Tour Information

“Always a beautiful day in Plettenberg Bay”

Plettenberg Bay, nicknamed Plett, is a town with 19,565 inhabitants in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. It was originally named Bahia Formosa (beautiful bay) by early Portuguese explorers and lies on South Africa’s Garden Route 210 km from Port Elizabeth and about 600 km from Cape Town.

Plettenberg Bay hosts one of the largest seagull breeding colonies along the South African coast at the mouth of the Keurboom’s River, named after the indigenous keurboom tree. Local vegetation varies from Cape Fynbos to indigenous forest further inland. Whales are a common sight in the bay during their breeding season, while dolphins are frequently seen in the surf. A delicate flower-shaped sea shell called a pansy shell is endemic to this part of the coast, and is used as the symbol representing the town. Looking for these shells on the beach is a popular activity amongst visitors and locals alike. Robberg Peninsula is maintained as a nature reserve, allowing visitors to see many of the area’s local plants and animals. The greater Plettenberg Bay area is also home to Birds of Eden, the largest free-flight bird aviary in the world, and the free-roaming primate sanctuary called Monkeyland. The white, sandy beaches around the town are very popular with tourists.
The bay is defined on the southern end by Cape Seal at the terminus of the Robberg Peninsula, separating the bay from the open Indian Ocean. It is one of the southern cape coast’s typical “J-shaped” bays, which is formed by wave eroding action. To the north, the Tsitsikamma and Langkloof Mountains keeps the moisture on the southern slopes of the mountains and prevent the temperature extremes of the interior reaching the bay.

Opportunity to do: whale and dolphin watching, sky diving, World’s highest bungy jump, zip line adventures, quad biking, canoeing, kayaking, scuba diving, scenic flights, nature and beach walks, surrounding game reserves and animal sanctuaries, interacting with elephants, elephant back safaris, golf, learn to surf, river boat cruises, arts and crafts, township tours.

“Home of the perfect wave”

Jeffrey’s Bay (also known as J-bay) is a town located in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The town is situated just off the N2 Highway, about an hour’s drive southwest of Port Elizabeth. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Jeffrey’s Bay was known as a hippie hangout, where the now-burgeoning surf community originated. Jeffrey’s Bay has grown from a sleepy little fishing/surfing town over the past few years and is one of the fastest expanding urban areas in the country. People from all over the world reside in Jeffrey’s Bay, as it is also the home of one of the largest YWAM (Youth With A Mission) bases in South Africa. At any given time, there are representatives from at least 20 different countries. Jeffrey’s Bay is a popular tourist destination because of its surfing opportunities and the blue flag beach.

It is the home of the annual Billabong Pro surfing competition. Jeffrey’s Bay is one of the five most famous surfing destinations in the world, this international event attracts professional surfers from all over the world, and many tourists as well. Jeffrey’s Bay is famous for abundant seashells and calamari. The nearby Kabeljous, Seekoei and Krom river lagoons host numerous water birds, and are also ideal for watersports like canoeing, boardsailing, and fishing. Every year, migrating whales make their way to Hermanus and Witsand to give birth, and whales can be seen breaching almost every day during the season.

Just to the northeast of town on the Kabeljous River lies the Kabeljous Nature Reserve. It is a walk-about reserve, well known to anglers for a diverse number of fish. The Kabeljous estuary is one of the best preserved estuaries in the Eastern Cape. The lagoon is home to waterfowl, herons, and a variety of waders. Nearby, the Seekoei River Nature Reserve lies between Aston Bay and Paradise Beach. The reserve lies on the estuary formed by the Seekoei and Swart rivers. The reserve is rich in birdlife with over 120 species of birds. The lagoon is also home to numerous red-knobbed coots, buck and other small animals. Fishing from boats is prohibited here. There is also a circular hiking trail that takes about three hours to complete. The trail starts with a trip on a raft across the lagoon and runs through fynbos and subtropical vegetation.

Opportunity to do: learn to surf and Jbay surf museum, whale watching, scuba diving, sand boarding, beach horse rides, bungy jumping, river kloofing, zip line adventures, surrounding game reserves and sanctuaries, nature and beach walks, fishing, golf, quad biking.

“Gem of the Karoo and Heritage Heartland”

Graaff-Reinet is a town with 80,776 inhabitants in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. It is the fourth oldest town in South Africa, after Cape Town, Stellenbosch and Swellendam.

The town was founded by the VOC Dutch East India Company in 1786, being named after the then governor of Cape Colony, Cornelis Jacob van de Graaff, and his wife whose maiden name was “Reynet”. The town lies above the sea and is built on the banks of the Sunday’s River, which rises a little farther north on the southern slopes of the Sneeuberge Mountain Range. Graaff-Reinet is a flourishing market for agricultural produce, the district being noted for its mohair industry, sheep and ostrich farming.

Graaff-reinet is home to more National Monuments than any other town in South Africa and boasting over 200 private dwellings being restored and labeled National Monuments.

Graaff-Reinet is a little town that allows visitors to step back in time and enter a world that is very different to city life. Exploring all its charms takes at least a day. One can wander freely around day or night admiring the historical buildings and museums, have a meal and a drink and stroll back. There is no need for a car to get to the town’s sights. Graaff-Reinet has retained much of the character of a 19th century rural town. With its painstakingly restored buildings, its monuments and historic associations, it’s virtually a living museum. There is plenty of history attached to each street of this town.

Opportunity to do: Touch and interact with lion/cheetah cubs, farm stays, hikes and walks, fossil farms, Valley of Desolation, surrounding game reserves, historical town and museum walks, township tours, donkey cart rides, golf, Nieu Bethesda visit with 2 Goats Brewery tasting local beer and visiting the Owl House.

“The valley of Elephants and ‘Big 7’”

Addo Elephant National Park is situated in the dense valley of the Sundays River region. This Eastern Cape game park offers a memorable wildlife experience and is home to the Big 5, namely Elephant, Rhino, Buffalo, Lion and Leopard. The original Elephant section of the Park was proclaimed in 1931, a time when just 11 Elephant roamed the area.

Today, however, over 450 Elephant makes the park their home, as well as Cape Buffalo, Black Rhino, a variety of antelope species and the unique flightless dung beetle, found almost exclusively in Addo. Addo National Park is indeed a unique and diverse wildlife sanctuary, and plans to expand and transform Addo is already in motion.

At this Eastern Cape game park you will experience an unrivaled natural diversity, boasting 5 of South Africa’s seven major vegetation biomes. Addo is also home to the ‘Big 7′, namely Elephant, Rhino, Lion, Buffalo, Leopard, Whale and the Great White Shark.

The park has several archaeological sites on the coast and in the Zuurberg – also the area where bushman rock art can be seen. Addo’s mega-park status will preserve 120 000 hectares of marine reserve, including islands that are home to the world’s largest breeding populations of Cape gannets and second largest breeding population of African penguins.

Opportunity to do: Up close with the “Big 5,” elephant back safaris, Raptor and Reptile Center, canoeing, mountain biking, fishing, hiking, horseback safaris, health spas

“Natural, untouched valley of baboons”

The Baviaanskloof (“Valley of Baboons”) was originally home to San hunter-gatherers (“Bushmen”). In the early 18th century European hunters and later settlers gradually developed a more permanent lifestyle based on agriculture.

The Baviaanskloof is a narrow valley, just less than 200 kilometers in length, bounded by two mountain ranges: the Baviaanskloof Mountains on the north and the Kouga mountains on the south side.

The Baviaanskloof Wilderness Area lies approximately 120 km West of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa and comprises of approximately 270 000 ha. of unspoiled, rugged mountainous terrain. Starting in the East at Komdomo, the road leads through the rugged beauty of the “Grootrivier” Gorge on its winding path through this pristine conservancy, all the way towards Willowmore in the West. A total distance of about 203 km. The area offers a wide range of eco-recreational opportunities as well as a unique wilderness experience!

Opportunity to do: Farm stays, walks and hikes, river kloofing, game viewing, scenic drives, quad biking, tee pee stays, cave sleepovers.

“The Mother City of mountain and sea”

Cape Town is the second most populous city in South Africa, and the largest in land area, forming part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality. It is the provincial capital of the Western Cape, as well as the legislative capital of South Africa, where the National Parliament and many government offices are situated. Cape Town is famous for its harbour as well as its natural setting in the Cape floral kingdom, including such well-known landmarks as Table Mountain and Cape Point. Cape Town is Africa’s most popular destination for tourism.

Cape Town is not only the most popular international tourist destination in South Africa, it is Africa’s main tourist destination even overtaking Cairo. This is due to its good climate, natural setting, and well-developed infrastructure. The city has several well-known natural features that attract tourists, most notably Table Mountain, which forms a large part of the Table Mountain National Park and is the back end of the City Bowl. Reaching the top of the mountain can be achieved either by hiking up, or by taking the Table Mountain Cableway. Cape Point is recognized as the dramatic headland at the end of the Cape Peninsula. Many tourists also drive along Chapman’s Peak Drive, a narrow road that links Noordhoek with Hout Bay, for the views of the Atlantic Ocean and nearby mountains. It is possible to either drive or hike up Signal Hill for closer views of the City Bowl and Table Mountain. Many tourists also visit Cape Town’s beaches, which are popular with local residents. Due to the city’s unique geography, it is possible to visit several different beaches in the same day, each with a different setting and atmosphere. Though the Cape’s water ranges from cold to mild, the difference between the two sides of the city is dramatic. The city has several notable cultural attractions. The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, built on top of part of the docks of the Port of Cape Town, is one of the city’s most popular shopping venues, with several hundred shops and the Two Oceans Aquarium. Part of the charm of the V&A, as it is locally known, is that the Port continues to operate and visitors can watch ships enter and leave. The V&A also hosts the Nelson Mandela Gateway, through which ferries depart for Robben Island. It is possible to take a ferry from the V&A to Hout Bay, Simon’s Town and the Cape Fur Seal colonies on Seal and Duiker Islands.

Opportunity to do: shark cage diving, scuba diving, Table Mountain cable car, mountain hikes and walks, abseiling, whale and dolphin watching, bungy jumping, paragliding, beach walks, golf, fishing charters, wine lands tours, surrounding game reserves and Cape Point, Robben Island Tours, Seal Island boat cruise, penguin colony, floral heritage sites.

“The best kept secret under the sun”

The Transkei (meaning the area beyond [the river] Kei), officially the Republic of Transkei (Xhosa: iRiphabliki yeTranskei), was a Bantustan-an area set aside for members of a specific ethnicity-and nominal parliamentary democracy in the south eastern region of South Africa. Its capital was Mthatha, usually given as ‘Umtata’ on maps and in English-language medium materials.

Transkei represented a significant precedent and historic turning point in South Africa’s policy of apartheid and “separate development” in that it was the first of four territories to be declared independent. Throughout its existence, it remained an internationally unrecognized, diplomatically isolated, politically unstable de facto one-party state, and at one point even broke relations with South Africa, the only country that acknowledged it as a legal entity. In 1994, it was reintegrated into its larger neighbor and became part of the Eastern Cape Province.

The Transkei had an area covering a total of, and was bordered by the Umtamvuna River in the north and the Great Kei River in the south, while the Indian Ocean and the Drakensberg mountain range of the landlocked kingdom of Lesotho served as the Transkei’s respective eastern and western frontiers. A large portion of the area was mountainous and not suitable for agriculture. It remains one of the most untouched, wild areas in South Africa, a must see for tourists.

Opportunity to do: beach horse rides, canoeing, fishing, whale watching, township tours, amazing untouched beach walks and hikes, eat plenty of sea food, golf, river boat cruises.

WHAT ARE WE OFFERING?

Freewalker Adventures offers a Farm Stay and Environmental Education holiday experience to children aged 10 – 15 years of age who want to do a little something different the School Holidays. They will have the opportunity to experience an operational working farm, interact with nature and learn more about this beautiful Karoo area. The ideal way to get out of the busy city life over the World Cup rush.

Murray Luscombe, owner of Freewalker, will be responsible for the well-being and entertainment of your Child. Having been born and raised on the farm in the Camdeboo, he has all the knowledge and experience to teach and look after your Child during their stay. He is a qualified Tour Guide, PDP license and over 5000 hours experience working at sporting camps and coaching Kids. First Aid kits are always present for unforeseen accidents if any. Freewalker projects South Africa prides itself on safe, fun and educational adventures for your Children.

WHAT WILL YOUR CHILD EXPERIENCE?

• Environmental education.
• Guided nature walks.
• Fresh-water fishing.
• Bush craft skills.
• Team building exercises and activities.
• Interaction with other Kids of similar age and interests.
• Farm living culture and operations.
• Cheetah and Lion rehabilitation experience.
• Graaff-Reinet historical tour, including Valley of Desolation trip and Karoo National Park.
• Mountain and forest hikes.
• Fresh air and vast open space. Camp fires. practice air rifle target shooting. Gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for nature, and an experience that will remain with them forever. All these activities caught on camera for a disc full of memories to take home.