This 5-day Garden Route Safari is an exciting way to explore the Garden Route, Little Karoo, the Whale Route, Addo Elephant National Park and Route 62, the world's longest wine route! An active tour with a good mix of culture, adventure and wildlife. Departs on Mondays from Cape Town, ends in Port Elizabeth. (A 6-day option starts and ends in Cape Town. May go in reverse itinerary order as a private tour option, availability permitting).

Highlights
  • Departs from Cape Town every Monday
  • Hermanus - Whale Watching Capital
  • Endangered African penguin colony
  • Cape Agulhas - Southern-most tip of Africa where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet
  • Oudtshoorn - 4x4 open-vehicle tour of an ostrich farm
  • Lake District
  • Knysna - Scenic Jewel of the Garden Route
  • Tsitsikamma Indigenous Forests
  • World's Highest Bungee Jump
  • Addo Elephant National Park
  • The 6-day option starts and ends in Cape Town

Map of 5-Day Garden Route and Addo Adventure Safari

Day 1

Cape Town – Hermanus – Cape Agulhas

Departing early from Cape Town/Stellenbosch, you'll head for Hermanus. If you're doing shark-cage diving, the dive operators will collect you separately in the early morning and join up with the rest of the group later in the day.

Following the scenic coastal road, you'll get a chance to see the African penguin colony at Betty's Bay. The afternoon will be spent at the Whale-Watching Capital of the World, Hermanus, renowned for its hundreds of sightings of Southern Right Whales during the season (July to November). Browse the many shops, restaurants and markets.

5 or 6 Day Garden Route Addo Elephant Park 2

Whale watching in Hermanus

(Image: Lavender Manor Guest Lodge - Hermanus)

In the afternoon, you'll head to Cape Agulhas, the southernmost tip of Africa, where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet.

Overnight in Cape Agulhas/Struisbaai.

Day 2

Cape Agulhas – Oudtshoorn

You'll visit Oudtshoorn in the Little Karoo, known as the Ostrich Capital of the World, via scenic Route 62, South Africa's longest wine route. There, you'll have lunch at a local winery which includes wine tasting, before moving on to your accommodation for the night on a working game farm. Activities on the Klein Karoo ostrich farm include a sunset farm tour.

Overnight in the Oudtshoorn area.

Day 3

Oudtshoorn – Wilderness – Sedgefield

After breakfast, you'll head over the majestic Outeniqua Mountains to Wilderness National Park. Here, you can explore Touws River by canoe and the surrounding indigenous forest, rich with birdlife, followed by an easy two-kilometre boardwalk hike to a lovely waterfall with rock pools.

Mooiplaas Guest House Oudtshoorn 2

Ostrich farm tour in Oudtshoorn

(Image: Mooiplaas Guest House)

Then you'll continue on to beautiful Knysna via the scenic Lake District of the Garden Route. Abuzz with markets, curios and interesting shops, restaurants and The Quays, you can enjoy some shopping here and then lunch.

Afterwards, you'll end the day in Sedgefield where you can explore the area's lovely beaches.

Overnight in Sedgefield.

Day 4

Sedgefield - Knysna - Tsitsikamma - Addo

Following breakfast, you'll head to Knysna to view the Knysna Heads and then it's on to Tsitsikamma National Park. En route, you'll get to stop at the world's highest bungee jump at Bloukrans Bridge (216 metres). Simply watch or face your fears and join in the fun.

5 or 6 Day Garden Route Addo Elephant Park 3

The famous Knysna Heads

(Image: Villa Afrikana Guest Suites)

You'll spend the afternoon in the national park with its unique indigenous forests that hug these beautiful stretches of coastline. Activities include short and longer hikes, crossing a suspension bridge and swimming.

Later, you'll head towards Addo National Park, home to the Big 5 and other unique African wildlife.

Overnight in the Addo area.

Day 5

Addo – Port Elizabeth

You'll spend the morning in Addo Elephant National Park, searching for its famous elephants, Cape buffalo, lion, black rhino, eland, warthog, zebra, kudu, hartebeest and many other fascinating animals.

After a morning of game viewing in the comfort of a closed vehicle, you'll head for Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) where the tour ends between 13h00 and 14h00.

Alternative 6-Day option

Starts and ends in Cape Town (also runs in reverse order)

If you'd prefer an extra day, after your morning game drive in Addo, you return to Wilderness, where you overnight. After breakfast, you'll stop in Mossel Bay on your way back to Cape Town.

5 or 6 Day Garden Route Addo Elephant Park 4

The historic town of Mossel Bay

(Image: Trey Smith I Unsplash)

Explore Mossel Bay's sweeping golden beaches and Mediterranean climate, hike the Cape St. Blaize trail along the cliffs overlooking the Indian Ocean or visit the historical Diaz Museum complex, which records the earliest European exploration around the tip of Africa. If you're feeling adventurous, try the optional 10,000-foot tandem skydive, sandboard the longest dune in South Africa or go on Africa's longest ocean zipline.

You'll be returned to your accommodation in Cape Town/Stellenbosch in the early evening.

This is an active tour, with early morning starts and action-packed days that require reasonable fitness. Ages are generally between 18 - 65, and group size is usually between 4 and 12 people.

Our Garden Route and Addo Adventure Safari is great for single travellers, couples and small groups of friends who want to see the highlights of the Garden Route as part of a small group guided tour.

Rates
Period Price per person (pp)
August 7, 2023 - July 31, 2024 5-Day Rate for Guest House Twin or Double Accommodation
$731
£582
€680
R13,700
August 7, 2023 - July 31, 2024 6-Day Rate for Guest House Twin or Double Accommodation
$817
£650
€759
R15,300

Price is per person sharing. Single supplement is between 10% and 20% extra, depending on accommodation option.

All rates on our website are provided to give a price estimate only and should not be seen as a firm quote. Likewise, our currency converter will give you a rough idea of the price in another currency, but should not be seen as a firm quote. It is only intended as a guideline, based on the daily interbank exchange rate. The total price includes our tour arrangement and tour management fees, if applicable. Please contact us to receive an accurate, free quote with no obligation.

Includes
  • Services of a qualified tour guide
  • Pick up and drop off
  • All transport in air-conditioned vehicles
  • 4 nights' guesthouse accommodation
  • Daily breakfasts and dinners (except Day 5)
  • Local wine tasting
  • Klein Karoo ostrich farm tour
  • Canoeing and hiking in Wilderness National Park
  • Game viewing safari in Addo Elephant National Park (closed vehicle)
  • Hiking in Tsitsikamma National Park
  • Entrance to the African penguin colony at Betty's Bay
  • Visit Cape Agulhas, the southernmost tip of Africa
Excludes
  • All meals not specified
  • All drinks
  • All optional activities such as shark cage diving, whale watching boat trip (July - November only ), 216-metre Bloukrans bungee jump, the over-ocean zipline adventure and an additional two-hour open safari vehicle game drive with a professional Addo field guide
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