Spend time today at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. You can take a ferry from the Waterfront across Table Bay to Robben Island. An ex-prisoner takes you on an extensive tour of the prison, which includes a visit to Nelson Mandela’s cell, the limestone quarry and the old leper colony.

You could also visit the Waterfront’s Two Oceans Aquarium, which is highly recommended for the insight it gives into life in the two oceans off the southern tip of Africa – the cold Atlantic Ocean and the warm Indian Ocean. The V&A Waterfront is South Africa’s trendiest shopping precinct and is full of great restaurants and bars. If the weather is inclement on the first day, take the opportunity to go up Table Mountain.

A tour guide takes you on a city tour of one of the world’s most beautiful cities. You will visit the historic Castle and the Bo-Kaap Malay Quarter with its narrow cobbled streets and colourful mosques. You will also visit District Six, site of forced removals during the Apartheid era. You view the Houses of Parliament, the City Hall and the Slave Lodge and will enjoy a walk through the Company Gardens. Weather-permitting, you will ride the cable car up Table Mountain to enjoy the view over Cape Town and across Table Bay to Robben Island. If the weather is inclement, you will be taken on a scenic drive up Signal Hill.

You are collected from your hotel by a tour guide and taken on a drive along the Atlantic seaboard via glamorous Clifton to the quaint seaside village of Hout Bay. We continue via the scenic Chapman’s Peak Drive to Cape Point. Looking at this dramatic promontory jutting into the sea gives one an idea why early sailors nicknamed it the Cape of Storms. We then follow the coastline northwards via Simonstown, where you can visit the penguin colony of Boulders Beach. We also visit Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, which is dedicated to the extraordinary variety of plants found in the Cape Floral Kingdom. A leisurely drive through the leafy southern suburbs will bring us back to the city bowl in the late afternoon.

You are collected from your hotel this morning and are taken on a full-day tour of the Cape Winelands, with its backdrop of majestic mountain ranges and lush valleys. We stop for wine tastings at a minimum of two wineries and you have the chance to purchase some of the wines you have tasted. We visit Stellenbosch, the “town of oaks” for a short guided tour of South Africa’s second oldest town. A scenic drive over the Helshoogte Pass (Hell’s Heights) takes us to the Franschhoek Valley. French Huguenots settled in the Franschhoek Valley in the late seventeenth century, seeking refuge from religious persecution in Europe and bringing with them precious root-stock to establish the wine-growing industry in South Africa. After the tour you are dropped off at your hotel.

Game drives, in an open safari vehicle, are conducted in the early morning and late afternoon every day in search of animals – both large and small. Experienced, knowledgeable and personable rangers are paired with local trackers. Trackers sit up at the front of the vehicle looking for fresh animal tracks, while rangers skillfully navigate into ravines and through thickets in pursuit of fantastic game sightings. Close encounters are guaranteed, and the animals are not threatened by our presence thanks to our sound conservation management policies. Expect one-of-a-kind photographic opportunities of The Big Five, and much more – including over 300 bird species. Guided walks with an armed ranger may also be arranged. Walks are usually arranged in the early hours during the summer months, when temperatures are more moderate. Being on foot affords a unique and altogether different view of the bush.

Arathusa prides itself on its leopard viewing. As leopards are territorial, their regular appearance in our area allows us to plot their movements, and to observe their behaviour. Many of the animals become familiar and are easily recognised, which enables us to name them. Approximately 14 leopards are seen in the area in which Arathusa operate, six of which are seen on a regular basis. Large herds of buffalo, numbering in excess of 300, often find their way to the waterhole in front of the lodge. One need not move far to enjoy the safari experience! Elephants are also seen in numbers. There are various lion prides in the area, as well as a few nomadic males. Over 90% of guests will experience sightings of The Big Five – very often in one day, and sometimes on one drive. General “lowveld” game species are abundant in this section of the Sabi Sand Reserve, including giraffe, zebra, warthog, impala and more.

Enjoy miles of untouched beaches for romantic walks or family excursions, exploring all that Pralin Island has to offer. For the more adventurous in nature there is the water sports centre, the whitetip dive centre, nature walks, island excursions, access to volley ball and table tennis equipment and lots more. All guests are welcome to enjoy a weekly sunset cruise at no extra cost as well as non-motorised watersports such as snorkelling and paddling in the clear, crisp Seychelles sea.