Garden Route & Capelands

Welcome to South Africa. On arrival you’ll be met by a Peregrine representative at the airport and transferred to you hotel. This adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm today. Please look for a note in the hotel lobby or ask the hotel reception where it will take place. With a long history of industrialisation, the major dock of Port Elizabeth (or P.E.) isn’t the most attractive city in South Africa, but it’s the perfect jumping off point for nearby adventures, and is home to some of the Eastern Cape's best looking and swimming beaches. In any free time you can wander along the along the Donkin Heritage Trail for a look back into the settler past, see some wonderfully preserved historic buildings in Central, or drop into one of the museums. This evening after the meeting, perhaps choose to join your group and leader for dinner.

Travel out to a private concession to the north of the Addo Elephant National Park (150km approximately 3 hours). Now the third largest National Park in South Africa, Addo covers about 180, 000 of land and sea. The park has been a great success in terms of conservation, specifically for the region’s elephants. When the park was founded in 1931 there were only 11 elephants – now that number exceeds 700. While home to the ‘Big 5’ (lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhino), the park also uniquely lays claim to the ‘Big 7’ – the addition of the Southern right whale and great white shark off the Algoa Bay coast. Adding to the wildlife collection are spotted hyena, leopard, antelope and zebra, as well as the Addo flightless dung beetle, found almost exclusively here. Look out for all these incredible animals on a game drive en-route to tonight's accommodation – the memorable Kuzuko Lodge. When you stand on the deck and look out on uninterrupted views of the Karoo Plains and the Zuurberg Mountains, you’ll soon understand why the name means ‘Place of Glory’ in the Xhosa native language.

Today you’ll enjoy both morning and afternoon game activities in the open 4x4 vehicles of the lodge. In order to spot animals at their most active, game drives may take place as the sun rises, mid morning, during the afternoon, as the sun sets, and at night – depending on the time of year. Your experienced guides will expertly track and point out the many species of fauna and flora that call Kuzuko home. Sunrise, sunset and night drives offer a very different view of landscape and animals – both diurnal and nocturnal. After safari activities, retire to the accommodation – superbly appointed private chalets, sweeping hilltop vistas, sumptuous cuisine and a ‘wilderness wellness centre’. The Main Lodge is perfectly integrated into the natural surrounds, designed in such a way that floor to ceiling windows keep the surrounding beauty at the forefront. End a memorable day with drinks on the deck.

Begin the day with a game drive in the vehicle, en route to your next stop in Tsitsikamma National Park, the official start of the Garden Route (310km's approximately 4–5 hours). Protecting both land and sea, steep ancient forests meet the breakers of the Indian Ocean at this park. It's a spectacular place of deep gorges, tidal pools and empty beaches, perfect for walking and viewing wildlife. Your accommodation tonight is in a truly special lodge overlooking the rugged coastline of the Tsitsikamma and a 30-metre waterfall of Sandrift river gorge.

Enjoy a spectacular hike in the Tsitsikamma National Park today. Your leader will guide you on a beautiful hike along the boardwalk through a canopy of forest until you reach the famous Storms River Mouth suspension bridge across the ocean. The narrow channel of sheer cliffs get its name from when the wind gets up, the water hurtling against the rocks, sending spray flying high into the air. You’ll then double back towards a waterfall, with the return trek taking approximately 9 kilometres – half a day. However there will be scenic options along the boardwalk for a shorter trek without the group if you are concerned about your fitness. Keep an eye out for the fauna – cape clawless otters, dolphins, tortoises and southern right whales (in season) that are all visitors here, along with baboons, monkeys and myriad birds.

This morning you will drive to Knysna (110km, approximately 1.5hrs) a quaint little hamlet where two dramatic, forested sea cliffs guard the entrance to a beautiful lagoon. Along with the lagoon, Knysna’s claims to fame are primarily eatable – see some of it firsthand on an Oyster Tour. Learn all there is to know about one of the world's most loved delicacies and taste the difference between wild and cultivated oysters, all whilst cruising the lagoon to the Heads and surrounds. The educational and delicious cruise includes a glass of local white wine and oysters for tasting. After lunch, drive out across the arid Karoo region bound for Oudtshoorn (approximately 2-2.5 hours). This is the ostrich capital of the world, and at the turn of the 20th century it was full of 'feather barons' that grew rich from the popularity of ostrich feathers. Your accommodation for the next two nights is an owner-managed, 2,000-hectare guest farm located just off Route 62 – the longest wine route in the world.

Begin the day early for the unique opportunity to spend some time with the elusive Meerkat. Part of the so-called ‘Shy 5’, which also includes the bat-eared fox, aardvark, porcupine and aardwolf, these curious animals are rarely spotted. On a 2-3 hour tour, head to the burrows of the cheeky meerkats, pull up a chair and sip a cup of hot coffee while the sun comes up and the meerkats climb out into the sunshine. Watch these habituated wild animals, never fed or handled by humans, go about their daily routine of foraging and frolicking. You’ll be joined by an experienced guide and get an insight into these wonderful creatures. This is a fantastic experience, and its unique privilege to get this close to them in the wild. Return to the Lodge and enjoy breakfast before driving to the Swartberg Mountains, climbing through the switchbacks of the pass of the same name, looking out across the unique folds of the surrounding rocks. Descend down into the town of Prince Albert, a contender for South Africa’s most charming town, full of the architecture of the 18th to 20th centuries. Return to the lodge over the World Heritage-listed pass.

This morning you’ll make your way to Cango Caves (approximately 30 minutes), where you will learn about their formation and history from a local guide. Browse the weird and wonderful rock formations, including ‘Cleopatra's Needle’, which is 29 feet high and at least 150,000 years old. Carry on to Mossel Bay (approximately 1.5 hours), a harbour town on the Southern Cape that sits in second place for the Guinness Book of Records for the mildest year-round climate in the world. Also of interest is the fact the very first Post Office in South Africa was at Mossel Bay in 1500, when a man named Pedro de Ataide left a letter in a shoe under a milkwood tree. Today the ancient Post Office is a national monument and mail is still sorted here. Travel on to the coastal town of Hermanus (approximately 4 hours), famous for southern right whale watching during the winter and spring.

Today is a free day for you to enjoy all that Hermanus has to offer. The town is renowned for being an excellent destination for whale watching, and is considered to have the best land-based whale watching in the world. Perhaps enjoy one of the walks along the coast. The Cliff Path is perhaps the most popular trail in Hermanus and stretches from the New Harbour all the way to Grotto beach, approximately 12 kilometres along the coastline. The views of Walker Bay and the Mountain Range are breath-taking, and during whale season the Cliffs have the perfect spots to sit and watch the whales as they frolic in in the bay – arriving as early as June and usually departing in early December. The famous Whale Crier of Hermanus offers guided cliff paths walks during the season, while you could climb aboard a boat to get a closer look at the magnificent sea creatures. The town also has a variety of adventure activities on offer, beautiful award-winning beaches to relax on, and abundant hiking trails in nearby Femkloof Nature Reserve. For something less active, there are fantastic markets and excellent cuisine on offer too.

Leave the coastline behind and travel inland to the Cape Winelands (approximately 2 hours). Your wonderful activity for the day is a stop at a unique wine estate in Stellenbosch, where you’ll get to meet the waddling workforce of runner ducks used to assist in the control of the snail and pest population in the vineyards. This is a practice the estate have been refining since 1984, and a big part of why Vergenoegd proudly carries WWF biodiversity certification. The area boasts a remarkable terroir and climate. Perfectly positioned between Table Mountain and the Hottentots-Holland mountain range to the east and west, the soil quality is highly diverse and produces a distinct classic wine that has enjoyed consistently good ratings.Enjoy some tastings before continuing on to your accommodation for the evening.

Today is a free day to explore and there is plenty to explore. A scenic 5 minute stroll from your accommodation will land you in the local village centre – an area alive with places to enjoy fine wining and dining. The village of Franschhoek (French Corner), tucked into the Cape Winelands of South Africa, is known as the country's food and wine capital. If you're a food connoisseur or gourmand, you’ll be deliciously spoilt for choice for shops and restaurants in and around the village. Many of these establishments are award-winning and widely acclaimed, both internationally and locally. If it’s the season (Oct – Feb), it’s wise to book your table. Another option is to take the Franschhoek ‘Wine Tram’ hop-on hop-off tour. This is one of the best ways to discover the true essence of the Franschhoek Valley – rolling vineyards, breath-taking scenery, warm hospitality, world-class cuisine, fine wines and a 300-year history. Otherwise, take a stroll down from the top of Huguenot Road and look out for the market stalls next to the town’s exquisite church, then indulge at one of the restaurants for dinner.

Leave the winelands behind and embark on a spectacular journey around the Cape Peninsula, taking in all the highlights and breathtaking beauty of this world-renowned region. Through historic suburbs, charming fishing villages and awesome viewpoints, some of the highlights include the pure white sand beaches of the affluent suburb of Clifton Beach, the fantastic views from the entertainment playground of Camps Bay, and the astonishing natural scenery of False Bay and the Hottentots Holland Mountains from Cape Point Nature Reserve and the Cape of Good Hope. Look south, where there is nothing until Antarctica, and west with nothing until South America. This evening you’ll enjoy a memorable dinner with the group in the Bo-Kapp region of Cape Town. Known for its brightly coloured houses and situated at the foot of Signal Hill, Bo-Kaap is the spiritual home of the Cape’s Muslim community. Bo-Kaap has a fascinating history. Many of the residents are descendants of slaves from Malaysia, Indonesia and various African countries, who were imported to the Cape of Good Hope by the Dutch during the 16th and 17th centuries. The slaves were (often mistakenly) known as “Cape Malays”, and the term has stuck, with Bo-Kaap known today as the Cape Malay Quarter. Get an insight into this history when you step inside the ‘purple house’ of Faldela and her family. Learn how to make samosas, before sitting down to an authentic home-cooked dinner. Taste some of the traditional dishes such as ‘Bredie’, ‘Chilli Bites’ and ‘Koesisters’. Learn about why the houses are painted in bright colours and how the community supports each other from your story-telling host.

Your Garden Route and Cape adventure comes to an end today. There are no activities planned for the final day and this trip finishes after breakfast. There’s plenty to see and do in Cape Town and extending your stay is recommend. Please speak to your booking agent about additional post tour accommodation.