Academy Safaris


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THE CAPE HAS MANY OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SIGHTS IN THE WORLD



Table Mountain Gondola with Lion's Head in the Background



One of the Wonders of the World, Table Mountain rises over 3000 feet and overlooks all of Cape Town. The views from its heights (on a good weather day) are incredible. Robben Island looms in the ocean to the North and you can almost see the Cape of Good Hope in the distance to the South. Fat dassies sun themselves on its heights keeping a wary eye out for hunting eagles. If the wind is high or the fog settles in, we keep trying and trying until we get there. It is a sight not to miss.



CAPE POINT LIGHTHOUSE AND CAPE OF GOOD HOPE



Steeped in historical signicance this rocky outcrop is the southwesternmost tip of Africa. It wasnt until 1488 when Bartholomeu Dias rounded the Cape in an effort to reach the Indies by sea that any European managed that feat. Dias originally named it the Cape of Storms because the meeting of the warm Aguhlas Current coming down the East Coast of Africa and the cold Benguela Current coming in from the Southern Atlantic create unpredictable and stormy weather here. John II, King of Portugal, thought the name Cape of Storms impeded settlement and exploration and renamed it the Cape of Good Hope.



ROBBEN ISLAND - Capetown in the Distance



Coast artillery base, leper colony, prison and more, Robben Island has served many purposes during the six centuries Europeans have had a presence in South Africa. It is most well known as the prison in which Nelson Mandela spent 19 of his 27 years in incarceration. A visit to Robben Island is considered by some as a "must see." On a day with good weather the boat rides to and from Robben Island are a treat unto themselves. Former inmates are the guides for groups touring the facilities and can add considerably to the experience with their own personal stories.



the twelve Apostles Hotel



Just south of ritzy Camp's Bay along the Atlantic coast and within the border of the Cape Point National Park lies the Twelve Apostles Hotel. It gets its name from the towering peaks above it, named by a ship's Captain who asked for divine intercession when his ship foundered in a storm on the rocks beneath them. As the story goes, the Captain and his crew were saved and the peaks became the Twelve Apostles. The Hotel is world famous and a gathering place for stars, politicians, the rich and luminaries of all types. Taking High Tea there is a treat.



Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and the Wine country



Nestled in a beatiful valley east of Cape Town are the towns of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. Along with Costantia, they are the most famous wine growing regions in a country famous for wines which rival or surpass the best of Europe or America. Some wine estates here have been in the same families since the 1600s. We will visits wine estates have wine tastings and take lunch on the decks of the fabulous Delaire Graff Wine Estate pictured here..





The victoria and alfred waterfront



In downtown Capetown we will visit the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. It is a fabulous working port and tourist trap all rolled into one. Its grand malls feature luxury brands from around the world. Its craft market is excellent. It is the launching pad for our trip to Robben Island and some fine dining, People gather for the shops, sights and sometimes excellent street performers. It is home to the fabulous new Zeitz Museum of Contemporary African Art. The repurposing of grain silos into this museum is a work of art in itself which (IMHO) surpasses the art it contains. No trip to Capetown is complete without a stop here.



THE DISTRIcT SIX MUSEUM



No visit to South Africa can be complete without gaining some appreciation for the country's recent apartheid past. And no scar upon the landscape of Capetown is more evident than District Six, where 113 city blocks were razed and the residents forcibly removed from their homes and relocated by race to make room for white urban renewal. It is emblematic of how terrible this was that 55 years later District Six is still toxic. No one other than the government dares to build anything there for fear of being associated with that wrong. Today, 27 years after apartheid ended, claims of the residents are still largely unmet, working through the system and/or are in limbo. Pictured are street signs given to the museum by a white member of the wrecking crew who collected them in his guilt at what was being done.



Castle of Good Hope



These Dutch fortifications were once right on the beach at Capetown. They were the central hub of activities during the earliest days of colonization and the home to the Dutch Governors. A visit to the Castle is a trip into the history of the Cape Colony, Its museum recounts conflicts with the native Khoi San people and later the Bantu tribes. It also outlines the changes in the colony's many European ties, first Portugese, then Dutch, then British.



Chapman's PEAK DRIVE and Hout Bay



The incredible scenery along Chapman's peak Drive leading to the quaint fishing village of Hout Bay is an experience not to be missed.




simons town and the penguin colony



The quaint village of Simons Town, within view of our villa, is the home of the small South African Navy and a training base. It is also home to the Bolders Penguin Colony. Hundreds of African ("jackass") penguins lay their eggs among the bushes along the shore. The braying of hatchlings for food from one parent or another is everpresent. Fat dassies sun themselves on the rocks as penguins waddle their way out to sea for more fish and surf their way back onshore. The Penguin Colony is something to see.





ACADEMY SAFARIS



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