Magical Garden Route & Madiba's Coast
TISD - 41 - Silver Class Tour
Durban to Cape
Town
Day 01
Depart Durban and drive along the spectacular coastal road to Ramsgate before we
cross the Mtamvuna River into the beautiful and scenic Eastern Cape region and
home of the Xhosa people, endless hillsides of traditional huts and villages, en
route to Port St Johns situated at the mouth of the Umzimvubu River - surrounded
by towering cliffs, pristine beaches and indigenous forest. The afternoon drive
continues inland via lush valleys and forests to an overnight stop in Umtata for
dinner and overnight.
Garden Court Umtata - dinner, bed and breakfast basis
Day 02
Experience a typical African city with its street markets and traders. Visit the
Nelson Mandela Museum and his home village of Qunu. Crossing the Fish River, we
leave this homeland, visiting East London en route to Kariega Game Reserve where
one can view many indigenous animal species of the area including Africa's 'Big
Five'.
Kariega Game Reserve or similar - dinner, bed and breakfast basis + 1 game
viewing activity
Day 03
Enjoy an early morning game drive in an open safari vehicle. After breakfast,
depart from the lodge and visit a pineapple plantation and Grahamstown, 'the
city of churches' which boasts a wide variety of interesting sites including
schools, Rhodes University, historical early settler architecture and monuments.
Here we also visit the fascinating Camera Obscura, giving you a bird's-eye view
of the city. The afternoon is spent game viewing at Addo Elephant National Park.
Late afternoon departure to Port Elizabeth. The day ends at your beachfront
hotel. Freshen up for a delectable dinner featuring Cape Country cuisine at a
local restaurant or the hotel's elegant dining room.
Protea Hotel Marine or similar - dinner, bed and breakfast basis
Day 04
Departing Port Elizabeth, enter the Garden Route via the high forests of the
Tsitsikamma Mountains and the Bloukrans and Groot River Passes. Attractions to
be visited through the Tsitsikamma Forest area include the Big Tree and the
Garden of Eden. Gaze in awe at the scenery whilst crossing the bridge over the
Storms River where photographic opportunities abound. After lunch at the scenic
Storms River mouth (not included), continue via the 'millionaires playground' of
Plettenberg Bay to South Africa's 'oyster capital', Knysna. After a short
refreshment stop at Knysna's East Head we continue via Sedgefield to the quaint
seaside village of Wilderness.
Protea Hotel Wilderness Resort or similar - bed and breakfast basis
Day 05 - TIGK Tour
From our hotel in Wilderness, we board the famous Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe and travel
to Knysna. On arrival at the Knysna Waterfront, we embark on the Featherbed
Nature Reserve's ferry, nature trail and lunch. After the ferry returns to the
Featherbed Ferry Terminus, the day's adventure ends with a scenic drive back to
Wilderness for drop off at your hotel.
Protea Hotel Wilderness Resort or similar - bed and breakfast basis including
lunch
Day 06 - TIGO Tour
The day's adventure begins as we depart Wilderness to the historic town of
Mossel Bay. Our tour continues via the Robertson Pass to the town of Oudtshoorn.
Here we visit the Safari Ostrich Show Farm and enjoy a traditional lunch. The
day continues with a fully guided tour of the Cango Caves as well as the Cango
Wildlife Ranch and Valley of Ancients endangered species breeding facility. The
day concludes with a scenic drive over the Outeniqua Pass into George and onward
to Wilderness where you will be dropped off at your hotel.
Protea Hotel Wilderness Resort or similar - bed and breakfast basis including
lunch
Day 07
After a sumptuous breakfast, our journey to Cape Town begins. Driving through
Mossel Bay, we travel over the majestic Tradouw's Pass toward Barrydale. On
arrival in the Tradouw valley, take a nostalgic trip on a vintage tractor
through the vineyards of the Joubert Tradouw Cellars where we enjoy a cellar
tour and wine tasting. Continuing through the Little Karoo, we arrive in Montagu
for a delectable country luncheon at Mimosa Lodge reputed as a place of fine
hospitality and superb cuisine. After lunch we traverse Kogmanskloof Pass
through to the town of Robertson and over the Franschhoek Pass to Franschhoek.
After a short visit to the town's 17th century Huguenot Memorial, we travel over
the Helshoogte Pass into the town of Stellenbosch. Take a fascinating stroll
through 'Oom Samie se Winkel' - Stellenbosch's first trading store, and admire
the historical beauty of the heart of the winelands . With Table Mountain in
sight, the tour ends with drop off at your hotel or Cape Town International
Airport.
AT A GLANCE
Accommodation
- Upper 4 star hotels and private game lodges
Flights
- No flights
Driver / Guide
- Services of SA Tourism registered driver/guides throughout the tour
- Wildlife viewing with an experienced local guide/ranger and tracker
Main Attractions
- Majestic and pristine Transkei coast
- Nelson Mandela Museum and home village of Qunu
- Kariega Game Reserve in open safari vehicles or river cruise
- Historic Grahamstown
- Relics of historic importance
- Game viewing in Addo Elephant National Park
- Scenic Garden Route featuring attractions such as Bloukrans, Stormsriver,
Tsitsikamma Forest, Big Tree and Nature s Valley
- The 'oyster' capital of Knysna |
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