13 Days - Cape Town • African Big 5 Safari • Winelands • Garden Route

Arrive Cape Town

Day 1

Welcome to South Africa. We will greet everybody at the airport. If there isn’t another flight coming in we will transport you to the hotel. If there is another flight we’ll have transport arranged for you to your hotel in Simon’s Town. Simon’s Town is safe and a great place to orient yourself with South Africa while you adjust to Africa time. There’s plenty of restaurants and things to do within a short walk of the hotel. Meals will be on your own as people may be jet lagged and arriving/settling-in different times. Relax and get some rest after your long flight. Remember to lock your windows so a baboon doesn’t invade your room!

Table Mountain

Day 2

If you wake up early enough you’ll see penguins walking the streets by the water or you might even see a baboon going rogue and stealing brunch from the local spaza shop. South Africa has some of the best coffee in the world and there are a couple really great breakfast options just outside the door of the hotel. If you like being out and about in the mornings you can walk the fishing pier or swim in False Bay, make your own adventure or just chill and relax. Be ready to go and explore Table Mountain by 11:30. In 2011, over 500 million people worldwide voted for their top wonder of the natural world. Out of 28 finalists Table Mountain made the New 7 Natural Wonders of the World and it is also one of the oldest mountains. Many people just zip up and down the cableway but we will spend time at the top with the opportunity to walk to the highest point at Maclear’s Beacon and have a picnic with fabulous views. From “The Mountain” we make our way back to Simon’s Town via Camps Bay, Hout Bay, Chapman’s Peak and Noordhoek.

Cape Point

Day 3

Enjoy breakfast at your own pace. The African penguins at Boulders Beach lives a short walk from our hotel if you want to visit them this morning. Later on our tour we will also stop at another colony in Betty’s Bay. Be back at the hotel and ready to leave at 11:30. We will spend the rest of the day at Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope which is one of the most beautiful National Parks in the world. Our friend Alison will provide an amazing picnic lunch for us to enjoy in the park. We’ll have some time at the hotel to rest before we go to the Red Hill Culture Experience and dinner. Evi, Red Hill local, will walk us through and explain to us how this township functions. She’ll explain the realities of living in a township and how they survive up on Red Hill. This is “Ubuntu”. The word means: “I am, because you are”. In fact, the word ubuntu is just part of the Zulu phrase “Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu”, which literally means that a person is a person through other people. Community is one of the building blocks of society. After the walking tour we’ll join her family for a traditional African meal that’s cooked over the fire. Red Hill is a safe township and has always been a place we frequent because a lot of our friends from Zimbabwe and Malawi live here. The people are friendly and resilient.

Simon's Town to Wilderness

Day 4

Breakfast/coffee on your own, be packed up and ready to depart for Wilderness by 9:30am.
Sit back and enjoy the ride. We have 5-6 hour drive to the Garden Route and we have some really good farm stalls we’ll stop at.
We’ll get to Wilderness in time to relax at the lodge before we go to dinner and watch the sunset over the Indian Ocean.

Wilderness

Day 4

You’re going to love Moontide Riverside Lodge. It’s on the shores of the Touw River and you can swim and/or float all the way to the Indian Ocean. Enjoy breakfast on the terrace as you wake up. Make your own adventure. You can enjoy the beach and/or go into town for shopping, coffee and ice cream. There are tons of things to do: kayaking, hiking, waterfalls, beach, caves (including a mysterious cave that has been decorated by the man living there for two decades), bird/wildlife watching or even paragliding. If you just want to stay back at the lodge there’s plenty of great places to relax on the property. Be ready for dinner at 5pm because we’re going to have a sunset reservation at Pili Pili which is another great beach restaurant. It is located close to the mouth of the Sedgefield Lagoon which pours into the Indian Ocean – the area is perfect for golden hour!

Wilderness to Greater Addo

Day 6

Wake up and enjoy breakfast and be packed and ready to go by 10am. We have a 4.5 hour drive to Bellevue Forest Reserve with a farm stall lunch on the way. Once we get to the safari lodge head out on a sundowner game drive where we’ll learn more about the 6100 acre land we’re staying on. They have a three course dinner planned for us that evening. Make sure your cell phones/camera are charged up for the morning!

Greater Addo Safaris

Day 7

Wake up at the lodge and enjoy breakfast on your own. We have a morning walking tour with the Giraffes that live on the reserve. We’ll be up close and personal with the Towers of Africa (no feeding, petting or idle chit chat). The walk is about 1 hour and 45 minutes and is suitable for folks with average fitness. We’ll enjoy lunch at the lodge and then we leave at 13:30 for a safari at Schotia Private Reserve. We’ll be on the lookout for lions, elephants, giraffes and hundreds of other species that are indigenous to the land. The Schotia Tooth & Claw Safari is a four hour guided game drive in an open Land Rover with a short refreshments and toilet break at the halfway point. For dinner we head to their lapa (a circular bush camp) where they’ll serve up a traditional Afrikaans braai (which is a fantastic dinner cooked over an open fire). After dinner we’ll go back into the bush for a night time safari drive where we’ll look for the nocturnal mammals on the hunt before we return to our lodge.

Addo to The Crags

Day 8

Make sure you get an early breakfast and be ready to go by 9:00. We start our drive today, like locals, with a self drive safari in Addo Elephant National Park. Addo is one of South Africa’s 19 national parks and is the third largest park after Kruger National Park and Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. In Addo you can witness hundreds of Elephants meet and greet each other at the watering hole. We’ll enjoy the National Park all morning and afterwards travel 3 hours westward to Wild Spirit Backpackers Lodge in Natures Valley. On the way you’ll have the opportunity to see or experience the world’s highest bungy bridge at Bloukrans. It is currently also the highest bridge in Africa. Wild Spirit Backpackers Lodge is a beautiful, family run business that holds a special place in our hearts. It is one of the jewels that’s off the beaten path. After you check into your room the staff will give you a tour of the property. There are many places on the property to watch the sunset and experience the majesty of the purple mountains towering over the misty valley. There are beautiful walks in the forest and to a waterfall. Wild Spirit serves scrumptious homemade dinners every night and it’s also a very popular venue for South African musicians touring on the Garden Route. There will be bonfires, music and people from all over the world. Find your space and be free.

The Crags in Tsitsikamma

Day 9

We will be staying in the Crags for two nights and beauty and adventure is all around. The Crags is nestled in a gorgeous part of the Garden Route – right by the border of the Eastern and Western Cape. Wake up and enjoy coffee/breakfast on the deck, treehouse or anywhere else you find enticing. You can discover the many beautiful places on the property at your own pace in the morning. You can read a book, hike, swim in their natural pool, or do yoga. There are several options for excursions that you can pick from (closer to the trip). Skydive, zip-line over waterfalls, visit Monkey Land, check out 100 different snakes at the Lawnwood Sanctuary or even go shopping in Plettenberg Bay. We will drive down the mountain to where the lagoon pours into the Indian Ocean. Nature’s Valley is breathtaking and you can choose between the warm water lagoon or the icy cold Indian Ocean. There is an optional hike to a secret beach for anyone who enjoys hiking with mountain and beach views. Late afternoon we will head back to Wild Spirit for a shower or time to relax before dinner. Enjoy some live music after dinner and spend the rest of the night hanging out with travelers, sharing stories and enjoying one of our favorite places.

The Crags to Hermanus

Day 10

Today is our longest drive but we’ll break it up with fun stops. In particular you can straddle the southernmost point of the African continent at Cape Agulhas. This is also where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans converge and right next door at Struis Bay you can put your feet in the sand of the longest uninterrupted white sand beach in the southern hemisphere (now say it fast five times). The cape was named by Portuguese navigators, who called it Cabo das Agulhas – Portuguese for “Cape of Needles” – after noticing that around the year 1500 the direction of magnetic north (and therefore the compass needle) coincided with true north in the region. We’ll arrive in Hermanus with some time to explore before dinner. We can also watch the sunset from Rotary Way viewpoint that overlooks the town. Hermanus lies along Walker Bay and is located about 115 km southeast of Cape Town. There are a lot of beautiful shops and art galleries in town and the restaurants are well worth a visit if you are a food lover.

Winelands to Cape Town

Day 11

From Hermanus we’ll visit the African Penguins at Stony Point and drive the alluring Clarence Drive (probably one of the most beautiful drives you’ll do in your life!). From False Bay we head inland towards Stellenbosch and Franschhoek – world renowned winelands dating back to the 1600’s. This area consists of jaw dropping scenes and January to March is harvesting season. Even if you are not a wine drinker there’s a lot to see and do. Good food, tastings and pairings (from beer and water to chocolate and cheese), a motor museum and the prison where Nelson Mandela walked out as a free man after 27 years in prison. Finally we will make our way back into the Mother City – Cape Town.

Cape Town

Day 12

This city was established in 1652 as the first permanent European settlement in South Africa. Not only is it the most popular international tourist destinations in South Africa but Africa as a whole. The New York Times has named Cape Town as the number one place to visit and by now you’ve seen the city with Table Mountain as backdrop, and you’ll understand why people are drawn here. We will spend our last day making sure you tick bucket items off your list. You can get a day pass on the open air hop-on-hop-off double decker bus and choose what you want to see and do. With over 30 stops and 3 routes there are lots to choose from. Some of the highlights are the VA Waterfront, the stunning Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and Constantia Valley Wine Tours. We could also arrange a trip to Robben Island, which is where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years incarcerated during the anti-apartheid struggle for liberation. We’ll make dinner reservations at one of our favorite restaurants in Cape Town and if you have more energy Cape Town has an abundance of live music, clubs and pubs if you want to go out afterwards.

Cape Town

Day 13

Enjoy breakfast at the guesthouse and say farewell – our group adventure has officially come to an end. We will arrange your transfer to the airport for your flight home. If you want to extend your stay in Cape Town or continue traveling we can help you with suggestions. We are confident that after this trip you will be more than comfortable traveling elsewhere in South Africa.

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Please select your start date on the calendar when booking your tour. We require a 35% deposit on confirmation of booking. The remaining balance is due 30 days before your tour date.

Upcoming trip dates:

Choose your starting date on the calendar.

25 Feb – 9 Mar, 2025

Trip direction: Cape Town, Garden Route, Greater Addo, Cape Town
Cape Town, Hermanus, Cape Agulhas, Wilderness, Tsitsikamma, Addo

Included in the price:

All accommodation. We aim to keep accommodation as private as possible. En-suite rooms typically 3 star. 2 people max per room. Single accommodation available at single supplement rates.
Professional, registered guide/driver for the duration of your tour.
All overland transport that is trip related (comfortable vehicle, fuel, tolls).
Sunset safari
Tooth and Claw 6 hour African Safari
Addo National Park Entry and Conservation Fee
Red Hill Township Experience
Entrance to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope
Wine tour in the Cape Winelands
Table Mountain via the Cableway
Visit Stony Point’s African penguin colony
Hikes on route (including Salt River Mouth and Robberg)
9 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 4 Dinners
Live music

Please note that if you prefer to stay private there is a single supplement of ZAR 8500

Safari – Game Watching

It is well known that Africa has an abundance of wildlife you will find nowhere else on the planet. It is always fun to try and spot all the starts of the Lion King; especially the Big Five. But apart from lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos and buffalo there is so much more to see… Have you ever heard about Africa’s ‘Little Five’? They are (and don’t laugh) the Elephant Shrew, Ant Lion, Rhinoceros Beetle, Buffalo Weaver and Leopard Tortoise. The country has some of the world’s richest biodiversity hotspots, with remarkable birdlife, abundant antelope, small game and bizarre insects. You will have the opportunity to visit Addo Elephant Park and the Greater Addo Area and tick many of these land animals off our list. With diving and snorkeling as well as boat trips we can also spot some of the ocean dwellers like dolphins, whales, sharks, turtles and crabs.

Guided Walks and Hikes

Throughout our trip there are beautiful walks, hikes and mountain treks you can explore. River mouths, mountain trails, shopping malls, romantic walks on endless white sand beaches, walking safaris in Addo… the list goes on. If you talk the walk talk, your feet will stay busy every step of the way 🙂

Wine Tasting

With some of the best wines in the world being produced just half an hour’s drive from Cape Town, it would be a disgrace not to spend a day sampling some of these fine beverages. The wine country has a long history and strong culture stretching from 1679. It’s hard to decide where to stop for a tasting; one of the 140 estates in the Stellenbosch area, some of the 70 farms in the Paarl district, Franschhoek, Robertson… fortunately we have time for a few and we alter each tour so you can sample more of the varieties you prefer.

Monkeyland and Birds of Eden

The World’s first free-roaming multi-specie primate sanctuary. Monkeyland offers monkey safaris where you can view the primates in their forest home. Right next door you can visit Birds of Eden, the World’s largest free-flight bird aviary (50metres [164ft] high, covering 23 000 square meters of forest). Birds of Eden houses more than 3,500 specimens of more than 280 species, with the main focus being African birds. The dome covers 2 km of boardwalks. Choose one or combine both experiences.

Township Tours

Discover the multicultural side of South Africa and interact with the locals. In District Six forced removals changed the lives of many people. Langa, Gugulethu and Khayelitsha as the largest and fastest growing township in South Africa are all symbols of the New South Africa, caught between old squatter misery and new prosperity. Many are trying to find the balance between squalor and an upbeat lifestyle. There are lots to see and experience in the informal settlements where traditional healers and shebeens add to the rich culture of township life. We will visit the Red Hill Township with Evi and enjoy dinner with them.

Waterfall zip-lining Tours

What makes the Tsitsikamma “Waterfall Zipline Tour” unique is that you have the opportunity to safely slide on a zip line across three beautiful waterfalls surrounded by indigenous trees and plants. This eco-adventure is sure to give you an adrenaline rush, zigzagging across the Kruis River with the wind in your face and the whistle of the pulley on the cable. There are eight slides, of which the longest is 211m, as high as 50 metres (164ft) above the water in some places. Each section presents its own surprises, adventure, wonders and beautiful views.

Canopy zip-lining Tours

The first of its kind in Africa, the canopy tour involves traversing from one platform to another along a steel cable suspended up to 30 meters (98ft) above the forest floor. Most platforms are located in giant Outeniqua Yellowwood trees. The scenery and bird life is spectacular and professional guides provide interesting facts about the forest ecology during the 2½ to 3 hour tour.

Stand Up Paddleboarding

Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) is still a relatively young sport and gaining participants with great momentum. Learn to SUP with easy, progressive and fun SUP lessons in Cape Town on calm water or in the waves at Muizenberg. You will learn how to safely SUP in waves in the shallow beach break in Muizenberg, internationally recognized ideal spot for learning Stand Up Paddle Boarding and Surfing.

Horse Riding

No reason for a long face if you are a horse riding fanatic. Again you’ll have different terrain to choose from and two of our favorites would definitely be a ride in the foothills and forests at Tsitsikamma or on the beach at Noordhoek.

Shark Cage Diving

Sharks are some of the most feared creatures on the planet, beautifully streamlined to slip through the ocean with minimum effort. Its immense size, jet black eyes, row upon row of razor sharp teeth and extendable jaws make this these ultimate super predators and, on this day, you get up close and personal! Passengers experience the sharks from a metal cage dropped into the water next to the boat and through excellent surface viewing of the sharks from the boat’s upper deck, getting an all-round view of the sharks, circling and descending. It is the ideal spot to capture some fantastic shark pictures or shoot video footage.

Boat Trips

If boat tripping floats your boat there are a few outings to choose from. Take a boat trip to the seal colony on Seal Island in scenic Hout Bay or we can arrange splendid trips on board a catamaran from the Waterfront in Cape Town.

Sandboarding

Sandboarding is a fun adventure sport! All it takes to sandboard is a positive attitude, a board strapped to your feet after a few basic instructions and you will be blasting down a sand dune in no time at all. It’s a board sport similar to snowboarding but takes place in desert areas or coastal areas with beach dunes. You’ll have a few opportunities to rip down some beach dunes in South Africa.

Bloukrans Bungy Jump – 216 metres (World’s Highest Bridge Bungy)

The Bloukrans Bungy Jump is the world’s highest commercial bungy bridge at the highest bridge in Africa. It is also the highest commercial natural bungy jump in the world. 216 metres (709ft) above the Bloukrans River – ENOUGH SAID!

Bloukrans Bridge Walk and Hang out

Journey out onto the bridge with the jumpers to witness the spectacle up close and personal. If you don’t want to bungy you can join the jump group on the top of the bridge arch and give your friends that extra bit of support. The experience of being on the walkway is quite spectacular, with a stunning view of the mouth of the Bloukrans River as it flows into the sea. On the top of the arch, you will get to witness the workings of the world’s highest commercial bungy jump bridge and hang out over the edge.

Skydiving and Tandem Skydiving Jumps

Experience free-fall over one of the most scenic drop zones in the world. Start the experience with a short briefing, then enjoy a 20 minute plane flight to 10,000 feet, over the Knysna forests and Plettenberg Bay coastline. The leisurely, scenic plane flight comes to an end and the adrenaline starts to pump as you exit the plane with your Tandem Master and experience the rush of a 35 second free fall at 200km/h!

Paragliding and Tandem Paragliding

Cape Town is one of the most spectacular places in the world to paraglide with astonishing views of Lion’s Head, Table Mountain and the Cape Town area. However, there are many other excellent flying sites all along the Cape coast including Signal Hill, Sir Lowry’s Pass, Franschhoek, Hermanus and all the way down to Wilderness and Sedgefield. Tandem paragliding instructional flights are a great way of getting into paragliding or just experiencing the joy of flight.

Whale Watching Charters (in season)

Hermanus has the best land-based whale watching in the world but you can also get closer and in their own environment by doing a whale watching boat trip… an amazing way to experience these ocean giants. Season in Hermanus runs between June and December but we know of a Whale Expedition closer to Cape Town in different seasons. Ask us more if a whale trip is on your bucket list.

Surfing and Surfing Lessons

South Africa is a surf mecca! There are many breaks en-route and whether you choose to travel with your own board or hire on the spot we will be sure to catch some waves. If you have never surfed before and you want to try it, there are more than a few places where lessons are on offer.

Kayaking

Explore the magic of our unique coastline with its abundant marine life up close and personal on a kayak in the company of an experienced guide. Glide across sparkling water while enjoying a view of the majestic mountain, sea cliffs and marine life. There are many places to paddle the day away from Simon’s Town in False Bay to enjoying the stunning river estuary in Wilderness.