Garden Route and Addo (2023)
from $1942
Duration: 8 Days
Ready for one of the world’s most epic road trips – where you flicker from wildlife to city life to beach life? You’ll gawp at the Cango Caves, sample the nightlife of Cape Town & Stellenbosch, and even encounter the Big 5 at some of Africa’s finest national parks. The Garden Route has everything, and you’ll experience it all on this unforgettable 8-day adventure, with a squad of fellow 18-35s.
Day 1
Cape Town
Meet your new crew. Welcome to Cape Town! Our trip starts today with your Trip Manager giving you all the deets on the days ahead. There are plenty of incredible spots nearby to grab dinner and bond with your Contiki crew before heading back to the hotel, giddy with excitement for the adventures ahead.
Day 2
Cape Town to Oudtshoorn
Cape Town, rise and shine. Ready to get going? We'll fuel up with a hearty breakfast this morning, then it’s off to the Karoo desert via the famous ‘Route 62’. An included guided tour of Africa's LARGEST show cave system. The Cango Caves are replete with cavernous halls, limestone formations, cave paintings and artefacts (which indicate they were in use throughout the Middle Ages!) How's that for a pitstop? Welcome to the ‘Ostrich Capital of the World’. After passing vineyards and mountain passes on our way, we’ll check into Oudtshoorn, say hey to the ostriches and then enjoy a delicious bush dinner (it's not ostrich don't worry.)
Day 3
Oudtshoorn to Gqeberha
Good morning! Let's continue heading East towards one of South Africa's most loved National Parks: Addo Elephant. (Anyone guess which animal this place is famous for?) Our first game drive. After lunch at the main camp, it's time to set out in search of Africa's largest land mammal… Do keep your eyes peeled for lions, buffalo, and antelope too though. We'll retreat here for the night but fear not, we've got more safari adventures in the morning.
Day 4
Gqeberha to Knysna via Private Game Reserve
Ready for your second chance at wildlife spotting? We thought so. Cameras at the ready! Private Game Reserves in the Eastern Cape are some of South Africa's best locations to spot the Big 5 due to their diverse habitats of valleys, thickets, open plains and meandering rivers. We'll set out on an open vehicle game drive to spot wildlife before enjoying an included lunch. Then we're headed to the beautiful coastal town of Knysna exploring all the sights and activites the Garden Route has to offer (we've got two nights, here, too. Lucky us).
Day 5
Knysna
Sea views and river views. We’ll start today on the beach at Plettenberg Bay, catching some rays on the white sands – with the chance to spot whales and dolphins on an ocean safari. Afterwards, we’re off for a hike to Tsitsikamma, finishing up at the Insta-worthy Storms River bridge. Don’t miss your chance to try a lil' kayaking before we head back to Knysna for a relaxed evening to explore the town.
Day 6
Knysna to Stellenbosch
Our MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® day kicks off with a locally guided Township Tour. Home to South Africa’s most disadvantaged citizens, this tour will help you see that townships are places of great strength, courage, song, dance, and love. The best bit? All funds from this excursion help educate children in the area. After learning about the Xhosa culture and having a go at some African drums, we'll then take the stunning coastal route to Hermanus. We’ll visit the South African Shark Conservancy to learn about the country’s remarkable oceans… and the sharks that occupy them of course! A night on the town. The location? The vibey wine farm town of Stellenbosch. Soak it all up, friends. Days don't get much better than this.
Day 7
Stellenbosch to Cape Town
Wines, views, scenery… and more wines. We’ll take it easy this morning with some free time to explore the quaint town of Stellenbosch and its markets. After lunch, it's time to explore what the area is famous for. Meandering our way to some of the finest wine farms the Cape has to offer, we’ll have a tipple (or two) and gawp at the spectacular scenery. We'll take the short drive back to Cape Town for our final night together. Final night?? Better find somewhere for an epic final meal, hadn’t we?
Day 8
Cape Town
Deep breaths. Tearful goodbyes. That's it, our week-long adventure along the southern coast of Africa has come to an end. We'll never lose those memories though. Or the friendships. Speaking of which... anyone for Thailand?
  • 7 Breakfast (B)
  • St. Lucia: You could drive the entire route in a day – but where’s the fun in that? Seeing the sights and taking part in the myriad of activities could take up to 2 weeks (depending on how long you want to sizzle on those glorious beaches.)  Our Garden Route & Addo trip is 8 days long, and includes all of the route’s main attractions, like Addo Elephant Park, Cango Caves and Stellenbosch.
  • Tsitsikamma National Park: It’s common to start in Mossel Bay in the west and finish at Storms River in the east – but there’s no reason you couldn’t do this in reverse or start in the middle (like the rebel you are.) Our Garden Route & Addo trip starts off in Cape Town. From there, we’ll board the Contiki coach and drive east to the Addo Elephant Park via Oudtshoorn. We then head south to Gqeberha before making our way back west to Hermanus via Knysna. Check the itinerary above for more info.
  • Tsitsikamma National Park: This depends on your country of origin. In some cases, your visa is free and you can collect it when you arrive in South Africa. In others, if you’re traveling from New Zealand for example, you’ll need to arrange your visa ahead of time. Click here to find out visa requirements based on your home country.
  • Tsitsikamma National Park: It’ll change slightly depending on what time of year you’re visiting, but some essentials will include: Your camera Comfortable shoes/clothes for walking Your swimming costume  Sun cream, a hat, sunglasses Insect repellent  A portable phone charger Read our full guide to visiting Africa.
  • Tsitsikamma National Park: The Garden Route summer occurs between November and March, with the best beach weather coming in February/March. July to December is Whale Season, so this is the best time to visit if you’re keen to admire the Garden Route’s awesome marine life. June - September usually sees the coolest weather, so these months are ideal for hiking and other outdoor activities.
  • Tsitsikamma National Park: We visit two wildlife reserves, so you’ll have a decent chance of catching the elusive Big 5 – plus giraffes, warthogs and other famed species. You’ll also have a great chance of seeing elephants in Addo, plus the myriad marine life on our marine safari – including whales and dolphins.
  • Cango Caves: Tour Africa's largest limestone caves system. At over 20 million years old, it makes our nan look like a spring chicken.
  • Addo Elephant National Park: See these gentle giants in their natural habitat as you cruise through this scenic conservation park.
  • Knysna: Stretch out on the golden sands and enjoy some sea air at one of South Africa’s best beaches.
  • Knysna: If you’re looking for dramatic scenery, a trek through Tsitsikamma National Park will give you plenty of ops to fill up your memories and Insta feed.
  • Hermanus: Learn more about these majestic sea creatures and see the work being done to protect them.
  • Stellenbosch: Get to know the photogenic wine town of Stellenbosch. Rich in vineyards, but even richer in history.
Start Date: 2023-10-01
End Date: 2023-10-08
twin
Adult Price: $1942
twinShare
Adult Price: $1942
single
Adult Price: $2584
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End Date: 2023-11-05
twin
Adult Price: $1942
twinShare
Adult Price: $1942
single
Adult Price: $2584
Start Date: 2023-11-26
End Date: 2023-12-03
twin
Adult Price: $1942
twinShare
Adult Price: $1942
single
Adult Price: $2584
Start Date: 2023-12-10
End Date: 2023-12-17
twin
Adult Price: $1942
twinShare
Adult Price: $1942
single
Adult Price: $2584

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