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Holiday, South Africa: Cape Town + Graaff Reinet, Karoo + Addo

Cape + Graaff-Reinet, Karoo + Safari + Garden Route (circular)

Holiday South Africa Cape Town Graaff Reinet Karoo Garden Swellendam

21 NIGHTS FROM:

$2,987

Per person sharing

Scheduled flights + car hire quoted separately

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• Holiday, South Africa

• Cape Town

• Matjiesfontein

• Graaff Reinet, Karoo

• Valley of Desolation

• Big Five Safari

• Garden Route

• Knysna & Oudtshoorn

• Swellendam

• Stellenbosch Winelands

This circular South Africa car hire holiday starts in beautiful Cape Town, before visiting the winelands of Franschhoek, the whale-town of Hermanus, the ostrich farms of Oudtshoorn & the dramatic Valley of Desolation in Graaff Reinet. Then experience the thrill of a Big Five safari in the Eastern Cape, before driving back to Cape Town via the pretty town of Knysna & historic Swellendam.

Detailed itinerary ▶

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Day 1

You will be met at Cape Town Airport and transferred to your hotel in this beautiful city, within sight of Table Mountain.

Check in and relax in your magnificent surroundings.

Day 2

Today enjoy a private tour of the beautiful city of Cape Town.

Weather permitting, we start by ascending Table Mountain by cable car to see one of the world's most famous views (alternatively we will drive up Signal Hill). We then drive around the city to see the key sights including the City Hall, Greenmarket Square, Houses of Parliament, Bo Kaap, Castle of Good Hope, District Six and Sea Point. before enjoying a Harbour Cruise.

Afterwards explore the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, with its many shops and restaurants (return taxi for own account).

Note: Table Mountain cable car is closed for annual maintenance from mid July to end August.

Day 3

This morning your hire car will be dropped off at your hotel.

We recommend you spend the rest of the day exploring the beautiful Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve peninsula (pay all entrance fees locally). Start with an optional short boat trip from Hout Bay to view Cape Fur seals at Seal Island and continue via Chapman’s Peak Drive to spectacular Cape Point where you may see baboons, ostrich and perhaps even dolphins or whales in season (July/November).

On the return journey we recommend driving through naval Simons Town and visit the resident penguin colony at Boulders Beach. Time permitting, you can also visit the world famous Kirstenbosch Gardens before returning to Cape Town.

Day 4

At leisure to explore more of the beautiful city of Cape Town.

You can visit the Mandela Legacy Exhibition at the City Hall, explore the vibrant Victoria & Alfred Waterfront or take the ferry to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned (advance booking essential in season).

From July to November you can take an optional whale watching trip to Hermanus.

Alternatively you can take the Hop Off bus (Blue Route) to visit world famous Kirstenbosch Gardens or simply relax on golden Camps Bay Beach.

Day 5

This morning leave Cape Town and drive 4-hours to the quaintly preserved Victorian village of Matjiesfontein.

Matjiesfontein was founded in 1884 by an energetic Scottish railwayman called James Logan. Once a fashionable Victorian spa, this town played a key role in the Anglo Boer War of 1899, as it was situated on the main railway line between Cape Town and Johannesburg. It was also the home of the famous author and anti-war campaigner, Olive Schreiner, who wrote 'The Story of an African Farm'. Of special interest is the museum on the station platform and a collection of historic cars and railway carriages to the right of the Lord Milner Hotel.

Day 6

Today drive 5-hours through the vast landscapes of the Great Karoo to the small town of Graaff-Reinet, with its interesting Cape Dutch architecture.

Surrounded by Camdeboo National Park, Graaff-Reinet is situated in the heart of the Karoo – the "Place of Thirst". This is a vast area of sheep and game farms, with magnificent broad plains rolling away into the distant mountains. Check into your hotel in this area of awesome vistas and amazing night skies.

Day 7

At leisure to relax and explore Graaff-Reinet, with its fascinating local history.

A visit to the nearby Valley of Desolation in Camdeboo National Park is highly recommended. Here you can listen to the silence, enjoy superb vistas over the town and see awesome rock formations from centuries of erosion.

Day 8

Today drive 3-hours from Graaff-Reinet to your malaria-free private game reserve near Addo in the beautiful Eastern Cape.

After checking in to your lodge enjoy an afternoon game drive, where game viewing opportunities should present themselves almost immediately. Hopefully see several species of antelope, zebra, wildebeest and maybe even giraffe - as well as several of the Big Five - before dining in your warm African surroundings.

Note: Ensure you arrive at your lodge in good time (preferably by 2.30 pm latest) so you do not miss your afternoon game drive.

Day 9

Rise at dawn to take advantage of the best game viewing conditions of the day and enjoy a thrilling shared open-top game viewing safari with your lodge ranger in your Private Game Reserve which is home to all the Big Five - Lion, Elephant, Buffalo, Leopard and Rhino. Hope to see many interesting species before returning to your lodge for breakfast.

The rest of the morning is free to relax by the lodge swimming pool, before setting out again in the late afternoon for another game drive. Hope to see giraffe, hippo, kudu, antelope, waterbuck, warthogs, baboons and many other interesting animals. With hundreds of different bird species, outstanding bird watching is also guaranteed!

After a beautiful African sunset, enjoy the balmy evening and pristine stars of the Milky Way as you have never seen them before – as well as the spectacular Southern Cross.

Note: If travelling with a child < 6 please request a family lodge that allows young children on open top game drives.

Day 10

After some early morning game viewing, drive 2-hours to the small town of Jeffrey's Bay.

Along the way we suggest you stop at Addo Elephant Park for a self drive game drive (pay gate fee locally). Here you can view these magnificent animals which once roamed free in this area and were saved from extinction by this national park, which has also preserved the rare Cape buffalo and the flying dung beetle.

Continue to Jeffrey's Bay and check in to your hotel in this town that is famous for its surfing beaches.

Day 11

At leisure to enjoy the splendid surfing beaches of Jeffrey's Bay, which is also famous for its lovely shells.

Activities available include surf lessons, dolphin cruises, horse riding, biking and fishing.

Days 12 To 13

Today drive 2.5-hours from Jeffrey's Bay to the oyster capital of Knysna in the heart of the Garden Route.

Travel past the Tsitsikamma Forest and across the dramatic Storms River Gorge where, time permitting, we suggest a 2-hour detour to the Storms River Mouth (pay entrance fee locally).

As you approach Plettenberg Bay, you can visit the Monkeyland sanctuary where you can see primates up-close in their natural surroundings. You can also visit Jukani Animal Centre and the Birds of Eden sanctuary, the largest free flight bird aviary in the world. Located within a two-hectare dome that spans a gorge of indigenous forest, here you can see beautiful local birds in their natural habitat. You can also visit the Elephant Sanctuary at The Crags or the Tenikwa Wild Cat Centre (pay all entrance fees locally).

After stopping to admire the beautiful beaches of Plettenberg Bay, continue to Knysna. Check into your hotel in this area of outstanding natural beauty.

Note: In season we recommend booking Knysna restaurants online in advance of your visit, to avoid disappointment.

Day 14

Today drive 2-hours along the beautiful Garden Route from Knysna via the lakes of Sedgefield and the beaches of Wilderness to Oudtshoorn in the arid Little Karoo.

Continue through the spectacular Outeniqua Pass to Oudtshoorn. Here we suggest you visit the famous Cango Caves – a vast series of underground halls and caverns formed over 20 million years ago in the foothills of the Swartberg Mountains. The caves, which extend for over three miles, contain spectacular stalagmites and stalactites and offer relatively easy access. It is also possible to visit Cango Wildlife Ranch to see cheetah and crocodiles up close.

If you are adventurous and enjoy driving on steep gravel mountain passes, you can detour via the Swartberg Pass (about 1-hour) to Prince Albert. You can return the same way, or head east along the base of the mountain and return to Oudtshoorn via the Meiringspoort Pass (about 2-hours). This detour offers spectacular views, but a 4x4 vehicle is recommended.

Afterwards check in to your hotel in Oudtshoorn.

Day 15

This morning you have the unique opportunity to view Meerkats in the wild on a farm outside Oudtshoorn. Weather permitting, drive 15-minutes to the meeting point at sunrise, as these inquisitive creatures sun themselves outside their burrows (no children < 10 years).

Afterwards we recommend visiting an Ostrich Farm to view these huge flightless birds in their natural surroundings (pay ostrich farm entrance fee locally). The rest of the day is free for you to explore more of Oudtshoorn.

Day 16

Today drive 2-hours to the small town of Barrydale, travelling along the scenic Route 62 through the dramatic Little Karoo.

Check in to your hotel in this town that was named after a local merchant, Joseph Barry.

Day 17

At leisure to relax in the village of Barrydale, surrounded by the stunning and contrasting scenery of the Overberg and Little Karoo in the Western Cape.

Here you can enjoy walking, hiking and.mountain biking. Alternatively you can visit a local brewery or art gallery, or simply relax and enjoy the facilities of your hotel.

Day 18

This morning drive 1.5-hour from Barrydale to the 34,000 hectare De Hoop Nature Reserve.

Along the way we suggest you stop in the historic town of Swellendam, which has some lovely Cape Dutch architecture.

Continue to De Hoop, which is a favourite destination for birders, hikers and cyclists. De Hoop Nature Reserve contains 86 different mammal species, including the rare bontebok and Cape mountain zebra, as well as eland, grey rhebuck, baboon, yellow mongoose, caracal and the occasional leopard. Marine mammals such as dolphins and seals occur in the waters off the coast and southern right whales breed and calve in the sheltered bays of De Hoop each year between June and November.

Note: you will travel along a good gravel road for the last 30 miles (50 km).

Day 19

At leisure to explore some of the many walking trails in De Hoop Nature Reserve, with its wonderful flora and fauna.

Experience the beauty of the Cape floral kingdom, with its abundant fynbos and enjoy superb birding. You can also hope to see whales in season.

Guided birding trails, nature walks, game drives and mountain biking can be reserved in advance, as well as morning and afternoon boat rides, but must be paid locally as they are weather, tide and guide dependent. You can also book a 3-hour excursion to the Vulture Deck in the Potberg Mountains, which includes a 1-hour hike up to the deck and a picnic lunch.

Day 20

Today drive 3-hours along this beautiful coast and through the farmlands and apple orchards of the Overberg region to the winelands of Stellenbosch.

Check into your hotel in this famous wine producing area, relax under the giant oak trees and savour the fine food and wines of this region.

Day 21

At leisure to relax in beautiful Stellenbosch, which is surrounded by its mountains and vineyards.

Explore this old university town with its many street markets, craft shops and museums, including the Modern & Contemporary Art Gallery, or visit Stellenbosch Botanical Gardens.

You can also self-drive the wine routes of Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl with many opportunities for wine tasting at famous wine estates. Alternatively use the Vine Hopper hop-off bus to explore these winelands (advance booking online recommended) or book an optional small group tour.

In the evening there are several fine dining restaurants in the area (advance booking strongly recommended).

Note: Vine Hopper bus does not operate on Sundays.

Day 22

Drive 1-hour to Cape Town Airport for your flight home.

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