Garden Route- 9 Days
Tags:
Addo Elephant National Park; Adventure; Cape Town; Cape Winelands; exploration; Garden Route; Oudtshoorn; Port Elizabeth; Sightseeing;
The Littorina Shell Journey – 9 days Code Shell Journeys. Contact us for rates. This trip can depart at any time and we can shorten it, add on to it, or use different lodging. This is just to give you some ideas.
Read Full Description- Destination:
- Trip Length:
- 9 days
- Price Range:
- From $0 to $2000 per person See what this includes and what this excludes
- Best Time to Go:
- Any time.
- Recommended for:
-
15 - 17, 18 - 20, 25 - 30, 31 - 35, 36 - 40, 41 - 50, 51 - 55
Family Trip, Group Retreat, Trip Around the World
Detailed Trip Description
The Littorina Shell Journey – 9 days Code Shell Journeys. Contact us for rates. This trip can depart at any time and we can shorten it, add on to it, or use different lodging. This is just to give you some ideas.
Trip Itinerary
Day 1 - Port Elizabeth
Hotels
Your guide will meet you in Port Elizabeth, at the Protea Hotel Edward (3-star) and/or Protea Hotel Marine (4-star). Pre-tour accommodation can be arranged at either of these hotels, on request, on a B&B basis. Airport transfers from Port Elizabeth Airport also available through these hotels.
Buses
Transfer to a luxury, air-conditioned mini-bus or small coach and drive approximately 1 hour to a private luxury game lodge, situated in/near the Addo Elephant National Park or the renowned Shamwari Game Reserve.
National Parks
Addo is particularly famous for its elephants, and reputedly has the biggest elephant herds in South Africa. The Park is also stocked with buffalo, rhino and other African game species. Shamwari also stocks lion and is situated on reclaimed once-degraded farmland – a conservation success story! Check in and begin your ultimate big game experience.
Camping
Possible accommodation options: 5-star Gorah Elephant Camp or Shamwari Game Reserve.
Day 2 - South Africa
Adventure
Spend the day on the reserve, taking in the wonders of African wildlife, and enjoying various big game activities, including game drives and bush walks. Depending on accommodation, activities such as mountain biking and horseriding may also be available.
Day 3 - Port Elizabeth
Buses
Depart after a sumptuous breakfast, and drive back to Port Elizabeth.
Food and Dining
By-pass the city and continue on to the coastal hamlet of Jeffrey’s Bay, where you will enjoy a light lunch (lunch not included).
Sightseeing
After lunch, we drive westwards to the famous Storms River Bridge, gateway to the Garden Route. Enjoy a fabulous bridge walk; find out about the history of the bridge and see spectacular views of the Bloukrans River Gorge.
Sightseeing
Do a unique Canopy Tour of the Tsitsikamma Forests – see the forests from a new perspective by taking a journey through the forest canopy, sitting in a mountaineering harness as you move along mountaineering ropes between treetop wooden decks. Costs R400 (not included).
Sightseeing
Depart Storms River/Tsitsikamma, taking the attractive coastal road, affording beautiful views of this unspoilt coastline, before crossing the Keurbooms River. Arrive at Plettenberg Bay in the late afternoon.
Hotels
Overnight B&B accommodation in/near Plettenberg Bay. (Dinner not included.)
Hotels
5-star luxury: The Plettenberg Hotel, Tsala Treetop Camp.
3-star: Stromboli’s Inn, Keurbooms Protea Hotel.
Day 4 - Plettenberg Bay
Sightseeing
Depart Plettenberg Bay after a sumptuous breakfast Enjoy a scenic drive down the N2 to the popular coastal town of Knysna – known for indigenous forests, oysters and pansy shells. Then, choose from a variety of excursions, listed below. All are included in tour prices.
Yacht Cruises
Cruise across Knysna Bay to beautiful Featherbed Nature Reserve above the Knysna Heads. Enjoy a guided drive/walk through pristine fynbos with unparalleled views of the Knysna Heads and a delicious lunch (lunch excluded) – about 4 hours
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Day 4 - Plettenberg Bay
Yacht Cruises
Enjoy a cruise on board a luxury yacht across the bay and round the Knysna Heads with Knysna Spring Tide Charters; light refreshments (not drinks) included – about 2 hours
Shopping
Afterwards, shop in Knysna, with a break for coffee in one of the town’s quaint outdoor cafes or coffee shops.
Sightseeing
Alternatively, enjoy one of the inland excursions below.
Note: These two excursions are weather permitting and may be subject to change or cancellation by the operators due to poor weather conditions.
Sightseeing
Excursions for landlubbers (or during inclement weather) En route to Knysna, visit Monkeyland, where visitors enjoy foot safaris into the local forests to see various monkeys and apes from around the world. Ranger guides provide an enriching and interesting experience for visitors.
National Parks
Then, we will visit the Knysna Elephant Park, to find out all about the fascinating, almost-human African elephants. Visitors enjoy a unique opportunity to touch, feed and interact with these gentle giants in a magical, unforgettable encounter.
Adventure
Also, we will see the endangered Knysna Seahorse at Thesen Islands and find out about conservation efforts to save these unique creatures, which are only found in this part of the world.
Beach
Ask your guide to take you on a beautiful beach walk from Brenton-on-Sea to Buffalo Bay and back again (14 km round trip on flat beach), to experience the best of one of South Africa’s most pristine coastlines. Swimming and beach facilities available at both ends. Kiosk and light meals available at Buffalo Bay. If you’re lucky, you may see whales or dolphins out to sea while on your walk.
Sightseeing
A word of warning – the walk will take the better part of the day, so you won’t be able to do any of the other excursions if you choose this one!
All excursions and entrance fees included. Lunches, refreshments, alcoholic drinks and beverages excluded, except where stipulated.
Sightseeing
Leave Knysna in the afternoon and head along the exquisite coastline to the pristine hamlet of Wilderness – with plenty of those fabulous dune forests and pristine wetlands, estuaries and lagoons.
Hotels
Overnight B&B accommodation in Wilderness. Dinner at local restaurant (not included)
Hotels
All tours: Wilderness Manor Guest House, Whale’s Way B&B 3-star: Fairy Knowe Hotel.
Day 5 - South Africa
Sightseeing
After breakfast, leave Wilderness for a day trip to Oudsthoorn Travel to George and then up the breathtaking Outeniqua Pass through the Outeniqua Mountains and into the Little Karoo.
Sightseeing
In Oudtshoorn, enjoy a tour of the spectacular Cango Caves, lunch & tour at the Safari Ostrich Show Farm and wander round the local museum (lunch included). The museum houses displays on the ‘ostrich barons’, and regional history, even including Oudtshoorn’s involvement in events such as the Anglo-Boer/South African War and World War I and II.
Hotels
Depart Oudtshoorn for Wilderness. Overnight B&B accommodation in Wilderness.
Food and Dining
Dinner at local restaurant (not included).
Hotels
As above
Day 6 - South Africa
Sightseeing
Depart Wilderness after breakfast Drive down the N2 to Geoge and then onto Swellendam, where we head north-west, into the Cape Winelands.
Wine
It’s a long way, so we’ll enjoy a late lunch in either Franschoek or Paarl before setting off for some wine tasting at a local winery (lunch and wine tasting not included) in the afternoon.
Hotels
Overnight B&B accommodation in Franshoek OR Paarl.
Food and Dining
Dinner at local restaurant (not included).
Hotels
All tours: Eben Haezer Manor House, Pontac Manor Hotel (Paarl), Auberge la Dauphine (Franschoek).
Day 7 - Cape Town
Sightseeing
Depart Franschoek / Paarl after breakfast Drive to Cape Town Check into accommodation Choose from various local excursions or shop (not included). There’s plenty to do in Cape Town – your guide will assist you or you can make bookings through your accommodation.
Sightseeing
Take a cable car trip up Table Mountain, to enjoy fabulous views of both the city and the ocean;
Book a day in advance with the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens for a guided walk (half-day) to see superb examples of South African plants; Visit Robben Island, the famous prison – now a museum - where Nelson Mandela and other so-called ‘traitors’ of the former (apartheid) government were incarcerated – find out about the history of the African National Congress and the ‘struggle’;
Enjoy a very worthwhile trip to the Two Oceans Aquarium & Oceanarium, for a fascinating look at South African marine life, including walk-through tanks and unusual displays; The South African Museum (if you’re so inclined) provides the visitor with an interesting overview of South Africa – the country’s past, peoples and natural history; The Castle of Good Hope is also worth seeing, the first fort ever built in South Africa, and housing a collection of South African art and memorabilia;
Cape Point, situated within the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, is home to a wide variety of fynbos species, seabirds, shipwrecks, spectacular views and more. See Diaz Cross and climb to the cliff top below which two oceans (the Indian and the Atlantic) meet. Restaurant, shop, info centre and other facilities available.
Simonstown is an attractive enclave (and the site of the South African Naval Base) en route to Cape Point. Enjoy light meals at a number of attractive restaurants or browse small, quaint shops for a variety of items.
Half-day and full-day city tours are available through various operators: ask your accommodation to make the necessary arrangements for you. Beaches are all pristine and easily accessible. For sandy beaches, try Clifton, Camps Bay and Fish Hoek. For sheltered swimming on windy days, Boulders Beach is probably best. Try Llundudno for rocky shores and breathtaking sunsets (we recommend taking a bottle of local Merlot wine, suitably matured, and cheeses with you!).
Food and Dining
Dinner at local restaurant or hotel restaurant (not included).
Hotels
5-star luxury: Mount Nelson Hotel (Gardens), Ellerman House (Bantry Bay).
3-star: Ocean Manor House (Camps Bay), Mountain Manor House (Waterfront).
Day 8 - Cape Town
Sightseeing
Breakfast at accommodation.
Various excursions (not included) End-of-tour seafood dinner, possibly at Hout Bay (not included)
Hotels
As above
Day 9 - Cape Town
Food and Dining
Breakfast at accommodation.
Airport Transfers
All accommodation establishments will offer airport transfers – make arrangements when booking with us so that we can alert the establishment. Airport transfers in Cape Town not included in tour price.
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Accommodation for 8 nights mentioned in the itinerary. Meals as according to itinerary. Entrance fees as mentioned in the itinerary, Flights as listed in the itinerary, Transfers & sightseeing as per itinerary.
Budget Excludes:Airport transfers in Cape Town not included in tour price. All Diner and Lunch are not included.
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