11 Days Best of the Garden Route Adventure
11 Days Best of the Garden Route Adventure
This 11 Days Best of the Garden Route Adventure offers you an opportunity to experience the greatest adventures of the Garden Route. With experienced local experts, begin your adventure in the vibrant Cape Town, ascend Table Mountain by cable car, before touring the Winelands, exploring the Cango Caves and search for ocean giants on a wildlife – watching boat trip.
Your adventure ends in the African bush of Kariega Private Game Reserve where you will spot iconic safari animals.
Highlights of 11 Days Best of the Garden Route Adventure
Day 1: Adventure starts in Cape Town
Day 2: Explore the highlights of Cape Town • Cable car up Table Mountain • Free afternoon
Day 3: Explore the wonders of the Cape Peninsula
Day 4: Cape Malay cooking masterclass • To the Winelands
Day 5: Enjoy wine tastings and estate tours in the Winelands
Day 6: Head underground in the Cango Caves
Day 7: To Plettenberg Bay via Tsitsikamma National Park
Day 8: Search for whales and dolphins on a marine safari
Day 9: To Kariega Private Game Reserve • Spot safari icons on an evening game drive
Day 10: Morning and afternoon game drives
Day 11: Adventure ends at Kariega Private Game Reserve
Detailed Itinerary of 11 Days Best of the Garden Route Adventure
Day 1: Adventure starts in Cape Town
Your adventure starts in Cape Town, a vibrant, beautiful and culturally rich town and a gateway to the Garden Route. You will be picked up by our Tour Leader from the airport upon arrival, he will brief about what to expect on the safari and transfer you to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation: The Winchester Boutique Hotel or similar
Meals Included: Dinner
Day 2: Explore the highlights of Cape Town “Cable car up Table Mountain” – Free afternoon
Today you will experience the best Cape Town. Start your day with a driving tour around the city visiting plenty of landmarks, including the Castle of Good Hope, Grand Parade and St George’s Cathedral.
Then we head to Table Mountain, where we ascend to the top by cable car, weather permitting, for glorious views over Cape Town, Robben Island and the Twelve Apostles. The afternoon is free for you to explore further, including an optional excursion to Robben Island, which you can book before the trip begins.
Accommodation: The Winchester Boutique Hotel or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 3: Explore the wonders of the Cape Peninsula
Today we discover the highlights of the Cape Peninsula, jumping into the vehicle to enjoy the Chapmans Peak drive, among the most spectacular coastal routes in the world, on our way to the Cape of Good Hope, where we take the funicular to the Cape Point lighthouse.
Next, we visit the protected African Penguin rookery at Boulders Beach, before lunch at Seaforth Restaurant in Simon’s Town, where we can enjoy seafood while gazing over the waters of False Bay.
Afterwards, we head to Kristenbosch National Botanical Garden on the slopes of Table Mountain. Here we wander the trails, seeing some of the 7,000 – plus southern African plant species that form a gorgeous natural display.
Accommodation: The Winchester Boutique Hotel or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 4: Cape Malay cooking masterclass • To the Winelands
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast, then head to the Bo-Kaap district of Cape Town where we will dive into traditional Cape Malaya Cuisine, known for its fruity, mild and full-bodied flavors. Bo-Kaap District is a beautiful area characterized by steep cobblestone streets and brightly painted houses.
Here we learn the history of the Cape Malaya people, stroll to a home and the secrets of Cape Malay cooking for our host, attempting to fold samosas, while sampling delicious dishes. After, we head to our hotel in the renowned wine region for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation: Le Franschhoek Hotel and Spa (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Enjoy wine tastings and estate tours in the Winelands
After a leisurely breakfast, we head out for a full day of exploring the Winelands. Our first stop is Stellenbosch, where we will have an orientation tour, before duking into a wine estate for an expertly guided tasting.
After, we head to Franschhoek, the gourmet capital of South Africa to enjoy another tour, before a food and wine pairing at MIKO Restaurant with views of the Franschhoek Valley and vineyards.
Finally we visit another wine estate, exploring the cellars and enjoying another tasting experience.
Accommodation: Le Franschhoek Hotel and Spa (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6: Head underground in the Cango Caves
Bid farewell to the beautiful Winelands and embark on a five hours journey to one of South Africa’s greatest natural treasures – the Cango Caves. These beautiful caves were formed over 20 million years ago, this extensive complex of caverns is home to magnificent stalactites and stalagmites
Arrive at our hotel in Oudtshoorn, a town at the foot of the Swartberg Mountains.
Accommodation: Surval Boutique Olive Estate (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 7: To Plettenberg Bay via Tsitsikamma National Park
Our journey today takes us to Bloukrans Bridge – home to the highest commercially operated bungee jump in the world) and Tsitsikamma National Park, where we visit Storms River Mouth (weather permiting), the end point of the Garden Route.
Continue to Plettenberg Bay, but not before stopping in Knysna, where we can stop for lunch at a lagoon-side restaurant, and you can enjoy an optional oyster tasting.
Accommodation: Hog Hollow Country Lodge (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 8: Search for whales and dolphins on a marine safari
Have a leisure morning, hop onto a boat tour for a sea safari for the best chance of spotting mighty ocean animals, the skipper determines the best route. Depending on the time of year, the skipper determines the best route. Depending on the time of year, we may visit Humpback Highway, where migrating humpback whales travel on their way to breeding or feeding grounds.
With the help of the experienced skipper, we may also spot southern right whales, bottlenose dolphins and Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins.
Accommodation: Hog Hollow Country Lodge (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 9: To Kariega Private Game Reserve • Spot safari icons on an evening game drive
After a leisurely breakfast, check out of your lodge and embark on a 4 hours journey to Karienga Private Game Reserve. On arrival you will check in at your lodge for lunch and an afternoon of rest.
In the evening, we head into the private reserve for a game drive in open safari vehicles. Joined by an experienced ranger, we explore the African bush, with the chance to spot lions, elephants and more. End the day with a sundowner in the bush.
Accommodation: Kariega Main Lodge (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 10: Morning and afternoon game drives
Wake up early for tea and leave for an early morning game drive or river cruise with the chance to spot more safari animals. After returning to the later for late breakfast, you can either enjoy a bush walk, spa treatment (at additional cost), have a swim or relax after your early start.
After lunch, we depart for an evening game drive and sundowners, chance to see animals you may have missed on yesterday and morning game drives. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation: Kariega Main Lodge (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 11: Adventure ends at Kariega Private Game Reserve
Your adventure ends at Kariega Private Game Reserve, wake up for a morning game drive exploring the African bush then embark on a journey to Port Elizabeth where your journey ends.
Meals Included: Breakfast
End of 11 Days Best of the Garden Route Adventure
What’s Included?
- All breakfasts, five lunches and six dinners
- All accommodation
- All transport and listed activities
- Tour leader throughout
- Arrival transfer for any flight, group departure transfer available
What’s Not Included?
- Travel insurance
- Single accommodation (available on request)
- Visas or vaccinations
