Cape Town and Garden Route Journey

On arrival at Cape Town International Airport, we’ll meet you and transfer you to your hotel in Cape Town. The rest of the day is yours to relax or explore at your own pace – perhaps take a gentle stroll nearby or simply unwind after your flight. Overnight in Cape Town.

After breakfast, we pick you up from your hotel for a half day Cape Town city tour, showcasing the Mother City’s multiethnic heritage and preserved architecture – Edwardian, Victorian and Cape Dutch – set along narrow cobbled streets and the Bo-Kaap with its Islamic roots. We visit City Hall, the pentagon shaped Castle of Good Hope – the oldest surviving building in South Africa – the Company’s Garden, established in 1652 to provision the early settlement, and Signal Hill for sweeping city views. If you wish, you can ride the Table Mountain cable car – tickets are at your own cost.In the afternoon, we board a hydrofoil for a two hour eco tour on Table Bay to look for marine life in its natural habitat. Depending on the season, we may see humpback and southern right whales, pods of dolphins, Cape fur seals resting on the jetties and even sunfish. Look out for African penguins diving for fish bound for their Robben Island colony, as well as seabirds including terns, gannets, cormorants and black browed albatross. Overnight in Cape Town.

After breakfast, we collect you from your hotel for a full day Cape Peninsula tour, taking in both the Atlantic and Indian Ocean coastlines. We begin at the fishing village of Hout Bay, then follow the Atlantic shore to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and Cape Point – the most south westerly tip of Africa, often described as the meeting point of two oceans. On the return, we pass through the naval town of Simon’s Town before continuing via the fishing port of Kalk Bay and the leafy suburb of Constantia. Overnight in Cape Town.

After breakfast, we meet you in the hotel reception and depart on a full day Cape Winelands tour. The route follows the classic triangle linking Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek. In Stellenbosch we explore avenues shaded by oaks and notable historic buildings; Franschhoek reflects the legacy of the French Huguenots who settled here in 1685 and planted early quality vineyards; Paarl has been a centre of Afrikaner culture since the 19th century. We visit wine estates to taste wines and cheeses – and to see how the wines are made from vineyard to bottle – before we return to your hotel. Overnight in Cape Town.

After breakfast, we check out and meet your local guide – who will accompany you from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth. We travel to Hermanus and, on arrival, check in to your hotel. Set between mountain and sea at the end of Walker Bay, Hermanus is well known for southern right whale sightings from July to November. In your free time you can explore coastal paths and nearby nature reserves, where fynbos unique to the southern tip of Africa thrives. Overnight in Hermanus.

After breakfast we depart Hermanus for Oudtshoorn along the Garden Route, stopping at Cape Agulhas – the southernmost point of Africa and part of Agulhas National Park. Named Cape Needle by 16th–century Portuguese sailors for the accuracy of their compasses here, it is widely regarded as the meeting place of the Atlantic and Indian oceans, where the cold Benguela current meets the warm Agulhas current amid wild fynbos. We visit the Cape Agulhas Lighthouse – South Africa’s second–oldest, modelled on the ancient Pharos – now a national monument and museum with Khoisan fishing relics. You can climb the narrow staircase for far–reaching views and to see the lamp that shines 30 nautical miles out to sea. We then continue to Oudtshoorn and check in on arrival. Overnight in Oudtshoorn.

After breakfast, we explore Oudtshoorn – the ostrich capital of the world. Suburbs give way to expansive farms where these remarkable birds are bred. We tour an ostrich farm to learn about their history and husbandry and to view the birds – you can browse boutiques offering ostrich leather, and the brave can try an ostrich ride. We then visit the Cango Caves to see the extensive limestone formations that run for several kilometres. If time allows, you can follow local hiking or biking trails or seek out nearby rivers and waterfalls. In the afternoon we travel to Knysna for the night. Overnight in Knysna.

We discover Knysna – a picturesque town set between indigenous forest and a tranquil lagoon framed by the dramatic Heads – before continuing to Plettenberg Bay, once known as Bahia Formosa, with expansive beaches, rocky headlands and superb views over the Indian Ocean. We visit Birds of Eden, the world’s largest free–flight aviary, and wander the wooden walkways and viewing platforms at your own pace – home to around 3,800 birds from some 280 species, including the striking Knysna loerie, as well as free–roaming miniature monkeys such as the golden–handed tamarin. Next, we join a guided safari at Monkeyland, an award–winning, free–roaming multi–primate sanctuary that rehabilitates previously caged primates. We then drive to Stormsriver and check in to the hotel. Overnight in Stormsriver.

After breakfast, we explore Tsitsikamma National Park – an expanse of indigenous forest and dramatic coastline stretching from the Outeniqua Mountains across the coastal plateau to the Indian Ocean. Trails here range from short walks to routes that take several days, including the 48 km Otter Trail and the 72 km Tsitsikamma Trail. From the parking area, we follow a forest path to a hanging bridge for sweeping views over Storms River Mouth, keeping an eye out for ancient yellowwood trees that are over 800 years old. Later, we continue to Cape St Francis, a seaside village named by Portuguese sailors in 1575 after the patron saint of seafarers. Whitewashed buildings with thatched roofs and a working fishing industry give the village its character, while the 1878 lighthouse – built to protect ships from a dangerous reef – is open to visitors. You can enjoy the beaches to swim, sunbathe or take a leisurely stroll. Overnight in Cape St Francis.

After breakfast we join a village tour where the local community shares insights into key environmental and socio‑economic programmes. Our first stop is Seal Point Lighthouse, built in 1878 – the tallest masonry tower on South Africa’s coastline. We continue to Talhado Children’s Haven, which began as a refuge for street children and now operates as a Montessori school and community hub. Next is Nomvula’s Knitters, a craft initiative that teaches knitting skills and has grown to employ local knitters producing garments sold worldwide – with proceeds channelled back into the community. We finish at Port St Francis to view the chokka (calamari) boats in the harbour. The remainder of the day is at leisure. Overnight in Cape St Francis.

Today we travel to our final stop, Gqeberha – formerly known as Port Elizabeth. The city’s heritage dates to 1820 with the arrival of the first British settlers and, together with surrounding former municipalities, it forms Nelson Mandela Bay – a vibrant metropolitan hub of the Eastern Cape. Gqeberha is a major industrial centre with extensive motor manufacturing, wool, textile and food–processing industries, and its port is among the largest in Southern Africa. In your free time you can take to the water along the coast or explore the city’s history and culture at its many historic sites and on local tours. A notable landmark is the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium – built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup – which reflects the city’s global connections. Overnight in Port Elizabeth.

Enjoy a final breakfast at the hotel. We then take a leisurely walk along Route 67 in Gqeberha – a public art and heritage trail that showcases the Eastern Cape’s history and culture while honouring Madiba’s 67 years of service – before your guide transfers you to Port Elizabeth International Airport for your flight home.