3-Day Garden Route Tour

This 3-day garden route tour departs daily from Cape Town via the popular Route 62 to the scenic Garden Route. We also traverse through the adjacent Little Karoo, visiting the famous Cango Caves and an ostrich farm.  The tour continues through other ‘must-see’ areas and ends up in Gqeberha(Port Elizabeth) the afternoon of the 3rd day! Our small group tours create an exclusive feel in luxurious comfort. The pace on this tour is faster than our 4-day tour as it is designed for those with a time limit.

 DAY 1. Cape Town – Wine Estate – Route 62 – Oudtshoorn

Departing from Cape Town, we drive eastwards via the beautiful Du Toit’s Kloof Mountains and the Breede Valley Wine region, heartland of South Africa’s brandy producers.  Our journey includes the Robertson and Montague wine regions, visiting one of the many wine estates along the route, for a special wine tasting.

We continue via Route 62 through the Little Karoo with its unique mountain ranges and vegetation to Oudtshoorn, visiting an Ostrich Show Farm for some exceptional experiences with these strange birds!

Overnight at La Plume Boutique Guest House outside Oudtshoorn, also called the “Feather capital” of the world, as over ninety per cent of the world’s ostrich farms are found here. (Dinner included)

DAY 2.  Cango Caves – George (Garden Route) – Wilderness – Knysna

After breakfast, we visit the Cango Caves, regarded as one of South Africa’s foremost natural wonders. The fascinating calcite caves comprise of an underground wonderland of stalactites and stalagmites.

An optional visit to the Cango Wildlife Ranch can be done once we leave the caves. The Ranch encompasses  over 90 different species of animals. They provide guided tours which are fundamental in educating the public, giving each species a voice, and highlighting animal and environmental issues.

We leave Oudtshoorn, and proceed over the Outeniqua Mountains via George along the Wilderness National Park lakes area. We skirt around the lakes to Knysna on the edge of the Knysna Lagoon with its entrance to the sea guarded by two promontories known as the “Heads”. The area also falls within a National Park proclaimed to conserve the extraordinary natural beauty of the lakelands and adjacent indigenous forests. Knysna also offers shopping opportunities of unusual locally made art and craft, etc.

Overnight at Parkes Manor or similar in Knysna. (Breakfast and dinner included)

DAY 3.  Plettenberg Bay – Tsitsikamma National Park – Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)

We explore Knysna this morning, then travel further via Plettenberg Bay to visit the Birds of Eden Sanctuary. This unique two-hectare dome (the world’s largest) spans over a gorge of indigenous forest.　It is currently home to over 3,500 birds from over 220 species, with the main focus being African birds. We continue to the Bloukrans Bridge, built 216 meters (709 feet) above the Bloukrans River. The Bloukrans Bungee is the world’s highest commercial bungee bridge and the highest　commercial natural bungee jump in the world.

Our next stop is at the Tsitsikamma National Park, (Khoisan for ‘The place of much water’). The park stretches over one hundred kilometres of wild and rocky coastline characterized by massive cliffs, narrow isolated beaches, shady indigenous forests along the river valleys.　In the park you can do an hour  walk/hike to the suspension bridge stretching over the mouth of the Storms river. The final part of your journey takes you past a few coastal holiday villages to Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), also called the ‘Friendly City’, where the tour ends. (Breakfast included)

OTHER TOURS YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN

3 Day Garden Route Tour – Gqeberha(Port Elizabeth)  to Cape Town

4 Day Garden Route Tour – Cape Town to Gqeberha(Port Elizabeth)– OR – from Gqeberha(Port Elizabeth) to Cape Town

4 Day Garden Route Tour – Cape Town to Cape Town

5 Day Garden Route and Semi-desert Karoo – Cape Town to Cape Town

6 Day Garden Route, Semi-desert Karoo and Wildlife – Cape Town to Cape Town