14 days Garden Route – self-driving

Arrival at the International Airport in Cape Town and pick up of the rental car. Afterwards you will go to the hotel in the city. Enjoy the lively life and stroll for example along the Waterfront or Long Street.

Today you will drive to the Cape Winelands. In the regions of Franschhoek, Stellenbosch and Paarl you not only have the opportunity to taste excellent wines but also the visit to an alpaca farm is possible. You will spend the night on one of the wineries, so you can enjoy the cozy atmosphere late into the night with a glass of wine.

You continue on the famous Route 62 to Oudtshoorn. After about 100 km you will reach Worcester. The town forms the border between the Cape Flora and the semi-desert vegetation of the Klein Karoo. Continue through the towns of Montagu, Barrydale, Ladismith and Calitzdrop before arriving at today's destination. Allow yourself breaks along the way and let yourself drift in the small towns and enjoy a snack in one of the numerous restaurants.

You always wanted to experience the cute little meerkats up close? Then you have the opportunity today. You will meet the rangers before sunrise. After a short refreshment with coffee/tea and cookies you will go to the farm area. Learn more about the wildlife and plants of the area while you wait for the meerkats to leave their night camp.

In the afternoon, you will have the opportunity to visit the famous ostrich farms or the Cango Caves. Join an authentic farm tour and learn about the breeding and life on the farms. The Cango Caves are the largest dripstone caves in Africa and offer different tours - from the classic tour, which are also suitable for families, to adventure tours, where you should not be afraid of narrow caves and passages.

Today you have the opportunity to catch up on visits to the Cango Caves or ostrich farms if you were too impressed by the meerkats yesterday.

In the afternoon we continue towards Tsitsikamma National Park.

Continue to the Tsitsikamma National Park. Here you can experience an adventurous day - you have the opportunity to canoe, hike, walk over suspension bridges and the very brave can jump on a bungee rope from the 216 m high Bloukrans Bridge into the depths - experiencing the highest commercial bungee jump in Africa.

Your destination today is Port Elizabeth, the last town on the Garden Route. Get an overview of the city from the 53m high Settler's Memorial Campanile and stroll along the 5km long Donkin Heritage Trail, which connects 51 sights of the city.

Today you will get closer to the African wildlife. The day is divided into two parts: In the morning you will drive with your ranger to the Addo Elephant Park, mainly looking out for elephants, buffalos and various antelopes. After lunch you will continue to a private game
private game reserve, where you will search for rhinos, lions, giraffes and zebras. In the evening you will fortify yourself with a buffet before going on another short night drive. Full of new and impressive experiences you will return to your hotel.

Optional: Overnight stay in the Game Reserve with another game drive the next morning.

From today you will head back towards Cape Town. You will drive a short distance to St. Francis Bay and have enough time to reflect on the last days during a walk through the picturesque town. Marvel at the thatched houses and the Mediterranean-style harbor. Alternatively, you can try various water sports such as windsurfing, water skiing or snorkeling.

Continue today to Knysna. Stroll along the waterfront, take a boat trip to Thesen Island or visit the Featherbed Private Nature Reserve with a breathtaking view of the lagoon.

Your destination today is Swellendam. Before that, however, you will make a stop in Mossel Bay, the official end of the Garden Route. Stroll through the town, visit the Bartolomeu Dias Museum or observe the many Dassies on the way to the Cape St. Blaize Lighthouse.

Start your day with a visit to the Drostdy Museum and learn more about the history of the region and South Africa. Continue to the southernmost point of the African continent - Cape Agulhas, where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet. Let the wind blow around your nose, enjoy the view from the lighthouse and let yourself be captivated by the rugged nature.

If you are in Cape Town between June and November, the next stop in Hermanus is probably even more impressive than the rest of the year. Because in this time is the whale season and you can watch the impressive animals even from the beach. Or you can get very close to them on one of the boat tours with a bit of luck. But also outside the season the small town offers various routes for hikes and walks by the sea. Friends of seafood will get their money's worth in the many small restaurants.

It goes back to the starting point - to Cape Town. On the way there you will pass Bettys Bay, where you can observe free-living penguins on the beach. Along the coast you will then head back to the Mother City. Depending on how much time you have left, you can either fly back home or we can arrange a varied program in and around Cape Town for the remaining days.