Cape Town, Garden Route & Safari

Cape Town ‘The Mother City’ is where this tour begins. The cosmopolitan beauty of this city is hard to ignore against the imposing backdrop of Table Mountain. Based in Cape Town, enjoy three days of touring to discover the city sights and surrounds.

Between Cape Town and the Eastern Cape runs an astonishingly beautiful stretch of coastline dotted with quaint towns and villages; a journey in itself which only ends when the safari starts in the malaria free Eastern Cape private game reserve of Kariega.

Standard Partly Guided Tour

DAY 1 SATURDAY HEATHROW-CAPE TOWN
Overnight flight from Heathrow to Cape Town.

DAY 2 SUNDAY CAPE TOWN
Transfer to your hotel (30 km – approximately 30 minutes). Spend the day exploring Cape Town. We suggest a visit to the V&A Waterfront, a cable car ride up Table Mountain, or a trip to Robben Island (payable locally). Overnight: Protea Hotel President. (b)

DAY 3 MONDAY CAPE PENINSULA
Depart this morning on a full day tour to the Cape Peninsula. Drive along the Atlantic seaboard via Hout Bay, to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and its scenic viewing point. Stop at Boulders Beach to see the African penguins, and then travel through the naval port of Simon’s Town. Overnight: Protea Hotel President. (b)

DAY 4 TUESDAY CAPE WINELANDS
Spend a day meandering around the Cape Winelands, sampling wines that are among the finest in the world. Your full day excursion takes in the tranquillity and beauty of Paarl, Franschhoek and Stellenbosch in the Cape Winelands. Overnight: Protea Hotel President. (b)

DAY 5 WEDNESDAY CAPE TOWN-OUDTSHOORN
Depart Cape Town and travel via the town of Montagu on the scenic ‘Route 62′ to the pretty village of Barrydale. Then on to Oudtshoorn, known as the ‘feather capital of the world’, thanks to its huge ostrich industry (450 km – approximately 5 hours 30 minutes). This afternoon, enjoy a fascinating tour of an ostrich farm. Overnight: Queens Hotel. (b)

DAY 6 THURSDAY OUDTSHOORN-KNYSNA
This morning, marvel at the stalagmites and stalactites in the Cango Caves. Drive via the spectacular Outeniqua Pass to the town of George, then to Knysna (130 km – approximately 2 hours), perhaps South Africa’s most stunning resort, in the heart of the Garden Route. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight: Knysna Hollow Country Estate. (b,d)

DAY 7 FRIDAY KNYSNA
Cruise on the vast Knysna Lagoon, and then visit the Featherbed Nature Reserve. Enjoy an amazing view of the imposing sandstone ‘Heads’ which guard the sea entrance to Knysna’s huge tidal lagoon, and the forests, marshes and pristine beaches surrounding it. After lunch spend the rest of the day at leisure. Overnight: Knysna Hollow Country Estate. (b,l)

DAY 8 SATURDAY KNYSNA-EASTERN CAPE GAME RESERVE
Travel via the ‘Friendly City’, Port Elizabeth, to one of the game reserves in the Eastern Cape (400 km – approximately 5 hours). This afternoon enjoy an open vehicle safari through the game park, before returning after sunset to a wonderful dinner served under the African stars. Overnight: Kariega Main Lodge. (b,d)

DAY 9 SUNDAY EASTERN CAPE GAME RESERVE
Enjoy an early morning and late afternoon safari to coincide with the times when the animals are most active. Overnight: Kariega Main Lodge. (b,l,d)

DAY 10 MONDAY PORT ELIZABETH-HEATHROW
After your morning safari and your last opportunity to enjoy Africa’s wildlife, return to Port Elizabeth (140 km – approximately 2 hours). Fly to Johannesburg for your overnight flight to Heathrow. (b)

Where Next
Add to your experience by extending your holiday to one of these easy to combine destinations: Victoria Falls, Mozambique, Malawi, Seychelles, Mauritius or Dubai.

This itinerary is also available as:

3*+ Standard Self-Drive Tour – departs daily
Days 2-4 Cape Town – Protea Hotel President
Day 5 Oudtshoorn – La Plume Guest House
Days 6-7 Knysna – Protea Hotel Knysna Quays
Days 8-9 Eastern Cape Game Reserve – Kariega Game Reserve, Main Lodge

5* Deluxe Self-Drive Tour – departs daily
Days 2-4 Cape Town – Cape Grace
Day 5 Oudtshoorn – Rosenhof Country House
Days 6-7 Knysna – St James of Knysna
Days 8-9 Eastern Cape Game Reserve – Pumba Private Game Reserve, Water Lodge

Established in 1968, Somak Holidays is an independant Tour Operator specialising in holidays to East Africa.

Somak Holidays aim to offer inspiring holidays to the most superb locations in Africa. Above all they pride themselves on being a family-owned and run company. That means they are solely focused on the holidays they arrange, and not on appeasing shareholders. Somak Holidays continually inspect hotels and airlines, and test itineraries in order to improve some aspect or another.

Somak Holidays is a multi-award winning operator, winning such accolades as “Best Independant Tour Operator to Africa” in the Travel Weekly Awards 2010.

Our Opinion
“Somak Holidays has been arranging safaris to Kenya for over 40 years and have built an excellent reputation as the number one independant tour operator to East Africa.”