Self drive – Cape Town, Garden Route & Kruger

Today is at your leisure. After a hearty breakfast, you can begin the Pensinsula Tour to the Cape of Good Hope, a breathtaking highlight in South Africa. The famous cape is located in the middle of a nature reserve of almost 8,000 hectares, which is known as Cape Peninsula National Park. The drive there alone offers many sights worth seeing, such as Boulders Beach with the famous penguin colony, the cozy little town of Simons Town, the long beaches, as well as Chapman’s Peak Drive and the famous coastal road above False Bay.

Today you could take a tour to Robben Island. The former maximum security prison in Table Bay off Cape Town is now a natural monument and a national memorial, as South Africa’s first dark-skinned president Nelson Mandela also served much of his sentence here. Ferries depart for Robben Island from the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the V & A Waterfront at 9:00 am, 11:00 am and 1:00 pm, weather permitting. You can expect the tour (including trips to and from the island) to take about three and a half hours. Alternatively, you can book a trip to Khayelitsha. This is the largest township just outside Cape Town. On a guided tour of the township, young people will tell you about their lives in the township and how being involved in a rowing club has changed their lives. On this tour you will be picked up at the hotel by our partner and driven back to the hotel after the tour.

Take your time and discover the countless surrounding wine estates and winemaking towns of Franschhoek and Paarl.
The town triangle Paarl-Stellenbosch-Franschhoek, the cradle of South African wine growing. There are several “wine routes” on which there are many and very beautiful wine estates, almost all of which offer cellar tours. Wine tastings in dark, cool cellars with a pleasant smell of wine and wood are one of the highlights of any trip to the Cape. The many buildings of Cape Dutch architecture, which can be seen during a leisurely drive through the small and often sleepy towns of the Winelands, are also charming.

After a leisurely breakfast, the drive continues along Route 62 to Oudtshoorn. Oudtshoorn is the largest town in the Klein Karoo and is the stronghold of ostrich breeding. Its boom began in 1880 when ladies in Europe and America discovered their love for ostrich feather boas. Even today, the houses of the “ostrich barons” who became rich adorn the townscape of Oudtshoorn. The afternoon can be spent visiting one of the many ostrich farms, learning more about the animals and exploring the beautiful Karoo countryside. Visitors can also enjoy a South African produced wine and taste ostrich meat. Additionally, you can visit the famous Cango Caves, the largest cave system in South Africa with ancient rock formations and sparkling stalactites and stalagmites. Highlights in Oudtshoorn CP Nel Museum – The CP Nel Museum is a museum that features exhibits depicting the role of the ostrich trade in the town’s history, as well as the cultural history and lifestyle of the people of the Klein Karoo region as it was in the Victorian era and early 20th century. Cango Wildlife Ranch – It is home to a variety of cats such as lions and jaguar. The thrill of the Valley of Ancients and Natural Encounters provides an exciting element to learning about crocodiles, making Cango Wildlife Ranch one of the most interactive, exciting tourist attractions in the world. Safari Ostrich Farm – Safari Ostrich Farm is also home to the beautiful and rare white ostriches. On your tour you will also see the second largest bird in the world after the ostrich, the emu. Cango Caves – is one of the greatest natural wonders of the world, created by nature over the centuries – fascinating limestone formations in a variety of colors.

From here, you’ll set off today for the coast of the Garden Route. You will drive along the coast until Knysna, a beautiful lagoon town, welcomes you with a cozy waterfront to stroll along. Knysna is also known as the Garden of Eden, paradise surrounded by world-renowned forests, beautiful lagoons and beaches. After a short stay you will reach Plettenberg Bay.
“Plett” – as the fashionable seaside resort is simply called by South Africans – can boast of the most beautiful beaches on the Garden Route and is famous for its picturesque scenery. Sandy beaches stretch for many kilometers all around the bay. The water sports are varied and often you can watch whales and dolphins.

With miles of pristine beaches to choose from, it’s no wonder that lazing on the beach is so popular with visitors, but for those who manage to get up to it, there are charter boat rides, hiking, canoeing, and rappelling to choose from, but those are just a few of the myriad options. Another attraction worth visiting is the Monkeyland monkey sanctuary. The world’s only animal sanctuary with many free-roaming species, it’s just minutes outside of town. For the more adventurous palate, trips to the Mampoer and Witblits distilleries are available, where you can see how these very strong, locally produced alcoholic beverages are made and, of course, have a taste.

You can visit the Tsitsikamma National Park and the Storms River Mouth on your way to Amakhala. Many of the trees growing here are up to 850 years old and more than 30 meters high. After an easy hike you can see the suspension bridges at Storm’s River. In addition, Tsitsikamma National Park is also home to the “Big Tree”, a yellowwood tree that is about 800 years old. Its height is 37m, the trunk alone is 18m high, has a circumference of about 9m and a volume of over 50m³. In the afternoon, enjoy the Big Five safari in this malaria-free Eastern Cape Game Reserve in South Africa. Besides elephants, lions, buffalos, rhinos and leopards, guests can also see hippo, hyena, eland, zebra, giraffe and wildebeest.

The safari day starts early, as this is the best time to track and observe the wildlife. Even before sunrise you will be invited for tea, coffee and a light snack before embarking on your first game drive with your experienced ranger. After the game drive, a hearty breakfast awaits you. Afterwards you will have time to hike, canoe, go mountain biking, cool off in the pool or just relax. After lunch you will have some free time before heading back out into the bush in the late afternoon. A stop will be made at sunset and a “sundowner” will be served. After dark you will return to the lodge. Weather permitting, dinner will be served in the open air in the “boma”.

In the early morning you will have a last opportunity to join a game drive, because after breakfast you will drive to Port Elizabeth. In the afternoon you can relax on the beach or take a short stroll at the Boardwalk Casino & Entertainment World.

Early in the morning you will drive to the airport in Port Elizabeth and drop off your rental car. After arriving at the airport in Johannesburg and picking up your rental car, you will drive through extensive agricultural areas to Mpumalanga, the “place of the rising sun”. In the afternoon, arrive at your destination for the day in Waterval Boven.
In-house Activities: Game Drive – Daily game drives offer you a unique experience. Departures are based on your preferences and the number of guests participating. Bush Walk- Bush walks usually take place in the early morning or late afternoon as temperatures are cooler. They aim to discover the little things like tracks, signs, insects and plants and bring you close to the beauty of the African bush. Closed-toe and comfortable shoes are recommended. Quad Biking – Join an unforgettable quad adventure ride through the Saragossa Game Reserve, accompanied by experienced guides, with the opportunity to spot zebra, giraffe, antelope and other wildlife along the way. Stargazing – One of the most spectacular wonders in South Africa is the night sky and Saragossa Game Reserve is the ideal place to experience it. Stargazing takes place at Saragossa Mountain and can also be done during night drives. Although the winter months may be colder, they offer even better viewing because heat and dust in the atmosphere are greatly reduced.

On the way to White River we suggest the Panorama Route. The most spectacular view here is the Blyde River Canyon area with the “Window of God”, the “Bourke’s Luck Potholes” and the “Three Rondavels”. At several places you can have a look at the 33 km long canyon from well constructed lookouts. The Potholes are impressive rock formations, which were formed millions of years ago by erosion. The bizarre potholes were created by masses of debris and sand carried by the once raging river runoff. It is also possible to take a ride on the Graskop Gorge Lift. This descends 51 meters down the cliffs into the cool mountain forest. An extensive network of elevated walkways and suspension bridges take you along the 500 meters of forest trails and across the streams. The site’s towering cliffs have been cut back over time by the Motitsi River, with the waterfall plunging 70 meters into the gorge below. Suggestion: In the morning or afternoon there is the possibility to take a great boat trip over the Blyde River Canyon dam, where you can admire all the beauty of the third largest canyon in the world and of course take pictures. On the boat trip you will also pass by the Kadishi Tufa waterfall. Its limestone deposits have formed a structure on the rock face, which resembles a crying face.

We recommend to drive to the nearby Kruger National Park already at sunrise. At the entrance a ‘Conservation Fee’ has to be paid. The Kruger Park is located in two provinces, “Limpopo” and “Mpumalanga”. Today, the park covers a total area of 20,000 square kilometers and extends over a length of about 400 km and a width of about 70 km. It is one of the most species-rich game parks in the world and is one of the most diverse and impressive in Africa. With its richness of species (507 bird species 336 trees, 147 mammals, 114 reptiles, 49 fish and 34 amphibians) it is almost unrivaled. Here you can go on safari with your own car. With a little luck you will see the famous Big Five: elephants, buffalos, rhinos, lions and leopards. But you will also be able to see huge herds of antelopes, different bird species and reptiles. Shortly before sunset you will leave the park and drive back to your accommodation in White River.

You will probably feel like doing some more game viewing in the Kruger Park; there is always something new and different to discover! Other suggestions for today include a visit to the JGI Chimpanzee Eden & Jane Goodall Institute, located about 15 km south of Nelspruit, or the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre. The “JGI Primate Heaven” in the Umhloti Game Reserve near Nelspruit has become the new home for chimpanzees that have been uprooted from their natural habitat by humans. The world-renowned Jane Goodall Institute has made it its mission here to take in chimpanzees in need of a habitat. In the huge outdoor enclosures, the previously often mistreated or orphaned animals can develop naturally after their rescue. Visitors are offered unique insights into the lives of primates!

Today you will leave South Africa in the late afternoon. You will drive back to Johannesburg. and if time permits you can take a short city tour of Pretoria before you leave. You can get to know the city with its special features. Drive through the streets and visit one of the many malls or markets. Also stop at the Union Buildings and visit the Voortrekker Monument.
At the airport in Johannesburg, drop off your rental car and board your flight home. We wish you a pleasant journey back home.