5
Day Garden Route Tours South Africa
Select your own tour dates! (Minimum 2 guests)
TOUR OPERATORS COMMENTS:
THIS GARDEN ROUTE OPTION SPENDS MORE TIME
IN THE REAL HEART OF THE LUSH AND GREEN GARDEN ROUTE WITH THE BRILLIANT
CONTRAST TO THE END OF THE TOURS, WHERE THE FOCUS IS ON THE SEMI DESSERT/
ARID AREAS OF THE LITTLE AND GREAT KAROO.
MEALS
INCLUDED: Some Dinners and all Breakfasts
DEPARTURE: Any day at 08:30 from Cape Town.
DURATION: 5 Days
ROUTING: Cape Town – Mossel Bay - George -
Garden Route – Knysna – Tsitsikamma National Park –
Oudtshoorn – Great Karoo -Beaufort West – Karoo National
Park - Cape Town
SPECIAL NOTES: Take sunglasses and a hat along for
protection against the heat and sun on the last two days.
MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS: None / Malaria Free Area
DRESS REQUIREMENTS: Comfortable casual and smart
casual for the evenings.
Routing:
Cape Town-Caledon-N2-Swellendam-Mossel Bay-Knysna
Day1:
Sir Lowry’s Pass-Historical Swllendam-Post
Office Tree-Diaz Museum Complex
Depart
from Cape Town and drive eastwards via Sir Lowry's Pass and the famous
apple country of Grabouw to historical Swellendam (3rd oldest town
in SA) and Mossel Bay. Here we visit arguably the oldest post office
in Africa, the Post Office Tree, and the site of the first landfall,
made by the Portuguese explorer Bartholomew Dias in 1488. From here
we truly enter the heart of the Garden Route and travel past the city
of George via the Wilderness Lakelands to Knysna.This area was once
also known as the “LAKE DISTRICT”. Overnight at Fish Eagle
Lodge or similar.
Routing:
Knysna-Plettenberg Bay-Stormsriver-back to Knysna
Day 2:
Lagoonside Knysna - Tsitsikamma - Bungy Jump
- Garden of Eden
We explore Knysna and travel further to Plettenberg
Bay for a short visit. Plettenberg was formerly known as the “beautiful
bay”. Then we traverse through magnificent scenic river valley
passes. We visit the Tsitsikamma National Park (Khoisan for 'The place
of much water') stretching over 100 km kilometers of wild and rocky
coastline characterized by massive cliffs, narrow isolated beaches
and shady indigenous forests along the river valleys. We start our
return journey for the day by stopping at the very impressive Bloukrans
Bridge. This bridge is 216 meters high and has become known as being
the official highest commercial bungy jump in the world. We return
towards Knysna with a short hike in the “GARDEN OF EDEN”
and spend the last part of the afternoon exploring the Heads at Knysna.
Overnight at Fish Eagle Lodge or similar.
Routing:
Knysna-Wilderness-George-Oudtshoorn
Day 3:
Lagoon cruise - George - Outeniqua Pass - Little
Karoo - Ostrich Show Farm
We
board a quaint old steam train, known as the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe (when
it runs, otherwise we will do a lagoon cruise on the Knysna Lagoon
before we depart), traversing through the lake lands, along high cliffs
with the sea beneath, through tunnels and over bridges to George.
Here we meet up with our coach and travel via the scenic Outeniqua
Pass to Oudsthoorn. Oudtshoorn is also known as the 'Feather Capital'
of the world, as by far the largest concentration of ostrich farms
in the world is found here. We visit an ostrich show farm for some
unique experiences, including ostrich racing to end another brilliant
day.
Overnight in Oudtshoorn-Cul De Sac Guest House or similar.
Routing:
Oudtshoorn - Caves - Meiringspoort - Beaufort West
Day 4:
Cango Caves - Swartberg Pass/Meiringspoort
- Great Karoo - Karoo Park
The
Cango Caves is first on our program for today. The Caves is regarded
as one of South Africa's foremost natural wonders. This is also the
second most visited attraction behind Table Mountain in South Africa.
The fascinating calcite caves comprise an underground wonderland of
stalactites and stalagmites. Depending on weather conditions, we either
take on the Swart Berg Mountain Pass, where you will experience some
of South Africa’s most exciting drives and scenery or through
the Meiringspoort Gorge where the rock formations will leave you in
awe! Then we travel to Beaufort West through the semi desert of the
Great Karoo. The lunar-like landscape with its blue skies and vast
clear distances is truly impressive. See springbok and sheep across
the open planes.
A short visit of Beaufort West takes us to the birthplace of Chris
Barnard who performed the world’s first successful heart transplant,
and some of the old colonial buildings in the town.
The Karoo National Park is renowned for its impressive landscapes
and large variety of plants, mostly succulents, and animals that have
adapted to this harsh climate. We travel through the park and have
an opportunity to spot animals such as the black rhino, springbok,
eland, mountain reedbuck, kudu, gemsbuck, and a variety of bird species,
including one of the largest concentrations of the rare Black Eagle.
It is also home to some 59 species of reptiles, including five species
of tortoises
Overnight in the Karoo National Park in the chalet type accommodation
at the foothills of the Nieuwveld Mountains on a Dinner B&B Basis
Routing:
Beaufort West - Laingsburg - Matjiesfontein - Worcester - Cape Town
Day 5:
Karoo National Park - Matjiesfontein - Hex
River Valley - Huguenots Tunnel
After an early morning game walk in the park, awe at
the wide open spaces of this semi-desert area as we travel through
the village of Laingsburg that was almost completely washed away by
a freak flash flood in the mid nineteen seventies. Matjiesfontein
appears over the horizon as another green oasis in the barren valley
with eerie rocky mountains in the background. The well-preserved and
isolated Victorian village was established as a health resort in the
19th century. We stop for lunch in the Lord Millner Hotel. Further
on we travel over the summit of the Hex River Pass with great views
of the Hex River Valley. As we descend into the valley, the vegetation
changes abruptly from the semi-desert Karoo to a colorful patchwork
of vineyards. Then westwards via Worcester, nestled in the wine-growing
region of the Breede River Valley. The Huguenot Tunnel (4.9 km) through
the Drakenstein Mountains takes us via Paarl back to Cape Town, where
we arrive late afternoon
R
6 740 per person sharing (R900 single room supplement)
The
tour price includes: Bed and Breakfast, Some Dinners and all Entrance
Fees.
The tour price excludes: Lunch, and Drinks.
From
our experience, we have compiled the above Garden Route tours and
safaris. These are merely suggestions. Please feel free to talk to
us about adjusting, changing or personalising any of the tours for
you. We're
VERY flexible - JUST ASK!
