Garden Route Safari Self Drive Tour (133746),Holiday Packages to Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Cape Town

Package Overview

This popular self-drive holiday combines Cape Town & the penguins of Cape Point, with exploring the winelands of Stellenbosch & Franschhoek at your own pace. Continue along the Garden Route, including the whale centre of Hermanus, Oudtshoorn in the Karoo & the seaside towns of Knysna and Plettenberg Bay. Complete your holiday with a Big-5 safari in the Eastern Cape. All game drives included.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Cape Town • Table Mountain • Stellenbosch Winelands • Franschhoek
• Hermanus • Franschhoek • Oudthoorn • Knysna
• Plettenberg Bay • Big-5 Safari

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Day wise Itinerary

Day 1 : Arrival

You will be met at Cape Town Airport and transferred to your hotel in this beautiful city, within sight of Table Mountain.

Check in and relax in your magnificent surroundings.
Day 2 : Cape Town

Today is free for independent sightseeing in Cape Town.

We recommend you purchase a day pass onboard the convenient Hop-Off Bus, which stops at all Cape Town’s key sights and beaches. The "Red Route" bus stops at the Table Mountain base station, where you can buy a ticket to ascend by cable car and enjoy one of the world’s most famous views. Continue to Camps Bay beach and the many attractions of the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront.
- Hotspots : Camps Bay
Day 3 : Cape Town

At leisure to relax and explore the 'Mother City' of Cape Town.

Many optional activities are available in this beautiful city. You can visit Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned (advance booking essential in season), Kirstenbosch Gardens and the vibrant Victoria & Alfred Waterfront.

Golf and deep sea game fishing are available, or you can or simply relax on Camps Bay beach – the choice is yours.
- Hotspots : Camps Bay
Day 4 : Hout Bay

This morning your hire car will be dropped off at your hotel.

We recommend you spend the day exploring the beautiful Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve peninsula. Start with an optional short boat trip from Hout Bay to view Cape Fur seals at Seal Island and continue via Chapman’s Peak Drive to spectacular Cape Point where you may see baboons, ostrich and perhaps even dolphins or whales in season (July/November).

On the return journey we recommend driving through naval Simons Town and visit the resident penguin colony at Boulders Beach. You can also make a short stop at the world famous Kirstenbosch Gardens, before returning to your hotel in the late afternoon.
Day 5 : Franschhoek

Today drive 1-hour to the small town of Franschhoek, where a handful of French Hugenot refugees started South Africa's now famous wine industry.

Along the way we suggest stopping at the Cheetah Outreach project in Somerset West, a community-based programme seeking to raise awareness of the plight of the cheetah and campaign for its survival (pay entrance fee locally).

You can also stop at one or more wine estates along the famous Stellenbosch and Franschhoek wine routes, to enjoy some wine tasting. Then check into your hotel, relax under the giant oak trees and savour the fine food and wine of this region.
Day 6 : Franschhoek

Today is at leisure to relax in Franschhoek, the food & wine capital of South Africa surrounded by beautiful mountains and vineyards.

You can self-drive and explore more of the wine routes of Franschhoek, Stellenbosch and Paarl with many opportunities for wine tasting at famous wine estates.

Alternatively visit the wine estates of the valley aboard the hop-off Franschhoek Wine Tram, travelling through rolling vineyards in a combination of open-side tram and open-air bus. The "Blue Line" visits the wine estates of Mont Rochelle, La Couronne, Holden Manz, La Bourgogne, La Bri, Rickety Bridge and Grande Provence. The "Red Line" visits Maison, Eikehof, Leopard's Leap, Dieu Donne, Chamonix, Rickety Bridge and Grande Provence (book directly online).

In the evening dine at one of the superb restaurants in this culinary city (advance booking is strongly recommended).
Day 7 : Hermanus

Today drive 1.5-hours from Franschhoek to the small seaside town of Hermanus.

Along the way we suggest a detour to the Stoney Point Penguin Colony in the small coastal town of Bettys Bay. You may also want to visit Harold Porter Botanical Gardens, renowned for its fynbos flowers. The walk through the gorge and down to the waterfall is particularly rewarding (pay all entrance fees locally).

Continue to Hermanus and check into your hotel. From July to November, southern right and humpback whales come here to breed and this is considered the best location for land-based Whale Watching in the world. Once severely endangered, these magnificent creatures of the deep are now breeding successfully in the area due to a major international conservation effort.
Day 8 : Hermanus

At leisure to enjoy Whale Watching from the cliffs of Hermanus, which usually offer excellent viewing. For closer views, take an optional whale watching boat trip (advance booking recommended in season).

Afterwards you can explore this small town on foot, with its interesting open-air craft market in season and coastal path with indigenous fynbos and bird life. There is a small beach at the foot of the cliffs, with steep access.

You can also visit the small Fernkloof Nature Reserve, a gem of a fynbos wildflower sanctuary, cared for by the local botanical society and set against a mountain at the end of the village.
Day 9 : Oudtshoorn

Drive for 4-hours today along the scenic Route 62 through the arid Little Karoo to Oudtshoorn.

On arrival we suggest visiting an Ostrich Farm to see these huge flightless birds in their natural surroundings (pay entrance fee locally), before checking into your hotel.
Day 10 : Cango Caves

We suggest that today you visit the famous Cango Caves – a vast series of underground halls and caverns formed over 20 million years ago in the foothills of the Swartberg Mountains. The caves, which extend for over 3 miles, contain spectacular stalagmites and stalactites and offer relatively easy access.

Afterwards drive 2-hours to Knysna on the beautiful Garden Route. If you are adventurous and enjoy driving on steep gravel mountain passes, you can detour across the Swartberg Pass (about 1-hour) towards Prince Albert, returning the same way if the end of the pass is closed. If the pass is open, you can return by travelling eastwards around the base of the mountain, returning to Oudtshoorn via the Meiringspoort Pass (about 2-hours) - both offering spectacular views. Then continue through the magnificent Outeniqua Pass to Knysna.

Drive past the beaches of Wilderness and the lakes of Sedgefield to Knysna. Check into your hotel and relax in this area of outstanding natural beauty.

Note: In season we recommend bookings Knysna restaurants online in advance of your visit, to avoid disappointment.
Day 11 : Knysna Waterfront

Today we recommend making your way to the Knysna Waterfront for the ferry to Featherbed Nature Reserve situated on Knysna's Western Head, one of two magnificent sandstone cliffs guarding the entrance to the vast Knysna Lagoon.

This spectacular nature reserve is only accessible by ferry, followed by a short trailer ride to the top of the reserve which offers panoramic views. Most visitors choose to return on foot along a 1-mile guided nature walk through natural coastal forest onto the cliffs, through caves and along a scenic coastal path, followed by a seafood buffet lunch served under the old Milkwood trees.

In the afternoon we recommend a visit to Knysna Elephant Park where you will have the opportunity to feed one of these gentle giants (pay entrance fee locally). The remainder of the afternoon is free to explore Knysna. This lively town is famous for its oysters, which are grown in the lagoon. It offers good shopping opportunities and many interesting craft shops.
Day 12 : Knysna

Today is free to explore the small town of Knysna with its beautiful lagoon, shops, restaurants and beaches.

Walkers can enjoy the beautiful Knysna Forest or travel to nearby Plettenberg Bay and enjoy a scenic coastal hike around the Robberg Peninsula. Other activities in Knysna include sailing, deep sea fishing, horse riding, mountain biking, kayaking and golf.

Optional wildlife activities near Plettenberg Bay include a visit to the Elephant Sanctuary; Monkeyland Primate Sanctuary; Birds of Eden; Wild Cat Sanctuary; Raptor Park or Lawnwood snake sanctuary. You can also participate in an ocean safari to search for dolphins and whales in season (July to November).
Day 13 : Plettenberg Bay

Today drive 5-hours from Knysna to your malaria free private game reserve near Addo in the beautiful Eastern Cape.

After driving past the beaches of Plettenberg Bay, continue northwards across the dramatic Storms River Gorge and past the Tsitsikamma Forest.

Continue to your game lodge and enjoy an afternoon game drive, where game viewing opportunities should present themselves almost immediately. Hopefully see several species of antelope, zebra, wildebeest and maybe even giraffe today - as well as several of the Big Five - before dining in your warm African surroundings.

Note: Ensure you arrive at your lodge in good time (preferably by 2.30 pm latest) so you do not miss your game drive.
Day 14 : Private Game Reserve

Rise at dawn to take advantage of the best game viewing conditions of the day and enjoy a thrilling open-top game viewing safari with your lodge ranger in your Private Game Reserve which is home to all the Big Five - Lion, Elephant, Buffalo, Leopard and Rhino. Hope to see many interesting species before returning to your lodge for breakfast.

The rest of the morning is free to relax by the lodge swimming pool, before setting out again in the late afternoon for another game drive. Hope to see giraffe, hippo, kudu, crocodiles, antelope, waterbuck, warthogs, baboons and many other interesting animals. With hundreds of different bird species, outstanding bird watching is also guaranteed!

After a beautiful African sunset, enjoy the balmy evening and pristine stars of the Milky Way as you have never seen them before – as well as the spectacular Southern Cross.

Note: children < 6 are not allowed on open top game drives.
Day 15 : Departure

Enjoy some final early morning game viewing, before driving 2-hours to Port Elizabeth Airport for your flight home.

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Inclusions

Hotel
Sightseeing

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Price & Rates

No of pax	Age Limit	Price per pax (Rs)
Adult	Above 12 years	$ 2013 / Adult

* Mentioned prices may vary depending upon date of travel, hotel availability, surge pricing and seasonal rush.

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Package Start From

Cape Town, South Africa, Africa

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Terms & Conditions

Payment Terms & Methods :
* Some Advance Percentage of total booking amount
* Airfare/Transport fare to be paid full at one time in advance.

Cancellation & Refund Policy :
* Upon cancellation, refund will be made after deducting the Retention Amount.
* Retention Amount varies as per the number of days left before your package start date.

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