Western Cape, South Africa
Overview
Horses
Type of horses:
Horses are of different breeds, varying from English Thoroughbreds to American Saddle breeds and the South African Boereperd.
Nature of horses:
Forward going, professionally trained, reliable horses.
Number of horses:
25
Height of horses:
14.2 - 16.2 hh
Weight limit:
95 kg/ 210 lbs
Tack type:
English and Western.
Pricing
Wildflower Horse Trail
£2075 per person sharing in a twin or double room. There is a £75 single supplement (per day) for those who do not wish to share a room.
This price includes transfer from cape Town international Airport and includes all costs as per itinerary - i.e. transport, all meals (including soft drinks), accommodation, entrance fees and stable costs. Only alcoholic drinks and small gratuities are excluded.
Great Western Trail
£1710 per person sharing in a twin or double room.
£125 per person per day single room supplement for those not wishing to share accommodation.
This price includes transfer from Cape Town International Airport and all costs as per itinerary - i.e. transport, all meals (including soft drinks), accommodation, entrance fees and stable costs. Only alcoholic drinks and small gratuities are excluded.
Drag Hunt
Contact office for details.
Availability/Booking Form
Ride Description
Your hosts believe in, and actively promote, responsible eco-tourism and what better way to both explore and preserve the environment than to enjoy it from horseback. Riders are offered three truly unique horse trails through the spectacular landscapes of the Western Cape of South Africa. This ride is particularly suitable for all members of the family, young and old, who want to enjoy horseriding in unique surroundings, but do not want to "rough it."
Accommodation has been carefully chosen to suit those wishing for comfort and luxury. Lodgings are in stylish guesthouses and classical old farmhouses, some of which are built on ecological concepts such as the Buchu Bush camp at the De Hoop nature reserve. Guests will not only encounter the real South Africa and the country's well known hospitality, but will also enjoy the variety of traditional culinary experiences as well as the local outstanding wines.
Horse lovers are given the opportunity to experience the Cape on horseback in all of its superb variety as well as " Big 5" game drives. Look for lion, buffalo, rhino, leopard and elephant from the safety of a safari vehicle. From horseback see buck (deer), zebra, ostriches, baboons, tortoises, many exotic and brightly coloured birds and, in season, whales, flamingos and pelicans.
Discover an eclectic spectrum of extremely varied, breathtaking landscapes as only the Western Cape can offer. Experience the rare chance to ride through hidden landscapes that are mostly only accessible on horses and in some cases where special permits from Nature Conservation have been obtained. Explore long white beaches and lagoons along the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean, wetlands, wine orchards, rolling hills of huge wheatfields, vast semi-desert shrub lands of the Karoo, carpets of wild flowers (in season), and secluded stretches of mountains covered in fynbos (indigenous shrubs) and rugged, rocky outcrops. Plus, see the sights of Cape Town during a tour through the cosmopolitan "Mother City" and its environs with commentary and explanations by an expert.
You will experience some truly pleasurable rides on the back of professionally trained, reliable horses. Whether you prefer a gallop along the beach or a laid back ride through the wine growing hills, the right horse for you will be available. Tack is well cared for, including comfortable English and Western saddles.
You will undoubtedly return home with unforgettable memories, experiences and impressions of the real South Africa and its spectacular landscapes.
(A Parallel Tour is also available for non-riders.)
See Programmes.
Food & Accommodation
Accommodation has been carefully chosen by your hosts to suit those looking for very comfortable accommodation and is of a high standard. You will be lodged in stylish guesthouses and classical old Cape farmhouses, some of which are built on ecological concepts such as at the Buchu Bush Camp at the De Hoop nature reserve.
Traditional culinary fare of the Cape region, plus outstanding South African wines.
Activities
A Parallel Tour is available for non-riding members of the family and/or friends. (Minimum 2 guests). The two groups meet up for lunch and in the evening. Whilst one group rides through the countryside, the other may visit wine farms or the famous seaside resort of Hermanus, stroll through the nature reserves or enjoy a swim. A parallel tour for non-riding family members or friends in conjunction with the horse-riding trail is a unique feature. Hence non-riders in a family can participate in the programme without feeling left out.
Further Details
Languages: English, German, some Swedish.
Health requirements: Proficiency in the saddle is more important than stamina but a reasonable level of fitness is required.
Age limit: Children with experience, able to ride for long hours, are welcome at the discretion of the host, but must be accompanied by an adult.
Tuition: No
Included: Full board accommodation and riding, transfers
Not included: Alcoholic drinks and small gratuities
Travel Information
Flights for this ride are to Cape Town International Airport. Transfer from the airport to your destination will be arranged.
Airport: Cape Town
Programmes
Wildflower Horse Trail
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This trail starts about 150 km north of Cape Town on top of the remote Piketberg Mountain and takes riders down through magnificent wetlands with quiet lakes known as Rocher Pan and Verloreviei (lost estuary), as well as through the only area in the world where potatoes are grown in pure white sand, irrigated in large circles, and finally to the West coast of the South Atlantic, where the pristine and lonely beaches seem to stretch for ever. The area is called the West Coast Region and is famous for its profusion of wild flower carpets in August and September, the so-called Namaqualand daisies. The last night is spent in a uniquely preserved, old, Cape Dutch Farm where since 1770 not too much has changed. This is a circular ride of some 225 km, during which there is no transfer by car and the support vehicle brings the guests' luggage forward. Day 1 Arrive at Cape Town International Airport in the morning. You will start with a fascinating tour of the Townships of Cape Town with a traditional African lunch in the smallest hotel in the Cape, Vicky's in Khayalitsha. Afterwards you will drive for 2 hours northwards through the so-called Swartland to the Excelsior Farm hidden in the Piketberg Mountains. Day 2 With the horses from the farm, you will ride along the mountain covered in Cape Mountain Fynbos - the indigenous flora - for a while, and then take a steep path down to the valley below ( walking and leading in places) where you dismount to view some Bushman rock art paintings. You will stay overnight at Kaptein's Kloof Farm in comfortable, restored, so called Sandveld cottages, having travelled about 20km and having spent approximately 4 hours riding. Day 3 You will ride south following the valley, a sandy agricultural area, and then turn west to the small town of Aurora where the characterful restaurant, belonging to a local Austrian, is full of memorabilia. On the way, you will picnic at a dam where you can swim. The day covers about 28 km of riding and you will spend approximately 4 hours in the saddle. Tonight you stay in guesthouse which is full of character and charm. Day 4 Riding west, you will now head towards the coast of the South Atlantic across the sandy (Sandveld) potato growing area. (35 km riding). On arrival you can swim in the ocean and will spend the night in a modest farmhouse called Seefontein, situated above the beach, without electicity but with gas, hot water, bath and candle lighting. In the evening you will enjoy the Braai (barbeque). Day 5 In the morning you start the long beach ride north along the deserted shoreline, stretching ahead into the seemingly unending distance. The area is unpopulated and dolphins, seals and whales can often be observed playing in the waves. Over the dunes you cross into the Rocherpan Nature Reserve. This is a pan with wetlands, giving cover to many bird species, as well as small game, and is often visited by big flocks of pelicans and flamingos. After a 25 km ride you reach an oasis called Draaihoek Lodge, thatched and hidden behind high sand dunes, a very comfortable guest-house with an excellent seafood restaurant. Day 6 Continuing north along the beach towards Elands Bay (a small fishing village known for its crayfish packing factory), you stop for a trailside lunch and to view some other Bushman rock art paintings. At Elands Bay, after some total 50km riding along the shore, you leave the beach and turn eastwards towards Verloren Vlei (an estuary) to the guesthouse Vensterklip on the banks of the vlei, which has many different wetland birds. (Approximately 30 km). Day 7 You ride east along the south side of Verloren Vlei, first up along the crest of a long hill, running parallel to the estuary, on sandy tracks and with stunning panoramic views onto the vlei below and passing some wonderful sandstone outcrops. The path then leads down to the shore where you pass old farms that used to survive on the fish of the estuary. These farm buildings consist of Sandveld mud and thatched huts. You have a picnic lunch at one such farmhouse before continuing to a Sandveld hamlet called Redlighys, where you stay in a comfortable old fashioned guesthouse serving traditional Cape cuisine. (Approximately 28km). Day 8 Continuing around the Dreifontein Mountain you enter a valley below the Aurora Mountain, which is a lemon growing area. After only 20km you overnight in the Sandveld Country Cottage, which gives you an afternoon's rest before the last day's trek up the mountains. Day 9 You stop for lunch at a local Swiss farmer's house, after which you head back up the mountains towards the Excelsior farm where you will have your farewell dinner. (Approximately 40km). Day 10 After breakfast you leave the farm and drive down the mountain towards the Berg River where you arrive at the Guest Farm Kersefontein, a unique, Cape Dutch homestead in the hands of the Melck Family since 1770 and where not too much has changed since. After lunch, in the late hours of the afternoon, as an optional extra (not included in the price) and weather permitting, the farmer Julian Melck takes you for an approximate 1 hour spectacular flight in a Cessna, following the entire route you rode in the last 8 days. This is followed by a Cape Dutch stylish traditional dinner. Day 11 After breakfast you depart for Tulbagh in the Boland, where before lunch you visit the Old Drostdy - the old magistrates court - for a conducted tour and some wine tasting, followed by lunch at the Paddagang Restaurant. Church Street, in this village, boasts the largest number of buildings with historic monument plaques in South Africa. After lunch you continue the drive through the famous Bain's Kloof to Stellenbosch. Here you can pop into the unique bric-a-brac curio shop - Oom Samy se Winkle (Uncle Sam's Shop} - before continuing to the airport where you catch your return, overnight flight home. The entire horse trail is about 225 km long, a distance covered in 8 days in the saddle. Every effort will be made to follow this itinerary, but the programme is subject to changes or substitutions to the same high criteria without prior notice, if , for example, inclement weather makes this necessary. |
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| Minimum group size: | 2 |
| Maximum group size: | 6 |
| Ability description: | Experienced, competent riders with some outride experience, able to ride for at least 4 hours each day. |
| Type of ride: | Trail |
| Total riding time: | Average 5 hours per day, as per itinerary. |
| Departure dates: | 26th April -6th May; 23rd August -2nd September; 13th September - 23rd September. |
| Pricing: | See Pricing |
Great Western Trail
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Ranking amongst the most beautiful and certainly one of the most varied horse trails in the world plus lots of game viewing! Especially suited for riders who want to be spoiled and are used to high standards in accommodation and catering. Most Guest Farms have a swimming pool and rooms with en-suite bathrooms. The programme is led by a THETA accredited guide and active member of the Cape Drag-Hunt Club, who specialises in Trail-Rides. DAY 1 Arrival at Cape Town International Airport (departure from Europe the previous night). From the airport you drive across the Cape Peninsula over the breathtaking Chapman's Peak Drive to a gracious homestead, situated in Noordhoek, where you will be welcomed by a champagne buffet lunch. In the afternoon you will ride former race-horses along the magnificent, wide and empty Noodhoek beach, followed by a dinner at a restaurant with views over the South Atlantic. DAY 2 You depart from Cape Town early in the morning for a scenic drive along the spectacular False Bay coastline and onto Kleinmond where at mid morning you start the ride along the pristine beach between the ocean of the South Coast and the Kleinmond Lagoon Nature reserve as well as the Botrivier “Vlei” (estuary). Here you can canter to your heart’s content. During the course of the day you are likely to see a herd of wild horses as well as flocks of flamingos and pelicans in the lagoon and sometimes fish eagles and seals. Lunch is served in a seaside restaurant. After the afternoon ride, a short drive brings you to the stables at Botrivier where you lodge for two nights in a quaint historic wine farm. You will be welcomed to a wine tasting by the proprietor. DAY 3 You start from the stables, with the same horses that you rode the previous day, on an ancient ox wagon trail that follows the old railway line as it winds itself up the historic pass to the Houw Hoek Inn. In open terrain you continue riding through pristine mountain “fynbos” (indigenous shrub land), up the Groenlandberge (Groenlandmountains). At an altitude of approximately 700-meters you take a break to enjoy the view and continue riding on a different path back to the Houw Hoek Inn for a late lunch. In the afternoon you return, riding through the old pass down to the stables. DAY 4 Again you start the ride from the Botrivier stables. This time through the rolling hills of the Overberg wheat, wine, cattle and sheep farming region, with a lunch stop in the old olive shade of the wine farm Gabrielsvalley. Afterwards you ride back to the stables completing the circular route for the day. In the late afternoon you drive for 1½ hours eastwards, the latter part of which is on lonely dirt roads, past some big ostrich farms, to the remote 36000 ha De Hoop Nature reserve. Here you stay for the night in the Buchu Bush camp in truly comfortable rustic chalets; designed and built by an environmental conservationist right in the “fynbos” flora. DAY 5 Starting your horse-safari from the 250-year old farmstead of the reserve you cross the De Hoop Vlei, riding among different species of antelope grazing in the lowland “fynbos” such as the bontebok, (endemic to this area), springbock, and the largest antelope of all- the eland,. Cape mountain zebras, baboons, wild ostriches, as well as different water-birds, to name but a few of the many different species in the reserve, can be seen at close range. You continue your ride over huge, bright, white, sand dunes (up to 85 meters in height), for which this national park is famous, down to a beach at the Indian Ocean. This totally uninhabited, coastal stretch has, during the mating season from the end of May to the end of November, the highest concentration of whales sighted anywhere in the world. These can be viewed at close proximity from the high vantage point of the saddle! After some 8 kms riding along the shore you meet up with the support team at the far end of the beach for a picnic lunch. Afterwards you ride on different tracks back through the coastal “fynbos” to the old farmstead, viewing game all the way. A short drive on a forlorn dirt road northwards takes you to a rest camp on the banks of the Breede-River, where you stay for the night. To reach this camp you have to cross this river at Malgas on the only river-ferry in South Africa still pulled across by hand. This region, situated adjacent to the most Southern point of Africa, is favoured by storks during the European winter and during the South African summer, large flocks can be viewed on the fields. This camp consists of 4 luxury tents with comfortable beds, set up on wooden platforms on the riverbank plus a spacious main house with a lounge with an open fireplace, dining area and showers. An evening braai (a South African barbeque) is prepared on an open fire on the veranda by the farmer and his wife. DAY 6 You have breakfast with boerewors (South African sausage) in the old farm-house before you leave on the day’s ride on pure breed Boerperd horses. This South African breed of horses is ideally suited for the continuous descent and climb in and out of the riverbed, which you will experience today. Bordering the farm, consisting of vast wheat and grazing fields for sheep and ostriches, the Breede River makes a huge loop and is visited by wild geese and the slopes are potted by porcupine burrows. Within the farm you ride for some 20 km, along a lonely stretch of the riverbed meandering within a 50 metre deep valley, through aloe country. A picnic lunch is served by the riverside. In the afternoon you finish the trail back at the camp, whereupon you leave for the Aardvark Private Nature College that is situated in a semi-desert called the Small Karoo, and you stay in their brand new accommodation there. You will have a sundowner ride on the first evening followed by a dinner in the dining room adjoining the bedrooms. DAY 7 You have your final ride of 4 hours in the morning in the undulating scrubland and dried up river beds of the veldt (indigenous field) stopping for a picnic breakfast en route. The trail leads through the unspoiled vegetation of this remote and quiet corner of the Cape Province. You return to the College for lunch. Thereafter you drive for 1½ hours to the upmarket, big five, Wildlife Reserve of Sanbona situated in a 54 000 hectare private reserve in the most remote part of the Small Karoo, at the foot of the Warmwaterberg. Here you stay for the last night in the luxurious Tilney Manor hunting lodge. On arrival you will have the thrill of your first big five game drive in an open Land cruiser, followed by a sumptuous dinner. DAY 8 The next morning, after breakfast, you have your second game drive, returning to Tilney Manor in time for a substantial lunch. Afterwards you drive for 2 ½ hours, via the spectacular Du Toits Kloof, back to Cape Town or to the airport, (where you can have a shower in the airport building). The entire eight days trip covers approximately 900 km driving through beautiful countryside and approximately 200 km on eight different rides, using four different stables. The rider must be proficient in rising trot and canter and must have some outride experience. Riders will always have the choice to retire after lunch, making their way back with the support vehicle, while their horse is ridden back by one of the grooms. This ensures that not so fit riders can also enjoy this horse trail. Accommodation for this trip is in six totally different, carefully selected, up-market locations. Safety standards are high and every effort will be made to follow this itinerary, however, this program is subject to change or substitution for rides and accommodation to the same high standard without prior notice. Shorter trails as well as longer (max. 11 days) can be arranged. At ½ price guests can take part in the first 4 days of this tour. They will be transferred on day 4, in the evening in 1¼ hours from Botrivier to the international Airport or Cape Town. Your hosts will gladly advise or assist guests who wish to extend their stay in Cape Town to visit some of the other, truly unique, tourist attractions the Cape has to offer. Suitable Accommodation can be pre-arranged on request, as can guiding, if required From the beginning of May to the end of September the Cape Hunt And Polo Club (Est.1822) organises drag-hunts on every Sunday at a different location. Your hosts can arrange for competent riders to ride in the Hunt - a truly unforgettable experience! |
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| Minimum group size: | 2 |
| Maximum group size: | 6 |
| Ability description: | Experienced, competent riders able to trot and canter who have some outride experience and who are able to ride for several hours per day. |
| Type of ride: | Trail |
| Total riding time: | Average 5 hours each day, as per itinerary. |
| Departure dates: | 6th -13th April; 5th - 12th October; 26th October - 2nd November; 16th November - 23rd November; 30th November - 7th December. |
| Pricing: | See Pricing |
Drag Hunt
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8 - DAY WESTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA DRAG HUNT ITINERARY (7 Nights) The Cape Hunt has followed a tradition of riding to hounds for over 170 years. It holds the distinction of being the oldest of the “New World” Hunts, dating back to 1822, when the Governor to the Cape, Lord Charles Somerset first imported foxhounds from the famous Beaufort Hunt. Until around the Second World War the usual quarry was wild jackal, once a prolific scourge in the Western Cape. Today the jackals around Cape Town are almost extinct and the Hunts, as organised by the Cape Hunt And Polo Club, have therefore reverted to Drag- or Trail Hunting. The Hounds hunt a pre-laid scent over six to seven “lines” of up to two miles each interspersed with checks for refreshment. The riders have a choice to ride in the first or second Field each led by a Field Master. The second Field rides more slowly and jumps are not compulsory. At each check a change of Fields is permitted. The dress code is similar to the U.K. and you are therefore invited to hunt in your club’s hunting attire. The Hunt Season stretches from beginning of May to mid September, which is the Green-Season with some occasional rains (in most areas below 200mm per annum) and day temperatures ranging around 20 Centigrade. The hunts are held on different farms, on which riders are very welcome, in one of the most beautiful and varied landscapes in the world. The spaciousness of the countryside and the large size of the farms make the crossing of public roads of any kind an absolute exception. . The proposed tour as per itinerary below is especially suited for riders who want to be spoiled and are used to high standards in accommodation and culinary experiences. The programme is led by a THETA (Tourism Hospitality and Sport Education and Training Authority) tourist guide and longstanding active member of the Cape Hunt (honorary life member), who specialises in organising up market Trail-Rides. He spends his spare time helping the huntsman exercise the hounds of the club, who presently number approximately 15 couples. DAY 1 Arrival at Cape Town International Airport in the morning on a direct flight from Heathrow (departure the previous night). Transfer to the accommodations on the Wine farm Rhebokskloof near Paarl. After lunch you get acquainted with the hunting horses on a two-hour trail starting from the Stables on the wine farm and leading up into the Paarl Rock Nature Reserve with stunning views into the Paarl valley, followed by some optional practise jumping. Weather permitting an evening braai (barbeque) is served at the stables or a dinner at the Rhebokskloof Restaurant. DAY 2 After breakfast a ½ hour drive takes you to the base of the Hunt Club “Hunters Valley” where the kennels are housed and where a special mid week hunt for guests is organised, followed by a hunt breakfast or Braai. In the late afternoon you depart on a scenic drive through Franschhoek to the historic Houw Hoek Inn where you stay for four nights. The inn is located on the site of a toll gate established in the Dutch East Indian days and is the oldest hotel in South Africa, set in a beautiful and peaceful environment. DAY 3 After breakfast, a short drive down the Houw Hoek Pass takes you to Kleinmond where, with horses brought in from the Botrivier stables, you start a trail ride along the pristine beach between the ocean of the South Coast and the Kleinmond Lagoon Nature reserve as well as the Botrivier “Vlei” (estuary). Here you can canter to your heart’s content. During the course of the day you are likely to see a herd of wild horses as well as flocks of flamingos and pelicans in the lagoon and sometimes fish eagles and seals. The support vehicle team will serve a picnic lunch. After the afternoon ride, a short drive brings you to a small upmarket wine farm, Compagnes Drift, of the Beaumont family, where the winemaker will give you a wine tasting of their outstanding wines followed by dinner at the Inn. Day 4 You start from the stables, with the same horses that you rode the previous day, on an ancient ox wagon trail that follows the old railway line as it winds itself up the historic pass to the Houw Hoek Inn. In open terrain you continue riding through pristine mountain “fynbos” (indigenous shrub land), up the Groenlandberge (Groenlandmountains). At an altitude of approximately 700-metres you take a break to enjoy the view and continue riding on a different path back to the Houw Hoek Inn for a late lunch. In the afternoon you return riding through the old pass down to the stables. Thereafter you retire to the Inn. DAY 5 Again you start the ride from the Botrivier stables. This time through the rolling hills of the Overberg wheat and wine farming region, with a lunch stop at the ethnic Afrikaans Dassiesfontain Inn. Afterwards you ride back to the stables completing your circular route for the day. In the evening you enjoy a dinner dance at the Inn with the locals. DAY 6 You leave the Inn after an early breakfast dressed in your hunting attire and drive in approximately 1 ½ hours to the specific farm on which the hunt is scheduled to take place on this Sunday starting at 10 am. There your hunting horses from the Rhebokskloof stables will be ready for you. Happy Hunting is followed by a braai or a hunt breakfast. In the late afternoon you drive to Cape Town where you lodge for two nights in the elegant guesthouse Welgelegen situated in a tranquil suburb above the City Bowl. After checking into the guesthouse you will spend an evening in the famous Waterfront and have dinner at one of the finest fish restaurants in the country, Quay 4, with stunning views into the harbour. DAY 7 On this day you go on the great Cape Peninsula tour, visiting the historic Groot Constantia Farm, the naval base Simon’s Town situated in the False Bay and dating back to a bygone British era, the penguin beach and the Cape Point nature reserve. After lunch you have a last ride along the magnificent Noordhoek beach with horses from a racehorse-stable and thereafter drive back to town over the famous Chapman’s Peak and the suburbs on the Atlantic seaboard like Camps Bay and Clifton. A farewell dinner attended by Club members such as the Master of the Cape Hunt and his wife is planned. DAY 8 Depending on the prevailing wind you will have either planned a morning visit by cable car to the top of Table Mountain, or a ferry trip across Table Bay to the world heritage site, the old prison island, Robben Island, or perhaps a visit to the world renowned Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, situated on the slopes of Table Mountain. This is followed by lunch at the world-class late Victorian Hotel, Mount Nelson, dating back to the bygone era of the famous Union Castle mail boats. From the hotel you take a short walk through the historic Company Gardens with the old Parliament buildings and the State President’s Offices down to the old centre of Cape Town. Afterwards you are transferred back to the airport for your departure. The entire 8 day trip covers approximately 600 km by car through beautiful countryside and approximately 150 km on 7 different rides, using 3 different stables. An alternative programme for non-riding partners can be organised. Accommodation for this trip is in 3 totally different carefully selected locations. Safety standards are high and every effort will be made to follow this itinerary. However, the programme is subject to change or substitution for rides and accommodation to the same high standard without prior notice. Your hosts will gladly advise or assist guests who wish to extend their stay in Cape Town to visit some of the other truly unique tourist attractions the Cape has to offer. Suitable accommodation for an extended stay can be arranged on prior notice. |
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| Minimum group size: | 2 |
| Maximum group size: | 6 |
| Ability description: | Experienced, competent riders. Members of Hunt, or interested and able to hunt essential. |
| Type of ride: | Trail and hunt. |
| Total riding time: | As per itinerary. |
| Departure dates: | 27th May - 3rd June; 17th June - 24th June; 1st July - 8th July: 22nd July - 29th July; 5th August -12th August. |
| Pricing: | See Pricing |