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Holiday, South Africa: Cape Town + Graaff Reinet, Karoo + Addo

Cape + Great Karoo + Safari + Garden Route (self drive)
SCF18C

18 NIGHTS

FROM $2,508

Per person sharing

Flights + car hire quoted separately

Holiday South Africa Cape Town Graaff Reinet Karoo Garden Swellendam

This circular South Africa car hire holiday starts in beautiful Cape Town, before visiting the winelands of Franschhoek, the whale-town of Hermanus, the ostrich farms of Oudtshoorn & the dramatic Valley of Desolation in Graaff Reinet. Then experience the thrill of a Big Five safari in the Eastern Cape, before driving back to Cape Town via the pretty town of Knysna & historic Swellendam.

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• Holiday, South Africa	• Cape Town	• Matjiesfontein	• Graaff Reinet, Karoo
• Valley of Desolation	• Big Five Safari	• Garden Route	• Knysna & Oudtshoorn
• Swellendam	• Stellenbosch Winelands

▲

• Holiday, South Africa	• Cape Town	• Matjiesfontein
• Graaff Reinet, Karoo	• Valley of Desolation	• Big Five Safari
• Garden Route	• Knysna & Oudtshoorn	• Swellendam
• Stellenbosch Winelands

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.

To orientate yourself, we suggest you purchase a pass onboard the convenient Red Route Hop-Off Bus, which stops at all Cape Town’s key sights and attractions, including the Table Mountain cable car (discounted tickets are sold on the bus). Here you can ascend and enjoy one of the world's most famous views.

Continue to trendy Camps Bay beach and the many attractions of the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront (pay all entrance fees locally).

Note: Don't let the colour of the bus confuse you. All buses are red, but they run two different routes - the Red City Route and the Blue Kirstenbosch Route.

Day 3

At leisure to explore more of the beautiful city of Cape Town.

You can visit the Mandela Legacy Exhibition at the City Hall, explore the vibrant Victoria & Alfred Waterfront or take the ferry to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned (advance booking essential in season).

You can also take the Hop Off bus (Blue Route) to visit world famous Kirstenbosch Gardens or simply relax on golden Camps Bay Beach.

Day 4

This morning your hire car will be dropped off at your hotel.

We recommend you spend the rest of the day exploring the beautiful Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve peninsula (pay all entrance fees locally). 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 to spectacular Cape Point where you may 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. Time permitting, you can also visit the world famous Kirstenbosch Gardens before returning to Cape Town.

Day 5

This morning leave Cape Town and drive 4-hours to the quaintly preserved Victorian village of Matjiesfontein.

Matjiesfontein was founded in 1884 by an energetic Scottish railwayman called James Logan. Once a fashionable Victorian spa, this town played a key role in the Anglo Boer War of 1899, as it was situated on the main railway line between Cape Town and Johannesburg. It was also the home of the famous author and anti-war campaigner, Olive Schreiner, who wrote 'The Story of an African Farm'. Of special interest is the museum on the station platform and a collection of historic cars and railway carriages to the right of the Lord Milner Hotel.

Day 6

This morning drive 3.5-hours from Matjiesfontein, travelling through vast landscapes to Karoo National Park located outside the town of Beauford West.

Situated in the vast and unforgiving landscapes of the Great Karoo (which means "land of great thirst), this wildlife sanctuary is dominated by the lofty Nuweveld Mountains and its surrounding plains. Check into your rest camp in this isolated region that is home to a fascinating diversity of wildlife species - all having adapted to survive in these harsh conditions.

Day 7

Today enjoy self-drive game viewing in Karoo National Park. We recommend setting off early each morning as the camp gates open (05h30 to 06h00 depending on the season), to take advantage of the best game viewing conditions of the day.

Endemic wildlife found in these harsh arid conditions includes brown hyenas, lions and Cape mountain zebra. Over 20 breeding pairs of black eagle also find sanctuary here and there is a wide diversity of succulent plants and small reptiles.

There is also a 400m Fossil Trail that depicts the geology and palaeontology of the Great Karoo.

Day 8

Today drive 2-hours from Karoo National Park to the small town of Graaff-Reinet, with its interesting Cape Dutch architecture.

Surrounded by Camdeboo National Park, Graaff-Reinet is situated in the heart of the Great Karoo. This is a vast area of sheep and game farms, with magnificent broad plains rolling away into the distant mountains. Check into your hotel in this area of awesome vistas and amazing night skies.

Day 9

At leisure to relax and explore Graaff-Reinet, with its fascinating local history.

A visit to the nearby Valley of Desolation in Camdeboo National Park is highly recommended. Here you can listen to the silence, enjoy superb vistas over the town and see awesome rock formations from centuries of erosion.

Day 10

Today drive 3-hours from Graaff-Reinet to your malaria-free private game reserve near Addo in the beautiful Eastern Cape.

After checking in to your 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 - as well as several of the Big Five - before dining in your warm African surroundings.

Note: Ensure you arrive at your lodge in good time (preferably by 2.30 pm latest) so you do not miss your afternoon game drive.

Day 11

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.

Note: If travelling with a child < 6 please request a family lodge that allows young children on open top game drives.

Day 12

Enjoy some final early morning game viewing, before driving 3.5-hours to Tsitsikamma - the gateway to the beautiful Garden Route.

Along the way we suggest you stop at Addo Elephant Park for a self drive game drive (pay gate fee locally). Here you can view these magnificent animals which once roamed free in this area and were saved from extinction by this national park, which has also preserved the rare Cape buffalo and the flying dung beetle.

Continue to your accommodation and enjoy the flora and bird life of the Tsitsikamma Forest.

Day 13

Today drive 1.5-hours from Tsitsikamma to the oyster capital of Knysna in the heart of the scenic Garden Route.

Cross the dramatic Storms River Gorge where, time permitting, we suggest a 2-hour detour to the Storms River Mouth (pay entrance fee locally).

As you approach Plettenberg Bay, you can visit the Monkeyland sanctuary where you can see primates up-close in their natural surroundings. You can also visit Jukani Animal Centre and the Birds of Eden sanctuary, the largest free flight bird aviary in the world. Located within a two-hectare dome that spans a gorge of indigenous forest, here you can see beautiful local birds in their natural habitat. You can also visit the Elephant Sanctuary at The Crags or the Tenikwa Wild Cat Centre (pay all entrance fees locally).

After stopping to admire the beautiful beaches of Plettenberg Bay, continue to Knysna. Check into your hotel in this area of outstanding natural beauty.

Note: In season we recommend booking Knysna restaurants online in advance of your visit, to avoid disappointment.

Day 14

Today we recommend making your way to the Knysna Waterfront for 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 an included seafood buffet lunch served under the old Milkwood trees.

In the afternoon we recommend a visit to Knysna Elephant Park, for the opportunity to interact with and feed these gentle giants for 45-minutes (pay entrance fee locally).

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.

Note: Subject to availability, it is possible to book a night of self-catering accommodation in Knysna Elephant Park. The en-suite bedrooms overlook the outdoor boma and the communal lounge overlooks the elephants' sleeping area - allowing you to watch them browse, feed and sleep.

Day 15

Today is free to explore the small town of Knysna with its beautiful lagoon, shops, restaurants and beaches.

Optional activities include golf, horse riding, mountain biking, kayaking and an ocean safari from Plettenberg Bay beach to search for dolphins and whales in season. You can also drive to nearby attractions such as Monkeyland and Birds of Eden.

Walkers can enjoy the beautiful Knysna Forest or drive to nearby Plettenberg Bay for a scenic coastal hike around the Robberg Peninsula.

Day 16

Today drive 2-hours along the beautiful Garden Route from Knysna via the lakes of Sedgefield and the beaches of Wilderness to Oudtshoorn in the arid Little Karoo.

Continue through the spectacular Outeniqua Pass to Oudtshoorn. Here we suggest 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 three miles, contain spectacular stalagmites and stalactites and offer relatively easy access. It is also possible to visit Cango Wildlife Ranch to see cheetah and crocodiles up close.

If you are adventurous and enjoy driving on steep gravel mountain passes, you can detour via the Swartberg Pass (about 1-hour) to Prince Albert. You can return the same way, or head east along the base of the mountain and return to Oudtshoorn via the Meiringspoort Pass (about 2-hours). This detour offers spectacular views, but a 4x4 vehicle is recommended.

Afterwards check in to your hotel in Oudtshoorn.

Day 17

This morning we suggest visiting an Ostrich Farm to see these huge flightless birds in their natural surroundings (pay entrance fee locally).

Afterwards enjoying more of the dramatic and contrasting beauty of South Africa on your scenic 4-hour drive along spectacular Route 62 throught the Little Karoo to Stellenbosch.

Along the way we suggest you stop at the historic town of Swellendam - the third oldest town in South Africa, with some wonderful examples of Cape Dutch architecture.

On arrival in Stellenbosch, relax under the giant oak trees and savour the fine food and wines of this region.

Day 18

At leisure to relax in beautiful Stellenbosch, which is surrounded by its mountains and vineyards.

Explore this old university town with its many street markets, craft shops and museums, including the Modern & Contemporary Art Gallery, or visit Stellenbosch Botanical Gardens.

You can also self-drive the wine routes of Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl with many opportunities for wine tasting at famous wine estates. Alternatively use the Vine Hopper hop-off bus to explore these winelands (advance booking online recommended) or book an optional small group tour.

In the evening there are several fine dining restaurants in the area (advance booking strongly recommended).

Note: Vine Hopper bus does not operate on Sundays.

Day 19

Drive 1-hour to Cape Town Airport for your flight home.

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