11 day Kariega, Garden Route & Cape Town (PE-CT)

Collection from Port Elizabeth and head direct to Kariega Private Game Reserve to enjoy an overnight safari experience in this wonderful family owned private reserve.

Check into your lodge, freshen up and enjoy a lovely lunch before your late afternoon game drive searching for the Big 5 and other amazing animals & birds from your open safari vehicle.

Return to the lodge after sundowners in the bush and enjoy dinner before retiring to your room for the night.

Enjoy an early morning game drive, searching for animals not yet ticked off your list and a leisurely breakfast back at the lodge.

Late morning  we travel down the N2, popping into surf towns like Jeffreys Bay and Cape St Francis to enjoy some walks along the beaches and maybe a spot of shopping.

We arrive into the Tsitsikamma region in the early evening and check into our accommodation in Storms River Village for the next 2 nights.  

A full day to explore the adventure capital of South Africa!

For the energetic among you,  a Treetop Canopy tour or Kayak & Lilo adventure up the Storms River could get the pulse going ... the options really are endless and all up to your appetite for adventure.

Departing Storms River Village, we visit Natures Valley for a beach walk (if you wish) and then The Crags area which is home to many wildlife options,  we can visit Jukani or Tenikwa for the big cats, Lawnwood Snake Sanctuary, Monkeyland & Birds of Eden. 

We also spend some time exploring Bahia de Formosa (original name given by the early Portuguese explorers) or rather Plettenberg Bay. "Plett" as the locals call this popular holiday town,  is known as playground for the rich and famous. We can enjoy a whale & dolphin cruise from central beach, sea kayaking trip, enjoy a nature cruise up the Keurbooms river, hike the Robberg Peninsula and the list goes on and on.

We can end the day with watching the sunset from the Knysna Heads before checking into our lodge overlooking the Knysna lagoon with amazing views.

Dinner tonight (included) will be enjoyed at the famous JJs Restaurant in the Knysna Waterfront..

We slowly meaner through the lake district of Wilderness, surrounded by mountains, ocean, lakes and lagoons. Wilderness makes for a tranquil and splendid destination.  Enjoy the stunning and unspoilt scenery at Dolphin Point and Map of Africa look out points (weather permitting). 

We can also kayak on the Touws River (own account)  in Wilderness with Eden Adventures.

Heading over the Outeniqua Pass (one of many in the area) we drop into the Klein Karoo and arrive into Oudtshoorn. 

Relax and enjoy the friendly Klein Karoo hospitality, with dinner at your country lodge.

After your country breakfast, we journey along Route 62 (longest wine route in the world) through the Klein Karoo and in a secluded valley, which was once a lake, we’ll discover Calitzdorp, South Africa’s port wine capital. Port can be a bit of an acquired taste due to its strength and sweetness, but that’s a journey we are happy to help you start on.

We travel through the small artists town of Barrydale at the foot of the Langeberg Mountains then cut through them on the Tradauw Pass where you will notice the scenery starts to change dramatically. It’s often said that South Africa has one of the most varied landscapes of any country, and there’s nowhere better to see this than on the drive from the semi-arid desert like Klein Karoo back down to the coast. 

Our final destination today is the seaside village of Arniston. You can either enjoy dinner at the hotel overlooking the Indian Ocean or maybe take a short meander into the historic fishing village of Kasiesbaai where you are invited to take part in a traditional evening meal by candlelight in one of the fishermen’s houses. The meals are prepared by the fishermen’s wives, a rather authentic experience.

Today we visit the rugged, windswept beauty of the southernmost tip of Africa, Cape Agulhas. A place where the warm Indian Ocean meets the cool Atlantic, the Cape of Storms has caused many an ancient mariners to brave its waters and wreck their ships in the name of exploration and adventure.

The Bredasdorp Shipwreck Museum is well worth a visit to read up on the rich local Maritime history and we can also enjoy some wine tasting on the Elim Wine Route.

The Arniston harbour is where you can watch the fishing boats come in is located right in front of the hotel. Next to the harbour you will find the historical fishing village of Kassiesbaai, which welcomes strollers and photographers.

We continue our journey to the scenic coastal town of Hermanus, renowned for its whale watching, a place where Southern Right whales return annually during the winter and early spring months (July to November).

Spend a full day in Hermanus walking the cliff paths viewing whales, maybe joining a boat based whale watching trip in Walker Bay (your guide can arrange) and there is also the Hemel-en-Aarde valley behind the town for some great wine tasting and picturesque lunch venues like Creation, Newton Johnsons and La Vierge estates to name a few.

Continue our sweeping coastal route along Clarens Drive overlooking False Bay with its panoramic views of Cape Point and Table Mountain, before arriving back to the mother city of Cape Town. 

Free day to be spent at leisure or exploring the V&A Waterfront and Mother City on your own.

A full day exploring the Cape Peninsula with its many highlights including Cape Point, Cape of Good Hope, Chapmans Peak and Boulders Penguin Colony among others.

Morning at leisure before private airport transfer for your onward flight.