Cape Town & the Garden Route

This tour was well paced and a great introduction to South Africa, especially for travelers who enjoy exploring the world and finding the unexpected. One of the biggest surprises was the food. The cuisine was so unique and, as our guide advised us, plentiful. Paired with excellent South African wine, you are completely spoiled. Don't hesitate to try new things such as Bobotie or ostrich. All of the areas we visited were beautiful. I particularly loved Hermanus with its charming vibe and a spectacular whale watch, and I will dream of Tsitsikamma for a long time. Gazing into tide pools and spotting a beautiful octopus was incredible. Of course, a big part of Africa is the wildlife and this tour gives you plenty of exposure to many of the animals you hope to see. The elephants at Addo felt like something out of a movie. Cape Town is also fascinating. I had no idea the Cape of Good Hope was so vast. The beauty cannot be surpassed. We were lucky enough to have a perfect view at the top of Table Mountain, as well. The people are incredibly kind and friendly wherever you go and it we enjoyed experiencing the mixture of cultures. The accommodations on this tour vary, but we enjoyed them all. The guesthouse in De Rust was so special as the hosts cooked incredible meals for us each night and treated us like special friends. All in all, the time in South Africa was something I will never forget. The people, the scenery, the animals, the food...all of it was so much more than what I expected.

I have never been so close to the wildlife, from Addo National park to Harmenus - I been with the nature and the its amazing creatures. This trip is a must go if you want to experience good food, comfortable journey, natural beauties and off course the wild life.

This trip is simply wonderful! It has everything you could ask for- wild animals, amazing culture, wonderful people, beautiful landscapes and stunning food and drink. I have always wanted to go to South Africa and thought this trip was a great way to see so much of it but it has exceeded all expectations.

This was an amazing trip on so many levels. I have come back feeling energised, invigorated and really sad to leave...testament to a great hol! I was travelling on my own and apprehensive. I needn't have been. My group were so welcoming and friendly. We got to know each other quite quickly and had such a laugh together. We are hoping to meet up again in the New Year. The itinerary was so varied, there was never a dull moment. Ideally 14 days would be preferable as you are packing so much in. Animals and birds- so much to see, recommend doing Schotia game drive and whale watching. Penguins at boulders beach were brilliant. Flora-beautiful flowers, shrubs and trees and a chance to visit the botanical gardens in Cape Town. Food-Wow...such a variety , huge portions and cheap. Recommend the ostrich, but so many other dishes to choose from( meat or veg) Wine-fabulous and cheap. I loved the chenin blanc. I enjoyed the afternoon in Stellenbosch too. Landscape-absolutely stunning..Tsitsikamma, Cape of Good Hope, ocean drives and more! Activities- so varied and you have the opportunity to choose the activities you want to do at various locations. Guide- Marco was great on every level. He was informative, professional, catered to everyone's needs and kept us safe. Accommodation - I particularly liked Tsitsikamma oceanette as right by the ocean. Got woken up at 5.30am by baboons jumping on the bin outside:-). Loved House Martin and the Windsor Hotel. Cape Town-beautiful. I visited Robben Island, 2nd half of this tour was particular good as we were shown around by an ex inmate. I didn't get the chance to go up Table Mountain as I had to leave early. There is so much to see and experience that I will definitely return.

This was a wonderful tour showcasing the beautiful scenery along the coast from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town. Accommodation was great throughout our tour other than a very musty cabin at Storms River, however, the scenery there was stunning. Petro was a wonderful guide …was well organized and had excellent people and communication skills. The knowledge she shared of her country along the way including the names of numerous animals and birds was really appreciated. Highlights for me included: Schotia Game Drive, our stay at De Rust that included home cooked meals, and finishing with Table Mountain, Boulders Beach, and Cape of Good Hope in Cape Town. I had done a Langa Township tour prior to our tour starting and didn’t do the one organized by Exodus, however, I’d recommend doing this type of half day tour as well as it shows you a different perspective.

A tour of 15 people. Everyone got on well. Some queries with the itinerary. We passed by fabulous beaches without stopping such as Jeffrey’s Bay and Wilderness, yet stopped at service stations for lunch. This actually happened three times; once shortly after Knysna which would have been far preferable. The rooms were not always very good. In Tsitsikamma the room was very good, but it was at least a mile walk each way for breakfast. I’m fit, but this was classified as a leisurely tour. The rooms in Hermanus and Cape Town overlooked car parks. Our room in Hermanus also had no air conditioning. I expected better accommodation quality from Exodus based on personal recommendations. I would say it is comparable to mid range G Adventures. There were no whales (not the season) but also the waterfall in Karoo had dried up and Storms River was very low water also: Our tubing became bouldering. Cape Town and Cape of Good Hope were magnificent. Food provided or purchased throughout was consistently of high quality. A quite expensive trip when excursions, tips and food is added but we probably got what we paid for. A few simple tweaks could have made things better. Enjoyment - 8 out of 10. VFM - 7 out of 10. I regret not seeing some of the wonderful beaches on-route.

This was a particularly enjoyable holiday where everything came together to create a fantastic experience. Good weather, a friendly group, an excellent tour leader and a well-constructed itinerary that took us to some wonderful places. The accommodation was of a good standard throughout. The “oceanettes” at Storms River Mouth with their incredible views were outstanding (a pleasant surprise having seen previous travellers’ comments on the wooden cabins there). We very much enjoyed staying in House Martin Guest Lodge too. –South Africa was thought-provoking and very different to our expectations in so many ways. Like Jill Chaloner (previous review), we found it hard to get a Black perspective on the country, and mention of apartheid was largely restricted to our visit to Robben Island, which was a sobering reminder of South Africa’s recent past.

An enjoyable and interesting insight into South Africa with varied landscapes and experiences. Three game drives at the start with lots of wildlife – elephants, lions and many other animals to see in beautiful locations. We enjoyed stunning mountain and semi-desert scenery, the wild cape coast and the city life and scenery of Cape Town. Accommodation was good throughout the trip– clean, good facilities and well located in each location. The accommodation and food at House Martin Lodge was excellent. We used a large minibus which was spacious enough for our needs and was safely driven by our guide. Our couple of long drives but the scenery helped and regular stops were arranged. Meals and food were varied and good throughout the trip and we were able to experience different types of South African food.

Tour of the Garden Route and Cape Town

Well thought out tour of the Cape, taking in such varied landscapes and experiences. Highlights were the Schotia Game Reserve, the drive through the Little Karoo to the Cango Caves and the trip to the Cape of Good Hope. Touring was on a mini bus, which was spacious enough for our tour group of 13. Most drives were reasonable, but there was one very long day of 7 hours with only a couple of short stops. Accommodation was spacious, clean and with comfortable beds. All of a generally good standard.

One of the best holidays I ever had, with a wide range of differing experiences, wildlife, scenery and guest houses. The trip superbly blends the best that South Africa has to offer, from the game reserves with the Big Five, to the beauty of the Garden Route and coastal footpaths, the rugged interior, and then into Cape Town. Very well put together with something for everyone.

Brilliant introduction to a beautiful country, great break from the English winter..

South Africa is an incredibly beautiful country. This trip takes you along the Southern coast from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town, with a couple of inland stays. TIt's a well-planned itinerary with a lot to see, but not so packed that you feel rushed. The weather in the second half of November was pleasant, sometimes warm, with lots of sunshine. The scenery is stunning, so being in the van is no hardship, especially when broken up by scenic stops. There's a lot of variety on this trip - nature, landscapes, wildlife, culture, history, wine tasting. There's also a good choice of activities, so everyone can find something to suit their tastes, from walking/hiking to zip-lining to whale watching and para-gliding. The food is fresh and excellent – and inexpensive. We saw so much wildlife, both at Addo Elephant Park and Scotia safaris - elephants, rhinos, lions, hippos, giraffe, water buffalo, all sorts of ruminants. The bird life is also amazing, not to mention the cetaceans! Tsitsikamma National Park is a special place – remote and beautiful. The drive to the Meiringspoort waterfall is stunning – almost otherworldly in its beauty. The vibrant colours of the Knysna heads stay with you. Cape Town is a vibrant city with a lot to see and do, set against the majestic backdrop of Table Mountain. Overall, this is a trip that is well worth doing. It leaves you wanting more. A huge thanks to our tour guide, Marco Olivier, who went out of his way to accommodate us and make the trip a special one!

This itinerary offers something for everyone! From Safaris to National Parks to Whale Watching, City tours and Wine Tasting, every day offers a new adventure and something exciting to look forward to. The pace doesn't feel to rushed with no long drives and even the slightly longer ones broken up with coffee stops and viewpoints. The East Head Viewpont in Kynesa being a particular highlight of mine! You meet some lovely locals including the charming owners full of stories at St Martin's guesthouse and whale watching off the shore line in Hermanus was truly one of the most amazing sites seeing so many whales congregated in the same place breaching and teaching their young to strengthen their fins before heading across to Antarctica to feed. I choose to travel in South Africa's Spring time because I really wanted to see the Whales migrating in Hermanus, little did I realise but it's also an excellent time to visit because all the flowers are in bloom so the drives were really stunning, our guide even mentioned that he hadn't seen the landscapes so green. If you're looking for a leisurely paced trip with a passion for wildlife, landscapes, food and wine then this ones a winner!

This was a great trip taking in the best of the Garden Route and all it has to offer. It is a very varied trip, with a fabulous mixture of wildlife, scenery, culture, wine and outdoor activities (hiking, zip-lining, swimming in waterfalls etc).

Like many other previous reviews have already stated, this trip covered so many different experiences-lots of wildlife from elephants, big cats, whales, many antelope species, birds, reptiles and insects. Also stunning scenery including mountains,fynbos vegetation,semi-desert and the wild cape coast as well as the interesting and varied city life of Cape Town itself.

This was a trip selected for its variety and travel in South African Spring - from whale watching to wine tasting , underground with cave tour to the heights of zip lining - alongside superb locations and great food - and as it’s outside of the main season we had beaches and locations to ourselves the majority of the time

This was an amazing trip, with beautiful scenery, fabulous food and wine, wildlife, and some great places to stay. Would highly recommend it.

Various scenery and a mix of South Africa, from wildlife to great food (& wine), amazing scenery and relaxed pace

It is difficult to know where to start as we went from one amazing day to the next. From the breathtaking views of wildlife at Addo Elephant Park and “must do” Schotia safari experience, to thunderous oceans and refreshing mountain waterfall swims. Petro the guide was so knowledgeable and did not gild the lilly with her insight into the political and economic challenges which are the backdrop to this beautiful country.

We arrived in Port Elizabeth and meet our tour leader., Andrew Lindsay. He was excellent, made everyone feel welcome and gave us a brief overview of our trip. During the next 11 days we had a great adventure. Starting with Addo Elephant park, followed by a superb Safari organised by Andrew. Everything during the trip was very well organised, Hermanus, Stellenbosch, Cape Town, Table Mountain, Robben Island, staying at some lovely places and having the knowledge of a South African guide was incredible. If I have any criticism, is that some of the accommodation was probably not 3/4 star as suggested. However, due to the enthusiasm and positivity of Andrew the holiday was a wonderful experience of South Africa's Garden Route.

Great trip amazing landscapes and wildlife

This was an incredible trip. Beautiful places we visited. The game drives were amazing saw so many beautiful animals. Our group was lovely and Petro our tour guide was amazing,she was so welcoming and organised everything perfectly. Would highly recommended this trip. I plan to come back South Africa has a place in my heart now.

Scotia, Tsitsikamma, Hermanus, Ngysna, Table mountain and sailing in the bay at Cape Town were all great. There were lots of other places we visited that were still interesting but I would have preferred to have visited fewer places but be able to stay in them for longer. I was a first time solo traveller though so maybe others would have different expectations.

if you love animals this is the trip for you. The game drives were great. The weather was lovely and food was incredible. An enjoyable trip with lots od beautiful coastal views.