Garden Route [Type of tour: Nature]
Your Choice Tour: Let us create a tour that will suite you [Multi day]
Mossel Bay
Mossel Bay has been voted the second most popular holiday town in this country for
national and international visitors. According to the Guinness Book of Records,
it enjoys one of the Middle East all year Climates. The fairly recent discovery
of offshore oil and gas deposits has enhanced its industrial base, but it remains
a major draw card with its beaches and climate for all visitors Attractions:
Bartholomew Diaz museum which also host the Post Office Tree and
the shell museum.
Oudsthoorn
Oudsthoorn is known as the "Feather capital" of South Africa and overlooked by the Outeniqua Mountains in the south and the Swartberg mountains in the north. Major draw cards to this fascinating Town is the Cango Caves, enticing approximately 250 000 visitors each year. These caves has formed over 600 million years ago by nature and water, which sculpted the porous limestone into an incredible fairyland of columns, crystal curtains and a fantasia of flowstone formations. Tours conducted by experienced guides and depart every hour on the hour. En-route from the Cango caves you also find the Cango Wildlife Ranch which host a variety of crocodiles, a reptile park, various wildcat species (Lions, Cheetah, Tigers, ect) and farmyard animals. The Cango Wildlife Ranch is also well known as one of the Top Five breeding facilities in the world of cheetahs to revive their numbers. These fascinating animals can be viewed at a very close range and under supervision you can have the opportunity to pat them. Another attraction not be missed is a visit to an Ostrich show farm in the surrounding. It is here that over 900,000 of these magnificent birds are breaded each year for their feathers, meat and skins mainly for export. A visit to one of these show farms will demonstrate the breeding facility, their eggs and the birds to you and sometimes jockeys will display an ostrich race (which, fun though it is, seems tough on these birds)
George
Overlooked by the Outeniqua mountains George host one of the most prestigous golf and
leisure resorts (Fancourt). It has four world class golf courses, five top quality restaurants
and any number up-market leisure activities. Also available is luxury accommodation
or the resort can be visited as a day visitor. George also host the Steam train
museum from where you can enjoy a scenic journey to Mossel Bay (also
a return trip available) which last approximately 2-3 hours
Wilderness
Wilderness lies 15 km east of George, on the Cape Garden Route between the Kaaimans
River and the Goukamma Nature Reserve. It is renowned for its vast stretches of beach,
tranquillity and the absence of windswept wetlands, wild and stormy seas.
Wilderness overlooks not only the sea, but also the placid lagoon, the Serpentine, which
meanders between the Touws River, Island Lake, Langvlei and Rondevlei.
Island Lake is a favourite water sport venue.
Encompassed within the boundaries of Wilderness one finds the 2500 ha Wilderness National Park. Five rivers and five lakes, two estuaries and 18 km of Southern Cape coastline are protected within the Park. This rare and sensitive eco-system is home to a wealth of water birds.
Knysna
This town has been voted several years in a row as the most popular holiday destination for national and international visitors. Knysna is set on the banks of the Knysna Lagoon and is known as the Jewel of the Garden Route. This town once was a small harbour that served the timber trade. This has however made space for the fairly newly built Waterfront area with its popular restaurants and shops. It is from here that several charter boats sail.
Attractions: A pleasant boat trip across the Knysna Lagoon to the western side of the Knysna Heads will bring you the privately owned Featherbed Nature Reserve. Upon arrival you will get the opportunity to get some liquid refreshment before setting of by tractor to the top of the Knysna Heads. For the energetic persons there is a guided hiking trail of approximately 2 km. This guided walk takes you through indigenous forest, onto cliffs, past the caves and along coastal line.
Be on the look out for the Knysna Loerie bird, a colourful forest bird, and South Africa's smallest antelope, the Blue duiker. For the less energetic a return trip by tractor is offered. Both trips end up at the restaurant where a South African buffet lunch is served before returning to Knysna via the lagoon. Then there is also the well known Oyster farm where you can taste these delicacies which has became famous all over South Africa. Other activities for the adventurous person are quad biking, abseiling, ect. Also nearby is the Knysna Elephant park, which use to host
the last of the Knysna Elephants. Here you will also be able to do a viewing
option of the sunset on an Elephant safari (2-3 Hours)
Plettenburg Bay
"Plett" as its known, is a beach lover's paradise. Its long beaches of soft sand and warm water, fairly wind free, perfect for sunset strolls, boogie-boarders and further out whales and dolphins. Bottlenose and humpback dolphins can be seen all year round, whilst Common dolphins visit the bay more often Brydes and Minke whales visit the bay often whilst the Southern Right whale visit during June and November for calving and breeding. Dolphins and Whales can be viewed by boat, life jackets and liquid refreshments supplied, or for the adventure seekers, you could go kayaking and if you are lucky dolphins will join you on this journey. Attractions: Nyati Distillery, set on the Buffalo Hill Game Farm near Plett, Turns out a powerful type of schnapps that was made from endemic fruit, but is now based on much bigger variety of fruits. For a care-free Couple of hours you can settle down and enjoy a typical South African lunch while tasting "mampoer' in different flavours. Monkeyland, which is situated +- 16 km outside Plett host several monkey species, which has been rescued from several places and breeded in captivity to revive the numbers to prevent extinction and Released in this sanctuary. A qualified guide will take you on a tour through this forested environment where they will give you details on the different species, whiles enjoying the feeding and swinging around in the trees. Between Plett and Port Elizabeth you have the following options: Tsitsikama National Park, which runs for 75 km along the coast between Natures Valley and Groot River. This park offers a variety of activities such as, fishing, hiking, kayaking, black water tubing and snorkelling. Keen hikers can enjoy a variety waterfalls and streams as only nature could offer. Close by the Storms river offers similar activities and more to be enjoyed. En-route also can be visited is the Bloukrans
Bridge, where the highest Bungi jump (268 meter) in the world can be experienced.
This adventure is defiantly not for the weak hearted but can be enjoyed by everybody
even if it is just from a viewing point.
Port Elizabeth
The Eastern Capes fast beating industrial heart, its major seaport, and
a tourist destination that enjoys growing popularity. It has some of the countries most spaciest and safest beaches to swim in. It is known as a 'windy city', and for a good reason. It's a haven for surfing, wind surfing and yachting, which makes this a water sport paradise. The Oceanarium attracts visitors twice daily with dolphin shows and also host African penguins, the Cape seal and various tropical fish. After
or before shows you can visit the reptile park which several South African reptiles.
From Port Elizabeth you can visit several Game Reserves situated in a malaria free environment. For example: Shamwari, Lalibela and Pumba private game reserves situated +- 45 to 60 minutes drive from Port Elizabeth. On your game drives you are able to see BIG 5 and various other wildlife species. These reserves offer accommodation and meals that inspire the visitor to return for a longer stay. The Addo Elephant National park, situated +- 45 minutes drive from Port Elizabeth, currently host approximately 400 Elephants, which makes this the largest Elephant population in South Africa. The Addo Elephant National park (situated in a malaria free environment) can be visited as a day visitor where you can do your own Game drive (providing that you do not leave your vehicle) or if you are interested like to join a scheduled guided game drive and/or overnight it can be arranged. Accommodation and restaurant available in the reserve.
From Port Elizabeth visitors could fly to several national destinations
Inclusions: An English Speaking guide/coordinator; Transfers to and from hotel or guesthouse; All local taxes; All transportation as per programme; All Entrance fees as per program.
Exclusions: International/Domestic flights; Drinks and Food unless otherwise arranged; Visas; Gratuities; Personal, medical and travel insurance; items of a personal nature e.g. Crafts;
Please note: Durations are an estimate only, calculated for departures from Pretoria (ex Pretoria). Prices subject to availability and rate changes and may change without prior notice. Terms and conditions apply. E&OE.
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Last Review: 20090615 by Johann
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