Cape Town & the Garden Route

Overview

Experience icons of South Africa: safari animals, dramatic coastal roads, electric cities and unforgettable landscapes

Discover the Garden Route − ‘the greatest road trip in South Africa’ – on a journey from Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) to Cape Town. This highlight-packed trip is designed for those who want iconic South African experiences: a safari in Addo Elephant National Park; a cellar tour in Stellenbosch; a visit to the penguins of Simon’s Town; and free time in Cape Town, the most absorbing city in South Africa. For an extra-special experience, join the trip between June and November for a chance to spot migratory southern right whales as you stand on the shore.

Highlights

Discover the spectacular Garden Route, the greatest road trip in Africa
See iconic African wildlife, including elephants, lions, penguins and whales (in season)
Explore diverse nature from the forests of Tsitsikamma to the drylands of the Little Karoo
Experience culture from quaint communities to cosmopolitan Cape Town and nearby wineries
Walk through the ancient limestone Cango Caves

Key Information

Accommodation: 11 Classic nights (hotels and guesthouses)
Travel by private minibus
Group normally 4 to 16, plus leader. Minimum age: 16

Included

All breakfasts and two dinners
All accommodation
All transport and listed activities
Tour leader throughout
Arrival and departure transfers

Not included

Travel insurance
Single accommodation (available on request)
Visas or vaccinations

Itinerary

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Day 1: Adventure starts in Port Elizabeth • To Sundays River Valley
Welcome to South Africa! Our tour begins in Port Elizabeth, colloquially known as PE, but officially Gqeberha, a Xhosa name for the river that runs through the city. We have a welcome briefing in the evening to discuss the adventures to come. If you have time before, however, you may want to spend the day exploring. Options include several beaches within walking distance, including Humewood Beach, plus city and township tours (payable locally). Accommodation: La Mer Guesthouse (or similar)
Day 2: Game drives in Addo Elephant National Park
This morning, we head to Addo Elephant National Park, home to some 550 elephants (up from just 16 when the park was formed) plus black rhinos, leopards, lions, buffalos, hyenas, zebras, various antelopes and dung beetles. We enjoy a four-hour game drive in our own vehicle, hoping to spot iconic African wildlife, and have the option of a second (at extra cost). Accommodation: La Mer Guesthouse (or similar)
Day 3: To Storms River, start of the Garden Route • Hike through forest and along suspension bridges in Tsitsikamma
Head west to the official start of the Garden Route at Storms River in Tsitsikamma National Park. Stretching along the coast, the park, which comprises rocky coastlines, fairytale forests, waterfalls and rivers, gets its name from a local Khoekhoe language meaning ‘place of abundant water’. We can take a 1.2mi (2km) hike in the forest and along suspension bridges, which should take around an hour – other optional walks are also available. The area is a great place for bird enthusiasts with a variety of sea, forest and fynbos (scrubland) species present. Other resident animals include vervet monkeys, chacma baboons and clawless otters. Accommodation: Storms River Mouth Rest Camp chalets (or similar)
Day 4: Free day to relax, walk or explore Tsitsikamma
We spend the day at Tsitsikamma, where several adventures await. Options include kayaking on the Storms River, zip-lining through the forest or swimming in the ocean. There are also several self-guided walks available, the easiest of which is the suspension walk. The most challenging is the Otter Trail, a well-marked four-hour trek with some small ladders and boulder hopping. This is the only walk that has rocky shoreline sections to it, plus it goes through the forest and passes the Strandloper Cave and ends at a waterfall dropping into the ocean – this trek is only recommended for fit walkers with a good sense of balance. Accommodation: Storms River Mouth Rest Camp chalets (or similar)
Day 5: Visit the sandstone cliffs of Knysna Heads • To our guesthouse in Oudtshoorn
We start our day with a visit to Knysna Heads, two tall sandstone cliffs that form a channel through which the turbulent Indian Ocean enters the calmer Knysna Lagoon. We have a bit more time to relax in town before leaving for Oudtshoorn after lunch. As we head inland and over a pass, the landscape changes drastically and we enter the Little Karoo, a much dryer, hotter region. Oudtshoorn itself became renowned for its trade in ostrich feathers and is still the ostrich capital of the world. Our guesthouse is out of town in De Rust, a tranquil, rural Karoo village. Accommodation: Housemartin Guest Lodge (or similar)
Day 6: Explore the 20m-year-old Cango Caves • Visit the magnificent Meiringspoort Waterfall
We spend today discovering Oudtshoorn and the surrounding highlights. We start by visiting the Cango Caves, an extensive complex of caverns with stalactites and stalagmites. A local guide takes us on an hour’s journey through the limestone caves, which are millions of years old. We then enjoy lunch at Buffelsdrift, where we overlook a waterhole occasionally visited by elephants, giraffes and springboks. In the afternoon, we visit the beautiful Meiringspoort Waterfall and take a 1,640ft (500m) walk, which takes about 10 minutes each way. The order in which we do these activities may be reversed. Accommodation: Housemartin Guest Lodge (or similar)
Day 7: To the whale-watching town of Hermanus via Mossel Bay
Returning towards the coast, we stop at Mossel Bay and the Dias Museum Complex, which reveals the influence of early Portuguese sailors on South Africa. It’s also home to the Post Office Tree (a 500-year-old milkwood, where seafarers once left letters to be taken home by Portuguese sailors). We then continue to Hermanus, the whale capital of the world. It’s been a long travelling day, so we stretch our legs with a walk along the cliff path. Accommodation: Windsor Hotel (or similar) Upgrade to a sea-view room today – speak to your sales representative for more details
Day 8: Free day with whale watching (in season)
Today is a free day to relax and enjoy Hermanus. From June to November, southern right whales are easily spotted from shore as they frolic in Walker Bay. A whale crier sounds his kelp horn when he spots whales off the coast. Those who want can also do a boat-based whale-watching trip. There are also several other activities available from hikes to river cruises and lagoon kayaking, which are available year-round. You could also visit the Whale Museum to learn about the most famous visitors to these shores, or walk the 7mi (11km) cliff path, where you could see indigenous plants, tortoises and mongoose. Accommodation: Windsor Hotel (or similar) Upgrade to a sea-view room today – speak to your sales representative for more details
Day 9: To Stellenbosch • Sommelier-led wine tour • To Cape Town
Our next destination is the much-celebrated wine region of South Africa. The industry here, which dates to the 17th century and was heavily influenced by French Huguenots, produces some of the best wines in the world. We have free time to explore the oak-lined streets of Stellenbosch on foot and eat at one of the many restaurants in town. In the afternoon, we enjoy a cellar tour with a sommelier at one of the nearby vineyards. Of course, we also taste a selection of their wines before continuing our journey to Cape Town, the Mother City. Accommodation: City Lodge Hotel Victoria & Alfred Waterfront (or similar)
Day 10 - 11: Two days exploring Cape Town, Table Mountain, the Cape Peninsula and Simon's Town penguins
We spend the next two days in and around Cape Town, the most exciting city in South Africa. Our activities in Cape Town will, to some extent, be dictated by the weather as visits to the top of Table Mountain, which has its own micro-climate, are determined by cloud cover and wind. Because of this often-temperamental weather, it is best not to prebook the cable car but to buy tickets on the spot (not included). Those staying in Cape Town post-tour may opt to visit Table Mountain later if the weather looks as though it may improve. There is also the option of visiting Robben Island on one of the days; however, we recommend you prebook Robben Island with us before the trip (but pay the tour leader locally). On one of the days, we head down the Cape Peninsula. We follow the Atlantic Seaboard past the areas of Camps Bay, Llandudno and Hout Bay to the Cape Point via Chapman’s Peak drive, if it is open. The highlight is our visit to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, home to elands, bonteboks, springboks, wildebeest, baboons and ostriches. Rugged cliffs, unspoiled beaches, shipwrecks and beautiful flora are the main features of the reserve. We walk through the reserve for approximately two hours. We first head to the new lighthouse for the panoramic views, before following the pathway to the old lighthouse, which offers spectacular cliff views. Once we leave the park, we stop at the former Royal Navy base at Simon’s Town and visit the resident penguin colony at Boulders Beach. Accommodation: City Lodge Hotel Victoria & Alfred Waterfront (or similar)
Day 12: Adventure ends in Cape Town
On our final day, we have the option of doing a township tour, strolling along the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront or exploring various other parts of Cape Town.

Important Information

The trip destination

Accommodation: 11 Classic nights (hotels and guesthouses)
Travel by private minibus
Group normally 4 to 16, plus leader. Minimum age: 16

Food

All breakfasts and two dinners are included. Food on this trip is very similar to the kind of food you are used to at home, though there may be the opportunity to try local meats such as ostrich, kudu or eland. Vegetarians and vegans can be well catered for on this trip – please inform us before departure of any special dietary requests so our local team can be well prepared. The provided water is safe, clean drinking water, normally from boreholes. It is not bottled water, however. If you would rather have bottled water then this will be at your expense, though we would encourage you to make use of the safe drinking water provided as this helps diminish plastic consumption.

Weather

Summer is from October to April and the average daytime temperature is 25C-30C (77F-86F). The average night-time temperature is 10C-20C (50F-68F). Winter is from May to September and average temperatures are colder. In general, however, the Cape Town climate is quite mild. Summer is typically dry and warm, but the southeasterly wind can blow up to 43mph (70kph) at least a few times a month. This helps to cool things but can be a little unpleasant if one is walking in exposed areas. Most of the rainfall is in winter but it is frontal rain off the Atlantic. Therefore, it can rain solidly for two days, and in between there will be warm, sunny days. It is fairly common to experience tabletop clouds on the higher mountains. Our programme is flexible enough to accommodate any major changes in weather, and still make it enjoyable.

Is this trip for you?

This trip is graded Activity Level 1 (Easy). For more information on our trip gradings please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.

Walks: This is primarily a vehicle-based adventure, although we can take walks in Tsitsikamma National Park, Meiringspoort Waterfall, Hermanus and Cape Point Nature Reserve. These are generally along good paths and boardwalks and take about one to two hours.

Drive times: These can vary but the maximum amount of driving in one day is approximately 5hr 30min with numerous stops throughout. On most days, we are on the road for less than three hours (not including stops or game drives).

Robben Island closure: The Robben Island Museum has announced that all tours to the island are suspended from 16 June until 1 September. Renovations have been planned ahead of the G20 summit taking place in South Africa later this year.

Legal note: All group members joining this tour are asked to sign an indemnity form at the start of the trip. It’s a requirement of the South African Tourism Service Association, of which our local supplier is a member. As a client of Exodus Travels Ltd, your rights under the Package Travel Regulations (1992) are unaffected, and Exodus remains liable for the actions of our sub-contractors.

Prices / Dates

By accepting our offer in writing, you/you confirm that our terms and conditions have both been read and understood and that cancellation fees may apply if the trip is cancelled.

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sdsd AVAILABLE DATES	PRICE (1 ADULT)	PRICE (1 CHILDREN)	Single room supplement	TRAVEL STATUS
Sun, 26 Jul 2026 / Thu, 06 Aug 2026	NOK 26 815 NOK 24 130	On request	NOK 7 190	Available
Sun, 23 Aug 2026 / Thu, 03 Sep 2026	NOK 26 815	On request	NOK 7 190	Available
Sun, 06 Sep 2026 / Thu, 17 Sep 2026	NOK 28 835	On request	NOK 7 190	Available
Sun, 20 Sep 2026 / Thu, 01 Oct 2026	NOK 28 835 NOK 27 410	On request	NOK 7 190	Available
Sun, 04 Oct 2026 / Thu, 15 Oct 2026	NOK 28 835	On request	NOK 7 190	Available
Sun, 11 Oct 2026 / Thu, 22 Oct 2026	NOK 28 835 NOK 27 410	On request	NOK 7 190	Available
Sun, 25 Oct 2026 / Thu, 05 Nov 2026	NOK 28 835	On request	NOK 7 190	Available
Sun, 01 Nov 2026 / Thu, 12 Nov 2026	NOK 28 835 NOK 27 410	On request	NOK 7 190	Available
Sun, 08 Nov 2026 / Thu, 19 Nov 2026	NOK 28 835	On request	NOK 7 190	Available
Sun, 15 Nov 2026 / Thu, 26 Nov 2026	NOK 28 835	On request	NOK 7 190	Available
Sun, 29 Nov 2026 / Thu, 10 Dec 2026	NOK 28 835	On request	NOK 7 190	Available
Sun, 20 Dec 2026 / Thu, 31 Dec 2026	NOK 28 835	On request	NOK 7 190	Available
Sat, 02 Jan 2027 / Wed, 13 Jan 2027	NOK 30 850	On request	NOK 7 595	Available
Sat, 16 Jan 2027 / Wed, 27 Jan 2027	NOK 30 850	On request	NOK 7 595	Available
Sat, 23 Jan 2027 / Wed, 03 Feb 2027	NOK 30 850	On request	NOK 7 595	Available
Sat, 06 Feb 2027 / Wed, 17 Feb 2027	NOK 30 850	On request	NOK 7 595	Available
Sat, 20 Feb 2027 / Wed, 03 Mar 2027	NOK 30 850	On request	NOK 7 595	Available
Sat, 27 Feb 2027 / Wed, 10 Mar 2027	NOK 30 850	On request	NOK 7 595	Available
Sat, 06 Mar 2027 / Wed, 17 Mar 2027	NOK 30 850	On request	NOK 7 595	Available
Sat, 13 Mar 2027 / Wed, 24 Mar 2027	NOK 30 850	On request	NOK 7 595	Available
Sat, 27 Mar 2027 / Wed, 07 Apr 2027	NOK 30 850	On request	NOK 7 595	Available
Sat, 03 Apr 2027 / Wed, 14 Apr 2027	NOK 30 850	On request	NOK 7 595	Available
Sat, 17 Apr 2027 / Wed, 28 Apr 2027	NOK 30 850	On request	NOK 7 595	Available
Sat, 21 Aug 2027 / Wed, 01 Sep 2027	NOK 30 850	On request	NOK 7 595	Available
Sat, 04 Sep 2027 / Wed, 15 Sep 2027	NOK 30 850	On request	NOK 7 595	Available
Sat, 18 Sep 2027 / Wed, 29 Sep 2027	NOK 30 850	On request	NOK 7 595	Available
Sat, 25 Sep 2027 / Wed, 06 Oct 2027	NOK 30 850	On request	NOK 7 595	Available
Sat, 02 Oct 2027 / Wed, 13 Oct 2027	NOK 31 925	On request	NOK 7 595	Available
Sat, 09 Oct 2027 / Wed, 20 Oct 2027	NOK 31 925	On request	NOK 7 595	Available
Sat, 30 Oct 2027 / Wed, 10 Nov 2027	NOK 31 925	On request	NOK 7 595	Available
Sat, 06 Nov 2027 / Wed, 17 Nov 2027	NOK 31 925	On request	NOK 7 595	Available
Sat, 13 Nov 2027 / Wed, 24 Nov 2027	NOK 31 925	On request	NOK 7 595	Available
Sat, 27 Nov 2027 / Wed, 08 Dec 2027	NOK 31 925	On request	NOK 7 595	Available
Sat, 04 Dec 2027 / Wed, 15 Dec 2027	NOK 31 925	On request	NOK 7 595	Available
Sat, 18 Dec 2027 / Wed, 29 Dec 2027	NOK 31 925	On request	NOK 7 595	Available

AVAILABLE DATES	PRICE (1 ADULT)	PRICE (1 CHILDREN)	SINGLE ROOM SUPPLEMENT	TRAVEL STATUS
Sun, 26 Jul 2026 / Thu, 06 Aug 2026	NOK 26 815 NOK 24 130	On request	NOK 7 190	On request
Sun, 23 Aug 2026 / Thu, 03 Sep 2026	NOK 26 815	On request	NOK 7 190	On request
Sun, 06 Sep 2026 / Thu, 17 Sep 2026	NOK 28 835	On request	NOK 7 190	On request
Sun, 20 Sep 2026 / Thu, 01 Oct 2026	NOK 28 835 NOK 27 410	On request	NOK 7 190	On request
Sun, 04 Oct 2026 / Thu, 15 Oct 2026	NOK 28 835	On request	NOK 7 190	On request
Sun, 11 Oct 2026 / Thu, 22 Oct 2026	NOK 28 835 NOK 27 410	On request	NOK 7 190	On request
Sun, 25 Oct 2026 / Thu, 05 Nov 2026	NOK 28 835	On request	NOK 7 190	On request
Sun, 01 Nov 2026 / Thu, 12 Nov 2026	NOK 28 835 NOK 27 410	On request	NOK 7 190	On request
Sun, 08 Nov 2026 / Thu, 19 Nov 2026	NOK 28 835	On request	NOK 7 190	On request
Sun, 15 Nov 2026 / Thu, 26 Nov 2026	NOK 28 835	On request	NOK 7 190	On request
Sun, 29 Nov 2026 / Thu, 10 Dec 2026	NOK 28 835	On request	NOK 7 190	On request
Sun, 20 Dec 2026 / Thu, 31 Dec 2026	NOK 28 835	On request	NOK 7 190	On request
Sat, 02 Jan 2027 / Wed, 13 Jan 2027	NOK 30 850	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Sat, 16 Jan 2027 / Wed, 27 Jan 2027	NOK 30 850	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Sat, 23 Jan 2027 / Wed, 03 Feb 2027	NOK 30 850	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Sat, 06 Feb 2027 / Wed, 17 Feb 2027	NOK 30 850	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Sat, 20 Feb 2027 / Wed, 03 Mar 2027	NOK 30 850	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Sat, 27 Feb 2027 / Wed, 10 Mar 2027	NOK 30 850	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Sat, 06 Mar 2027 / Wed, 17 Mar 2027	NOK 30 850	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Sat, 13 Mar 2027 / Wed, 24 Mar 2027	NOK 30 850	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Sat, 27 Mar 2027 / Wed, 07 Apr 2027	NOK 30 850	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Sat, 03 Apr 2027 / Wed, 14 Apr 2027	NOK 30 850	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Sat, 17 Apr 2027 / Wed, 28 Apr 2027	NOK 30 850	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Sat, 21 Aug 2027 / Wed, 01 Sep 2027	NOK 30 850	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Sat, 04 Sep 2027 / Wed, 15 Sep 2027	NOK 30 850	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Sat, 18 Sep 2027 / Wed, 29 Sep 2027	NOK 30 850	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Sat, 25 Sep 2027 / Wed, 06 Oct 2027	NOK 30 850	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Sat, 02 Oct 2027 / Wed, 13 Oct 2027	NOK 31 925	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Sat, 09 Oct 2027 / Wed, 20 Oct 2027	NOK 31 925	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Sat, 30 Oct 2027 / Wed, 10 Nov 2027	NOK 31 925	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Sat, 06 Nov 2027 / Wed, 17 Nov 2027	NOK 31 925	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Sat, 13 Nov 2027 / Wed, 24 Nov 2027	NOK 31 925	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Sat, 27 Nov 2027 / Wed, 08 Dec 2027	NOK 31 925	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Sat, 04 Dec 2027 / Wed, 15 Dec 2027	NOK 31 925	On request	NOK 7 595	On request
Sat, 18 Dec 2027 / Wed, 29 Dec 2027	NOK 31 925	On request	NOK 7 595	On request

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Cape Town & the Garden Route

Overview

Itinerary

Photos

Important Information

Prices / Dates