PHOTO CREDIT: AFRICAN PENGUINS AT BOULDERS BEACH BY JAMES KYDD


Day 8 Cape Town

Today you will visit Cape Point, which is contained within the Cape of Good Hope National Park. Although it is often confused as the most southerly tip of Africa it is in fact Cape Agulhas, further east, that is worthy of this title! Cape Point is the most south-westerly point of the African continent and the scenery is wild and rugged. The habitat here is typical of the Fynbos biome and you should locate a variety of colourful Protea and Erica species. En-route to the Cape of Good Hope, there will be the opportunity to meander along Chapman’s Peak drive. This scenic drive winds its way between Noordhoek and Hout Bay and is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular marine drives in the world.

PHOTO CREDIT: CAPE POINT BY CAPE OF GOOD HOPE NATIONAL PARK



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There are viewpoints en route which offer excellent photographic opportunities of the sheer cliffs and breath-taking seascapes and yet another opportunity to spot Whales. To add an even greater element of colour to the thick stands of Proteas are the iridescent Orange-breasted and Malachite Sunbirds and Cape Sugarbird. Several large mammals occur within the area and you may find Eland (the world’s largest antelope), Bontebok, Chacma Baboon and Rock Hyrax. The Cape Mountain Zebra is also a possibility.

PHOTO CREDIT: MALACHITE SUNBIRD ON A PINCUSHION PROTEA BY GREG WHELAN

This afternoon, you will make your way to the rolling lawns and floral displays of the fabulous Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. These vast gardens, draping the lower slopes of Table Mountain, offer stunning and informative displays, breath-taking views of the mountain and surrounding scenery as well as incredible birdlife. The gardens are not just a great place to enjoy the plants of the region but also the Cape’s endemic birds.


Day 9 Cape Town

Today you will explore the floral and faunal wonders of the West Coast National Park.

PHOTO CREDIT: WEST COAST NATIONAL PARK IN FLOWER BY SIMON BELLINGHAM



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The 27,500 hectare West Coast National Park lies 120 km north of Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. The park is particularly well known for its bird life and for the spring flowers which occur in the months from August to October, especially in the Postberg flower reserve section of the park. A combination of weather and soil conditions has created what has been described as ‘God’s garden’, with the normally green and rather drab hills transformed into an extravagance of colour and beauty with carpets of daisies during the wildflowers season.

PHOTO CREDIT: CAPE MOUNTAIN ZEBRAS BY SIMON BELLINGHAM

Wildlife in the park includes large antelope such as Eland, Red Hartebeest, Bontebok, Kudu, Gemsbok, Steenbok, Cape Mountain Zebra, Duiker, and the endemic Cape Grysbok and Ostriches in the Postberg section. You may also make a stop to enjoy the turquoise waters of Langebaan Lagoon where large numbers of waders spend the northern winter. Here we may also see Greater and Lesser Flamingo and a variety of other waterfowl.


Day 10 Day of departure

You will enjoy a final morning in the scenic Waterfront before bidding our farewells to this remarkable country. This journey, from the game rich wilderness of Kruger to the colourful and vibrant Western Cape is sure to leave you with a bounty of memories that will last a lifetime!

Transfer: Breakwater Hotel to Cape town International Airport



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ACCOMMODATION: NGALA SAFARI LODGE 4 NIGHTS

The magic and mystery of Africa come alive in the colonial ambiance of elegant Ngala Safari Lodge. This old-world haven in the midst of the African bush charms with its colonial antiques, silver cutlery and crystal glassware. Style and grace mingle faultlessly with the rugged natural beauty of the setting, as manicured lawns give way to dense Mopane thickets and Elephant saunter down to drink at the waterhole that forms the heart of this authentic safari lodge.

Protected by a living canopy of immense Mopane and Tamboti trees, Ngala Safari Lodge carves out a set of intimate, elegant spaces sheltered in harmonious seclusion by the thick vegetation. Twenty thatched cottages with shaded verandas nestle among the trees, ensuring the perfect privacy of your retreat. An afternoon by the poolside rewards you with a refreshing dip as well as blissful relaxation time. Secret nooks and crannies with cushy sofas are ideal for quiet hours of contemplation in the leafy shade. Creamy soft linen on curtained beds, soft tinted prints and etchings combine with the evocative smell of thatch to carry the classic safari atmosphere into your private cottage.

Rates include: Accommodation, three meals daily, soft drinks, house wines, local brand spirits and beers, teas and coffees, refreshments on game drives, laundry, safari activities, 1-hour nature walks accompanied by experienced armed tracker (subject to availability), emergency medical evacuation insurance, transfers to and from the lodge airstrip.

1x Safari Lodge Cottage

www.andbeyond.com



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ACCOMMODATION: BREAKWATER LODGE 5 NIGHTS

Experience a rich piece of history with modern-day comfort when you stay in South Africa at the Protea Hotel Cape Town Waterfront Breakwater Lodge. Located adjacent to the fabulous V&A Waterfront, our Green Point hotel's presence in Cape Town occupies an historic 19th century building overlooking Table Bay and the city's iconic landmark, Table Mountain. Environmentally-friendly, our hotel's guest rooms all feature beautiful recycled floors and furniture. Guests are treated to a bird’s-eye view of the restored harbour, secure parking and easy access to the waterfront’s many attractions. Situated near the main routes to beaches, mountain walks and city hotspots. On-site dining is offered at Stonebreakers Restaurant and other amenities include the full-service Relax Spa and a well-equipped fitness centre.

Rates include: Accommodation, three meals daily, Wi-Fi and bottled water. 1x Standard Guest Room



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COST OVERVIEW

These costs are based on 6 adults travelling

Per adult in double room August 2019 ZAR 91,080.00

Single supplement August 2019 ZAR 22,540.00

INCLUDES Accommodation All meals Beverages including soft drinks, house wines, local brand spirits and beers Game drives and bush walks while at Ngala Private Game Reserve Services of a specialist Bellingham Safaris tour leader Domestic flights: Johannesburg to Ngala and Hoedspruit to Cape Town Ground transportation: Transfer from Ngala to Hoedspruit airport Conservation fees at Ngala Private Game Reserve Laundry at Ngala Private Game Reserve Touring vehicle whilst in Cape Town Activities while in Cape Town which includes: Private tour on Robben Island including the ferry to the island Table Mountain visit including cableway fees Private Whale Charter Boat for Whale and Dolphin excursion in False Bay Entrance fees into Boulder’s Beach, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens,

Cape of Good Hope and West Coast National Parks

EXCLUDES Premium brand drinks, champagne, cognacs, cellar wines, cigars and cigarettes Gratuities Items of personal nature Visa fees (please be sure to check if visas are required) Travel Insurance Excess baggage costs Changes to the itinerary Any items not included in the inclusions above



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IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Payment In the event of a go ahead we will require a non-refundable 30% deposit and the balance to be settled 2 months prior to arrival.

We may have to impose more stringent payment and cancellation terms, should that be demanded of us by any of our individual suppliers that have been included in your itinerary.

The tour price is always fixed in the currency quoted, and the actual cost in the other currencies will be adjusted according to prevailing exchange rates at the time of final invoicing (payments can be made either in USD or ZAR). We use the exchange rate of the day with a 3% margin (the typical exchange rate applied by credit card companies), using this source: http://www.oanda.com – the currency quoted is plugged into the “Currency I Want” and the INTERBANK +/- is adjusted to 3% automatically generating the rate of the day. Guests are given 7 days to process with wire, after which we may need to update the exchange rate.

Please note Upon confirmation of this tour, the cancellation policy for Bellingham Safaris will be effective

immediately and the parties agree to be bound by the Terms and Conditions as stated in our booking form. In the event of the Booking Form not being signed, the placement of any booking/s, by any means including e-mail, shall be deemed to be confirmation that the Terms and Conditions have been read, understood, any queries have been addressed to the satisfaction of the parties and that the parties agree to be bound by thereto.

Scheduled tour prices are based on group numbers and should the need arise there may be a small group supplement. However if this does occur you have the right to cancel your tour without incurring any cancellation charges as long as you notify Bellingham Safaris within 7 days of the announcement. The announcement will be made prior to final invoicing.

Rates quoted are subject to change if there are any increases in park fees, fuel, sales tax or VAT, third-party services, currency fluctuations or any other circumstances beyond our control. We will use our best endeavours to bring such changes to your attention, but you are nevertheless bound thereby.

Prices are subject to unforeseen increases in tour related costs. Should an amendment in a routing or itinerary be necessary, we will adjust the price but such adjustment will be for your account.

If the number of nights or dates of travel or number of participants should change, this may have an effect on the cost. We will re-cost accordingly and you agree to be bound by such re-costing.

Please be sure to carefully check your visa requirements before your intended date of travel, as Bellingham Safaris cannot be held responsible should the necessary visa requirements not be fulfilled. Please remember that in some cases you may need to apply for a multiple entry visa. Please be sure to carefully check your passport requirements before your intended date of travel, as Bellingham Safaris cannot be held responsible should the necessary number of blank pages and passport validity dates not be fulfilled.

Please consult your physician before you travel for advice on vaccinations and prophylaxis. Bellingham Safaris strongly advises that you take out comprehensive travel insurance covering

yourself for personal effects, cancellation and curtailment. Personal accident, medical and emergency travel expense insurance is mandatory on any of our tours. Some activities and services may have weight and/or height restrictions per guest. For the sake of your own comfort, please advise us at time of booking if you are particularly bulky or tall and we will do our best to accommodate you. Please note additional costs may apply.



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Luggage restrictions are applicable including the use of hard suitcases. Details of luggage restrictions per region are available on our pre-departure documentation. Should your weight be above the limit set by an airline, a surcharge may be applicable, over and above the quoted tour price. Please peruse all flight information supplied by the airline concerned.

Some flights may involve stops before reaching the final destination. Please check your itinerary and all flight information supplied by the airline concerned.

Although we will try to stick as closely to the itinerary as possible and include all the activities mentioned there may be changes due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. Flights, times and routes are subject to change without notice. Please make sure that you are aware of the check-in times for flights and give yourself ample time in this regard.

Please advise us prior to booking should you have any health concerns. Also please notify us if your age is above 80 as you may require a doctor’s certificate.

There may be some age restrictions with certain activities, most notably canoe rides and walking.

All accommodations, activities and other services are subject to availability at the time of booking

PHOTO CREDIT: WHITE RHINO BY GREG WHELAN

Documents

BELLINGHAM SAFARIS SCHEDULED TOUR SOUTH …...Day 1 Ngala Private Game Reserve Today you will be met off your international flight in Johannesburg by your Bellingham Safaris tour leader,