Garden Route Adventures - 6day Garden Route Tour
Including Garden Route, Route 62, Little Karoo, and Overberg!

Tour Includes: Qualified guide, air-conditioned bus, 5 nights accommodation, Dinners (Except Day3), breakfasts(except day 4) and entrance fees to: Wine tasting, ostrich farm, Cango Caves, Cango Wildlife Ranch, canoeing, game viewing safari, Tsitsikamma National Park and Wilderness National Park.

We also have plenty of time for these optional activities: Touching and having your photo taken with a cheetah, Bungee jumping (216m), sky diving 10 000 feet, Tree top Canopy tour, surfing or sandboarding, Knysna elephant park, close encounter whale and dolphin watching (in-season), shark cage diving and Beach Horse Riding.

Tour Price – 6 Day Garden Route Adventure

Prices from 1 January 2010 (June and July 2010 – add 10 %for Backpacker Accommodation and add 20% for Guest House Upgrade)

Day 1 - Cape Town- Oudtshoorn

Depart Cape Town on Monday morning for Calitzdorp via the scenic and spectacular Route 62 which is South Africa’s longest wine route. After a light lunch at Barrydale we visit Die Krans winery for wine and port tasting to find out why this town is known as the Port wine capital of South Africa. Then we move on to the Cango Wildlife Ranch where you can see the endangered cheetah, crocodiles and other animals. The highlight is touching and having your photo taken with a cheetah. Overnight in Oudtshoorn.

Optional:

• Touching and having your photo taken with a cheetah.

Day 2 - Oudtshoorn-Wilderness

This morning we experience the subterranean beauty of the Cango Caves in a guided adventure tour. Then we continue on to Cango Ostrich show farm for a guided tour of an ostrich farm. The more adventurous can even ride an ostrich. (maximum weight of 75 kg)  After lunch in the afternoon we will drive over the majestic Outeniqua Mountains to the Wilderness National park for a canoe ride through indigenous forest and boasting over 200 species of birds. (Weather Depending) Overnight in Wilderness.
Day 3 - Wilderness-Plettenberg Bay

After breakfast we leave for the Tsitsikamma National Park. En route we drive through the beautiful lake district of the Garden Route and stop off at the Bloukrans bridge to view the world’s highest bungy jump (216 metres). We allow plenty of time for the adventure seekers amongst us to test their courage. We spend the afternoon in the National Park with its unique combination of indigenous forest and the beautiful Indian Ocean. This provides a wide choice of activities for all, including long and short hikes, crossing the suspension bridge and swimming. Overnight in Plettenberg Bay.

Optional extras:-

• Bungy jump
• Tree Top Canopy Tour

Day 4 - Plettenberg Bay- Mossel Bay

The morning you will have for your self. You can go to Plettenberg Bay beach and/or explore the town.
Other things to do: -

• Whale and dolphin watching Safari (seasonal)
• Knysna Elephant Park

On the way to Mossel Bay we will stop over in Knysna where you can see the famous Knysna Heads and lagoon and have the opportunity to explore the waterfront and countless shops. We then move on to Mossel Bay for a Big 5 game drive and dinner at the game lodge. Overnight in Mossel Bay.

Day 5 - Mossel Bay-Cape Agulhas

In the morning you have time to explore the beautiful coastal resort town of Mossel Bay and visit the Diaz museum complex and the Post Office Tree.
Other things to do:

• Surfing or sand boarding
• 10 000 feet sky dive

Early afternoon we visit the Aloe Ferrox factory shop at Albertinia to discover the health and beauty enhancing qualities of this plant. We then move on to Cape Agulhas the most Southern Tip of Africa. (whale watching in season.)
Overnight in Cape Agulhas Backpackers Lodge in Struisbaai.

Optional:
- Beach Horse Riding

Day 6 – Cape Agulhas - Cape Town

Today we drive through to the seaside resort of Hermanus for some whale and dolphin watching (seasonal), lunch and shopping. Your guide can arrange to take you on a shark cage dive should you want to see these beauties op close and personal. In the afternoon we will drive the scenic coastal road back to Cape Town stopping one last time at Betty’s Bay at the African penguin colony!
Optional Extra:-

• Shark Cage Diving

Please Note: Clients doing the Shark Cage Diving will be leaving the tour in Gans Bay and taking the Shark Cage diving shuttle back to Cape Town.

Departures
All Tours depart from Cape Town and Stellenbosch every Monday.
Booking Procedure
Should you wish to make a reservation, please let me know so that I can secure the seats for you. We will then send you a booking form that you will need to complete and return it to us by email. We require a 50% deposit to secure the reservation, with the balance due on the day of departure. You can pay by credit card (5% credit card charge) or bank transfer.

Pick Up

Guest will be picked up between 07:00 and 09:00 from accommodation establishments in Cape Town and about 09:30 in Stellenbosch. If guests do not live in Cape Town or Stellenbosch additional transport has to be arranged into the city, or guests will be picked up along the way.

Itinerary

The company reserves the right to change itinerary, accommodation, and transport along the way should circumstances dictate. Unfortunately many of these outdoor activities are weather dependant which could force changes in the itinerary. The guide will try his best to arrange events according to prevailing weather conditions.

Accommodation

All the accommodation en route has been selected for its unique setting, closeness to nature and great atmosphere whilst not forgetting the human need for home comforts. Accommodation at the backpackers takes the form of dormitory rooms with shared bathroom facilities. Upgrades to single and double rooms are available at an additional charge. There are also Guest House upgrades available at an additional cost. All bedding will be provided.

Meals

All meals have been selected by management and include traditional South African meals. Breakfast would normally be a healthy continental breakfast with fruits, cereals, yoghurt and toast. Please advise us of any special dietary requirements in advance.

Bus

The vehicle that we will be touring in is a fully air conditioned VW bus that can comfortably seat 8 adults including driver. We also have a CD and Mp3 player in the bus. (Welcome to bring your own music, if it is not too terrible we can play it)

Payment

A non-refundable deposit of 50% is payable to agent or into bank account on confirmation of booking. Balance is payable on day before departure. Unfortunately there will be no refund if booking is cancelled less than 24 hours before departure.  Credit card payments will incur a 5% banking charge.

Insurance

It is strongly recommended that you hold comprehensive travel insurance to safeguard you against possible unforeseen emergency. Earthstompers has comprehensive passenger and public liability insurance.

Exclusion of liability

Earthstompers, or its employees and agents shall not be responsible for and shall be exempt from any liability in respect of loss, damage, injury, accident, delay or inconvenience to any person or their luggage or other personal property under any circumstances whatsoever whilst on tour.

Cancellation Policy

We reserve the right to cancel any booking on any grounds we feel necessary and will honor no liability in doing so.

What do you need?

A love for nature, an adventurous spirit and an earthstomping sense of humor. Of course it would not be a bad thing to bring along a rain jacket, camera, swimming clothes, sun screen, towel, hat, warm jacket and personal toiletries.

Climate and Weather of the Garden Route

The Garden Route has a Mediterranean Maritime Climate. Summers ( November to March/April) is warm and sunny with daytime temperatures in the mid 20’s. Winters (June to end August ) are mild and it is rare for temperatures to fall below 16 degrees. This is why the Garden Route is popular to visit in the winter and in the summer.

The Garden Route is one of the richest rainfall areas in South Africa, keeping the area green and lush. One can expect rainfall throughout the year in the Garden Route. The temperate weather falls between a winter and summer rainfall area so it rains mostly during the night.

Malaria

Our tours take place in a malaria free area. No anti-malaria precautions are therefore necessary. You are however advised to bring insect repellent during summer.

If there is anything that I have left out or anything that you are unsure of, please do not hesitate to contact us.