In April this year we were fortunate to experience an incredible 10 days with South Africa Tourism and G Adventures. The trip was the perfect opportunity to visit a new country on our bucket-list and work with two companies who combined to create a unique and adventurous trip. Below we will detail our idea of the perfect South Africa Itinerary 10 Days which takes you on a diverse experience from Durban to Cape Town, witnessing wildlife, nature, culture and epic adventure. Otherwise known as the Garden Route.
The Trip Outline
The G Adventures Tour is known as the ‘South Africa Discover‘ and there are a few important things to outline about how the trip operates.
The trip is generally recommended for 18 – 30+ year olds and the accomodation is camping style. We were not required to provide tents and sleeping bags for our tour however this is usually a requirement.
If you are not familiar with G Adventures, they organise everything from when you arrive to the Airport (which for this tour was Durban Airport) and arrange/include all food, drink and daily activities. Additional activities such as Quad Biking in Nature Reserve, Blackwater Tubing, Bungee Jumping and Waterfall Zipling are available to guests. These activities are at your own expense.
G Adventures does operate numerous tours throughout South Africa so if adventure and camping is not your style, then there are other options!
South Africa Itinerary 10 Days
Day One – Arrive to Durban Airport
On Day One, you can arrive to Durban Airport at any time. We all arrived at the same time seeing as we all travelled together from Australia. Your tour guide and driver will be there to meet you on arrival before heading to your accomodation in Durban.
On our first night we ate ‘Bunny Chow’ which is a traditional curry dish served in hollowed out bread. It was fantastic on our first night to enjoy a traditional meal!
The rest of the group we were travelling with were an incredible bunch of photographers and travel bloggers. So this was a great opportunity to meet everyone. By the end of night one we all felt like friends and were ready to explore together!
Day Two – Durban to Chinsta
Day two is predominately a travel day as you move from Durban to Chinsta. The trip between the two locations is approximately 9 – 10 hours however there are a few food and drinks stops along the way. While it sounds like a long time, the drive surprisingly went quickly!
The drive itself is very picturesque as you pass through a number of different villages and towns. While it may be an early morning rise, it is worth it seeing as the afternoon in Chinsta will be spent on a guided wildlife safari drive at Inkwenkwezi National Park.
We witnessed so many incredible moments including the sighting of two White Rhinos and a pride of White Lions. Being up close and personal with such rare animals was a truely special experience.
Day Three – Chinsta
Day Three was a very active and fun day! We started the morning with one of the optional activities which was surfing. If you haven’t surfed before, not to worry, a lesson is included. The beach at Chinsta is beautiful, soft white sand and long stretches of beachfront.
In the afternoon we had the option to Quad Bike though Inkwenkwezi National Park before participating in another Safari. It is impossible to ever do too many safaris seeing as every game drive is different and unique!
Day Four – Chinsta to Addo Elephant National Park
On Day Four we journeyed to Addo Elephant National Park. The drive took approximately 4 -5 hours. Before arriving to Addo Homestead for the night we drove through the National Park. This game drive is a self-drive one which means any type of vehicle can drive through without a guide. The area is well recognized for herds of Elephants but we also spotted a number of Zebras, Buffalos, Warthogs and a number of other species!
If you decide to drive your own vehicle remember they are wild animals. We did spot one car where an Elephant had lightly touched the windshield screen and it had in fact shattered!
Day Five – Addo Elephant National Park to Storms River
We departed the Camp Site early around 8am so that we could make it to Storms River to enjoy an afternoon kayak in Tsitsikamma National Park. The drive was approximately 3 hours.
The kayaking experience was so much fun! We jumped on kayaks and adventured under a suspension bridge before arriving to the River. We then jumped on Lilos and ventured through the dramatic tannin filled River (water is the colour of Coke).
At night we settled into our cape site at Tube & Axe which was one of our favourite camp sites as there was clean bathroom, indoor lounge areas and laundry service available!
Day Six – Storms River
When visiting Storms River it is a must to check out the town. It is only 3 streets in total, however it is full of character. We had lunch at Marilyn’s which resembled an old school American diner with vintage cars and karaoke.
In the afternoon we decided to Zipline through the National Park. There are a total of 10 ziplines ranging in length and height! If travelling in a group, this activity is a lot of fun to participate in.
Day Seven – Storms River to Knysna
Day Seven is a big day for anyone who wishes to Bungee Jump! The Bungee Jump is the highest commercial one in the world and involved jumping from the centre of the bridge. Definitely not for the faint hearted!
Afterwards, we travelled 1.5 hours to Knysna Monks Campsite, the camping ground for the evening. For lunch, we went into the island centered in the middle of town to a seaside cafe and bar.
Our afternoon was spent at leisure before heading on a Sunset Cruise on the river. While watching the sunset, we enjoyed sipping on cocktails and indulging in a full feast buffet.
Day Eight – Knysna to Grootvadersbosch National Park
A 3 hour drive from Knysna will have you arrive to Grootvadersbosch National Park. Situated in the most serene setting, the camp site is surrounded by incredible hillsides. There are a number of hikes available ranging from easy to difficult.
We hiked late afternoon due to the heat during the day and enjoyed watching the sun set over the mountain as the evening went by. We even saw baboons along the way! For dinner we enjoyed a traditional beef stew, all prepared by our amazing G Adventures host, Liza.
Day Nine – Grootvadersbosch National Park to Cape Town
On our final morning of camping, we packed up out tents for the final time before departing to Cape Town. The drive is about 4 – 5 hours with small stops in between for lunch and snacks.
On our way to Cape Town we also stopped at Khwa Ttu San Culture Centre which is supported by G Adventures. Here they provide training to local men and women, helping them to understand their culture and heritage.
Once we arrived to ‘Once in Cape Town’, the accomodation for the final night, we headed our with the crew. Cape Town is vibrant and full of atmosphere so it is worth exploring.
Day 10 – Cape Town
On the final day, depart at your own time.
South Africa Itinerary 10 Days Overview
After spending 10 days travelling from Durban to Cape Town, South Africa had already won our hearts. Not only did we love the variations in terrains between the two cities, we loved the hospitality of the South Africans as well as the group we travelled with.
A big thank you to Nardia from South African Tourism and Bella from G Adventures for organising such an amazing trip. And of course to the other travellers – we have now left with a new group of friends. If you want to check our their accounts, have a look:
- Brinkley Davies – @brinkleydavies
- Jorden Tually – @jordentually
- Melissa Findley – @melissafindley
- Nicola Easterby – @polkadotpassport
- Sam Earp – @samearp
If you are interested in knowing more about our 10 Day G Adventures Tour with South Africa Tourism please feel free to contact us with any questions.
If you are continuing on after South Africa, why not have a look at our adventures in Tanzania.
X KoTravellers
