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Discover the natural drama of South Africa's prime stretch of coastal splendor—the Garden Route—after a visit to the Little Karoo. The region offers a host of land—and water-based activities.
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ItineraryGuests are met anywhere in Cape Town, where a journey through South Africa's countryside commences as we follow the famous Route 62 to Oudtshoorn. The trip heads northeast and passes through the Du Toitskloof Pass, and we enter the Breede River Valley, traversing the town of Robertson before reaching Montagu. Here, time is devoted to exploring the charming town with its impressive setting and stunning architecture. A visit is also made to a local wine farm to taste award-winning wines before continuing to Barrydale, where some time is allowed for lunch, and then Ladismith, framed by Towerkop Mountain.
Oudtshoorn is reached mid-afternoon. After check-in and some time for relaxation, a visit is made to the Cango Caves, one of South Africa's most impressive natural wonders. These ancient limestone caves were formed over millions of years with impressive examples of stalagmites, stalactites, and other rock formations. We embark on the heritage tour, which lasts around an hour, before returning to the overnight destination.
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Itinerary After breakfast, we visit an ostrich farm, where guests experience what farming these, the largest birds in the world, entails. You will gain insight into the life cycle of ostriches, from egg to adult, with a focus on their habits, behavior, diet, and breeding. The short visit is followed by a trip to the Garden Route town of George, crossing the imposing Outeniqua Mountains en route. Here, we devote some time to visiting the Outeniqua Transport Museum in a locomotive shed built in 1932. It houses some impressive exhibits, including steam locomotives, vintage vehicles, model trains, and various railway artifacts.
The tour then travels to Wilderness, along part of the Seven Passes road, which offers grand forest and mountain views. Upon arrival in Wilderness, we explore the town, visit the Map of Africa, and visit another viewpoint from which the lakes, mountains, forest, and ocean that make the Garden Route special, can be admired. Lunch is then enjoyed before continuing to the overnight destination in Knysna.
Distance ItineraryAfter breakfast, the tour crosses the Knysna Lagoon by ferry to the Featherbed Nature Reserve. The reserve is a unique 150-ha private reserve that encompasses the entire Western Head of Knysna. It offers spectacular views across the lagoon and the ocean, as well as the treacherous passage between the two, which claimed many a ship during Knysna's days as an exporter of timber. The eco-experience includes a guided nature hike and ascending the headland with a 4x4 vehicle. The reserve is one of South Africa's heritage sites and is home to two of the Garden Route's natural icons, namely the Knysna Loerie and the blue duiker, one of Africa's smallest antelope species.
Lunch is followed by a short trip to Plettenberg Bay, another iconic town in the area. From Central Beach, we depart on a short boat cruise focused on the abundant marine life in the bay. You can spot various dolphin species, seals, and birdlife. On occasion, the shy Bryde's whale is also encountered. From June to November, the southern right whale frequents these waters. Following the boat excursion, we briefly explore the town before returning to Knysna.
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FlightsAfter breakfast, we make our way to Mosselbay. During the boom years of ostrich farming, this port town was a major export port of ostrich feathers and products to Europe and the USA. In Mossel Bay, we visit the Bartholomew Diaz Museum, which marks the spot of Diaz's historical landing, and a 500-year-old post office tree. The Maritime Museum houses a replica of the caravel on which Diaz arrived. The caravel arrived in Mossel Bay in 1987, a gift from the Portuguese government. Another highlight is a map of Mossel Bay produced by an early Dutch sailor, Cornelis de Houtman, in 1595.
The visit to Mosselbay is followed by a drive to the airport near George, where guests are assisted with checking in for a flight bound for Cape Town. Here, this short trip of the Garden Route comes to an end.
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