Compare Wild Kruger Camping by Intrepid Travel vs The Garden Route tour - 7 days by Encounters Travel

Day 1 Johannesburg/Kruger National Park

Sawubona! Welcome to South Africa. Your Kruger Short Break starts very early this morning to get you to Kruger for a late lunch. If staying at the Holiday Inn Rosebank, you will be picked up at 6am. If you are staying at alternate hotel in Rosebank (and you advised us prior to departure) you will be picked up from 5:30am onwards and you must be in your Hotel Lobby at 5:30am. If your hotel is not in Rosebank area, then please find your way to Holiday Inn Rosebank in time for the 6 am pick-up and kindly advise us in advance. We depart Johannesburg, the 'City of Gold' and head off on an adventure of a lifetime. A truly unique African experience unfolds as we enter the Greater Kruger National Park ecosystem arriving at our campsite in time for lunch (570 km, approx 8-9 hours travel time including stops along the way). One of the largest game reserves in Southern Africa, Kruger National Park is home to over 500 bird species, 100 species of reptile and 150 mammal species, including the Big Five and the endangered African wild dog. Our base camp for the next 3 nights is on the edge of the Kruger National park. After some time to settle in, head off on a 3 hour afternoon game drive in open 4x4 vehicles in a private game reserve. Enjoy the thrill of spotting a impala, zebra, giraffe or lion, among other animals. Here you're likely to see any of the species that one may encounter in Kruger, since there are no boundary fences between the reserve and Kruger itself. Mid way through the safari stop for drinks at one of the waterholes before continuing the game drive into the early evening. While at our base camp, we camp in pre-erected 2 man Dome tents. A camp bed and sleeping mat will be provided. However you will be required to bring your own sleeping bag, pillow and sleep sheet if you require one. Please ask your booking agent about how you can book a sleeping bag for use on the ground. Campsite facilities include hot and cold showers with flushing toilets. You will also have access to the neighbouring lodge facilities such as swimming pool and bar.

Day 2 Greater Kruger National Park

After an early rise we depart our camp and enter the gates of the world renowned Kruger National Park. Our game drive takes us on one of the better game drive routes within the park, giving us the opportunity to view the varied landscapes, ecosystems and abundant wildlife that is unique to Kruger National Park. The entire day is spent game viewing, bird watching and stopping off at the various waterholes. You will take a break for lunch at one of the parks lunch spots along the way before continuing our Safari experience. Kruger National Park is reputed to have the continent's greatest variety of animals and its sprawling stretch of savanna offers one of the best safari experiences in Africa. After an exciting day’s game viewing head back to base camp to enjoy an evening of tranquility around the campfire.

Day 3 Greater Kruger National Park

Spend another entire day game viewing for a chance to catch the most elusive animals before heading back to camp for the night.

Day 4 Greater Kruger National Park/Johannesburg

Transfer back to Johannesburg (600 km, approx 9-10 hrs). There's plenty of time to stop and explore along the way. Take in amazing views at the viewpoint over the awesome Blyde River Canyon and view the Three Rondavels. On arrival in Jo'burg you can be dropped at the airport or any nominated Johannesburg hotel. No accommodation is provided for tonight, but we are able to book you additional accommodation in Johannesburg. Please ask at time of booking. Please don't book any international flights until after 10pm this evening.

Day 1 : Arrive in Cape Town Your tour starts with your arrival at Cape Town International Airport, from where you are transferred to your accommodation. This will be in the form of either a comfortable, high-quality backpacker lodge, or a more luxurious deluxe guesthouse or boutique hotel, depending on your choice. You will be free to spend the rest of the day, as well as the next day, exploring Cape Town on your own. Included activities: Airport transfer Approximate driving time: /- 30 minutes, 25 km | OVERNIGHT: Cape Town Backpackers or Deluxe Guesthouse | EXTRAS: Extra day in Cape Town - pre-tour Day 2 : Free Day in Cape Town Today is your chance to experience the sights and sounds of Cape Town, the famous Mother City. Home to many important historical landmarks, as well some gorgeous natural sites, Cape Town has so much to offer. Table Mountain, Signal Hill, Robben Island, Hout Bay, Camps Bay, Clifton Beach, the V&A Waterfront, Constantia… your day will be action-packed and memorable! We recommend booking a tour on the city sightseeing bus; alternatively, you can try out a Cape Peninsula Tour or Cape Winelands Tour. We can assist with booking these. Optional Activities: Group Cape Winelands day tour, From R 880 per person, Group Cape Peninsula day tour, From R 1100 per person | OVERNIGHT: Cape Town Backpackers or Deluxe Guesthouse | MEALS: Breakfast Day 3 : Cape Coast- Hermanus, Betties Bay, Cape Agulhas, Shark Cage Diving Day 3 of the tour is spent along the scenic Cape coastline. We depart Cape Town early, heading towards Hermanus. Guests who have chosen to do the shark cage diving activity depart separately and join up with the rest of the group later in the day. En-route to Hermanus, we make a stop at Betties Bay, where a marvelous sight awaits us: a colony of endangered African penguins. When we reach Hermanus, we are able to explore the charming seaside town’s shops and restaurants. We may also be able to see the famous Southern Right Whales, if we visit during the whale season (July to November). We then continue onto out next stop: Cape Agulhas. This is the southernmost point of the African continent, and is also where we can see the famous meeting place of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. Included activities: Penguins at Betties Bay Optional activities: Shark cage diving - R2550, Whale watching boat trip (in season, July - November) - R900 Travel route, distance & time: Cape Town – Hermanus – Cape Agulhas: /- 249km /- 3hours | OVERNIGHT: L'Agulhas Backpackers or Deluxe Guesthouse | MEALS: Breakfast, Dinner Day 4 : Wine Tasting and Cango Caves Tour Today we travel along a famous route in South Africa: Route 62, the longest wine route in the country. This area is famous for its wine production, and we stop off a local winery for a chance to experience a wine-tasting, along with our lunch. We then visit a truly spectacular place: the legendary Cango Caves. These underground caverns feature breathtaking stalactite and stalagmite formations, and a guided adventure tour gives us the ultimate Cango Caves experience. Included activities: Local wine tasting, Cango Caves tour Travel route, distance & time: Cape Agulhas – Route 62 – Oudtshoorn: /- 330km /- 4 hours | OVERNIGHT: Oudtshoorn Backpackers or Deluxe Guesthouse | MEALS: Breakfast, Dinner Day 5 : Wilderness National Park and Knysna We have an adventurous and exciting day ahead of us today. We begin by crossing the magnificent Outeniqua Mountain Pass into Wilderness National Park. We explore this beautiful landscape in a unique way- by paddling down the Touw River in canoes. This is a truly enchanting way to experience the beauty of the park, and our journey takes us through the forest, which is abundant with life. After our boating excursion, we enjoy a short 2km hike to a lovely waterfall and rock pool area. We then leave the park and head for the well-known town of Knysna. The restaurants and shops give us a chance to refuel and explore, before we visit the Knysna Heads viewpoint, where we are treated to stunning views of the Knysna River estuary and Indian Ocean. We then depart for the town of Sedgefield, our overnight stop, where the pristine beaches are a lovely place to end the day. Included activities: Canoeing and hiking in Wilderness National Park Travel route, distance & time: Oudtshoorn – Wilderness – Knysna – Sedgefield: /- 144 km /- 2 hrs | OVERNIGHT: Sedgefield Backpackers or Deluxe Guesthouse | MEALS: Breakfast, Dinner Day 6 : Tsitsikamma National Park and Bloukrans Bridge Bungee Jump Our destination today is Tsitsikamma National Park. En-route, we stop at the world-famous Bloukrans Bridge, the site of the highest bungee jump in the world. While the thrill-seekers in the group enjoy this must-do experience, the rest of us continue onwards to the park. Tsitsikamma National Park’s delightful combination of forest and unspoiled coastline provides a variety of activities for all. Go hiking and swimming, and cross an awesome suspension bridge across a river mouth. In the afternoon, we depart and head towards Addo. Included activities: Entrance to Tsitsikamma National Park Optional activities: 216 M Bloukrans bungee jump - R1350, Treetop canopy tour - R660 Travel route, distance & time: Sedgefield – Tsitsikamma – Addo area: /- 320km /- 4.5 hours | OVERNIGHT: Addo Backpackers or Deluxe Guesthouse | MEALS: Breakfast, Dinner Day 7 : Safari in Addo Elephant National Park, Transfer to Port Elizabeth Today is the last day of the tour, and what better way to spend it than on safari? We spend the morning exploring the vast wilderness of Addo Elephant National Park, home to an incredible diversity of wildlife species. The park is true to its name, and houses approximately 600 elephants. Also look out for zebra, kudu, eland, warthog, and, of course, the other members of the famous Big 5. We depart Addo and reach Port Elizabeth in the early afternoon. Those catching international flights will have ample time, as many depart in the early evening. Guests who wish to extend their stay may certainly do so. There is a number of options available- you can book extra nights in PE, at a lodge outside Addo, or even at a private game reserve. Please contact us for more information. Safari extension: If you wish you can also add on as many days as you would like at a private game reserve in the Eastern Cape, with round-trip transport from Port Elizabeth at the end of your tour with us. Please contact us for more information, options and prices. Included activities: Entrance and 2-3 hour drive with tour vehicle through Addo Elephant National Park Optional activities: 2-hour open vehicle game drive with Addo field guide - R390 Travel route, distance & time: Addo – Port Elizabeth: /- 40 km /- 30 minutes | OVERNIGHT: N/A | EXTRAS: Departure airport transfer in Port Elizabeth