ESSENTIAL CAPE - PAARL AND HERMANUS - SOUTH AFRICA

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This horse riding holiday has been designed to include some of our favourite places to ride and eat. Two 4 night stays in completely different parts of the Western Cape ensure a unique experience.
The wine lands north of Cape Town are surrounded by mountains creating dramatic scenery. This area is also renowned for good dining and we are sure to never be far from a fantastic restaurant and winery!

The second part of the trip is in the coastal area near Hermanus and Bot River. Enjoy a spectacular trip to Cape Good Hope and visit the Penguins at Bettys Bay.  Fit, well schooled and responsive horses ensure you see the natural scenery in the most enjoyable way.  During the riding in Hermanus you will be looking for the wild horses in the sand dunes and enjoy some of the most wonderful beach canters you could ever dreamt of.

Trip length 10 days / 9 nights Ride only price £1,555 Departure dates 17 Jan, 18 Feb, 10 Mar, 16 Apr, 11 May, 14 Sept, 13 Oct, 8 Nov 2008 Approximate riding time per day 2.5 - 6 hours Riding ability required Walk, trot and canter confidently, riding fit Group size 2 - 8 Meeting point (getting there) Cape Town airport Transfer Included at set times from Cape Town airport. Flight guide London - Cape Town return £500 - £850 Single supplement none if we can find you a sharer, otherwise 10%

SAMPLE ITINERARY - ESSENTIAL CAPE - PAARL AND HERMANUS

Day 1
Arrive at Cape Town airport and transfer to Paarl to a lovely wine farm which will be your home for the next 4 nights.  Enjoy a welcome lunch followed by some time to relax and enjoy the pool.  Later you will meet the horses and your guide and get to know them. In the evening dinner will be served in the garden outside the stables.

Day 2
A two hour orientation ride enables you to get acquainted with your horse whilst getting a panoramic view over Paarl, Stellendosch, Cape Town and even Cape Good Hope if the weather is really clear.  Following this you will enjoy a home made dinner with a selection of your guides excellent choices of wines. This is a relaxing way to get to know your guide and the other members of your group.

Day 3
After breakfast head for the stables for another wonderful day in the saddle. Today will be a half day wine tasting trail. As well as fun riding we will enjoy an educational private wine tasting. Lunch is not included in todays ride but there is the opportunity to enjoy the restaurant at the wine estate or there are some lovely new little places that have opened up in the area. After teh riding we transfer back to our wine farm where we enjoy dinner and select from the full range of estate wines to accompany dinner.

Day 4
After breakfast transfer to Diemersfontein wine farm for another wonderful day in the saddle. A four hour trail which winds through the valleys and foothills of the Drakenstein Mountain range. The trail crosses olive fynbos and the famous buchu plantations. Stop for lunch, with olive and wine tasting on a small private estate.  You then ride to the viewpoint for refreshments before returning for another wine experience in the new wine cellar famous for the pinotage and chocolate tastings.

Day 5
Breakfast followed by a full day of good riding and good food. We explore the fields, ride along the river and over farmland and hills. This ride offers a good opportunity to view the life on the farms and look closer at the valleys overlooked during the first days ride in the mountains. Lunch will be a picnic in a nice spot and dinner is a braai (BBQ grilled).  This is seasonal and according to weather and what is best suited at the time. During the summer riders start early and go back to the farm during the hottest hours for a dip in the pool and relax before more riding in the afternoon.

Day 6
Today we leave our forst wine farm where we have overnighted since our arrival.  We drive via Camps Bay and Cape Good Hope stopping to admire the views.  Lunch is at a restaurant en route but is not included. On arrival at your new destination you will visit the Penguins at Bettys Bay and enjoy gettting a feel for this coastal area. In the afternoon enjoy an introductory ride to get to know your horse, followed by a dinner at the stables - a real "South African Braai".

Day 7
After breakfast transfer the short distance to the beaches near Hermanus and Kleinmond where you meet up with your guide.  Enjoy a fantastic days riding on the pristine deserted beach inside a nature reserve. Visit (with a little luck) the wild horses, birdlife, seals, whale in season etc. Lunch is in a beachside restaurant, followed by long nice canters back along the beach.  Round off the day with a nice hot bath and a lovely 3 course dinner.

Day 8
After breakfast set off for another day on horseback. Set off with saddlebags full of drinks as this is an exciting and fast ride through the vineyards, farms and mountains. There are spectacular views! Stop for lunch and rest at an exclusive farm restaurant. The farm grows and presses both lavender and olives, as well as making wine. After a long and exciting day we travel to Hermanus, the Whale Watching Capital of South Africa, for a stroll aound the cliff tops and beaches and enjoy a delicious seafood dinner.

Day 9
Today the horses are loaded in the trailers and you set off for a day in Fernkloof Nature Reserve, where you will admire the scenery and enjoy the cape "fynbos", one of the most diverse floral kingdoms of the world. A picnic basket will be provided to keep the inner man happy. Dinner in the evening will be at a local steak or seafood restaurant.

Day 10
Have breakfast and relax by the pool during the morning, before check out and transfer back to Cape Town airport.

Please note: This itinerary is given for your guidance only and it may be altered in accordance with the prevailing conditions by the organising team.

NOTES - ESSENTIAL CAPE - PAARL AND HERMANUS

 The 4 night first half of the itinerary in Paarl can be booked separately from the 4 night second half in Hermanus. Any of our Cape itineraries (including the Picketberg) can be combined with some nights in Cape Town for a tailor made holiday of a lifetime. Contact us to put together your dream holiday in the Western Cape.

The weight limit for this ride is 16 st/220 lb/100 kg, please enquire if you are an experienced rider exceeding this weight.

WHAT IS INCLUDED
Transfers, 8 nights accommodation in double room, all meals (except lunch on day 3 and 6 and only breakfast on departure day. All riding and guides while riding and with meals.  Cold drinks and water and wine where specified.

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
International flights, insurance, alcohol other then that specified, lunch on day 3 and 6, items of a personal nature and gratuities.

FURTHER DETAILS
As we are specialists in our field we have extensive knowledge of all our products from details of accommodation and meals to number/size/type of horses to pace of riding ... and much more.

Should you wish to receive further details of this ride please click here.

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