Garden Route & Wildlife Tour

5 Days ; 4 Nights

Experience the exotic natural beauty and wonders of the famous Garden Route in effortless exploring along the picturesque Southern Cape Coastline. The Garden Route, perennially green, has a mild Mediterranean Maritime climate and lies on a narrow belt between the Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma Mountains and the Southern Coast of Africa and includes a blend of charming towns, dramatic & scenic landscapes, tall trees, deep gorges, shimmering lakes, majestic mountain ranges, golden beaches and lush indigenous forests. This tour is ideal if you do not have time to visit the Eastern Cape & Kruger where the Big 5 roam for an authetic African Safari exceriences, but would like to add a taste of Wildlife and Nature on the Garden Route..

Day 1 : CAPE TOWN TO OUDTSHOORN (meandering along the R62, longest wine route in the World)

• Dramatic du Toit’s Kloof Pass – mountain views, steep cliffs,  gorges, waterfalls (in rainy season)
• Ever-changing colours of majestic Mountain ranges, fruit orchards and Vineyards
• Kogman’s Kloof Pass with its rugged sandstone formations
• Through the fertile Tradouw Valley with its tapestry of fruit orchards and vinyards
• Over the Huisriver Pass with its sandstone formations
• Charming Oudtshoorn, Ostrich Capital of the World
• Cango Caves with its chambers with magnificent limestone formations
• Overnight Venue : Guest House / Hotel in Oudtshoorn
  (Classic Modest or Elegant Luxury 3 and 4-star Value for Money Options or
  Exquisite Premium 4 and 5-star Ultimate-in-Luxury Options)

Day 2 : OUDTSHOORN & PLETTENBERG BAY

• Optional : Guided tour on the Cango Ostrich Ranch with the opportunity for close interaction with the ostriches
• Breathtaking Outeniqua Mountains – lush green carpet of indigenous Fynbos (Fine Leaf Bush), the smallest of the six plant kingdoms in the world
• Plettenberg Bay with its wonderful ambience and weather and its beautiful golden beaches
• Game Drive at Plettenberg Bay Game Reserve in a guided open 4×4 vehicle (The smaller size of the game reserve – 2200 hectares – and responsible conservation determines the number of large animals. Predators are kept separate in a large enclosure and do not hunt. Over 35 species of game, including lion, rhino, giraffe, hippo, crocodiles, buffalo and a large variety of antelope in their natural habitat which is also home to more than 101 different bird species.

Overnight Venue : Guest House / Hotel in Plettenberg Bay or at the Stunning Game Lodge at Plettenberg Bay
(Classic Modest or Elegant Luxury 3 and 4-star Value for Money Options or
Exquisite Premium 4 and 5-star Ultimate-in-Luxury Options)

Day 3 : PLETTENBERG BAY & TSITSIKAMMA

Tsitsikamma Coastal Park with its startling beauty is located at the foot of the Tsitsikamma Range and is cut by rivers that have carved deep ravines into the ancient forests with its centuries-old trees such as Yellowwood, Stinkwood, Hard Pear, Ironwood and Kamassi.

Optional excursions for the day include:

• Leisurely stroll in the Tsitsikamma Coastal Park to the Suspension Bridge at the mouth of the Storms River
• Tree-top Canopy Tours in the Tsitsikamma Forest
• Boat-based Whale Watching (mostly seasonal July to November) and Dolphin Watching in Plettenberg Bay
• Tsitsikamma Coastal Park: Boat trip to view the otherwise inaccessible Storms River Gorge.
• Woodcutters Trail at Storms River in the Tsitsikamma Forest: Journey down the old Storms River Pass, and experience the indigenous forest from the comfort of a specially-designed vehicle.
• Guided River Ferries and Boat cruises
• Forest and Beach hikes in the Tsitsikamma Forest
• Enjoy the Golden beaches
• Bungi Jumping at Bloukrans Bridge
• Snorkelling and Scuba diving at Storms River in Tsitsikamma Coastal Park
• Knysna Elephant Sanctuary – opportunity to interact with the six tame African Elephants : touch and feed ; elephant-back riding and “walking with Elephants”
• Monkeyland, the world’s first free roaming multi-specie primate sanctuary
• Birds of Eden, the Garden Route’s very own world class free flight bird sanctuary

Overnight Venue : Guest House / Hotel in Knysna or Tsitsikamma or Plettenberg Bay
(Classic Modest or Elegant Luxury 3 and 4-star Value for Money Options or
Exquisite Premium 4 and 5-star Ultimate-in-Luxury Options)

Day 4 : KNYSNA

Explore beautiful Knysna, Jewel of the Garden Route, situated on the Knysna estuary, surrounded by lush ever-green forests.

The Knysna Heads is one of the most striking geological features along the entire southern African coastline.

Optional excursions for the day include:

• Featherbed Eco-excursion in Knysna : A boat trip on the Knysna Lagoon to the Featherbed Nature Reserve followed by a buffet lunch ; then a drive in a Unimog up to the top of the Western Head and an easy hike down the head with spectacular views over the Knysna Lagoon and the Indian Ocean
• Knysna Elephant Sanctuary – opportunity to interact with the six tame African Elephants : touch and feed ; elephant-back riding and “walking with Elephants”
• Sunset Boat Cruise
• Forest Hike
• Oyster Tasting at Knysna, oyster Capital of South Africa.
• Leisure time on Beach  Knysna Waterfront

Overnight Venue : Guest House / Hotel in Knysna
(Classic Modest or Elegant Luxury 3 and 4-star Value for Money Options or
Exquisite Premium 4 and 5-star Ultimate-in-Luxury Options)

Day 5 : KNYSNA TO CAPE TOWN

• Through Lake District with its six lakes
• Through Wilderness with its beautiful sandy beaches and rivers
• Kaaiman’s Pass
• Mossel Bay, stopping at Dias Museum and the old Post Office Tree
• Through Swellendam, an 18th century frontier town
• Through Houhoek Pass
• Via Apple Country
• Sir Lowry’s Pass provides beautiful views of the Hottentots Holland Mountains, Somerset West, False Bay, Strand and the Cape flats and Table Mountain in the far distance.
• Arrive in the “Mother City” ( Cape Town)

Some of the alternative or additional Options to personalize your tour or enhance your Garden Route experience :

• Alternative options for a small taste of Wildlife and Nature on the Garden Route Tour : The smaller size of the game reserves and responsible conservation as well as the location (Little Karoo) determines the smaller number of large animals and less species. Predators are usually kept separate in large enclosures (average 100 hectares) and do not hunt. This is therefore not comparable with the Eastern Cape, Kwazulu-Natal and Kruger Safaris but still a great and relaxing nature experience. Options also available at Oudtshoorn, Mossel Bay, Albertinia and in the Little Karoo between Barrydale and Montagu
• Extend your Garden Route Tour with an additional night in Knysna or Tsitsikamma if you would like to do several of the optional excursions and activities on Day 3
• Extend your Garden  Route Tour  with an additional night in Oudtshoorn and add a day of spectacular mountain passes
• Shark Cage Diving at Mossel Bay
• Return via Arniston in the Overberg Region (overnight destination) , a quiant Fishing Village and / or Hermanus, Whale Capital of the World (Whale Season : July to November) – see Garden Route and Two Oceans Meander Tour
• Add an authentic malaria-free Safari experience with a few additional days at a malaria-free Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape, natural extension to the Garden Route – (see Safari Tours – Garden Route and malaria-free Big 5 Safari Tour)
• to the Garden Route – (see Safari Tours – Garden Route and malaria-free Big 5 Safari Tour)

Why tour with us?

• Complete flexibility with itineraries, routes, timeframes, start and end destinations to suit your pace and unique requirements on our private tours
• Superb Tour Guides ensuring unforgettable travel experiences, insights and interesting conversations
• Comfortable Air-conditioned Tour Vehicles
• 24x7x365 Travel Support to guests booked on our tours and safaris
• Excellent service and Value