7 Day Luxury Garden Route & Safari Tour

Guests will be met by their guide at any location of their choice in Cape Town. It is essential to get an early start, as the day’s journey is extensive. However, traveling overland rather than flying directly to the Garden Route is rewarding, because the route passes through an exceptionally scenic part of South Africa. With well-timed comfort stops along the way, the drive remains relaxed and enjoyable.

The tour travels northeasterly, crossing Sir Lowry’s Pass before passing Caledon and Riviersonderend en route to Swellendam. Time is devoted to exploring South Africa’s third-oldest town at the foot of the Langeberg. From here, the tour continues to Riversdale and past Albertinia to Mossel Bay, where time is allowed for a late lunch before a short visit to the Dias Museum. The tour then continues to George, traverses Sedgefield, and reaches Knysna, often called the “Crown Jewel of the Garden Route.” We reach our unique luxury lodge between Knysna and Plettenberg Bay in the late afternoon.

Today is devoted to exploring Knysna. The town sits mainly on the northern shore of a large warm-water estuary fed by the Knysna River, which opens to the ocean after passing between “the Heads.” In times past, the lagoon entrance became infamous due to the loss of boats and fishermen navigating its unpredictable waters. In the morning, we board a ferry across the lagoon to the Featherbed Nature Reserve, a flagship ecotourism experience that supports conservation of this distinctive habitat.

After arriving at Featherbed, guests enjoy a 4x4 excursion to viewpoints on the headland, followed by a guided walk of just over two kilometers that brings the area’s flora, fauna, and history to life. Lunch is enjoyed in a beautiful outdoor setting before returning by ferry to the waterfront. Your guide then introduces other points of interest, including the Eastern Head, Leisure Island, and Thesen Island, before returning you to your overnight accommodation.

After breakfast, a short drive leads to Plettenberg Bay, where Robberg Nature Reserve is first on the agenda. Robberg is a spectacular peninsula reserve known for rugged cliffs, dunes, sandy beaches, and rich marine life, and it is widely recognized for its heritage significance in the region. Depending on client preference, we enjoy one of several hikes ranging from easier to more demanding options. A resident seal colony is a highlight, and dolphins and whales (in season) are often spotted from the trails.

Birdlife is prolific, with seabirds such as cormorants, kelp gulls, and African black oystercatchers frequently seen, alongside a variety of coastal and fynbos species. After approximately four hours at Robberg, we head into town for lunch. We then visit the Keurbooms River Nature Reserve near Plettenberg Bay, a protected area featuring indigenous forest and a tranquil riverine environment. A short boat ride upriver reveals dramatic forested cliffs, abundant birdlife, and often the call of the African fish eagle. We return to Knysna in the late afternoon.

An early start takes us into the Tsitsikamma section of the Garden Route National Park, where we stop at the Paul Sauer Bridge spanning the Storms River Gorge. This engineering landmark was designed by Italian engineer Riccardo Morandi. A short distance away, we visit the “Big Tree,” a giant yellowwood reached via a short boardwalk through indigenous forest and often described as roughly 36.6 meters tall and several centuries old. We then continue to Storms River Mouth, where time is devoted to exploring this dramatic coastline and river setting, including the famous suspension bridge walk and short hikes through forest and rocky shoreline.

From here, we travel to Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), before the road turns inland to Shamwari Private Game Reserve. Shamwari was founded in 1992 by conservationist Adrian Gardiner and became a leading Big Five private reserve in the Eastern Cape. After time for a late lunch and relaxation, you set out on your first open 4x4 safari with resident rangers, exploring a landscape of varied habitats and excellent wildlife viewing potential. The drive extends into early evening, followed by dinner back at the lodge.

During your stay at Shamwari, you’ll participate in two guided game drives daily, typically in the early morning and late afternoon, with the option of a bush walk depending on conditions and lodge scheduling. Drives are led by experienced rangers and trackers passionate about wildlife and conservation, adding depth and context to every sighting. Close encounters with the Big Five—lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino—are often among the highlights, but the experience also includes learning about smaller creatures, tracks, plants, and the reserve’s broader conservation work

Shamwari is widely described as covering around 25,000 hectares, with a mosaic of habitats that supports strong biodiversity. These environments range from thickets and grasslands to riverine areas, rocky outcrops, wetlands, and fynbos-like vegetation, each attracting different species and birdlife. With unhurried safari pacing and luxury lodge comfort between activities, the two full days are designed for immersive wilderness time, excellent photography opportunities, and relaxed enjoyment of this malaria-free Eastern Cape safari destination.

Your final morning begins early with a last sunrise game drive at Shamwari, when wildlife is often most active and the light is ideal for photography. With your ranger and tracker, you’ll follow fresh tracks and revisit productive areas in search of memorable final sightings—whether it’s elephant moving through thickets, a lion pride at rest, or plains game in open grassland. Returning to the lodge, breakfast is served and there is time to freshen up and reflect on the safari experience.

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) Airport for your onward flight to Cape Town. Your transfer is timed to suit your scheduled departure, and the lodge team assists with smooth check-out and luggage handling. This concludes a carefully paced seven-day journey combining the Garden Route’s scenic highlights with three nights of Big Five safari in the Eastern Cape, leaving guests with a rich mix of coastal exploration and wilderness immersion.