Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
South Africa at a slower pace: Cape Town, the Winelands and the Garden Route
10 days from Cape Town to George at an easy pace: three nights in Cape Town, two in Stellenbosch with Hermanus, a short flight to two nights in Knysna, and two nights in Oudtshoorn.
10 days · Cape Town to George · up to 12 guests
A Cape Dutch house in Stellenbosch's museum complex, our base for two nights Photo: South African Tourism from South Africa, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Museum_Complex_-_Stellenbosch,_South_Africa_(3881538828).jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 10 days, 9 nights
- Start and end
- Cape Town to George
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Longest drive
- 3 h on day 3No drive day is longer than 4 hours.
- Activity level
Easy
Easy pace for travellers over 60. About 1 to 4 km on foot a day, never more than 5, mostly on level paths, boardwalks and promenades, with a bench, café or the vehicle within reach on every visit. Where a sight has stairs (the Cape Point lighthouse, the Storms River Mouth boardwalk, the Cango Caves) there is a level alternative close by. One optional early start, for the meerkats at sunrise. No day has more than 3 hours of driving, and the long hop from Cape Town to the Garden Route is a one-hour flight. You can sit out any part.
- Meals included
- 9 breakfasts, 8 lunches, 1 dinner
- Room of your own
- + CAD 770 (estimated price)
- Season
- September to April (whales in Hermanus until about November)
Highlights
Why this trip
- Table Mountain in the first hour of the cableway, on level paths at the top, with the afternoon free
- The African penguins of Boulders Beach from the boardwalks, and Cape Point by funicular
- A wine tasting and long, seated lunch at a Stellenbosch estate, then the afternoon to yourself
- Hermanus cliff path from the benches above Walker Bay, looking for southern right whales in season
- A one-hour flight to the Garden Route instead of a full day on the road
- A seated cruise on the Knysna Lagoon towards the Heads, and lunch above the waves at Storms River Mouth
- Wild meerkats at sunrise from folding chairs, and the Cango Caves with a local guide
What makes this trip different
Short drives, all published
Every drive is listed day by day, and none is longer than 4 hours.
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 770 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
The longest drive is 3 h, on day 3.
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Cape Town
Cape Town International Airport to your hotel in central Cape Town
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in Cape Town
- Drive about 30 min
Fly into Cape Town International Airport (CPT), about 20 km east of the city, and a driver meets you in arrivals for the half-hour drive in, with your bags handled from the kerb to the hotel door.
Afternoon
Our hotel is central and has a lift, so the afternoon is yours to rest after the long flight or to stroll the level promenade of the V&A Waterfront, where the working harbour, cafés and benches face Table Mountain. If the summit is wrapped in its white 'tablecloth' of cloud, that is the south-easterly wind at work, and it often clears by morning. Plan to land by about 4 pm.
Evening
In the early evening your See Sight Tours guide meets the group for a short briefing: how each day is paced, where the seats are, how far we walk, and how the plan bends around wind and weather. Then we sit down together to a welcome dinner at a local restaurant close to the hotel, a first taste of Cape cooking and South African wine.
Included
- Pick-up at Cape Town International Airport (CPT)
- Welcome briefing with your guide
- Welcome dinner
Free time: Free until the evening briefing
Table Mountain, then a free afternoon
Central Cape Town to the Table Mountain cableway, then the V&A Waterfront
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Cape Town
- Drive about 30 min
Morning
After breakfast we drive the short way up to the lower cable station for a car in the cableway's first hour, around 8:30 (a little later in winter). We go early for good reason: the air is usually calmer, the queues are short and the light is clear over the bay. The rotating car climbs to the flat summit, more than 1,000 m above the sea, in about five minutes. At the top, level paved paths link the viewpoints over the city, Robben Island and the Twelve Apostles, with benches and a café a few minutes apart; we stay about an hour and a half, walking about 1.5 km in all. If wind closes the cableway, we swap today with tomorrow's peninsula day and go up on day 3 instead.
Afternoon
Back down, we drive to the V&A Waterfront for a seated lunch by the harbour. The afternoon is free: rest at the hotel, visit the Zeitz MOCAA museum next to the Waterfront, or take the optional Robben Island boat.
Included
- Table Mountain Aerial Cableway, return ticket, in the first hour
- Guided walk on the level summit paths
- Lunch at the V&A Waterfront
Optional experiences
- Robben Island tour from the V&A Waterfront (about 3.5 hours, with steps on and off the boat; sailings are often cancelled by wind)
- Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden by taxi, priced at booking
Easier option: Stay by the upper cable station, where the main viewpoint and the café are a few steps apart.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free
Activity: About 1.5 km on foot, on level paved paths. If wind closes the cableway, we swap days 2 and 3 and go up on day 3; if it is closed on both days, we try once more early on day 4 before we leave the city.
Boulders Beach penguins and Cape Point
Cape Town to Boulders Beach in Simon's Town, then Cape Point, and back by Chapman's Peak Drive
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Cape Town
- Drive about 3 h
We leave at 9 and take the quick inland road down to Simon's Town on False Bay, about 50 minutes, to reach Boulders Beach soon after it opens and before the coach groups. Level boardwalks with railings lead through a breeding colony of African penguins, a species now listed as critically endangered, and you can watch them nesting and waddling to the water from a few metres away. Half an hour on, in the Cape of Good Hope section of Table Mountain National Park, the funicular carries us up towards the old lighthouse at Cape Point for the view down both coasts, and the vehicle drives on to the Cape of Good Hope sign on the rocks.
Afternoon
Lunch is seated, with a sea view. We come back up the Atlantic side by Chapman's Peak Drive, a toll road cut into the cliffs above Hout Bay, stopping at its lookouts without leaving the roadside. About 150 km and up to 3 hours at the wheel, split into three legs of 45 minutes to an hour and a quarter with long stops between; back by about 4:30 pm.
Included
- Boulders Beach penguin colony, entry included
- Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope, Table Mountain National Park entry
- Cape Point funicular, both ways
- Seated lunch by the sea
- Chapman's Peak Drive (toll included)
Easier option: Stay at the upper funicular station at Cape Point, where the view is almost the same, instead of climbing the steps to the old lighthouse.
More active option: Climb the steps from the upper funicular station to the old lighthouse, about 15 minutes.
Free time: Evening free in Cape Town
Activity: About 2 km on foot, mostly boardwalk. Cape Point is windy: bring a warm layer even in summer. If Chapman's Peak Drive is closed for rockfall or wind, we return by the inland road, which also cuts the day to about 2.5 hours of driving.
Stellenbosch: a town walk and a long wine lunch
Cape Town to Stellenbosch, then a wine estate in the valley
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Stellenbosch
- Drive about 1.5 h
Luggage goes in the vehicle at 9:30, and Stellenbosch is about an hour east. Founded in 1679, it is the second-oldest town in South Africa and largely flat, and our guide leads a gentle walk of about a kilometre along oak-lined Dorp Street, past whitewashed Cape Dutch and Georgian houses, to the Braak, the old village green, with a coffee stop on the way.
Afternoon
Then out to a wine estate in the valley for a seated tasting with the cellar team and a long lunch among the vines, with the mountains behind; nobody in the group has to drive, so take your time. We check in to our hotel in the centre by mid-afternoon, and the rest of the day is free: rest, browse the galleries and shops, or sit under the oaks with a coffee.
Evening
We stay two nights, so you unpack once, and dinner tonight is your choice of the town's many restaurants, most within a few minutes' walk.
Included
- Stellenbosch walk with your guide: Dorp Street and the Braak
- Wine tasting and seated lunch at a Stellenbosch wine estate
Easier option: Join the walk from the vehicle at the Braak and skip Dorp Street.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free in Stellenbosch
Activity: About 1 to 2 km on foot, on level pavements.
Hermanus and the whale coast
Stellenbosch over Sir Lowry's Pass to Hermanus and back
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Stellenbosch
- Drive about 3 h
A day trip, so there is no packing. We leave at 9 over Sir Lowry's Pass, with a view back across False Bay, and through the apple country around Grabouw and Bot River to Hermanus on Walker Bay, about 105 km and 1 hour 20 minutes. From June to November, southern right whales come into the bay to mate and calve, often close to the rocks. The cliff path near the old harbour is paved and level in places, with benches along the edge, and we walk an easy stretch of about 1.5 km with your guide, stopping wherever there is something in the water. Whales are most reliable from August to October and never guaranteed; outside the season the path is still a fine sea walk with dassies on the rocks.
Afternoon
Lunch is seated in the village, with a view of the bay, and there is time to browse the craft market before we drive back to Stellenbosch for about 4 pm. About 210 km and 2.75 hours in two legs.
Included
- Hermanus cliff path walk with your guide, looking for whales in season
- Seated lunch in Hermanus
Optional experiences
- Boat-based whale watching from Hermanus harbour, June to November, about 2 hours, priced at booking (boarding has steps)
Easier option: Watch from a bench by the old harbour while the group walks the path.
More active option: Walk a longer stretch of the cliff path, about 4 km, and meet the vehicle further along.
Free time: Evening free in Stellenbosch
Activity: About 1.5 to 2 km on foot. Whales are seasonal, roughly June to November.
Fly to the Garden Route, an afternoon in Knysna
Stellenbosch to Cape Town airport, flight to George, then by road to Knysna
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Knysna
- Drive about 1.5 h
Rather than spend a whole day on the road, we fly.
Morning
We leave Stellenbosch after breakfast for the half-hour drive to Cape Town International Airport, where your guide handles the check-in as a group, and the flight to George takes about an hour, along the coast with the mountains inland. Our vehicle meets us at George airport, and Knysna is about an hour east along the N2, past the lakes and lagoons of Wilderness and Sedgefield. Knysna sits on the north shore of a wide tidal lagoon, guarded at its mouth by two sandstone cliffs, the Heads.
Afternoon
We go straight to a seated lunch on the waterfront, then check in. The afternoon is free: rest, or stroll the level boardwalks of the waterfront or Thesen Island, where the town's oysters are served at the quayside. We stay two nights. The exact flight time comes with your final itinerary, and we choose one that avoids an early start.
Included
- Flight from Cape Town (CPT) to George (GRJ), economy with a checked bag
- Transfers to and from both airports
- Lunch on the Knysna waterfront
Free time: Afternoon and evening free in Knysna
Activity: About 1 km on foot. Airports have lifts and wheelchair assistance; tell us at booking if you would like it.
Tsitsikamma and Storms River Mouth
Knysna via Plettenberg Bay to Storms River Mouth in Tsitsikamma, and back
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Knysna
- Drive about 3 h
We leave at 9 along the N2, past Plettenberg Bay and over the high Bloukrans bridge, to reach Storms River Mouth, in the Tsitsikamma section of the Garden Route National Park, by about 10:30, ahead of most day visitors. Here forested cliffs drop straight to the Indian Ocean, and big rollers break on the black rocks below the rest camp. The famous boardwalk trail to the suspension bridge over the river mouth is about a kilometre each way with a few hundred steps; walk it with your guide at your own speed if you like, or stay on the level paths and the terrace by the rest camp, where the view of the sea is just as good and you can watch the waves with a coffee.
Afternoon
Lunch is seated at the rest camp restaurant above the waves. On the way back we stop in Plettenberg Bay for a stroll on the level beachfront promenade, and we are back in Knysna by about 4 pm. About 200 km and 2.75 hours in two legs.
Included
- Storms River Mouth with your guide, Tsitsikamma park entry included
- Lunch at Storms River Mouth
- Stop in Plettenberg Bay
Easier option: Stay on the level paths and the terrace by the rest camp instead of the boardwalk with steps.
More active option: Walk the boardwalk to the suspension bridge, about 2 km there and back with a few hundred steps, about an hour.
Free time: Evening free in Knysna
Activity: Between a few hundred metres and about 3 km on foot, depending on your choice.
The Knysna Lagoon by boat, then over the mountains to Oudtshoorn
Knysna Lagoon cruise, then over the Outeniqua Pass via George to Oudtshoorn
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Oudtshoorn
- Drive about 2 h
Bags go in the vehicle at 9, and we drive up to the viewpoint on the Eastern Head, where the Indian Ocean surges through the narrow channel between the cliffs; the lookout is a few steps from the vehicle. Then a seated cruise on the lagoon, about an hour and a half, out towards the Heads and back past the oyster beds, sandbanks and the forested Featherbed reserve.
Afternoon
Lunch is seated by the water. Early in the afternoon we drive west to George and climb the Outeniqua Pass, where green coastal forest gives way to the dry slopes of the Little Karoo, with a stop at a lookout near the top. We reach Oudtshoorn, the old ostrich-feather capital, by about 4 pm, passing farms where ostriches graze in the fields.
Evening
We stay two nights, and the evening is free: rest, or walk to a restaurant in town. About 125 km and 1.75 hours of driving in two legs.
Included
- Knysna Heads from the Eastern Head viewpoint
- Knysna Lagoon cruise, seated, about 1.5 hours
- Lunch by the lagoon
- The Outeniqua Pass
Free time: Late afternoon and evening free in Oudtshoorn
Activity: Under 1 km on foot. If wind cancels the cruise, we take a longer drive along the lagoon shore and the Western Head road instead.
Meerkats at sunrise and the Cango Caves
Oudtshoorn to a meerkat burrow at sunrise, then up the Cango Valley to the Cango Caves and back
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Oudtshoorn
- Drive about 1.5 h
The one early start of the trip, and it is optional.
Morning
Meerkats only come out of their burrows when the sun warms the ground, so we leave before first light, walk a few hundred metres over the veld and sit on folding chairs a few metres from a family of wild meerkats, used to quiet visitors but never fed or handled. We watch them climb out, stand sentry and turn their bellies to the sun. The visit only runs in dry weather. Back for a late breakfast, then about 30 km north up the Cango Valley to the Cango Caves, in the foothills of the Swartberg. A local guide leads the Heritage Tour, about an hour through the great chambers of stalagmites and flowstone, on lit paths with steps.
Afternoon
Lunch is seated in town, and the afternoon is free.
Evening
In the evening we meet for a farewell dinner together in Oudtshoorn.
Included
- Wild meerkat visit at sunrise with a local guide (dry weather only)
- Cango Caves Heritage Tour with a local guide
- Lunch in Oudtshoorn
- Farewell dinner
Optional experiences
- Ostrich farm visit in the afternoon (we do not include ostrich riding), priced at booking
Easier option: Sleep in and join the group at breakfast; at the caves, wait in the visitor centre café if the steps do not suit you.
Free time: Afternoon free in Oudtshoorn
Activity: About 1 to 2 km on foot. The meerkat visit is cold in the early morning: bring a warm jacket and a hat.
Over the Outeniqua Pass to George
Oudtshoorn over the Outeniqua Pass to George Airport (GRJ)
- Breakfast
- Drive about 1 h
Morning
A slow last morning: breakfast at your own pace and a free hour in town, with bags in the vehicle at about 10. We cross the Outeniqua Pass for the last time, from the dry Karoo slopes down into the green forest above George, and reach George Airport (GRJ), about 60 km and an hour away, by about 11:30. Your guide sees you to the check-in desk and confirms your flight before saying goodbye. Book a flight leaving after about 1 pm; George has direct flights to Cape Town and Johannesburg for connections home. If you would like to stay on, we can add nights on the Garden Route coast at Wilderness or Knysna, or back in Cape Town, and quote them when you book.
Included
- Drop-off at George Airport (GRJ)
Free time: Free morning in Oudtshoorn until about 10
Activity: Book a flight leaving after about 1 pm.
- Cape Town3 nights
- Stellenbosch2 nights
- Knysna2 nights
- Oudtshoorn2 nights
- Georgeend
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: September to November brings spring flowers, mild days and the last southern right whales in Hermanus. December to February is hot and dry with long days, and Cape Town is busy over the holidays. March and April are settled and warm, the most comfortable months for an easy pace. We do not run this version from May to August, when cold fronts bring rain and chilly mornings to the Cape.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Travellers over 60 who want Cape Town, the winelands and the Garden Route without long drives or early calls
- Anyone who wants to walk a little, sit often and unpack only three times
- Travellers who would rather fly an hour than drive five
- Solo travellers who want company at lunch and a fair single price
Not for you if you want
- Wheelchair and scooter users: Cape Point, Storms River Mouth and the caves have steps, and the meerkat visit is on rough ground
- A safari focus: there are no game drives, and Addo and Kruger are not on this trip
- Travellers who want a full programme every day; this trip leaves many afternoons free
- Anyone wanting to hike Robberg, the Otter Trail or Table Mountain on foot
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
9 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Cape Town3 nights
- Stellenbosch2 nights
- Knysna2 nights
- Oudtshoorn2 nights
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 9 nights: 3 in central Cape Town, 2 in central Stellenbosch, 2 in Knysna by the waterfront, 2 in Oudtshoorn
- Central hotels of at least a 3-star-plus standard with a lift or ground-floor rooms, named when we confirm your dates
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Pick-up at Cape Town International Airport (CPT) on day 1 and drop-off at George Airport (GRJ) on day 10
- Flight from Cape Town to George on day 6, economy with a checked bag
- Our own air-conditioned vehicle and driver on every road day, with luggage handled door to door
- Knysna Lagoon cruise
- The Chapman's Peak Drive toll
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide with the group for the whole trip, including the flight
- Local guides for the meerkat visit and the Cango Caves
Activities
- Cape Town: Table Mountain Aerial Cableway return ticket
- Cape Peninsula: Boulders Beach penguin colony, Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope with park entry and the funicular, Chapman's Peak Drive
- Stellenbosch: town walk, wine tasting at a wine estate
- Hermanus: cliff path walk with your guide
- Knysna: the Eastern Head viewpoint, lagoon cruise
- Tsitsikamma: Storms River Mouth with park entry
- Plettenberg Bay: beachfront stop
- Oudtshoorn: wild meerkats at sunrise, Cango Caves Heritage Tour
Meals
- Breakfast daily (9)
- 8 lunches: V&A Waterfront, the Cape Peninsula, a Stellenbosch wine estate, Hermanus, Knysna twice, Storms River Mouth and Oudtshoorn
- 2 dinners: a welcome dinner in Cape Town and a farewell dinner in Oudtshoorn
Not included
- International flights to Cape Town and home from George
- Travel insurance
- Visa, if your passport needs one
- 7 dinners and lunch on day 10
- Drinks, other than the wine tasting
- Tips for your guide and driver
- Optional activities: Robben Island, Kirstenbosch, boat-based whale watching in Hermanus, an ostrich farm visit
- Extra baggage on the domestic flight
- Personal expenses
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 770 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
Prices in these answers apply from Dec 2, 2026. Black Friday offer: 5% off the small-group price for requests received by Dec 1, 2026. From CAD 4,315 per person. From Dec 2, 2026: from CAD 4,540.
What does the slower-pace South Africa trip price include?
Nine nights in central hotels with a lift or ground-floor rooms, breakfast daily, eight lunches and two dinners, airport transfers, the Cape Town to George flight, our own vehicle and driver, your See Sight Tours guide throughout, and every visit in the day plan, from the Table Mountain cableway and Cape Point to the lagoon cruise, the meerkats and the Cango Caves.
How much walking is there each day?
About 1 to 4 km a day, never more than 5, mostly on level paths, boardwalks and promenades with benches or a café close by. Where a sight has steps, such as the Cape Point lighthouse, the Storms River Mouth boardwalk or the caves, there is a level alternative, and you can sit out any part of any day.
Is this trip suitable if I use a walking stick?
Yes, for most people who walk steadily with a stick. Paths are mostly level, the vehicle stops close to each sight and your bags are carried for you. It is not suitable for wheelchair or scooter users, because several sights have steps and the meerkat visit is on rough ground. Tell us when you book so we can request ground-floor rooms.
Are there early starts?
Only one, and it is optional: the meerkats on day 9 come out at sunrise, so that visit leaves before first light. Every other day starts after a proper breakfast, with no luggage call before 8:30 am. The Table Mountain cableway on day 2 is in its first hour, about 8:30, because the air is calmer and the queue shorter.
Why fly from Cape Town to George?
Driving from the Cape to the Garden Route takes five hours or more, which breaks our three-hour limit for this trip. The flight takes about an hour, your guide comes with you, and the vehicle meets us at George. It is included in the price, and we book it, so we need the name on your passport.
Does this trip include a safari?
No. To keep drives under three hours, this version leaves out Addo Elephant National Park, which is a long drive east of the Garden Route. The wildlife here is the penguins at Boulders Beach, whales from the Hermanus cliffs in season, seals and dolphins on the coast, ostriches and the meerkats. Ask us about adding a safari extension.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests in one vehicle with one guide, so everyone has a comfortable seat and a window, hears the guide on the walks and fits around one table at lunch. Private departures for your party only are also available.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide travels with the group from Cape Town to George, including on the flight. Local guides lead the meerkat visit and the Cango Caves. We name your guide when we confirm your dates.
I am travelling solo. What does a single room cost?
A room of your own is from CAD 770 more, shown up front when you request to book. If you would rather share, ask us: when another solo traveller on your departure also wants to share, we can pair you, and we tell you before anything is confirmed. Solo guests get the same seats, tables and plans as everyone else.
When is the best time to go?
We run this version from September to April. Spring, September to November, brings flowers and the last whales in Hermanus; December to February is hot, dry and busy; March and April are warm and settled, the most comfortable months for an easy pace. We do not run it in the Cape winter, May to August, when cold fronts bring rain.
Do I need a visa for South Africa?
Canadian, US, UK and most EU citizens can currently visit visa-free for up to 90 days. Your passport must be valid for at least 30 days after you leave South Africa and have at least two blank pages. Entry rules change, so we confirm the requirements for your passport when you book.
How does booking work, and can I choose my own dates?
Choose a start date and send a request to book. We check availability and provide the final quote, itinerary and booking terms before you accept. No payment is taken when you send the request. For your own dates, book the private trip for your party only, or ask us from the dates section to quote the same hotels, flight and visits for independent travel.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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