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Cape Town + Garden Route + East Cape Safari (self drive)
CCB14C

14 NIGHTS
FROM $1,352
International flights and car hire quoted separately
This holiday offers maximum flexibility by combining time in Cape Town exploring at your own pace, with a self drive vacation along the beautiful Garden Route- including Knysna & Plettenberg Bay - to Port Elizabeth. Complete your holiday with a superb Big-5 safari in the malaria-free Eastern Cape, with outstanding birding and game viewing.
HIGHLIGHTS
Self Drive Holiday Cape Town Garden Route South Africa Self Drive Safari Vacation Cape Town Car
Day 1
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
Today is free for independent sightseeing in Cape Town.
 
We recommend you purchase an optional day pass for the red route of the convenient Hop-Off Bus, which stops at all Cape Town’s key sights and beaches. Start by ascending Table Mountain by cable car (optional) to enjoy one of the world’s most famous views. Continue to Camps Bay beach and then explore the shops and many other attractions of the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, which is also the centre of Cape Town’s nightlife.
Day 3
At leisure to explore the beautiful city of Cape Town independently.
 
Choose one of the many local activities such as a visit to Robben Island, the infamous prison home of Nelson Mandela (advance booking essential in season); explore the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront or simply relax on golden Camps Bay beach – the choice is yours!
Day 4
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, where two oceans meet. 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, when open, to spectacular Cape Point where you may see 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
Drive 45-minutes to the beautiful Stellenbosch Winelands, travelling via the famous Wine Routes of Paarl and Franschhoek with numerous opportunities for wine tasting along  the way.
 
Check into your hotel, relax under the giant oak trees and savour the fine foods and wines of this famous region.
Day 6
At leisure to relax in the beautiful Cape Winelands, surrounded by its mountains and vineyards.
 
Explore the famous wine routes of Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl with many opportunities for wine tasting, or visit the historic university town of Stellenbosch with its many street markets, craft shops and museums. Later relax and enjoy the superb food and wines of this region.
Day 7
Drive 2-hours from Stellenbosch along the scenic coastal route through Gordon’s Bay and along the False Bay coast to the small seaside town of Hermanus.
 
Along the way you may want to visit Harold Porter Botanical Gardens, renowned for its fynbos flowers.
 
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. Check in to your hotel and enjoy the natural beauty of the coastline.
Day 8
At leisure to enjoy Whale Watching from the cliffs of Hermanus, which usually offer excellent viewing.
 
Also explore the small town, with its interesting open-air craft market in season and coastal path with indigenous fynbos and bird life. There is also a small beach at the foot of the cliffs, with steep access.
Day 9
Drive for 4-hours today along the scenic Route 62 through the arid Little Karoo to Oudtshoorn.
 
We suggest visiting an Ostrich Farm to see these huge flightless birds in their natural surroundings, before checking into your hotel for overnight.
Day 10
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.
 
You can also enjoy an optional visit to Cango Wildlife Ranch to see cheetah and crocodiles, before driving 2-hours through the spectacular Outeniqua Pass to the beautiful Garden Route.
 
Check into your Knysna hotel and relax in this area of outstanding natural beauty.
Day 11
Today we recommend taking 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. 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
Today is free to explore the small town of Knysna and its beaches.
 
Many optional activities are available in the area, including an Ocean Safari to search for dolphins and whales in season (July to November); Knysna Elephant Sanctuary; deep sea fishing; horse riding; mountain biking and championship golf. If you wish to explore further afield, you can visit Monkeyland & Birds of Eden near Plettenberg Bay or the Storms River Mouth in the Tsitsikamma Forest.
Day 13
Today drive from Knysna through Plettenberg Bay, South Africa’s playground for the rich and famous where schools of dolphins are sometimes seen in the warm Indian Ocean and whales in season (July to November).
 
Continuing northwards, drive 4-hours through the Tsitsikamma Forest and across the dramatic Storms River Gorge where, time permitting, we recommend a short detour to the Storms River Mouth before continuing to your malaria-free Private Game Reserve in the beautiful Eastern Cape.
 
After checking in to your safari lodge, 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!
Day 14
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.
Day 15
Enjoy some final early morning game viewing, before driving 1-hour to drop off your hire car at Port Elizabeth Airport for your flight home.
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