6 Day Garden Route & Addo Group Tour
Overview
- Group Tour
- Departs Every Monday
- Starts & Ends In Cape Town
Welcome to your
6 Day Garden Route & Addo Group Adventure Tour
Join us for the road trip of a lifetime! Earthstompers Adventures has been specializing in Garden Route & Addo tours since 2006. Our 6-day group Garden Route Tour from Cape Town is a safe and affordable way to explore the Western Cape, Little Karoo, Whale Route, Addo Elephant National Park and Route 62. Tour the Garden Route while experiencing a good mix of nature, culture and adventure. This trip will give you a taste of some of the best things the spectacular Garden Route has to offer. This tour starts & ends in Cape Town and departs every Monday.
Tour includes:
- Services of a professional tour guide/driver
- Pick up and drop off
- Air-conditioned transport
- 5 nights’ accommodation (backpacker or guesthouse options)
- Klein Karoo Route: Dinners and breakfasts (except Day 4)
- Overberg Route: Dinners and breakfasts (except Day 5)
- Local wine tasting
- Klein Karoo ostrich farm tour
- Canoeing and hiking in Wilderness National Park
- Game viewing safari in Addo Elephant National Park
- Hiking in Tsitsikamma National Park
- Visit to the Southern Tip of Africa, Cape Agulhas
- Entrance to the African Penguin colony at Stony Point
- A community support contribution, to support local charitable projects
Itinerary
Please note that the 6 Day Garden Route group tour can operate in two different orders, as described below. The routes are called the ‘Overberg Route’ and the ‘Klein Karoo Route’. Both routes include the exact same destinations and attractions, but are conducted in a different order to avoid overbooking the accommodation establishments.
Overberg Route
Cape Town – Hermanus – Cape Agulhas
We depart from Cape Town early on Monday morning for Hermanus. We follow the scenic coastal road and stop at Betties Bay to view a colony of endangered African penguins. You can spend the afternoon in the seaside resort town of Hermanus, famous for hundreds of Southern Right Whales during the whale season (July to November) and many shops, restaurants and markets. In the afternoon we will drive on to Cape Agulhas, the most southern tip of Africa, where we visit a viewpoint known as the “real” place where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet.
(Shark cage diving clients will be picked up very early in the morning by the diving operator, and will miss the first half of Day 1 which includes the visit to the African Penguin Colony and Hermanus).
Day 1 highlights
Included meals:
Dinner
Included activities:
Visit to the African penguin colony at Betties Bay
Optional activities:
Shark cage diving
Whale watching boat trip (in season, July – November)
Approximate driving time:
+/- 250 km, +/- 3 hours
Overnight:
Cape Agulhas – Oudtshoorn
We travel to Oudtshoorn in the Little Karoo, known as the Ostrich Capital of the World, via the spectacular Route 62, which is South Africa’s longest wine route. We’ll have a lovely lunch and wine tasting at a local winery, before checking into our accommodation, which is on a working game farm in the Little Karoo. As the sun goes down, we can enjoy a tour of the ostrich farm, taking in the views of the Outeniqua and Swartberg mountain ranges in the background.
Day 2 highlights
Included meals:
Breakfast and dinner
Included activities:
Local wine tasting
Klein Karoo ostrich farm tour
Approximate driving time:
+/- 330km, +/- 4 hours
Overnight:
Oudtshoorn: Chandelier Game Lodge
Both backpackers and guesthouse clients stay in the same location – a working game & ostrich farm. This is a unique location, which isn’t really a backpacker or guesthouse, but we feel is a special experience.
Backpackers stay in the log cabins, whilst guest house clients stay in the glamping tents.
Oudtshoorn – Wilderness – Sedgefield
After breakfast we head over the marvelous Outeniqua Mountain pass where we will explore Wilderness National Park with some canoes. Enjoy a paddle up the Touw River through indigenous forest, enjoying the abundance of bird life. After about 40 minutes, the canoes will be left for a 2 km hike along a boardwalk, which will take us to a lovely waterfall and rock pools. Late afternoon you can spend exploring Sedgefield, with its expansive views and beaches.
Day 3 highlights
Included meals:
Breakfast and dinner
Included activities:
Canoeing and hiking in Wilderness National Park
Optional activities:
None
Approximate driving time:
+/- 145 km, +/- 2 hours
Overnight:
Sedgefield - Knysna - Tsitsikamma - Addo area
Today, we will head to the famous town of Knysna via the lavish Lake District of the Garden Route. We will visit the Knysna Heads viewpoint, for some magnificent views over the Knysna River estuary and the Indian Ocean. After Knysna, we will stop at Bloukrans Bridge to view the world’s highest bungee jump bridge (216 meters). There is plenty of time for the adventure seekers among you to test their courage. Midday will be spent in Tsitsikamma National Park, with its unique combination of indigenous forest and beautiful Indian Ocean coastline. The Park has a wide choice of activities for all, including hiking, crossing a suspension bridge and swimming. In the afternoon, we will leave the Garden Route for Big 5 country, Addo.
Day 4 highlights
Included meals:
Breakfast and dinner
Included activities:
Entrance to Tsitsikamma National Park
Optional activities:
216 M Bloukrans bungee jump
Approximate driving time:
+/- 320km, +/- 4.5 hours
Overnight:
Addo area: Avoca River Cabins
Both backpackers and guesthouse clients stay in the same location – a working citrus farm. This is a unique location, which isn’t really a backpacker or guesthouse, but we feel is a special experience.
Addo – Wilderness/Sedgefield
We will spend the morning exploring Addo Elephant National Park. We will spend up to 2-3 hours exploring the 28,000 hectare National reserve with approximately 600 elephant and some Cape buffalo, lion, black rhino, warthog, zebra, eland, kudu, hartebeest and many more animals. After an exciting morning of game viewing we will drive back to the heart of the Garden Route where we will overnight in Wilderness or Sedgefield.
Day 5 highlights
Included meals:
None
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
Approximate driving time:
+/- 415 km, +/- 5 hours
(Plus game drive time in Addo Elephant National Park)
Overnight:
Wilderness
Backpackers: Fairy Knowe Hotel or Wilderness Beach House Backpackers
Guest House: Moontide Riverside Lodge
Wilderness - Mossel Bay - Cape Town
After breakfast, we will stop in Mossel Bay to spend some time on the spectacular beaches, hike the Cape St. Blaize trail along the cliffs overlooking the Indian Ocean, and visit the famous Diaz Museum complex, commemorating the first known European exploration around the tip of Africa. The more adventurous can try a 10,000 foot tandem skydive or sandboarding on the longest dune in South Africa. We will arrive back to Cape Town in the early evening.
Day 6 highlights
Included meals:
Breakfast
Optional activities:
10,000 foot tandem skydive
Sandboarding the longest dune in South Africa
Ocean Zipline
Approximate driving time:
+/- 450km, +/- 4.5 hours
Tour Map: Overberg Route
Klein Karoo Route
Cape Town – Oudtshoorn
We depart from Cape Town early on Monday morning. Traveling to Oudtshoorn in the Little Karoo, known as the Ostrich Capital of the World, via the spectacular Route 62, which is South Africa’s longest wine route. We will have a lovely lunch and wine tasting at a local winery, before checking into our accommodation, which is on a working game farm in the Little Karoo. As the sun goes down, we can enjoy a tour of the ostrich farm, taking in the views of the Outeniqua and Swartberg mountain ranges in the background.
Day 1 highlights
Included meals:
Dinner
Included activities:
Klein Karoo ostrich farm tour
Local wine tasting
Optional activities:
None
Approximate driving time:
+/- 422km, +/- 5 hours
Overnight:
Oudtshoorn: Chandelier Game Lodge
Both backpackers and guesthouse clients stay in the same location – a working game & ostrich farm. This is a unique location, which isn’t really a backpacker or a guesthouse, but we feel is a special experience. Backpackers stay in the log cabins, whilst guest house clients stay in the glamping tents.
Oudtshoorn – Wilderness – Sedgefield
After breakfast we head over the marvelous Outeniqua Mountain pass where we will explore Wilderness National Park with some canoes. Enjoy a paddle up the Touw River through indigenous forest, enjoying the abundance of bird life. After about 40 minutes, the canoes will be left for a 2 km hike along a boardwalk, which will take us to a lovely waterfall and rock pools. Late afternoon you can spend exploring Sedgefield with its expansive views and beaches.
Day 2 highlights
Included meals:
Breakfast and dinner
Included activities:
Canoeing and hiking in Wilderness National Park
Approximate driving time:
+/- 145 km, +/- 2 hours
Overnight:
Sedgefield
Backpackers: Kamma Kai Beach Villa or Pili Pili Beach Cabanas
Guest House: In Toto Retreat
Sedgefield - Knysna - Tsitsikamma - Addo area
Today, we will head to the famous town of Knysna via the lavish Lake District of the Garden Route. We will visit the Knysna Heads viewpoint, for some magnificent views over the Knysna River estuary and the Indian Ocean. After Knysna, we will stop at Bloukrans Bridge to view the world’s highest bungee jump bridge (216 meters). There is plenty of time for the adventure seekers among you to test their courage. Midday will be spent in Tsitsikamma National Park with its unique combination of indigenous forest and beautiful Indian Ocean coastline. The Park has a wide choice of activities for all, including hiking, crossing a suspension bridge, and swimming. In the afternoon, we will leave the Garden Route for Big 5 country, Addo.
Day 3 highlights
Included meals:
Breakfast and dinner
Included activities:
Entrance to Tsitsikamma National Park
Optional activities:
216 M Bloukrans bungee jump
Approximate driving time:
+/- 320km, +/- 4.5 hours
Overnight:
Addo area: Avoca River Cabins
Both backpackers and guesthouse clients stay in the same location – a working citrus farm. This is a unique location, which isn’t really a backpacker or a guesthouse, but we feel is a special experience.
Addo – Wilderness/Sedgefield
We will spend the morning exploring Addo Elephant National Park. We will spend up to 2-3 hours exploring the 28,000 hectare National reserve with approximately 600 elephant and some Cape buffalo, lion, black rhino, warthog, zebra, eland, kudu, hartebeest and many more animals. After an exciting morning of game viewing we will drive back to the heart of the Garden Route where we will overnight in Wilderness or Sedgefield.
Day 4 highlights
Included meals:
None
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
Approximate driving time:
+/- 415 km, +/- 5 hours
(Plus game drive time in Addo Elephant National Park)
Overnight:
Wilderness Backpackers: Fairy Knowe or Wilderness Beach House
Guest House: Moontide Riverside Lodge
Wilderness - Mossel Bay – Cape Agulhas
After breakfast we will stop in Mossel Bay to spend some time on the spectacular beaches, hike the Cape St. Blaize trail along the cliffs overlooking the Indian Ocean, and visit the famous Diaz Museum complex, commemorating the first known European exploration around the tip of Africa. The more adventurous can try a 10,000 foot tandem skydive or sandboarding on the longest dune-ride in South Africa. In the afternoon we will drive on to Cape Agulhas, the most southern tip of Africa, where we visit a viewpoint known as the “real” place where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet.
Day 5 highlights
Included meals:
Breakfast and Dinner
Included activities:
None
Optional activities:
10,000 foot tandem skydive
Sand boarding the longest dune-ride in South Africa
Ocean Zipline
Cycle (or e-bike) to the Southern Tip of Africa
Approximate driving time:
+/- 340 km, +/- 3.5 hours
Overnight:
Cape Agulhas - Hermanus - Cape Town
We depart from Cape Agulhas after breakfast. We’ll visit the seaside resort town of Hermanus, famous for hundreds of Southern Right Whales during the whale season (July to November) and many shops, restaurants and markets. Our day will finish off on the scenic coastal road, stopping at Betties Bay to view a colony of endangered African penguins. We arrive back in Cape Town in the early evening.
Day 6 highlights
Included meals:
Breakfast
Included activities:
Penguins at Betties Bay
Optional activities:
Whale watching boat trip (in season, July – November), R1220
Shark Cage Diving R3230
Approximate driving time:
Cape Agulhas – Hermanus – Cape Town: +/- 248 km +/- 3 hours
Tour Map: Klein Karoo Route
Pricing
| Prices are per person: | August 2025 – July 2026 | August 2026 – July 2027 |
| Backpacker dorm | R 13000 | R 14250 |
| Backpacker twin/double en suite | R 14600 | R 15450 |
| Backpacker single en suite | R 17100 | R 18750 |
| Guest house twin/double | R 18450 | R 20450 |
| Guest house single | R 22950 | R 25850 |
- Prices quoted are in South African Rand (R).
- Tour is suitable for adults between the ages of 18-65.
- Teens between the ages of 14-18 may join the tour if accompanied by an adult. Please see our private tours for children aged 13 and under.
- Adults older than 65 may be approved to join the group tour on a case-by-case basis with a signed statement of their ability to participate in the active, fast-paced, adventurous nature of the tour.
Frequently Asked Questions
The 5 Day Garden Route Group tour travels one way from Cape Town to Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), whilst the 6 Day Garden Route tour returns to Cape Town. Both tours travel together in the same vehicle, but the 5 day guests will be dropped off in Gqeberha on Friday between 13:00-14:00, whereas the 6 Day guests will continue the journey back to Cape Town.
This is a small group tour, with group sizes ranging from 4-12 people per vehicle.
Ages can range from 18 to 65. We can accept guests as young as 14 on group tours, as long as they are traveling with a parent or legal guardian; and as old as 65, as long as they are fit and healthy enough to enjoy the tour. The average age on tour is 33.
All Earthstompers group tours are conducted in English. If you would like a tour conducted in a different language, please reach out to us about private tour options with specialist language guides.
This is an active tour. It is best suited towards those who like to be on the move, and can comfortably walk, carry luggage, get in and out of the vehicle frequently, etc.
This tour covers a significant distance, allowing you to experience more than 1000kms of the South African coastline! Driving times are generally between 3-5 hours per day, with stops for meals, attractions, restroom breaks, and coffees at the best local spots. Please review the day-by-day itinerary for specific driving times each day.
The vehicles that we will be touring in are fully air-conditioned and can comfortably seat 14 adults including driver/guide. The seats in our 14-seater vans are comparable in size to an airplane seat. All vehicles have valid operating licenses to convey paying customers.
Our group tours follow a set itinerary designed to include as many activities and locations as possible. We offer optional activities most days for those wishing to customize their experience. The overall itinerary is the same for each group tour; should you wish to customize your tour, or travel at a slower pace, we recommend looking at one of our private tour options, which offer complete flexibility.
Backpackers have more of a social vibe, and are better for younger clients looking for a bit of atmosphere. They usually have a bar or bonfire area. Although backpackers offer a budget price, the standard of backpackers in South Africa is generally very high. Guest houses are a more private, quieter, luxurious experience. About 80% of our guests choose to stay in the backpackers and 20% in the guest houses.
Backpackers and guest house clients travel together in the same tour vehicle. On Day 2 & 4 of tour, both backpackers and guest house clients overnight in the same location – a working game farm near Oudtshoorn (Day 2) and a working citrus farm near Addo (Day 4). Backpackers have more basic rooms on the farms, whereas guest house clients have more luxurious rooms. Although we frequently utilize the same accommodation every week, we cannot guarantee that we will stay at a specific location each week, due to availability and group size.
The accommodation will provide all bedding and towels; please pack your own toiletries. A beach towel or a “quick-dry” towel is recommended, for on-the-go swims in the sea!
We are “foodies”, and good food is an important part of our tour. Breakfasts are included every day except Day 5, and typically include fruit, muesli, eggs, toast, yogurt, and cereals. Dinners are also included every day except Day 5, and are traditional South African meals, such as potjie (stew) and braai (barbeque).
Please advise us of any special dietary requirements in advance. We are able to cater for vegetarian and vegan diets, but not strict gluten-free, lactose-free or halal diets. Lunch and drinks are on guests’ own account. Dinners for all clients, including those staying at the guest house, usually take place at the backpackers.
If you are staying outside of our above pickup range, we ask that you meet up with the tour bus on Monday morning as follows:
- Pickup at Bootlegger Coffee Company, 185 Bree St, Cape Town City Centre (closest meeting point for Bloubergstrand or Milnerton)
- Pickup at Vida e Café, 41 Main Rd, Rondebosch (closest meeting point for Hout Bay, Muizenberg or Constantia)
- Pickup at Woolworths Waterstone Village, Corner of R 44 &, Main Road, Somerset West (closest meeting point for Stellenbosch)
Pick up time is generally between 6:00 – 7:30 am in Cape Town and around 8:00 am in Somerset West. We will confirm the specific time and address of your pickup, as well as your guide’s details the weekend before your tour departs. Please allow 15 minutes grace before or after your designated pickup time, as Monday morning Cape Town traffic can be unpredictable!
We will drop you off at the end of tour at the same locations as pick up. 6 Day tours typically return to Cape Town between 5:00 – 8:00 pm on Saturday evening. Please contact us before booking outward flights on Saturday evening, to make sure the flight timing can work.
Please wear clothes that you are comfortable in. This tour includes several hikes and walks, so comfortable shoes are essential. No special hiking boots are needed. A small backpack would be useful on the hike. A rain jacket is a good idea, as well as a sweater or jacket for the cool evenings by the sea. Bring a hat; the African sun can be intense!
If you plan on participating in the early morning Addo game drive, bring a hat & gloves – the open game-viewing vehicle can be quite chilly in winter.
We have space for each passenger to have one suitcase and one “carry-on”-sized piece of luggage – a laptop bag, backpack, or similar. Suitcase size is limited to the dimension of 67 cm (26 in) by 45 cm (18 in), and carry on is limited to the dimension of 48 cm (19 in) by 32 cm (13 in).
There are generally not porters or staff available to assist with luggage – your luggage should be of a size and weight you can comfortably manage yourself. Hard or soft suitcases are fine. If you have more or bigger luggage than this, please contact us in advance to make alternative arrangements, as our luggage trailers are specifically designed to fit one suitcase per person, not exceeding above dimensions.
This tour takes place in a malaria-free area, so no anti-malaria precautions are necessary. You are however advised to bring insect repellent during summer.
Yes, our group tours are ideal for solo travelers. You will have the opportunity to meet people from around the world, and your guide will be with the group throughout the tour to facilitate a safe journey.
Tipping is entirely at your discretion and is not expected, though gratuities are a lovely way to say thank you, and are always appreciated. For group tours, gratuity amounts usually range between R75-R250 per guest per day.
Read more about tipping here.