3-Day Garden Route Tour with Safari from Cape Town

Begin your 3-day excursion along the Garden Route from Cape Town with a drive on South Africa’s scenic Route 62. Admire the diverse landscapes along the coast, in lush nature reserves and in the desert area of the Klein Karoo. Tour the labyrinthine Cango Caves, paddle a canoe through pristine waters and a safari game drive. Additionally, with free time in your itinerary, choose from other activities to fill your schedule — including a thrilling bungee jump from the Bloukrans Bridge (own expense). You’re also free to skip any optional excursions, choosing instead to seek out tips from your guide for nearby places to go hiking.

Day 1: Cape Town – Oudtshoorn 
After a pickup from your central Cape Town hotel, leave the bright city lights behind and travel to the Western Cape by minibus. Gaze out at the scenery along Route 62, one of the most dramatic roads in South Africa, that meanders through the desert region of Klein Karoo as well as countryside and coastal areas from Cape to Port Elizabeth.

The journey takes around five to six hours, but several stops are factored in to the journey so you can stretch your legs, take photos and eat. After venturing through the landscape of rugged plains and towering cliffs, stop in Oudtshoorn, the region’s principle town, so-called ‘ostrich capital,’ and your overnight base. 

Drop your bags at your accommodation, and then enjoy a visit to Cango Caves for a tour into the depths of the caves and wander along the subterranean pathways, admiring towering stalactite and stalagmite formations. Your evening is then spent at your leisure, perhaps discovering the nightlife and restaurants of Oudtshoorn.

Overnight choices: 4-Star Buffelsdrift Game Lodge or similar or 3-Star Yamkela Guest House or Backpackers Paradise budget accommodation option in Oudtshoorn


Day 2: Oudtshoorn – Sedgefield (B)

Check out of your Oudtshoorn accommodation in the morning, and take part in an optional 45-minute ‘meet the elephants elephant bush walk’’ experience (own expense) at a nearby reserve as you join a ranger and walk alongside these gentle giants in their natural environment.

Leave the area and resume the journey along Route 62 to Wilderness National Park, roughly an hour away. Take to the water on a 1- to 2-hour easy canoe ride (no training needed) with a local guide, and paddle along a calm river that winds its way through lush forests. . Indigenous forests and campgrounds line the river bank and it’s not until you stop paddling and let the gentle current guide you, that the abundance of birdlife becomes apparent.

Or, if your idea of parkland pleasure is more zen than zany, relax on a leisurely stroll through the forest trails to see South African nature at its finest. 

Relax on a scenic coastal drive, enjoying views of Knysna, Plettenberg Bay and Nature’s Valley, and prepare for the adrenaline-rushing view that lies ahead: one of the world’s highest bungee sites at Bloukrans Bridge. Standing 709 feet (216 meters) above the Bloukrans River, the bridge is the perfect place to face your fears with an optional bungee jump! If it’s not for you, get your adrenaline fix by watching the jumpers bounce through the air, instead. . Those who opt not to jump can do a short hike to the 1000 year old Big Tree in the nearby Tsitsikamma forest.

Then, travel to the coastal town of Sedgefield, check in to your overnight accommodation and spend the evening doing whatever you want. If time allows and the sun is still out, go for a dip in the Indian Ocean and watch the sun slip beneath the waves, or perhaps take an evening stroll along the beach— a sweep of white sand known as one of the most beautiful spots along the Garden Route.

Overnight choices: 4-Star Dover-On-Sea  or 3-Star Purple Heron Guest House or Afrovibe Backpackers budget accommodation option in Sedgefield, Wilderness area

Day 3: Sedgefield – Cape Town(B)

Leave your accommodation in the morning, and start the journey back to Cape Town to enjoy your last day of adventure. First on the list is a 2-hour game drive by 4x4 vehicle — to see some members of the Big Five.

Today, these animals are some of the most elusive and exciting forms of wildlife to see on safari. Look out for African elephants, Cape buffaloes, lions and rhinos. Giraffes, antelopes, zebras and wildebeests are just some of the other animals you may see as well.

Just when you thought your bush experience couldn’t get any better, you’ll hop off your safari vehicle for an up close and personal encounter with nature on a tranquil bush walk. Follow your game ranger as you track wildlife through the coastal renosterveldt and Cape fynbos, keep an eye out for animal tracks, and learn about the medicinal value of the plants around you as you walk.

Then, it’s back to the minibus to travel back to Cape Town. End off your day with a journey through the landscape of rugged plains and green vegetation as you pass through the heart of the Garden Route on your way back to Cape Town. Reach Cape Town by late evening.