About this trip
A one-way road trip along South Africa's Garden Route, starting in Cape Town and finishing five days later in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth). You cover the Western Cape, Little Karoo, Whale Route and Route 62, with a night or two along the way to break up the driving.
It's a small-group, fully guided setup with a mix of nature, wildlife and local culture rather than a single focus. Addo Elephant National Park gives you the safari element, while the coastal and inland stretches bring the scenery and small-town stops.
Departures run every Monday from Cape Town, arriving Gqeberha on the Friday, so it works well if you're moving on eastwards rather than looping back.
What you'll do
- Drive the Garden Route from Cape Town to Gqeberha
- Spot elephants and other wildlife on a game drive in Addo Elephant National Park
- Travel the Whale Route along the southern coast
- Cross the Little Karoo and Route 62
- Take in Western Cape scenery en route
- One-way tour — you end up in a different city from where you started, so factor that into onward plans
- Fixed weekly departures: Cape Town on Mondays, arriving Gqeberha on Fridays
- Group road trip format, so expect several hours of travel most days between stops
Worth it if you want varied scenery, consistently excellent guides, and well-organised days. Think twice if you dislike long driving stretches or need maximum group socialising built in.
- Guides (Andrew, Christine, Rochelle, Gareth) are genuinely knowledgeable, attentive to group needs, and plan thoughtful stops.
- Addo highlight delivers: one reviewer saw 150 elephants at a waterhole, a sight even guides hadn't witnessed before.
- Long daily driving distances cover considerable miles; one reviewer noted the pace was tiring despite good planning.
- Upgraded lodgings are beautiful, but backpacker options offer better group camaraderie if that matters to you.
Distilled from real traveller reviews on TourRadar — we don't edit out the bad bits.
The same-vibe trips, side by side — price, value per day, and how each is moving. Only we can lay two operators' trips out honestly.
Sorted by fit — never by who paid. Price moves and availability come from our own daily tracking.
Departing in Jul is cheapest — from £564, about 10% below the priciest month (Aug).
Getting there
Opens Trip.com, pre-filled — one-way so you can book your return whenever. Prices & booking shown there.
Where to stay
A night before your tour in Cape Town · 26 Jul – 27 Jul
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