Cape Town and Garden Route Self-drive Safari

Arrive at Cape Town international airport, collect your hired car and drive to your Cape Town hotel, which will be your travel base for the next four days. Explore Cape Town Cape Town
To the backdrop of Table Mountain, Cape Town's white beaches and café culture, world-class restaurants, working harbour, urban nature reserves and vineyards have earned this African city a season ticket to all the "World's Favourite City" polls.
More... and the Cape Peninsula at your leisure: the roads are excellent and finding your way around, with the help of a friendly GPS, is a breeze.

Our recommended Cape Town activities:

• Robben Island
• Township Tours
• Table Mountain
• Cape Point Nature Reserve
• Boulders Beach
• V&A Waterfront
• Constantia Winelands
• Museums, galleries and aquarium, planetarium, Company's Gardens…

The list goes on and on and on. Talk to your travel expert about what to do in Cape Town while you're there (the season makes a difference and we can make all the recommendations and advance bookings you need).

Our recommended Cape Town accommodation:

• Standard: The Cullinan, Southern Sun Waterfront Hotel, Townhouse Hotel
• Mid-market: 2Inn1, Derwent House Boutique Hotel, An African Villa
• Luxury: Cape Grace, Mount Nelson, Cape Royale, Table Bay, One&Only Cape Town
• Exclusive: Kensington Place, Derwent Boutique Hotel, Dock House, Ellerman House

And this list goes on and on and on. Where you stay depends on your budget, the type of accommodation you like (small and intimate or large and care-free) and what you want to do in Cape Town. If you want to laze on the beach all day, then a hotel on the beachfront at Camps Bay is the best option. If you want to spend time exploring the city and the waterfront or you prefer the gentle mink and manure countryside of the winelands or a family-friendly beach holiday.

As always: talk to your Travel Expert for advice on where to stay and what to do in Cape Town.

Follow the Big Sur-style road along the coast to Hermanus about two hours from Cape Town.

Hermanus is brimming with seaside activity from whale watching, boat rides, sea kayaking, swimming in the lagoon to wonderful restaurants, nature reserves and even wine tasting nearby.

Spend two days in Hermanus where there is a good chance of seeing whales from June until November, which is South Africa's winter and the best time for game viewing. The crowds descend upon Hermanus during whale calving season, usually at the end of September, and though the whale watching is good at this time you must be prepared for a lot of slow-moving traffic and fully-booked everything. It is a fun and festive time if you can take the crowds.

Our recommended Hermanus accommodation:

Standard: Abolone Guest Lodge

Mid-market: The Marine Hotel

Luxury: Birkenhead House

Head inland from Hermanus over yet more impressive mountain passes and drive towards George of the Garden Route Garden Route
Packed with an assortment of attractions from family beaches, charming seaside towns, whale watching, nature reserves, forests, fynbos and the Karoo hinterland, the Garden Route is made for relaxing holidays.
More... proper and then along the coast to either Knysna or Plettenberg Bay, the latter favouring the typical beach holiday while the former offers plenty of outdoor and nature activities.

Spend two days at the beach, on the lagoons and rivers, exploring nature reserves, coastal hikes, forest canopy rides, whale-watching, boat cruises and the gamut of seaside attractions, cafes and restaurants.

• Standard: Tranquility Lodge, Nature's Valley
• Mid-market: Periwinkle Guesthouse, Plettenberg Bay; Knysna Quays, Knysna
• Luxury: Pezula Hotel and Spa, Knysna
• Exclusive: Tsala Treetop Lodge, Plettenberg Bay

Drive along the coast through Cape fynbos toward Port Elizabeth - capital of the Eastern Cape Province - before heading inland into the hilly regions of the Garden Route Safari Garden Route Safari
At the eastern end of the Garden Route are a clutch of genuine, big five game reserves in pristine wilderness areas offering excellent lodges, first-rate guides and the cherry on top: malaria-free safaris.
More...  area for genuine big five malaria-free safari.

We recommend dropping your hired car off in Port Elizabeth and hopping on a transfer to your safari lodge. Once there your guided activities include afternoon game drives into the night; early morning game drives; walking safaris and a whole lot of relaxing in between.

The Eastern Cape Garden Route safaris are truly first-class and some of the best game viewing in South Africa. With exclusive access, the private game reserves can manage visitor numbers and wildlife movements making for quality wildlife and bird sightings daily.

The scenery is gentle, timeless and wild; the game guides are exceptional and your safari lodge is pure luxury regardless of whether you opt for the standard or exclusive accommodation.

The game reserves we recommend include: 

• Addo Elephant Park
• Shamwari Game Reserve
• Kwande Game Reserve
• Kariega Game Reserve
• Blaauwbusch Game Reserve

All of them have safari lodges within ranging from standard to ultimate luxury. Talk to your Travel Expert for the Garden Route safari to suit you.

Our recommended Garden Route Safari lodges:

• Standard: Elephant Lodge, Addo Elephant Park; Riverdene Lodge, Shamwari Game Reserve
• Mid-market: Great Fish River Lodge, Kwandw Game Reserve; Bushmans River Lodge, Shamwari Game Reserve
• Luxury: Gorah Elephant Camp, Addo Elephant Park; Ecca Lodge, Kwandwe Game Reserve; Eagles Cragg, Shamwari Game Reserve

On your last day transfer back to Port Elizabeth Airport about 90 minutes from your safari lodge and connect to your flight home via Cape Town or Jo'burg and the end of a wonderful South Africa Garden Route holiday.