The Garden Route is the perfect add on to a Cape Town holiday. This scenic coastal road is known for the dramatic landscapes while driving along the Indic Ocean. It is famous for locals and tourists alike who want to get out of the buzz and enjoy some nature oriented days. If you have limited days for the drive, here’s the ultimate 4 day Garden Route road trip.
The name Garden Route comes from the great variety of vegetation, lagoons and lakes in the area.
4 day garden route road trip
Day 1: Cape Town – Oudtshoorn
Start the day driving from Cape Town to Oudtshoorn. On your way you have to stop at Ronnies sex shop, a restaurant on the road that has become quite famous. Ronnie had a shop, Ronnies shop, and someone wrote Ronnies Sex shop, making it locally famous.
On arrival to Oudtshoorn leave your bags and head out quickly, as you want to spend the last hours driving the Swartberg pass. I’ve driven a bunch of mountain passes but this one is quite phenomenal. You will need a 4×4 to access it. You can drive either all the way and then back (depending on the time of the day) or just to the highest point to see the mountain from both sides.
Day 2: Oudtshoorn – Tstitsikamma – Plettenberg Bay
Start the day by visiting the UNESCO Cango Caves. There are two visits available: classic tour or adventure. Definitively go for the adventure. The caves are very big and pretty, but the best part was no doubt the adventure. You will walk along very thing corridors, have to almost walk on your fours cause the ceiling is very low and at the end you will have to go down a rock toboggan.
We did it with my family when they were visiting, and my mum decided to not do the last bit with the toboggan. The tour can be followed without much hassle if you are fit/healthy.
Drive next to Tsitsikamma, with a detour to go through Nature’s Valley. There are tall trees in that area of the forest – trees that start about 15m below you and go way higher than road level. I’ve always been more of a mountain lover rather than beach one, so that scenery really impressed me.
After the little detour it was time to get to the Bloukrans bridge. The bridge is 216m high, and that’s from where you can bungee jump. It was more scary/anxious the fact to be waiting at the restaurant before our scheduled time than the actual jump. Being in the bridge itself is funny – the staff is smiling and cracking jokes all the time and there are tunes banging the speakers. The only moment you get scared is when you’re actually left at the edge of the bridge. Later on you hear “3,2,1, bungy” and you jump – there’s really no time to be scared, you don’t have time!
And after you jump, you have tunnel vision for the free fall (about 7s) and then you’re being pulled up by the rope and it’s exhilarating. I always said: I’m never bungee jumping. I want to do skydive but not bungee. And then I skydived and decided that I wanted to do bungee jump. And I was sp sure I wouldn’t want to repeat… Well, I know I’ll do it again one day now. Adrenaline junkie!
If you don’t want to jump you can continue to Tsitsikamma National Park. The park has a lodge and restaurant, as well as different hiking routes. The most visited attraction is the suspension bridge. There are actually 3 of them that you can walk in less than 30minutes from the restaurant.
When you are done drive back to Plettenberg Bay where you can stay at the coziest guest house, called Lala Panzi, the owners are lovely and helpful. Do not stay in, go out for dinner, there’s a main road full of restaurants.
Day 3 Plettenberg bay – Knysna
On the road again, go to to Knysna Lookouts. The lookouts are on the point of land closest to the ocean, so you can see the point where the ocean created the famous Knysna lagoon. When you are done go to the Knysna waterfront where you can walk around and check different types of shops.
The next stop is Wilderness, a charming small village with some restaurants. Have lunch in one of them and then you can either sleep in Knysna or George. It all depends on how long do you want to drive the next day.
Day 4: Knysna/George – Cape Town
Last journey of this 4 day garden route road trip starts with a long drive. Drive back to Cape Town.
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Now that my official one year anniversary of living here is around the corner, I wanted to make a post about some incredible things to do in Cape Town. I first came here for an internship and, before I officially moved, came back for some other shorter periods, a couple of months at a time. It is clear through my actions that I love this city and below are just some of the best attractions and activities that you should consider when you visit the mother city.
1. Table Mountain
Table Mountain is the jewel of the Crown (that is, Cape Town ?). The mountain overlooks the city and creates so much charisma? that everyone living in or visiting the mother city uses it to orient themselves.
During your stay in the city, you have to go when there is no “tablecloth” covering the top (which happens often enough). If you like hiking there are a couple of amazing routes starting from Theresa Ave in Camps Bay. My favourite one is Kastelpoort and will take you about 1h40 to get to the top. From there, there is at least another 1hour “flat” walk to the cable car. Around the cable car you will find paths and platforms to walk and you might even meet the Dassies, little animals that look like cuter rats but descend from the same species as elephants!! If you are up for the hike I would highly recommend hiking in the morning and bringing some lunch to stay up there and watch the sunset, coming down with the last Cable Car.
2. Enjoy sunset from any of the city’s rooftops
Cape Town and all its neighbourhoods have some very interesting places to enjoy a spectacular sunset. If you want to find 5 of the best spots for sunset in Cape Town you can read more here.
3. Chapman’s peak drive
Arguably one of the prettiest drives in the entire world, this drive is close to the centre of Cape Town. There are different lookouts to stop and enjoy the views and you should definitely stop at each of them. If you have time, there are a couple hikes as well. Keep in mind that the road is closed due to rocks falling or for bad weather from time to time, so you might drive there and not be able to drive the road. There’s a facebook page where you can check for updates.
4. Walk around the Bo-Kaap
Bo-Kaap means “above the Cape” in Afrikaans. It is the name of the most colourful neighbourhood in Cape Town. It is known incorrectly as “Cape Malay”, because in the 1700’s criminals and slaves were sent from India, Sri Lanka or Malaysia. Today it showcases the oldest Mosque in South Africa and vivid colours on its facades.
5. Shop in the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront
The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront is the harbour area and you can walk around while checking out different malls, shops and markets. It is a great spot to buy South African products.
6. Blue peter’s drink and stroll in Blouberg strand beach
One of the iconic beaches of the Cape, where you can see Cape Town and Table Mountain from a distance. The beach is endless and a perfect spot for a walk that you can finish up with a drink and some tasty food at Blue Peter’s restaurant.
7. Marvel at the beautiful Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
Walk around the magnificent gardens of Kirstenbosch. There are different areas and the treetop canopy tour. If you are around the city in Summer (November to February) check out the Kirstenbosch Summer Concerts for a great evening of music.
8. Cape Point day tour
Go to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve to see the spot where most people think the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet (but it’s not true!). Go to Simon’s town and Boulder’s Beach where you can see the little penguins. Afterwards go to St James beach to see the coloured houses and finish the day at Kalky’s for the best fish and chips in town.
9. Winelands
The Winelands is the name of the area surrounding Cape Town. It is called this because of, well, wine. You can find thousands of wine estates and hotels in the area. I would suggest visiting at least 2 or 3 different wineries to get a feel for the different landscapes and various wines.
My favourite one to start with is Babylonstoren because they have an incredible garden where all their fresh produce comes from.
Drive to Boschendal for another wine tasting and head to Franschoek for that small town feel. If you don’t want to drive, there’s the option of taking the “Wine Tram” which will take you to different venues (but the wine is not included in the ticket price!).
If you like art, go to Stellenbosch and check all the antiquities shops around.
10. Canter on the beach of Noordhoek
One of the most incredible things to do in Cape Town is to go for a horse ride at Noordhoek beach. You can enjoy a nice ride on an endless beach with amazing views of the ocean.
11. Do a Woodstock grafitti tour
One of my personal favourite things to do is to checkout the graffiti scattered on the walls around Woodstock neighbourhood. On my way back from work I drive past some of the most amazing ones, here are some examples. You can book half day tours to drive around the neighbourhood (if you don’t know where they are you might not find them on your own).
12. Take a mini taxi
The white vans along main roads, make sure you ask a local first and know where you are going. It is a different experience that scared me the first couple of times but has since become my way to move around the city and I am very comfortable with it.
Disclaimer: it is not for the faint of heart, as they drive like maniacs. If you are new to the city and don’t know anyone I wouldn’t recommend you jump on one without a friend (for the first time experience).
Planning your own trip to Cape Town? Save this list of incredible things to do in Cape Town for the future!
Have you been dreaming about a treehouse in the bush? Say no more! Today I’m bringing you the review of this beautiful lodge in the Kruger National Park.
Set in the Klaserie Private Concession sharing unfenced borders with the Kruger National Park, Nthambo tree camp is the place of wildest dreams for all of you treehouse and wildlife enthusiasts.
This lodge has a rustic style, is intimate and it is mostly made from canvas tents and wooden decks.
Quick facts:
Good for: families, couples, friends
Starting from: 4775 ZAR per person per night (253,60€)
Location: Klaserie private reserve, National Park Kruger, South Africa
Arriving at Nthambo Tree Camp
nThambo Tree Camp is located inside a private concession in the Kruger National Park in South Africa. It’s closest airport is Hoedspruit Airport (HDS). Flights to the airport are expensive, so you can choose to arrive in Johannesburg and get a shuttle bus or hire a car to drive. You can access the lodge with the private car or transfer.
The drive from Hoedspruit to the lodge will take around 30 minutes. If you drive from Johannesburg, the drive will take around 5-6h.
First impressions of nThambo Tree Camp
The general manager sat us down with a fresh glass of juice in our hands and ran over the camp’s logistics, rules and considerations.
The main area comprises a living room with a bar, the outside wooden deck with some hammoqs and a little plunge pool. there’s always a big communal table for dining and a curio shop.
Treehouses in the Kruger: nThambo Tree Camp
The rooms are elevated on top of wooden decks, creating the feeling of treehouses in the bush. Each room has a double bed with mosquito net, ensuite bathroom, a desk, chair and closet.
The sides of the chalet are canvas tent, while the floor is wooden and there’s thatched roof. There is also a fan inside as well as two little stools to put your bags on top.
The lodge has 5 chalets, two on one side and three on the other. They have recently added a two bedroom chalet for families.
Food and drinks at nThambo
Like most lodges in the private concessions of the Kruger national park, the rate includes full board with activities. All our meals were catered for and the food was varied and tasty.
Every day they provide coffee, tea and rusks before the morning game drive. During the drive there will be a coffee/hot chocolate stop. On arrival back at the lodge there’s a hot breakfast.
Lunch is served around 2pm and there are sundowner drinks and snacks offered in the evening game drive while the sun is setting. Dinner is also served at the communal table.
Wildlife activities at Nthambo
1. Game viewing
We visited with my family during dry season, South African winter (from June to October). The leaves have fallen from most trees which makes it easier to spot the animals. It is also the high season for safari in South Africa.
They have a traverse area shared with other 4 lodges. Game viewing was amazing during our two night stay. We saw the big 5, plain games and were lucky enough to see a pack of wild dogs fighting with a hyena – a once in a lifetime experience!
The vehicle is an open safari vehicle 4×4, with 3 rows of 3, the driver, co-pilot and the tracker in the front. The seats are padded and comfortable. There is a blanket for you to cover yourself when it’s cold in the mornings and evenings, and there is also a rain jacket in a pocket in front of your seat in case of rain.
There is only one vehicle at this camp, so if the camp is full then the car will be too. Some other lodges limit the number of people to 6 so you all have a “window” seat.
2. Bush Walks
They offer Bush walks as part of their rate. Bush walks are walks around the camp area which last usually for 1 hour. They include an armed guard and the guide, just as a preventive measure.
It was an amazing experience and it let’s one focus so much more on little things like footprints and different types of poop (for real).
What makes this camp Eco friendly?
Nthambo tree Camp is implementing different policies day by day to strive to be an eco-friendly camp. The waste is separated and recycled, there are no more plastic bags: the food is delivered in boxes and they have paper bags for souvenirs.
They run on solar power and a generator using diesel. They are bringing new batteries for the solar to be able to store more energy. The generator runs on diesel during game drives to not disturb (it is a bit noisy) and also because if they wouldn’t, the battery wouldn’t last for the full camp during the night.
What I loved the most
Tree houses – DUH.
Of course when I picked my safari accommodation early last year I already knew I was going for the tree houses. If you want to complement your treehouse bush experience with an outside of Cape Town tree house head over here.
What could be improved
The only improvement I would point out is that at breakfast they don’t ask about how do you want your eggs done, and every day it is different. Eggs are a very particular taste (at least to many of us!), so not having an option felt like a waste of food.
Have you ever stayed in a unique accommodation? For more inspiration check Sweet Dreams
The first sight of a running impala, the slow motion gallop of a giraffe or a family of zebras crossing the road. Safaris are one of the most exquisite activities we can experience in the bush. There are different ways to experience a safari, and staying on a South African private concession lodge is my favourite of them all (so far!).
What are private concessions in South Africa?
Private concessions are parts of National Parks that are rented out from the government. They are privately owned or leased.
What are the advantages of staying in a South African private concession lodge?
There are fewer cars in the traverse (Traverse: area in which one or more lodges have the right to drive for the safaris). That means that you will barely see any other cars while on your game drive. There is a 2 car (maximum of 3) rule for sightings: If there are 5 different cars in the area, and one finds a group of animals they will communicate over the walkie talkie.
Only two cars (maximum of three for special sightings or occasions) will be allowed, compared to sometimes 10 cars in the public areas. That ensures good sightings and sparser crowds. It is also possible to do game drives during sunset – after 6 pm – the public area of the park closes gates at 6 after which game drives are not allowed.
My favourite advantage of staying at a private concession is the right to go bundu bashing or leave the regular paths to follow an animal. By doing that you get close to skittish animals like cats, who won’t be next to the roads the majority of time.
What’s included in the private concession lodge rate
Lodges in private concessions generally operate on a full board basis. The rate includes 2 game drives per day, all food and accommodation. Some lodges also include a selection of alcoholic drinks in their rate. If they have qualified staff, they might offer other optional activities like walking safaris or bush walks – it depends on the lodge.
Your typical day at a South African private concession lodge
05:30 Wake Up Call and Quick Coffee
Your guide/tracker will knock on your room to wake you up. You have half an hour to get out of bed, get dressed and head to the main area, where some coffee and tea will be supplied to help wake you up.
06:00 Morning Game Drive
Start your morning safari and head to the bush to find the early risers. The safari will usually take 2:30 to 3 hours and might include a coffee/tea/hot chocolate stop with rusks (hard biscuits that you dunk in the coffee).
09:30 Breakfast
After all that adventure sit down for a proper breakfast (hot and cold options available).
10:00 Free time or optional activities
If optional activities like bush walks are offered, this will be the time to do them. They usually last about an hour and include learning about footprints, dung, smaller animals and local plants. You might run into some larger animals as well. After that take your time to relax by the pool, have a nap or read a book.
13:30 – 14:00 Lunch time
Have a meal and some more free time before your next game drive
15:30 Afternoon game drive
Depart one more time for an exciting drive trying to find the famous Big 5: lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino. When the sun is setting, and the sky turns red and pink you will stop in another beautiful location to have snacks and a glass of wine, a beer or whatever your preferred drink is!
19:00 Dinner and free time
End your day chatting around the boma (fire pit outdoor area) about all the day’s sightings and share the last meal. At this point your day is over and you can stay up and talk all night or go to bed and get ready for the next day.
The next day: the adventure repeats itself!
*Spoiler alert: after being on safari several times in a South African private concession lodge , I can say it is not an activity one can get tired of (but it is tiring!)
Planning a 10 day itinerary in Uganda and Rwanda is possible without the help of a tour operator. Both countries are very big and distances between destinations are long. After careful research of lodges, activities and available days, this is the perfect 10 day itinerary that I created.
During the planning stage the most important thing was to narrow down the points to visit and create a route based on available days, considering driving distances and the necessary budget.
Quick facts to consider before you start planning:
Entry country and visas. We flew to Rwanda to cross to Uganda and then back to Rwanda. For that we obtained the East African visa to have multiple entries. It takes a full page of your passport.
Your points of interest. Ours were the gorillas and the lakes for relaxation. If you want to check the chimpanzees out you will have to include the north of Uganda too.
Keep in mind that even backpackers are expensive and in some areas, there is no such thing as hostel accommodation – the average price per night per room was approx.150 USD between the two of us.
Both countries are very safe. We asked our lodges or drivers about the safety of the areas on arrival but could walk anywhere safely.
It is possible to rent a car, but the roads are very rough and bumpy, and some don’t appear on GPS. It’s better to have an old-fashioned map.
What’re the must visits in Uganda: gorillas, lake mutanda.
What’re the must visits in Rwanda: Kigali, gorillas, lake Kivu.
The weather year round is pleasant with temperatures averaging 20-27ºC. The rainy season falls in October-November and April-May. The countries are close to the equator, so it is usually quite humid.
They are both in malaria risk areas, so a treatment for malaria should be considered.
How to plan the perfect 10 day itinerary in Uganda and Rwanda
Day 1. Kigali to Bwindi by road
If your focuses are the gorillas and the lakes in Uganda, it’s better to land in Kigali (Rwanda) as it’s closest to the Bwindi forest. We landed at 6am and had a private transfer waiting for us. The drive takes about 5hours and it is tar road until the end, where it becomes bumpy and gravel road. You need a 4×4 vehicle.
We stayed at Bwindi Backpackers. On arrival our room category had been upgraded and the food was very good. The lodge had beautiful views over the Bwindi National Park.
Day 2: Waterfall hike in Bwindi
There are different activities offered from the lodge that you can do, but they all require you to pay. I was quite surprised to see even hikes had to be done with a guide (as I like to hike on my own a lot). They also require (at least in the Bwindi surrounding area) to hike with an armed guard in case you encounter forest elephants or other wildlife. The prices ranged from 15 USD pp to 60 USD pp.
We chose to do a 3h-4h waterfall hike. The first advice I’ve got for you: you do need the stick. It is not a hard hike at all, but the area of Bwindi is slippery and lush – the stick saved my ass from hitting the floor a couple times. The hike was stunning, went through fields of fruits and local communities, dense jungle and fenced animals. The waterfall is deep in the jungle and then I understood why you need a local guide. There was no sign or much of a path, and we would have not found it without a guide. The waterfall was about 4 or 5 metres high and unfortunately you cannot swim in it. It was so cool to see this – and a very nice activity for our day.
We felt very safe from day one in the country. The kids in small villages would call us Mzungus which is the word for “white person” that the African countries of the great lakes use to refer us. I thought the word was adorable. We saw 5 chameleons during the hike, there is one activity called chameleon track but our guide and armed guide pointed about 5 of them on our way to the waterfall and back. We would have not seen them!
Day 3: one of the best days of my life – gorilla trekking
Gorilla trekking is the most incredible wildlife experience that I’ve had so far. It leaves you speechless. And I would do it again in a heartbeat. The permit is expensive (600USD per person in 2018, Uganda) but contributes to making the forest and surrounding areas habitable for the gorillas.
Overnight at Mutanda Lake Resort. The lodge is right on the shores of Lake Mutanda and has beautiful views. You can read the full review of the stay here.
Day 4: Chilling by lake Mutanda
Once again, most of the activities here either needed a car or a guide. We walked for a good 40 minutes on the main road and went to have a beer at Chameleon Lodge, to change the angle of the spectacular views. Upon returning, we swam in the lake, canoed around the island closest to the lodge’s peninsula and went for a sundowner cruise.
If you have your own car you will be able to drive around and do more, as we found ourselves relying on either walking (distances weren’t close) or hiring a guide/activity. It is a very tranquil environment and a good book will be your best companion before dinner.
Day 5: Lake Bunyonyi
We were transferred from Lake Mutanda to our lodge in Lake Bunyonyi (about 2h30) and spent the day enjoying the views, playing chess on our deck and guess what – we also got a room upgrade (perks of travelling during shoulder season!). The staff at the lodge were just a tiny bit too pushy asking every couple minutes, but the lodge was very nice.
Improvement for the perfect 10 day itinerary in Uganda and Rwanda: If you can find availability for the gorilla permit on day 2, skip the Bwindi area night (waterfall in our case) – you can sleep in Lake Mutanda and do the trek from there, too. Instead enjoy one more day in a lodge in Bunyonyi with views and another one in a hotels on one of the 28 islands in the lake!
Day 6: Long transfer to Gisenyi, Rwanda
Gisenyi is the coastal town with a nice vibe on the shores of Lake Kivu, the volcanic lake that separates DRC and Rwanda. We stayed at a lodge about 10 minutes away from town, in a very tranquil and idyllic setting, with palm trees, private beach and lodge orchard. The friendliness and warm ambience of the lodge staff was over the top – I would recommend it to anyone (full review in progress).
The private beach sunset is amazing and you can order a bottle of wine and your dinner to be served at the beach, picnic mode. The food was extremely good, the pictures don’t do it justice.
Day 7: Activities around Gisenyi
One of the main activities in the area are the hot springs. We took a boat from our lodge to their sister property, Paradise Malahide, and from there kayaked to the hot springs and back. The experience was the weirdest and most uncomfortable experience of my life. On arrival you pay the permit to enter the hot springs. The hot springs are two pools of hot water surrounded by sandbags, where you sit.
Literally two seconds after we sat, two people started giving us a massage. There wasn’t a question at all. We were told this would happen and although it is a bit abrupt it is good. Then we were sort of pushed down to have our entire bodies inside the water (boiling) while we were given the massage. I did not enjoy that at all. If you go, make sure they know you only want a leg and foot massage.
On the way back we stopped at the private island of the lodge owner, right in front of Paradise Malahide. It is a little nice island that can be rented for a romantic lunch or dinner.
Later on that day, we took the moto taxis (boda-boda) to go to town and walked around for a bit. It is not a touristy town at all, and people seemed surprised to see us walk without really knowing where we were going, but it was completely safe.
We got back with a couple boda boda’s, ordered food and enjoyed another spectacular sunset on the little private beach.
We took a boda boda to the town’s bus station and took our bus to Kigali. We did not have tickets, bought them there at the station right before we boarded. They bus timetables are very reliable and I would use bus transport in Rwanda again any day. From the bus stop to our hotel in Kigali we took a tuk tuk. We stayed at Urban Blue Hotel Kigali and the views from the rooftop restaurant and bar are one of the best in the city.
We went to “Heaven”, another restaurant well known for its views and food, and found the views almost non-existent and the food overpriced for the quantity, but it was tasty. It is very much a tourist spot. We walked around the city without any concern for our safety.
Day 8: Kigali day tour – with boda boda
With one day in the capital there’s enough time to check the main attractions. We started visiting the famous hotel Mille des Colines where the film Hotel Rwanda was filmed. It was a little disappointing, as it is only a hotel and there is no theme around the movie. Then we went to the genocide memorial and learnt about the tragic and very recent story of the country’s genocide, and how much effort they have gone through to prosper after that. We took another boda boda to “Now Now Rolex” and tried the typical street food (rolled pastry with fried eggs, tomatoes and chips inside). End your day with a visit to Kimironko market, full of souvenirs, food, and everything else in between.
Interested in doing this perfect 10 day itinerary in Uganda and Rwanda? Pin it for later!
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9. Winelands
