Please note that this tour can be adjusted to your requirements and
interests. This is merely a suggestion from endless possibilities.
Explore
the Garden Route's mysterious forests, golden beaches, breathtaking
mountains and the rugged arid beauty of the Little Karoo.
Day 1: Cape
Town to Prince Albert
We travel over the
mountains to Worcester, gateway to the Great Karoo. Our
journey takes us through the magnificent Hex River Valley where
we view the most spectacular mountain scenery, lush vineyards and
indigenous flora. We visit Matjiesfontein, a nostalgic Victorian
village set in the stark surroundings of the Great Karoo. Passing
through Laingsburg we turn away from the main road and travel to Prince
Albert, where we spend a leisurely evening, enjoying the clear Karoo
night sky and feasting on a delicious traditional dinner of Karoo
Lamb.
Day 2: Prince
Albert to Oudtshoorn
After a hearty breakfast,
we leave the great Karoo, and (weather permitting), negotiate the
magnificent grandfather of all passes, the Swartberg Pass, rising
1000 meters within 12 kilometers. We descend into the heart of the
mountains and visit the Cango Caves with their spectacular
limestone formations. Our day is concluded with a guided tour of the Cango
Ostrich Ranch. Here we embark on a fascinating guided tour on the
farm where we meet these fascinating birds.
Day 3:
Oudtshoorn to Knysna
We continue our tour
through the Wonders of the Klein Karoo with a visit to the Cango
Wildlife Ranch where one of the highlights will be an opportunity to
touch a cheetah. Afterwards we leave the Little Karoo and travel over
the breathtakingly beautiful Outeniqua Mountains to George
to catch the Outeniqua Choo-choo. We enjoy this leisurely
steam-train drive via Wilderness and the Lake district to
arrive at our home base for the next 2 days, the beautiful town of
Knysna, famous for its tidal lagoon, indigenous forests, quaint arts and
crafts shops
and .. oysters!!
Day 4: Knysna to
Tsitsikamma Coastal Park and Back
This morning we travel to Plettenberg
Bay, playground of the rich, where we make a spectacular detour from
the main road through the Groot River and Bloukrantz Passes,
traveling in the heart of ancient, mysterious and primeval indigenous
forests. We visit the beautiful Tsitsikamma Coastal Park where we
embark on a leisurely stroll to the suspension bridge at the Storms
River mouth. We also visit one of the forest's giant inhabitants,
the ancient Outeniqua Yellowwood Tree that was already growing
when Europe was still caught in the dark ages. We return to Knysna
to stroll around the wonderful arts and crafts shops and take a sunset
cruise on the Knysna Lagoon, cruising to the Heads, large
sandstone cliffs towering over the sea entrance of the huge tidal
lagoon.
Day 5: Knysna
to Cape Town
We begin our journey to
Cape Town, stopping in Mossel Bay to visit the Maritime Museum
where the replica of the Caravel in which the Portuguese navigator,
Bartholomew Diaz, sailed around the Cape of Good Hope in 1488, is on
view. We also visit the old Post Office Tree that served as a
mailbox to the various Portuguese navigators in the 16th century.
Traveling through rolling farmlands, we arrive in Swellendam, an
18th century frontier town. As we come to the end of our journey, the
open farmlands once again make way for the rugged and beautiful
mountains. We travel through the lush fruit growing area of Elgin and
Grabouw to finally descend the Sir Lowry's Pass with a final
and dramatic view over the Hottentots Holland Mountains and Table
Mountain in the distance.
