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Where forest meets ocean

Garden Route Tour

Follow the Garden Route over twelve days, combining Cape coastal towns, Knysna’s lagoon and Tsitsikamma’s forests with safari, sanctuary and inland experiences. The journey also takes in Cango Caves, wine estates and local discoveries, with Mike guiding a small group through this varied part of South Africa.

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YOUR TIME IN AFRICA12 days · 11 nightsYOUR GROUPUp to 6 guestsYOUR GUIDEMike Catton

A journey to remember

Garden Route.
Up close, in person.

This twelve-day, eleven-night tour follows a journey from Cape Town towards Knysna, bringing together coast, forest and wildlife. The route includes the seaside towns around Hermanus and Gansbaai, seasonal whale watching, Knysna Lagoon and its oyster trip, and the forests and suspension bridge at Tsitsikamma. A safari game lodge and sanctuary visits add wildlife experiences along the way.

The itinerary also reaches inland to Cango Caves, an ostrich farm, small towns and wine-producing areas. Rail, museum and local food stops add further variety. Mike guides a group of up to six, with bed-and-breakfast accommodation, tour transport and airport transfers included. The sections below explain these experiences; Mike confirms the daily route, seasonal activities and time-permitting stops.

Select a photograph to take a closer look.

Your Garden Route itinerary

Twelve days of
coast, forest and discovery.

Explore the experiences across this twelve-day journey. They are grouped by place and interest; Mike confirms the daily route and overnight arrangements for your dates.

An illustrative view of the Knysna estuary opening between coastal headlands
YOUR ITINERARY / SOUTH AFRICA01 / 04

Coast & lagoons

Cape coastal towns and Knysna

The coastal journey takes in places such as Strand, Gordon’s Bay, Hermanus and Gansbaai, with whale watching dependent on the season. Farther along the Garden Route, Knysna Lagoon and its oyster trip bring you onto the water, with a Plettenberg Bay boat trip also listed. Cape Agulhas is a time-permitting stop.

  • Seasonal whale watching in Gansbaai
  • Knysna Lagoon, oyster trip and Plettenberg Bay boat trip
  • Cape Agulhas, time permitting

Where the lagoon meets the sea.

  1. Coast & lagoons · Cape coastal towns and Knysna

    The coastal journey takes in places such as Strand, Gordon’s Bay, Hermanus and Gansbaai, with whale watching dependent on the season. Farther along the Garden Route, Knysna Lagoon and its oyster trip bring you onto the water, with a Plettenberg Bay boat trip also listed. Cape Agulhas is a time-permitting stop.

    • Seasonal whale watching in Gansbaai
    • Knysna Lagoon, oyster trip and Plettenberg Bay boat trip
    • Cape Agulhas, time permitting

  2. Forests & wildlife · Tsitsikamma and wild encounters

    Tsitsikamma and Storms River Mouth bring forest, rocky coastline and the suspension bridge into the journey. Wildlife experiences include a safari game lodge, an elephant sanctuary, Monkeyland and a bird sanctuary. Discuss the walking involved at the bridge and the arrangements for each wildlife visit with Mike when planning your trip.

    • Tsitsikamma, Storms River Mouth and suspension bridge
    • Safari game-lodge experience
    • Elephant, primate and bird-sanctuary visits

  3. Inland discoveries · Caves, farms and small towns

    The inland part of the itinerary includes Cango Caves and an ostrich farm around Oudtshoorn, as well as towns such as Montagu and Calitzdorp. Boplaas, Die Kelder, Smits Winkel and N2 farm stalls add local character to the route. Mike confirms how these visits fit between the coastal and wildlife experiences.

    • Cango Caves and an ostrich farm
    • Montagu and Calitzdorp
    • Boplaas, Die Kelder, Smits Winkel and farm stalls

  4. Wine, rail & local life · The pleasures along the way

    Bramon Wine Estate, Stellenbosch and a brandy tour introduce the region’s wine and tasting experiences. Motor and bike museums, the George train trip and Marilyn’s 60s Diner bring another kind of discovery to the journey. A Viljoensdrift visit is time permitting, with the final mix and order confirmed by Mike.

    • Bramon Wine Estate, Stellenbosch and brandy experiences
    • George train trip, museums and Marilyn’s 60s Diner
    • Viljoensdrift, time permitting

The tour is twelve days and eleven nights. These are experience groupings, not four individual days. Mike confirms the daily schedule. Whale watching is seasonal; Cape Agulhas and Viljoensdrift are time permitting.

Know what to expect

The details,
made clear.

Your final quote confirms the exact arrangements.

Included in the published tour

  • Bed-and-breakfast accommodation
  • Applicable tour transport
  • Return airport transfers
  • Attraction and amenity costs listed for the tour

For your own account

  • International flights
  • Lunches and dinners
  • Gratuities
  • Souvenirs and gifts

The tour information suggests £10 per person per day for gratuities. Confirm with Mike.

Published guide price

£3,200 / person

Based on 4–6 guests

£4,800 per person for two guests

Your journey starts
with a conversation.

Tell Mike your preferred dates and who is travelling. He will confirm the current price, availability and final itinerary. No payment is taken with your request.

Request this tour

Your journeys, side by side.

Prices are the published guide rates for 4–6 guests. Mike confirms your dates and final quote.

Africa, in focus.

Explore the scenes. Ask Mike about the experiences on your chosen journey.