CITRUS
SAFARI - Full Trip Schedule
Day 1
You
will arrive Cape Town -
probably late in the day depending on which airline we use for
the group.
On arrival,
our SA based team will meet you and assist you through all the
international arrival formalities. You will then be transferred to
your exclusive Cape Town hotel for a well deserved
night of rest.
Depending
on the time of arrival we will meet for refreshments.
Day 2
Breakfast at leisure.
You then join the group for a full Cape Peninsular Tour with
guide - lunch included.
Dinner this evening at a top restaurant in the Waterfront.
Day 3
Breakfast and check out the hotel. Travel by road to Citrusdal.
The Citrusdal area is the center of the citrus production for the USA citrus import program. They produce mostly navels, but also Midknight valencias, clementines, minneolas and some other exotics.
Orchard and packhouse visits as well as visits to local technical and cultivar trials included. Provision is made for lunch in the area.
Overnight in the ClanWilliam area.
Day 4
Breakfast, checkout of the hotel. We will then complete the ClanWilliam and Citrusdal area citrus visits in the morning and depart for Paarl. Lunch en route, with stops for wine tasting and local sights.
Overnight at an exclusive Paarl venue.
Day 5
Breakfast and then the day will be spent making citrus orchard and research visits. Lunch at one of the local wine estates, wine tasting plus sight seeing in Paarl area.
Overnight at the
Paarl venue.
Day 6
Breakfast and check out of hotel. Transfer to
Cape Town
International airport for the flight to Nelspruit, the Gateway to
the Lowveld, home of the world renowned Kruger National Park.
You arrive
at around 1pm so we will adjourn for a late lunch. Meet with
local research staff and visits to local citrus plantings.
Late
afternoon we will travel through the Crocodile River Gorge into
the Lowveld area to Malelane, where we will check into your home
for next two nights. The lodge is situated on the banks of the
Crocodile River and overlooks the wilds of the Kruger National
Park. We will meet for Sundowner Drinks on the deck - then to
dinner.
Day 7
Breakfast and then we leave for a day of citrus orchard,
packing house, and nursery visits. This is the area where much of
the South African grapefruit citrus industry started. We will visit
Malelane Nursery where the first Star Ruby grapefruit trees selected
from irradiated seed, were planted.
Overnight
at the lodge.
Day 8
Leisurely Breakfast then checkout from lodge. We will travel through a portion of the Kruger National Park to exit at Paul Kruger Gate and then into the Sabie Sands private game area. Here you will check into your final Safari home at an exclusive luxury game lodge.
The game viewing in this area is outstanding and over a two and a half day period, you will almost certainly see the big five.
Normally at
around 3.30pm you will meet for afternoon tea, and then off you
go on your first game viewing experience. There is really something
special about enjoying drinks in the bush as the sun sets, and
then you will continue game viewing with the aid of a spotlight.
Return at about 8pm for dinner under the stars.
Day 9
Early morning wake up and off you go with your ranger and tracker, in your 4x4, for some early morning game viewing. Later you return to camp for a leisurely breakfast. The rest of the day can be spent at your leisure.
Guided game walks can be arranged. Many guests will
have a siesta after lunch to prepare for the evening game drive.
Day 10
Early wake up, if you want to do the game drive.
Breakfast and
then bus transfer back to the local airport for the flight to
Johannesburg.
VIP Lounge
at your disposal until departure back to USA.
