Garden Route Adventure

14 days
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Small Group Tour
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 thro...
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$2,307
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Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Basic - 2 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Highlights

    • 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.

What's this trip about?

    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.

Details

Itinerary focusActive
Group sizeSmall Group - max of 22 people
Age range15 years and up
Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included
Start CityDurban
End CityCape Town

Travel Themes

  • National Parks
  • Nature & Wildlife
  • Overland Journeys

Destinations

  • Africa
  • South Africa
  • Lesotho
  • South Africa

Attractions

  • Cape Town
  • Garden Route
  • Oudtshoorn
  • Table Mountain

Activities

  • Culture
  • Land expedition
  • Wildlife viewing

Trip includes

    • Howick - Nelson Mandela Capture Site
    • Drakensberg - Day Hike
    • Addo Elephant National Park - Overland Vehicle Game drive
    • Addo Elephant National Park - Overland Vehicle Game drive
    • Oudtshoorn - Cango Caves Guided Tour
    • Oudtshoorn - Meerkat Experience
    • Cape Town - Boulder Beach Penguins

Popular Trips

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 Durban

Sawubona! Welcome to South Africa. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm this evening. If you arrive early, why not get out and explore Durban – teeming with golden, sandy beaches. Check out uMhlanga Lighthouse, a beautiful lighthouse on the lovely uMhl...

Day 2 Drakensberg

Leave Durban and travel inland towards the majestic Drakensberg mountain range this morning. Stop along the way at the Nelson Mandela Capture Site and learn about the history of this great man. Continue the journey to Drakensberg mountain chain. Your accommodation her...

Day 3 Drakensberg

Today you'll enjoy a refreshing hike through an amazing array of flora and fauna. Drakensberg is Southern Africa's highest range – sitting at 3482 metres – and forms part of the border between South Africa and Lesotho. The range is often referred to locally as the Barrier of Spears or the Dragon Mountains. Today there are sure to be some amazing views and excellent photo opportunities.

Day 4 Lesotho Highlands

Leaving Drakensberg behind, head into the mountain kingdom of Lesotho. Nestled like a small island in the middle of South Africa, Lesotho is commonly known as the 'Kingdom in the Sky' and has beautiful mountain ranges and endless hiking trails. Generally, the border c...

Day 5 Lesotho Highlands

Today you’ll have a variety of hikes to choose from. The Lesotho Highlands offer excellent hiking for all levels of fitness and skill, so depending on your experience, you should be able to choose one that allows you to get the most out of these stunning landscapes.

Day 6 Wild Coast/Cintsa

Head to the stunning Wild Coast of South Africa and the charming little coastal town of Cintsa. Cintsa and its surrounding region are home to Xhosa communities, whose lifestyle is deeply rooted in tribal traditions and customs. Arriving in the late afternoon, you'll have time to relax and freshen up before dinner.

Day 7 Wild Coast/Cintsa

Today you can enjoy some free time to explore the town, relax on the stunning beaches or book one of the many optional activities on offer. You might like to go hiking or mountain biking in the hinterland, hire a canoe to explore the Cintsa River or book in for a surfing lesson! Be sure to check in with your group leader to get their recommendations.

Day 8 Addo Elephant National Park

Today you'll travel on to Addo Elephant National Park which was created in 1931 to protect the region's eleven remaining elephants. A true success story in conservation - today there are over 450 elephants in the park, as well as Cape buffalo, black rhinos, all kinds ...

Day 9 Garden Route / Tsitsikamma National Park

Wake early and enjoy another game drive in Addo Elephant National Park in an overland vehicle. Afterwards, begin your journey along the Garden Route, the first stop being Tsitsikamma National Park. Steep ancient forests meet the breakers of the Indian Ocean at this pa...

Day 10 Tsitsikamma National Park

With another day in Tsitsikamma, you’ll have more time to explore this magnificent national park. Cape clawless otters, dolphins, tortoises and southern right whales (depending on the season) are all visitors here, along with baboons, monkeys and a heap of birdlife. See how many of them you can spot on a range of hiking trails, including those to the Stormsriver Mouth and waterfalls.

Day 11 Garden Route / Oudtshoorn

Head out across the arid Karoo region bound for Oudtshoorn. You'll stop at Knysna on the way to stretch your legs and explore this hamlet with a gorgeous lagoon. Travel on to the Cango Caves, where you’ll have time to explore the weird and wonderful rock formations – ...

Day 12 Cape Town

Rise and shine very early this morning to spend some time with wild meerkats, part of the so-called 'Shy 5'. Head to their burrow, pull up a chair and sip coffee while the sun comes up and the meerkats climb out into the sunshine. You’ll have time to watch these habit...

Day 13 Cape Town

Today, you'll visit Boulder's Beach to watch the resident penguins waddle across this beautiful beach framed by ancient granite boulders. The rest of the day is yours to explore Cape Town however you wish. With sweeping views across the city and the ocean below, you m...

Day 14 Cape Town

Your South African adventure comes to an end after breakfast today. There's no accommodation provided for tonight, but this can be arranged – please enquire at the time of booking this trip.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $1,664
Price per day$119
Last Updated: 3/12/2024
Start Date
Finish Date
Base Price
Availability
21 Apr 2024
04 May 2024
$1,664
13 spots left
19 May 2024
01 Jun 2024
$2,060
14 spots left
23 Jun 2024
06 Jul 2024
$2,140
16 spots left
28 Jul 2024
10 Aug 2024
$2,225
7 spots left
18 Aug 2024
31 Aug 2024
$2,225
19 spots left
15 Sep 2024
28 Sep 2024
$2,250
14 spots left
29 Sep 2024
12 Oct 2024
$2,225
17 spots left
13 Oct 2024
26 Oct 2024
$2,140
22 spots left
24 Nov 2024
07 Dec 2024
$2,140
19 spots left
15 Dec 2024
28 Dec 2024
$2,225
22 spots left

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Intrepid Travel.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Sep 2015

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Emma and Alf were very professional, the

Emma and Alf were very professional, the amount of detail Emma went into when explaining the local cultures and area was incredible. They were both very friendly, ha...

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Sep 2015

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Alfred and Emma made this a great

Alfred and Emma made this a great trip. Their patience, sense...

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Intrepid Travel

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The Intrepid Travel Experience

If you’re looking for adventure, you’ve come to the right place. For the past 25 years, we’ve been taking small groups of travelers on unforgettable trips around the world. What makes them unforgettable? Take a look for yourself and discover the Intrepid experience.

Our travelers have three styles of tour to choose from: Basix, Original and Comfort. Each has a different level of inclusions and accommodation, but all have unforgettable real life experiences as part of the package. Travellers can also choose themed trips, such as Family, Sailing or Food, to suit their interests.

Our group size has an average of just ten travellers, which allows us to get off the beaten track, use local accommodation and transport, and really get to know the culture. It also ensures we are contributing to the local economy; by choosing local suppliers we were able to keep AUD 60 million in local economies in 2012. We’re also working hard to reduce our carbon footprint and were the first in our sector to introduce carbon offset trips. This, along with our many corporate sustainability activities, has meant we’re one of the travel industry’s leaders in responsible travel.

Why Intrepid?

  •   Small groups - average of 10 people per trip
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  •   Local transport - get close and personal
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History

Intrepid Travel has come a long way since its beginnings in 1989. From two university friends, a typewriter and a kitchen desk, it is now a proud member of The Intrepid Group, taking over 100,000 travelers every year.

Intrepid Travel is part of The Intrepid Group of companies, alongside leading small group adventure companies Peregrine, Urban Adventures and PEAK DMC.

Despite growing into a global business with over 1,000 staff based all over the world and over 800 different trips across every continent, we’ve remained devoted to the same grassroots values and responsible travel philosophies that we had at the very beginning.

 

Values

On every trip we operate and in every interaction we have with a client, supplier or local, we live our core values everyday:

  • Integrity – Doing the right thing
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Why we love this operator
They’re very committed to sustainable and responsible tourism and contribute to important initiatives like climate action.
What they’re known for
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Logistics

Accommodation

Camping (with facilities) (6 nights),Backpackers (4 nights),Basic Huts (shared facilities) (2 nights),Hotel (1 night),

Transportation & Flights

Overland vehicle,

Transportation & flights

Overland vehicle
Guides
You will be accompanied by 3 crew members - Group Leader, Cook and Driver. Your Group Leader’s role involves organizing the overall operation and smooth-running of the trip, managing trip logistics, coordinating the tipping kitty (where applicable) and will form work groups to take turns cooking, cleaning and shopping (from time to time your leader may drive as well). Your Group Leader will work towards making the trip as safe and enjoyable as possible for all travellers. Intrepid trips are built around the co–operation and participation of all the group members under the supervision of the group leader. The group leader will show the group how to set up and use the equipment. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. We also use local guides where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting, especially when tracking and identifying game - we think it's the best of both worlds. Regardless of the country of origin, our Group Leaders are chosen for their leadership skills and are wonderful ambassadors for our company and our beautiful continent and its people. Your Cook is responsible for the cooking and will help to coordinate the work groups for preparing the meals and washing up! Cooks are also responsible for organising food shopping (they are always happy to have you on board) and most importantly, they make sure high hygiene standards are kept at all times while camping. Your Driver’s main responsibility is to get you to your destination safely; they are also responsible for the maintenance of the vehicles along the way. Everyone is expected participate and carry their share of the workload/duties, making camp chores easier. The duties rota system is adopted where all members share in general camp duties – cooking, shopping, washing up etc. If the whole group participates it will be quicker, easier, and more fun. We endeavour to provide the services of an experienced leader and crew; however, situations may arise where your leader is new to a particular region or training other group leaders.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory on all our trips for those travelling internationally. We require that at a minimum you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation. If you are travelling within your home country or region please confirm before travel that you are entitled to access the public medical system easily should an accident occur. We strongly recommend all travellers have a policy that also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage or personal effects. For international trips, you will not be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance and the insurance company's 24-hour emergency contact number has been sighted by your group leader or local representative. If you have credit card insurance your group leader or local representative will require details of the participating insurer/underwriter, the level of coverage, policy number, and emergency contact number rather than the bank's name and your credit card details. Please contact your bank for these details prior to arriving in-country. For travellers who reside within the European Union, Switzerland or USA the requirement to purchase travel insurance cannot be compulsory. However the purchase of travel insurance is still highly recommended, and travellers from these regions who decline travel insurance when travelling outside of their home region must sign a Travel Insurance Waiver Form at the Group Meeting, recognizing personal responsibility for emergency medical and repatriation costs should they arise. For assistance with travel insurance or other services, please visit the link below: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/booking-resources/our-services
Visa requirements
PASSPORT You’ll need a valid passport to travel internationally and most countries require your passport to have a minimum of 6 months validity, so remember to check the expiry date. We need your passport information to get everything ready for your trip so it’s important that the information on your booking matches your passport exactly. Please take care to provide the correct details. We recommend carrying a copy of the photo page of your passport while travelling and leaving a copy at home with family or friends. VISAS & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Many countries require a visa and obtaining the correct visa for your trip and any countries you may transit through is your responsibility. We recommend you check your visa requirements as soon as you have booked your trip. This will ensure you have time to prepare your documents and for your visa application to be processed. You can check the entry requirements for your nationality on your government's foreign travel advisories, consular websites or on our page here:  www.intrepidtravel.com/visa-entry-requirements BORDER CROSSINGS ON THIS TRIP: Exit South Africa - Maseru Bridge (Day 4) Enter Lesotho - Maseru Bridge Exit Lesotho - Van Rooyenshek (Day 6) Enter South Africa - Van Rooyenshek
Health & Safety
Many national governments provide a regularly updated advice service on safety issues involved with international travel. We recommend that you check your government's advice for their latest travel information before departure and ensure that your travel insurance covers you for all areas your itinerary covers. Please refer to our website's safety page for links to major travel advisories and updates on safety issues affecting our trip. We strongly recommend the use of a neck wallet or money belt while travelling, for the safe-keeping of your passport, air tickets, cash and other valuable items. Leave your valuable jewellery at home - you won't need it while travelling. Many of our hotels have safety deposit boxes, which is the most secure way of storing your valuables. A lock is recommended for securing your luggage. Your group leader or local representative will accompany you on all included activities, however during your trip you'll have some free time to pursue your own interests, relax and take it easy or explore at your leisure. While your group leader or local representative will assist you with the available options in a given location, please note that any optional activities you undertake are not part of your Intrepid itinerary, and Intrepid makes no representations about the safety of the activity or the standard of the operators running them. Please use your own good judgement when selecting an activity in your free time. Please also note that your group leader or local representative has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the trip itinerary if it's deemed necessary due to safety concerns. For more details on the type of conditions and safety standards you can expect on your trip, please refer to Intrepid's operational safety policy on our website. We recommend that you take a moment to read through this information before travelling, and would appreciate any feedback on how well it's being implemented in the field: www.intrepidtravel.com/safety-guidelines FIRE PRECAUTIONS Please be aware that local laws governing tourism facilities in this region differ from those in your home country and not all the accommodation which we use has a fire exit, fire extinguishers or smoke alarms. BALCONIES Some hotel balconies don't meet western standards in terms of the width of the balcony fence being narrower than 10cm. TRAFFIC AND DRIVING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD Depending on where you come from please note that drivers in this part of the world may drive on the opposite side of the road from what you are used to. Look both ways before crossing any road. Traffic can be a little more chaotic than you might be used to at home. Be aware! SEAT BELTS Please be aware that local laws governing transportation safety may differ from those in your home country and not all the transport which we use is able to provide seat belts. PICK POCKETING & PERSONAL SAFETY While travelling there is always the risk of pick-pocketing and petty theft, particularly in the more touristy cities. We recommend that you exercise caution when walking at night and encourage you to walk in groups and only on main, well-lit thoroughfares. Be particularly vigilant on public transport. Simple measures like carrying your day pack on your front, not hanging your bag over the back of your chair or on the floor and wearing a money belt will reduce any chance that your valuables should go missing. WATER SAFETY Please take care when taking part in any activities in the ocean, river or open water, where waves and currents can be unpredictable. It's expected that anyone taking part in water activities is able to swim and have experience in open water. All swimmers should seek local advice before entering the water. TRAVEL ADVICE & TRAVEL INSURANCE We recommend that you check your government's advice in relation to the areas you will be visiting for their latest travel information before departure and ensure that your travel insurance covers you for all areas your itinerary covers. UNFENCED CAMPSITES On some trips you will at times stay in unfenced campsites within National Parks. While this is a fantastic experience, there are a few safety rules to follow. While staying in National Parks it's important that you listen to any advice given by your group leader or local representative and the park rangers regarding responsible and safe behaviour.
Age Requirements
15 years and up
Additional Information
Finish point never@home Kloof Street 73 Kloof Street, Gardens Cape Town 8001 SOUTH AFRICA
Trip ID
intrepid-UBOH

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