7 Day Garden Route Cape Town Tour

Embark on a 7-day journey along South Africa’s world-famous Garden Route, beginning in Port Elizabeth and ending in Cape Town. This scenic tour takes you through coastal towns and picturesque landscapes, with stops at Storms River Mouth, Plettenberg Bay, and Knysna. Explore wildlife at Birds of Eden, enjoy whale watching, and stroll the Knysna Waterfront. Visit the Cango Caves, discover renowned wineries along the R62, and take in stunning views along Chapman’s Peak Drive. Experience the Cape Peninsula, Boulders Beach, and end with the iconic Table Mountain and Stellenbosch Wine Farms. A must for nature lovers and explorers!

HIGHLIGHTS

Interact with the Gentle Giants of Africa at The Elephant Sanctuary.
Visit the world’s first free-roaming multi-specie primate and bird sanctuary.
Whale Watching Tour for Southern Right Whales, Dolphins and Seals.
Walk a section of the famed Otter Trail.
Cango Caves + Safari Ostrich Farm
Cape Winelands
Table Mountain

All Tours are carried out by a knowledgeable FGASA & Basic First Aid qualified guide registered with the Department of Tourism and South African National Parks.

Itinerary

Day 1: Port Elizabeth - Plettenberg Bay

Hotel Pick up: 08:30am City Orientation of Port Elizabeth travel along passing the surfing capital Jeffrey’s Bay. We travel along the world-famous ‘Garden Route’ toward Plettenberg Bay. This route is parallel to the ocean and features lakes, mountains, beaches, and steep cliffs. This part of the garden route reminds one of the Oregon Coast (USA) with its sand dunes and great surf beaches. We’ll make our way to the Big Tree the biggest yellow tree and national tree of South Africa and a lunch stop at Storm’s River Mouth in the Tsitsikamma National Park, located on the shores of the Indian Ocean. You will have time to walk a short section of the famed Otter Trail, widely regarded as one of the finest in the world, stretching 41 km (25 mi – 5 days) from Storms River Mouth to Nature’s Valley. We continue on the N2 Garden Route to Plettenberg Bay crossing the Highest Commercial Bridge the Bloukrans Bridge (Photo Opportunity). Travelling towards The Elephant Sanctuary where you will have the opportunity to interact with the Gentle Giants of Africa, Overnight in Plettenberg Bay

Day 2: Plettenberg Bay (B)

After Breakfast, we travel to Birds of Eden the biggest bird Avery in the world for a guided tour. The next excursion is a Whale Watching encounter with our marine mammals the likes of Southern Right Whales, Dolphins and Seals. Lunch and Leisure time at the beach or the quint city centre of Plettenberg Bay.

Day 3: Plettenberg Bay to Oudtshoorn (B)

After Breakfast We continue to Knysna, a charming coastal town with tremendous water and mountain views and a laid-back lifestyle.

The town was founded in 1817 by George Rex, reputed to be an illegitimate son of King George III. Known for its picturesque lagoon, the town was first established as a timber port. Today, Knysna is proud of its riviera atmosphere with many sidewalk cafes and shops. Enjoy a coffee stop at the Knysna Waterfront. After our coffee stop, we travel towards the seaside towns of Sedgefield and Wilderness with its spectacular beaches and views. Making our way through the town of George named after King George III moving inland and over the Outeniqua Mountains to the Little Karoo (Klein Karoo), a semi-arid yet fertile valley or depression surrounded by formidable mountain ranges. This is the ostrich capital of South Africa with thousands of these unusual birds dotting fields throughout the area. At the turn of the century, ostrich feathers were in such demand that the fashion-conscious paid a premium and feathered the nests of the barons who built magnificent mansions known as “Feather Palaces.” This fine architecture can still be seen around the sedate and pleasant town of Oudtshoorn (pronounced ‘Oats-horn’), our final destination. We will have lunch at one of the region’s main ostrich show farms, followed by a tour thereof before continuing to Oudtshoorn and Safari Ostrige Farm where we finish our day.

Day 4: Oudtshoorn to Cape Town (B)

After Breakfast, we travel to the Cango Caves via Route 62 the longest wine route in the world passing quaint little towns, lunch stop at Barrydale, and after lunch leisurely travel towards Montagu, Robertson to Cape Town. Drop off Cape Town Based Hotel.

Day 5: Cape Town : The Cape Penusula (B)

Today we have the quintessential full-day tour of the Cape Town area: The Cape Peninsula. Our tour takes us south along the Atlantic Seaboard where we have spectacular views of some of Cape Town’s most affluent neighbourhoods and spectacular mountain and coastal scenery. We have a brief photo stop just before Camp’s Bay, a pretty surfside suburban community featuring the classic view of the town with the ‘Twelve Apostles peaks as a backdrop. We continue south along a seaside-hugging route, through the town of Hout Bay and the famous Chapman’s Peak Drive, one of the most spectacular marine drives anywhere in the world. The 9km route, with its 114 curves, skirts the rocky coastline of Chapman’s Peak, the 593m high southerly extension of Constantia Berg. Our next stop is the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and Cape Point. The reserve is a wildflower, bird, and animal paradise on 77 sq km (30 sq miles) of the Cape Peninsula. The reserve is also home to eland, springbok, bontebok, baboon, and zebra. Within the reserve are Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope, the most southwesterly point on the African continent. After a break for lunch and free time at Cape Point, we head north again, stopping briefly at the Cape of Good Hope, before continuing back up the Indian Ocean side of the peninsula, passing through Boulders Beach where we visit the African Penguin Colony, and Simonstown founded by the Dutch in 1741 as a naval depot and named for Simon van der Stel, governor of Cape Colony from 1679 to 1697. Today Simonstown is famous for its distinctly English architecture and atmosphere, and the southernmost train station on the continent. We complete our loop around the peninsula, past the well-watered eastern slopes of Table Mountain, Constantia, Bishops Court and the campuses of the University of Cape Town. En route to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.

Day 6: Cape Town: The Cape Winelands & Table Mountain (B)

This morning we travel the short distance to Stellenbosch, South Africa’s second oldest colonial settlement. After a little spin around the town, we’ll park in the centre of town and allow some time for some independent, on-foot exploration. You will notice some of the finest examples of traditional Cape Dutch architecture along the town’s famous oak-lined streets. We continue to one of the area’s many wineries for a cellar tour and tasting. The Cape Vineyards originated at Constantia by Jan van Riebeeck in 1685 and were advanced in 1688 by Hugenot refugees who brought their vine seedlings and skills with them from France. The Cape’s different soils and climatic variations allow a wide variety of wines to be pressed. Along our route today we will see several wine estates with their delightful Cape Dutch houses, thatched roofs and decorative gables. Heading towards Franshoek for wine tasting. At some point during our time in Cape Town (weather dependent and may move elsewhere in our program), we will take a gondola trip to the top of Table Mountain, a sandstone plateau rising up above the city. The top is approximately 3km wide and at its highest point, Maclear’s Beacon rises to 1085m / 3,580 ft. Over the centuries it has become one of South Africa’s most famous landmarks. The steep cliffs and rocky outcrops of the mountain play home to a number of animals and approximately 1,470 species of plants – more than the entire British Isles! (The itinerary may be amended due to Weather Conditions and unforeseen circumstances)

Day 7: Cape Town International Airport (B)

Breakfast depart to Cape Town International Airport.

Rates Include:

Accommodation is available as per the itinerary subject to availability at the time of booking. We reserve the right to book alternative accommodation at a similar or higher standard.
Meals as per itinerary (B=breakfast)
Transport & tour in a luxury air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking driver & guide as per the itinerary
Entrance fees and sightseeing are per itinerary, except where stipulated as for own account.

Rates Exclude:

All flights and relevant taxes
All meals not specified
All drinks
Porterage at airports and hotels
Unless specifically quoted for above, items of a personal nature (i.e. internet, curio, laundry, beverages, etc.).
Tips and gratuities
Excess baggage fees and airport departure taxes
Visa and passport fees
Anything not specifically quoted in the above.