X Great Cape and Garden Route Adventure

Summary

For twenty days, this fantastic tour takes you on a journey through the most awesome destinations of the Cape and Garden Route. After an intimate stay in South Africa’s ‘Mother City’ you travel further in search of whales and sharks, enjoy hikes in the rainforests of Tsitsikamma, and finish off the tour with some genuine safari days in Big-5 territory!

TOUR TYPE	Self-drive or guided
PRICE	From ZAR 22750 per person
FOCUS	Nature and culture
NUMBER OF DESTINATIONS	9
MALARIA RISK	None

Key highlights

Cape Town

Visit the famous Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was kept in prison for 18 years
Ascend Table Mountain
Shop till you drop in the V&A Waterfront
Go on the Cape Point Tour and see Cape of Good Hope, penguins and more!

Garden Route

Visit Hermanus, world’s best place to spot whales from land (June-November)
Walk among antelopes and zebras at The Hope Nature Reserve
Visit the Cango Caves stalactites
Enjoy an amazing stay at Buffelsdrift Game Lodge and see hippos and elephants from your porch
Go on a game drive in the ‘Klein Karoo Ecosystem’ and spot a meerkat!
Explore the Knysna Lagoon by boat and enjoy some of the many restaurants in Knysna
Swim and snorkel with seals at Robberg Peninsula
Visit the Birds of Eden Park
Hike in Tsitsikamma National Park and visit the ‘Big Tree’
For the adventurous: do the highest bungee jump in the world at Bloukrans or go on a Canopy Tour and zip line between the trees of the rainforest
Enjoy a boat tour on the Sunday River and go sand boarding in the Dune Fields of Alexandria
Finish off with 3 full days of safari looking for the Big-5 in Addo Elephant Park!

Itinerary

Here at Tailor Made Safaris, we will happily adjust the itinerary below should you wish to see any changes. Of course it is possible to add some days or take some out, and don't forget to take a look at our add-ons! Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about this tour.

Day 1: Arrival in Cape Town

Today you will arrive at Cape Town International Airport. After arrival you will collect the rental car at the AVIS office, and then you will drive to your 4-star accommodation in Somerset West. Due to its favourable geographic location it is the ideal place to explore Cape Town and the surrounding area. You have the option to rest by the swimming pool, or to visit Stellenbosch and/or some wine farms this afternoon. Depending on your time of arrival, more activities can be planned for this afternoon.

Day 2: Robben Island

How about visiting Robben Island today, the famous island where Nelson Mandela spent years in prison? You will participate in an extensive tour of the island and learn about what happened here during those years. In 1997 they also built an interesting museum on site, which is worth a visit. Moreover, the whole island is declared as a UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Site.

Day 3: Table Mountain and v&A Waterfront

Today you will visit the famous Table Mountain and can choose to walk to the top or catch the cable car up. Once at the top of the mountain, you can walk around for a few hours, while enjoying the magnificent views. Then you will drive to the V & A Waterfront, where you can enjoy the bustle of the harbour and shops, visit the Two Oceans Aquarium or you can just relax on one of the many terraces and/or (fish) restaurants.

Day 4: Cape Point Tour

You will discover the Cape the Good Hope today by means of a beautiful self-driven tour. This tour includes the following destinations: Muizenberg, Simon’s Town, Noordhoek, Hout Bay, Cape Point (with time for a walk in Table Mountain National Park). If you are a wine lover, a visit to Klein Constantia Wine Farms should be considered. Try the absolute world-famous and delicious ‘Vin de Constance’.

Day 5: Drive to Hermanus, Whale watching (JUNE-November)

After visiting the most beautiful parts of Cape Town and the surrounding area you will now depart to Hermanus. Hermanus is known for its excellent whale watching and for good reason. Every year, between July and November, hundreds of whales calf and breed in the bays around Hermanus. These impressive animals frequent this stretch of coastline and swim close to the shore, which makes them easy to see from land. After arrival, a walk along the coast is definitely in order!

Day 6: Whale Watching (JuNE-November) or Sea Kayaking

Want to see even more whales? No problem! This morning you can join a whale watching tour on the ocean. For the more adventurous you could also choose to try sea kayaking instead. During this guided tour it is possible to see these impressive animals as well, albeit from a safe distance of course. Your guide will tell you more about the seabirds, seals, penguins and other animals that you may encounter. This afternoon there are no other activities planned; you are free to do whatever you please.

Day 7: Shark cage diving

This morning you will drive from Hermanus to Gansbaai to see the white sharks up close and personal, by means of a Shark Cage Dive, an experience that you will never forget! You will enter the cage under the guidance of a professional guide. If that is just a little too adventurous for you, you can choose to stay on the boat. From the boat you will have a great view of these impressive animals too! After this activity, you will take a scenic route along the coast from Hermanus, via Cape Agulhas to your next destination: The Hoop Nature Reserve. Cape Agulhas is the southernmost tip of Africa and therefore a worthy stop, and once you have arrived in The Hope Nature Reserve, you can relax in your accommodation or you can explore the surroundings and take a nice walk.

Day 8: Hiking through The Hope Nature Reserve

Time to explore De Hoop Nature Reserve on some of the beautiful walks through magnificent surroundings! This reserve contains the smallest and most threatened plant kingdom in the world, the "Cape Floral Kingdom”, characterised by its high diversity of plant species and its high endemicity. This reserve has many different trails ranging in length, so there will be a suitable hike for everyone. The famous 'Whale Trail' is located here in The Hope Nature Reserve. Although this is actually a four-day hike, you can walk a few shorter sections. For example you could walk along the beach in the morning and you can climb the mountain in the afternoon. Of course it is called the 'Whale Trail' for a reason, The Hope Nature Reserve is, in whale season, a perfect place to spot whales as they swim close by along the shoreline. Other animals that you may encounter while walking through the reserve are different types of antelopes, zebras, hyraxes, stunning birds including ostriches and much more!

Day 9: Buffelsdrift Game Lodge

Today you will travel from The Hope Nature Reserve to Buffelsdrift Game Lodge. This lodge is situated just outside Oudtshoorn in the 'Klein Karoo’, which is a semi-desert. You will be offered lunch on arrival, after which you will have some time to relax in your luxury, fully equipped, safari tent. You can also enjoy a drink on the terrace of the lodge where you overlook the waterhole and hopefully spot some hippos, with the Swartberg Mountains as a magnificent backdrop. In the afternoon you will explore the park on a guided game drive. Look out for rhinos, meerkats, giraffes, zebras and many other species. For a good dinner, you need look no further than the restaurant at the lodge, which has an extensive menu. Be sure to try one of the many wines from the wine list; the restaurant won the award for "Top Wine List" last year!

Day 10: Cango Caves, ostrich farm, and elephant interaction

This morning you will visit the impressive Cango Caves. The San people used these caves as a shelter, however, after the extinction of this population, knowledge of the cave was lost until 1780 when a local farmer rediscovered it. Today these caves are open to the public and you can see the beautiful stalactites. For the truly adventurous, it is also possible to do the special "adventure" tour of the caves. Here you scramble through narrow tunnels and holes in the rock walls. It is certainly not suitable for people with claustrophobia! After visiting the caves you will visit the Cango ostrich farm. Up until the Second World War, ostriches were very important as their feathers had a very high commercial value. Although this market collapsed completely after World War II, ostriches are still farmed today, but now it is mainly for their meat. During your visit, it is possible to feed, to touch or to ride the ostriches. After returning to the lodge, an elephant interaction is possible. These elephants are raised by hand, and therefore they are accustomed to contact with humans. This is a truly awesome and memorable experience.

Day 11: Knysna

This morning you wake up early for a morning game drive, but don’t worry, it is definitely worth it! The beautiful surroundings are simply stunning at sunrise. In the open safari vehicle you will be on the lookout for animals that you haven’t seen yet. After breakfast you will leave beautiful Buffelsdrift and head to Knysna, situated back on the coast. Here you will stay in a chalet with stunning views over the Knysna Lagoon. For dinner you can choose one of the several restaurants in Knysna. Try the delicious oysters, which Knysna is famous for.

Day 12: Plettenberg Bay

This morning, you will participate in a boat cruise on the beautiful Knysna Lagoon, the only way to see the famous Knysna Heads up close. After this boat cruise, you will head east to Plettenberg Bay. Once here, you can relax in your accommodation or take a lovely walk along the coast. Look out for "bottlenose," humpback "and" common "dolphins that live in the bay and are regularly seen from the shore.

Day 13: Swimming with seals, Plettenberg Bay

After breakfast, you will go to the main beach of Plettenberg Bay, to go swimming with fur seals! After a boat ride of about 15 minutes, you will arrive at an island, which is home to about 5000 seals. In this water, where it is approximately 2-3 meters deep, you can swim with the seals for about half an hour. As they are very curious, especially the young seals, they will come close to you and often interact. If you prefer not to enter the water, it is also possible to just do a boat trip. During this boat trip you will not only look out for the seals, but also for the different dolphin species along the coast of Plettenberg Bay. In the months of July to November you can also look for whales.

Day 14: Travel to Tsitsikamma, visit to the 'big tree'

This morning after breakfast you will travel from Plettenberg Bay to Tsitsikamma. Tsitsikamma has a completely different ecosystem and is the only place in the whole of South Africa that has rainforest. A visit to the "Big Tree" is therefore a must! To get there you will walk through the giant trees of the Tsitsikamma Forest, where you will feel completely immersed in the rainforest. After visiting the "Big Tree" you will leave the forest and travel to your accommodation in Storms River, where you will spend the next few days.

Day 15: Relaxation

After a full program so far, today you have the opportunity to rest. Of course, there are plenty of activities in the area if you want to keep the adventure going! Fancy some adrenaline? A short distance from your accommodation, in Bloukrans, you will find the highest bungee jump in the world at 216 meters high. Of course, you don’t have to jump yourself, you can just watch others jump from the restaurant while enjoying a drink or some lunch. The office of Canopy Tours is located right next to your accommodation. Here you can book various activities such as zip lining between the giant trees of the rainforest. Today’s activities are for your own account.

Day 16: Tsitsikamma National Park

About half an hour's drive from your accommodation lies Tsitsikamma National Park. The best way to discover the beauty and nature of this park is hiking through it. We highly recommend the Waterfall Trail. This trail is approximately 6km long and is located along the impressive, rugged coastline, where you will find plenty of viewpoints to rest and enjoy the stunning view. At the end of this trail is a beautiful waterfall.

Day 17: Boat cruise on the sunday river

Today you continue east to Colchester, where you will have a few hours to settle in and relax at your accommodation. This afternoon, you will enjoy a boat cruise. During the cruise you will explore the Sunday River, where you will stop at the impressive sand dunes of Alexandria. It is also possible to sand board from the high sand dunes. For bird lovers, this cruise is a perfect opportunity to spot many different species of birds. This evening is yours to relax, as the tour isn’t over yet and there are a few more exciting days to come before you go home.

Day 18: Addo Elephant National Park

Colchester is located just a 15 minute drive from Addo Elephant Park. Addo Elephant Park is the third largest national park in South Africa and was established to protect the elephants. Currently, there are more than 600 elephants in Addo. You will also find buffalo and the other members of the Big-5, various antelope and many other species here. You have the whole day to explore the park, driving around and looking for the many different species of animals. You will notice that this park is totally different in comparison with Buffelsdrift, where you stayed earlier in your tour. The best chance to see many animals is early in the morning and in the late afternoon.

Day 19: Addo Elephant national park

Addo Elephant Park has in recent years expanded to a park with a great variety of landscapes, and thus a great diversity of flora and fauna. You will explore from the green south, to the drier north, while you pass through the Zuurberg Mountains and the Sunday River valley. Today you can again spend the whole day discovering the park. It's best to leave early in the morning, to see as many animals as possible.

Day 20: Port Elizabeth – Cape Town

This morning you can, depending on your flight time, choose to go back into the park, to look for animals that you missed yesterday. Make the most of this morning, as this is the last game drive of your holiday. You will then travel to the airport in Port Elizabeth, from where you fly back to Cape Town, and from there home.

Please note: Accommodation can potentially differ from the establishments mentioned in this itinerary (if fully booked). In such cases we will look for suitable and similar accommodation. Any changes will be discussed with you. We can only book accommodation after you have confirmed your booking with us.

The European ANVR Travel and Booking Terms & Conditions apply to your booking with us. For full details, click here.

Price Overview

Self-drive tour

Price per person:

	With 2 persons	With 4 persons	With 6 persons	With 8 persons
Priced from	R 26300	R 24650	R 23700	R 22750

For the most recent exchange rate see www.XE.com.
Prices are partly dependent on which type of rental vehicle you choose. For more information about car rentals, click here.

Includes: Car hire, extensive self-drive pack including GPS navigation device & South African cell phone and SIM card, all accommodation, all meals and guided activities as mentioned as included in the quote above/table below, 14% Value Added Tax (VAT).

Excludes: Airfares, travel and cancellation insurances, petrol, road tolls, parking fees, entry fees, meals & activities mentioned under excluded in the table below, snacks and drinks, gratuities for guides and local restaurants.

Included in the car rental is the Super Cover insurance with zero liability and unlimited kilometres. Not included are the following fees though, which will be charged to your credit card upon collecting the vehicle:

AVIS contract fee: ZAR 85 (once off)
Additional driver fee: ZAR 385
Fuel: cost of refuelling if the car is not handed in full
One-way fee (if the car is returned to a different location from where it was picked up): Between ZAR 869-1177 depending on distance)
If the car is handed in late you will be charged an extra day of rent

These costs cannot be paid by us and therefore will be charged on your credit card by AVIS. AVIS also requires a refundable rental deposit (between ZAR 3500-4000). This sum will be taken off your credit card at the beginning of your trip and if all is well it will be deposited back into your account at the end. For renting a vehicle the driver must be over 18 years old and must have had a valid drivers licence for over a year, which must be valid for at least a year at the start of the rental period, and a valid passport and credit card. Please note that without a credit card, you cannot rent a car!

Download the quote overview for this tour: