5 Night Garden Route

Garden Route
MultiDay Tours
5 days
on request

For ‘first timers’ to South Africa, I recommend a 5 night Garden Route tour, mere 400km away from Cape Town and one of the most beautiful places in South Africa.

Most people presume it’s called the Garden Route because of its many beautiful gardens. But in fact it’s called Garden Route because it reminds of the Garden of Eden.

It’s a small area but of such beauty and diversity: Wilderness on the Indian Ocean with long unspoiled beaches, Knysna – the heart of the Garden Route surrounded by forest and a lagoon where oysters are cultivated. Oudtshoorn in the ‘Klein Karoo’, a half desert with plenty of ostrich farms, the beautiful and upmarket Plettenberg Bay with stunning views and lastly Tsitsikamma, a tropical forest bordering the Indian Ocean.

You can travel the route with your private tour guide and enjoy the scenery while your guide explains about the country and its people, or you can travel the route by rental car.

It is very safe and the roads well signposted.

Here is a suggested itinerary:

Itinerary

DAY 1 / OUDTSHOORN: Your guide picks you up at the hotel at about 8am. You travel along the Klein Karoo and the Langeberg Range to Oudtshoorn. Here you visit an ostrich farm and enjoy a typical BBQ lunch with delicious ostrich steak. Thereafter you learn everything about the ostriches during an interesting tour.

Overnight in 4 star guesthouse incl breakfast
DAY 2 / KNYSNA: After breakfast, check out and visit of the spectacular Cango Caves with its magnificent crystal constillations.

Thereafter drive over the Outeniqua Pass and along the coastal road in Wilderness to Knsyna. On arrival at the harbour, you take a ferry over the Knysna lagoon to Featherbed Island, a remote Nature Reserve. You enjoy a scrumptious lunch buffet with an abundance of seefood and salads.

A tractor takes you up to the highest point with magnificent views over the lagoon, while a guide explains about Fauna and Flora. From here you can either walk back down and take pictures along the way or hop back onto the tractor.

After being dropped by the Ferry, your guide takes you to the Knysna Waterfront for some time at leisure. Here you find lovely shops with handcrafted art or just enjoy the view over the lagoon with a cup of coffee in one of the cafes.

Overnight in 4 star guesthouse incl breakfast + buffet lunch
DAY 3 / PLETTENBERG & TSITSKAMMA: After breakfast your guide takes you to Tsitsikamma Nature Reserve for a leisurely walk through indigenous forest along the Stormsriver mouth. With a bit of luck, you may see the shy Knysna Loerie and some Dolphins swimming along the coast. Afterwards is time for a visit of Monkeyland (incl) and an Elephant sanctuary for a tour and a hand in trunk experience.

Time for a walk on the beach before heading back to the hotel.

Overnight in 4 star guesthouse incl breakfast
DAY 4 / KNYSNA & SURROUNDINGS: There is just so much to do and to see in this lovely area.

You guide will discuss the different options with you. How about a long walk on the beach and a swim at the beautiful and remote Nature’s Valley...

Overnight in 4 Star Guesthouse incl breakfast
DAY 5 / SWELLENDAM OR HERMANUS: After breakfast check out and drive along the N2 to Swellendam. On route, visit of the Bontebok National park for a leisurely nature drive. After check in at the guesthouse, our guides takes you for a walk in the Marloth Nature Reserve. These trails lead into the cool green depths of the indigenous forest remnants where rock pools, waterfalls and ancient trees wait to be explored. The walks are generally short (between 2km and 5km) and reasonably easy. Look out for bushbuck and baboons.

Overnight in 4 Star Guesthouse incl breakfast

Alternative Hermanus ( from July to November)

Famous for their majestic nature and gargantuan size, the Southern Right Whale has always been a fascination for many. Their playful nature and rarity have made them a famous addition to the Cape Whale Coast between July and November every year.

Southern Rights are so named because they were seen as the "right whales” to hunt in the past due to their slow movements and inability to dive for long periods of time.

They can be spotted off the coastline and sometimes, when lucky, they swim very close to the shores.

Overnight in 4 Star Guesthouse incl breakfast
DAY 6: After breakfast check out and drop off at Cape Town Airport or back at your hotel in Cape Town

Included

private registered tour guide
luxury air-conditioned vehicle
5 nights at 4 star guesthouses incl breakfast
BBQ lunch + tour on day 1
entrance fee to Cango Caves, tractor ride + lunch at Featherbed Nature Reserve on day 2
entrance fee to Tstitsikamma Nature Reserve + Monkeyland on day 3
entrance fee to Bontebok Nature Reserve + Marloth Nature Reserve
pick up from hotel / drop off at hotel or airport
1 bottle of water daily