6- Days Wild Coast and Garden Route Tour
This tour includes the rugged Wild Coast and the scenic Garden Route. But firstly, it follows the lush, sub-tropical coastline from Durban on the East Coast. The tour ends in Cape Town, situated in the southwestern corner of South Africa!
DAY 1 South Coast – Wild Coast (Durban – Cape Town)
The drive from Durban takes you along the coastal route through lush subtropical vegetation and numerous holiday villages dotted along the seaboard. We visit the scenic Oribi Gorge and some beautiful little beaches. Turn inland and further along, enter the Eastern Cape Province, the former homeland of Transkei and traverse over hilly grasslands dotted with Xhosa homesteads through valleys and clear streams. Today’s final part is via tiny hamlets and into the wild part of the rugged Wild Coast and checks into a hotel on the edge of the sea. Overnight Mbotyi Lodge.
DAY 2 Wild Coast
You travel to Umtata, the capital of the former homeland. We visit the Nelson Mandela Museum and afterwards travel south towards our lodge. The lodge is nestled in the middle of the beautiful Chintsa Bay on the Wild Coast, surrounded by rolling hills, lush tropical beach forests. Situated on the dunes, it also overlooks the warm Indian Ocean. Overnight Crawford Beach Lodge.
DAY 3 Addo Elephant National Park – Gqeberha(Port Elizabeth)
We enjoy breakfast overlooking the shimmering Indian Ocean on the Wild Coast and afterwards depart for East London, the only river port in South Africa. This is also the place where a prehistoric coelacanth was caught in 1938. We travel further and enjoy the lush vegetation and rugged coastline. You visit Port Alfred, an outstanding holiday village situated on the Kowie River mouth and afterwards travel to Grahamstown. The small cathedral city is considered the art capital of South Africa and is steeped in history. At the Addo National Elephant Park game reserve, You have an excellent chance of encountering these giants of the bush amongst many other animals. This afternoon you reach Gqeberha(Port Elizabeth), the fifth biggest city in the country, set on the Algoa Bay shores and called the “Friendly City”. Overnight Fifth Avenue Beach House.
Day 4 Garden Route – Knysna
You depart from Port Elizabeth, called the ‘Friendly City’ towards the Storms River with the impressive Paul Sauer Bridge across the valley towering one hundred and thirty-nine meters above the river.
Your next stop is at Tsitsikamma National Park (Khoisan for the place of much water) stretching over one hundred kilometres of wild and rocky coastline characterized by massive cliffs, narrow, isolated beaches and shady indigenous forests along the river valleys. In the park, you can do a relaxing walk/hike to the suspension bridge stretching over the mouth of the Storms River. Afterwards travel to The Bloukrans Bridge, 216 meters (709 feet) above the Bloukrans River. The Bloukrans Bungee is the world’s highest commercial bungee bridge and is also the highest commercial natural bungee jump in the world!
Then we visit Birds of Eden. 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, focusing on African birds. Travelling past Plettenberg Bay to Knysna on the Knysna Lagoon’s edge with its entrance to the sea guarded by two promontories known as the ‘Heads’. The area falls within a National Park proclaimed to conserve the Lakeland’s extraordinary natural beauty and the adjacent indigenous forests. Knysna offers shopping opportunities and unusual locally made art and craft, which will entice you to shop.
Overnight Augusta Bay Lodge in Knysna after an exciting day on tour!
Day 5 Garden Route – Oudtshoorn
We travel further along with the lake areas and the Wilderness National Park. The path leads us over the scenic Outeniqua Pass to Oudsthoorn. Oudtshoorn is known as the ‘Feather Capital’ of the world as the largest concentration of ostrich farms are found here. We visit the Cango caves, also known as one of South Africa’s foremost natural wonders. The fascinating calcite caves comprise an underground wonderland of stalactites and stalagmites.
An optional visit to the Cango Wildlife Ranch can be done. The Ranch encompasses over 90 different wild animal species. They provide guided tours which are fundamental in educating the public and give species have a voice. More educational information also highlights animal and environmental issues.
Overnight La Plume Lodge.
Day 6 Oudtshoorn – Route 62 – Cape Town
We visit an ostrich show farm for some unique experiences with these strange birds after an early start.
We travel via Route 62 through the Little Karoo. This part of the Karoo has many unique vegetation and mountain ranges. Further is the Wine regions of Montague, Robertson and the Breede Valley Wine – South Africa’s Brandy producers’ heartland. We visit one of the many Wine Estates in these areas for a wine tasting. Our route to Cape Town takes us over the Du Toitskloof Pass and Paarl. After an amazing tour, you arrive in Cape Town late afternoon.
OTHER TOURS THAT MAY INTEREST YOU:
6-Day Coastal Explorer Including the Garden Route and Wild Coast (Code: SCCP) – Cape Town to Durban
4-Day Garden Route (Code: SCCE) – Port Elizabeth to Cape Town with an early morning flight from Durban to Port Elizabeth.
