Best of the Garden Route — Self-Launched
11 days · South Africa — Cape Town to the Garden Route & Eastern Cape
Exodus charges £6,700
No-markup version: ~£1,180 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Exodus's 11-day "Best of the Garden Route – Premium Adventure", following the same route — Cape Town, the Cape Peninsula, the Winelands, Oudtshoorn's Cango Caves, Tsitsikamma and Plettenberg Bay, ending with game drives in a private Eastern Cape reserve — but assembled independently. You'll swap premium hotels and lodges for good-quality guesthouses, backpacker lodges and a budget safari camp, replace the private minibus with the Baz Bus / shared shuttles / hire car, and book activities directly or via GetYourGuide. You could also drive the whole thing yourself in a hired car, which is the classic South African road trip. All costs are approximate per person.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Cape Town
Cape Town
Land at Cape Town International and make your own way into the city — an Uber or the MyCiTi bus from the airport costs roughly £12-15 or £4 respectively. Check into a hostel or guesthouse in Sea Point, Green Point or the City Bowl. Spend the late afternoon on the Sea Point Promenade watching the sunset over the Atlantic, then grab dinner in nearby Bree Street or a boerie roll from a street stall. If you're driving the route yourself, collect your hire car today (from ~£25-35/day with full insurance).
🚌Airport to city: Uber ~£12-15 or MyCiTi bus ~£4
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Sea Point / Green Point (dorm ~£15, private double ~£35-45)
- →Sea Point Promenade sunset walk
- →Bree Street dinner
- →Optional: V&A Waterfront
- →Collect hire car if self-driving
Cape Town city highlights & Table Mountain
Cape Town
Do your own walking tour of the city centre — Company's Garden, the Castle of Good Hope, Grand Parade and St George's Cathedral are all free or cheap and walkable. Book a Table Mountain cable car ticket online in advance (return ~£22) to skip the queue; go early as cloud can close the cableway. The afternoon is free: book a Robben Island ferry and tour directly with the official operator (~£30) or take a sunset hike up Lion's Head (free) for a classic Cape Town view.
🚌Walking + Uber/MyCiTi around the city (~£6)
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Sea Point / Green Point
- →Self-guided city walking tour
- →Table Mountain cable car (return ~£22)
- →Optional Robben Island ferry & tour (~£30)
- →Optional Lion's Head sunset hike (free)
Cape Peninsula day trip
Cape Town / Cape Peninsula
The Cape Peninsula is best done as a self-drive loop or a shared day tour (bookable on GetYourGuide from ~£40-55). Route: Chapman's Peak Drive (toll ~£3), Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point (entry ~£12, funicular ~£4), then Boulders Beach to see the African penguin colony (~£8). Have seafood lunch in Simon's Town (~£10), and finish at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden (~£8) — the Boomslang canopy walkway is a highlight if you're there before closing.
🚌Self-drive hire car (pooled) or shared day tour ~£40-55
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Sea Point / Green Point
- →Chapman's Peak Drive
- →Cape of Good Hope & Cape Point
- →Boulders Beach penguin colony
- →Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
Bo-Kaap cooking class & transfer to the Winelands
Cape Town to Franschhoek
Spend the morning in Bo-Kaap, the colourful Cape Malay quarter. Book a Cape Malay cooking experience directly or via GetYourGuide (~£35-45) to fold samosas and taste bobotie and koeksisters in a local home. In the afternoon, head to the Winelands — take the intercity bus to Stellenbosch (~£8) and a local shuttle or Uber on to Franschhoek (~£10), or drive yourself in ~1 hour. Check into a guesthouse or backpackers in Franschhoek village.
🚌Intercity bus to Stellenbosch ~£8 + shuttle/Uber to Franschhoek ~£10
🛏Guesthouse or backpackers in Franschhoek (dorm ~£18, private ~£45-60)
- →Bo-Kaap Cape Malay cooking class (~£40)
- →Bo-Kaap walking exploration
- →Transfer to Franschhoek
Winelands wine tasting day
Stellenbosch & Franschhoek
Do your own Winelands day. In Stellenbosch, walk the oak-lined streets and book drop-in tastings at estates like Delaire Graff or Spier (~£5-8 per tasting). In Franschhoek, use the hop-on-hop-off Wine Tram (~£20-25 for a day pass) to reach estates without driving, or hire bikes. A food-and-wine pairing at one of the valley restaurants runs ~£25-35. Three tastings plus one pairing makes a solid day.
🚌Wine Tram pass or local shuttle/Uber (~£22)
🛏Guesthouse or backpackers in Franschhoek
- →Stellenbosch self-guided estate tastings (~£5-8 each)
- →Franschhoek Wine Tram day pass (~£22)
- →Food & wine pairing lunch (~£30)
Over the mountains to Oudtshoorn & the Cango Caves
Oudtshoorn
Drive or take the intercity bus from the Winelands to Oudtshoorn (~5 hours, ~£25-30 by bus; the scenic Route 62 drive is the best option if you have a car). Check into a guesthouse or backpackers in town. In the afternoon, join a guided tour of the Cango Caves — the standard Heritage Tour is ~£8, the more adventurous Adventure Tour (crawling through narrow passages) is ~£12. Book on arrival or via GetYourGuide.
🚌Intercity bus ~£25-30 or self-drive fuel ~£15
🛏Guesthouse or backpackers in Oudtshoorn (dorm ~£16, private ~£40)
- →Scenic Route 62 drive (if self-driving)
- →Cango Caves guided tour (~£8-12)
- →Oudtshoorn town & ostrich farm area
Route 62 to Tsitsikamma & Plettenberg Bay
Tsitsikamma / Plettenberg Bay
Head south to the coast. Stop at Bloukrans Bridge (the world's highest commercial bungy, ~£60 — or just watch) and at Tsitsikamma National Park to walk the Storms River Mouth suspension bridges (park entry ~£8). Continue to Plettenberg Bay, detouring into Knysna for a lagoon-side lunch and an optional oyster tasting (~£8). Base yourself in Plett or nearby Knysna for two nights.
🚌Self-drive (fuel ~£12) or shuttle bus segment ~£15
🛏Backpackers lodge or guesthouse in Plettenberg Bay / Knysna (dorm ~£16, private ~£45)
- →Bloukrans Bridge bungy jump (optional ~£60)
- →Tsitsikamma National Park & Storms River Mouth (~£8)
- →Knysna lagoon & oyster tasting (~£8)
Marine safari — whales & dolphins
Plettenberg Bay
Morning at leisure on the beach at Robberg or Plettenberg Bay. In the afternoon, join an ocean safari boat trip from Plett Central Beach — book directly with a local operator or via GetYourGuide (~£45-60 for 2 hours). Depending on the season you may see southern right whales (Jun-Nov), humpback whales, bottlenose dolphins and Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, plus seals and occasional penguins.
🚌Local walking / Uber (~£5)
🛏Backpackers lodge or guesthouse in Plettenberg Bay / Knysna
- →Ocean safari whale & dolphin boat trip (~£50)
- →Robberg Peninsula beach time / optional hike (~£3 reserve entry)
To the Eastern Cape bush — evening game drive
Kariega / Eastern Cape private reserve
Transfer east toward Port Elizabeth / the Eastern Cape (~4 hours). A shared shuttle or the Baz Bus route runs this stretch; otherwise self-drive. Book two nights at a budget-friendly private reserve or a lodge near Addo / Kariega — many small private reserves offer a two-night package with game drives included (~£120-180 per person per night, all meals and drives included). Settle in with lunch, then head out on your first evening game drive with a ranger and a sundowner in the bush.
🚌Shared shuttle / Baz Bus ~£30 or self-drive fuel ~£18
🛏Private game reserve lodge or safari camp, Eastern Cape (2-night package from ~£150 pp/night incl. meals & drives)
- →Transfer to Eastern Cape reserve
- →Evening game drive
- →Sundowners in the bush
Morning & afternoon game drives
Kariega / Eastern Cape private reserve
Rise early for coffee and a morning game drive or river cruise — the best time to spot lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and giraffe. Return for a late breakfast, then relax by the pool, take a guided bush walk or a spa treatment (extra). After lunch, head out again for an evening drive and sundowners, then a farewell dinner at the lodge.
🚌Included in reserve package
🛏Private game reserve lodge or safari camp, Eastern Cape (included in 2-night package)
- →Morning game drive / river cruise
- →Guided bush walk
- →Afternoon game drive & sundowners
Departure from the Eastern Cape
Eastern Cape / Port Elizabeth
After breakfast, make your way to Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) airport or bus station for your onward journey — around 1h 30m to 1h 45m by road. Shared shuttle ~£15-20, or drive yourself and return the hire car. If you have time, Addo Elephant National Park (just outside PE) is a brilliant add-on day.
🚌Shared shuttle to Port Elizabeth ~£15-20 or self-drive fuel ~£10
🛏N/A — departure day
- →Transfer to Port Elizabeth
- →Optional Addo Elephant National Park add-on (~£8 entry)
Self-launched vs. Exodus
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Exodus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,180 | £6,700 |
| Duration | 11 days | 11 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £5,520 per person (82%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Exodus-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,180
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Best of the Garden Route — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,180 per person for 11 days in South Africa — Cape Town to the Garden Route & Eastern Cape. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Exodus?+
Yes — Exodus charges around £6,700 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,180 — a saving of roughly £5,520 (82%) per person.
How long is the South Africa — Cape Town to the Garden Route & Eastern Cape trip?+
This itinerary runs 11 days, covering 11 day-by-day stops through South Africa — Cape Town to the Garden Route & Eastern Cape.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, foodie trip through South Africa — Cape Town to the Garden Route & Eastern Cape, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
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