Garden Route Adventure





Journey along South Africa's Garden Route and the wild southern coast
Follow the coastal trail to Cape Town on this 14-day adventure along the Garden Route. Spot elephants in the Addo Elephant National Park, hike through the Lesotho Highlands and meet the local Xhosa community in Cintsa. Spend two fun-filled nights in Cape Town and watch meerkats go about their morning in Oudtshoorn. Hike in the stunning landscape of the Drakensberg Mountain Range, visit Cape Town's Boulder's Beach and indulge in locally produced wine in Stellenbosch – the heart of the Cape Winelands.
4.5
23 reviewsStart: Durban, South Africa
End: Cape Town, South Africa
- Duration
- 14 days
- Group size
- 1 to 22
- Minimum age
- 15 years old
- Style
Basix: Simple accommodation, local transport and lots of free time
Original: Tourist-class hotels, some meals included and a great mix of included activities and free time
Comfort: Comfortable accommodation, with a relaxed pace of travel and many included meals and activities
Premium: Our best accommodation, exclusive inclusions and our most experienced leaders
- Basix
- Theme
Our themes categorise trips based on a common interest or activity, while showcasing the highlights of a destination.
- Overland
- Physical rating
Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
Why you'll love this trip
- Search for gentle giants on a game drive through Addo Elephant National Park.
- Watch meerkats go about their morning in Oudtshoorn. Head to their burrow, pull up a chair and sip coffee while these gentle creatures climb out into the sunshine.
- Visit Cape Town's Boulder's Beach and watch the resident African Penguins waddle across the sandy shore that's framed by ancient granite boulders.
- Set off through the Drakensberg Mountain Range. Learn about the diverse array of flora and fauna as you hike and take in the panoramic views over the surrounding mountains and rivers.
- Sample local wine in Stellenbosch, the heart of the Cape Winelands, and enjoy views of mountains and vineyards while visiting a winery to taste the region’s signature vintages.
View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2025 - 31 December 2025
Itinerary
Sawubona! Welcome to South Africa. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. If you arrive early, why not get out and explore Durban – teeming with golden, sandy beaches. Maybe visit the Masjid Mosque, wander through a local art gallery or check out Mhlanga Lighthouse – a beautiful lighthouse on the Mhlanga coastline. For dinner, maybe head to Florida Road for traditional Bunny Chow or some fresh seafood with your group – your local leader will be able to recommend their favourite spots.
- Hotel (1 night)
There are no meals included on this day.
- Durban - Art Gallery - Free
- Durban - Bay Cruise - ZAR240
- Durban - Juma Masjid Mosque - Free
It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late, please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.
Leave Durban this morning and travel inland towards the Drakensberg Mountain Range. Along the way, stop at the Nelson Mandela Capture Site and learn about the history of this great man. Then, continue the journey to Drakensberg. When you arrive, maybe enjoy a drink with your group in the thatched loft lounge room or relax at the onsite pool.
- Backpacker Lodge (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Dinner
- Howick - Nelson Mandela Capture Site
Your travel time today will be approximately 7 to 8 hours.
Drakensberg is Southern Africa's highest range, sitting at 3482 m, and forms part of the border between South Africa and Lesotho. This morning, lace up your hiking boots and set off through an amazing array of flora and fauna. The Drakensberg range is often referred to as the Barrier of Spears or the Dragon Mountains. Today there are sure to be some beautiful views, so be sure to have your camera in hand.
- Backpacker Lodge (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Dinner
- Drakensberg - Day Hike
This morning, head into the mountain kingdom of Lesotho – also known as the Kingdom in the Sky. Cross the border into Lesotho, then drive past the Golden Gate Highlands National Park which is famous for its sandstone rock formations. The park is also home to elands, zebras, mongooses and hundreds of bird species – keep your eyes peeled along the way.
- Basic Huts (shared facilities) (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Your travel time today will be approximately 8 to 9 hours.
Today you’ll have a variety of hikes to choose from. The Lesotho Highlands offer excellent hiking for all levels of fitness and skill, so depending on your experience, you should be able to choose one that allows you to get the most out of these epic landscapes. Maybe join a village and museum walk or hike along the Pitseng Canyon – a scenic gorge known for its rock pools and views of the surrounding green mountains and red rock. After, maybe explore the numerous Bushman rock art sites in the mountains on the Bushman Painting Hike.
- Basic Huts (shared facilities) (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Dinner
- Lesotho - Bushman Painting Hike - ZAR60
- Lesotho - Pitseng Canyon Hike - 6 hours - ZAR120
- Lesotho - Village and Museum Walk - ZAR50
Travel along the beautiful Wild Coast of South Africa to the little coastal town of Cintsa this morning. Cintsa and its surrounding region are home to Xhosa communities, whose lifestyle is deeply rooted in tribal traditions and customs. Arriving in the late afternoon, you'll have time to relax and freshen up before dinner.
- Camping (with facilities) (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Your travel time today will be approximately 10 to 12 hours.
Your campground has shared facilities, an ATM and wi-fi. Upgrades are possible (subject to availability).
Today is a free day to explore at your own pace. Maybe soak up the sun on the beach with a book or take a mountain bike through the hinterland. This afternoon, maybe explore the Cintsa River by canoe or book in for a surfing lesson. Be sure to check in with your group leader to get their recommendations.
- Camping (with facilities) (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Dinner
- Cintsa - Village Tour - ZAR235
- Cinsta - Canoe Hire - Free
This morning you'll travel to Addo Elephant National Park, which was created in 1931 to protect the region's eleven remaining elephants. A true success story in conservation – today there are over 450 elephants in the park, as well as cape buffalo, black rhinos, antelopes and the flightless dung beetle. When you arrive, you'll take an afternoon game drive with your group. As you drive, try to spot some of these resident creatures, among others, from your truck.
- Camping (with facilities) (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Dinner
- Addo Elephant National Park - Overland Vehicle Game drive
- Addo Elephant National Park - Night game drive - ZAR480
Your travel time today will be approximately 7 to 8 hours.
Your campground tonight has basic shared facilities and wi-fi. Upgrades are possible (subject to availability).
Wake early and set off on another game drive in Addo Elephant National Park. After, begin your journey along the Garden Route – your first stop being Tsitsikamma National Park. Here you’ll see the steep ancient forests which meet the breakers of the Indian Ocean, protecting both land and sea. When you arrive, your leader will take you to a local activity centre, where a range of activities will be on offer – some of which you may like to book for your free day tomorrow.
- Camping (with facilities) (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Dinner
- Addo Elephant National Park - Overland Vehicle Game drive
Your travel time today will be approximately 4 to 5 hours.
The accommodation tonight is a campground with basic shared facilities, an ATM and wi-fi access. Upgrades are possible (subject to availability).
On occasion, especially during the peak period in December, we are unable to secure campsites within Tsitsikamma National Park. In this instance, you’ll camp outside the park.
Intrepid has not risk assessed all optional local activities in the Tsitsikamma National Park. Only those listed in the Optional Activities are recommended. If you are unsure about any, please check with your leader. It is against company policy for leaders to facilitate the booking of any activities that have not been risk-assessed or do not adhere to Intrepid's Responsible Travel ethos. This includes organising transport to and from these activities in our vehicles.
With another day in Tsitsikamma, you’ll have more time to explore this magnificent national park. Cape clawless otters, dolphins, tortoises and southern right whales (depending on the season) are all locals here, along with baboons, monkeys and a heap of birdlife. See how many of them you can spot on a range of hiking trails, including those to the Stormsriver Mouth and waterfalls.
- Camping (with facilities) (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Dinner
- Tsitsikamma - Stormsriver Mouth Hike - Free
- Tsitsikamma - Waterfall Trail - Free
On occasion, especially during the peak period in December, we are unable to secure campsites within Tsitsikamma National Park. In this instance, you'll camp outside the park.
After breakfast, head out across the arid Karoo region bound for Oudtshoorn. Along the way you'll stop at Knysna to stretch your legs and explore this hamlet with a gorgeous lagoon. Then, travel to the Cango Caves, where you’ll have time to explore the weird and wonderful rock formations, including the Cleopatra's Needle, which is at least 150,000 years old. Your local guide will give you all the ins-and-outs of their formation and history. Later, continue to Oudtshoorn – known as the ostrich capital of the world. At the turn of the 20th century, it was full of feather barons that grew rich from the popularity of ostrich feathers. Tonight, maybe head out with your group and find a local restaurant for dinner.
- Camping (with facilities) (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Oudtshoorn - Cango Caves Guided Tour
Your travel time today will be approximately 4 to 5 hours.
Rise early this morning to spend some time with wild meerkats. Head to their burrow, pull up a chair and sip coffee while the sun comes up and the meerkats climb out into the sunshine. Watch these cute, wild animals, who are never fed or handled by humans, as they go about their daily routine of foraging and frolicking. Then it's on to Cape Town, the seaside city you'll call home for the next two nights. Along the way, stop in Stellenbosch – one of the world’s great wine regions, set in the heart of the Cape Winelands and framed by the Cape Fold Mountains. Visit a local winery to taste and learn about some of the region’s signature vintages. Tonight, maybe head out for dinner to one of Cape Town’s hip restaurants and bars for dinner.
- Hotel (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Oudtshoorn - Meerkat Experience
- Stellenbosch - Winery Visit
Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours.
Today, you'll visit Boulder's Beach to see the resident penguins waddle across this beautiful beach framed by ancient granite boulders. Then, the rest of the day is yours to explore Cape Town however you like. With sweeping views across the city and the ocean below, you might like to make your way to the top of Table Mountain. Whether you choose to relax and ride the city's famous cable car to reach the top or strap on your walking shoes and get hiking - we'll leave it up to you! Tonight, maybe join your group for dinner with coastal views – a great way to spend your last night!
- Hotel (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Cape Town - Boulder Beach Penguins
- Cape Town - Table Mountain Aerial Cable - ZAR380
- Cape Town - Robben Island tour - ZAR550
- Cape Town - Harbour cruise - ZAR200
- Cape Town - Table Mountain Hike - ZAR1600
As there are no further activities planned today, your South African adventure comes to an end after breakfast. If you’d like to stay longer (and it’s recommended you do) just speak to your booking agent ahead of time.
- Breakfast
- Cape Town - Table Mountain Hike - ZAR1600
- Cape Town - Best of the Cape Combo Tour - Full Day - ZAR2000
- Cape Town - Cape Peninsula and SUP Tour - Full Day - ZAR2100
- Cape Town - Robben Island Ferry & Table Mountain Tour - Full Day - ZAR1800
- Cape Town - Winelands Tour - Full Day - ZAR1800
- Cape Town - Winelands Tour - Half Day - ZAR1350
- Cape Town - Cape Peninsula & Table Mountain Tour - Full Day - ZAR2000
- Cape Town - Cape Malay Cooking Tour - Half Day - ZAR1200
- Cape Town - Township Experience - Half Day - ZAR965
- Cape Town - City and Waterfront Tour - Half Day - ZAR1100
- Cape Town - Cape Peninsula & Kirstenbosch Tour - Full Day - ZAR2000
- Cape Town - District Six & Bo-Kapp Cultural Tour - Half Day - ZAR965
Inclusions and activities
13 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 10 dinners
Overland vehicle
Camping (with facilities) (6 nights), Backpackers (2 nights), Basic Huts (shared facilities) (2 nights), Hotel (3 night)
- Howick - Nelson Mandela Capture Site
- Drakensberg - Day Hike
- Addo Elephant National Park - Overland Vehicle Game drive
- Oudtshoorn - Cango Caves Guided Tour
- Oudtshoorn - Meerkat Experience
- Stellenbosch - Winery Visit
- Cape Town - Boulder Beach Penguins
- Durban - Art Gallery - Free
- Durban - Bay Cruise - ZAR240
- Durban - Juma Masjid Mosque - Free
- Lesotho - Bushman Painting Hike - ZAR60
- Lesotho - Pitseng Canyon Hike - 6 hours - ZAR120
- Lesotho - Village and Museum Walk - ZAR50
- Cintsa - Village Tour - ZAR235
- Cinsta - Canoe Hire - Free
- Addo Elephant National Park - Night game drive - ZAR480
- Tsitsikamma - Stormsriver Mouth Hike - Free
- Tsitsikamma - Waterfall Trail - Free
- Cape Town - Table Mountain Aerial Cable - ZAR380
- Cape Town - Robben Island tour - ZAR550
- Cape Town - Harbour cruise - ZAR200
- Cape Town - Table Mountain Hike - ZAR1600
- Cape Town - Best of the Cape Combo Tour - Full Day - ZAR2000
- Cape Town - Cape Peninsula and SUP Tour - Full Day - ZAR2100
- Cape Town - Robben Island Ferry & Table Mountain Tour - Full Day - ZAR1800
- Cape Town - Winelands Tour - Full Day - ZAR1800
- Cape Town - Winelands Tour - Half Day - ZAR1350
- Cape Town - Cape Peninsula & Table Mountain Tour - Full Day - ZAR2000
- Cape Town - Cape Malay Cooking Tour - Half Day - ZAR1200
- Cape Town - Township Experience - Half Day - ZAR965
- Cape Town - City and Waterfront Tour - Half Day - ZAR1100
- Cape Town - Cape Peninsula & Kirstenbosch Tour - Full Day - ZAR2000
- Cape Town - District Six & Bo-Kapp Cultural Tour - Half Day - ZAR965
This trip generates 53 kg of CO2-e per person per day
Learn more about our climate commitment.
When you travel with us, The Intrepid Foundation gives you more opportunities to support important causes in destinations you visit.
Before you book you should know
- This is an overland trip, meaning you’ll travel with a group in a purpose-built vehicle. While the trucks don’t have air conditioning, they do have sliding windows that let the breeze in and make it even easier to take photos of the local wildlife. The driving days can be long, but it’s as much about the journey as the destination. For more info on this style of travel, see our Africa overland page: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/au/africa/overland
- Available facilities vary at your accommodation and campsites. Wi-Fi is not always available. Accommodation upgrades are often available.
- This trip can be partnered with other adventures into a combo, which means that some of your fellow travellers may have begun their journey before today. If you’d like to spend more time in Africa, have a look at the combo itinerary: Kruger, Coast and Cape (UBOSC).
Accommodation on this trip is mainly in two-person canvas dome tents with camping mattresses supplied.
The type and variety of accommodation are determined by conditions on each of our routes. Each route is different - on some, we use a mixture of campsites and wild camps; on others, we also use hotels. In Africa, it's not usually practical to camp when staying in towns and cities, so we use hotel accommodations and eat out in local restaurants.
There may be the occasional night stop when we stay on the grounds of a hotel or at a campsite, which may also have rooms/cabins available. In this case, there may be a choice of camping or upgrading to a room. Rooms cost approximately USD 40-100 per room per night for a twin room and cannot be pre-booked. Standards of these rooms vary greatly, and we recommend viewing the room before purchasing the night's accommodation. The day-by-day itinerary advises when upgrades may be possible (subject to availability).
Keep in mind that if we are staying in dormitory accommodation, you may have to share with other passengers or be split into same-sex rooms.
Campsites do have facilities, but they usually aren't to the same standard you would find in Western countries. For example, the bathroom facilities can be very basic. Toilet paper is rarely provided, and shower facilities can be as simple as a hose pipe spurting out cold water. Wild camps have no facilities at all.
At times, there may be spare tents in the vehicles. Unfortunately, these cannot be used without the purchase of a single supplement. This is to ensure the tents avoid wear and tear or are clean and ready for the customers arriving on the next section of the trip.
Road Lodge Umhlanga Ridge
Cnr Medigate and Hospital Road Umhlanga Ridge
Durban
4321
SOUTH AFRICA
Phone: +27 315807200
Instructions
We recommend that if this is your first time to Durban or if you are travelling alone, that you pre book an arrival transfer. This can be done through your bookings consultant once you provide your flight details. The airport in Durban is called King Shaka International. If you are taking a domestic flight to Durban, please make sure to check your arrival terminal and advise your booking agent.
If you have pre-booked a transfer, your driver will be waiting for you at the Arrivals Hall in your respective arrival terminal (domestic/international). There are often large crowds here so please look carefully for your transfer representative who will be holding a card with your name on it. Please do not agree to travel with individuals that claim to be your driver and do not represent “ING Travel & Tours”.
If you are unable to find your driver you can call +27 (0) 31 305 0036 at any time of the day or call the ING Travel & Tours office +27 73 916 9101 .If your flight has been delayed we recommend to contact our local emergency number to inform them of your arrival on +27 82 822 9407. If your cell phone is not on roaming you may prefer to purchase a pre-paid sim card at the Arrivals Hall of King Shaka Airport. Some reliable providers in South Africa are MTN, Vodacom and Cell-C. The driver will wait for one hour after your scheduled arrival time. If you are delayed beyond one hour after your scheduled arrival time and you have not been able to inform the transfer provider, please make your own way to the hotel. If your driver does not have your transfer on record, please present a voucher that proves your transfer booking. Our airport representative will make arrangements accordingly or advise you to take a cab. If you make your own way please hold on to your receipt and inform your tour leader at the Welcome Meeting on Day 1.
Metered official Airport Taxis are also available. The cost to the hotel will be approximately ZAR350 which is payable to the driver. The taxi rank is located just outside the departures terminal. Please note that the journey can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on time of day and traffic.
Dates and prices
Important notes
1.A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2.The minimum age for this trip is 15 at the time of travel. Any travellers under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a legal guardian, or in lieu of a legal guardian, by an escort over the age of 18, appointed by their legal guardian. The legal guardian or their designee will be responsible for the traveller under the age of 18 day to day’s care. If a legal guardian elects to designate an escort in their lieu, they will be required to complete and sign a relevant document, to delegate their authority.
Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.
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