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Tour: Cape Town + Garden Route, South Africa + Safari (Whales & Penguins)

Cape Town + Garden Route Tour (circular) + Winelands

12 NIGHTS FROM:

$2,408

Per person sharing

Scheduled flights quoted separately

SYB12C

• Tour: Cape Town & Garden Route

• Table Mountain

• Whales & Penguins

• Winelands

• Oudtshoorn

• Cango Caves

• Ostrich Farm

• Knysna Lagoon

• Garden Route South Africa, Safari

• Camps Bay Beach

This circular small group tour of Cape Town & Garden Route in South Africa offers great value, as it includes a safari near Albertina in the Karoo. Start in beautiful Cape Town with its winelands, whales & penguins, then travel along Route 62 to Oudtshoorn to visit an ostrich farm, Cango Caves & the oyster town of Knysna. After your tour relax in the Franschhoek winelands. Regular departures. Group size 2-18. No children < 8.

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 is free for independent sightseeing in Cape Town.

To orientate yourself, use your pre-paid pass for the Red Route Hop-Off Bus, which stops at all Cape Town’s key sights and attractions, including the Table Mountain cable car (a Fast Track ticket is included). Here you can ascend and enjoy one of the world's most famous views.

Continue to trendy Camps Bay beach and the many attractions of the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront.

Note: Don't let the colour of the bus confuse you. All buses are red, but they run two different routes - the Red City Route and the Blue Kirstenbosch Route.

Table Mountain cable car is usually closed for annual maintenance from late July to early August.

Day 3

Today you will be collected from your hotel for a full day shared tour to the beautiful Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, where you may see baboons, ostrich and perhaps even dolphins or whales in season (July/November).

Your tour travels through Hout Bay and along spectacular Chapman’s Peak Drive to the Cape Point peninsula, before returning via Simons Town and Fish Hoek. This is a scenic tour of the whole Cape Peninsula, with the optional opportunity of visiting the penguin colony at Boulders Beach (pay entrance fee locally).

Note: Lunch is for your own account today. Group size is minimum 2 / maximum 15.

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 you will be collected from your Cape Town hotel for your small group tour along the beautiful Garden Route.

We travel through the stunning Du Toits Kloof Pass to Worcester, Robertson and the charming town of Montagu, where we stop for tea and scones. We continue along the dramatic Route 62 towards the Little Karoo, where the diversity of landscapes is highlighted through ever changing scenery.

In the small town of Barrydale we visit a local farm school, where you can interact with the children and their teachers (subject to the school being open). We stop in the small town of Ladismith for lunch (own account) before continuing through the Huisrivier Pass to Calitzdorp where you can sample top quality port-style wine.

Afterwards we continue to the ostrich capital of Oudtshoorn, where dinner is included tonight.

Note: On escorted group tours please note that for operational reasons it is sometimes necessary to substitute one hotel with another of a similar quality.

Day 6

We start today with a visit to 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 3 miles, contain spectacular stalagmites and stalactites and offer relatively easy access.

We then visit a local Ostrich Farm to learn more about these huge flightless birds and their magnificent plumage. Here we enjoy tractor tour and an included light lunch.

In the afternoon we travel across the spectacular Outeniqua Pass to the oyster capital of Knysna in the heart of the scenic Garden Route. We drive through George and past the glorious beaches of Wilderness and lakes of Sedgefield, before checking in to our Knysna hotel in this area of outstanding natural beauty. Dinner is for your own account tonight.

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

Day 7

This morning we drive along a breathtaking stretch of the Garden Route, travelling through the indigenous Tsitsikamma Forest where mountains, deep gorges, forests and lush vegetation hug the rugged coastline of cliffs and sandy beaches.

We continue through Tsitsikamma National Park to the spectacularly beautiful Storms River Mouth.

In the afternoon we return to Knysna, stopping en-route in Plettenberg Bay, which was originally called Bahia Formosa ('beautiful bay') by the early Portuguese explorers.

Note: There is the option to visit Monkeyland Primate Sanctuary or Birds of Eden today (pay locally, subject to availability).

Day 8

This morning we leave Knysna and continue along the Garden Route, travelling via George and Mossel Bay to our game lodge situated near the small town Albertinia.

Along the way we stop in stunning Victoria Bay, where you can enjoy a leisurely walk or swim in one of the smallest and most beautiful bays along the Garden Route.

After lunch (own account) we continue to our game lodge, set against the backdrop of the majestic Langeberg Mountains. On arrival enjoy an exciting open-top game drive in this malaria-free Garden Route Game Reserve that is home to many birds and animals, including the Big Five. We return to our lodge for an included dinner.

Day 9

Enjoy another early morning game drive today, before we depart for the picturesque town of Swellendam. This charming town was founded in 1745 and is famous for its Cape Dutch architecture.

After a quick stop, we continue driving southwards to the small seaside town of Hermanus. From July to November, southern right and humpback whales come here to breed and this is considered the best location for land-based Whale Watching in the world. Once severely endangered, these magnificent creatures of the deep are now breeding successfully in the area due to a major international conservation effort.

Check in to your hotel and enjoy the natural beauty of the coastline. Dinner is included tonight.

Day 10

After some final views of the coast from the cliffs, we leave Hermanus and drive 2-hours to the winelands of Stellenbosch.

On arrival in Stellenbosch you will have some free time to explore the oak-shaded streets, cafes, boutiques and art galleries of this university town, which has a gracious blend of old Cape Dutch, Georgian and Victorian architecture.

At this point you will leave your tour and check in to your Stellenbosch hotel, whilst the rest of the group continues to Cape Town where your tour ends. Relax under the giant oak trees and savour the fine food and wines of this famous wine producing area.

Day 11

At leisure to explore the old university town Stellenbosch, which is surrounded by beautiful mountains and vineyards.

You can wander through its many street markets, craft shops and museums, including the Modern & Contemporary Art Gallery, or visit Stellenbosch Botanical Gardens.

Alternatively enjoy wine tasting using the Vine Hopper hop-off bus (advance booking online recommended).

Note: Vine Hopper bus does not operate on Sundays.

Day 12

Another day of leisure to explore Stellenbosch and the surrounding area.

Day 13

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

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