“The best place to seek God is in a garden.You can dig for him there.”
~George Bernard Shaw

• 1 Night Overnight flight to South Africa
• 2 Nights Johannesburg
• 3 Nights Cape Town Waterfront
• 2 Nights Stellenbosch Colonial Dutch Town
• 3 Nights Safari:  Pilansberg National Park
• 5 Night Post-Tour extension to Chobe National Park and Victoria Falls
• 1 Night Return flight home

• Numerous privately guided garden visits
• Visit Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, a treasure trove of plants
• Cape Town, one of the world’s most beautiful, culturally diverse cities
• A cable-car ride up to the top of Table Mountain with stunning views over the Peninsula and Atlantic Ocean
• Taste fine South African wines in the glorious Cape Winelands
• Enjoy a true First Class South African Safari and sightings of Africa's "Big Five"
• A Night of African drumming
• A small group of soon to be friends and garden lovers

• With garden guru Walter Reeves, host of  “The Lawn and Garden Show with Walter Reeves”  NewsTalk 750 WSB
• Fully guided by expert local guides
• All breakfasts and eleven additional multi-course meals
• Accommodations in 4- and 5- star centrally located hotels, inns and safari lodges
• Two magical evenings in the outback of Africa while on Safari
• Entrances to numerous private and botanical gardens
• Private wine tastings with the producers
• Gratuities for guides and drivers
• Roundtrip air from Atlanta plus domestic flights
• Transport by air-conditioned motor coach
• Airport transfers while in South Africa
• Country and city maps
• Special “Walter Alumni” discounts of $150 on future trips with Earthbound Expeditions
• An evening of traditional music
• A trip to Robben Island (the infamous prison island)
• A small group of fellow garden lovers

Saturday, January 9, 2010
Day 1: Depart Atlanta for South Africa
Dinner and breakfast served in-flight

Sunday, January 10-
Day 2: Arrive in Johannesburg
Transfer to hotel which is located in a popular shopping precinct, with a multitude of shops, cafes, restaurants and cinemas.  This evening enjoy a welcome orientation with your guide and host followed by dinner. Overnight: Johannesburg  (Dinner included)

Monday, January 11-
Day 3: Johannesburg
After breakfast, we visit the world famous Little Brenthurst Gardens in the heart of one of Johannesburg’s most opulent suburbs. The gardens (tended by 45 gardeners), range from beautifully manicured lawns, several miniature forests, fountains and sculptures, a recently designed “prairie” garden and a large Zen garden planned by Strilli Oppenheimer who employs organic gardening principles.

Lunch will be at the amazing Safari Garden Centre, the largest nursery in Gauteng.  This will give you an idea of what is available to local gardeners and you will also be able to compare the prices with those back home. Enjoy dinner together this evening. Overnight: Johannesburg  (Breakfast and dinner included)

Tuesday, January 12-
Day 4: South to Cape Town
We check out of our hotel after breakfast and transfer to Tambo International airport for our two hour flight south to historic Cape Town.

Upon arrival in Cape Town we visit Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden. Kirstenbosch, headquarters of the South African National Botanical Institute, is the most important botanical treasure house in South Africa. This planned garden is an excellent introduction to the Cape Floral Kingdom and is home to more than 8000 botanical specimens, many of them endemic to specific regions.  Visit the Glass House with plants from the Drakensberg Mountains, the dry Knersvlakte, the East and West Coasts, etc.  A baobab tree found in the Northern Cape and specially transferred by road to Kirstenbosch is a feature of this exhibit. Upon arrival at your hotel you’ll be given a quick orientation of the wonderfully restored Victoria and Alfred Waterfront which will introduce you to the complex history of the ‘Mother’ city. Enjoy a seafood dinner out this evening. Overnight: Cape Town (Breakfast and dinner included)

Wednesday, January 13-
Day 5: Table Mountain and the Cape of Good Hope
An exciting day exploring this famous city starts with a trip in a revolving cable car up Table Mountain (weather permitting).  This famous backdrop to Cape Town forms part of the recently declared Table Mountain National Park, a world heritage site and home to more plant species than are found in the whole of the United Kingdom. The viewing decks offer breathtaking vistas of Cape Town and its surroundings.

On our way to the Cape Point Nature Reserve we visit “Bustari la Mawe” (Place of Rocks), a prize- winning Hout Bay garden planned by Judy Conway (landscape architect and noted Cape Town artist). Many established alien pines were removed. The exposed rocks were incorporated in this colourful indigenous garden.   The owner’s sense of fun and colour is reflected in the grouping of plants and artefacts with garden “rooms” and water features creating a restful atmosphere.  Enjoy refreshments in the outdoor entertainment area.

Next, visit Cape Point Nature Reserve – the southernmost tip of the Cape Peninsula – home to a unique Chacma Baboon troop which harvests seafood during the dry winter months when food is scarce. This reserve has been re-stocked with buck and zebra originally found in this area. Use the funicular to reach the summit of Cape Point for The Cape of Good Hope: a sanctuary for indigenous plants with 1100 specimens occurring in 77 square kilometres of Reserve.  Time permitting; we’ll visit a colony of Cape Penguins.  Return to Cape Town for dinner. Overnight: Cape Town (Breakfast and dinner included)

Thursday, January 14-
Day 6: A Day of Exploration on Robben Island
This morning we depart by ferry for a tour of Robben Island.  For nearly 400 years, Robben Island, 12 kilometres from Cape Town, was a place of banishment, exile, isolation and imprisonment. It was here that rulers sent those they regarded as political troublemakers, social outcasts and the unwanted of society.

During the apartheid years, Robben Island became internationally known for its institutional brutality. The duty of those who ran the Island and its prison was to isolate opponents of apartheid and to crush their morale. Some freedom fighters spent more than a quarter of a century in prison for their beliefs.  This morning you’ll cruise to the island by boat, enjoy a complete tour and then return in the early afternoon.

Enjoy lunch on the waterfront before setting out to explore yet another phenomenal garden.  Enjoy a guided tour of “Stellenberg”, a classic garden surrounding a beautiful Cape Dutch homestead The garden consists of different rooms, including a sunken garden designed by David Hicks.

We proceed to the historic Groot Constantia Estate for a visit to the manor house furnished with Dutch furniture. The fascinating wine museum is housed in the original wine cellar which produced wine for Emperor Napoleon during his last years as a prisoner of the British. Here we will taste some of the highly acclaimed wines. Overnight: Cape Town (Breakfast and dinner included)

Friday, January 15-
Day 7: Cape Winelands and Lush Gardens
We leave Cape Town for colonial Stellenbosch, heart of the Cape Winelands region, surrounded by magnificent mountain ranges, orchards and vineyards. But first we visit a greening project in a black Township where residents and especially school children are taught gardening skills (and an appreciation of plants) enabling them to provide vegetables for their families.

From there, we travel to the historic Vergelegen Estate, established by Governor Willem Adriaan van der Stel in the beginning of the 18th C.  It has one of the most beautifully restored and preserved Dutch manor house and outbuildings with a famous octagonal garden, a rose garden, a white garden as well as an herb garden with lush green lawns edged with a camphor tree forest.  Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip have visited the Estate twice. President and Mrs. Clinton and President Bush are a few of the famous guests visiting Vergelegen. Vergelegen has been a gardener’s paradise from the time the land was first farmed by Governor Willem Adriaan van der Stel in1700. Willem Adriaan was also a botanist, a forester, a horticulturist and also wrote the "The African Gardeners' and Agriculturists’ Calendar."  Much of which he wrote centuries ago is still relevant to this day. Evidence of his interests are still visible at Vergelegen - the five camphor trees he imported from the East (declared historic monuments), gracing the front of the Homestead, the oldest oak tree in South Africa and an ancient mulberry tree.  Van der Stel understood that the territory was suitable for vines and Vergelegen wines are now universally accepted as outstanding.  There will be time for an optional wine tasting. We check into the historic hotel conveniently situated in the centre of Stellenbosch before dining on regional cuisine this evening. Overnight: Stellenbosch (Breakfast and dinner included)

Saturday, January 16-
Day 8: Colonial Towns & the Cape Winelands
Stellenbosch, known as the "village of the oaks", the second oldest town in South Africa is today a vibrant university town.  Admire the charm and harmony of Cape Dutch, British and Edwardian architecture. Our tour will stop at Oom Samie se Winkel (Uncle Sam’s Shop). Stocked with articles of yesteryear, it is reminiscent of a simpler lifestyle.  We also visit the Village Museum, which comprises four houses, each depicting a different period in the early history of the Cape.

From there we drive over the scenic Helshoogte ("Hell's Heights") mountains to the picturesque town of Franschhoek  ("French Corner").  We’ll enjoy a wine tasting at the Moreson Winery. The owners not only produce superb wine, but also cure their own hams and sausages, as well as bake delicious bread daily- all of which can be enjoyed with a glass of chilled wine.

After lunch, visit the Huguenot Monument honouring the French settlers who fled from France to South Africa in 1688 after the Edict of Nantes was revoked, settling in this area to assist South Africa’s fledgling wine industry.

Tonight enjoy a Pan African dinner at Moyo, located on the Spier Estate.  Moyo is an unforgettable outdoor dining experience that captures the essence of the unique Cape African culture. A fusion of modern sophisticated décor and distinctly African flavoured dishes create inspiring cuisine. Relax and enjoy the spectacular vistas while you are treated to an extensive buffet as rich and exciting as the many diverse cultures we draw from. The tree-lined garden is filled with Bedouin tents and gazebos made from wrought iron and the tree houses are clad with beautiful hand crafted copper water features. Live performers will entertain you with indigenous theatre and dance. Overnight: Stellenbosch (Breakfast and dinner included)

Sunday, January 17-
Day 9: Soweto and North to Your Safari Lodge
Today you will be transferred from your hotel to Cape Town Airport for your flight north to Johannesburg. On arrival at Johannesburg Airport you will be met and taken on a tour of Soweto (SOuth WEstern TOwnship), which is the largest black residential area in South Africa.  This “city within a city” consists of 50 suburbs and essentially acts as a labor reservoir for the greater metropolitan area.

In many ways, the story of Soweto is the story of South Africa; this is where the seeds of South African freedom took root. Our tour includes all the major points of interest, such as the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Baragwanath taxi rank, Freedom Square, Hector Pietersen Memorial and Nelson Mandela’s former home. This sprawling township was the scene of the tragic riots of 1976. Despite crowded, chaotic conditions, there is a tangible sense of community in these neighborhoods which the ordered, walled suburbs lack.  It is virtually impossible not to be moved by what you will witness. After your tour you will be taken by coach to Bakubung Bush Lodge in the Pilanesberg National Park which also borders on the entertainment capital of South Africa, Sun City.  Tucked in the expanses of the malaria-free Pilanesberg National Park, Bakubung Bush Lodge offers the best of both worlds when combining the peaceful bush environment with luxury and comfort. The lodge offers plush rooms, each with air-conditioning, DStv, and en-suite bathrooms. The rooms are decorated to reflect the mood and ambience of the bush and are equipped with the necessary amenities to ensure supreme comfort. Enjoy a fine dinner in the restaurant terrace overlooking the vastness of the game reserve. Accommodation: Bakubung Bush Lodge  (Breakfast and dinner included)

Monday, January 18, & Tuesday, January 19-
Day 10 & 11: Two Full Days in the African Outback
Over the course of the next two days enjoy daily early morning and late afternoon open vehicle game drives. Evening outings will highlight nocturnal game.  Following evening safaris you will have dinner in the African Bush in the outdoor boma. Spend your afternoons relaxing by the rock swimming pool.

About Pilanesberg National Park:  The Pilanesberg National Park is malaria-free and borders the entertainment capital of South Africa, Sun City. It is almost perfectly circular because it comprises the area of a 1200 million year old volcano crater with a small lake in the centre. The park exists within the transition zone between the dry Kalahari and wetter Lowveld vegetation, commonly referred to as "Bushveld". Unlike any other large park, unique overlaps of mammals, birds and vegetation occur because of this transition zone.  Virtually all the animal species of southern Africa exist here, including healthy populations of Lion, black and white Rhino, Elephant, Buffalo and Leopard - Africa's "Big Five". Bird watching is excellent with over 300 species recorded. The park offers a number of wonderful picnic spots, numerous hiding spots for game watching, huge walk-in aviaries, safe hiking trails, safari drives at night and flights over the park in a hot-air balloon. (Breakfast and dinner included daily)

Wednesday, January 20-
Day 12: Depart for Atlanta or continue to Chobe National Park & Victoria Falls
Today you will be transferred (driver & guide) by coach from Bakubung Bush Lodge back to Johannesburg Airport. On arrival at Johannesburg’s Oliver Tambo International Airport, connect with your scheduled direct international Delta Airlines flight back to the USA.  (Breakfast and lunch included plus meals in-flight)

Thursday, January 21-
Day 13: Return home with a lifetime of memories!

POST TOUR EXTENSION TO  CHOBE NATIONAL PARK, BOTSWANA

Nights of January 20, 21 and 22
3 Nights Chobe National Park
$1675 PP Double Occupancy
$450 Single Supplement

BOTSWANA PLUS VICTORIA FALLS OPTION
Nights of January 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
3 Nights Chobe National Park, Botswana
2 Nights Victoria Falls Lodge
$2,195 PP Double Occupancy
$500 Single Supplement

Wednesday, January 20-
Day 12: Post Tour Begins: Chobe Safari Lodge, Botswana
Today you will be transferred to Johannesburg airport for your flight to Victoria Falls. Upon arrival in Victoria Falls you will be met and transferred to your lodge in Kasane, Botswana. Please Note: There is a Multiple Entry Visa charge to enter Zimbabwe of approx. USD$55 CASH per person for USA passport holders. (Visa fees are subject to change without notice.)

Chobe Safari Lodge is your gateway to a truly unique African wildlife experience. The lodge is ideally situated for exploration of the surrounding areas. It is only 80km (49.7 miles) from the Victoria Falls, 5km (3.1 miles) from the Kasane International Airport, adjacent to the village of Kasane and situated at the entrance of the world famous Chobe National Park.

The lodge offers comfortable accommodations from which you will experience unforgettable sunsets. The staff is professional and eager to meet your every requirement. The property includes a swimming pool, squash court, restaurant and bar, beauty salon, Internet facilities and a curio shop.

Chobe Safari Lodge offers a variety of game viewing activities. Daily-guided game drives are available into the Park.  The drives follow the routes along the Chobe riverfront, which supports the greatest abundance of wildlife in the game park. You can also experience a relaxing sunset cruise on the 'Fish Eagle' - a double decker boat with bar facilities, offers a unique and exciting African game viewing experience. This afternoon you will take part in either a game drive or a sunset cruise. Overnight: Chobe Safari Lodge

Thursday January 21, and Friday, January 22 -
Days 13 & 14: African Bush Safari
After breakfast, enjoy daily early morning game drives.  Return to the lodge in time for lunch and spend the afternoons relaxing at the pool or enjoying the gardens and views of the river.

You will witness the vast herds of Africa and abundant wildlife as you enjoy game drives from the lodge into the national park in open safari vehicles. The game drives follow the routes along the Chobe riverfront, which supports the greatest abundance of wildlife in the game park. Overnight: Chobe Safari Lodge

Saturday, January 23-
Day 15:  Depart after an early morning game drive or continue on to Victoria Falls
Today enjoy a final day in the African bush, with another early morning game drive. By road transfer to Victoria Falls Airport where you will board a flight back to Johannesburg. Please Note: Have your Multiple Entry Visa ready for the Zimbabwe border. There is an Airport Departure Tax of USD $25 cash per person that you have to pay on leaving Zimbabwe. (Departure taxes are subject to change without notice). Upon arrival in Johannesburg proceed to International terminal for your flight back home.

For those not flying home today you will enjoy a private transfer to Victoria Falls Safari Lodge. The Victoria Falls Safari Lodge is set high on a plateau, which forms a natural boundary to the unfenced Zambezi National Park, and is just four kilometers from the majestic Victoria Falls. This deluxe 72-roomed African Lodge prides itself on hospitality and food rivaled only by uninterrupted views and magnificent sunsets.  Created with a keen eye for detail; hardwoods, thatch, vibrant colours - the effect is awe inspiring. Each bedroom has its own balcony, air-conditioning and modern bathroom.

In the Buffalo Bar, Makuwa-Kuwa Restaurant and pool deck you will enjoy not only the wonderful views, but excellent service from friendly Zimbabwean staff renowned for their warmth and understanding of the needs of international visitors. An on-site waterhole attracts a wide variety of game, including elephants, buffalo, impala and kudu.
Accommodation: Victoria Falls Safari Lodge (B)

Sunday, January 24-
Day 16: A day at Victoria Falls
After breakfast this morning you will go on a tour of Victoria Falls which is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The Falls are 1690m wide and have a maximum drop of 103m (the average drop is 92m).  This immense curtain of water is broken up by small islands which stand on the lip of the Falls, one of which is called Livingstone Island, from where the explorer, David Livingstone, first viewed the Falls.  These islands effectively break the Falls into smaller falls, which are known as (from the Zambian side to Zimbabwe side) the Eastern Cataract, The Rainbow Falls, the Horseshoe Falls and the Main Falls.  "Rainforests" on either side of the river are sustained entirely by the spray of the Falls.  There is a paved path which leads onto the Knife Edge Bridge for a spectacular view up the main gorge and the Eastern Cataract, and numerous other paths which give different views of the Falls and the bridge.

Late in the afternoon, take a Sundowner Cruise along the mighty Zambezi River above the Falls. Enjoy a drink while cruising slowly on the river, viewing the wildlife from a unique vantage point.  You’re sure to see hippo and elephants, a variety of other wildlife and many varieties of birds, while your guides describe the flora and fauna, the bird life and wildlife. Accommodation: Victoria Falls Safari Lodge (B)

Monday, January 25-

Day 17: Return home

This morning you will be transferred by road back to Victoria Falls Airport where you will take your flight back to Johannesburg.

*Please Note: Have your Multiple Entry Visa ready for the Zimbabwe border.

*Please Note: There is an Airport Departure Tax of USD$25 cash per person that you have to pay on leaving   

Zimbabwe. (Departure taxes are subject to change without notice).

Upon arrival in Johannesburg proceed to International terminal for your flight back home.(B)

Tuesday, January 26-
Day 18: Arrive home with lifetime of memories

About Your Garden Host, Walter Reeves
Walter is retired from the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service, where he worked for 29 years. He grew up on a poultry farm in rural Fayette county, where he cared for the hens and an "enormous" vegetable garden. His grandmother "Bubber" raised flowers in two gardens beside the family home and taught Walter the simple pleasures of puttering around with plants.

He hosts a radio call-in show on NewsTalk 750 WSB-AM every Saturday morning from 6:00 to 10:00 a.m. He has done radio gardening call-in for twenty years. “The Lawn and Garden Show with Walter Reeves” is among the most listened-to radio show in Atlanta among all 23 competing radio stations each Saturday morning.

Walter writes a weekly column of garden tips and questions & answers for the Thursday Atlanta Journal-Constitution Living section and has just completed his fourteenth year of this effort. Walter has hosted “Gardening in Georgia” on Georgia Public Television from 1999 through 2008. The weekly broadcast airs each year beginning in April and ending in October.  Click here to view Walter's website

1. Little Brenthurst Garden
2. Safari Garden Centre
3. Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden
4. Groot Constantia Estate
5. Cape Point Nature Reserve
6. Table Mountain Nature Reserve
7. Stellenberg Garden
8. Hout Bay Garden
9. Sanbi Outreach Greening Project

10.  Vergelegen Estate

11.  Pilansberg National Park

Click here to view alumni photos taken by garden enthusiasts
from past garden trips to South Africa with Earthbound Expeditions

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