South Africa's Kruger, Coast & Garden Route

Sawubona! Welcome to South Africa. Your Garden Route adventure begins in Gqeberha (formerly known as Port Elizabeth) with a welcome meeting at 6 pm. If you arrive early, you’ll have time to explore before meeting your leader and fellow travellers. This coastal city – the largest in the Eastern Cape province – is full of beaches where you can stretch back on the sand. Or you could go for a stroll along the Summerstrand promenade to take in views of Algoa Bay, passing public art installations and plenty of spots where you can stop for coffee or gelato along the way.

Leave Port Elizabeth and travel to Addo – a world-class wildlife destination with a remarkably varied landscape. This region is made up of five of South Africa’s nine biomes, ranging from forest in the Woody Cape area to coastal dunes on the Indian Ocean Coastal Belt. In the late afternoon, you’ll embark on a sunset 4WD safari in Addo Elephant National Park. This is the only national park where you can find the southern right whale and great white shark as well as Africa's five iconic animals – lions, elephants, leopards, rhinos and buffalo. Keep your eyes peeled and your camera ready for your first glimpse of these remarkable creatures.

Travel west towards Tsitsikamma, where forest meets a rugged stretch of Indian Ocean coastline. After arriving, the rest of the day is yours to settle in and enjoy the surroundings. You’ll explore the coast on foot tomorrow.

Get out and about to discover the Tsitsikamma section of Garden Route National Park. Start by walking the short Storms River Mouth Trail. You’ll traverse coastal forest to reach the river mouth and a suspension bridge, where you can see views of the Tsitsikamma forest and the Storms River Gorge. Then, take on the Waterfall Trail, which makes up the first section of the famous Otter Trail. Follow the rocky shoreline towards a waterfall overlooking the sea, where you can pause to soak up the views.

Continue your drive along the Garden Route, stopping in Plettenberg Bay to visit Old Nick Village. You’ll have time to have lunch and browse the locally run shops – an eclectic range of boutiques selling ceramics, beadwork, textiles and artisanal chocolate. If it’s open during your visit, you can also see textiles being made at the Mungo Weaving Mill. Then, travel to the town of Knysna, set between forested hills beside a protected lagoon. This evening, you can choose to join a sunset cruise on the lagoon. You’re likely to see African black oystercatchers – this bird can be found in the area year-round.

On the way to Mossel Bay, head to the Botlierskop Private Game Reserve for a 4WD safari. This 6000-ha reserve is set against a backdrop of the Outeniqua Mountains and is home to rhinos, lions, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, buffalo, hippos, mountain zebras and the rare black impala. An impressive array of over 200 bird species can be found here. After, continue to the Point of Human Origins in Mossel Bay for a guided tour. Learn about the archaeological discoveries made in this cave and what they reveal about early human life around 150,000 to 200,000 years ago. Then, travel inland to the town of Oudtshoorn in the Little Karoo.

Go on a guided tour through the limestone chambers of the Cango Caves, located in the Swartberg Mountains. Learn how the caves formed over millions of years as you pass each chamber filled with impressive stalactites and stalagmites. Some of these formations have names based on what they resemble – keep your eye out for Cleopatra’s Needle and the Dried Tobacco Leaves of Oudtshoorn. Later, you’ll have some free time to explore Oudtshoorn at your own pace or simply relax at your hotel.

You’ll have an early start today, rising before the sun to observe wild meerkats near Oudtshoorn as day breaks. Settle in quietly and keep watch as the group emerges from its burrows. Continue to the town of Stellenbosch, passing through the Little Karoo. Stellenbosch is a lively hub of culture, history, food and wine. When you arrive, join your leader for an orientation walk through town. This evening, there’s the option to head to the Kayamandi township for a home-cooked dinner and a chance to hear about life in the community.

Spend a free day exploring Stellenbosch and the surrounding countryside your way. If you’d like to explore beyond Stellenbosch’s town centre, consider joining a guided walk through the nearby vineyards, taking you through mountain scenery. This walk is run by a community tourism initiative that employs local guides and hosts, so you’ll get a personal insight into what life is like in this scenic region. If you’re after something more laidback, you could wander through town at your own pace. For those who didn’t join the home-cooked dinner last night, there’s another opportunity to do so tonight.

Witness the raw beauty of the Cape Peninsula today. Follow the peninsula towards Cape Point, where you’ll have time to take in the ocean views. After, head to Boulders Beach, home to a colony of African penguins. Watch the penguins waddling around freely in this protected marine area. African penguins are among the smallest and most endangered species of penguin. Hit the road again, bound for Cape Town, where you have a free evening. Ask your leader for recommendations on where to try some local dishes for dinner – boerewors (a spiral-shaped, spiced sausage) and chakalaka and pap (vegetable stew with cornmeal) are classics.

Today is a free day for you to explore Cape Town at your own pace. Speak to your leader if you need some suggestions to help you plan your day. This evening, join your group for an African food and storytelling experience. You’ll explore the city through the eyes of local entrepreneurs and creatives, meeting the locals who run Cape Town’s restaurants, community kitchens, bookshops and tailors. Along the way, hear how migration and history have shaped this city’s diverse food scene, making stops to take part in four curated tastings at various eateries.

Say goodbye to Cape Town and take an unescorted flight to Johannesburg. When you arrive, you’ll be transferred to your hotel. You’ll have some free time before your second welcome meeting at 6 pm, where you’ll meet your new trip leader and the travellers joining you for the next leg of your adventure. After your meeting, why not head out for an optional group dinner and get to know your new group. Your leader can point you in the right direction with the best bar and restaurant recommendations.

Leave Johannesburg early this morning and drive to Bourke’s Luck Potholes. These unusual, cylindrical rock formations have been carved by water erosion over centuries. Then, take in the views over Blyde River Canyon, the third largest canyon in the world, and the Three Rondavels – a trio of peaks named for their resemblance to the traditional beehive-shaped dwellings found throughout Africa. Continue to Kruger National Park, keeping an eye out for wildlife along the way. There’s the option to go on a 4WD safari at sunset to see more of the local wildlife – sprawling over two million hectares, this is one of the best wildlife destinations in all of Africa.

Head out early this morning to embark on a full-day 4WD safari in Kruger National Park. With an expert local guide, you’ll search for elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos, buffalo, elands and a variety of other iconic African wildlife across the park’s diverse landscapes, dotted with baobabs, wild date palms and fever trees with their distinctive yellow-green bark. Don’t forget to keep your eyes on the sky – you might see African hawk-eagles, lappet-faced vultures and martial eagles. This evening, get an introduction to an important part of South African cuisine when you head into the bush for a traditional braai (barbecue) dinner.

After breakfast, travel south, crossing the border into Eswatini. Continue to Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, where you’ll settle into your accommodation, set among the sanctuary’s ancient hardwood trees in the lush Ezulwini Valley. This afternoon, you can opt to visit a Chief Village to learn more about traditional Swazi culture and gain insight into the way of life in rural Eswatini. Try your hand at braiding lutindzi grass or grinding maize and learn a few phrases in siSwati.

This morning is free for you to explore Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary at your own pace. You might like to join an optional 4WD safari to see even more wildlife. This afternoon, join an expert ranger to explore the sanctuary on foot. Venture through the grasslands, forest and mountainside in search of rhinos, giraffes, elephants, wildebeest, impala and smaller critters like snakes, spiders, aardvarks and porcupines.

Leave Mlilwane early this morning and cross the border back into South Africa, headed to the St Lucia Estuary. Part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed iSimangaliso Wetland Park, St Lucia is home to a vast diversity of wildlife, including hippos, crocodiles, leopards, monkeys and baboons. More than 500 bird species have been recorded here, including giant kingfishers, whiskered terns and African fish eagles. When you arrive, hop on a boat cruise along the estuary and look out for wildlife in the water and along the banks.

Embark on a 4WD safari through the eastern shores of iSimangaliso Wetland Park, keeping watch for rhinos, elephants, buffalo, antelopes and others. Next, continue to Cape Vidal, where forested dunes meet the Indian Ocean. You’ll have some time to relax on the sand or maybe go for a refreshing swim. This evening, you’ll have dinner with a local family. Get to know each other and learn about daily life in the area as you tuck into a home-cooked meal.

Say goodbye to St Lucia and make the scenic drive towards Drakensberg, passing rolling green hills, sugarcane fields and traditional Zulu homesteads. Along the way, you’ll make a stop at the Nelson Mandela Capture Site to learn about his arrest here in 1962 – a pivotal moment in South Africa’s history. Continue the drive, watching the landscape shift from lush valleys and farmland to wide-open grasslands and dramatic rocky peaks. Arrive at your lodge in the afternoon. You’ll have some time to relax or stretch your legs on one of the short walking trails nearby.

Set off on a full-day hike through the unforgettable landscapes of Drakensberg. Follow the Mahai Forest Loop through indigenous forest and sweeping mountain scenery, then stop at Gudu Falls. Descending into the Mahai Valley, pass through a cool forested area where the Mahai River flows. There will be plenty more spots where you can pause to take in the views of the surrounding peaks and valleys as you hike. Return to your lodge later this afternoon.

After breakfast, make the drive to Johannesburg, where your trip comes to an end. If you’d like to extend your stay, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time to organise additional accommodation.