GARDEN ROUTE SPLENDOUR The Garden Route begins a few hours outside of Cape Town and is one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline. It is a wildly popular route that consists of a series of towns that each offer diverse and unique experiences, some favorited and others, off-the-beaten track. The Garden Route Splendour package is a collection of all the experiences that make this region celebrated. You will follow the path from Cape Town, through the ostrich capital of the world, Oudtshoorn, also home to the Cango Caves, and then enjoy the splendour of Knysna and the Tsitsikamma. A world of natural wonder beckons. Tour Overview DATE ROUTING DAY 1 – MONDAY CAPE TOWN – OUDTSHOORN DAY 2 – TUESDAY OUDTSHOORN DAY 3 – WEDNESDAY OUDTSHOORN – KNYSNA DAY 4 – THURSDAY KNYSNA DAY 5 – FRIDAY KNYSNA – TSITSIKAMMA DAY 6 – SATURDAY TSITSIKAMMA – GQEBERHA (PORT ELIZABETH)
DAY 1 – MONDAY CAPE TOWN – CAPE AGULHAS - OUDTSHOORN This morning you will be met by your local tour guide and depart for the scenic Garden Route. Travel along Sir Lowry’s Pass, with its magnificent views, to Grabouw and Elgin, a lush landscape surrounded by majestic mountains. Stop en route at a farmstall packed with locally produced products from the area. Our journey continues to Cape Agulhas, the southernmost tip of Africa, where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. The area has largely been untouched and unexplored with its rugged coastline being the graveyard for many a ship. The historic Cape Agulhas Lighthouse is considered the icon that signifies the tip of Africa. After this thrilling experience, we continue via historic Swellendam and the Tradouw Pass to Barrydale and the famous Route 62. Continue to Oudtshoorn, known as the ‘ostrich feather capital’ and centre of the world’s Ostrich farming industry. Enjoy dinner at an Ostrich Farm, dining on local specialities such as Ostrich Steak. Overnight in Oudtshoorn. Dinner. Distance travelled today: 550 kms
DAY 2 – TUESDAY OUDTSHOORN
After a leisurely breakfast take a tour of the spectacular limestone caverns of the Cango Caves, one of the world’s great natural wonders, sculpted by nature through the ages. Join a fun filled interactive guided tractor tour at a working Ostrich Farm, followed by a wine tasting, sampling top quality wines of the region. Overnight in Oudtshoorn. Breakfast. Distance travelled today: 90 kms
DAY 3 – WEDNESDAY OUDTSHOORN - KNYSNA
After breakfast, travel over the Outeniqua Pass to George, the sixth oldest town in South Africa, with many historical landmarks like the Slave Tree and King Edward VII Library building; said to be the best example of Edwardian architecture in the town. The tour travels via Wilderness, an attractive holiday resort, to Knysna, known as the oyster box of South Africa, nestling on the banks of a beautiful lagoon in the heart of the Garden Route. Enjoy a delicious lunch en route of traditional cuisine and local treats. The remainder of the day is at leisure until you join an afternoon sunset cruise on the Knysna Lagoon. Overnight in Knysna. Breakfast & Lunch. Distance travelled today: 170 kms
DAY 4 – THURSDAY KNYSNA
Today you’ll have the opportunity to further explore the natural beauty of the Garden Route. Visit Monkeyland Primate Sanctuary, where you will be able to see a variety of primates, roaming free in the forest. This award-winning sanctuary is well known for its efforts to rehabilitate and free previously caged primates. A portion of the trip price of this TRAVEL WITH A PURPOSE Activity, goes towards ensuring that these already endangered species can survive and reproduce for a future reintroduction into the wild. The tour continues to the famous Eastern Head, where you will enjoy spectacular views of the Knysna Heads (weather permitting). Afterwards you’ll travel to Brenton on Sea, a breath-taking holiday location and a nature lover’s paradise with its unspoilt beaches and peaceful surroundings. The remainder of the afternoon will be at leisure. Overnight in Knysna. Breakfast Distance travelled today: 110 kms
DAY 5 – FRIDAY KNYSNA - TSITSIKAMMA
Travel to Plettenberg Bay, considered the jewel of the Garden Route, for a visit to the Birds of Eden sanctuary, the biggest single free flight aviary in the world. The sanctuary was developed to create a safe environment in which to release a large collection of free-flight African birds. A portion of the trip price of this TRAVEL WITH A PURPOSE Activity goes towards protecting genetically pure species of various Taxa in a semi-wild state and to hold the seeds of these Taxa for future reintroduction into the wild. Our journey continues to Bloukrans Bridge, currently offering the highest commercially operated Bungy Jump in the world. Visit the Tsitsikamma National Park and Storms River Mouth (weather permitting). The Tsitsikamma National Park incorporates 80 km of rocky coastline with spectacular sea and landscapes, a remote mountainous region with secluded valleys covered in mountain Fynbos and temperate high forests with deep river gorges leading down to the sea. Overnight in the Tsitsikamma area. Breakfast. Distance travelled today: 100 kms
DAY 6 – SATURDAY TSITSIKAMMA – GQEBERHA (PORT ELIZABETH)
Head eastwards along the Tsitsikamma Forest to Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), affectionately known as the “friendly city”. Enjoy a city orientation tour of Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), where the tour ends on arrival. Guests may disembark, on request, at Chief Dawid Stuurman Airport. Breakfast. Distance travelled today: 185 kms FLIGHTS: Johannesburg – Cape Town Cape Town – Johannesburg
Included:
Flights and Accommodation and Breakfast
Excluded:
Anything not mentioned
Lufthansa City Center