South Africa – 9-Day Garden Route & Safari Wonders – Group Accommodated

Your African adventure begins in Cape Town. Day One takes us into the Cape Winelands and along Route 62, the longest and most mountainous wine route in the world.

After lunch in one of the charming towns, you will have time to sample some of the best wines in the world at a celebrated vineyard (both at your own expense). South Africa is justifiably famous for its wine industry, which dates back to the 17th century, making it one of the oldest in the world. There are 148 wine farms along our route. Our final destination is Oudtshoorn, the ostrich capital of the world and home to the world’s largest ostrich population.

Nestled between the towering Swartberg and Outeniqua Mountains, the town seems to be in a different, slower time. Oudtshoorn produces its own wine and brandy. You may be tempted to sample a glass as you enjoy dinner (at your own expense) and the local cuisine in town.

Driving Time: ~420 kilometres/5 hours

A Meerkat Adventure (at your own expense) will introduce you to this endearing creature. Watch the burrowing member of the mongoose family as it hunts for beetles, rodents, or snakes.

Enjoy your breakfast and then prepare for an experience in the subterranean, enchanted realm of the Cango Caves. Look forward to a delicious farm lunch (at your own expense) and an interactive ostrich farm tractor tour. Time permitting, we will visit a school that is the community project of the ostrich farm.

Visit the captivating exhibits in the CP Nel Museum (at your own expense), to learn about the ostrich trade in the Victorian era and the history of the town. With leisure time in the evening, head into town to explore and find the restaurant that appeals to your taste – there are plenty to choose from.

It is recommended to pre-book the Oudtshoorn Meerkat Excursion in advance.

Driving Time: ~70 kilometres/40 minutes

After an early breakfast, we leave the dry Klein Karoo and drive via Meiringspoort through diverse landscapes to reach Graaff-Reinet, the oldest town in the Eastern Cape and the fourth oldest town in South Africa. It boasts more national monuments than any other town or city in the country.

Just outside Graaff-Reinet, your open safari vehicle will climb the steep road to the top of the Valley of Desolation in the Camdeboo National Park. Stand amongst towering boulders and gaze over an extraordinary volcanic valley with giant dolerite towers protruding from the earth. With your bird’s-eye view, wait for a Black Eagle or a Kori Bustard, the heaviest flying bird in the world, to glide past you. The Park is home to endangered Cape mountain zebra, kudu, and buffalo.

Enjoy an evening in Graaff-Reinet and sample the delights of Karoo cuisine (at your own expense).

Driving Time: ~320 kilometres/4 hours

After a relaxed breakfast at your hotel, find out more about the fascinating town of Graaff-Reinet. Look for the “Victory Peace Angel” sculpture, created as a reminder of the global impact of World War 1. As with most South African towns, churches raise their spires as beacons of welcome and inspiration.

The town has several churches with the oldest, the St James’ Anglican Church, established in 1850. Our next stop; the Zuurberg Mountains in the Greater Addo Mountain Range, offering a taste of your Addo safari experience. The village, over 160 years old, and regarded as a dream destination, will put the Addo Elephant Park into grand and splendid perspective, with its breathtaking view. Enjoy your comfortable hotel with time to relax and enjoy a quiet dinner.

Driving Time: ~238 kilometres/3 hours

Have a good breakfast to prepare yourself for an unforgettable full day safari and lunch in the Addo Elephant National Park, the third largest national park in South Africa. Your open safari vehicle will take you into this magnificent conservation area where you will soon see elephant herds making their serene way across the grasslands. The Park is home to the ‘Big 5’ (lion, leopard, rhinoceros, buffalo, and elephant) but also look for zebra and various species of buck, to name just a few. 

The isiZulu name for the elephant is “Indlovu”, meaning crashing or overturning. Elephants push over trees effortlessly but they also walk almost silently on feet padded to carry their enormous weight. The elephant is a symbol of resilience and power. Your guide will tell you more about this fascinating creature with its great, curved tusks and mobile trunk. You are assured of finding a treasure and will have stories to tell over dinner back at your hotel.

You will want to linger over breakfast, reluctant to leave, but there is so much more to experience on the spectacular Garden Route. The excellent road will ensure a smooth trip past coastal vistas and indigenous forests on our way to the Tsitsikamma National Park, famous for its natural beauty. It’s a short walk to cross the famous Storms River suspension bridge and experience the thrill of standing high above the vast rocky chasm below you.

After an own expense lunch in the forest, the afternoon drive takes us to Knysna, a town famous for its inland waterways and the Knysna Heads, the sandstone cliffs towering over the entrance to a vast lagoon. End a perfect day cruising the lagoon, tasting oysters, and marine watching at the river mouth as kingfishers hover and dive for fish. You’ll have a long list of sightings to recount over dinner at your hotel (at your own expense).

Driving Time: ~360 kilometres/4 hours

After breakfast, you have the opportunity to take a ferry across the lagoon to the Featherbed Nature Reserve on the Western Head, at your own expense. The Reserve is a sanctuary and a South African Heritage Site, offering a unique eco-experience. Featherbed Nature Reserve runs a breeding programme for the endangered Knysna seahorse and the secretive blue duiker, the smallest antelope species in the world, standing between 32-41cm. 

Enjoy lunch in the beauty of the reserve. Ensure you have binoculars in case you spot dolphins at play, or perhaps even a whale breaching in season. Spend an afternoon exploring Knysna with its fine art galleries, craft markets, gin cafés, and bistros. The Thesen Island marina is the ideal place to relax and enjoy the slow pace of the town. Be sure to leave space for dinner in town (at your own expense).

After breakfast, we leave for Hermanus via Cape Agulhas, stopping on the way in Swellendam. This thriving wine farming area also produces delicious jams, relishes, and liqueurs. You will have an opportunity to experience a tasting adventure, then choose a restaurant for a tranquil lunch (at your own expense).

The rocky headland of Cape Agulhas is another highlight. At the southernmost point of the African continent, see the official line that divides the cold Atlantic and warm Indian Oceans at the Map of Africa Monument. Visit the beautiful lighthouse and its museum. Our compass points us to Hermanus, a town renowned for its whale watching and natural beauty. Spend the afternoon whale watching (depending on the season) or exploring the town before heading to your hotel for dinner (at your own expense).

Driving Time: ~540 kilometres/6 hours