Garden Route tours from Cape Town, compared

Guided tours of two to six days, with accommodation included — and very different routes behind similar names. What each tour actually covers day by day, how long you spend on the road, and how cancellation works.

Browse the tours → The 3-day tours

2 to 6 days guided, from Cape Town

4–6 h on the road per day (operator figures)

Beds included class depends on the tour

Multi-day tours from Cape Town, 2 to 6 days

Accommodation included on every multi-day tour

Free cancellation: 24 hours or 2 days, depending on the operator

Seals, canopy and lagoon trips along the route

The Garden Route lies a long way east of Cape Town — the operators plan 400 to 450 km for the first day alone. That is why the guided tours here are multi-day trips with nights on the road, and why the number of days decides what you actually see: two days get you game drives, with coastal stops west of the Garden Route on one of them; three days reach Wilderness; four days add Knysna and Tsitsikamma; and five or six days bring in Addo Elephant National Park.

The tours below are run by the South African operators Hotspots2c Tours, Bokbus and Earthstompers Adventures. Several carry “Garden Route” in their name without visiting Knysna or Tsitsikamma, so each card says where the tour really goes.

Short tours: two and three days

Game drives, Route 62 and the first stretch of coast — open a card for the day-by-day plan.

Hotspots2c Tours

3-Day Garden Route Highlights & 4x4 Safari

Route 62 and the Cango Caves, a paddle near Wilderness, and a 4x4 game drive at Botlierskop. Accommodation class is your choice, from backpacker to 4-star. A fast-paced three days: 4 to 6 hours on the road daily, back in Cape Town between 8pm and 10pm.

Duration: 3 days / 2 nights
✓ Free cancellation up to 2 days before — not 24 hours

from R 7,480 ★ 4.8 (151 reviews)

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Full tour details

About this tour

Day 1 follows Route 62 through mountain passes and the Karoo to the Cango Caves, with the night in Oudtshoorn (about 450 km, around 6 hours on the road). Day 2 heads to the coast for a paddle near Wilderness National Park, with the night in Sedgefield or Wilderness (about 400 km, around 4 hours). Day 3 starts with a game drive of about two hours in an open 4x4 at the Botlierskop Private Game Reserve, then drives back to Cape Town (about 450 km, around 6 hours), arriving between 8pm and 10pm.

You choose the accommodation class when you book: backpacker, 3-star or 4-star, in different properties per class. The operator describes the tour as fast-paced — about 1,200 km in total and 4 to 6 hours of driving a day.

What's included

English-speaking accredited guide and transport
2 nights' accommodation in the class you select
2 breakfasts
Cango Caves visit
Canoeing in the Wilderness area
About 2 hours' 4x4 game drive at Botlierskop
A donation to a community charity project

Not included

Other meals and drinks
Elephant encounter and Bloukrans bungee jump — optional, paid locally on tour
Personal expenses and travel insurance

Pick-up & meeting point

Meeting point near the DHL Stadium in Green Point, Cape Town, departing 6:45am. Hotel pick-up within 5 km of central Cape Town can be arranged if you book at least 2 days ahead; pick-up can be up to 90 minutes before departure.

Know before you go

The itinerary can change and occasionally runs in reverse order.
About 1,200 km in total, with 4 to 6 hours of driving a day (not counting the game drive).
Return to Cape Town on day 3 is between 8pm and 10pm.

Not suitable for

Children under 8
Pregnant travellers
People with back problems
People with pre-existing medical conditions

Details taken from the tour's product page on the booking platform (checked 29 September 2026). The product page at checkout is binding.

Bokbus

3-Day Garden Route Safari & Coastal Tour

Betty's Bay penguins, Hermanus and Cape Agulhas, then a night at the Garden Route Game Lodge with two game drives. 4-star guest house, two dinners, groups of up to 10. Knysna and Tsitsikamma are not part of the route.

Duration: 3 days / 2 nights
✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

from R 13,664 ★ 4.8 (80 reviews)

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Full tour details

About this tour

Day 1 runs along the coast east of Cape Town: the African penguin colony at Betty's Bay, Hermanus, and Cape Agulhas, the southern tip of Africa, with the night in a 4-star guest house. Day 2 continues to the Garden Route Game Lodge for an afternoon game drive of about two hours in an open safari vehicle, a three-course dinner and a night at the lodge. Day 3 begins with an early game drive, then returns to Cape Town via Route 62 with a wine tasting, arriving around 5pm to 6pm.

The itinerary on the product page does not include Knysna, Plettenberg Bay or Tsitsikamma — the coastal part of this tour is the Overberg coast, and the safari part is the game lodge.

What's included

Registered guide and vehicle
Accommodation: 4-star guest house and one night at the Garden Route Game Lodge
Dinner on days 1 and 2, breakfast on days 2 and 3
Betty's Bay penguin colony visit
2 game drives at the lodge
Wine tasting
Pick-up and drop-off at your accommodation

Not included

Lunches
Drinks other than coffee, tea and juice at breakfast

Pick-up & meeting point

Pick-up and drop-off at your accommodation in Cape Town are included.

Know before you go

Small group, limited to 10 participants; guided in English.
Hermanus is known for whale watching, but the whale season runs roughly June to November — on a summer trip, whale sightings are unlikely.

Details taken from the tour's product page on the booking platform (checked 29 September 2026). The product page at checkout is binding.

Hotspots2c Tours

2-Day Wildlife & Safari Tour

Two game drives in two private reserves, Botlierskop and Buffelsdrift, with a night in Oudtshoorn in the accommodation class you pick. A wildlife short trip — the coastal Garden Route towns are not on the programme.

Duration: 2 days / 1 night
✓ Free cancellation up to 2 days before — not 24 hours

from R 5,709 ★ 4.7 (456 reviews)

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Full tour details

About this tour

Day 1 drives about 450 km east to the Botlierskop Private Game Reserve for a 4x4 game drive of about two hours, with the night in Oudtshoorn. Day 2 starts with a bush drive of about two hours at the Buffelsdrift Private Game Reserve, then returns to Cape Town via Route 62 (about 400 km, 5 to 6 hours).

A wildlife short trip with two drives in two reserves; the coastal Garden Route towns are not on the programme. Accommodation class (hostel, guest house, lodge or farm stay) depends on the package you pick.

What's included

English-speaking accredited guide
Air-conditioned minivan
1 night's accommodation in the package you select
1 breakfast
Botlierskop 4x4 game drive (about 2 hours, shared)
Buffelsdrift 4x4 bush drive (about 2 hours, shared)
A donation to a community charity project

Not included

Lunch, dinner and drinks
Elephant encounter — optional, paid locally on tour
Personal expenses and travel insurance

Pick-up & meeting point

Meeting point near the DHL Stadium in Green Point, Cape Town, departing 6:45am. Hotel pick-up within 5 km of central Cape Town or Stellenbosch can be arranged if you book at least 2 days ahead.

Know before you go

The itinerary can change and occasionally runs in reverse order.
About 900 km in total, with around 6 hours of driving a day (not counting the game drives).
The operator notes that leopards are unlikely to be seen on these drives.

Not suitable for

Children under 8
Pregnant travellers
People with back problems
People with mobility impairments

Details taken from the tour's product page on the booking platform (checked 29 September 2026). The product page at checkout is binding.

Bokbus

2-Day Safari at Garden Route Game Lodge

Hermanus and Cape Agulhas on the way out, a sunset and a morning game drive, dinner and a night in a 4-star chalet. A safari short trip rather than a Garden Route tour: no Knysna, no Tsitsikamma.

Duration: 2 days / 1 night
✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

from R 10,206 ★ 4.8 (1,042 reviews)

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Full tour details

About this tour

Day 1 drives from Cape Town via Hermanus to Cape Agulhas, the southern tip of Africa, then on to the Garden Route Game Lodge near Albertinia for a sunset game drive, a three-course dinner and a night in a 4-star chalet or lodge room. Day 2 starts with a morning game drive and breakfast before the drive back to Cape Town, arriving in the evening.

Despite the name, this is a safari short trip rather than a Garden Route tour: it does not visit Knysna, Plettenberg Bay or Tsitsikamma.

What's included

Transport, fuel and tolls, guide
2 game drives at the Garden Route Game Lodge
One night in a 4-star chalet or lodge room
Dinner and breakfast
Stops at Hermanus, Betty's Bay and Cape Agulhas, including the lighthouse entry fee

Pick-up & meeting point

Pick-up in Cape Town is included — the time is confirmed after booking.

Know before you go

Small group, limited to 12 participants.
The Garden Route Game Lodge is in a malaria-free area.

Not suitable for

People with mobility impairments
Wheelchair users

Details taken from the tour's product page on the booking platform (checked 29 September 2026). The product page at checkout is binding.

Four to six days, including Addo

Enough time for Knysna, Tsitsikamma and, on the five- and six-day tours, Addo Elephant National Park.

Bokbus

4-Day Garden Route Experience

Oudtshoorn and the Cango Caves, Knysna, a night in Storms River Village, Tsitsikamma National Park, then a final night at the Garden Route Game Lodge with game drives.

Duration: 4 days / 3 nights
✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

from R 14,686 ★ 4.8 (16 reviews)

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Full tour details

About this tour

Route 62 to Oudtshoorn and the Cango Caves on day 1; an ostrich farm, Knysna and the Bloukrans Bridge on day 2, with the night in Storms River Village; Tsitsikamma National Park and the suspension bridge at the Storms River Mouth on day 3, followed by a sunset game drive and the night at the Garden Route Game Lodge; a morning game drive and the drive back via Hermanus on day 4.

What's included

Guide and transport
Accommodation, with the last night at the Garden Route Game Lodge
Entrance to the Cango Caves

Details taken from the tour's product page on the booking platform (checked 29 September 2026). The product page at checkout is binding.

Hotspots2c Tours

5-Day Best of Garden Route & Addo Safari

Round trip from Cape Town with Route 62, the Cango Caves, a game drive in Addo Elephant National Park in the tour vehicle, Jeffreys Bay and Tsitsikamma. Addo and Tsitsikamma entrance included.

Duration: 5 days / 4 nights
✓ Free cancellation up to 2 days before — not 24 hours

from R 12,378 ★ 4.7 (246 reviews)

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Full tour details

About this tour

A round trip from Cape Town: Route 62 and Oudtshoorn, the Cango Caves, a game drive of about two hours in Addo Elephant National Park, Jeffreys Bay, Tsitsikamma and a stop at the Knysna lagoon, then a 4x4 game drive in a private reserve on the way back. The operator gives about 1,900 km in total with 4 to 6 hours of driving a day.

What's included

4 nights' accommodation in the class you select
4 breakfasts
Entrance to Addo Elephant National Park and Tsitsikamma National Park
Addo game drive in the tour vehicle (about 2 hours)
4x4 game drive in a private reserve

Not suitable for

Children under 8
People with back problems

Details taken from the tour's product page on the booking platform (checked 29 September 2026). The product page at checkout is binding.

Earthstompers Adventures

6-Day Garden Route & Addo Safari

An active six-day round trip via Cape Agulhas, Oudtshoorn, Wilderness, Knysna, Tsitsikamma and Addo, staying in backpacker lodges or guest houses. An Addo drive in an open vehicle is an optional extra.

Duration: 6 days / 5 nights
✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

from R 15,650 ★ 4.8 (184 reviews)

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Full tour details

About this tour

A round trip from Cape Town via Cape Agulhas, Oudtshoorn, the Wilderness area, Knysna, Tsitsikamma and Addo Elephant National Park, back via Mossel Bay. Accommodation is in backpacker lodges or guest houses.

What's included

5 nights' accommodation (backpacker or guest house)
4 dinners and 4 breakfasts
Game viewing in Addo Elephant National Park

Not included

Addo game drive in an open vehicle — optional extra
Lunches

Know before you go

An active tour; the operator accepts guests up to 65 if they are fit and healthy.

Details taken from the tour's product page on the booking platform (checked 29 September 2026). The product page at checkout is binding.

Earthstompers Adventures

5-Day Garden Route & Addo Safari (one-way)

Starts in Cape Town and ends in Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) after Addo — the pick if you are flying out of the Eastern Cape or continuing east.

Duration: 5 days / 4 nights
✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

from R 14,700 ★ 4.9 (24 reviews)

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Full tour details

About this tour

A one-way tour: from Cape Town via Cape Agulhas, Oudtshoorn, the Wilderness area, Knysna and Tsitsikamma to Addo Elephant National Park, finishing with a drop-off in Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) on day 5.

Pick-up & meeting point

Pick-up in Cape Town. The tour ends in Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha), not back in Cape Town.

Know before you go

The tour ends in Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) — plan your onward travel from there.

Details taken from the tour's product page on the booking platform (checked 29 September 2026). The product page at checkout is binding.

Bokbus

5-Day Garden Route & Addo Tour

Round trip via Oudtshoorn, Knysna, Tsitsikamma and Addo, with a night at the Garden Route Game Lodge on the way back. The Addo park entrance fee is not included.

Duration: 5 days / 4 nights
✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

from R 17,512 ★ 4.9 (24 reviews)

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Full tour details

About this tour

A round trip from Cape Town via Oudtshoorn and the Cango Caves, Knysna, Storms River and Tsitsikamma to Addo Elephant National Park, with a night at the Garden Route Game Lodge on the way back.

Details taken from the tour's product page on the booking platform (checked 29 September 2026). The product page at checkout is binding.

Which Garden Route tour fits you?

Three quick questions — we’ll point you at the tour that matches.

How many days do you have?

What matters most to you?

Travelling with children?

Your match

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The Garden Route tours from Cape Town in one table

Sorted by number of reviews. Tap a column header to re-sort.

Tour	What's in it	Rating ↕	Price ↕	Book
2-Day Garden Route Game Lodge	Hermanus, Cape Agulhas, 2 game drives, 4-star chalet · dinner + breakfast · 2 days	★ 4.8 (1,042)	R 10,206 per person	Book now →
2-Day Wildlife & Safari	Botlierskop + Buffelsdrift game drives, night in Oudtshoorn · 1 breakfast · 2 days	★ 4.7 (456)	R 5,709 per person	Book now →
5-Day Garden Route & Addo	Cango Caves, Addo drive (tour vehicle), Jeffreys Bay, Tsitsikamma, 4x4 drive · park entrance incl. · 5 days	★ 4.7 (246)	R 12,378 per person	Book now →
6-Day Garden Route & Addo	Cape Agulhas, Oudtshoorn, Wilderness, Knysna, Tsitsikamma, Addo · 4 dinners, 4 breakfasts · 6 days	★ 4.8 (184)	R 15,650 per person	Book now →
3-Day Highlights & 4x4 Safari	Route 62, Cango Caves, Wilderness canoeing, Botlierskop 4x4 drive · 2 nights, 2 breakfasts · 3 days	★ 4.8 (151)	R 7,480 per person	Book now →
3-Day Safari & Coastal Tour	Betty's Bay penguins, Hermanus, Cape Agulhas, 2 game drives at the lodge · 2 dinners, 2 breakfasts · 3 days	★ 4.8 (80)	R 13,664 per person	Book now →
5-Day Garden Route & Addo (one-way)	Cape Agulhas, Oudtshoorn, Wilderness, Tsitsikamma, Addo · ends in Port Elizabeth · 5 days	★ 4.9 (24)	R 14,700 per person	Book now →
5-Day Garden Route & Addo Tour	Cango Caves, Knysna, Tsitsikamma, Addo, game lodge night · Addo entrance not incl. · 5 days	★ 4.9 (24)	R 17,512 per person	Book now →
4-Day Garden Route Experience	Cango Caves, Knysna, Storms River, Tsitsikamma, last night at a game lodge · 4 days	★ 4.8 (16)	R 14,686 per person	Book now →

All prices are live from GetYourGuide and include taxes and booking fees — the number here is the number at checkout. “What’s in it” summarises the itinerary on the product page — check the full inclusions there before you book.

Before you book

You will spend a lot of time on the road. The operators give 4 to 6 hours of driving per day, and the three-day Hotspots2c tour gets back to Cape Town between 8pm and 10pm. Hotel pick-ups add to that: one traveller review of a five-day tour put the pick-up and drop-off rounds at about an hour a day. Read the route, not the title. The two Bokbus safari tours of two and three days head for Hermanus, Cape Agulhas and a game lodge near Albertinia — their itineraries do not include Knysna or Tsitsikamma. Cancellation rules differ. Hotspots2c tours can be cancelled free of charge up to 2 days before departure, the other tours up to 24 hours before.

Travelling in the southern summer

Whale season on this coast runs roughly June to November — on a summer trip, a whale stop in Hermanus is unlikely to show whales. December and January are South African school holidays, when the coast is busy and accommodation fills early. Optional activities such as the Bloukrans bungee jump or an elephant encounter are booked and paid locally on tour; they are not part of the tour price.

Only a long weekend?

What a 3-day Garden Route tour really covers

The short tours differ more than their names suggest: one reaches the Wilderness coast via Route 62 and the Cango Caves, one spends its days on the Overberg coast and at a game lodge, and the two-day options are safari trips. We compare the routes, the hours on the road, where you sleep and what you eat — day by day.

Compare the 3-day tours →

Garden Route and Addo

Addo Elephant National Park lies beyond the eastern end of the Garden Route, which is why every tour here that includes it runs five or six days. The Hotspots2c five-day tour includes the Addo and Tsitsikamma entrance fees and drives through Addo in the tour vehicle; on the Earthstompers six-day tour, an Addo drive in an open vehicle is an optional extra; the Bokbus five-day tour does not include the Addo entrance fee. For reference, the SANParks daily conservation fee for international adults at Addo is R492 (tariff valid until 31 October 2026; SANParks revises its fees every 1 November).

If you are already in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) — or arriving on a cruise ship — a day safari from there is the shorter way into the park. Our sister site addoelephantsafari.com compares those day tours.

Along the route: activities you can book

For a self-drive trip or an extra day on the coast — seals in Plettenberg Bay, the forest canopy at Storms River and the Knysna lagoon.

Offshore Adventures

Swim with Seals in Plettenberg Bay

A boat trip into the Robberg Marine Protected Area and up to 30 minutes in the water with Cape fur seals. Wetsuit, mask and fins provided; 1.5 hours.

Duration: 1.5 hours
✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

from R 995 ★ 4.7 (1,013 reviews)

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Full tour details

About this tour

A boat trip into the Robberg Marine Protected Area off Plettenberg Bay, home to a large Cape fur seal colony, with up to 30 minutes in the water alongside the seals.

What's included

Wetsuit, mask and fins
Boat transfer to the Robberg Marine Protected Area
Guided swim with Cape fur seals (up to 30 minutes)

Not included

Swimwear and towel — bring your own

Pick-up & meeting point

Offshore Adventures, Central Beach, Plettenberg Bay — arrive 30 minutes early.

Know before you go

You should be comfortable swimming and getting into the water from a boat.

Not suitable for

Children under 6

Details taken from the tour's product page on the booking platform (checked 29 September 2026). The product page at checkout is binding.

Stormsriver Adventures

Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour

A canopy tour in the forest at Storms River, on the Tsitsikamma side of the route. About 2.5 hours.

Duration: 2.5 hours
✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

from R 895 ★ 4.7 (525 reviews)

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Full tour details

Details taken from the tour's product page on the booking platform (checked 29 September 2026). The product page at checkout is binding.

Knysna Boat Charters

Knysna Lagoon Cruise

A 75-minute boat trip on the Knysna lagoon — an easy add-on if you are staying in Knysna.

Duration: 75 minutes
✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

from R 500 ★ 4.6 (505 reviews)

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Full tour details

Details taken from the tour's product page on the booking platform (checked 29 September 2026). The product page at checkout is binding.

Why this site exists

The route behind the tour name

No sales calls, no callbacks, no login. We show the bookable Garden Route tours from Cape Town with the same facts for each — route, driving time, beds, meals, cancellation — so you can compare them in one place. When you book through a link on this page, GetYourGuide pays us a small commission — it comes out of their margin, not out of your ticket price.

Garden Route tours — FAQ

The questions people ask before they book.

How many days do you need for a Garden Route tour from Cape Town?

It depends on how far east you want to get. The two-day tours on this site do not reach the Garden Route coast towns — they are game-drive trips with stops on the Overberg coast or in the Little Karoo. The three-day Hotspots2c tour gets you to Wilderness and Sedgefield, with the Cango Caves on the way. Knysna and Tsitsikamma fit in from four days, and every tour that includes Addo Elephant National Park runs five or six days.

How much time do you spend driving?

A lot, and it is worth planning for. The operators give 400 to 450 km on the long days and 4 to 6 hours of driving per day; the three-day Hotspots2c tour covers about 1,200 km in total and gets back to Cape Town between 8pm and 10pm. With hotel pick-ups, the first and last part of a day can also go to collecting and dropping off other guests.

Is accommodation included?

Yes, on every multi-day tour here — but the standard differs. On the Hotspots2c tours you pick the class when you book (backpacker, 3-star or 4-star, or the package names shown on the product page). Bokbus uses a 4-star guest house and the Garden Route Game Lodge. Earthstompers stays in backpacker lodges or guest houses. Meals differ too: check which breakfasts and dinners are listed as included.

Can I cancel my booking?

Most tours here offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start. The Hotspots2c tours are the exception: free cancellation ends 2 days before departure. The policy shown at checkout on the product page is the binding one.

Do the “Garden Route” safari tours actually go along the Garden Route?

Not all of them. The two-day Garden Route Game Lodge tour and the three-day Safari & Coastal tour drive via Hermanus and Cape Agulhas to a private game lodge near Albertinia — the itineraries do not include Knysna, Plettenberg Bay or Tsitsikamma. They are good safari short trips; if the coastal towns and forests are what you are after, look at the three-day Highlights tour or anything from four days.

Will I see whales or the Big Five?

Wildlife sightings are not guaranteed. Whale season along this coast runs roughly June to November, so on a southern-summer trip the whale stops in Hermanus are unlikely to show whales. The Garden Route Game Lodge tour descriptions name elephants, rhinos, lions, hippos and antelope as animals to look out for; Hotspots2c itself notes that leopards are unlikely on its drives. We do not repeat “Big Five” labels for the smaller reserves.

Can I combine the Garden Route with Addo Elephant National Park?

Yes, on the five- and six-day tours. Most are round trips from Cape Town; one Earthstompers tour ends in Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) instead, which suits you if you fly out from there. If you are already in the Eastern Cape and only want a day in Addo, our sister site addoelephantsafari.com compares the day safaris from Gqeberha.

Are the bungee jump and the elephant encounter included?

No. On the Hotspots2c tours, the Bloukrans bungee jump and the elephant encounter are optional activities that you book and pay for locally during the tour. The product pages list them as excluded.

What should I know about travelling in the southern summer?

December and January are South African school holidays, so the coast is busy and accommodation fills up — book early for those weeks. Hotspots2c notes that on its five-day tour in peak season (mid-December to early January) you may stay two nights in Jeffreys Bay instead of Addo.

Ready for the road east?

Compare the Garden Route tours from Cape Town side by side.

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