Cape to Cape: Discover South Africa’s Wildlife, Winelands and Garden Route

Touch down in Cape Town International Airport and take your transfer to the hotel. There, you’ll be greeted by our Local Insider, who will accompany the group throughout the trip. Enjoy free time relaxing by the pool, exploring the lively Woodstock neighbourhood, or perhaps taking a trip down to the V&A Waterfront. At 5.30pm, meet your fellow travellers at the hotel before heading out for a welcome dinner at Woodstock Grill & Tap – an ideal opportunity to get to know each other over hearty food and locally brewed craft beer.

Activities included:

Airport transfer
Welcome dinner

Today, you’ll hike up Table Mountain – South Africa’s best-known natural landmark. The flat-topped, 1,086m (3,563ft) high mountain formed more than 200m years ago, and is home to more than 1,400 floral species, plus porcupines, dassies, mongooses and more than 20 varieties of snake. It takes between one and three hours to reach the summit and, in clear weather conditions, the views overlooking the city are stunning. After descending by cable car, take a walking tour of Bo-Kaap – a neighbourhood known for its kaleidoscopic houses and rich cultural heritage – and enjoy a Cape Malay cooking class.

Activities included:

Table Mountain hike to the summit
Table Mountain cable car from the summit
Bo-Kaap walking tour
Cape Malay cooking class

After breakfast, embark on a day tour of the Cape Peninsula – a mountainous, 52km (32mi) long stretch of land jutting into the Atlantic Ocean at the southwestern tip of the African continent. You’ll have a chance to go stand-up paddleboarding with penguins, eat lunch in delightful Simon’s Town and visit Cape Point at the southern tip of the peninsula. Here, you may spot baboons and elands (the largest antelope species in the world) and, if you’re lucky, whales and dolphins in the waters below the towering cliffs. Return to Cape Town and spend the evening as you wish.

Activities included:

Cape Peninsula tour
Stand-up paddleboarding with penguins

Bid farewell to Cape Town as you venture into the lush valleys of the Cape Winelands. In Stellenbosch – the capital of the region, characterised by attractive Cape Dutch architecture – you’ll tuck into a traditional braai lunch (the South African version of a barbecue) at the award-winning Middelvlei Wine Estate. Enjoy a guided tour of the vineyards, including a wine-tasting experience with cheeses matched to the drinks. Afterwards, spend the rest of the day at leisure. More wine? The choice is yours.

Activities included:

Wine tour and tasting

Next up on your journey is the coastal town of Hermanus, where you’ll have lunch before embarking on a marine safari cruise to Dyer Island. This uninhabited, 20ha (50-acre) nature reserve, around 8km (5mi) offshore from Gansbaai, is one of the best places in South Africa to spot the Marine Big Five: whales (southern right, humpback and Bryde’s), great white sharks, Cape fur seals, African penguins and dolphins (humpback or bottlenose). You can also observe an array of bird species, including Cape cormorants, Hartlaub’s gulls, African black oystercatchers and plenty more.

Activities included:

Dyer Island marine safari

Continue east towards Knysna, one of the main towns on the Garden Route (a 300km/190mi stretch of coastal road encompassing some of the most idyllic landscapes in South Africa, including indigenous forests, lakes and lagoons, sprawling wetlands and white-sand beaches). Enjoy some free time exploring the town before embarking on an afternoon boat cruise on Knysna Lagoon, including fresh oysters and a couple of glasses of wine on board. You’ll then continue on to Storms River at the far end of the Garden Route – your home for the next two nights.

Activities included:

Knysna Lagoon boat cruise with wine and oysters

Today is free for you to make the most of the numerous adrenaline-pumping activities on offer in Storms River. Fancy ziplining between tree canopies? You can do so nearby. Kayaking, liloing and segwaying are also possible. Alternatively, hike one of the scenic trails in Tsitsikamma National Park or, if you prefer, chill by the pool and explore the village. Come nightfall, you may be tempted to try the woodfired pizzas at Papa Africa and local craft beers at Tsitsikamma Micro Brewery.


Optional activities:

Kayaking
Liloing
Ziplining
Segwaying
Hiking in Tsitsikamma National Park

Leave Storms River behind as you hit the road again, journeying 250km (155mi) east to Amakhala Game Reserve. This private 7,000ha (17,000-acre) reserve, in the malaria-free Eastern Cape region, is home to the Big Five – lions, elephants, rhinos, leopards and buffalos – plus hippos, cheetahs, giraffes and much more. In the late afternoon, you’ll set off on your first game drive in an open 4x4 safari vehicle, guided by an experienced ranger, allowing you to observe wildlife up close in their natural habitat.

Activities included:

Afternoon game drive

Rise and shine – you’ll be heading straight out on an early morning game drive. The prime time to spot animals is while the temperature is still relatively cool; lions and leopards, especially, are more likely to be active at this time of day, so keep your eyes peeled. After breakfast back at the lodge, you’ll have the option to take a guided walk through the game reserve, giving you the chance to safely observe animals from a totally different perspective. Head out on another game drive in the afternoon, followed by a farewell group dinner in the evening.

Activities included:

Early morning game drive
Afternoon game drive
Farewell dinner

There’s still time to squeeze in one final early morning game drive before you leave Amakhala Game Reserve and take your transfer to Port Elizabeth International Airport at 10am. Say goodbye to your new friends before catching your flight home – or choose to extend your stay and explore what else South Africa has to offer.

Activities included:

Early morning game drive
Airport transfer