Private guided tour

Garden Route Private Tour From Cape Town, Oudtshoorn to Tsitsikamma

Six hours east of Cape Town lies an entirely different South Africa: ostrich country and limestone caves, lakes and lagoons, golden beaches and forests older than most countries. We take you through all of it at your own pace, with the same guide from the first day to the last.

R9,950Per day, 1 to 2 guests
5+ daysRecommended length
6 stopsOudtshoorn to Tsitsikamma

One guide, one vehicle, your pace

A Garden Route tour with Cape Rhino is private from start to finish. Your guide drives, plans each day around the weather and your interests, and knows where to stop when the crowds have gone home.

We travel out along Route 62 through the Klein Karoo, with its mountain passes and natural hot springs, and return along the coast, so you never see the same road twice.

STOP 1

Oudtshoorn

The feather capital of the world.

In the late 1800s, ostrich feathers were worth almost their weight in gold, and Oudtshoorn grew rich on them. The sandstone feather palaces built by the feather barons still line its streets. Nearby, the Cango Caves wind through vast limestone halls, and the Swartberg Pass, a gravel road built by Thomas Bain in the 1880s, climbs over the mountains with views few roads in Africa can match.

Oudtshoorn on the Garden Route
STOP 2

George

Gateway to the Garden Route.

Founded in 1811 and named after King George III, George sits at the foot of the Outeniqua Mountains. The Outeniqua Pass drops from the dry Karoo into green forest and farmland in just a few kilometres, the moment most travellers realise how different this coast is from the rest of the country.

George on the Garden Route
STOP 3

Wilderness

Lakes, rivers and an endless beach.

Wilderness lives up to its name: a string of lakes and lagoons, quiet rivers for canoeing, and a beach that runs for kilometres. From the Map of Africa viewpoint, the Kaaimans River curves through the forest in the shape of the continent, and paragliders launch from the hills above the sea.

Wilderness on the Garden Route
STOP 4

Knysna

A lagoon guarded by two cliffs.

Knysna wraps around a tidal lagoon that meets the ocean between two great sandstone cliffs, the Knysna Heads. The Western Head is a private nature reserve reached only by ferry, and the forests behind the town once sheltered the last wild elephants of the Western Cape. Fresh Knysna oysters are a local ritual.

Knysna on the Garden Route
STOP 5

Plettenberg Bay

Some of the finest beaches on the coast.

Plettenberg Bay's long golden beaches are visited by dolphins all year and whales in season. The Robberg Peninsula, a nature reserve on a rocky finger of land, is home to a seal colony and some of the most dramatic coastal walks in South Africa. Monkeyland and Birds of Eden, large free roaming sanctuaries, are a few minutes away.

Plettenberg Bay on the Garden Route
STOP 6

Tsitsikamma Forest

Ancient trees where the forest meets the sea.

In the Tsitsikamma, indigenous forest runs right down to the ocean. The Big Tree, an Outeniqua yellowwood around 800 years old, stands beside forest trails, and at Storms River Mouth a suspension bridge crosses the river where it meets the waves. For the brave, the Bloukrans Bridge holds one of the highest bridge bungy jumps in the world.

Tsitsikamma Forest on the Garden Route
Sample route

Five days from Cape Town

A starting point we adjust for every guest. Add days for more time on the beaches, a safari stop, or the Swartberg Pass.

Day 1

Cape Town to Oudtshoorn on Route 62

Leave Cape Town through the Huguenot Tunnel and follow Route 62 through Montagu and Barrydale, with time to soak in the Montagu hot springs on the way.

Day 3

George and Wilderness

Over the Outeniqua Pass to George, then down to the lakes and beaches of Wilderness, ending the day in Knysna.

Day 4

Knysna and Plettenberg Bay

The Knysna Heads and lagoon in the morning, then Robberg Peninsula and the beaches of Plettenberg Bay.

Day 5

Tsitsikamma and home

The Big Tree, Storms River Mouth and Bloukrans Bridge, before the return drive along the coast to Cape Town.

Questions

Garden Route: what guests ask

How much does a private Garden Route tour cost?

R9,950 per day for 1 to 2 guests. This covers your private vehicle and guide, including the guide's own accommodation and meals. Your accommodation, meals and entrance fees are booked to your taste and paid separately.

How many days do I need for the Garden Route?

Five days is a comfortable minimum from Cape Town. With seven or more, you can add the Swartberg Pass, a safari stop or extra beach days without rushing.

How far is the Garden Route from Cape Town?

George is around 430 km from Cape Town, about five to six hours by road. We break the drive with stops so it never feels like a transfer.

Can you book our hotels along the way?

Yes. Tell us your style and budget and we'll suggest and arrange accommodation for each night of the route.

What is included in the Garden Route tour cost?

The R9,950 daily rate covers your private vehicle, your guide and driver for the whole trip, and the guide's own accommodation and meals. Your accommodation, meals, entrance fees and activities are paid separately, so you choose the style and budget.

What is the best time for the Garden Route?

The Garden Route is beautiful all year. Spring and autumn, from September to November and March to May, bring mild weather and fewer crowds. Summer is warmest and busiest, whale season runs from June to December, and winter brings clear, cool days.

Why guests and hotels trust us

25 years on Cape roads

Cape Rhino has grown alongside some of the Cape's finest hotels, from Steenberg Hotel and Stellenbosch Tourism to Spier Hotel, and today as concierge transport partner to Erinvale Estate Hotel & Spa.

Since 2001Family run, founded by Waleed Osman, with the next generation now leading the business.
Erinvale HotelConcierge transport partner to Erinvale Estate Hotel & Spa since 2022.
Shuttle DirectPreferred operator for Shuttle Direct since 2010.
Eteya Award 2006Provincial winner and nominee for Best Upcoming Touring Company.
BBBEE Level 1Female and youth owned, with 135% procurement recognition for corporate clients.

Plan your Garden Route journey

Tell us about your trip. We usually reply within 24 hours, often much sooner on WhatsApp.

Prices are confirmed in writing before you book. Payment by EFT or cash.

Ready to see the Garden Route?

Tell us your dates and how many are travelling, and we'll shape the route around you.

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