South Africa's Garden Route

12 days
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4.6/5 Excellent
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Small Group Tour
Tick the Garden Route off your bucket list on South Africa's most famous road trip. Get a view of Table Mountain from vibrant Cape Town, taste world-renowned wines in the Stellenbosch region and spot herds of elephants (as well as penguin colonies), as we travel via cities, beaches, deserts, and forests. Stellenbosch - Taste world-famous wines as we explo...
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Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Moderate

Highlights

    • Take in the showstopping vistas along the world-famous Garden Route
    • Two game drives in Addo Elephant National Park offers a unique wildlife experience
    • Seasonal whale watching opportunity in Hermanus - A hotspot for whale migration

What's this trip about?

    Tick the Garden Route off your bucket list on South Africa's most famous road trip. Get a view of Table Mountain from vibrant Cape Town, taste world-renowned wines in the Stellenbosch region and spot herds of elephants (as well as penguin colonies), as we travel via cities, beaches, deserts, and forests. Stellenbosch - Taste world-famous wines as we explore the rolling vineyards of the Cape Winelands. National Parks - Stay overnight at the coastal Tsitsikamma National Park and spot herds of Elephants on a safari in Addo Elephant National Park. Hermanus - Visit the whale-watching capital of the world to catch a glimpse of the migrating mammals during the season.

Details

Itinerary focusOff the Beaten Path
Group sizeSmall Group - max of 20 people
Age range16 to 85 years
Flights and transport
Start CityCape Town
End CityAddo National Park

Travel Themes

  • Cultural
  • Hiking & Walking

Destinations

Attractions

  • Bar
  • Cape Town
  • Garden Route
  • Knysna
  • Oudtshoorn
  • Robben Island
  • Stellenbosch
  • Table Mountain
  • Tsitsikamma National Park

Activities

  • Hiking

Max Group Size

  • Max Group Size: 20

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 Join trip in Cape Town

Our tour starts today in Cape Town, South Africa's Mother City, flanked by the Atlantic Ocean and the Twelve Apostles Mountain range. This vibrant city has a lot to offer but due to its ocean-side location visits to some of the highlights, including Robben Island and ...

Day 2 Explore Cape Peninsula National Park

Our full-day trip to Cape Peninsula begins with a scenic drive via the white-sand beaches of Fish Hoek, stopping to explore the small but important naval base of Simon's Town. Later, we'll arrive at Cape of Good Hope, allegedly named due to the optimism once felt by a...

Day 3 Free day in Cape Town; evening in Stellenbosch

Today is free for you to explore more at your own pace - there are plenty of options for you to pick from. If you want to visit Robben Island, the former prison where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated, this morning is the best time to go - please note, you'll need to...

Day 4 Free day in Stellenbosch to visit a vineyard

Stellenbosch is world-famous for its wine and today is a perfect opportunity to visit one or two vineyards for a tasting. Many are set within spectacular gardens and farmland and offer the opportunity to have lunch and a stroll. There's also the option to take a guide...

Day 5 Travel to Hermanus via Stony Point's African Penguin Colony

This morning, we'll have an earlier start as we make our way to Hermanus. A 90-minute drive takes us to the Betty's Bay area where we'll have an included visit to Stony Point Nature Reserve. This reserve sits on the site of a historic whaling station and has a quiet, ...

Day 6 Visit Cape Agulhas. Spend the night in Barrydale

We'll stand on the southernmost point of the African continent this morning and see where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Indian Ocean in a white crash of waves. Now marked by a stone plaque, the 'Cape of Needles' was once a point the site of various evidential shipwreck...

Day 7 Explore Barrydale, continue to Oudtshoorn in the Klein Karoo, the ostrich capital of the world

This morning, we'll have time to explore the historic town of Barrydale. Barrydale is known for its vibrant arts and culture scene - the town hosts multiple festivals and events throughout the spring and summer months, showcasing local and regional talent in music, th...

Day 8 Visit Cango Caves and take in the views at Knysna Heads

We'll start today by exploring the huge limestone caverns of the Cango Caves. These caves are an underground network of extraordinary structures, millions of years old. The combination of dripping rainwater and limestone has led to the creation of ancient stalactites,...

Day 9 Discover Robberg Nature Reserve. Free afternoon in Plettenberg Bay

Today we'll take a short drive to Robberg Nature Reserve, a World Heritage Site, where our tour leader will lead a walk along the trails. The hiking here is moderate - it's uneven underfoot in places and can be slippery so good walking shoes are advised, but rewards a...

Day 10 Walk, kayak or discover the tree canopy at Tsitsikamma National Park

This morning, we'll leave on a short journey to Tsitsikamma National Park around a 45-minute drive away. Another hotspot for seasonal whale watching, the national park covers both land and sea, protecting important forest and marine areas and offering stunning coastal...

Day 11 Experience a game drive at Addo Elephant National Park

We'll leave the Tsitsikamma area this morning for another of South Africa's national parks, stopping for breakfast on the way. Home to more than 600 elephants as well as lions, hyenas and Cape buffalos, Addo Elephant National Park is our last national park of the trip...

Day 12 Trip ends at Addo Elephant Park

Our trip ends after breakfast at our accommodation near Addo Elephant National Park. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart from Addo at any time. Check-out from our accommodation is at 10am. If you'd like a transfer today, you'll need to depart from Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is a one-hour drive from Addo.

Meals Provided : Breakfast

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Dates & Availability

Price From $2,490
Price per day$208
Last Updated: 3/14/2025
Departure Date
Finish Date
Base Price
Single Room (Optional)
Availability
22 Mar 2025
02 Apr 2025
$2,490
$550
05 Apr 2025
16 Apr 2025
$2,760
$550
17 May 2025
28 May 2025
$2,900
$550
14 Jun 2025
25 Jun 2025
$2,760
$550
05 Jul 2025
16 Jul 2025
$2,760
$550
26 Jul 2025
06 Aug 2025
$2,760
$550
09 Aug 2025
20 Aug 2025
$2,760
$550
06 Sep 2025
17 Sep 2025
$2,760
$550
13 Sep 2025
24 Sep 2025
$3,110
$550
04 Oct 2025
15 Oct 2025
$3,110
$550

Check current availability, prices, specials & more.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Explore! Reviews & Ratings

4.6/5  Excellent
Excellent
10,321
Great
3,322
Average
522
Disappointing
158
Terrible
79
P

Peter

Jan 2025

Written on

South Africa's Garden Route

I found the hotels to be of a very high standard all across the 12 day holiday. Plus, which was helpful to me all but one was on the ground floor. The penultimate ho...

T

Trusted Customer

Jan 2025

Written on

South Africa's Garden Route

If this had been my first experience with Explore I think I would have been really put off booking again. It was probably one of the most expensive trips I’ve done w...

T

Trusted Customer

Jan 2025

Written on

South Africa's Garden Route

The itinerary was odd as there were very long periods of free time. As such the trip seemed disjointed. The tour leader was more like a taxi service taking us from...

B

Bill and Jackie

Dec 2024

Written on

South Africa's Garden Route

Ryno was an exceptional guide. Highly recommended tour.

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Efficient and easy to navigate online booking

Booked online. Very easy to do with full information abou...

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Logistics

Accommodation

Transportation & Flights

Minibus,

Transportation & flights

Minibus
Guides
Explore Tour Leader
Cancellation policy
These conditions are applicable to Discovery & Wildlife, Cycling, Walking and Family Trips. These conditions were updated November 2022. Booked a Polar trip? Please refer to our Polar booking conditions. To make it easy to know the detail of our flexibility, we’ve put it in a grid (these terms apply to all trips apart from our Polar Voyages.) Standard cancellations or changes within 69 days of travel If you’re getting closer to your trip, cancellation charges will apply as follows: For trips confirmed by 31st December 2022: 59-42 days before trip start date – 30%, or loss of deposit if higher 41-28 days before trip start date – 60% 27-14 days before trip start date – 90% Less than 14 days before trip start date – 100% For trips confirmed from 1st January 2023: 69 -42 days before trip start date – 30%, or loss of deposit if higher 41-28 days before trip start date – 60% 27-14 days before trip start date – 90% Less than 14 days before trip start date – 100%
Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
South Africa: Visas are not required by UK, Australian, US and Canadian citizens. New Zealand ordinary passport holders do not require a visa, all other passport holders please consult your local consulate for full information. Other nationalities should consult their local embassy or consular office. Please ensure you have the correct multiple entry visa, especially if you are visiting another country on your itinerary and will need to re-enter South Africa - this includes visiting Swaziland. All visitors should ensure their passport is machine readable, has a minimum of 6 months validity from your arrival date into the country and has two blank pages when entering and leaving South Africa. The South African Immigration officials will not allow child/ infant pages to be used for this purpose and visitors without the stipulated blank pages will be denied entry. There are special requirements for travelling to South Africa with children under 18 who hold South African nationality, and for unaccompanied children entering South Africa. The South African Department of Home Affairs has more information. All visa information is subject to change. You should confirm all visa related questions with the relevant Embassy prior to departure.
Health & Safety
Please note that you will be required to supply a yellow fever certificate that has been issued at least 10 days prior to arrival in South Africa if you have travelled from or via a country where yellow fever is endemic. We recommend protection against hepatitis A, tetanus, typhoid, polio and diphtheria. According to various travel health sources, the Western Cape is not regarded as a malaria risk area. If you are travelling to other areas in South Africa please check with your doctor about malaria requirements. Please check the latest requirements with your travel clinic or doctor prior to departure. The above is not an exhaustive list. Further information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice can be found by following the NHS and NaTHNaC links at <a href="https://www.explore.co.uk/essential-information/know-before-you-go/travel-health">Explore Travel Health</a> and from your local healthcare provider. Visa and vaccination requirements are subject to change and should be confirmed by you before travelling.
Meals Included
  • Breakfast : 11
  • Dinner : 2
Age Requirements
16 to 85 years
Additional Information
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Trip ID
explore-SGR

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