Day 1

Cape Town

Drive to the hotel and check in. We visit Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens for a combination of botanical and bird photography. We are accompanied by local Flora expert who could assist in finding the most spectacular orchids, Proteas and Ericas. Many of the birds in the gardens are habituated and give ample opportunities for great photographs.

This is subject to guests arriving during the course of the morning. In cases where they arrive in the afternoon we will go directly to our accommodations for the night. They will then have some time to photograph something in the area of the accommodations.

Day 2

Lighthouses of the Cape Peninsula

The whole day is dedicated to visiting the site of the Cape Peninsula with particular emphasis on the lighthouses. We visit the Slangkop Lighthouse for sunrise and during the day visit the two lighthouses at Cape Point. We will have the whole morning in Cape of Good Hope Nature reserve where we can enjoy what is on offer such as the dramatic cliffs, lighthouses, birds and many different flower species.

In Simon’s Town we visit the Boulder’s Penguin Colony where we will have ample time to photograph these endangered birds. It is possible to get within only a few meters of the birds.
The day ends at sunset at the Green Point Lighthouse, the oldest in South Africa. We are accompanied by a specialist botanical guide for the day. The guide is on hand to assist in identifying the various plants we will be seeing.

There are ample opportunities to photograph birds and flowers during the day as our visit to these places takes place in the Wold Heritage site of the Cape Floral Kingdom. We will also make a stop at the Boulder’s Penguin Colony where the African penguins can be seen and photographed. Overnight in Simon’s Town

Day 3

Robben Island and Table Mountain

Robben Island has been declared a World Heritage Site in view of its cultural importance, but not many people know that the island also hosts a large number of bird and animals species. We have our private guide on the island telling us more about the history and the life in the prison. The lighthouse will also be one of our main focus points on the island. The early afternoon is spent photographing Table Mountain from across Table Bay, the world famous view. We will also have the opportunity photograph the Milnerton Lighthouse with Table Mountain as back drop, before we return to the V&A waterfront at sunset, the time when the mountain turns red. The waterfront also gives ample opportunities for brilliant photographs. We overnight in Bloubergstrand on or close to the beach.

Staying the night in Bloubergstrand will give all the opportunity to take the postcard picture view of Table Mountain and when the wind is blowing, we can all try our hand at photographing the many kite-surfers out on the sea.

Day 4

Plants and lighthouses of the West Coast

After breakfast we depart up the West Coast with our first stop a SAN (Bushman) Educational Centre. Here we will have time to chat to the SAN Guides before we track the animals of the reserve. The animals that could be photographed here include Eland, Springbok, Ostrich, Zebra and many different bird species.

From here we drive the short distance to Yzerfontein where we board a boat for Dassen Island. The aim of our visit is the lighthouse and the large colony of Cape Gannets and Great White Pelicans that breed on the island. On our return we drive through to our accommodations for the evening, in one of the small quaint West Coast villages.
In the case of the weather not playing along, we can drive out to Darling and spend part of the day photographing the flowers in the area.

Day 5

West Coast

Today we have no less than four lighthouses to visit. Three of these are steel structures and two of these are on islands. So the day includes a boat trip and a walk on the islands where we can photograph quite a large number of bird species. During the winter months whales are a common site on these boat trips.

We end the day off in the Cape Columbine Nature Reserve with its wealth of wild flowers. Tonight we have a very special treat as we will have a sun downer next to the light of the Cape Columbine Lighthouse as it gets switched on for the night, before we return to our accommodations.

Day 6

West Coast National Park

This park is one of the hidden treasures in South Africa. Here we will have time to sit and relax in bird hides as we photograph the birds as they feed on the mud flats exposed by the receding tide. The garden of the local restaurant gives ample opportunities to get the perfect shot of a number of bird species as they come to drink water or steal your lunch. Once the tide is back in, we drive through the reserve where we can get out photographing the tortoises of the park or any of the various flowers. Overnight on the West Coast same as the previous day.

Day 7

Winelands and Birds

A leisurely drive takes us through the Winelands where we will have a bit of a relaxed day with wine tastings on route. We drive through the villages of Tulbach and Wellington to Paarl where we visit the water treatment works for some bird photography.

There are several hides at the works where we can sit and relax and photograph the birds that are oblivious to our presence. This is one of the best sites to photograph the Malachite Kingfisher, one of the regions smallest. Flamingos are also common in the area. We overnight in the Winelands.

For the flower enthusiasts, a visit to Paarl Mountain can be arranged. Here many different flowers can be seen throughout the year.

Day 8

Wine and Flowers

The whole day is dedicated to the photography of the flowers of the region. It goes without saying that there are almost unlimited possibilities to photograph birds throughout the tour. We visit some of the more remote nature conservancies in the region where the beauty of the Cape Floral Kingdom can be captured in its natural state. Overnight in the Winelands.

Day 9

Hermanus and the whales or sharks

This day is dependent on the time of year. In winter it is possible to see the Southern Right Whales where they frolic just beyond the breakers. Hermanus is said to have the best land based whale watching in the world. Or we can take a boat out to them.

In summer and winter it is possible to do a shark cage dive at Kleinbaai. This involves going out with a boat to an area where the sharks are. Here we anchor and wait for them to come and visit us. You will have opportunities to photograph these ultimate predators from the boat or from the safely of the cage in the water.

In the afternoon we visit the Danger Point Lighthouse, the site of the sinking of the Birkenhead. It was on this ship that the saying “women and children first” was heard for the first time. Overnight in Hermanus.

Day 10

More flowers and Lighthouses

In the Harold Porter Botanical Gardens we will spend some time in photographing the flowers and birds. The garden has a section of indigenous forest going up into the mountains.

From here we drive to the Stony Point Penguin colony where we can photograph some of the endangered endemic birds of the region. This is the second of three main land breeding colonies of African Penguins. The afternoon is concluded with a visit to the Hangklip Lighthouse with its dramatic backdrop of Cape Hangklip. Overnight in Hermanus.

Day 11

Relaxed day

Today you will have a relaxed day in Hermanus in which you can sit on the cliffs to photograph the whales, or you could go to the nearby Fern Kloof Gardens to photograph the last few flowers or even some birds.

Day 12

Departure

After breakfast we drive the short distance back to Cape Town to the airport from where you will fly back home, no less taking with you thousands of photographs of your trip.