7 Day Garden Route & Addo Safari Private Tour
This tour explores the beautiful coastline between Cape Town and Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), and ends off with a safari in Addo Elephant National Park. It travels one-way, allowing you to maximize time enjoying beautiful scenery and safari, and minimizing driving time. It takes in the highlights of the Whale Coast, the Garden Route, and Eastern Cape safari country, with many options for adventure, nature, and hiking activities along the way.
Tours includes:
- Services of a professional tour guide/driver
- Private transport, as described in itinerary
- 6 nights’ accommodation
- Daily breakfast
- Many options for adventure, nature, and hiking activities in Mossel Bay, Wilderness, Knysna, and Plettenberg Bay
- Hiking in Tsitsikamma National Park
- Safari in Addo Elephant National Park
Tour itinerary:
Day 1: Cape Town – Hermanus
We depart from Cape Town in the morning for Hermanus. We follow the scenic coastal road, stopping at Betties Bay to view a colony of endangered African penguins. You can spend the afternoon in the seaside resort town of Hermanus, famous for hundreds of Southern Right Whales during the whale season (July to November) and many shops, restaurants and markets.
Day 1 highlights
| Included meals: | None |
Included activities:
Optional activities: | Visit to the African Penguin colony at Betties Bay
Add more wildlife: Whale watching boat trip (in season, July – November; must be pre-booked) Add more adventure: Cape Canopy Tour, ziplining in the Hottentots-Holland Nature Reserve |
| Approximate driving time: | +/- 2 hours, +/- 140 km |
| Overnight: | Hermanus 5 Star: The Marine Hotel Hermanus 4 star: 1 Marine Drive Boutique Hotel Hermanus Economy: Windsor Hotel |
Day 2: Hermanus - Wilderness
After driving through the small towns of the Overberg, we reach the lush forests and beautiful beaches of the Garden Route. Spend the afternoon enjoying the Mossel Bay or Wilderness beaches, or explore Wilderness National Park by canoe. Alternatively, we can take a turn to visit the Southernmost Tip of Africa at Cape Agulhas (adds 1.25 hours’ drive & 100 km).
Day 2 highlights
| Included meals: | Breakfast |
Included activities:
Optional activities: | None
Add more nature: Canoeing and hiking in Wilderness National Park Add more geography: Visit the Southernmost Tip of Africa, Cape Agulhas |
| Approximate driving time: | +/- 4 hours, +/- 365 km OR +/- 5.25 hours, +/- 460 km with Agulhas |
| Overnight: | Wilderness 5 Star: Views Boutique Hotel Wilderness 4 Star: Mes Amis Guest House Wilderness Economy: Fairy Knowe Hotel, Riverside Rooms |
Day 3: Wilderness - Knysna
Day 3 highlights:
| Included meals: | Breakfast |
Included activities:
Optional activities:
Approximate driving time: | None
Add more wildlife: Whale Watching boat trip (in season, Jul – Nov) Add more nature: Featherbed Eco Experience or Paddle Cruiser Add more Instagram moments: Sunset Catamaran Cruise
+/- 45 minutes, 50 km |
| Overnight: | Knysna 5 Star: Head Over Hills Boutique Hotel Knysna 4 Star: Lofts Boutique Hotel Sedgefield Economy: Afrovibe Beach Lodge |
Day 4: Knysna - Plettenberg Bay - Knysna
After a few days on the road exploring, enjoy a morning at leisure. Your guide and tour vehicle are available for outings in the area. We suggest exploring the beautiful coastal town of Plettenberg Bay. You can relax on one of their beautiful beaches, enjoy lunch at one of their great restaurants, enjoy wine tasting at one of the wineries or get active and enjoy a hike on the spectacular Robberg Nature Reserve.
Day 4 highlights:
| Included meals: | Breakfast |
| Included activities: | None |
Optional activities:
Approximate driving time: | Add more nature: Robberg Nature Reserve Add more nature: Keurbooms River Ferry Add more adventure: Kloofing with Africanyon Add more foodie: Luka Vineyards Add more local craft: Mungo Mill
+/- 1 hour, 65 km |
| Overnight: | Knysna 5 Star: Head Over Hills Boutique Hotel Knysna 4 Star: Lofts Boutique Hotel Sedgefield Economy: Afrovibe Beach Lodge |
Day 5: Knysna – Tsitsikamma – Addo area
This morning, we take in the beauty of Tsitsikamma National Park, with its unique combination of indigenous forest and beautiful Indian Ocean coastline. The park has a wide choice of activities for all, including hiking, crossing a suspension bridge and swimming. In the afternoon, we will make our way to Big 5 country – Addo.
Day 5 highlights
| Included meals: | Breakfast & Dinner |
| Included activities: | Entrance to Tsitsikamma National Park |
Optional activities:
Approximate driving time: | Add more adrenaline: Bloukrans Bungee Jump
+/- 4.5 hours, 340 km |
| Overnight: | Addo area 5 Star: Gorah Elephant Camp Addo area 4 Star: Camp Figtree Addo area economy: Avoca River Cabins |
Day 6: Addo safari
Today is a full day to enjoy Addo Elephant National Park, with the densest population of African elephants in the world. Elephants are the big attraction, but Addo is home to the rest of the “big 5” animals also, as well as may other African wildlife, such as kudu, zebra, ostrich, and hyena.
Day 6 highlights
| Included meals: | Breakfast & Dinner |
| Included activities: | Entrance to Addo Elephant National Park; game drive safari |
| Approximate driving time: | +/- 4 hours game driving in Addo |
| Overnight: | Addo area 5 Star: Gorah Elephant Camp Addo area 4 Star: Camp Figtree Addo area economy: Avoca River Cabins |
Day 7: Addo safari + departure from Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
After one final morning game drive in Addo, guests will be transferred to Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), where tour services will end. We recommend booking late afternoon or evening flights from Port Elizabeth, in order to allow enough time to enjoy the full morning game drive.
Day 7 highlights
| Included meals: | Breakfast |
| Included activities: | Entrance to Addo Elephant National Park; morning game drive safari |
| Approximate driving time: | +/- 1.5 hours, 85 km (plus 2–3-hour game drive in Addo) |
| Overnight: | n/a |
Pricing for 7 Day Garden Route & Addo private tour (September 2024 – August 2025):
Number of people (Cost per person) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | single supplement | |
| Tour including 5-star accommodation | HIGH SEASON | R124700 | R92500 | R81750 | R77450 | R74050 | R71750 | R35800 |
| LOW SEASON | R112500 | R80300 | R69550 | R65250 | R61850 | R59550 | R17200 | |
| Tour including 4-star accommodation | HIGH SEASON | R92200 | R58600 | R47400 | R42900 | R39350 | R36950 | R15500 |
| LOW SEASON | R86250 | R52650 | R41450 | R36950 | R33400 | R31000 | R11500 | |
| Tour including economy accommodation | NO SEASONAL DIFFERENCE | R80900 | R45900 | R34250 | R29550 | R25850 | R23350 | R2400 |
Rates are indicative; final price varies by specific travel dates and room category availability. Please enquire for a fixed quote – our private tour consultants will be happy to advise on options to meet your group size, available dates & budget.
High season: September – April, excluding peak season of 15 December – 15 January; Low season: May – August.
Single supplements: for odd numbers of guests (1/3/5), one person will pay a single supplement for a single room. | ||||||||
Please read our Cape Town & Garden Route tour terms and conditions.
- DEPARTS ANY DAY
- STARTS & ENDS IN CAPE TOWN
- PRIVATE TOUR
