Little Karoo & Garden Route

ABOUT THIS TRIP

Pristine forests, unique lake landscapes and pristine beaches: the Garden Route with the small town of Knysna in the center and the nearby Tsitsikamma National Park offers pure nature. The arid hinterland of the Little Karoo semi-desert with the ostrich capital of Oudtshoorn exudes that Wild West feeling. Discover the highlights of Knysna and Oudtshoorn and their beautiful surroundings on four guided day tours and activities.

This module is in English and can be started daily. Individual changes such as the number of overnight stays, alternative accommodation or additional activities are possible. The tour can be started from/to Cape Town or Johannesburg for an additional charge. This tour can also be combined with other of our modules by adding domestic flights or land transfers. We will be happy to provide you with a personalized offer.

OVERNIGHT STATIONS

• 2x Oudtshoorn
• 2x Knysna

INCLUDED IN THE PRICE

• 4x overnight stay in the Superior category ****
• 4 breakfasts, 1 lunch
• private transfers according to program
• Stargazing
• private day tour Oudtshoorn Highlights
• private half tour Knysna Highlights
• private day tour Tsitsikamma National Park
• Travel documents according to the booked tour itinerary
• Local offices with 24-hour hotline (German/English)
• Travel insurance certificate

NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRICE

• Meals not mentioned
• not mentioned or optional activities
• Flight performance
• Entrance fees and conservation fees not mentioned
• other personal expenses, tips
• personal travel insurance
• Continuous tour guide

DAY 1: GEORGE

ONEWAY TRANSFER TO OUDTSHOORN

In the case of a transfer from your accommodation, you will be picked up at the entrance of your guesthouse, lodge or hotel at the agreed time. You will be driven to your destination and dropped off at your accommodation or at the airport.

For transfers from the airport, you will be met personally in the arrivals hall. Please look out for a person carrying a sign with your name on it. If an explicit pick-up point or meeting point is mentioned in your tour book, please go there. You will be driven to your destination and dropped off at your accommodation.

This private transfer is operated by a qualified English-speaking driver. The vehicle is air-conditioned and corresponds to your private group size, there are no other passengers. The transfer company has all the necessary licenses and insurance for its vehicles and drivers to guarantee legal passenger transportation (no Uber or similar). For long-distance transfers, toilet and catering stops are made as required (catering not included in the price).

DAY 1 TO DAY 3:

OUDTSHOORN

Oudtshoorn is the jewel of the Little Karoo semi-desert and the largest town along Route 62. The C.P. Nel Museum in the town center explains the history of the town and its rise to become the "ostrich capital" of South Africa. A stop at one of the local ostrich farms is a must, where you can learn a lot about the largest and flightless birds in the world and admire the historic ostrich palaces. The Cango Caves, a huge stalactite cave landscape that is one of the most impressive in the world, are definitely worth a visit. Adventure-seekers with the right vehicle can take a drive over the famous Swartberg Pass, but guided tours are also available. An insider tip is the Rust en Vrede waterfall, located east of the Cango Caves. Clear nights with little light pollution make for an impressive starry sky, and professional stargazers offer appropriate evening observation activities. On several farms, the cute meerkats can be spotted early in the morning on guided tours. Some interesting wineries, such as the Karusa Estate, offer wine tastings.

This upmarket lodge is situated on a working olive farm about 10 km outside Oudtshoorn in the beautiful Schoemanshoek Valley with views of the Swartberg Mountains. The famous Cango Caves are only a 20-minute drive away. The 31 modern rooms all have a bathroom/WC, air conditioning, a minibar, a TV, a tea/coffee maker, a safe, an outdoor seating area and free Wi-Fi. The Family Rooms have two bedrooms. The spacious Honeymoon Suite also has an oversized bathtub. The lodge has a restaurant, a bar, a large outdoor area with a pool and the following activities, some for a fee: olive tastings, kayaking and rowing boat trips on a reservoir, mountain bike rental and various hiking trails.

SURVAL BOUTIQUE OLIVE ESTATE (LUXURY ROOM)

2X OVERNIGHT STAY WITH BREAKFAST

DAY 1 TO DAY 3:

OUDTSHOORN

OPTIONALLY UPGRADEABLE FROM 215 € PER PERSON

Oudtshoorn is the jewel of the Little Karoo semi-desert and the largest town along Route 62. The C.P. Nel Museum explains the rise to the "ostrich capital" of South Africa. Absolutely worth seeing are the Cango Caves, a huge stalactite cave landscape that is one of the most impressive in the world. The adventurous with the right vehicle can take a drive over the famous Swartberg Pass, but guided tours are also available. An insider tip is the Rust en Vrede waterfall. Clear nights with little light pollution make for an impressive starry sky, and professional stargazers offer appropriate evening observation activities. On several farms, the cute meerkats can be spotted early in the morning on guided tours. Some interesting wineries, such as the Karusa Estate, offer wine tastings.

This Victorian property with typical Karoo charm and a large, well-tended garden is situated on a working ostrich farm with fantastic views of the Swartberg Mountains. It offers a pool, a gazebo, a lounge, a restaurant and a spa area (for a fee). Activities such as hiking, mountain biking, bird watching and farm tours are offered for a fee. The 14 rooms have a bathroom/WC, air conditioning, a TV, a minibar, a tea/coffee maker, a veranda with a view and free WiFi. The Superior Suites are approximately 90sqm in size. The Deluxe Suites are about 50 square meters. The Luxury Rooms are about 30sqm in size. The Plume Cottage is about 150 square meters and consists of two separate bedrooms, each with its own bathroom/WC, as well as a lounge and a kitchenette. The La Ferme Villa is approximately 165sqm in size and has two separate bedrooms, each with its own bathroom/WC, as well as a lounge, a kitchen and a private pool on the terrace.

This service can be booked for an additional charge.

LA PLUME BOUTIQUE GUEST HOUSE (EXECUTIVE SUITE)

2X OVERNIGHT STAY WITH BREAKFAST

DAY 1 TO DAY 3:

OUDTSHOORN

OPTIONALLY UPGRADEABLE FROM 400 € PER PERSON

Oudtshoorn is the jewel of the Little Karoo semi-desert and the largest town along Route 62. The C.P. Nel Museum in the town center explains the history of the town and its rise to become the "ostrich capital" of South Africa. A stop at one of the local ostrich farms is a must, where you can learn a lot about the largest and flightless birds in the world and admire the historic ostrich palaces. The Cango Caves, a huge stalactite cave landscape that is one of the most impressive in the world, are definitely worth a visit. Adventure-seekers with the right vehicle can take a drive over the famous Swartberg Pass, but guided tours are also available. An insider tip is the Rust en Vrede waterfall, located east of the Cango Caves. Clear nights with little light pollution make for an impressive starry sky, and professional stargazers offer appropriate evening observation activities. On several farms, the cute meerkats can be spotted early in the morning on guided tours. Some interesting wineries, such as the Karusa Estate, offer wine tastings.

The Rosenhof Country House is located on the northern outskirts of Oudtshoorn and is a Victorian-style villa that has been lovingly restored for discerning guests. The center, with its many shops and restaurants, is just a few minutes' drive away, and the Cango Caves are about a 25-minute drive away. All twelve luxurious suites have a bathroom/WC, air conditioning, minibar, safe, tea/coffee making facilities, TV, free Wi-Fi, and a veranda. The Executive Suites are located slightly apart and also offer a lounge area and a veranda with views of the Swartberg Mountains and a private plunge pool. An Executive Suite has two bedrooms, each with its own bathroom/WC. The accommodation has a pool, bar, restaurant, fitness room, and spa area (for a fee).

This service can be booked for an additional charge.

ROSENHOF COUNTRY HOUSE (CAPE ROBIN EXECUTIVE SUITE)

2X OVERNIGHT STAY WITH BREAKFAST

DAY 1: OUDTSHOORN

STARGAZING WITH PICK-UP

Clear nights in the dry Klein Karoo semi-desert provide an impressive starry sky with little light pollution, and professional stargazers with the appropriate equipment offer evening observation activities. Learn interesting facts from a local expert about the southern hemisphere's starry skies on a cloudless night.

This activity is in English and can be done with other people. You will be picked up and dropped off at your accommodation. Please pay attention to the pick-up time stated in your tour book.

DAY 2: OUDTSHOORN

FULL DAY OUDTSHOORN HIGHLIGHTS TOUR

Join us on an almost eight-hour day tour to the highlights of Oudtshoorn and the surrounding Klein Karoo semi-desert. The day starts with a 90-minute ostrich farm tour, where you will learn all about the largest flightless bird in the world. Next, you will head to the famous Cango Caves, an impressive stalactite cave landscape, where you will take part in an easy 60-minute heritage tour.

We continue up the impressive Swartberg Pass, a scenic highlight of the Klein Karoo. Once at the top, a light lunch awaits you with breathtaking views. The next stop is the historic town of Prince Albert, where you go on a short sightseeing tour. The tour ends with visits to the Swartberg Canyon, the small village of De Rust and the waterfall at Meiringspoort. You return to Oudtshoorn in the late afternoon.

This English-speaking tour is privately guided. You will be picked up and dropped off at your accommodation. Lunch is included in the price and is served as a picnic.

DAY 3: OUDTSHOORN

ONEWAY TRANSFER TO KNYSNA

In the case of a transfer from your accommodation, you will be picked up at the entrance of your guesthouse, lodge or hotel at the agreed time. You will be driven to your destination and dropped off at your accommodation or at the airport.

For transfers from the airport, you will be met personally in the arrivals hall. Please look out for a person carrying a sign with your name on it. If an explicit pick-up point or meeting point is mentioned in your tour book, please go there. You will be driven to your destination and dropped off at your accommodation.

This private transfer is operated by a qualified English-speaking driver. The vehicle is air-conditioned and corresponds to your private group size, there are no other passengers. The transfer company has all the necessary licenses and insurance for its vehicles and drivers to guarantee legal passenger transportation (no Uber or similar). For long-distance transfers, toilet and catering stops are made as required (catering not included in the price).

DAY 3 TO DAY 5:

KNYSNA

Knysna, with its striking lagoon, is the center of the Garden Route and offers a wide range of daytime activities. The dense forests in the hinterland or the beautiful coastal sections are ideal for hiking, the nearby beaches for swimming and relaxing. Boat trips are offered on the lagoon. From June to November, you may be lucky enough to spot whales. The town itself and the small waterfront with its cafés, stores and boutiques also invite you to stroll and linger.

You will stay in the historic and lovingly restored Parkes Manor Guest House, a stately home in a 12000 square meter park-like garden overlooking the lagoon. The waterfront or the center of Knysna can be reached in about 15 minutes on foot or a few minutes by car. The nine individually furnished suites all have a shower/WC with separate bathtub, a TV, tea/coffee making facilities, air conditioning, a minibar and a safe. The Cozy Suite is located on the first floor and has a private courtyard without a view. The Standard Suites are located on the first floor at the rear of the building and have a balcony. The Lagoon View Suites are also located on the first floor and have a balcony with a view over the garden and the lagoon. The spacious Grand Suite is located on the first floor and has a four-poster bed, a double shower in the bathroom and a private courtyard without a view. This suite is also used as a honeymoon suite or family suite with two extra single beds. The guest house offers free Wi-Fi, a fireplace lounge, a restaurant, a bar, an outdoor veranda with lagoon view, a large garden with pool, a summer pavilion, a golf tee with putting green and secure parking on the premises.

PARKES MANOR (STANDARD SUITE)

2X OVERNIGHT STAY WITH BREAKFAST

DAY 3 TO DAY 5:

KNYSNA

OPTIONALLY UPGRADEABLE FROM 175 € PER PERSON

You continue to the small town of Knysna with its famous lagoon, which is only connected to the Indian Ocean by a small strait. A boat trip on the lagoon is a real highlight. Knysna is the center of the Garden Route and offers many opportunities for daytime activities. The dense forests in the hinterland or the beautiful coastal sections are ideal for hiking, the nearby beaches for swimming and relaxing. From June to November, you may be lucky enough to spot whales. The town itself and the small waterfront with its cafés, stores and boutiques also invite you to stroll and linger.

The Lofts Boutique Hotel is located on Thesen Island, a small island connected to the Knysna mainland by a bridge. Thesen Island has a few small boutiques, vacation homes and bistros, but the majority of the island consists of private residences which are not open to the public. It is about a 15-minute walk to the Knysna waterfront and about a 20-minute walk to the town center. The hotel consists of 18 rooms with bath/WC, safe, TV, telephone, air conditioning, heating, minibar, coffee and tea making facilities. The Balcony Rooms have a balcony with a partial view of the lagoon. The Lagoon View Rooms have a view of the lagoon. The apartments have two bedrooms, each with its own bathroom/WC and a lounge area with kitchenette. The hotel offers a lounge area, a spa area (for a fee) and a sun deck with pool. Breakfast is not served directly in the hotel, but in an external café in the adjacent building.

This service can be booked for an additional charge.

THE LOFTS BOUTIQUE HOTEL (BALCONY ROOM)

2X OVERNIGHT STAY WITH BREAKFAST

DAY 3 TO DAY 5:

KNYSNA

OPTIONALLY UPGRADEABLE FROM 390 € PER PERSON

You continue to the small town of Knysna with its famous lagoon, which is only connected to the Indian Ocean by a small strait. A boat trip on the lagoon is a real highlight. Knysna is the center of the Garden Route and offers many opportunities for daytime activities. The dense forests in the hinterland or the beautiful coastal sections are ideal for hiking, the nearby beaches for swimming and relaxing. From June to November, you may be lucky enough to spot whales. The town itself and the small waterfront with its cafés, stores and boutiques also invite you to stroll and linger.

The Turbine Boutique Hotel & Spa is located on Thesen Island, a small island connected to the Knysna mainland by a bridge. Thesen Island has many small stores, cottages and bistros. The Turbine Boutique Hotel was once a power station in the bay of Knysna and supplied the whole area with electricity in the old days until 1970. It was only in 2011 that the operation was completely discontinued, the old turbines and pipes were preserved and today look like works of art in this lovingly designed boutique hotel. There is a bar, a restaurant, a lounge, a pool and a spa area for a fee. The 24 rooms are furnished in a modern industrial-chic style and have a bathroom/WC, safe, TV, telephone, air conditioning, minibar, coffee/tea maker and free WiFi. The Standard Rooms are around 30 square meters in size. The Luxury Rooms are about 40sqm in size. The suites are up to 60 square meters in size and have a balcony.

This service can be booked for an additional charge.

THE TURBINE BOUTIQUE HOTEL & SPA (SUITE)

2X OVERNIGHT STAY WITH BREAKFAST

DAY 3: KNYSNA

KNYSNA PRIVATE HALF DAY TOUR

You will be picked up at your accommodation in Knysna and set off on a private half-day tour to the highlights of the area. The first stop is Brenton-On-Sea, from where you have a unique view of the lagoon and the expansive beach of Buffalo Bay. The tour continues around the Knysna lagoon to the Eastern Head, the eastern mountain peak that towers above the narrow connection between the lagoon and the open sea. You can also enjoy fantastic views from here. You then drive to the center of Knysna with its tranquil waterfront. Optionally, you can take part in a boat trip, visit some of the historic buildings and museums or take part in tastings of local specialties such as wine, beer, gin or oysters. After about four hours, you will be dropped off at your accommodation.

The tour language is English, no other people take part. Food, drinks, entrance fees and other costs are not included in the tour price and will be paid by you on site, if desired. This tour can be started at 9:00 am and 2:00 pm.

DAY 4: KNYSNA

TSITSIKAMMA PRIVATE DAY TOUR

You will be picked up at your accommodation in Knysna at 9 am. The drive heads east along beautiful stretches of coastline and through dense forests. Your first stop is the famous Big Tree, a Yellowwood tree over 800 years old and almost 40 meters high, a worthy representative of the original tree population in the Tsitsikamma National Park.

Continue to the mouth of the Storms River on the rugged rocky coast in the east of the national park. Here you will take a short and relatively easy hike to the famous Suspension Bridge, an almost 80m long suspension bridge over the Storms River, one of the most popular photo opportunities in the region. You also have the opportunity to take part in a short boat trip upstream (optional).

After a refreshing lunch (optional), the journey heads back west. You stop at the impressive Bloukrans Bridge, which offers the highest commercial bungee jump in the world. With a bit of luck, you can watch daring adventurers leap into the depths.

The drive then takes you to the western part of the Tsitsikamma National Park in the beautiful Natures Valley, which is characterized by dense forests and untouched stretches of beach. You take a walk in a paradisiacal setting, where the Groot River flows into the Indian Ocean. Your driver will drop you off at your accommodation at around 5 pm.

The tour language is English, no other people take part. The entrance fees (conservation fees) are already included in the tour price. Lunch and the boat trip are not included in the tour price.

DAY 5: KNYSNA

ONEWAY TRANSFER TO GEORGE AIRPORT

In the case of a transfer from your accommodation, you will be picked up at the entrance of your guesthouse, lodge or hotel at the agreed time. You will be driven to your destination and dropped off at your accommodation or at the airport.

For transfers from the airport, you will be met personally in the arrivals hall. Please look out for a person carrying a sign with your name on it. If an explicit pick-up point or meeting point is mentioned in your tour book, please go there. You will be driven to your destination and dropped off at your accommodation.

This private transfer is operated by a qualified English-speaking driver. The vehicle is air-conditioned and corresponds to your private group size, there are no other passengers. The transfer company has all the necessary licenses and insurance for its vehicles and drivers to guarantee legal passenger transportation (no Uber or similar). For long-distance transfers, toilet and catering stops are made as required (catering not included in the price).

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THIS TRIP

All prices quoted are subject to availability before booking and are based on the number of participants stated. Errors excepted. Alternative availability, seasonal overlaps or exchange rate fluctuations may lead to price changes. Please request your personal tour offer with your desired travel dates. This tour offer does not include flights.

The child rate applies to one child under the age of 12 staying in their parents' room. One child under the age of two stays free of charge. For children aged 12 and over, the adult rate generally applies. Not all accommodation allows children of all ages.

We recommend that you take out travel cancellation insurance and travel health insurance to cover the costs of assistance, including repatriation in the event of accident, illness or death. We can provide a corresponding offer on request.

A passport is required to enter the country. Depending on your nationality, you may need to apply for a visa in advance. Minors under the age of 18 may need to carry additional documents. We will inform you of the exact requirements before you book. Travelers who have stayed in an area at risk of yellow fever must provide proof of a yellow fever vaccination.

This trip is malaria free.

This trip is not suitable for people with reduced mobility. Please ask for suitable offers.

The organizer of this trip is South Africa Travel GmbH & Co. KG, Buddestraße 9, 33602 Bielefeld, Germany, Tel +49 521 33676880.

APPROXIMATE ADDITIONAL COSTS THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRICE

Long-haul flights to Southern Africa in Economy Class cost from EUR 900, while prices can be well over EUR 1000 in the high season. Flights in Premium Economy Class are available from 1500 EUR, in Business Class flights cost from 2500 EUR (per person for outward and return flights). All prices are average values depending on the airline and season. The actual prices at a given time depend on the number of bookings and may vary. Early booking is recommended, especially in the high season.

A light lunch costs about 5 EUR (small salad, soup) to 8 EUR (pizza, pasta, burger) per person; dinner costs about 10 EUR (pizza, pasta, burger, large salad) to over 12 EUR (steak, fish) up to 22 EUR (three-course meal) per person. Coffee, tea, beer, or soft drinks cost about 1.70 EUR per cup or glass. Prices may vary up or down depending on the region or type of restaurant.

Entrance fees to national parks cost between EUR 5 and EUR 25 per person per day, depending on the size and popularity of the park. Entrance fees to museums or other attractions cost between EUR 3 and EUR 20 per person. Children under the age of 12 usually pay half price.