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YOU ARE HERE: Home > Tours > Garden Route Splendor (PEA-CIAA)
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Garden Route Splendor (PEA-CIAA)
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Tsitsikamma National Park (Courtesy SATourism)
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Catalogue Booking Code: 41003
Tour Duration: 13 days
Start: Port Elizabeth Airport
End: Cape Town International Airport
Experience the wonders of the world-famous Garden Route. Start your trip with a visit to the Friendly City Port Elizabeth and its beautiful surroundings. Travel along the beautiful coastline until you arrive Cape Town where you can spend the last few days of this trip exploring the beautiful Peninsula.
Tour Type: Self drive
Regions covered:
Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Garden Route - WC, Cape Town & Surroundings, Garden Route - EC, South Africa, Garden Route
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Tour Details
Day 1:
Welcome to the Friendly City, Port Elizabeth. On arrival at Port Elizabeth Airport, our representative who will assist you with the collection of your rental car and furnish you with detailed maps and directions.
A warm welcome awaits you at Brookes Hill Suites overlooking the shores of the Algoa Bay, where you will be staying this evening.
Thanks to its temperate climate and the immaculate and clean beaches, there is a choice of outdoor activities like surfing, sailing, swimming and golfing - to name just a few. Situated in the heart of the Beachfront is the fascinating Oceanarium, which houses huge fish tanks, one of the largest dolphin lakes in the world and a large seal pool enclosure.
Port Elizabeth bears the rich legacy of a city in an area which saw the first meetings of Khoisan, British, Dutch, German and Xhosa people. As the landing place of the 1820 Settlers, it boasts some of the finest architectural attractions in South Africa. The 5km Donkin Heritage Trail links 47 places of historical interest in the old Hill area of central Port Elizabeth. The useful pedestrian signage orientates tourists along the self-guided trail.
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Days 2 to 3:
Travel to the Addo Elephant Park, which is a relatively short drive from Port Elizabeth.
This area used to be home to big herds of elephants. After the first settlers came to the Addo region, the elephants frequently caused extensive damage to the crops and fields and destroyed dams in their search for water. As a result the elephant herds were almost eradicated. The park was established in 1931 to protect the last 11 elephants from extinction. This is a magnificent diverse park with a finely tuned ecosystem that is a malaria-free sanctuary to over 420 elephants, 450 Cape buffalo, black rhino, lion and a variety of antelope species. The Park offers great outdoor adventure and cultural experiences.
Activities include game viewing in your own vehicle, guided game drives in open vehicles, guided walking trails as well as a guided rhino trekking expedition!
All the chalets are set near the main waterhole which is lit-up by night and offers unforgettable sightings. Facilities at the camp include an a-la carte restaurant and shop.
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Days 4 to 5:
Enjoy a beautiful drive through the famous Garden Route to Tsitsikamma. Tsitsikamma is the khoi-word for 'place of much water’ and a visit to the Tsitsikamma National Park is a wonderful outing. With some luck you will see both dolphins and the Southern Right Whales. In the area are various hiking trails available and one of the shorter hiking trails at Stormsriver Mouth - a photographer's dream - is highly recommended! Whether you are a keen naturalist or just want to relax, with the wide variety of activities available, all guests will find an activity of their interest.
Storms River Mouth Cave at the Tsitsikamma National Coastal Park forms part of the Khoisan Heritage Route. The cave is at the end of the forest trail to the Storms River Mouth suspension bridge. Turn left when the boardwalk reaches the river. It is a long deep cave with bats at the dark end. The remains of a small shell midden that accumulated over the last 2 000 years is still visible at the entrance on the left.
Accommodation at Tsitsikamma is in so-called Oceannettes (self-catering chalets on the edge of the ocean)
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Day 6:
A scenic drive will take you to the attractive capital of the Garden Route, George. En-route, you will pass through the picturesque small town Knysna. Knysna is a favorite holiday destination nestled between lush forests and a most beautiful lagoon, which offers many activities and attractions of which the Knysna Heads are the most famous. The Knysna Heads are two sandstone cliffs that connect the estuary with the sea. From The Heads you can enjoy spectacular views of the lagoon, Knysna and Leisure Island.
George is nestled at the foot of the Outeniqua Mountains and enjoys a low rainfall Mediterranean climate. Originally established as a woodcutter's outpost in 1810, you can relive the flourishing timber industry at the George Museum which is worth a visit.
Being at the centre of the Garden Route, George is the perfect place from where to explore the surrounding areas. If time permits, take a trip through the Outeniqua Mountains and visit the famous Ostrich Farms in Oudtshoorn.
Your hotel in George, the Protea Hotel King George, overlooks the pristine George Golf Club. Together with the Fancourt golf course, George boasts the some of the finest golf courses in South Africa. Accommodation is in luxurious, Victorian-style rooms with modern facilities.
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Day 7:
Your travels will take you first further along the beautiful coast and next inland to the beautiful scenery of the Klein Karoo. En-route, you will travel through Mossel Bay and if time permits, enjoy a leisurely stopover at this 'Bay of Mussels'. It was here that in 1500 the first South African post office was created when Pedro de Ataide left a letter of importance in a shoe under a large milkwood tree. The tree is now a national monument and mail is still being posted here.
Your destination today is just past Swellendam. Accommodation is on an historic farm offering understated elegance and comfort in the farms original slave quarters, and consists of four large en-suite rooms with an adjoining lounge.
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Days 8 to 9:
Once again your destination is a coastal town. Hermanus is the heart of the Whale Coast, and home to the Southern Right Whale. Hermanus is renowned to be the best destination to watch these incredible creatures from land. The Whale Crier is a local attraction in Hermanus. In the months of June through November, when Southern Right Whales come to the warmer waters of the bay, it is his mission to alert the shore-based whale watchers to the whereabouts of whales, by blowing his kelp horn.
Besides whale watching, a variety of path walks and hiking trails are available or you can venture out on a wine tour through the southernmost vineyards in Africa.
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Days 10 to 12:
The final stretch of this incredible scenic tour takes guests to the Mother City, Cape Town. World famous for Table Mountain, Cape Point, the Peninsula and many more attractions.
Take your time to see everything the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront has to offer. Here is the Waterfront Heritage route, a great shopping experience, craft markets and great places to wine and dine. Visit Robben Island, go for a helicopter ride and visit the aquarium. The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront derives its name from the two harbour basins around which it is developed. The Victoria & Alfred is still a working harbour today, as well as being one of South Africa's biggest tourist attractions.
Enjoy the magnificent views over Cape Town and the Peninsula while traveling up Table Mountain with the cable car. Alternatively, explore the many fascinating museums and historical buildings reflecting the cultures that shaped the city.
Your accommodation is in huiijs Haerlem, an exclusive guest house in Cape Town's charming suburb Sea Point. It is ideally situated, just 3 km from the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront and a 10 minutes drive from the famous Clifton and Camps Bay beaches.
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Day 13:
Return your rental car at Cape Town International Airport where you will board your plane back home or continue with your onward travels.
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