Golden Eagle Travel & Tours

12/09/2024

BIG 5 ADVENTURE FROM CAPE TOWN: AQUILA PRIVATE GAME RESERVE & SPA.

Situated in the heart of the Klein Karoo (“Klein” Dutch, meaning “Little” & “Karoo”, Khoisan meaning “Land of thirst/semi-arid”), Aquila name derived from the rare and endangered resident Black Eagle! It boasts a breathtakingly beautiful
10 000 ha Karoo conservancy (‡ 24 700 ac), a spectacular region with gigantic cliffs, desert-like landscapes, crystal clear streams and fertile vineyards. The Private Game Reserve is located under 2 h drive from Cape City Centre, at approximately 177 Km via N1.
Visitors can enjoy a game drive experience amongst lions, elephants, buffalos, rhinos as well as an enormous variety of safari wildlife. The reserve is set in the Cape's malaria-free famous fynbos, succulent Karoo and extremely rare Renosterveld vegetation that was once the favourite hunting grounds of the ancient Khoi/San hunter-gatherers. Aquila is more than just an unforgettable wildlife experience: it is also an experience in luxurious African hospitality, traditional culinary delights and service excellence. Aquila boasts a 4-star luxurious accommodation, a world class “Tranquila Spa”, an African curio shop, horse-back riding, quad biking, a conference & function venue, a children’s adventure facility, a relaxation swimming pool, and much more. Join us and explore this hidden gem.

24/08/2024

HIKING A MAJESTIC WONDER OF NATURE: TABLE MOUNTAIN

PLATTERKLIP (Flat Stone) GORGE Hiking Trail:

- Location: Cape Town (South Africa)
- ⁠Starting point: About 1 mile from the Cable Car Lower Station towards the Devil’s Peak (15min drive from Cape Town Central)
- ⁠Length: 2.5 miles (4.02 km) out-and-back
- ⁠Average duration: 3h:45
- ⁠Difficulty: Challenging
- ⁠Highest elevation (Maclear Beacon): 1086 m above the sea level
- ⁠Safety: Safe
- ⁠Advantages: easiest, most popular, recommended, magnificent views, spectacular rock formations, flowers, plant life, birdlife, wildlife like Rock Hyrax/Dassie, agama/lezards, ghost frog, klipspringer, snakes, …truly exciting.
- ⁠Free parking available

- ⁠What to bring:
+ enough water
+ hiking shoes
+ fitness outfit
+ Dress warmly (Winter)
+ Camera/Phone (pictures)
+ Sunglasses (Summer)
+ Mini backpack bag

Hiking Table Mountain is the best way to get in touch with the beauty, history & geology of this incredible mountain. Climbing boulders, threading your way past cliffs and rocky watercourses connects you with the beauty of nature.

Table Mountain formed about 260 million years ago -before the Himalayas and the Alps-, when South America scrunched Africa! It was part of a much larger mountain range; ice, heat, wind, erosion, Stone Age, reduced the mountain to its current shape of tabletop.

It was the water running down this Platterklip Gorge that led the Dutch (VOC) to settle at the foot of the mountain in 1652. They built a trading outpost that grew to become the bustling metropolis of Cape Town, Mother City to South Africa. Five streams rose on Table Mountain, draining down different sides of the mountain:
1. The first is the Varsche (Fresh) River, a confluence of three smaller streams on the front of the mountain: the Platterklip, the Silver and Capel Sluit. Cape Town owes its existence to the Varsche River.
2. The second stream, the Liesbeek, drains Table Mountain's luxuriant eastern slopes.
3. Third there are the Diep and Spaanschemat streams, both flowing southeast towards the False Bay.
4. Table Mountain's largest stream, the Disa, drains southwards into Orange Kloof before debouching in Hout Bay.

To the Cape's indigenous Khoe pastoralists and San hunter-gatherers, the area now occupied by Cape Town city centre was known as Camissa, Place of Sweet Water. Table Mountain was their home. The Koi and San tribes also hailed the mountain sacred because they believed that their god resided on the mountain.

When the Portuguese explorers arrived in the Cape in 1503, the bay at the foot of the mountain, present-day Table Bay, became known as Aguada de Saldanha, Watering Place of De Saldanha (Portuguese explorer).

The Dutchman Wouter Schouten, upon tasting the water on the mountain in 1665, stated the following about it: "We found it quite sweet and exceptionally pleasant in taste... Our heavenly liquid now tasted better than ordinarily does the most exquisite drink in the world.”

Join us and explore this unique “Gift of the Earth”.

27/07/2024

Cape Agulhas is the official meeting point of the Indian and Atlantic oceans. Here you can take a photo with one foot in the Indian ocean and the other foot in the Atlantic! It is also the Southmost Tip of Africa. Explore the Agulhas lighthouse (1849), the 2nd oldest working lighthouse in SA (after Green Point).

The tour to the Overberg/Overland -the breadbasket of the Cape- will take you through the Elgin Valley, home to vast farms of apples, pears, and vineyards. You will also travel through some of SA’s quaint towns of Caledon, Bredasdorp and Napier. You will be amazed at incredible green farms of grain (Wheat, Canola, Barley),
sheep, ostriches, … These fields are breeding grounds for SA’s national bird, the Blue Crane. One is exposed to pristine nature reserves with extensive birdfife and stunning flowers.

On route from the Cape Agulhas, we will stop at the Hemel-en-Aarde wine valley just behind Hermanus. Here we recommend a wine tasting at Creation Wine Estate or Hamilton Russell wine estate. You may also spot the Southern Right Whales along the seashores of Hermanus during Whale season (June to November).
Bold? Test your adrenaline & go Shark Cage Diving in Gansbaai.

On our way back to Cape Town from Cape Agulhas and Hermanus, we will stop at Stony Point Penguins Colony for a visit to these enchanting flightless creatures. Stony Point is one of the largest penguins colonies in South Africa.

Your tour will culminate with a relaxing drive through the panoramic Clarence Drive (R44). This coastal road is arguably one of the most spectacular in the world with enormous escarpments from the nearby Koeberg Biosphere Reserve (also a UNESCO World Heritage Site) sweeping down to long sandy beaches and then out to False Bay where whales and dolphins can be seen playing in the surf. Such a memorable experience.

24/07/2024

Signal Hill is the Northern tip of the terrestrial area of the Table Mountain National Park, overlooking the Mother City, the V&A Waterfront Harbour, Table Mountain, Sea Point, Robben Island & The Atlantic Ocean. The peak, standing at 350 m high, offers spectacular views to sundowners and picnickers! It’s also a famous spot for tandem paragliders -popular launch site- and a “lovers lane”, with family-friendly picnic spots that are highly appreciated by both tourists and locals.

The tip is rich in a variety of native fynbos dominated by the beautiful proteas! One can also spot a kramat or sacred shrine! It is directly linked to the remarkable Lion’s Head!

This is the site of the famous traditional “Noon Day Gun”that was used as a time signal for anchored ships in Table Bay. One can watch the ritual every day up on Signal Hill at Lion Battery from 11:30 (except Sundays & Public Holidays).

Signal Hill was also used as a point from which signal flags were used to communicate with ships -weather warnings & anchoring instructions- therefore the name ‘Signal Hill’.

Signal Hill was also the early settlement’s lookout point.

22/07/2024

Would you wish to interact with the rare “African Penguins” in their natural habitat at real close proximity? Then check out “Stony Point”💯%✍🏻

Located in the quaint coastal town of Betty's Bay in the Overberg, the Stony Point Nature Reserve is home to a unique colony of these enchanted African Penguins. Get a chance to see these wonderful flightless birds up close, observe them go about their daily activities in their natural habitat, walk with them, have a selfie with them! They even walk you back to your vehicle!

Beside penguins, you will see number of Cormorants, Sea Gulls, Kelp Gulls all of which breed and forage in the colony, while the Rock Hyrax, commonly known as the Dassie (Afrikaans) can be seen on the surrounding rocks.

The colony used to be the site of the old Waaygat Whaling Station, which was used to harvest & process whale meat in the early to mid 1900s. Remnants of the infrastructure for this long-defunct industry can still be seen.

Adjacent to Stony Point, there is a community restaurant that sells refreshments & food during the day.

16/07/2024

As of today, the Chacma baboons population on the Cape Peninsula (section of the Table Mountain National Park) is estimated at 683. These baboons are organised in 15-20 relationship-bound groups/families. You will also find them in the CapeNature Reserve.

Baboons have been living in the mountainous Cape Peninsula of SA far before the area has been a human habitat. They live in long and high mountain ridges and edges while sandstone rockery of beach cliffs and mountain crags offer them safe places to sleep and to breed. Baboons feed on native fynbos, or, by moving into human-held territory (daily forage), on crops, fruits, eggs and bread.
Predators included Leopards & Cape lions, dogs attack, poisoning, shooting, human-caused wild fires or motor vehicle accidents.
Baboons are opportunistic & mostly practice the smash-and-grab game. In water-scarce areas such as parts of Namibia, they can survive for as long as 20 days without water by eating food with a high water content.

A big male Chacma Baboon can weigh 45 kgs(100 pounds) & is armed with canine teeth longer than the ones you’ll find in the jaw of a lion; it wouldn’t be wise to fight a baboon.

11/07/2024

10/02/2024

Where is your driver’s license?

25/07/2021

Hike! Hike! Hike!
WOODHEAD DAM:
- Built in 1897
- Following the failure of Woodhead Tunnel
- Engineer: Thomas Stewart (Scottish)
- Height 50 m
- Length: 277 m
- Capacity: 927,000 m3
- 1st large masonry dam in SA
- Supplies water to CTN & environs
- Designated International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark
- Followed by Hely-Hutchinson Dam (nearby)
- Victoria, Alexandra, and de Villers dams
- See also " Kasteels Poort Cableway" nearby
- Views: Camps Bay, Table Mountain, Lionshead, Twelve Apostles, Fynbos, Rock formations (eg: Diving board), ..

18/06/2021

Need a well deserved weekend to chill with yours or get rid of the office pressure?
We got you covered.

The WEST COAST TOUR will revive your energy and make you discover new places.

Highlights:

- Bloubergstrand/Big Bay (R27)
- Wine and olive tasting in Darling on the R307
- Whale watching in Yzerfontein (June-Nov)
- !Khwattu – Meet & Greet indigenous Koi-San.
-West Coast National Park – Eves Footprint, Bird watching and Flowers (Aug-Sep)
-Langebaan – the JEWEL of the Cape West Coast (optional lunch stop)
- West Coast fossil park

- Return via the R45 (Hopefield-Moorreesburg-Malmesbury)
- Stops at the Wheat Museum in Moorreesburg, wine tasting in Malmesburg or a visit to the Ostrich Farm in Philadelphia (optional)
- Whale watching in Yzerfontein
!Khwattu – Meet and Greet local San people
West Coast National Park – Eves Footprint, Bird watching and Flowers in Aug and Sep
Langebaan – the JEWEL of the Cape West Coast (optional lunch stop)
West Coast fossil park
Return via the R45 via Hopefield, Moorreesburg and Malmesbury
Optional stops at the Wheat Museum in Moorreesburg, wine tasting

12/04/2021

OUDEKRAAL:

:
- Snorkeling
- Braaiing
- Picnicking
- Swimming
- Sunset watching
- Shooting/Filming

Oudekraal (Old Kraal -enclosure for cattle-) cove is nestled between Llandudno and Bakoven, opposite the 12 Apostles Hotel & is part of the Table Mountain National P.
It' s a little fantastic beach surrounded by magnificent boulders, braaiing spots, walking paths, a lovely picnic area, fynbos, & with unique views of Clifton, Lion's Head, Camps Bay, Table Mountain & 12 apostles.

Historically & spiritually, Oudekraal is of a great significance esp. for the Muslim community. During 18th Century, it was a refuge for slaves -among them Muslim spiritual leaders captured & brought to the Cape following uprisings against slavery in the VOC- escaping from the colonial authorities & their masters.

10/04/2021

Howick Falls.
Interesting facts:
- Known as KwaNogqaza, the 'place of the tall one'
- The waterfall is a 95m cascade into a broiling, restless pool.
- Regarded (by the local Zulus) as a place of the spirits of ancestors.
- Local legend believes that in the pooll lives a giant snake-like creature.
- Recently linked with Nelson Mandela's arrest in 1962 (Nelson Mandela Capture Site is nearby).

For more info, please visit

www.goldeneagletours.co.za.

08/04/2021

A sensational tour to the Overberg.
Take a cruise to Dyer Island in Gansbaai & have the opportunity to see the Marine Big 5: whales, dolphins, penguins, seals and great white sharks. Make a detour to the town of Hermanus & culminate your tour to Cape Agulhas, the meeting point of the Atlantic & Indian oceans, also the southernmost point of the African continent. Botrivier wine route, gorgeous mountains, farmlands of Caledon, Napier, Bredasdorp, etc, the experience is limitless.

29/03/2021

Inverdoorn
50% OFF EASTER LONG WEEKEND STAYS!
A BOUTIQUE SAFARI EXPERIENCE - 2.5 HOURS FROM CAPE TOWN

Need a last-minute April Easter long weekend plan? We suggest Inverdoorn Private Game Reserve:
Situated just 2.5 hours outside of Cape Town
in the Ceres Karoo.
Enjoy welcome drinks, personalised big 5 game drives, cheetah conservation tours
and delicious breakfast, lunch and dinner😀