Call Us 800.528.9300
Garden Route and Addo (2024)
Tour Description:
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, 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 7-day adventure, with a squad of fellow 18-35s.
Click for larger view.
Dates & Pricing
| Monday 13 May 24 — Sunday 19 May 24 | Starting at $1,094 |  SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 10 Jun 24 — Sunday 16 Jun 24 | Starting at $1,094 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 08 Jul 24 — Sunday 14 Jul 24 | Starting at $1,094 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 22 Jul 24 — Sunday 28 Jul 24 | Starting at $1,094 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 05 Aug 24 — Sunday 11 Aug 24 | Starting at $1,094 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 19 Aug 24 — Sunday 25 Aug 24 | Starting at $1,094 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 02 Sep 24 — Sunday 08 Sep 24 | Starting at $1,094 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 16 Sep 24 — Sunday 22 Sep 24 | Starting at $1,094 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 30 Sep 24 — Sunday 06 Oct 24 | Starting at $1,094 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 14 Oct 24 — Sunday 20 Oct 24 | Starting at $1,094 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 28 Oct 24 — Sunday 03 Nov 24 | Starting at $1,094 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 25 Nov 24 — Sunday 01 Dec 24 | Starting at $1,094 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 09 Dec 24 — Sunday 15 Dec 24 | Starting at $1,094 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 23 Dec 24 — Sunday 29 Dec 24 | Starting at $1,094 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
Disclaimer: Prices listed are per person, based on double occupancy, and in USD. All promotions are valid for new bookings only, capacity controlled and valid on select dates and departures. Individual Terms and Conditions will apply to all promotions. Any promotion can be withdrawn at any time without notice. Please speak with your Pavlus Travel Planner for complete vendor terms and conditions, including eligible tour and cruise dates.
Destination & Sightseeing
Destination & SightseeingDining Summary
6 Breakfast (B)
FAQs
Cape Town: The Garden Route encompasses everything you want to experience and see on a trip to South Africa. It has the ‘Mother City’ of Cape Town, plenty of beaches to catch a surf or tan, wine farms to indulge in, adventurous activities on both land and sea as well as Big 5 Game Reserves to get your wildlife fix.
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 travelling 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 (including a beanie, gloves and warm jacket for open-top safari drives in the winter) Your swimming costume & towel Sun cream, a hat, sunglasses Insect repellent A portable phone charger Binoculars (crucial for game drives to see animals in the distance) Day bag for daily activities Torch/Headlight Reusable water bottle Read our full guide to visiting Africa here.
Tsitsikamma National Park: The Garden Route summer occurs between October to April, with the best beach weather coming in December to February. 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. May - September usually sees the coolest weather, so these months are ideal for hiking, outdoor activities, and safaris.
Tsitsikamma National Park: Excellent. We visit 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 activities – including whales, dolphins, penguins and more.
Cape Town: You’ll be journeying around in your very own Contiki coach or minibus, equipped with AC (for a much-needed cool down from the tropical heat.) You’ll have the company of your Trip Manager, who’ll give you all the juicy info you need about the incredible spots you see en-route. And of course, we’ll keep it groovy on the coach with some music.
Cape Town: This Garden Route & Addo trip is studded with incredible stays. This includes centrally-located beachside resorts and waterfront hotels, with scrumptious buffet breakfasts to kickstart your day. You’ll also have access to all amenities like restaurants, bars, and pools.
Included Experience
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 in our Contiki coach through this scenic National park. Also be on the lookout for giraffes, antelopes, buffaloes, warthogs and all of Africa's incredible wildlife.
Jeffreys Bay: Known for its waves, its calamari and its natural beauty, there’s no beach quite like Jeffreys Bay Beach. Don’t forget your sunscreen!
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.
Knysna: Stretch out on the golden sands and enjoy some sea air at one of South Africa’s best beaches.
Stellenbosch: Get to know the photogenic wine town of Stellenbosch. Rich in vineyards, but even richer in history.
Make Travel Matter®
Gqeberha: The good folks at the SANCCOB Penguin Rehabilitation Centre work around the clock to rescue injured seabirds and help them make their way back into the wild. On this visit, we’ll see first hand how they work – and meet plenty of adorable penguins too.
6 Breakfast (B)
FAQs
Cape Town: The Garden Route encompasses everything you want to experience and see on a trip to South Africa. It has the ‘Mother City’ of Cape Town, plenty of beaches to catch a surf or tan, wine farms to indulge in, adventurous activities on both land and sea as well as Big 5 Game Reserves to get your wildlife fix.
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 travelling 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 (including a beanie, gloves and warm jacket for open-top safari drives in the winter) Your swimming costume & towel Sun cream, a hat, sunglasses Insect repellent A portable phone charger Binoculars (crucial for game drives to see animals in the distance) Day bag for daily activities Torch/Headlight Reusable water bottle Read our full guide to visiting Africa here.
Tsitsikamma National Park: The Garden Route summer occurs between October to April, with the best beach weather coming in December to February. 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. May - September usually sees the coolest weather, so these months are ideal for hiking, outdoor activities, and safaris.
Tsitsikamma National Park: Excellent. We visit 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 activities – including whales, dolphins, penguins and more.
Cape Town: You’ll be journeying around in your very own Contiki coach or minibus, equipped with AC (for a much-needed cool down from the tropical heat.) You’ll have the company of your Trip Manager, who’ll give you all the juicy info you need about the incredible spots you see en-route. And of course, we’ll keep it groovy on the coach with some music.
Cape Town: This Garden Route & Addo trip is studded with incredible stays. This includes centrally-located beachside resorts and waterfront hotels, with scrumptious buffet breakfasts to kickstart your day. You’ll also have access to all amenities like restaurants, bars, and pools.
Included Experience
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 in our Contiki coach through this scenic National park. Also be on the lookout for giraffes, antelopes, buffaloes, warthogs and all of Africa's incredible wildlife.
Jeffreys Bay: Known for its waves, its calamari and its natural beauty, there’s no beach quite like Jeffreys Bay Beach. Don’t forget your sunscreen!
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.
Knysna: Stretch out on the golden sands and enjoy some sea air at one of South Africa’s best beaches.
Stellenbosch: Get to know the photogenic wine town of Stellenbosch. Rich in vineyards, but even richer in history.
Make Travel Matter®
Gqeberha: The good folks at the SANCCOB Penguin Rehabilitation Centre work around the clock to rescue injured seabirds and help them make their way back into the wild. On this visit, we’ll see first hand how they work – and meet plenty of adorable penguins too.
ITINERARY
ITINERARYCape Town to Oudtshoorn via Cango Caves
Hello Africa… and hello Cape Town. Ready to get going? 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 along the way, we’ll check into Oudtshoorn. You can choose to take a scenic bike ride down the Swartberg Mountain Pass. And finish off with a Karoo braai dinner right inside a local farmer's house! (Don't forget to keep an eye out for the fabled Ostriches!)
Oudtshoorn to Gqeberha via Addo Elephant National Park
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?)
That’s right, it’s elephant time. After lunch, we’ll set out in search of Africa's largest land mammal here at the Addo National Park, home to over 600 of these tusk-tastic creatures. (Keep your eyes peeled for lions, buffalo, and antelope too though!)
We'll retreat here for the night but fear not, more safari adventures await in the morning. Stuck for something to do this evening? Let us introduce you to the karaoke bar just around the corner. (Cue your fave Lion King jams.)
Gqeberha and Private Game Reserves
Ready for the second chance at wildlife spotting? We thought so. Today is all about wildlife, both on land and in the ocean. We’ll start with a morning tour of the SANCCOB Penguin Rehabilitation Centre, who give sick and injured penguins the care they deserve and help them to return to the wild.
Later this morning, we’ll set out on the first of today’s two private game drives. The Eastern Cape’s game reserves are some of South Africa’s best spots for seeing the Big 5, home to valleys, plains, rivers and much more. So today, we have two optional game drives in two different Private Game Reserves. (IKR?) Yes, yes that is three game drives in 36 hours giving you the best chance of spotting the Big 5. Lucky you, right?
Tonight we’ll head back to the city where a free evening awaits. Karaoke round two? We won’t stop ya.
Gqeberha to Knysna via Jeffreys Bay and Tsitsikamma National Park
Beach time. Desert? Tick. Caves? Tick. Safari? Tick. Now it’s time to make our way along the famous Garden Route to our next destination, Knysna – with a few sensational stop-offs on the way.
Known as one of the best surf spots in the world, it’d be wrong not to start our day with some chill time on J-Bay… which is exactly what we’ll do.
Welcome to our next pitstop, known for the infinitely Instagramable Storms River Bridge – which we’ll take a picturesque hike to so you can get all the legendary snaps you need. After that, you’ll have the chance to up the adrenaline, with a spot of kayaking up the mouth of Storms River.
And then we pull into the beautiful coastal town of Knysna, ready to explore all the sights and activities the Garden Route is known for. (We've got two nights here too!)
Knysna and Plettenberg Bay
Rise and shine, team. Today starts with an included breakfast, overlooking the Knysna lagoon, and then we’re off again once more.
It’s ocean time… Join our optional marine safari and set out in search of whales, dolphins, seals and more spectacular sea life. Afterwards, we’ll spend the rest of the day relaxing on Plettenberg's main beach, catching those rays and helping ourselves to some splendid seafood.
This evening, we’ll embark on a Township visit here in Knysna, where you’ll meet the locals and have the chance to make a positive impact for the children who live here. Afterwards, we'll tuck into a group dinner on the Knysna lagoon, followed by a night on the town.
Knysna to Cape Town via Hermanus
Make sure you call dibs on a window seat. As we drive back to Cape Town, you’ll watch the magnificence of the Garden Route unfold as we pass coastal towns, forests, gorges and some jaw-dropping ocean views.
Marine mania… We’ll have lunch and some free time here in the coastal town of Hermanus, which is one of the world’s best areas for spotting whales – between July and November at least – so have your binoculars at the ready.
And here we are, back in the city where it all began. Tonight, you can opt for a MasterChef-style cooking class and enjoy the food, music and drinks.
Cape Town and Stellenbosch
It might be our last day together but fear not, there’s still plenty planned… and most of it revolves around food.
After some free time to explore (and shop till you drop) we’ll set out to discover Stellenbosh’s awesome wine farms, sampling the very finest of the Cape’s fine wines. With spectacular views, and a traditional South African braai for lunch, this really is one tasty excursion indeed.
And, after a brief drive back to Cape Town for an airport/hotel drop-off, that's a wrap! It’s been wild – we’re gutted to leave, we’re thrilled from what we’ve experienced, and we can’t wait to do it all again!
Disclaimer: Prices listed are per person, based on double occupancy, and in USD. All promotions are valid for new bookings only, capacity controlled and valid on select dates and departures. Individual Terms and Conditions will apply to all promotions. Any promotion can be withdrawn at any time without notice. Please speak with your Pavlus Travel Planner for complete vendor terms and conditions, including eligible tour and cruise dates.
