Day 1: Arrive Port Elizabeth — Gateway to Adventure
Arrive at Port Elizabeth Airport. Afternoon at leisure exploring the Friendly City — visit the Donkin Reserve with its iconic pyramid and lighthouse for panoramic bay views. Stroll the Boardwalk complex or swim at Hobie Beach. Welcome dinner and briefing. Overnight Port Elizabeth.
Day 2: Addo Elephant Safari
Full-day safari in Addo Elephant National Park. Morning and afternoon game drives in open vehicles through dense thicket and open plains. Beyond the famous elephant herds, search for Cape buffalo, black rhino, and the Big Five. Picnic lunch at a waterhole watching elephants drink and play. Overnight near Addo.
Day 3: Karoo Private Game Reserve
Journey inland to a private game reserve in the Great Karoo — a vast semi-desert ecosystem covering 400,000 km². Afternoon game drive focusing on Karoo specials: cheetah, meerkat, bat-eared fox, aardvark, and oryx. Visit the cheetah conservation program. Sundowner drinks atop a koppie with endless views. Night drive to spot nocturnal wildlife — aardwolf, porcupine, and springhare. Overnight at Karoo lodge.
Day 4: Meerkat Sunrise & Cango Caves
Pre-dawn departure to witness a meerkat colony emerging from their burrows as the sun rises over the Karoo — a magical African experience. After breakfast, drive to Oudtshoorn. Afternoon visit to the Cango Caves. Evening at a working ostrich farm. Overnight Oudtshoorn.
Day 5: Oudtshoorn to Knysna
Cross the Outeniqua Mountains to the coast. Arrive in Knysna for lunch at the Waterfront. Afternoon ferry to Featherbed Nature Reserve with guided 4×4 tour to the Head lookout. Walk through ancient coastal forest to sea caves. Evening oyster tasting — Knysna’s famous cultivated oysters. Overnight Knysna.
Day 6: Tsitsikamma Forest & Storms River
Full day in Tsitsikamma National Park. Walk the suspension bridges, hike through 800-year-old yellowwood trees, and watch the waves crash against the rocky shoreline. Optional bungee jumping (world’s highest bridge bungee) or kayaking up Storms River Gorge. Afternoon forest walk searching for the elusive Knysna loerie. Overnight Tsitsikamma.
Day 7: Departure
Morning at leisure — perhaps one last walk on the wild Tsitsikamma coast. Transfer to Port Elizabeth Airport for departure.
