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Cape Town · Western Cape · South Africa
Private Transfer: 4 Day Meander The Garden Route Tour
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From $2,325.76 per person
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The Experience
What your day looks like
South Africa’s Garden Route, with its perfect mix of farmland, bush, and beach is wildly appealing; as are the charming country towns that you pass through, the soulful local cuisine on offer, and the colorful characters you meet along the way. Of course, no trip along the Garden Route would be complete without a side trip along Route 62, which is loosely based on its American cousin, Route 66. Winelands, wildlife safaris, and forest landscapes form this slice of paradise. It’s a feast for the senses, from the delicious roadside produce and humble grape growers to the big-ticket items like the World Heritage-listed Cango Caves and the daring plains of Botlierskop Private Game Reserve. You’ll combine coastal wies with wildlife encounters, fine cuisine with local delicacies, and lush coastal forests with vast Karoo plains. Throw in a glamping experience surrounded by wild animals, and a morning wake-up to beachfront views, and there’s no denying you’re in for a luxurious retreat.
At a Glance
The experience, in brief
- Experience a 4day Meander on the Garden Route
- Enjoy winelands, wildlife safaris, and forest landscapes
- View the Cango Caves and the daring plains of Botlierskop Private Game Reserve
- Throw in a glamping experience surrounded by a wild animal
- Visit Mooiplaas’ working ostrich farm
- Spend time in Wilderness National Park’s garden
- Go on safari to spot most of the Big Five animals including lions
- Stop at the Dias Museum Complex
Your Itinerary
Your day, step by step
Day 1
Cape Town
Oudtshoorn: Start with a morning pick-up from your accommodation in Cape Town.
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Cape Town
Sightseeing. End to end, Route 62 is the longest wine route in the country and every mile away from Cape Town gives a glimpse into the talent of the country’s wine and port makers and insight into the lives of everyday South Africans.
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Cape Town
Wine Tasting. The drive from Cape Town north along Route 62 is a visual feast and one best spent gazing out the window. Rolling farmlands and vineyards rotate through the colour spectrum during the seasons and, as the miles flow. At times, you could be forgiven for thinking you’re in Portugal when you visit Boplaas, a modest looking wine farm in the Calitzdorp region with a mighty reputation for delivering world-class ports and table wines.
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Cape Town
Sightseeing. Today’s end destination, the Klein Karoo, lies east of the Breede River Valley. The trademark arid plains and flocks of ostriches are a dead giveaway that you've arrived in the self-proclaimed ostrich capital of the world.
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Cape Town
Sightseeing at Cango Caves. As you near Oudtshoorn, the kerbside changes to the trademark red dirt of the Klein Karoo which hides a World Heritage-listed wonder beneath the surface. The 20 million-year-old Cango Caves are well hidden beneath the arid landscape of the Klein Karoo and stun with their size and beauty. Hundreds of perfectly created limestone stalactites and stalagmites have dripped their way into formation over thousands of years. This cavernous limestone labyrinth is filled with vast halls, hidden chambers and ancient cave paintings that drip with history and ooze with natural charm. Named after the Khoisan word for a wet place, these caves drip in sharp contrast to the dusty plains above and the visitor centre strikes a good balance between preservation and commercialisation.
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Cape Town
Eco Tour. As dusk falls on African big sky country, you’ll meander off-the-grid to the Mooiplaas Guest House and working ostrich farm, so keep your camera at the ready. Local delicacies fill the farm-house-style dinner and breakfast menus, so don’t be shy in trying the Karoo lamb or something a little more exotic like ostrich fillet steak.
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Cape Town
Sightseeing. More often than not the skies are clear and Mother Nature puts on a stunning night-light display as the Mooiplaas team weave African tales in and around the traditional astrology landscape.
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Cape Town
Accommodation provided at a 4-star Farm Stay.
Day 2
Cape Town
Wildlife & Eco Tourism. Oudtshoorn - Wilderness Your day starts with an ostrich egg omelette and a visit to Mooiplaas’ working ostrich farm. As you drive down country lanes, you’ll see breeding pens, the nursery and learn how the staff lovingly keep careful eyes on the developing eggs.
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Cape Town
Canoeing at Wilderness National Park. From the clay dust of the Karoo to the green of the Garden Route with a splash of ocean blue… today, more so than any other, shows the real contrasts in the South African landscape. Wilderness National Park’s garden land undulates through lush forestlands and alongside lofty mountains. A canoe paddle along the Touws River, deep in the park, will get you that little bit closer to nature and to the park’s abundant birdlife. Keep your eyes peeled for a glimpse of a forest buzzard, African crowned eagle, emerald cuckoo or half-collared kingfisher.
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Cape Town
Sightseeing. In days gone by, giant yellowwood trees were logged, but under the watchful eye of South Africa National Parks, these endangered species are protected and flourish. Your immersion in nature doesn’t end as night falls, as you stay on national park lands within a stone’s throw of Wilderness’ pristine beach.
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Cape Town
Leisure. Wilderness, your retreat for the night, with its elegant rooms and close proximity to the pristine Wilderness beach. Spend the rest of the evening lazing on the beachfront, with unsurpassed sea views and the ultimate vantage point for dolphin spotting. Stroll along this wide sandy beach as the sunset transforms the sky in a kaleidoscope of colour. Your guide can suggest the best seafood or other dining options (own expense) available.
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Cape Town
Accommodation provided at a 4-star Luxury Stay.
Day 3
Cape Town
Relaxation & Fun. Garden Route Region: As day breaks, you’ll catch a glimpse of the sunrise over the river water and enjoy a relaxing last meal in the pristine wild before the Garden Route calls.
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Knysna
Local Flavor. Today, you'll follow the Indian Ocean from Wilderness to Knysna, a tiny hamlet with a bustling waterfront that’s a firm favourite with holidaying South Africans. This little town has a big reputation with seafood lovers and hosts an oyster festival each July… so shucking a shell or two is a must-do when in town.
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Knysna
Sightseeing. Knysna sits on the shores of an oversized lagoon and, in a town known for its water activities, it would be remiss not to head out on the water to admire the view with a leisurely cruise.
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Cape Town
Wildlife & Eco Tourism. Less than an hour’s drive inland and you’ll feel like you’re on a different tour when you crest the hill leading to Botlierskop Game Lodge, home to more than 1800 animals including lions and water buffalo, which you’ll spot on your afternoon game safari. Possible sightings include Rhino, Lion, Buffalo, Giraffe, Black Impala, Golden Wildebeest, Mountain Zebra, Hippo and so much more. From the safety of a specially adapted vehicle, an experienced game ranger will point out sightings and share his knowledge of the local wildlife.
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Cape Town
Relaxation & Fun. As dusk falls, cosy up by the lodge fireplace, take a dip in the heated pool or dine al fresco on African game meats – each with a South African twist. Botlierskop takes glamping and raises it a notch or two with heated towel rails, brandy before bed and luxurious beds that beckon after a day on the road.
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Cape Town
Accommodation provided at a 4-star luxury tent glamping.
Day 4
Cape Town
Wildlife & Eco Tourism. Garden Route Region: Rise with the sun and with your ranger at your side, you’ll head out into the bush to see what animals are up and about. Hungry hippos wallow in a reed-ringed dam, giraffes graze on tree canopies and monkeys screech in the distance… and this is all before breakfast.
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Mossel Bay
Sightseeing at Bartolomeu Dias Museum Complex. After breakfast, as you bid adieu to the bushbucks and big game, chart a course for the coastline and a little seaside town with a big maritime history. Mossel Bay, on the sun-washed slopes of the Cape St Blaiz peninsula, is home to the Dias Museum Complex. Here the town’s cultural and natural history combine into one interlocked story that tells of early mariners and the flora and fauna they found.
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Cape Town
Local Flavor. On this journey, the culinary experiences have shared equal billing with the pristine wild so it’s fitting that the tour ends with a paddock-to-plate celebration of Cape Fusion cuisine in the pretty town of Swellendam.
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Cape Town
Nestled at the foot of the Langeberg Mountains, we think it’s the perfect final stop before you head home to Cape Town.
Before You Go
What to know before booking
Included
Private Transfers Local Guide Mooiplaas Ostrich Farm Visit Kayaking in Wilderness Lagoon Cruise + Oyster Tasting Botlierskop 4x4 Safari Bartolomeu Dias Museum Visit Route 62 + Wine Tasting Cango Caves Exploring
Not Included
Travel Insurance Flights Lunch, Dinner + Drinks Optional luxury transport upgrade
Restrictions
This private tour itinerary is flexible and can be tailored to spend more time at the tour's highlights that interest you the most. Private transfer tours offer your own exclusive private tour guide and exclusive vehicle during the transfer sections of the tour, but any included activities or attractions visited may join others already booked.
Meeting & Pickup
Pick-up from your accommodation in Cape Town.
Planning Notes
Minimum age: 18 Hotel pickup offered: Yes Confirmation: Manual By Business
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