Garden Route Tour

Garden Route Tour

Garden Route Tour

Prices

From $1,125USD

Difficulty

Guided

Hotels

Start Your Booking

Highlights

Tour South Africa from Cape Town along the Garden route

Explore Cape Town, savouring the cuisine, art, and culture of the city through guided excursions.

Spot African penguins and seals from the Cape Point Nature Reserve and Boulders Beach.

Drive the Garden Route to Stellenbosch, savouring the region’s excellent wines at estates along the way.

Horseback ride, see botanical gardens, explore caves, hike, or take cooking classes at your leisure throughout the tour.

Cape Town is South Africa’s most exciting metropolitan centre, and the unbelievably beautiful Garden Route leads to one of the world’s most beautiful wine regions. The 8-Day Garden Route Tour immerses you in this unforgettable region with the freedom and flexibility to create your perfect adventure.

The 8-Day Garden Route Tour begins by showing you all that Cape Town has to offer. You’ll ride a cablecar to enjoy a picnic lunch on top of Table Mountain, tour galleries and museums, and explore nearby parks where thousands of penguins roam. See the historic Robben Island and the unbelievable Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Then, the 8-Day Garden Route Tour whisks you away through some of South Africa’s most beautiful landscape towards the Cape wine region, where estate vineyards beckon. Admire the stunning geographic features at the coastline of Knysna, or ride horses along the pristine sands. You can trek deep into caves filled with stalagmites or kick back at a winery. Each day of the Garden Route Tour allows you to choose which excursions you’d like to take, so you can create your perfect tour of the Cape.

8-Day Garden Route Tour Itinerary

Day 1 Arrival in Cape Town

Welcome to South Africa! You’ll be met by your guide at the airport and transferred to your hotel. Feel free to spend the remainder of the day enjoying this vibrant city and choosing one of the excellent local restaurants for dinner.

Overnight Location
Hotel in Cape Town
Meals
None

Day 2 Exploring Cape Town

You’ll spend the first full day of your Garden Route Tour enjoying the city. Begin the morning with a trip to the top of Table Mountain- no worries if you don’t like to climb, as you’ll be whisked up via aerial cable car. Bring a picnic lunch for the top!

Then, you have the option of booking a Bo-Kapp cooking tour, which will introduce you to the Cape Malay culture and cuisine of the region. You’ll make masala, chilli bites, samosas, and rotis with a local chef while sharing stories of Cape Town’s culture and history.
End the day with a visit to one of Cape Town’s many night markets, which offer everything from delicious food to clothing and trinkets and more. If you’re lucky, you might even catch a live music night!

Overnight Location
Hotel in Cape Town
Meals
Breakfast

Day 3 Cape Town nature exploration

Today you’ll have the unforgettable chance to experience Cape Town’s natural beauty. Start with a trip to Boulders Beach, where over 2000 endangered African penguins make their home. The stunning Cape Point Nature Reserve is nearby, and their excellent Two Oceans Restaurant is a perfect spot for lunch.

Then, you have the opportunity to visit some nearby attractions, including Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, the Houses of Parliament, and more.

Overnight Location
Hotel in Cape Town
Meals
Breakfast

Day 4 Cape Town to Knysna

Day 4 of your Cape Town region tour begins with a drive to Knysna via the Garden Route. The coastal area this trip covers is one of the most beautiful parts of South Africa, with unsurpassed natural beauty, pristine beaches, and lush forests. Enjoy the ride! When you arrive in Knysna, enjoy exploring this historic town.

Overnight Location
Hotel in Knysna
Meals
Breakfast

Day 5 Exploring Knysna

After breakfast, the next leg of your Garden Route tour begins with a choice between activities in and around Knysna. You can visit and hike around The Heads, a geographical landmark only accessible by boat or kayak. The area around The Heads also offers biking, horseback riding, and a water park. A nearby monkey sanctuary is a fun stop for animal lovers, or you can stop by the world’s oldest and largest Baobab tree.

Overnight Location
Hotel in Knysna
Meals
Breakfast

Day 6 Knysna to Oudtshoorn

After breakfast, you’ll leave for Oudtshoorn, the “ostrich capital of the world.” This town is right in the heart of Klein Karoo, a vast arid area between two mountain ranges. You’re welcome to visit an ostrich farm, or perhaps schedule a cave tour at the nearby Cango Caves. This subterranean marvel of stalactite and stalagmite formations is incredible to see.

If you’d prefer to stay above ground, a tour of the Swartberg Nature Reserve will show you the area’s diverse flora and fauna, from countless flowering plants to unique native birds. Then it’s back to the hotel to relax for the remainder of the night.

Overnight Location
Hotel in Oudtshoorn
Meals
Breakfast

Day 7 Cape Winelands

The Cape Winelands region produces some of the world’s finest wine, but even non-drinkers can appreciate the incredible beauty of the region. Once you arrive in Stellenbosch, you can choose between a few activities for the day. A walking tour is an excellent way to visit all the great local coffee shops, art galleries, and museums.

Alternatively, you can take a wine tasting tour, which is an excellent opportunity for any wine appreciators in the group. Outdoorsy adventurers might enjoy a hiking or horseback riding tour, or perhaps you’d like to spend the day golfing. Up to you! No matter where you go or what you do, the jagged mountains and green vineyards surround you.

Overnight Location
Hotel in Stellenbosch
Meals
Breakfast

Day 8 Departure from South Africa

After breakfast, depart from the Cape Winelands back towards Cape Town. You’ll be dropped off at the airport to begin your travels home.

Overnight Location
None
Meals
Breakfast

8-Day Garden Route Tour Price and Dates

Pricing for this guided cultural tour of Cape Town and the Garden Route depends on whether you choose to join an existing group on a specific date or if you prefer a custom tour for your group only.

Prices below are per person.

Tour in 3-star Hotels

  • Guided Groups of 4: from $1,125USD per person

Tour in 4-star Hotels

  • Guided Groups of 4: from $1,375USD per person

Please note that the pricing might change depending on the availability and the group size

Start Your Booking

Accommodation on the 8-Day Garden Route Tour

This tour is offered with two different accommodation options. You can choose to be booked in either 3 or 4-star hotels for the duration of your trip. The hotels offer comfortable rooms with great locations. Rooms are double occupancy and single travellers will pay a supplement.

In some cases, the accommodation listed below may need to be substituted for other comparable accommodations.

Single Rooms and Solo Travelers
You can pay a supplement of $195USD - $295USD (depending on the hotel category chosen) to have a private room in a hotel. Contact us and we can try and match single travellers up where possible.

Cape Diamond Hotel in Cape Town

The Cape Diamond Hotel enjoys a great location in the city centre, with posh, well-decorated rooms.

The Graywood Hotel in Knysna

The Graywood Hotel offers beautiful rooms with unique woodwork and easy access to the amenities of Knysna.

Kleinplaas Holiday Resort in Klein Karoo

This resort offers clean rooms with pool access, free WiFi, and laundry service.

Zevenwacht Wine Estates in Kuils River

Wine aficionados will love staying at the luxurious rooms on this resort, which offers wine tasting aplenty.

3-Star Hotel Option

Premier Hotel in Cape Town

The Premier Hotel is nestled in a luxurious suburb with wonderful ocean views and a fantastic restaurant.

Premier Hotel the Mooring in Knysna

This hotel offers up-market furnishings, a sparkling pool, and a beautiful natural setting.

Swartberg Country Manor in Klein Karoo

Located on a farm right at the foot of the mountains, this hotel offers swanky rooms with beautiful finishes.

Knorhoek Country Guesthouse in Stellenbosch

Hidden among ancient oaks and vineyards, this guesthouse offers modern comfort and old-world charm. Some rooms have private patios.

4-Star Hotel Option

What’s Included in the 8-Day Garden Route Tour?

Meals

7 breakfasts are included. Some other meals are included depending on additional excursions or tours you book.

Accommodations

Accommodation for 7 nights is included.

Transportation during the Tour

Personal and luggage transfer to and from the airport is included, as well as transportation during the tour.

Also Included

  • English-speaking guide

Not included

  • Travel insurance
  • International flights
  • Lunches and dinners or drinks and snacks not previously mentioned
  • Entrance fees to applicable parks
  • Tourist taxes if applicable

Optional Extras

  • Activities and excursions:
  • Single room supplements
  • Solo traveller supplements
  • Any additional nights before or after the tour

Frequenty Asked Questions about Garden Route Tour

How hard is the 8-Day Garden Route Tour?

We rate this tour as a 1 / 5. Some optional excursions may involve physical activity, but you are free to choose as much or as little activity as you prefer.

Do I need a visa to travel to South Africa?

Check with your local country about visa requirements. You could also try this website, though you should verify with your government.

Are meals included on the 8-Day Garden Route Tour?

7 breakfasts are included.

Do I need insurance?

Yes. You will need to acquire travel insurance. Get your travel insurance.

How do I get to Cape Town to start this tour?

You can fly directly into the airport in Cape Town, where you will be picked up and transferred to your hotel.

Is the 8-Day Garden Route Tour guided?

Yes, you will have an English-speaking guide for the duration of the tour.

Where does the 8-Day Garden Route Tour end?

The tour ends in Cape Town, where you will be transferred to the airport.

Are equipment rentals included?

Activity-specific equipment is available for any excursions booked. Please bring any additional equipment desired.

Do I need special vaccines to travel to South Africa?

Check with your family doctor.

Are there any travel restrictions for South Africa?

Please check with your local government about travel restrictions before you book your tour. This map from the US Department of State provides an overview of the current status in countries around the globe. The UK‘s Foreign Office and Government of Canada also provide advice on foreign travel. Note that the travel advice may change depending on your nationality.

When is the best time to travel to South Africa for this tour?

The 8-Day Garden Route Tour is available from January to the end of October. Cape Town experiences very hot summers and occasionally chilly winters, so many travellers enjoy visiting in the late spring or early fall.

Reviews

All tours on 10Adventures are operated by highly vetted local tour operators and guides.

Having local tour operators and guides means you get a more authentic experience, and your booking creates jobs in the local communities you visit.

Details of the local tour operator will be listed on your booking invoice. If you have questions about the local operator prior to booking, please click the “Ask a Question” button below.

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58 total ratings, 0 with reviews

Prices

From $1,125USD

Difficulty

Guided

Hotels

Start Your Booking

What travellers say

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Rated 4.9 on Google Reviews

Tour Difficulty

We rate this tour as a 1 / 5. Some optional excursions may involve physical activity, but you are free to choose as much or as little activity as you prefer.


Read about our scale for Tour Difficulty Ratings.

Local guide

Machiel Breedt

South Africa, Namibia, Botswana

Get in touch

+1 (587) 327-9828

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