Music Garden Route - 9 Days

Experience local music & the Garden Route

DAY 1:
Arrive in CapeTown
You will be met at the airport and taken to your hotel
The afternoon is free to explore - we suggest you pay a visit to the V&A Waterfront. South Africa's most visited attraction.

DAY 2:
Lions Head
Discover why Cape Town is the `Mother City. 
Any visit to Cape Town should begin with the mother – Table Mountain. In order to fully appreciate the mountain and the mythology around it, the day begins at the foot of Lions Head, the peak between Table Mountain and Signal Hill, along the Table Mountain National Park. 
Table Mountain
Ascend Table Mountainby cable car. (Cableway fare and local delicacies included in package. Any additional drinks or snacks excluded)
On the top of Table Mountain, you can see the whole city. The guide uses this elevated position to map out the city past present and future. The guide also maps out the next two days of activities.
(In the event of inclement weather, these two components will be replaced with historically-oriented activities, and a private show)
Lunch with Cape Town musician – `Goema' session
We depart for lunch with a Cape Town musician at their home. This is a lovely opportunity to start savouring, intimately, the musicians and music of the city. At the first session, we would like to introduce you to Goemamusic, which is the indigenous music of Cape Town. It is to Cape Town what Samba is to Brazil. It is the music of our carnival, a music of blues and a music of liberation. It is a music formed by the forced collision of slaves, slave masters, and the Khoisan, at the Cape.
Lunch is a leisurely affair, with some music performance, some music talk, some Cape Town talk, discovering the city's past and present and future through the artist, and enjoying a meal together. (all costs of this element included in package, including drinks at lunch)
African traditional music
While Goema is the indigenous music of the Cape, there is also strong African tradition, drawing from the migration of labourers from many parts of the African continent to South Africa. Visit local experts on traditional music, exploring the origins of the instruments and sounds. Enjoy a performance of traditional songs and styles.
Dinner + Private African Music Concert
This event is a perfect welcome to Cape Town. Paradise Grey is Alan Grant's oasis of magic on the slopes of Table Mountain. It is a Cape Dutch heritage home with an award-winning five level garden staggered up the hill. Chef Jason has an acute skill for flavour, and his contemporary innovations on traditional Cape foods are legendary among creative eccentrics in the city who are regulars at the chef's table.
Paradise Grey is a gathering point for many of the city's creative people. We host a dinner party with a private African music concert, and have invited – in your honour - some of our artist friends to join. You will be surrounded by creative people, enjoy a four course dinner in the magical garden. Paradise Grey has an exquisite wine list to order from, and also offers local beers. (all food, fruit juice and entertainment included. All alcoholic drinks, sodas and mineral waters excluded. Also included is the cost of hosting artistic guests)
Return to hotel

DAY 3:
Masterclass with Local Musician
This is a particularly creative day.
We go to the studio / home of an acclaimed Cape Town musician for a masterclass. You will also enjoy lunch afterwards together with the musician. The nature of the masterclass, and the selected artist, will depend on the musical desires of the guests.
Township through Music
A journey through music in the townships of Cape Town. The townships are a particularly creative space, fraught as they are with pressing economic needs and challenges. Most of the innovative artists, in any discipline, are based here. Yet while the townships are a legacy of apartheid brutality, they are also the most promising spaces for economic development and opportunity.
We are going to plug into that opportunity, by experiencing the townships through music and music education, meeting some interesting artists and discovering how music education is creating change opportunity. We will also look at developments and ideas that will completely transform the townships as we move into the future. The music focus will be jazz, the most predominant form in the townships of Cape Town.
If guests are interested in making music purchases, we can arrange to visit a specialist African music shop.
Dinner
We will head back at the hotel. We can make restaurant reservations for you, based on our conversations over these two days together. We would like you to experience our favourites, based on your specific likes and dislikes. Transfers can be, arranged depending on proximity, but dinner will be for your own account.
If there is a good show in the evening somewhere, then we will arrange tickets. This is for the cost of the guests.
Inclusions
Lunch and dinner: day 1, lunch: day 2.
(Breakfast is included if tour is taken with accommodation)
All entrance fees.
Private concert on Day 1 as part of evening activity.
Exclusions
All alcoholic drinks, Discretionary tips

DAY 4:
Free
This day is free or you can choose to do a full day tour of the Winelands.

DAY 5 to DAY 8
World Famous Garden Route Tour
For 4 Days and 3 Nights Enjoy the breathtaking rustic mountainous beauty and verdant valleys of the Western Cape contrasting sharply with the tranquil arid conditions of the Klein Karoo. Travel on during the following days to the lush, green & beautiful "heart of the Garden Route". You will visit an ostrich farm that has traded since the turn of the century. Your adventure far into the inner chambers of the stunningly beautiful world-famous pre-historic Cango Caves will be totally unforgettable. Travel on for a lengthy stopover in the quaint historical seaside village of Knysna, a community nestled between the fringes of the dark mountainous forest and the ocean. Experience an exhilarating game drive at Botlierskop Private Game Reserve where you could experience close encounters with Rhino, Lion, Buffalo, Giraffe, the rare Black Impala & many more animals. Enjoy a sunset cruise on the vast navigable lagoon that flushes into the sea through the famous Knysna Heads. There are exciting stopovers, excursions and places of interest to visit throughout this unique tour.
HIGHLIGHTS
Swellendam
Mossel Bay
Oudtshoorn
George
Knysna
Botlierskop Private Game Reserve

Daily Itinerary:
DAY 5:
Travel via Worcester, Montagu and Calitzdorp (Route 62) to
Oudtshoorn.
Visit the Cango Caves, Dinner and overnight in Oudtshoorn

DAY 6:
Visit an Ostrich Show Farm.
Travel to George & Knysna via the Outeniqua Pass, Dinner and overnight in Knysna.

DAY 7:
Experience a 3 hour game drive in an open 4 x 4 vehicle at Botlierskop
Private Game Reserve - return to Knysna after lunch
Explore Knysna, etc.
Enjoy a leisurely Buffet dinner during the Sunset cruise on the Paddle Cruiser on Knysna Lagoon.
Overnight in Knysna

DAY 8:
Return to Cape Town via Mossel Bay & Swellendam arriving at your hotel
+- 17h00

DAY 9:
Morning Free + airport for flight
home.
Depending on flight time there should be time for some last minute shopping before leaving for the airport home.

Included:
Accomodation (type dependant on budget and season)
All Breakfasts
Lunch on days 3,4 & 8
Dinner on Day 2
Most entrance fees except Kirstenboch
Cable Car
All airport transfers
Ttransportation and tours and a tour guide

Prices can be quoted with or without airfare

If you would like to contact us, please use our webform or call on +44(0)1202 233969