Follow the coastal trail to Cape Town on an adventurous 14-day adventure along the Garden Route and Wild Coast of South Africa. Hit up all the region’s hotspots – elephant spotting in Addo Elephant National Park, hiking in the Lesotho Highlands, meeting local Xhosa communities in Cintsa, and two fun-filled nights in Cape Town. Get a sprinkling of safaris thrown in with penguins, creating a whole South African smorgasbord.
- Whether it’s searching for gentle giants on a game drive through Addo Elephant National Park or hiking past antelope in Bontebok National Park, there’s no shortage of wildlife spotting on this adventure.
- Embark on a half-day guided walk in the mighty Drakensburg Range – one of many spectacular hikes along the Garden Route that you can choose to discover in your free time.
- Rise early with your small group to watch wild meerkats wake and warm in the morning sun, before continuing south to Swellendam – South Africa’s third-oldest town.
- Cruise the classic R320 route – stopping by a couple of wineries for local tastings – en route to South Africa's southernmost point at Cape Agulhus.
- As you tour the Wild Coast, stop by South Africa’s Xhosa community for an afternoon spent with a local guide, learning about enduring customs and cultures in this tribal group.
- Search for gentle giants on a game drive through Addo Elephant National Park.
- Rise early with your small group to watch wild meerkats wake and warm in the morning sun, before continuing to vibrant Cape Town.
- Visit Cape Town's Boulder's Beach to watch the resident African Penguins waddle across the sandy shore that's framed by ancient granite boulders.
- By travelling on this trip, you’ll directly support our Intrepid Foundation partner, Helping Rhinos. Donations support their all-female ranger program in South Africa, which specialises in fighting wildlife crimes and protecting rhinos, and other critically endangered animals, from poachers.
- Accommodation on this trip is mainly in two-person canvas dome tents with camping mattresses supplied.
- The type and variety of accommodation are determined by conditions on each of our routes. Each route is different - on some, we use a mixture of campsites and wild camps; on others, we also use hotels. In Africa, it's not usually practical to camp when staying in towns and cities, so we use hotel accommodations and eat out in local restaurants.
- There may be the occasional night stop when we stay on the grounds of a hotel or at a campsite, which may also have rooms/cabins available. In this case, there may be a choice of camping or upgrading to a room. Rooms cost approximately USD 40-100 per room per night for a twin room and cannot be pre-booked. Standards of these rooms vary greatly, and we recommend viewing the room before purchasing the night's accommodation. The day-by-day itinerary advises when upgrades may be possible (subject to availability).
- Keep in mind that if we are staying in dormitory accommodation, you may have to share with other passengers or be split into same-sex rooms.
- Campsites do have facilities, but they usually aren't to the same standard you would find in Western countries. For example, the bathroom facilities can be very basic. Toilet paper is rarely provided, and shower facilities can be as simple as a hose pipe spurting out cold water. Wild camps have no facilities at all.
- At times, there may be spare tents in the vehicles. Unfortunately, these cannot be used without the purchase of a single supplement. This is to ensure the tents avoid wear and tear or are clean and ready for the customers arriving on the next section of the trip.
