12 days tour

Cape Town & The Garden Route

Cape Town & The Garden Route

This tour includes:

Transport

We use a minibus for this trip. Each is fitted with forward-facing seats and tows a luggage trailer. They have large windows for good views while touring.

Guide

Tour leader throughout

Meals

All breakfasts and two dinners are included. Food on this trip is very similar to the kind of food you are used to at home, though there may be the opportunity to try local meats such as ostrich, kudu or eland. Vegetarians and vegans can be well catered for on this trip โ€“ please inform us before departure of any special dietary requests so our local team can be well prepared. The provided water is safe, clean drinking water, normally from boreholes. It is not bottled water, however. If you would rather have bottled water then this will be at your expense, though we would encourage you to make use of the safe drinking water provided as this helps diminish plastic consumption.

Accommodation

We spend 11 nights in a range of hotels and guesthouses, each well located for our activities and to keep the drives between destinations relatively short. The normal accommodations used on this trip are on the day-to-day itinerary; however, below are a couple of the notable places we stay. De Rust: Housemartin Guest Lodge (nights 5-6) In the small Karoo town of De Rust is the quaint Housemartin Guest Lodge. Owners Theresa and Jan personally welcome every Exodus group that comes to their home and they take great pride in making guests as comfortable as possible. The property has 12 rooms, each with a private veranda leading into the garden. There is also a swimming pool plus beautiful indoor and outdoor dining areas. The meals at the guest lodge are a particular highlight with seasonal ingredients sourced from local farms to create classic South African dishes. Hermanus: Windsor Hotel (nights 7-8) The 120-year-old Windsor Hotel in Hermanus sits opposite Walker Bay, one of the best whale-watching destinations in the world when southern right whales migrate to the bay to breed (July to November). Whale-watching is even possible from the comfort of the hotel restaurant. However, the location of the property is also ideal out of season with a central setting within town and quick access to the 7.5mi (12km) Hermanus Cliff Path.

Not included:

Others

โ€” Travel Insurance โ€” Single accommodation (available on request) โ€” Visas or vaccinations

Insurance

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Itinerary of your trip Cape Town & The Garden Route

  • Day 1 Day 1: Start Port Elizabeth; Transfer To Sundays River Valley
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 1: Start Port Elizabeth; Transfer To Sundays River Valley

      Welcome to South Africa! Our tour begins in Port Elizabeth, colloquially known as PE, but officially Gqeberha, a Xhosa name for the river that runs through the city. We have a welcome briefing in the evening to discuss the adventures to come. If you have time before, however, you may want to spend the day exploring. Options include several beaches within walking distance, including Humewood Beach, plus city and township tours (payable locally). Accommodation: La Mer Guesthouse (or similar)

  • Day 2 Day 2: Game Drives In Addo Elephant National Park (Breakfast)
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 2: Game Drives In Addo Elephant National Park (Breakfast)

      This morning, we head to Addo Elephant National Park, home to some 550 elephants (up from just 16 when the park was formed) plus black rhinos, leopards, lions, buffalos, hyenas, zebras, various antelopes and dung beetles. We enjoy a 45-minute game drive in our own vehicle, hoping to spot iconic African wildlife, and have the option of a second (at extra cost). Accommodation: La Mer Guesthouse (or similar)

  • Day 3 Day 3: Drive To Storms River; Explore Tsitsikamma (Breakfast)
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 3: Drive To Storms River; Explore Tsitsikamma (Breakfast)

      Today, we head west to the official start of the Garden Route at Storms River in Tsitsikamma National Park. Stretching along the coast, the park, which comprises rocky coastlines, fairytale forests, waterfalls and rivers, gets its name from a local Khoekhoe language meaning โ€˜place of abundant waterโ€™. We can take a 1.2mi (2km) hike in the forest and along suspension bridges, which should take around an hour โ€“ other optional walks are also available. The area is a great place for bird enthusiasts with a variety of sea, forest and fynbos (scrubland) species present. Other resident animals include vervet monkeys, chacma baboons and clawless otters. Accommodation: Storms River Mouth Rest Camp chalets (or similar)

  • Day 4 Day 4: Free Day To Relax, Walk Or Explore The Region (Breakfast)
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 4: Free Day To Relax, Walk Or Explore The Region (Breakfast)

      We spend the day at Tsitsikamma, where several adventures await. Options include kayaking on the Storms River, zip-lining through the forest or swimming in the ocean. There are also several self-guided walks available, the easiest of which is the suspension walk. The most challenging is the Otter Trail, a well-marked four-hour trek with some small ladders and boulder hopping. This is the only walk that has rocky shoreline sections to it, plus it goes through the forest and passes the Strandloper Cave and ends at a waterfall dropping into the ocean โ€“ this trek is only recommended for fit walkers with a good sense of balance. Accommodation: Storms River Mouth Rest Camp chalets (or similar)

  • Day 5 Day 5: Morning Visit Knysna Heads; Afternoon To Oudtshoorn (Breakfast,Dinner)
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 5: Morning Visit Knysna Heads; Afternoon To Oudtshoorn (Breakfast,Dinner)

      We start our day with a visit to Knysna Heads, two tall sandstone cliffs that form a channel through which the turbulent Indian Ocean enters the calmer Knysna Lagoon. We have a bit more time to relax in town before leaving for Oudtshoorn after lunch. As we head inland and over a pass, the landscape changes drastically and we enter the Little Karoo, a much dryer, hotter region. Oudtshoorn itself became renowned for its trade in ostrich feathers and is still the ostrich capital of the world. Our guesthouse is out of town in De Rust, a tranquil, rural Karoo village. Accommodation: Housemartin Guest Lodge (or similar)

  • Day 6 Day 6: Visit Cango Caves And Meiringspoort Waterfall (Breakfast,Dinner)
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 6: Visit Cango Caves And Meiringspoort Waterfall (Breakfast,Dinner)

      We spend today discovering Oudtshoorn and the surrounding highlights. We start by visiting the Cango Caves, an extensive complex of caverns with stalactites and stalagmites. A local guide takes us on an hourโ€™s journey through the limestone caves, which are millions of years old. We then enjoy lunch at Buffelsdrift, where we overlook a waterhole occasionally visited by elephants, giraffes and springboks. In the afternoon, we visit the beautiful Meiringspoort Waterfall and enjoy a 1,640ft (500m) walk along a well-maintained path, which takes about 30 minutes each way. The order in which we do these activities may be reversed. Accommodation: Housemartin Guest Lodge (or similar)

  • Day 7 Day 7: To Hermanus Via Mossel Bay (Breakfast)
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 7: To Hermanus Via Mossel Bay (Breakfast)

      Returning towards the coast, we stop at Mossel Bay and the Dias Museum Complex, which reveals the influence of early Portuguese sailors on South Africa. Itโ€™s also home to the Post Office Tree (a 500-year-old milkwood, where seafarers once left letters to be taken home by Portuguese sailors). We then continue to Hermanus, the whale capital of the world. Itโ€™s been a long travelling day, so we stretch our legs with a walk along the cliff path. Accommodation: Windsor Hotel (or similar)

  • Day 8 Day 8: Free Day; Whale Watching In Season (Breakfast)
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 8: Free Day; Whale Watching In Season (Breakfast)

      Today is a free day to relax and enjoy Hermanus. From June to November, southern right whales are easily spotted from shore as they frolic in Walker Bay. A whale crier sounds his kelp horn when he spots whales off the coast. Those who want can also do a boat-based whale-watching trip. There are also several other activities available from hikes to river cruises and lagoon kayaking, which are available year-round. You could also visit the Whale Museum to learn about the most famous visitors to these shores, or walk the 7mi (11km) cliff path, where you could see indigenous plants, tortoises and mongoose. Accommodation: Windsor Hotel (or similar)

  • Day 9 Day 9: To Stellenbosch; Afternoon Wine Tour And On To Cape Town (Breakfast)
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 9: To Stellenbosch; Afternoon Wine Tour And On To Cape Town (Breakfast)

      Our next destination is the much-celebrated wine region of South Africa. The industry here, which dates to the 17th century and was heavily influenced by French Huguenots, produces some of the best wines in the world. We have free time to explore the oak-lined streets of Stellenbosch on foot and eat at one of the many restaurants in town. In the afternoon, we enjoy a cellar tour with a sommelier at one of the nearby vineyards. Of course, we also taste a selection of their wines before continuing our journey to Cape Town, the Mother City. Accommodation: City Lodge Hotel Victoria & Alfred Waterfront (or similar)

  • Day 10 Day 10-11: Two Days Exploring Cape Town, Table Mountain, The Cape Peninsula And Simonโ€™S Town Penguins (Breakfast)
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 10-11: Two Days Exploring Cape Town, Table Mountain, The Cape Peninsula And Simonโ€™S Town Penguins (Breakfast)

      We spend the next two days in and around Cape Town, the most exciting city in South Africa. Our activities in Cape Town will, to some extent, be dictated by the weather as visits to the top of Table Mountain, which has its own micro-climate, are determined by cloud cover and wind. Because of this often-temperamental weather, it is best not to prebook the cable car but to buy tickets on the spot (not included). Those staying in Cape Town post-tour may opt to visit Table Mountain later if the weather looks as though it may improve. There is also the option of visiting Robben Island on one of the days; however, we recommend you prebook Robben Island with us before the trip (but pay the tour leader locally). On one of the days, we head down the Cape Peninsula. We follow the Atlantic Seaboard past the areas of Camps Bay, Llandudno and Hout Bay to the Cape Point via Chapmanโ€™s Peak drive, if it is open. The highlight is our visit to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, home to elands, bonteboks, springboks, wildebeest, baboons and ostriches. Rugged cliffs, unspoiled beaches, shipwrecks and beautiful flora are the main features of the reserve. We walk through the reserve for approximately two hours. We first head to the new lighthouse for the panoramic views, before following the pathway to the old lighthouse, which offers spectacular cliff views. Once we leave the park, we stop at the former Royal Navy base at Simonโ€™s Town and visit the resident penguin colony at Boulders Beach. Accommodation: City Lodge Hotel Victoria & Alfred Waterfront (or similar)

  • Day 11 Day 12: End Cape Town (Breakfast)
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 12: End Cape Town (Breakfast)

      On our final day, we have the option of doing a township tour, strolling along the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront or exploring various other parts of Cape Town.

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Experience Style

Experience Style

Mixed

There will be challenging activities such as hiking, biking, canyoning and trekking, but youโ€™re also going to have other means of transportation and relaxed moments to just chill.

Accomodation level

Accomodation level

Medium

This accommodation includes essential services like a hot shower, electricity, and a nice and comfy bed.

Experience Type

Experience Type

Small Group

Youโ€™ll be accompanied by a small group of travelers just like you.

Physical Rating

Physical Rating

Basic

Almost everyone is fit for these activities. Every hike or physical exercise last less than 30 minutes, such as paragliding and horseback riding. Please ask about specific conditions.

Age range

Age range

Min: 16 / Max: 99

Age range allowed for this experience.

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