TOUR NAME: South African Coastal Explorer - 6 Days, Durban to Cape Town.(CODE: SCDP)
The coastline between Durban and Cape Town encompasses a huge diversity of habitats. From the hilly grasslands with Xhosa huts dotted around the ridges, green valleys, crystal clear streams and wild unspoilt coastline of the Eastern Cape (the former homeland of Transkei), to the mountains, lakes, cliffs and dense indigenous forests of the Cape South Coast, aptly called the Garden Route, the natural beauty and lush vegetation will captivate even the well traveled.
The Art Capital of South Africa, Grahamstown, and the Addo National Elephant Park, a 145 000 ha piece of evergreen bushveld supporting more than 420 elephants, lion, Cape buffalo and black rhino, amongst other animals, are two highlights in the Eastern Region.
We also visit the semi-arid valley, called the Little Karoo. This region, in turn, offers natural wonders such as the Cango Caves and its ideal habitat for ostrich farming makes it the ostrich Mecca of the world. The tour ends in Cape Town.
The Art Capital of South Africa, Grahamstown, and the Addo National Elephant Park, a 145 000 ha piece of evergreen bushveld supporting more than 420 elephants, lion, Cape buffalo and black rhino, amongst other animals, are two highlights in the Eastern Region.
We also visit the semi-arid valley, called the Little Karoo. This region, in turn, offers natural wonders such as the Cango Caves and its ideal habitat for ostrich farming makes it the ostrich Mecca of the world. The tour ends in Cape Town.
| TOUR NAME : | 6 Day South African Coastal Explorer Guided Tour, Durban to Cape Town. |
| CODE : | SCDP |
| MEALS INCLUDED : | Dinners and Breakfasts |
| DEPARTURE : | Saturday at 09:00 |
| DURATION : | 6 Days |
| ROUTING : | Durban - Natal South Coast - Eastern Province - Addo - Garden Route - Cape Town |
| SPECIAL NOTES : | None |
| MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS : | None |
| DRESS REQUIREMENTS : | Casual clothing, warmer from April to September, Smart casual for the evenings. |
DAY 1 - Durban – South Coast – Wild Coast.
The drive from Durban along the South Coast takes you through lush subtropical vegetation and numerous holiday villages dotted along the seaboard. We visit the scenic Oribi Gorge and some beautiful little beaches.
Overnight at the Estuary Hotel in Port Edward.
DAY 2 - Wild Coast.
Today we turn inland and enter the Eastern Cape Province, the former homeland of Transkei, and traverse over hilly grasslands dotted with Xhosa homesteads, through valleys and clear streams. We travel via Port St Johns to Mthatha, the capital of the former homeland. After a visit to the Nelson Mandela museum we travel further south to East London, the only river port in South Africa, and the place where a prehistoric coelecanth was caught in 1938.
Overnight at Quarry Lake Inn.
DAY 3 - Wild Coast – Addo Elephant National Park – Port Elizabeth.
This morning's journey is along the coast and we enjoy the lush vegetation and rugged coastline. We visit Port Alfred, an outstanding holiday village situated on the Kowie river mouth and travel to Grahamstown. The small cathedral city is considered the art capital of South Africa and is steeped in history. At the Addo National Elephant Park game reserve we have an excellent chance of an encounter with these giants of the bush amongst other animals. This afternoon we reach Port Elizabeth, the fifth biggest city in the country, set on the shores of the Algoa Bay and also called the “Friendly City”.
Overnight at Fifth Avenue Beach House.
DAY 4 - Garden Route - Knysna.
We depart from Port Elizabeth, along the N2 national route to the Storms River with the impressive Paul Sauer Bridge across the valley towering some 139 m above the river. Our next stop is at Tsitsikamma National Park (Khoisan for “The place of much water”) stretching more than one hundred kilometers of wild and rocky coastline characterised by massive cliffs, narrow isolated beaches and shady indigenous forests along the river valleys. Now, truly in the famous Garden Route of the Cape, we traverse more magnificently scenic river valley passes to Knysna on the edge of the Knysna Lagoon with its entrance to the sea guarded by two promontories known as 'The Heads'. The area also falls within a National Park proclaimed to conserve the extraordinary natural beauty of the Lakeland and adjacent indigenous forests. Knysna offers shopping opportunities of unusual, locally made, art and craft, etc.
Overnight at the Fish Eagle Lodge.
DAY 5 - Garden Route – Knysna - Oudtshoorn.
We explore the lake areas, the Wilderness National Park and travel via the scenic Montagu Pass to Oudsthoorn also known as the 'Feather Capital' of the world, as by far the largest concentration of ostrich farms in the world are found here. We visit the Cango Caves, regarded as one of South Africa's foremost natural wonders. The fascinating calcite caves comprise an underground wonderland of stalactites and stalagmites.
Overnight at La Plume Guest Lodge.
DAY 6 - Oudtshoorn – Mossel Bay – Cape Town.
After an early start we visit an ostrich show farm for some unique experiences, including ostrich racing. A ride on thehere we arrive late afternoon. back of an ostrich is not for the fainthearted. Our route to Mossel Bay takes us over the Outeniqua Mountains via Robinson's Pass. Here we visit arguably the oldest post office in Africa, the Post Office Tree, and the site of the first landfall, made by the Portuguese explorer Bartholomeu Diaz in 1488. After an early lunch we travel via Swellendam to Cape Town where we arrive late afternoon.
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