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11-Day Private Cape Town, Garden Route & Safari Tour

Cape Town, Garden Route & Safari

Ten nights spanning Table Mountain, the Garden Route and a Big 5 safari in the malaria-free Eastern Cape.

Duration

10 Nights, 11 Days

Tour Type

Private

Group Size

1–13 guests

Pickup

Cape Town International Airport or preferred Guest House / Hotel

Duration

10 Nights, 11 Days

Tour Type

Private — just your group

Group Size

1–13 guests

Pickup Location

Cape Town International Airport or preferred Guest House / Hotel

About This Tour

Cape Town to the Big 5, the Unforgettable Way

The grand tour — eleven private days that begin beneath Table Mountain and end on a Big 5 game drive in the malaria-free Eastern Cape. From the Cape’s icons and winelands to the Garden Route’s caves, forests and coastline, every day brings something new, at your own unhurried pace.

We don’t run scheduled tours; this is yours alone, with a guide who knows the region intimately. Four-star guesthouses lead into a full-board finale at a private game reserve, where the Big 5 roam free across thousands of hectares.

The Journey

Your Route:

Day by Day

The Itinerary:

DAY 01

Arrive in → Cape Town

Tonight

4★ V&A Waterfront Hotel · B&B (night 1 of 4)

A warm welcome to the Mother City and, weather permitting, Table Mountain at sunset.

  • Meet your guide at Cape Town International Airport and transfer to the V&A Waterfront
  • Cable-car trip to the top of Table Mountain (weather permitting, cable car own account)
 
DAY 02

The Cape Peninsula

Tonight

4★ V&A Waterfront Hotel · B&B (night 2 of 4)

A full day around the peninsula — beaches, Cape Point, penguins and a botanical garden.

  • Atlantic Seaboard drive via Sea Point and Camps Bay to Hout Bay
  • Boat trip to Seal Island (weather permitting)
  • Cape Point via Chapman’s Peak and the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve
  • Lunch (own account), then historic Simon’s Town with its penguin and seal colonies
  • Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden on the slopes of Table Mountain
 
DAY 03

Hermanus & the Whale Coast

Tonight

4★ V&A Waterfront Hotel · B&B (night 3 of 4)

Over the mountains to the whale capital of the world and back along the coast.

  • Sir Lowry’s Pass to the Elgin Valley
  • Houwhoek Pass to Hermanus, the whale capital of the world (whale watching optional, in season)
  • Lunch (own account) at Bientang’s Cave
  • Stony Point penguin colony at Betty’s Bay
  • Scenic Clarence Drive coastal road back to Cape Town
 
DAY 04

The Cape Winelands

Tonight

4★ V&A Waterfront Hotel · B&B (night 4 of 4)

Wine, cheese, chocolate and history through Paarl, Franschhoek and Stellenbosch.

  • Cheese-and-wine tasting at a historic Paarl wine estate (established 1699)
  • Chocolate, beer or tea tasting at Spice Route
  • The Drakenstein “Walk of Freedom” where Nelson Mandela was released in 1994
  • Franschhoek, the Gourmet Capital, with time to explore its boutiques
  • Helshoogte Pass to Stellenbosch, ending with a tasting at Delaire Graff
 
DAY 05

Cape Town → Oudtshoorn:

Tonight

4★ Oudtshoorn Guesthouse · Dinner, B&B (1 night)

East over the mountains and along Route 62 into ostrich country.

  • Klein Drakenstein Mountains to Worcester in the Breede River Valley
  • Tasting or food-and-wine pairing at Four Cousins
  • Route 62 through Barrydale and Calitzdorp towards Oudtshoorn
  • Lunch (own account) at a Karoo restaurant
  • Overnight in Oudtshoorn — dinner included
 
DAY 06

Oudtshoorn → Knysna

Tonight

4★ Knysna Guesthouse · B&B (night 1 of 2)

Meerkats, the Cango Caves and an ostrich farm, then over the Outeniqua Pass to the coast.

  • Sunrise meerkat experience
  • Explore the Cango Caves after breakfast
  • Visit a working ostrich farm — stand on an egg and even ride an ostrich
  • Lunch (own account) at the award-winning Jemima’s
  • Scenic Outeniqua Mountain pass to Wilderness and the coast
  • Overnight at a four-star, lagoon-facing guesthouse in Knysna
 
DAY 07

Knysna at Leisure

Tonight

4★ Knysna Guesthouse · B&B (night 2 of 2)

A lagoon day — the Featherbed ferry, buffet lunch in the forest, and the Knysna distilleries.

  • 10h00–14h00 ferry across the lagoon to Featherbed, a National Heritage Site
  • 4×4 trailer ride, guided walk and buffet lunch in the Milkwood Forest
  • Leisure time at the Knysna Waterfront
  • Visit Knysna distilleries — traditional gin made with nine botanicals
  • Return to your guesthouse and time at the lagoon
 
DAY 08

Plettenberg Bay & the Furry Five

Tonight

4★ Plettenberg Bay Guesthouse · B&B (1 night)

A wildlife day in Plett — rare cats, free-roaming primates or birds, and a long vineyard lunch.

  • Scenic viewpoints around Plettenberg Bay and the story behind its name
  • Meet the Furry Five at the Tenikwa Wildlife Awareness Centre
  • Your choice of Monkeyland or Birds of Eden
  • Lunch (own account) at Bramon Wine Estate — mezze, cheeses, tapas and a glass of wine
  • Afternoon at leisure; overnight in Plettenberg Bay
 
DAY 09

Tsitsikamma → Safari Country

Tonight

4★ Lalibela Game Reserve (or similar) · Full board (night 1 of 2)

A final burst of Tsitsikamma adventure before crossing into Eastern Cape safari country.

  • Bloukrans Bridge, the world’s highest commercial bungee at 216m (jump optional, own account)
  • Segway forest tour through the indigenous Tsitsikamma forest (optional extra)
  • Forest walk to the Tsitsikamma suspension bridge, followed by lunch (own account)
  • Transfer to Lalibela Private Game Reserve (or similar) — full board, two game drives daily
 
DAY 10

Big 5 Safari

Tonight

4★ Lalibela Game Reserve (or similar) · Full board (night 2 of 2)

A full day on safari in the malaria-free Eastern Cape, where the Big 5 roam free.

  • Twice-daily game drives across 7,500 hectares spanning five ecosystems
  • Big 5 — lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and leopard — plus cheetah, zebra, giraffe and more
  • No public roads on the reserve, so the wildlife and the wilderness are yours alone
  • All meals included, with heartfelt service rounding out an authentic African safari
 
DAY 11

Departure

Today

Transfer to Port Elizabeth Airport

A relaxed final morning before your onward journey.

  • Transfer to Port Elizabeth Airport for your flight to your next destination
2026 Rates — Per Person Sharing

Prefer 3-Star or 5-Star?

This itinerary is priced on four-star luxury guest houses throughout. We will happily quote it in three-star or five-star accommodation — simply mention your preference when you enquire and we will put together a tailored quote.

3★ Comfort

4★ Luxury — Included

5★ Premium

What's Covered

Included &: EXCLUDED

What's Included
Excluded
What's Covered

Rates & Enquiry

2026 Rates — Per Person Sharing
Exclusive Private Tour for Two

Starting From R67,120

Per person · October – 30 April (peak season)

Exclusive Private Tour for Two

Starting From R58,761

Per person · May – 30 September (green season)

Guest Experiences

What Guests Say

"Eleven days from Table Mountain to a Big 5 safari at Lalibela — every single day brought something completely new."
Margaret Whitcombe
Auckland, New Zealand
"Ending in the malaria-free Eastern Cape with twice-daily game drives was the spectacular finale this incredible journey absolutely deserved."
Liam O'Sullivan
Dublin, Ireland
"From the Winelands to Knysna to safari, our guide handled every detail so we could simply relax and enjoy."
Greta Lindqvist
Gothenburg, Sweden
Practical Information

Frequently Asked

Yes. The tour ends at a private game reserve in the Eastern Cape, close to Port Elizabeth and Addo — a malaria-free Big 5 region, ideal for families and first-time safari-goers.

The first nine days cover Cape Town, the winelands and the Garden Route, with the final two days dedicated to the private game reserve and twice-daily game drives.

At Port Elizabeth Airport on day eleven, after your last morning in safari country. Your guide handles the transfer.

The rate covers 10 breakfasts, 1 buffet lunch and 1 dinner during the touring days, plus full board at the game reserve. Other lunches and drinks are for your own account.

Absolutely — it’s fully private. We can adjust the pace, swap the safari lodge, quote different star ratings, or extend your stay anywhere along the route.

More Garden Route Tours

You May Also Enjoy

From Cape Town to the Splendour
Cross Route 62 to Oudtshoorn's caves, then Knysna's lagoon and a game reserve.
The Classic Garden Route Tour
Five days through Oudtshoorn, Knysna and Plett, ending with a Garden Route safari.
Cape Town & Garden Route Splendour
Nine days from Table Mountain and the Winelands to Oudtshoorn, Knysna and Plett.

Ready for
cape to safari?

Begin beneath Table Mountain and end on a Big 5 game drive in the malaria-free Eastern Cape — eleven spectacular days, entirely your own. Let’s begin.