7 Day Ultimate Garden Route & Cape Winelands Luxury Adventure

The tour starts with pickup from your Cape Town or Stellenbosch accommodation ( between 6:00 and 08:00 in the morning). Start your day with a scenic and thrilling journey through coastal towns. 

The Garden Route will be waiting for you in all its splendour after  approximately 4 hours of driving southeast! 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. 

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 overnight at Protea Hotel Knysna Quays or similar (private bathrooms). 

We prefer to use this  accommodation option, subject to availability. If unavailable for your tour date, a similar standard of accommodation will be booked.

Highlights of today include a visit to the Knysna Heads viewpoint, an optional Waterfall Zipline, optional Bloukrans Bungy Jump, and a Tsitsikamma National Park walk.

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 bungy bridge jump. Here, seemingly average folks yo-yo their way back up the 216-meter drop before hurtling down the other side. 

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, take a trip to the verdant Tsitsikamma National Park. 

Enjoy activities, such as birding, game viewing, and waterfallchasing. Just the views from Tsitsikamma’s suspension bridge make the short but steep hike there worthwhile. The journey continues along the coast to reach Jeffreys Bay, surf-central. 

Unwind with a meal at your hotel or try a local seafood specialty. You will overnight in Jeffreys Bay at On the Beach Guesthouse (private bathrooms).

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.

Feel free to customise your morning to your liking by selecting from the following options: If you have the time, you can rent surfboards and take surf lessons. Another optional activity is beach horseback riding, where you can gallop through the shallow waters of the untamed, rocky beach while exploring the coast.

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 barren Klein Karoo plains give way to verdant horizons as you make your way to the world-famous Greater Addo Region. As you expertly traverse the park’s network of dusty dirt roads in pursuit of the Big Five and other large and small animals, your knowledgeable guide will draw on local knowledge to identify their exact locations. 

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 Addo Wildlife Lodge (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 Hlangana Lodge (private bathrooms). Optional upgrade to Buffelsdrift Lodge Luxury Tent glamping is possible, subject to availability and extra cost.

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 overnight in Cape Town at Garden Court Victoria Junction or similar (En-suite bathrooms).

Take a small-group day trip through the Cape Winelands with Taste & Tram (or similar).

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. 

First, you will have a farmer’s tasting of wine and local produce at Fairview, a cheese haven. Travel on to Franschhoek for a one-of-a-kind rail tour of the wine valley, stopping at Rickety Bridge wine estate for a tasting of the region’s finest vintages. 

Franschhoek 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 overnight in Cape Town or Stellenbosch, preferably at Garden Court Victoria Junction or similar (en-suite bathrooms). 

Guests may also join an outsourced group for the day.

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 9 kilometers, encompassing an astounding 114 bends.

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. 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. Guests may also join an outsourced group for the day.