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Day Tour 7 - Mossel Bay - Ancient but not forgotten Guided Tour Mossel Bay
Ancient but not forgotten
Guided Tour
Mossel Bay, POINT OF HUMAN ORIGINS , DIAS MUSEUM

Mossel Bay Ancient But Not Forgotten Guided Tour

MOSSEL BAY | POINT OF HUMAN ORIGINS | DIAS MUSEUM

5 Departure Points

5 Departure Points

Depart from any of the following locations:
George, Knysna, Mossel Bay, Oudtshoorn

All Entrance Fees Included.

All Entrance Fees Included.

Our prices always include all entrance fees to any excursion within the tour itinerary.

Chauffeur Driven

Chauffeur Driven

In 5 star luxury vehicles. View our fleet page for more info on our vehicle assets.

your destination

Mossel Bay

This Garden Route town is a hot holiday spot and one of the ports of South Africa. It is set on the sun-washed slopes of Cape St Blaize, overlooking the expansive bay, and against the blue-black backdrop of the Outeniqua Mountains. Accommodation in Mossel Bay ranges from upmarket hotels to comfortable B&B’s, holiday apartments and luxury homes with fabulous views.

Mossel Bay lies halfway between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, close to the towns of Swellendam, Outdshoorn, Plettenberg Bay and Knysna on the Garden Route and is synonymous with the Mossgas project, where offshore gas fields are mined for gas that is then converted into petroleum. Despite this obvious industrial leaning, Mossel Bay has a tradition of unhurried hospitality and there is sufficient natural beauty in the town and its surrounds to make a stopover essential. Mossel Bay features in the Guiness Book of Records as having the mildest all-year climate in the world, second only to Hawaii. Add to this the long stretch of beaches, the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, a championship golf course or two and Mossel Bay becomes an ideal retreat for both summer and winter.

VIEW TOUR MAP DEPARTING FROM:

your destination

Mossel Bay

This Garden Route town is a hot holiday spot and one of the ports of South Africa. It is set on the sun-washed slopes of Cape St Blaize, overlooking the expansive bay, and against the blue-black backdrop of the Outeniqua Mountains. Accommodation in Mossel Bay ranges from upmarket hotels to comfortable B&B’s, holiday apartments and luxury homes with fabulous views.

Mossel Bay lies halfway between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, close to the towns of Swellendam, Outdshoorn, Plettenberg Bay and Knysna on the Garden Route and is synonymous with the Mossgas project, where offshore gas fields are mined for gas that is then converted into petroleum. Despite this obvious industrial leaning, Mossel Bay has a tradition of unhurried hospitality and there is sufficient natural beauty in the town and its surrounds to make a stopover essential. Mossel Bay features in the Guiness Book of Records as having the mildest all-year climate in the world, second only to Hawaii. Add to this the long stretch of beaches, the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, a championship golf course or two and Mossel Bay becomes an ideal retreat for both summer and winter.

VIEW TOUR MAP DEPARTING FROM:

DAY TOUR LOCATIONS

AT A GLANCE

TFSA-Location-Mossel-Bay-Human-Origins

POINT OF HUMAN ORIGINS EXPERIENCE

Experience the awe of standing at the Point of Human Origins.

TFSA-Location-Dias-Caravel

BARTOLOMEU DIAS MUSEUM

Bartolomeu Dias was a Portuguese explorer. He sailed around the southernmost tip of Africa in 1488.

TFSA-Location-Mossel-Bay-Point

CAPE ST BLAIZE LIGHTHOUSE

The view from the tower of the lighthouse is spectacular, definitely a must!

First Excursion:

Point Of Human Origins Experience

Experience the awe of standing at the Point of Human Origins. Visit world renowned archaeological site with earliest evidence for modern human behaviour. The tour is a dual journey – one in space and time, and one within. The main goals are to create awareness of the original human design, to awaken the human spirit, and to inspire people to change the way they behave towards all life on our planet.

This tour is usually about 1.5 hours in duration. The only access to Cave 13B is via a series of steep wooden stairways and boardwalks (some 200 stairs in each direction). The climb back up can be taxing unless you’re mildly fit.

TFSA-Excursion-Human-Origins

First Excursion:

Point Of Human Origins Experience

TFSA-Excursion-Human-Origins

Experience the awe of standing at the Point of Human Origins. Visit world renowned archaeological site with earliest evidence for modern human behaviour. The tour is a dual journey – one in space and time, and one within. The main goals are to create awareness of the original human design, to awaken the human spirit, and to inspire people to change the way they behave towards all life on our planet.

This tour is usually about 1.5 hours in duration. The only access to Cave 13B is via a series of steep wooden stairways and boardwalks (some 200 stairs in each direction). The climb back up can be taxing unless you’re mildly fit.

TFSA-Excursion-Dias-Museum

Second Excursion:

Bartolomeu Dias Museum

Of the five National Monuments on the museum grounds, 4 are buildings dating between 1830 and 1902. The museum grounds themselves situated on the shores of the Indian Ocean are a magnificent historical setting. They are situated at the very site where European explorers came ashore and made contact with the indigenous people. Information about the Khoi-Khoi and explorers can be seen in the Maritime museum.

The Bartolomeu Dias museum complex was officially opened on 3 February 1989, however the Mossel Bay museum industry can be traced back to the 1960´s when the Mossel Bay museum was first opened. The museum later became known as the Post Tree museum complex before being renamed again in 1989.

Second Excursion:

Bartolomeu Dias Museum

TFSA-Excursion-Dias-Museum

Of the five National Monuments on the museum grounds, 4 are buildings dating between 1830 and 1902. The museum grounds themselves situated on the shores of the Indian Ocean are a magnificent historical setting. They are situated at the very site where European explorers came ashore and made contact with the indigenous people. Information about the Khoi-Khoi and explorers can be seen in the Maritime museum.

The Bartolomeu Dias museum complex was officially opened on 3 February 1989, however the Mossel Bay museum industry can be traced back to the 1960´s when the Mossel Bay museum was first opened. The museum later became known as the Post Tree museum complex before being renamed again in 1989.

Final Excursion:

Cape St. Blaize Lighthouse

Whilst it might not be as obvious today that Mossel Bay is named for the plethora of mussels that used to bedeck the bay, there is a story about the Dutch navigator, Paulus van Caerden, who arrived in the bay to find nothing other than mussels to add to his ship’s rather depleted provisions in the year 1601.

The presence of mussels adds credence to the description of a lot of the coastline as rugged and dangerous for ships, despite the long, sandy beaches that attract holiday makers for most of the year. The harbour town thus erected a square, white tower lighthouse on the incredible cliffs of St Blaize that stands 20,5 metres high above a cliff face, the foundation stone of which was laid in 1862 by visiting Governor Wodehouse.

It was thus suggested that the lighthouse, completed in 1864, be called the Wodehouse Lighthouse, but this was never adopted. The Cape St Blaize lighthouse was, until recently, one of only two lighthouses along the South African coast that maintained a 24-hour watch. It is also, obviously, one lighthouse that lighthouse keeper’s wives were grateful to receive as their husband’s post, mainly due to its proximity to a town, to schools for their children, and the chance to work themselves.

The view from the tower of the lighthouse is spectacular and one can visit to climb the steps. It is open to the public between 10am and 3pm every day between April and October, with visits by arrangement the rest of the year. One can also stay close to the lighthouse.

Much of the workings of the lighthouse are today fully automated, but there still remains a senior light keeper and a couple of light keepers who help with radio watch and meteorological duties.

TFSA-Excursion-Mossel-Bay-Lighthouse

Final Excursion:

Cape St. Blaize Lighthouse

TFSA-Excursion-Mossel-Bay-Lighthouse

Whilst it might not be as obvious today that Mossel Bay is named for the plethora of mussels that used to bedeck the bay, there is a story about the Dutch navigator, Paulus van Caerden, who arrived in the bay to find nothing other than mussels to add to his ship’s rather depleted provisions in the year 1601.

The presence of mussels adds credence to the description of a lot of the coastline as rugged and dangerous for ships, despite the long, sandy beaches that attract holiday makers for most of the year. The harbour town thus erected a square, white tower lighthouse on the incredible cliffs of St Blaize that stands 20,5 metres high above a cliff face, the foundation stone of which was laid in 1862 by visiting Governor Wodehouse.

It was thus suggested that the lighthouse, completed in 1864, be called the Wodehouse Lighthouse, but this was never adopted. The Cape St Blaize lighthouse was, until recently, one of only two lighthouses along the South African coast that maintained a 24-hour watch. It is also, obviously, one lighthouse that lighthouse keeper’s wives were grateful to receive as their husband’s post, mainly due to its proximity to a town, to schools for their children, and the chance to work themselves.

The view from the tower of the lighthouse is spectacular and one can visit to climb the steps. It is open to the public between 10am and 3pm every day between April and October, with visits by arrangement the rest of the year. One can also stay close to the lighthouse.

Much of the workings of the lighthouse are today fully automated, but there still remains a senior light keeper and a couple of light keepers who help with radio watch and meteorological duties.

Tour Additional Info

  • Rates are subject to availability on confirmation and are valid until 30 September 2022.
  • Rates are subject to change due to activity operator price adjustments and volatile fuel price changes.
  • Advertised vehicles are subject to availability.
  • All toll fees included where applicable.
  • Luggage trailers included upon request.
  • Porterage & Gratuities are not included in any fare.
  • Waters are not included but can be supplied at an additional cost of
    R12 per 330ml unit or R15 per 500ml unit.
  • Driver overnight fee may apply for long distance transfers. This will either be
    for the client’s account or will be charged for separately.
  • A waiting fee will be raised at R 250 per hour/part thereof for deviation
    from agreed departure time. This does not apply to delayed flights.
  • It is by law a requirement that all vehicles with guests on board have a
    name list and detailed itinerary.
  • Full Day tours are strictly from 08:00 to 17:00 or 09:00 to 18:00.
  • Half Day tours are strictly 5 hours – AM or PM.
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Micele Febbraio

Tour Co-ordinator

Our dedicated consultant is ready to answer any questions or book this tour for you.

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