Itinerary
- Day 1
Cape Town
After picking up your rental car, head to the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront where street performers, shops, and cafés line the area with Table Mountain visible across the water. If you're interested, you can ride the Cape Wheel for 360-degree views of the city, or walk through the Castle of Good Hope to see its historical fortress walls up close.
Optional Activities
- Cape Wheel ride (payable locally)
- Visit Castle of Good Hope
Landmarks/POIs Victoria and Alfred Waterfront Table Mountain Castle of Good Hope - Day 2
Cape Town - Boulders Beach - Cape Point
Drive to Boulders Beach and spend time watching penguins rest among the large granite rocks. From there, continue on to Cape Point where you can either walk or take an optional cog railroad to the cliff viewing platform, which gives you views over False Bay and the Cape of Good Hope.
Optional Activities
- Cog railroad ride to Cape Point (payable on site)
Landmarks/POIs Boulders Beach Cape Point False Bay Diaz Beach Cape of Good Hope - Day 3
Cape Town - Mossel Bay
Travel along the coast to Mossel Bay where the Garden Route officially starts. You'll find white sand beaches here, and you can spend your time swimming, or if you're interested, take a surfing lesson at Inner and Outer Pool. Alternatively, climb up to the Cape St. Blaize Lighthouse for views where you might spot whales, dolphins, or seals between May and October.
Optional Activities
- Surfing lessons at Inner and Outer Pool (payable on site)
- Visit Cape St. Blaize Lighthouse
Landmarks/POIs Mossel Bay Inner and Outer Pool Cape St. Blaize Lighthouse - Day 4
Mossel Bay - Wilderness - Plettenberg Bay
Drive through the scenic Garden Route to Wilderness National Park where you can hike the Giant Kingfisher Trail or explore by canoe and kayak around rock formations, lakes, and waterfalls. Later, continue to Plettenberg Bay and relax on Lookout Beach or check out the lagoon where the river meets the sea.
Optional Activities
- Giant Kingfisher Trail hike
- Canoe or kayak exploration (payable locally)
Landmarks/POIs Wilderness National Park Giant Kingfisher Trail Plettenberg Bay Lookout Beach - Day 5
Plettenberg Bay
Spend the day relaxing on white sand beaches, or head into Robberg Nature Reserve to hike one of three trails: The Gap, Witsand, or The Point. Each offers cliff views and wild surf, plus opportunities to see the large seal colony and watch for dolphins and whales in the water offshore.
Optional Activities
- Robberg Nature Reserve hiking trails (The Gap, Witsand, The Point)
Landmarks/POIs Robberg Nature Reserve - Day 6
Plettenberg Bay - Tsitsikamma - Addo
Start at Tsitsikamma National Park where you'll cross legendary suspension bridges and can optionally zipline up to 30 meters above the ground between trees. Then drive to accommodation near Addo Elephant National Park and settle in for the evening, listening to wildlife sounds among the hills and forests.
Optional Activities
- Zipline adventure through trees (payable on site)
Landmarks/POIs Tsitsikamma National Park Addo Elephant National Park - Day 7
Addo
Wake early and drive yourself through Addo Elephant National Park. Follow herds to waterholes and look for the Big Five, with over 600 elephants roaming the park along with lions, rhinos, buffalo, and zebras. You'll drive through savannah and bush terrain to spots where entire herds gather.
Optional Activities
- Self-drive safari through Addo Elephant National Park
Landmarks/POIs Addo Elephant National Park - Day 8
Addo - Oudtshoorn
Drive through dramatic mountain landscapes and vast plains to reach Oudtshoorn, arriving at a glamping tent on an ostrich farm. By evening, sit by the fire pit and order a braai basket from reception filled with fresh vegetables, bread, and local barbecued meat that you can cook over your veranda.
Optional Activities
- Braai basket from reception (payable locally)
Landmarks/POIs Oudtshoorn - Day 9
Oudtshoorn
Arrange your day based on what interests you most. You can book a guided tour of the ostrich farm to learn about ostrich rearing and watch chicks hatch, or join an afternoon safari through the AfriCamp game reserve (5000+ hectares) to see antelope, giraffes, and native Karoo vegetation.
Optional Activities
- Guided ostrich farm tour (payable on site)
- Afternoon safari in Little Karoo through AfriCamp game reserve (payable locally, book day before)
Landmarks/POIs AfriCamp Little Karoo - Day 10
Oudtshoorn - Stellenbosch
Travel Route 62 through wide landscapes, winding mountain passes, and endless vineyards. Stop at Diesel & Crème Diner in Barrydale for a burger and milkshake surrounded by vintage cars and enamel signs. After lunch, continue to Stellenbosch and optionally visit a wine estate like Warwick Wine Estate for wine tasting with views.
Optional Activities
- Wine tasting at Warwick Wine Estate or other venues (payable on site)
Landmarks/POIs Route 62 Diesel & Crème Diner Barrydale Warwick Wine Estate Stellenbosch - Day 11
Stellenbosch - Cape Town
Drive back to Cape Town for the final part of your road trip. Return your rental car at the car rental station and take time to reflect on what you've seen during your journey through South Africa's landscapes, from wild safaris to coastal sunsets.
Landmarks/POIs Cape Town
