2024/5 Magical Garden Route Tour

Duration of tour – 14 days (13 nights) and 12 days bike rental

Rating: Easy going asphalt roads only

Your Magical Garden Route Tour will start and end in Cape Town. Cape Town, also known as the Mother City, will always make you feel at home as the cosmopolitan vibe of the city encapsulates you. The colonial influences and sheer beauty of the Western Cape will blow you away and let you forget that you are in Africa. Participating in the Garden Route tour you will experience an enjoyable balance between the riding and having a vacation. We have tried to fine tune the days in such a way that you get enough of both worlds whilst exploring South Africa’s coastline and getting to know all about its cultural diversities and natural beauty.

We have set aside a few days to explore the ins and outs of Cape Town and its surroundings as this truly cosmopolitan city has a variety of activities and vistas to spoil us with. From Table Mountain your travels will take you to the southern-most tip of Africa, Cape Agulhas. We do so via Hermanus regarded by many as South Africa’s top whale watching mecca. Traveling in an easterly direction we explore the Garden Route and en route we cross the Bloukrans Bridge, home to the highest commercial bungee jump operation (216m) in the world. Soon after departing the Garden Route, we arrive in the Eastern Cape Province with Port Elizabeth, originally home to the 1820 British Settlers, being the capital city. We go on a game drive (optional) to look for the Big 5 – lion, elephant, rhino, leopard and buffalo – in the Addo National Elephant Park and thereafter we journey inland to Graaff-Reinet, capital of the Great Karoo, a vast semi-arid region. Once we have departed Graaff Reinet, our next stop is Oudtshoorn, ostrich capital of the world. Here we learn more about these big birds and also explores the world renowned Cango Caves and Klein Karoo. We head back to the heartland of the wine lands via Route 62, said to be the longest wine route in the world and travel along the northern slopes of the Langeberge Mountain Range before we reach Stellenbosch, South Africa’s second oldest town.

Our Magical Garden Route Experience comes to an end after traveling some of the best routes in South Africa during the last 14 days. Each of us should use the time to reflect on the experiences we have lived and some of the memories that we will treasure to share with friends and loved ones as we head back home.

Distance to be covered: Total 2860 km and 260 km per day approximately

Itinerary:

• Day 1 – Arrive in Cape Town
• Day 2 – Explore Cape Town city and surrounds all the way to the Cape of Good Hope (150km)
• Day 3 – Ride to Cape Agulhas via Hermanus following the scenic False Bay coastline aka Clarence Drive (310km)
• Day 4 – Follow the Overberg back roads to Mossel Bay where we arrive at the start of the Garden Route (320km)
• Day 5 – Enjoy a leisurely detour over the Outeniqua mountains to George and finally Knysa (200km)
• Day 6 – Ride to Addo along the Tsitsikamma coast and stop at the bungee jumping (350km)
• Day 7 – Enjoy a full day relaxing jeep safari in Addo Elephant Park (000km)
• Day 8 – Soak up the vastness of the Great Karoo as we ride to Graaff Reinet and visit Valley of Desolation (360km)
• Day 9 – Enjoy more of the Karoo wide open space as we ride to De Rust via Meirings Poort (435km)
• Day 10 – Its a short, yet relaxing ride to Oudtshoorn where we visit the Cango Caves and ostrich show farm (100km)
• Day 11 – Journey to Robertson along Route 62 and stop at Ronnie’s Sex Shop and Barrydale (320km)
• Day 12 – Ride to Franschhoek and enjoy some of the Cape Winelands mountain passes (200km)
• Day 13 – From Franschhoek we stop in Stellenbosch before making our way to Cape Town (200km)
• Day 14 – Enjoy a relaxing day in Cape Town before heading back home

Important information about the above rates:

• The rate quoted above is a net rate based on a minimum of six participants. Swartberg Biking reserves the right to cancel any tour if we have not received bookings for the minimum number of participants.
• The above rates are subject to change if any unforeseeable price increase or currency exchange rate occurs.
• The rates quoted above exclude the use of a support vehicle on the above package.

Swartberg Biking Motorcycle Tours is a registered tour operator affiliated with the Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (www.satsa.co.za) and insured with Safari and Tourism Insurance Brokers (www.satib.co.za).

Swartberg Biking is a proud partner in the 2024 Rhino Ride awareness campaign, supporting conservation efforts across Southern Africa.