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DESTINATIONS — ACTIVE & ADVENTURE HOLIDAYS


Up close and personal: suggest a horseback safari at Plettenberg Bay Game Reserve


Seal of approval: swimming with Cape fur seals


(beautiful bay), thanks to the gentle mist stealing across the mountains, slowly clearing to reveal bright blue skies and waves crashing on the golden beach. Tempted as we might have been to flop down on a beach towel and soak up some sun, there were more exciting things in store. We had barely donned wetsuits and clambered into an inflatable boat when the Offshore Adventures team zoomed us away from that gorgeous beach, riding the waves at breakneck speed to reach the colony of Cape fur seals just around the bay – although we did slow down when a pod of dolphins swam playfully alongside the boat. But the dolphins were only the warm-up act, as waiting around the corner was a bay full of seals,


Find out more: faceadrenalin.com stormsriver.com wildx.co.za offshoreadventures.co.za plettenbergbaygamereserve.com


bobbing their brown heads in and out of the water. They were even cuter close-up,


as we donned snorkel masks and hopped in to see their silvery- brown bodies weaving back and forth under the water, before flapping their fins or splashing water over each other (seal swim from £27, viewing-only from £14). They weren’t the only adorable


creatures around. Game viewing is nothing new in South Africa, but


the horseback safari at Plettenberg Bay Game


Reserve was something special, offering the chance to feel far closer to the animals than is possible from the confines of a 4x4 (£23). The only drawback was


that as lions can spook the horses, they were out of bounds. The experienced guides (and horses) were ready to reassure nervous riders, but any uncertainty was forgotten as soon as we saw mother and baby giraffes having a nibble at the trees, white rhinos grazing in the mud and hippos hanging out by the water’s edge. A herd of zebras came so close that they practically posed for photos, while springboks


bounced along in the distance. Amid all this excitement, one thing was clear: anyone who thinks the Garden Route is just a leisurely coastal drive should go and see it for themselves. TW


SAMPLE PRODUCT


A 10-day Cape Town, Garden Route and Safari self-drive


starts at £1,499 with Travel2, including superior car hire from Avis and flights from London. travel2.com


Premier Holidays offers


a five-night Garden Route self-drive from £295 in low season, including four-star B&B accommodation and car hire, but excluding flights. premierholidays.co.uk


Combine the Garden Route with Cape Town and the


Winelands on Virgin Holidays’ 10-night fly-drive, including flights via Doha. Prices start at £1,559 including B&B


High flyer: zip-lining through the forest


and car hire, for departures on September 2. vhols4agents.co.uk


24 July 2014 — 


PICTURES: MONICA TAYLOR/OFFSHORE ADVENTURE; SARAH LONGBOTTOM


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