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GARDEN ROUTE TOUR – Home Reserve to Cape Town or
Reverse
4 days /
3 nights
Discover the Garden
Route ’s treasure trove
of pristine beaches, lush indigenous forests and tranquil lagoons and the
Klein Karoo ’s harsh arid beauty.
Tour
includes
All
entrance fees as per itinerary except steam train; 3 nights’
accommodation; 3 breakfasts, 3 dinners and 4 lunches
Highlights
·
Tsitsikamma Forest and
Storms River Mouth
·
Woodcutters Journey
·
Knysna Lagoon
·
Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe steam train
(optional)
·
Cango Caves
·
Ostrich farm
·
Breede River Valley “fruit route”
·
Karoo National Botanical
Garden
·
Majestic Du Toit’s Kloof pass
Day 1 – Home Game Reserve to
Tsitsikamma
We leave
The Game Reserve and travel to the Tsitsikamma forest, an indigenous
primeval forest with towering ancient yellowwood trees, lush vegetation
and deep gorges. The
“Woodcutters Journey” is a trailer or land rover ride which follows an old
elephant trail through the forest and is an opportunity to learn about the
flora, fauna and history of the area. After lunch, we drive down a steep
pass to the aptly-named Storms River Mouth, where there are numerous short
walking trails into the forest.
We also visit the 800-year old “Big Tree”. This evening we enjoy country
hospitality and typical South African cuisine at our accommodation’s
in-house restaurant.
Touring time: full day
Traveling
time:
approximately 3 hours
Accommodation:
Tsitsikamma Lodge or similar
Meals
included:
lunch and dinner
Day 2 – Tsitsikamma to Knysna
Before leaving the Tsitsikamma Forest , we
stop at Bloukrans Bridge to
witness the world’s highest commercial bungi jump. Today we are in the
heart of the Garden
Route and we enjoy a
scenic drive along the Old Passes road, stopping for a swim at the
unspoilt beaches of Nature’s Valley or the glamorous resort of
Plettenberg Bay . This
afternoon we enjoy a sedate 45 minute “eco stroll” along the
Robberg Peninsula ,
a rocky headland which presents a fine example of how plants and animals
adapt to the interacting influences of land and sea. Robberg affords
excellent views of any whales or dolphins that may be visiting
Plettenberg Bay . We
enjoy lunch in Plettenberg Bay . We
reach Knysna in time for a drive around the shores of the Knysna Lagoon to
the quaint village of Belvidere.
Restaurants in Knysna specialise in locally-caught fresh fish and
this evening we have the chance to sample the catch of the day.
Touring time:
full
day
Accommodation: Knysna Log Inn or similar
Traveling
time: approximately 2 hours
Meals
included: breakfast,
lunch and dinner
Day 3 – Knysna to Oudtshoorn
We
have a few hours to browse through the arty-crafty shops in Knysna before
you have the option of catching the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe steam train to
George, travelling via the scenic Lake
District and Wilderness, or you can
continue by bus. We enjoy
lunch in George. After George, we cross over the protea-covered
Outeniqua Mountains to Oudtshoorn, in the Little Karoo. This afternoon we drive to the
Cango Caves to
explore its massive limestone caverns. We return to our
accommodation, where there is time to relax or cool off in the pool. This evening we dine out on
ostrich steak or delicious Karoo mutton.
Touring time: full day
Accommodation: De Opstal or similar
Traveling
time:
approximately 3 hours
Meals
included: breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 4 – Oudtshoorn to Cape
Town
This morning we visit an ostrich farm and then journey through
the unique landscape of the arid Little Karoo, passing through Calitzdorp
and Barrydale. We enter the
verdant Breede River Valley ,
the largest of the Western
Cape ’s fruit and wine
producing valleys. As we
follow the “fruit route”, we enjoy magnificent mountain views, vineyards,
orchards and indigenous flora.
Stops will be made at roadside farm stalls to purchase fruit. We
also enjoy lunch along the route. In Worcester we tour the Karoo National
Botanical Garden, which shows off the fabulous wealth of the cape floral
kingdom and is also a haven for rare or endangered plants. The breath-taking Du Toit’s
Kloof Pass brings
us over the mountains and into the fairest city of all,
Cape Town
.
Touring time: full day
Traveling
time:
approximately 5 hours
Meals
included: breakfast and lunch
PRICE: SCHEDULED: R5,195 (approx. $750) per person
sharing
PRIVATE: R10,995 (approx. $1,575) per person
sharing
(Dollar rates
based upon exchange rate of 7 to 1)
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