Garden Route & Cape Town Itinerary
6 Night/7 Day Self Drive
(can also be done in reverse or extended
Hotels can also be upgraded to 5 star)
DAY 1: Arrival Cape Town
On arrival, collect your BUDGET Group B rental vehicle. Self drive to your city bowl guest house or hotel.
Perched between the ocean and the mountain, and with a national park as its heart, Cape Town is wild and wonderful. Among its attractions are climbing, surfing and diving along with vibrant nightlife, excellent wine and endless shopping.
The Waterfront is a hive of activity, with its wealth of shops, restaurants, museums and the aquarium. It is also the starting point for the excellent Robben Island excursion.
2 Nights accommodation Welgelegen Guest House, including breakfast.
Welgelegen is a stately Victorian house in the Gardens suburb of Cape Town, in an area well known for its beautifully preserved Victorian houses.
The house has been extensively renovated in an eclectic mix of styles with antique, contemporary and Afro-colonial pieces. A full English and Continental breakfast is served buffet-style, in the elegant dining room or under a large umbrella on the patio during summer. During the day relax in a deck chair around a sparkling swimming pool.
DAY 2: Cape Town
Take a full day drive around Cape Peninsula. Travel via the coastal suburbs of Muizenburg, Kalk Bay and Simonstown. Stop off at Boulders Beach to see the resident African (Jackass) Penguin colony. Follow the coast to the Cape Peninsula National Park, where you can enjoy lunch overlooking the ocean. You will be at leisure here to perhaps take a funicular ride up to the viewpoint, to see the traditional tip of Africa. You may see ostriches or small antelope whilst you drive through the Park. Return via breathtaking Chapmans Peak with views over the Sentinel and the fishing village of Hout Bay. Return to your hotel via the prestigious Atlantic seaboard suburbs of Llandudno, Camps Bay and Clifton.
DAY 3: Cape Town – Knysna Region
See the city sights :
- The Planetarium - that will introduce visitors to the wonders of the universe and the science of astronomy.
- The National Gallery - displaying collections of South African, African, British, French, Dutch and Flemish art.
- The South African Museum - is the oldest museum in Southern Africa. Highlights include the Whale Well, Fossils for Africa and a fine collection of San rock paintings and engravings.
- Bertram House - an early 19th century example of a Georgian townhouse. Of special note are the furnished period dining room, drawing room & study.
Take a trip up Table Mountain - the new revolving cablecar takes only 3 minutes to ascend Table Mountain, and gives stunning views over Cape Town and its surroundings. Once on top, viewing decks that "hang" visitors over the edge of the mountain offer wonderful photographic opportunities. On top of the mountain you can walk, shop, use telescopes, take photos and eat at the restaurant.
Depart along the Garden Route – approx 5 hours drive to Knysna.
Highlights of the Garden Route include the Wilderness coastal stretch, the whale watchers paradise of Hermanus, Knysna's lagoon and forest-based activities, as well as Plettenberg Bay, a location that combines some of South Africa's best swimming beaches with beautiful forest and indigenous vegetation. Near Plettenberg Bay is the unspoilt Tsitsikamma National Park, where dense indigenous forests are punctuated by streams and tumbling waterfalls flowing towards the coast.
2 Nights Phantom Forest Eco Reserve in a Tree Suite, including breakfast.
The Phantom Forest eco reserve whispers a special magic. From elevated luxury tree-suites nestling under the forest canopy to a fresh-water pool; from meandering boardwalks to stunning forest bathing experiences, listening to the music of nature, the cry of the Knysna Loerie or the bark of a Bushbuck, guests enjoy total privacy while being pampered by our friendly staff. Cuisine is Pan-African with local colour, served in the classic style.
The tree suites are a magical celebration of African textures………..from silky Swazi cotton sheets, to hand-woven coir carpets, from stunning end-glass gables to the sensuous forest bathroom...Bathe in luxury to the symphony of birdsong or the quiet contemplation of the African sky.
DAY 4: Knysna Region
Be energetic and explore the surrounding area, pamper yourself with an aromatherapy massage or lie by the pool and read!
Nestling in the forest edge with evocative views over the lagoon and river estuary...... an exciting stress release centre in perfect synergy with our Phantom Forest Nature Concept...THE BODY BOMA Our fully qualified therapist will pamper guests with various relaxing treatments - by appointment.
Nearby Knysna is a town that grew because of its beauty. The lagoon, the amphitheatre of mountains that surround the town, and the mild weather all attract countless visitors to this charming area.
You will love the tranquility of this beautiful region. Take time to visit the Heads - two sandstone cliffs that stand sentinel at the mouth of the Knysna Lagoon. You can join the Featherbed Ferry to the Western Head - a natural heritage site. You may want to sample oceanfresh oysters for which Knysna is justly famous - perhaps at a restaurant at the bustling Waterfront, overlooking the lagoon.
You might decide to travel a little further up the coast - towards the sandy white beaches of Plettenberg Bay (an ocean safari is an amazing experienced where dolphins and whales are often spotted) and the Tsitsikamma Forest. The area is also well known for the timber industry, which was once its lifeblood, and many crafts are fashioned from the beautiful woods found locally.
DAY 5: Knysna - Port Elizabeth - Addo Elephant National Park Region
Self drive today via Port Elizabeth to the Addo region – approx. 3 hours drive.
2 Nights accommodation Elephant House, including breakfast.
The Elephant House is an exclusive 8 bedroom lodge situated near the Addo Elephant National Park in the sun-drenched Sundays River Valley.
The Elephant House Safari Co. is the in-house safari division where qualified guides conduct excellent daily game drives into the Addo Elephant Park on open Land Cruisers as well as cultured, historical & agricultural tours in the valley. Other options include horseback safaris into Addo, a helicopter trip to the beach and day visits to the various private game reserves in the area (at an additional cost).
The in-house chef prepares lovely light lunches at the pool and delicious three course candlelit dinners. Enjoy sparkling wine before dinner and tea served to you in bed in the mornings.
The décor at Elephant House evokes moorish, colonial & African images and is furnished with the owners' private collection of antiques, Persian rugs and Afrikano art. The 8 spacious bedrooms open onto courtyards & private verandahs.
DAY 6: Addo Elephant Park Region
The Addo Elephant National Park was proclaimed in 1931 and today this finely tuned ecosystem is home to over 400 elephants. This makes the Addo Park the most concentrated elephant reserve in Africa thus giving one a good chance of experiencing some of the best elephant viewing in the world. Apart from elephants there are also lion, hyena, black rhino, buffalo and various antelope species.
After widespread hunting in the 1800's and an extermination program in the 1920's the Addo National Elephant Park was proclaimed in 1931 as a sanctuary for the remaining 11 elephants. This herd has build up to over 400 making it one of the densest populations of the giant herbivores in the world. The reserve is also home to a wide range of other species including lion, buffalo, black rhinoceros, eland, kudu, red hartebeest, zebra, other smaller antelope species, more than 165 bird species as well as being the last refuge of the flightless dung beetle.
Visitors can drive themselves into the Addo National Park, a mere 5 minutes drive down the road.
Relax in this small and secluded piece of paradise. You will be spoilt by the extremely attentive staff.
DAY 7: Port Elizabeth - Cape Town
Self drive today to Port Elizabeth – approx 1 hours drive.
Board your 1 hour flight to Cape town.
Pricing Details
Price per person sharing: R 7700.00
Includes:
- 2 Nights Accommodation Wlegelegen Guest House, including breakfast
- 2 Nights Phantom Forest Eco Reserve in a Tree Suite, including breakfast
- 2 NIGHTS Accommodation Elephant House, including breakfast
- 7 days Group B car hire with unlimited mileage + super cover insurance
Excludes:
- Additional meals/drinks not mentioned
- Entrances to places of interest
- Items of a personal nature
- Tipping
- Porterage
- Fuel
Car Hire Details
- Unlimited mileage : as many kilometres as you would like
- Insurance cover includes:
super damage waiver, super theft waiver, personal accident insurance (100% cover, no excess payable)