Itinerary
- Day 1
Departure to South Africa
Your trip to South Africa starts today as you head out for Johannesburg. This is your travel day, so you'll be in transit.
- Day 2
Johannesburg to Gqeberha
You land in Gqeberha and meet your tour guide at the airport. After about an hour's drive, you'll reach Chrislin African Lodge, which sits near Addo Elephant National Park. This gives you time to settle in and get oriented before things really get going.
- Meals
- Dinner
Landmarks/POIs Addo Elephant National Park - Day 3
Addo Elephant National Park Safari
Right after breakfast, you head into Addo Elephant National Park for a full day in a touring minibus. You'll spend around eight hours looking for herds of elephants at waterholes, black rhinos, Cape buffalo, lions, and the giant dung beetles the region's known for. The bush landscape gives you plenty of chances to see what's around.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Full-day game drive in Addo Elephant National Park (approximately 8 hours in touring minibus)
Optional Activities
- Morning game drive in Addo Elephant National Park - five-hour safari in an open off-road vehicle with drinks and picnic lunch included, led by English-speaking safari guides (ZAR 2,800 per person)
Landmarks/POIs Addo Elephant National Park - Day 4
Kenton-on-Sea to Sibuya Game Reserve
Today takes you to the coastal town of Kenton-on-Sea. You'll board a boat and travel about 10 km upriver, spotting goliath herons, water striders, and kingfishers along the way. Then you arrive at malaria-free Sibuya Game Reserve for a three-hour guided safari in an open vehicle hunting for the Big Five across the mountainous terrain.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Boat trip up the Kariega River from Kenton-on-Sea (approximately 10 km)
- Approximately three-hour guided safari in open off-road vehicle at Sibuya Game Reserve
Landmarks/POIs Kenton-on-Sea Sibuya Game Reserve Kariega River - Day 5
Sibuya Game Reserve
You spend your second day at Sibuya with multiple safari experiences. Starting before dawn, you do a three to four-hour open vehicle safari with a stop for hot coffee and tea in the bush, then walk for about 1.5 hours deeper into the reserve. After lunch back at your tent, late afternoon brings a 1.5-hour boat safari on the river to spot animals from the water.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Traditionally prepared dinner in the boma after sunset)
Included Activities
- Dawn safari in open off-road vehicle (approximately 3-4 hours) with refreshment break
- Walking safari in the reserve (approximately 1.5 hours)
- Afternoon river boat safari (approximately 1.5 hours) with safari guide
Landmarks/POIs Sibuya Game Reserve - Day 6
Sibuya Game Reserve to Plettenberg Bay
An early morning two to three-hour game drive searching for lions kicks off your day. Then you take a boat back to Kenton-on-Sea before driving along the Garden Route coast to Tsitsikamma National Park. You'll hike for an hour along cliffs overlooking Storms River Mouth and the gorge, then continue on to Plettenberg Bay with its sandy beaches.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Early morning game drive in Sibuya Game Reserve (approximately 2-3 hours)
- Boat transfer from Sibuya Game Reserve to Kenton-on-Sea
- Approximately one-hour cliff hike at Storms River Mouth in Tsitsikamma National Park
Landmarks/POIs Garden Route Tsitsikamma National Park Storms River Mouth Plettenberg Bay - Day 7
Plettenberg Bay
This morning you do a three-hour circular hike through Robberg Nature Reserve on the Robberg peninsula, walking past a seal colony to reach a quiet sandy beach with ocean views. In early afternoon, a local guide takes you through the Qolweni township, where you'll visit the Siyakula Creche pre-school that the Chameleon Foundation helps support.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Three-hour circular hike in Robberg Nature Reserve with seal colony viewing
- Guided township tour of Qolweni with local guide including visit to Siyakula Crèche pre-school
Optional Activities
- Whale watching trip 'Close Encounter' (July 1 - November 30): approximately 90-minute boat trip with high probability of spotting whales from up to 50 meters distance (no guarantee) - ZAR 1,250 per person, weather-dependent
- Whale watching trip 'Marine Encounter' (December 1 - June 30): two-hour boat trip focusing on dolphins, sharks, and seals as few whales present (no guarantee) - ZAR 800 per person, weather-dependent
Landmarks/POIs Robberg Nature Reserve Qolweni Township - Day 8
Knysna to Oudtshoorn
You drive to Knysna, which sits sheltered behind high sandstone cliffs in a bay. Stop at Eastern Head viewpoint for panoramic estuary views, then walk the waterfront and check out the small shops. After that, you head through the Outeniqua Mountains into the Klein Karoo semi-desert toward Oudtshoorn to explore Cango Caves, Africa's largest stalactite caves, guided through formations used 10,000 years ago by the Khoisan people.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Traditional Karoo dinner with tender ostrich meat)
Included Activities
- Visit to Cango Caves with guided tour (largest stalactite caves in Africa)
Landmarks/POIs Knysna Eastern Head Viewpoint Outeniqua Mountains Klein Karoo Cango Caves - Day 9
Oudtshoorn to Robertson
Start by visiting an ostrich farm to learn about these birds and find out how heavy their eggs actually are. Then you follow Route 62 through the Klein Karoo semi-desert to Robertson and pull up at Rietvallei Wine Estate, a family-run operation the Burger family has owned for six generations since 1908. You'll taste award-winning wines while looking out over the vineyards.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit to ostrich farm
- Wine tasting at Rietvallei Wine Estate
Landmarks/POIs Rietvallei Wine Estate Robertson - Day 10
Robertson to Cape Town
Your morning includes the gardens of Babylonstoren, one of the oldest Cape Dutch farms in Franschoek Valley. You then head to Stellenbosch, South Africa's second oldest town, and walk Dorp Street with its listed Cape Dutch houses and 'Oom Samie se Winkle' grocer's store. Later you reach Cape Town and, if weather cooperates, take the cable car up Table Mountain from over 1,000 meters for views of the city, sea, and countryside.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit to Babylonstoren gardens
- Cable car up Table Mountain (weather permitting)
Optional Activities
- Visit to Signal Hill for views of Cape Town and Table Mountain (alternative to cable car if Table Mountain cable car is closed for maintenance)
Landmarks/POIs Babylonstoren Franschoek Valley Stellenbosch Dorp Street Oom Samie se Winkle Table Mountain Signal Hill Cape Town - Day 11
Cape Town Exploration
You start at the V&A Waterfront checking out shops, restaurants, and the large aquarium, then take a harbor tour to see things from the water. Next comes a walk through the colorful Cape Malay Quarter where you'll prepare traditional Cape Malay dishes in Waheeb's kitchen and taste what you've made. A Cape Town exploration tour follows, hitting Signal Hill for panoramic views, the Camps Bay beach area, and the city center's town hall and Company's Garden.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch prepared together with hosts in Cape Malay Quarter)
Included Activities
- V&A Waterfront exploration
- Harbor tour
- Cooking class in Cape Malay Quarter at Waheeb's kitchen
- Cape Town exploration tour including Signal Hill, Camps Bay, town hall, and Company's Garden
Landmarks/POIs Victoria & Alfred Waterfront Cape Malay Quarter Signal Hill Camps Bay Cape Town Town Hall Company's Garden - Day 12
Cape Peninsula
You wind along the coastal road toward Hout Bay, a small fishing town, with changing Atlantic views the whole way. A boat trip takes you to Duiker Island to watch Cape fur seals, then you stop at T-Bag Designs to learn about locals from townships decorating recycled tea bags. Chapman's Peak Drive leads you past Noordhoek and its long beach, then to Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve where you can walk to the lighthouse or hike one to two hours to Cape Point. On the way back, you see penguin colonies at Boulders Beach near Simon's Town.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Atmospheric farewell dinner)
Included Activities
- Boat trip to Duiker Island for Cape fur seal watching
- Visit to T-Bag Designs workshop
- Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve visit with walk to lighthouse or hike to Cape Point (approximately 1-2 hours optional)
Optional Activities
- Hike to Cape Point (approximately 1-2 hours) as alternative to lighthouse walk
Landmarks/POIs Hout Bay Duiker Island Chapman's Peak Drive Noordhoek Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve Cape Point Simon's Town Boulders Beach - Day 13
Cape Town Departure
This morning you have time to visit the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront for souvenir shopping before your guide drives you to Cape Town Airport for your flight home.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Optional souvenir shopping at Victoria & Alfred Waterfront
Landmarks/POIs Victoria & Alfred Waterfront - Day 14
Return to Germany
You land in Johannesburg and then travel on to your hometown, bringing your South Africa adventure to a close.
