Cape Town, Wine Country, Garden Route, and the Big Five
South Africa: From Sea to Savanna
Overview
From the spectacular Garden Route on the Indian Ocean coast to the Big Five savannas of Greater Kruger, this journey weaves all the marvels of South Africa into one perfect adventure. We'll explore the Cape of Good Hope—a biodiversity hotspot with its Cape floral kingdom and rare penguins, ferry to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent 19 of his 27 years as a political prisoner, and sip wine at 17th century Cape Dutch wineries. On the Garden Route, we look for the “Marine Big Five,” including southern right whales, go kayaking in Knysna Lagoon, and take an intertidal moonlight meander with a marine biologist in search of bioluminescence. We finish up in style with an epic Big Five safari on exclusive private game lands in Greater Kruger.
Arrive: Cape Town, South Africa
Depart: Johannesburg, South Africa
Highlights
- Experience all the delights South Africa has to offer on one active journey
- Enjoy a Big Five safari in private, unfenced gamelands adjoining Greater Kruger
- Discover the Garden Route with hikes, sea kayaking, whale watching, and a moonlit intertidal walk
- Explore Cape Town, Kirstenbosch Gardens, and hike at the Cape of Good Hope
- Go wine tasting in the Cape Winelands, with luxury accommodations on a wine estate
Itinerary
In Cape Town, ferry to Robben Island, hike on Table Mountain, and explore famous Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, a showcase for South Africa’s unique biomes. On the breathtaking Cape of Good Hope, we walk dramatic coastal trails and see the endemic African penguins at Boulders Beach.
We’ll taste the award-winning wines of the Cape Winelands, with overnights at an elegant wine estate. At Hermanus on the coast, our “Marine Big Five” boat excursion has us on the lookout for southern right, humpback, and Bryde’s whale, plus the sharks of renowned Shark Alley.
On the stunning Garden Route, with its long, sandy beaches and seaside towns, we paddle sea kayaks in turquoise Knysna Lagoon and take a moonlight tidal walk with a marine biologist—a chance to see bioluminescence! We’ll also sample the fresh local oysters (a Garden Route specialty) and hike trails through indigenous rainforest.
We’ll finish with several days of fantastic game drives and game walks in search of the Big Five in the unfenced wilds of Timbavati Private Reserve on the western edge of Greater Kruger. Our lodge, the Kambaku River Sands, has a spa and air-conditioned suites—each with a private plunge pool. Depart on Day 13 via Johannesburg.
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
What the Trip is Like
The trip is rated Level 2+, Easy to Moderate, according to our grading system. This is a luxury hotel and lodge-based adventure tour with two nights at a rustic but comfortable safari camp. There are moderate walks and hikes, one afternoon of sea kayaking in sheltered waters, plus game drives and game walks.
Review Trip Level Details
Although this is not a particularly rigorous trip, we still recommend that each participant undertake a program of physical conditioning. Daily walking or regular hiking, jogging, and stair-climbing are excellent preparation for the trip.
Generally, South Africa has a mild climate due to its southerly latitude and the high altitude of its interior regions (above 3,000 feet in altitude on average). There are starkly different climatic zones: the Cape region has a Mediterranean climate with mild summer temperatures averaging in the 70s (“summer” in the Southern Hemisphere is our winter), while the lowveld has a subtropical climate with warm to hot temperatures in summer and cooler evenings.
The safari camps and lodges in our program offer excellent game viewing year round. Most rainfall occurs usually between December and February in the form of afternoon or evening thunderstorms. In general, the climate is warm with cool nights in “winter” (March-August in the Southern Hemisphere).
Cape Town's peak season is September to March, with highs of 65°F in September up to 80°F in February. September to February, there is little rain. Southeasterly winds occur in November and early December. In the cooler months, the daily highs are in the mid-60s. The highest rainfall is in July and August.
During game drives, we can at times get quite close to wild animals. Being very quiet improves everybody's chances of observation. In the interest of safety, your Trip Leader explains limitations on movement while on game drives, in the safari vehicles, and around camp. Incidents with wild animals are extremely rare on safaris, but no camping safari can guarantee immunity from such incidents. Wilderness Travel is not to be held responsible for incidents involving the behavior of wildlife.
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Book your trip today
Our Area Specialists know every detail about our tours. They will be happy to answer any questions and help you choose the journey that’s right for you. Contact us to learn more or book your trip today!
Itinerary
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Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult—see descriptions below for explanations of each number. A plus (+) sign means the trip is a bit more strenuous than other trips of that level. The detailed explanation of each trip—below the bar with the number rating—is perhaps more important, specifying activities, altitudes, hiking, and travel conditions. The Detailed Itinerary, available by download or mail, gives further information. Our Area Managers can also answer questions and guide you to the trip that best suits your interests.
Level 1 – Easiest
Non-camping journeys, optional walks, little elevation gain or loss.
Level 2 – Easy to Moderate
Hotel nights and/or safari-style camping, hikes of two to four hours on some days. Other physical activities are sometimes included, such as optional sea kayaking.
Level 3 – Moderate
Half- to full-day hikes (3-6 hours) over rolling countryside on most days, occasional steep trails. Many of our hotel-based walking tours are in this category, as are our snorkeling adventures.
- Tuscany & the Cinque Terre
- Argentina: Hikes and Estancias of Patagonia
- Palau Snorkeling & Sea Kayaking
- Some trips with minimal hiking but rugged travel conditions or long drives, such as Tribal Ghana, Togo & Benin, are Trip Level 3.
Level 4 – Moderate to Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-6 hours), mountainous terrain, significant elevation gains and losses (hiking up or down as much as 3,000 feet) on many days. Altitudes no greater than about 10,000 feet.
Level 5 – Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Trips with hiking at average altitudes of 10,000 to 12,000 feet are in this category.
Level 6 – Very Strenuous
Full-day hikes (5-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Most hikes take place at altitudes above 10,000 feet, with some days ascending as high as 18,000 feet.
