7 Day Ultimate Garden Route & Cape Winelands Comfort Adventure

The tour starts with pickup from your Cape Town or Stellenbosch accommodation (often between 6:00 and 08:00 in the morning). The day gets off to a great start with a scenic and thrilling journey through coastal towns that resemble oasis as you follow the coast while being embraced by national parks with lush forests.

The Garden Route will be waiting for you in all its splendour after approximately four hours of driving southeast! Botlierskop Game Reserve is located further down the N2 national road. An exhilarating safari experience in the native bushveld is the perfect way to begin your tour.

Botlierskop Private Game Reserve is a malaria-free area where you can go on an open-air 4×4 safari and see some of Africa’s wild animals. If you are looking for a wide variety of animals, including the Big Five, zebras, wildebeests, lions, elephants, kudu, and white rhinos, you are in luck. During the game drive, a seasoned game ranger will share his insights about the local fauna. 

Following your encounters with wild animals, you will continue your journey towards the Wilderness area. If you are lucky, Mother Nature will shower you with the region’s usual out-of-this-world golden sunset. 

Tonight, you can relax and enjoy a peaceful evening at a beachy coastal town in Sedgefield, where backpackers stay, or Knysna or the Wilderness town area, where you will stay overnight at Graywood Hotel or similar (private bathrooms).

Today is all about the “garden” of the Garden Route – from ziplining over gushing river gorges to exploring dense forests along suspension bridges and footpaths in Tsitsikamma National Park – adrenaline and beautiful landscapes go hand in hand on this action-packed adventure.

Thrill seekers can brace themselves for the world’s tallest bungee bridge jump. As you drive over the bungy bridge, it does not look like much.

However, the squeals and screams make it clear that this is not your typical photo stop. Here, seemingly average folks yo-yo their way back up the 216-meter drop before hurtling down the other side.

Why not overcome your fears and give it a shot if you are in the mood for adventure? For a less strenuous adrenaline rush, consider Waterfall Swinging through the nearby Tsitsikamma forest on zip lines while gliding past breath-taking waterfalls.

You will go down one spectacular gorge, zip over three waterfalls, and complete approximately five separate slides, the longest of which is 211 metres. If you would rather not get your feet wet in the water, but still want to experience the wonders of nature, a trip to the verdant Tsitsikamma National Park is just what the doctor ordered.

Enjoy activities, such as birding, game viewing, and waterfall chasing. Just the views from Tsitsikamma’s suspension bridge make the short but steep hike there worthwhile, but the forest footpaths lead to a secret waterfall, sandy beach, and a plethora of reptiles and birds that will astound and delight you.

As the sun sets behind the ocean in the early evening, the journey continues along the coast to reach Jeffreys Bay, surfcentral. As the sun goes down, unwind with a meal at your hotel or try a local seafood specialty while listening to the soft lapping of the waves.

You will stay overnight in Jeffreys Bay at Sea Whisper Guesthouse or similar (private bathrooms).

Today you can look forward to highlights like surfing or beach horseback rides – both optional – and a tour bus game drive in Addo National Park.

You can start the day with a relaxed morning at the beach while enjoying the warmer Indian ocean waters. You can indulge your shopping addiction at JBay’s surf wear shoppers village, or you can surf at this world-renowned surf spot. 

Following a morning of beach activities, the adventure continues inland to the malaria-free Addo Elephant National Park, where visitors can observe native animals in their natural environment. 

The tiny citrus growing town of Addo, nestled in the valley of the Sundays River and bordered by the Zuurberg Mountains, is where you will spend the night. Overnight at Gerald’s Gift Guesthouse or similar (private bathrooms).

Oudtshoorn, the ostrich capital of the world, is situated in the semi-desert Klein Karoo. On your journey to the mountains, you will pass through landscapes of rugged plains and towering cliffs.

Discover the enchanted Cango Caves, a network of limestone caverns teeming with stalactites, stalagmites, drip formations, and Khoikhoi artefacts. 

An optional Elephant Observation in Nature experience can be arranged by rangers at the Buffelsdrift private game reserve this afternoon for those who wish to get up close and personal with Mother Nature, provided time permits. 

Indulge in some local specialties or simply relax under the starry country sky as you dine at a restaurant recommended by your guide. Overnight in Oudtshoorn at Oakdene Guesthouse or similar (private bathrooms).

Visit the Cango Ostrich Show Farm and learn about the farming industry, the history and the features of the world’s largest bird. You can even test the strength of the ostrich eggs by standing on them. 

Start your tour to Cape Town, driving through stunning scenery of mountains, farmlands and vineyards. 

Experience the famous Route 62, the longest wine route in the world, where you can sample local culture, food and wines. 

Stop for a Wine Tasting and enjoy the views of the Valley of Wine. You will stay overnight in Cape Town at Protea Sea Point or similar (en-suite bathrooms).

Explore the Cape Winelands and experience cheese and wine pairing, some more tasting, and even wine and chocolate pairing! Join an outsourced Cape Winelands small group day tour through the Cape Winelands with Taste & Tram (or similar).

Your guide will come and get you from your hotel after breakfast. This tasting tour of the finest wines from the Cape Winelands is sure to please both wine connoisseurs and ecotourists.

Not only do you get to taste wine at three prestigious estates in the Paarl, Stellenbosch, and Franschhoek regions —perfect for cheese and chocolate pairings—but the scenery will take you on a journey through time.

Franschhoek, the self-proclaimed culinary capital of South Africa, is a great place to have lunch before winding down your Winelands adventure with a third wine tasting stop. In the late afternoon, you will be back in the Cape Town region.

You stay overnight in Cape Town or Stellenbosch, preferably at Protea Sea Point or similar (en-suite bathrooms).

*Subject to availability, a similar trip with a different supplier may be booked.

Join an outsourced Cape Point small group day tour. The day begins with a stop at Hout Bay, a fishing village on the northern side of Chapman’s Peak. From here, you can take a short boat ride to Duiker Island, where there is a seal colony.

The route departs from Hout Bay and winds its way through nine jaw-dropping kilometres, encompassing an astounding 114 bends. There is a solid reason why Chapman’s Peak road is hailed as one of the most picturesque drives in the world.

You continue your journey to the Cape of Good Hope, the farthest point southwest in Africa. Visit Simon’s Town, the South African Navy’s home and situated on the banks of False Bay, as the day grows longer.

Beautiful Boulders Beach, with its granite pebbles, is just a short distance to the south. The black-and-white feathered finery of the African penguins is on display for the delight of the crowds at this popular spot.

Boardwalks offer a great vantage point to observe these adorable creatures while also separating humans from them. Return to Cape Town late afternoon or early evening – with drop off usually between 17:00 and 21:00 (subject to traffic and your drop-off address.)

* Subject to availability, a similar trip with a different supplier may be booked