| Cape Town Chic (Self-Drive)

Depart Chennai after midnight and arrive into Dubai in the morning. Take a quick connecting flight from Dubai direct into Cape Town, arriving in the late afternoon. Pick up your BMW or Audi at the airport and drive to your apartment or boutique guest house for the week.

In the evening, visit the chic Victoria & Alfred Waterfront to take in the superb marina atmosphere of the city. Have an early dinner at a restaurant or back at your apartment.

A day for perspectives and do get the sightseeing out of the way. In the morning, go up Table Mountain when the crowds are less and the air is clear and crisp. Take the cable car to the summit of South Africa’s most recognized icon for the most spectacular views of Cape Town.

In the afternoon, visit Robben Island. Declared a Cultural World Heritage Site, Robben Island is where former president Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for more than two decades. Catch the hourly ferry from the V&A Waterfront. On your return, get in some shopping at the V&A Waterfront, with loads of restaurants, bars and shops housed in restored warehouses.

Enjoy a visit to Hout Bay, a colourful and entertaining fishing harbour, a picturesque village filled with arts and crafts. Hop on board a cruise to Seal Island to view the several thousand resident cape fur seals that lollop among the kelp forests. Continue to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve for the highlight of your drive. The scenery en route to Cape Point, at the South Western tip of the reserve, is particularly lovely in spring when wildflowers carpet the landscape. If you have the time, visit the penguin colony at Boulder’s Beach that is home to a thriving colony of some 700-jackass penguins. Your last stop is at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, regarded as one of the top 7 botanical gardens in the world.

Relax and enjoy Cape Town. Catch up on shopping, go on a walking tour. Or just chill-out. If you are an adrenaline junkie, Cape Town offers some exhilarating challenges from abseiling down Table Mountain, paragliding off Lion's Head down to Camps Bay, and even cage diving with great white sharks.

If you are looking for something more relaxing to do, then book yourself into the spa at the One & Only Cape Town, and experience first hand what the fuss is all about! In the evening, head out Wakame in Mouille Point for a couple of sun-downers. Its lounge-terrace overlooking the sea is Cape Town's coolest hang-out.

In the morning, drive out to Franschoek, which has to be in our opinion, the prettiest town in the Cape Winelands. Tucked away into a deep valley surrounded by the mountains, this former 17th century settlement of French refugees is refreshingly compact, with its shops and restaurants located all along the main street. Thanks to the French influence, some of the country’s best vineyards are also in and around the town.

Spend the day visiting some of the award-winning vineyards, tasting wine and cheeses. Many of the vineyards have excellent restaurants, and Franschoek can claim to be the gourmet capital of South Africa. In the evening, treat yourself to a special romantic dinner at a fine dining restaurant or reserve a table at one of the most romantic hotels in South Africa – the La Residence.

Today go on one of the Cape Peninsula’s most scenic road trips. Drive down the winding road to the beautiful beach suburb of Camps Bay and continue onto the spectacular Chapman's Peak Drive. This road between Hout Bay and Noordhoek is one of the most stunning coastal drives anywhere in the world.

Continue round to Kalk Bay (Cape Town's "Notting Hill"), the trendy Bohemian fisherman's village with lots of cool bars, restaurants, cafes (Olympia) and antique shops. Have lunch at Kalk Bay and return to Cape Town in the evening.

Spend today catching up on all the shopping you have been meaning to do all week.
In the evening, drive to the hip celebrity residential areas of Camps Bay or Clifton and chill-out at one of many lounge bars, finishing off with a meal at one of the many seaside restaurants. Or maybe book a table at Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant at the One & Only Cape Town.

Drive to Cape Town Airport and drop-off your rental car. Fly home to India via Dubai.