The
Garden Route and South
Africa offers a long list of interesting
towns with lots to do. Most of these towns are included
in a Garden Route Tour. Remember
to let us know if there is a certain town you would
like to see during your Garden Route Tour
and we will do our best to include it in the tour.
- The Garden Route Grand
Tour
How to plan your first tour to
South Africa and The Garden
Route:
We
combine the best wild life and wilderness areas,
also blended with the rugged beauty so synonymous
with the African continent. It
incorporates the areas in the diverse KwaZulu-Natal
with habitats such as lakes, rivers, dune forests,
beaches, mangrove forests and sub-tropical vegetation
to the scenic mounains of Swaziland, and Mpumalanga
with its mountains, valleys, waterfalls, and pockets
of primal forests. The famous Kruger National Park,
as well as a private game lodge
adjoining the park, is included. Here we are treated
to open vehicle game drives with powerful spotlights
in search of the nocturnal animals and game viewing
on foot! The ultimate experience - what an adrenaline
rush! We relax in Durban, South Africa’s
holiday mecca with the luke warm Indian Ocean and
sub-tropical, all year round summer. We visit Drakensberg
Mountains for some mild to a little more strenuous
walks to experience great scenic views. We visit
some of the world's best preserved ancient rock
art and drive up the incredible almost 3000 m high
Sani Pass into Lesotho with four by four vehicles.
.
The coastline southwards between Durban and Cape
Town encompasses a huge diversity of habitats.
From the hilly grasslands with Xhosa huts dotted
around the ridges, green valleys, crystal clear
streams and the wild unspoilt coastline of the Eastern
Cape (the former homeland of Transkei),
to the mountains, lakes, cliffs and dense indigenous
forests of the Cape South Coast,
aptly called the Garden Route.
The natural beauty and lush vegetation will captivate
even the well travelled.
The Art Capital of South Africa,
Grahamstown, and the Addo National Elephant Park
supporting some 400 elephants, lion, Cape
buffalo and black rhino amongst other animals, are
two highlights in the Eastern Region.
We also visit the semi-arid valley, called the Little
Karoo. This region in turn offers natural wonders
such as the Cango Caves and its ideal habitat for
ostrich farming makes it the ostrich mecca of the
world. The tour ends in Cape
Town and you have just experienced some
of the most beautiful areas in South Africa
and arguably the world
Johannesburg
– Dullstroom – Sabie – Panoramic Route
Our first day on tour takes us
from Johannesburg via Middelburg, Dullstroom and
Lydenburg to Pilgrim´s Rest, the early gold mining
town turned into a living museum. Rich deposits
of alluvial gold were found here at the end of the
19th century, hence the existence of the town deep
in the mountains. We overnight in Sabie in the Lone
Creek River Lodge.
Panoramic
Route – Private Game Reserve
We visit Lone Creek Falls and travel via Graskop
to marvel at scenic areas such God’s Window, Bourke's
Luck Potholes, Blyde River Canyon, and some of the
spectacular waterfalls in the area. Finally we descend
to the Lowveld via Abel Erasmus pass and the Strijdom
Tunnel to arrive at Mohlabetsi in the Balule private
game reserve. This afternoon our encounter with
Africa's wildlife begins as we travel on an open
vehicle to search for the game. Enjoy a great dinner
under the stars tonight (weather permitting). Overnight
at Mohlabetsi.
Private Game Reserve – Kruger National Park
After an early morning hike, searching for the wild
on foot, and breakfast we enter the Kruger National
Park and spend the rest of day in this magnificent
reserve around 2 million ha in extent. We overnight
in the reserve in one of the camps.
Kruger National Park - Swaziland
We rise early for a game drive
and return for breakfast in the camp. We spend the
rest of the morning in the reserve and depart in
the afternoon for the mountain Kingdom of Swaziland.
We visit the Ngwenya Glass Factory and travel via
Mbabane, the capital of Swaziland, to Foresters
Arms, our hotel in the mountains at Mhlambanyatsi.
Swaziland – Zululand – Hluhluwe-Imfolozi
Park
We visit the well-known Swazi Candles factory and
the big arts and crafts market in the Ezulwini
Valley, and drive past the National Stadium
and the parliament buildings on our way to Manzini,
the country's industrial centre. We travel further
past Big Bend with the country's largest sugar plantations
to the South African border. We
continue to Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park
game reserve and arrive late afternoon at our overnight
stop - Hilltop Camp. Here we join a late afternoon/early
evening game drive on open safari vehicles equipped
with high powered spotlights to search for the shy
nocturnal animals. Dinner follows.
Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park –
Lake St Lucia - Durban
After an early breakfast we do our final game drive
before travelling to the village of St Lucia. Here
we join a boat cruise of the famous Lake St Lucia
Estuary, a paradise with bird species such as fish
eagle, Goliath heron and many more. Your guide will
show you the world of the hippo and the crocodile
and the other mystic inhabitants of the "deep".
After this unforgettable experience we travel to
Durban, South Africa’s holiday
mecca.
Durban – Natal Midlands – Drakensberg Mountains.
Drive inland to Pietermaritzburg, the capital of
KwaZulu-Natal, for a brief city tour. Stop at the
railway station where Mahatma Gandhi was thrown
off the train because of the colour of his skin,
and see the waiting room where, in the silence of
the night, he formulated his philosophy of passive
resistance. Visit the Church of the Vow that
was built as a result of the Battle of Blood River
between the Voortrekkers and the Zulus in 1838.
Continue to Howick where we visit the 100m high
Falls, and stop at the monument erected on the spot
where Nelson Mandela was arrested in 1962. Continue
through an area of gentle pastoral beauty called
the Natal Midlands. We pass through grassy plains
scattered with villages and lush farmlands where
plump cattle and thoroughbred horses graze. We enter
the Weenen Game Reserve for an
afternoon of game viewing. We have a good chance
of seeing, amongst others, white rhino, giraffe
and zebra. Afterwards we stop at the place where
Winston Churchill was arrested by the Boers during
the Anglo-Boer War. Then we travel to our hotel
from where you can enjoy magnificent views while
enjoying sundowners.
Drakensberg Mountains
After breakfast we travel through QwaQwa, a former
homeland, and watch the locals busy with their daily
chores in this remote land. We arrive at the Sentinel,
some 3200 meters above sea level, for a picnic lunch
and some easy, or more strenuous, walks to viewpoints
of the sheer drops into the Amphitheatre. For those
VERY energetic souls, there is a stiff walk and
climb up a chain ladder to the summit (weather permitting).
Here you find the source of the mighty Tugela River
and where it rushes over the edge of the cliffs
to plummet down for hundreds of meters to the bottom;
in total nearly a kilometre. After this unforgettable
experience we return to our hotel late afternoon.
Drakensberg Mountains – Giant’s Castle
We depart after breakfast and drive to
the Giant's Castle area for an easy walk to some
of the country's best preserved ancient rock paintings.
We have a peek into the mystical existence of these
strange little people who became extinct at the
beginning of the previous century. This afternoon
we have time to take some hikes into the mountains.
The scenery and views are magnificent! Dinner and
overnight at Giant's Castle complex.
Giant's Castle – Southern Drakensberg Mountains
Today we travel along these magnificent
mountains and enjoy the views. Visit some quaint
art and craft shops in the upper Midlands Meander
- many artistic people fled the hectic pace of the
big cities and made their new homes in this very
beautiful area. There is no limit to inspiration
here if inspiration comes from natural beauty! Then
we travel to Underberg, a picturesque little village
situated in the foothills of the majestic Drakensberg
Mountains. Our hotel is in the lap of the mountain
with peaks towering over 3000m (10 000 ft) above
sea level. Dinner and overnight are at our hotel.
Sani
Pass - Durban
After breakfast we set off to Sani Pass,
named after the primitive people who lived in the
area millennia ago, on a four-wheel drive with hair
raising bends and breathtaking views to the top
of the mountain. Lunch is served at the top in the
Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho some 3000m above sea
level. We return early afternoon, change vehicles
and drive back to Durban
Durban
Durban is an intriguing cultural
blend of East, West and Africa,
which with its endless summer climate, effervescent
and lukewarm ocean lined with golden beaches, offers
a subtropical carnival atmosphere all year round.
Our tour of this bustling metropolis boasting the
busiest port in Africa and often
called the cultural 'melting pot' of South
Africa, includes a drive past the so-called
Apartheid Beaches, the Golden Mile, the impressive
developments at the new Point Waterfront area, and
the city centre. We stop at the Indian Market where
you can bargain for souvenirs and spices. Our last
visit is to the Botanical Gardens.
You have the option of being dropped off at the
end of the tour at the Ushaka Marine world with
its world-class aquarium, and many shops and restaurants.
Return to your hotel with our bus or spend the rest
of the afternoon here and take a taxi back to the
hotel.
Durban
A free day in Durban to enjoy
last minute shopping or the warm sunny beaches.
Durban – South Coast – Wild Coast
The drive from Durban along the
South Coast takes you through lush
subtropical vegetation and numerous holiday villages
dotted along the seaboard. We visit the scenic Oribi
Gorge and some beautiful little beaches. We enter
the Eastern Cape at the former
homeland of Transkei and work our way to the Wlid
Coast – a rugged and deserted coast line with exceptional
beauty – and arrive at Cremorne Lodge for overnight.
This afternoon we explore the beach and some amazing
scenic sites.
Wild Coast – Umtata – East London
Before breakfast we enjoy
another breathtaking walk. Then breakfast and travel
via Port St Johns to Umtata, the capital of the
former homeland. After a visit to the Nelson Mandela
museum we travel further south to East London, the
only river port in South Africa,
and the place where a prehistoric coelacanth was
caught in 1938. Overnight at Quarry Lake Inn.
East London – Addo Elephant Park – Port Elizabeth
This morning's journey is along
the coast and we enjoy the lush vegetation and rugged
coastline. We visit Port Alfred, an outstanding
holiday village situated on the Kowie river mouth
and travel to Grahamstown. The small cathedral city
is considered the art capital of South Africa and
is steeped in history. At the Addo National Elephant
Park game reserve we have an excellent chance of
an encounter with these giants of the bush amongst
other animals. This afternoon we reach Port Elizabeth,
the fifth biggest city in the country, set on the
shores of the Algoa Bay and also called the “Friendly
City”. Overnight at Fifth Avenue Beach House.
Port Elizabeth – Garden Route
We depart from Port Elizabeth,
along the N2 national route to the Storms River
with the impressive Paul Sauer Bridge across the
valley towering some 139 m above the river. Our
next stop is at Tsitsikamma National Park (Khoisan
for “The place of much water”) stretching more than 100
km of wild and rocky coastline characterised
by massive cliffs, narrow isolated beaches and shady
indigenous forests along the river valleys. Now,
truly in the famous Garden Route of the Cape, we
traverse more magnificently scenic river valley
passes to Knysna on the edge of the Knysna Lagoon
with its entrance to the sea guarded by two promontories
known as 'The Heads'. The area also falls within
a National Park proclaimed to conserve the extraordinary
natural beauty of the Lakeland and adjacent indigenous
forests. Knysna offers shopping opportunities of
unusual, locally made, art and craft, etc. Overnight
at the Fish Eagle Lodge.
Garden Route - Oudtshoorn
We explore the lake areas, the
Wilderness National Park and travel via the scenic
Montagu Pass to Oudsthoorn also known as the 'Feather
Capital' of the world, as by far the largest concentration
of ostrich farms in the world are found here. We
visit the Cango Caves, regarded as one of South
Africa's foremost natural wonders. The fascinating
calcite caves comprise an underground wonderland
of stalactites and stalagmites. Overnight at La
Plume Guest Lodge.
Oudtshoorn – Mossel Bay – Cape Town
After an early start we visit
to an ostrich show farm for some unique experiences,
including ostrich racing. A ride on the back of
an ostrich is not for the fainthearted. Our route
to Mossel Bay takes us over the Outeniqua Mountains
via Robinson's Pass. 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 Diaz in 1488. After
an early lunch we travel via Swellendam to Cape
Town where we arrive late afternoon.
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