South Africa · Wildlife

10 Day Garden Route & Cape Town Group Tours

10 Days Pickup service provided in Cape Town. to Drop-off service provided in Cape Town. Easy pace

The journey

Trip highlights
  • 01 Safari game drive in Addo Elephant National Park
  • 02 Explore Tsitsikamma, Storms River, and the suspension bridge
  • 03 Discover Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, Wilderness, and Mossel Bay
  • 04 Visit Cango Caves and Cango Wildlife Ranch
  • 05 Experience Cape Agulhas, the southernmost tip of Africa
  • 06 Shark cage diving in Gansbaai and seasonal whale watching in Hermanus
  • 07 Tour Robben Island and ride the cable car up Table Mountain
  • 08 See Cape Point, Seal Island, and the penguins at Boulder's Beach

Discover South Africa’s spectacular Garden Route on a 10-day journey from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town, combining wildlife, coastal scenery, historic landmarks, and memorable outdoor experiences. From an Addo Elephant National Park safari and the forests of Tsitsikamma to Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, Mossel Bay, and the Cango Caves, this itinerary brings together many of the region’s most iconic highlights.

Along the way, enjoy a mix of nature, culture, and adventure, including lagoon cruising, wildlife encounters, canoeing, cave exploration, shark cage diving, and seasonal whale watching. The tour finishes in Cape Town with visits to world-famous sights such as Robben Island, Table Mountain, the Cape of Good Hope, and the penguin colony at Boulder's Beach.

With 4-star accommodation, guided touring, road transfers, and selected meals included, this group tour offers a convenient way to experience the best of the Garden Route and Cape Town in one extended trip.

Discover South Africa’s spectacular Garden Route on a 10-day journey from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town, combining wildlife, coastal scenery, historic landmarks, and memorable outdoor experiences.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 10 Days
Tour type Private
Activity level Easy
Accommodation Included
Transport Included
Wheelchair access No
Cities Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, George, Mosselbay, Knysna, Oudtshoorn, Gansbaai, Hermanus, Cape Agulhas, Addo Elephant Park, Tsitsikamma National Park, Plettenberg Bay Game Reserve, Table Mountain National Park, Wilderness National Park, Arniston, Robben Island, Jeffreys Bay, Bredasdorp, Simon's Town
Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

1
Day 01

Addo Elephant National Park

  • The tour will start in Port Elizabeth, where we will meet at the Radisson Blu Port Elizabeth and put your luggage in hotel storage if your room is not yet available for check in.
  • Please wait in the hotel lobby and your tour guide/driver will meet you there.
  • We will venture off for a day tour to the magnificent Addo Elephant National Park, which is home to more than 600 elephants and a variety of other animals.
  • We will enjoy a Safari game drive, followed by lunch. Look out for volumes of Elephants including the Big 5 animals.
  • We will make our way back to the Radisson Hotel to check in, freshen up and relax a bit followed before dinner in the restaurant at the Radisson Hotel. This hotel offers breathtaking views across the ocean. We will organize the shuttle service from the airport to the hotel upon your arrival in Port Elizabeth should you require one.
2
Day 02

Port Elizabeth - Jeffrey's Bay - Storms River Tsitsikamma

  • Pick up at your accommodation will be after breakfast and check out. We recommend 9:00am pick up, as we travel to Jeffreys Bay which is the surfing capital of South Africa. We will enjoy some time at the beaches which is amazing for all shell collectors and surfers alike.
  • After Jeffreys Bay, we make our way to the Storms River Village in Tsitsikamma, where we will enjoy an afternoon canopy tour in the jungle with some of South Africas oldest National trees known as the Yellowwood. Some of these trees are about 300-400 years old. Our next breathtaking experience will be a walk to the historic suspension bridge at Storms River, which is about 900 metres walk per way. 
  • Please discuss with your Tour Leader if you would like to bungee jump instead of the Canopy tour at Bloukrans Bridge, this being the highest bungee from a bridge in the world.
  • We will leisurely make our way down to Knysna which will be our base of travel in the Garden Route. After we have checked into the hotel and relaxed for a while, we will enjoy dinner at 34 Degrees South Restaurant. (Which will be for your own account.) We will safely take you back to the hotel for a good nights rest.
3
Day 03

Full Day Knysna Explorer Tour

  • Our day will start with breakfast at the hotel. We will spend our day in the beautiful city of Knysna, which is also known as the Jewel of the Garden Route.
  • Once we have enjoyed our breakfast, we will take you to Knysna Forest for a hike on the Knysna Head side.
  • We will have a light lunch at Theussen Island. From here we will go on a wonderful Knysna Lagoon Oyster tour. The rest of the afternoon will be spent at your leisure.
  • We will meet the tour leader at the hotel and make our way to Sirocco Restaurant for dinner. After dinner, we will take you safely back to the hotel for a good nights rest.
4
Day 04

Wildlife and sightseeing in Plettenberg Bay

  • Breakfast will be enjoyed at the hotel. After breakfast we will explore the South African Adventure playground, starting at the Garden of Eden where we will walk in the natural forest for approximately 20 minutes. We will learn about various indigenous trees which are found in the region. We head down to explore the town of Plettenberg Bay, where we will visit the market and take a stroll to the beach.
  • We will stop at Thyme and Again Farm Stall for a lovely cup of coffee.
  • We will then do an elephant trunk in hand walk as well as the Bird of Eden which is the worlds largest free flight aviary and bird sanctuary, located near Plettenberg Bay. After which we will visit Tenikwa Wildlife Awareness and Rehabilitation Centre for a Wildcats experience.
  • We will make our way back to Plettenberg Bay where dinner will be enjoyed at the Tables Restaurant and Bar or similar. After dinner we will make our way back to our hotel in Knysna.
5
Day 05

Wilderness and Mossel Bay sightseeing adventure tour

  • After breakfast we will set off on a sightseeing, culture and history adventure. We will start off the day with some canoeing on the river. We will walk under the bridge to admire the Wilderness and its pristine beaches. 
  • From here we head to Mossel Bay which is the only city to have the closest climate to Hawaii. Lunch will be served at the Waterfront.
  • After lunch we will enjoy an optional hike at the St Berlize Lighthouse. We will then visit the Post Office tree (a milkwood tree) which is the oldest post office in South Africa.
    We will then visit the Batholomew Diaz museum complex. He was the first Portuguese and European explorer to arrive in the Cape.
  • From here we will return back to our hotel in Knysna and dinner will be served at the Anchorage Restaurant.
6
Day 06

Knysna to Oudtshoorn with Cango Caves and Ostrich Farm tours

  • We will enjoy our last breakfast at the Rex Hotel before check out. From here we will leave Knysna, while traveling through George which is the capital of the South Cape while traveling through the Outeniqua Pass and the 4 passes.
  • Our first stop will be the Cango Caves which is 2 h 15 min drive from Knysna. Here we will do the Heritage tour which will allow us to explore the most popular caves and we will see the finest dripstone caverns with their vast halls and towering formations. This is the only show cave in Africa which offer Heritage (easy) or Adventure Tours. if you would like to do the adventure tour, please speak to your tour leader to organize this for you. Please take note that there will be crawling to enter certain caves on the adventure tour.
  • Soon after the Cango cave's experience, we will visit the Cango Wildlife Ranch, lunch will be served at an Ostrich farm where we will have a safari show after lunch. We will overnight in Arniston at the Arniston Hotel and Spa. the Drive will be approximately 3 h 30 min. Dinner will be served at the hotel.
7
Day 07

Cape Agulhas sightseeing tour

  • After breakfast at the hotel we will explore Arniston.
  • We will explore the caves in Arniston in the morning and make our way to Bredasdorp from where we will journey on to Elim for wine tasting at Black Oystercatcher Wines.
  • We will journey on towards Struisbaai where you will get to learn about the resident stingray "Parrie". He is often seen around the slipway, waiting for morsels from returning fishermen…or better yet visitors. He is an excellent mascot for Struisbaai. We will enjoy some local fish and chips before making our to Cape Agulhas which is known as the Southernmost Tip of Africa and is the official meeting point of the Two Oceans: Indian and Atlantic oceans.
8
Day 08

Hermanus - The Whale watching capital of South Africa and Gansbaai Shark Cage Diving

  • After Check out, we say goodbye to the beauty that is Arniston.
  • From here we will make our way to Gansbaai for our Shark Cage diving adventure.
  • Once we have completed our tour, we will enjoy a delicious lunch at Creations in Hermanus. If it in whale season we will either whale watch from the shore or venture onto a whale watching boat to get up close and personal with these gigantic creatures of the sea.
  • On our way back to Cape Town, we will stop at one of the amazing African penguin colonies, Stony Point for a visit with our adorable tuxedo clad friends.
  • Once we have arrived in Cape Town, we will check into the Radisson Red Hotel and enjoy the evening at leisure.
9
Day 09

Full Day Robben Island, Table Mountain and City tour

  • You will be picked up at your accommodation in Cape Town at 8:00am by a qualified tour guide/driver who will transfer you to the ferry departure point at the Nelson Mandela Gateway – at the Clocktower Precinct in the V & A Waterfront. Your tour guide/driver will not be accompanying you on the boat or at the island as there will be a sight guide on the island who will give you a guided tour. At 8:30am, board the ferry boat to set sail to Robben Island.
  • The entire tour takes up to 3.5 hours including ferry journey times. Upon reaching the island, disembark at Murray’s Bay Harbour and take a brief walk to the bus that will transport you around the island. A former political prisoner will give you a site tour, including a viewing of Nelson Mandela’s cell.
  • After the tour, return to the Clocktower Precinct at the V&A Waterfront at approximately 12:30, where you will meet your tour guide/driver. After an optional lunch the tour guide will return to collect you from the restaurant and escort you to the awaiting vehicle.
  • Then it is time for your second half of the tour route - the Cape Town City tour. Begin in the heart of the city in Adderley street where you will view historical monuments like Bartholomew Dias, Jan van Riebeeck and Zackarias Waganaer Reservoir.
  • Thereafter see some heritage museums like the Slave Lodge and Cape Castle. View the City Hall and the Company Gardens and proceed past the House of Parliament.
  • Stop at the Bokaap where you will see the famous Colourful houses in the Cape Quarter and stop to take some photos and greet the locals if they are in sight.
  • An optional stop at Afrogem will be offered to witness the production of fine African jewelry with a focus on rich gold, platinum, diamonds and tanzanite. Guests will be able to walk the working factory floor and purchase the jewelry directly.
  • Proceed to the top of Signal Hill to admire the view of the City Bowl area including the Cape Town Stadium.
  • Thereafter, take the cable car up to the top of Table Mountain to explore this unique piece of nature. Upon your return from Table Mountain you will be dropped off at your accommodation after the tour between 5.00 pm and 6.00 pm.
10
Day 10

Full Day Cape of Good Hope and Penguins explorer

  • You will be picked up at your accommodation at 9:00am by your Tour Guide/Driver. We will travel along the Atlantic Seaboard, with the mountains on one side and the ocean on the other and pass through Bantry Bay, Clifton and Camps Bay.
  • We will have a photo stop at Maiden's Cove. From there we proceed past the 12 Apostles mountain range and Llandudno.
  • We stop in Hout Bay Harbour and take a boat cruise to Seal Island to view the Seals Colony.
  • Upon our return we proceed along Chapmans Peak drive, through Noordhoek and stop at Boulder's Beach to see the penguin colony.
  • We continue to the monument of Just Nuisance, the Great Dane dog who made his own history in the South African Navy in Simon's Town.
  • Our next stop will be at the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and Cape Point Lighthouse.
  • At Cape of Good Hope we will explore the Dias cross and see some fauna and flora. We may have the opportunity to see some baboons and other wildlife at Cape Point.
  • We end off the tour with an optional stop at Kirstenbosch Gardens.
  • You will be dropped off at your accommodation after the tour at approximately 18:00. (Guests will have an option to stop for a sit down lunch at one of the restaurants on the way or a light meal at one of the many eateries.)

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map
Pickup service provided in Cape Town. to Drop-off service provided in Cape Town. 19 cities · 10 Days

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

  • 4 Star Accommodation throughout
  • Daily Guided Tours and Road Transfers
  • Lunch and dinner at selected restaurants in Cape Town and the Garden Route
  • Entrance fees to all activities as per the itinerary
  • Complimentary Bottled Water and Wi-fi in the Luxury Vehicle

What's Not Included

  • Flights (Local and International)
  • Travel Insurance (Please visit link for mote info – Visa to South Africa

Know before you go

  • WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 7 days of travel. In this case confirmation will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability
  • A current valid passport is required on the day of travel
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Table Mountain and Robben Island activities cannot be cancelled after booking as these tickets are non-refundable unless any of the following occurs:
  • In the event that Table Mountain cableway is closed due to unfavorable weather conditions on the day, the guest will have 7 days in which to utilize the Table Mountain tickets. Should the guest not be available during this period for this activity, a refund for Table Mountain tickets will be given.
  • In the event that Robben Island museum cancels the boat trip you will receive a refund for the boat trip entrance fees. Rescheduling of bookings can be done and would require 48 hours in advance - is subject to an administration fee. Rescheduling is also subject to availability.
  • A current valid passport is required on the day of travel
  • Passport name, number, expiry and country is required at time of booking for all participants
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
  • This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
  • You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point
Pickup service provided in Cape Town.
Tour start
Pickup service provided in Cape Town.
Tour end
Drop-off service provided in Cape Town.
End of the journey

Your 10 days run from Pickup service provided in Cape Town. to Drop-off service provided in Cape Town..

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