Compare Garden Route Adventure by Intrepid Travel vs Classic KwaZulu Natal self-drive tour by Audley Travel

Day 1 Durban

Sawubona! Welcome to South Africa. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm this evening. If you arrive early, why not get out and explore Durban – teeming with golden, sandy beaches. Check out uMhlanga Lighthouse, a beautiful lighthouse on the lovely uMhlanga coastline. For dinner, perhaps grab your group and head to Florida Road for traditional Bunny Chow or some fresh seafood – your group leader will be able to recommend their favourite spots.

Day 2 Drakensberg

Leave Durban and travel inland towards the majestic Drakensberg mountain range this morning. Stop along the way at the Nelson Mandela Capture Site and learn about the history of this great man. Continue the journey to Drakensberg mountain chain. Your accommodation here is in twin rooms with an ensuite at a unique backpacker lodge in Drakensberg. After you’ve settled in, enjoy a drink with your travel group in the thatched-loft lounge room. You’ll also be able to check out the onsite pool, jacuzzi, barbeque and fire pit.

Day 3 Drakensberg

Today you'll enjoy a refreshing hike through an amazing array of flora and fauna. Drakensberg is Southern Africa's highest range – sitting at 3482 metres – and forms part of the border between South Africa and Lesotho. The range is often referred to locally as the Barrier of Spears or the Dragon Mountains. Today there are sure to be some amazing views and excellent photo opportunities.

Day 4 Lesotho Highlands

Leaving Drakensberg behind, head into the mountain kingdom of Lesotho. Nestled like a small island in the middle of South Africa, Lesotho is commonly known as the 'Kingdom in the Sky' and has beautiful mountain ranges and endless hiking trails. Generally, the border crossing into Lesotho is quite smooth, but you may experience some delays, depending on the time of year. Drive past the Golden Gate Highlands National Park which is famous for its extraordinary sandstone rock formations. The park is also home to elands, zebras, mongooses and hundreds of bird species – keep your eyes peeled along the way.

Day 5 Lesotho Highlands

Today you’ll have a variety of hikes to choose from. The Lesotho Highlands offer excellent hiking for all levels of fitness and skill, so depending on your experience, you should be able to choose one that allows you to get the most out of these stunning landscapes.

Day 6 Wild Coast/Cintsa

Head to the stunning Wild Coast of South Africa and the charming little coastal town of Cintsa. Cintsa and its surrounding region are home to Xhosa communities, whose lifestyle is deeply rooted in tribal traditions and customs. Arriving in the late afternoon, you'll have time to relax and freshen up before dinner.

Day 7 Wild Coast/Cintsa

Today you can enjoy some free time to explore the town, relax on the stunning beaches or book one of the many optional activities on offer. You might like to go hiking or mountain biking in the hinterland, hire a canoe to explore the Cintsa River or book in for a surfing lesson! Be sure to check in with your group leader to get their recommendations.

Day 8 Addo Elephant National Park

Today you'll travel on to Addo Elephant National Park which was created in 1931 to protect the region's eleven remaining elephants. A true success story in conservation - today there are over 450 elephants in the park, as well as Cape buffalo, black rhinos, all kinds of antelopes and even the unique flightless dung beetle. On arrival, you'll take an afternoon game drive with your group and try to spot some of these resident creatures, among others, from your truck.

Day 9 Garden Route / Tsitsikamma National Park

Wake early and enjoy another game drive in Addo Elephant National Park in an overland vehicle. Afterwards, begin your journey along the Garden Route, the first stop being Tsitsikamma National Park. Steep ancient forests meet the breakers of the Indian Ocean at this park, protecting both land and sea. It's a spectacular place for walking and viewing wildlife. Your group leader will take you to a local activity centre where a range of activities will be on offer, some of which you may like to book for your free day tomorrow.

Day 10 Tsitsikamma National Park

With another day in Tsitsikamma, you’ll have more time to explore this magnificent national park. Cape clawless otters, dolphins, tortoises and southern right whales (depending on the season) are all visitors here, along with baboons, monkeys and a heap of birdlife. See how many of them you can spot on a range of hiking trails, including those to the Stormsriver Mouth and waterfalls.

Day 11 Garden Route / Oudtshoorn

Head out across the arid Karoo region bound for Oudtshoorn. You'll stop at Knysna on the way to stretch your legs and explore this hamlet with a gorgeous lagoon. Travel on to the Cango Caves, where you’ll have time to explore the weird and wonderful rock formations – one is ‘Cleopatra's Needle’, standing at 29 feet high and at least 150,000 years old. Your local guide will give you all the ins-and-outs of their formation and history. Continue on to Oudtshoorn, known as the ostrich capital of the world. At the turn of the 20th century, it was full of 'feather barons' that grew rich from the popularity of ostrich feathers.

Day 12 Cape Town

Rise and shine very early this morning to spend some time with wild meerkats, part of the so-called 'Shy 5'. Head to their burrow, pull up a chair and sip coffee while the sun comes up and the meerkats climb out into the sunshine. You’ll have time to watch these habituated wild animals, which are never fed or handled by humans, go about their daily routine of foraging and frolicking. Then it's on to Cape Town, the beachside city you'll call home for the next two nights. Your accommodation is in twin rooms with an ensuite, located cool Kloof street, an area famous for beautiful views of Table Mountain, hip restaurants and bars, and historical buildings.

Day 13 Cape Town

Today, you'll visit Boulder's Beach to watch the resident penguins waddle across this beautiful beach framed by ancient granite boulders. The rest of the day is yours to explore Cape Town however you wish. With sweeping views across the city and the ocean below, you might like to make your way to the top of Table Mountain. Whether you choose to chill out and enjoy the city's famous cable car to reach the top or strap on your walking shoes and get hiking - we'll leave it up to you. Otherwise, take your time simply exploring this beachside city, perhaps sipping local wines and dining by the oceanfront.

Day 14 Cape Town

Your South African adventure comes to an end after breakfast today. There's no accommodation provided for tonight, but this can be arranged – please enquire at the time of booking this trip.

Day 1 : International outbound flight

Today you begin your journey by boarding your international outbound flight to Durban.

Day 2 : The Midlands

On arrival in Durban, you're met at the airport by an Audley representative and assisted with collecting your fully insured hire car. You then drive for around an hour and a half northwest to your accommodation in the Midlands, enjoying views over the green countryside and rolling hills along the way. Once you arrive, spend the rest of the day relaxing after your journey, enjoying your beautiful surroundings while sipping a cool refreshing drink.

Day 3 : The Midlands

Spend the day exploring the area. Recent years have seen many local artisans set up craft shops, breweries and food outlets, which are dotted around the region. You can stop to visit them as you wind through the countryside, sampling some of the local cuisine and browsing traditional African handicrafts. You may also wish to visit the nearby Mandela Capture Site. An art installation marks the spot where Nelson Mandela was taken into custody by the apartheid government in 1962. The piece of art consists of 50 steel poles that make up a portrait of Mandela's face and represent the 50 years that he spent in prison.

Day 4 : The Drakensberg (North)

Drive for around two hours up to the Northern Drakensberg today, enjoying some of the best scenery in South Africa as the mountain peaks rise up in the distance. Along the way, you may wish to stop at Giant's Castle Game Reserve, set within a UNESCO World Heritage Site area. The surrounding mountains and escarpment resemble a sleeping giant, and there are many hiking trails to explore. There are also some examples of San bushman rock art, with a museum that tells you more about the lifestyle of these people.

Day 5 : The Drakensberg (North)

Strap on your walking boots and follow some of the hiking trails through the Drakensberg Mountains today. Experienced guides can select the best trails for your fitness level and tell you more about the region and its wildlife as you walk, or you can head out on your own. Depending on where you're staying, you may be able to explore the area on horseback with a guide, following gentle trails over flat fields, riding through river valleys or ascending the escarpments, depending on your level of experience.

Day 6 : The Battlefields

Your drive to the Battlefields today takes around three hours, passing through more rugged scenery as you travel northeast. After arriving at your accommodation, spend the rest of the day relaxing in your beautiful surroundings, perhaps taking a dip in the pool or heading out on a gentle walk to see what wildlife you can find - various species of antelope can often be seen grazing out on the plains.

Day 7 : The Battlefields

Today you start at Isandlwana and listen to the mesmerizing tale of the Zulu victory. This afternoon you will be taken to the famous Rorkes Drift, you will be taken on an inspiring tour of this famous battle ground and hear the true story behind the famous film 'Zulu'.

Day 8 : Zululand Rhino Reserve (Manyoni)

Drive to the Zululand Rhino Reserve today - the journey takes between three & a half and four & a half hours, depending on where you're staying. Arriving in the early afternoon, settle into your accommodation before heading out on your first game drive with experienced guides. The park is home to endangered black rhino as well as white rhino, elephant, buffalo, blue wildebeest, impala and kudu. The experience includes sundowner drinks and snacks before driving in the dark to spot some of the reserve's nocturnal species.

Day 9 : Zululand Rhino Reserve (Manyoni)

Enjoy a full day on safari today. Your early morning game drive sets off before breakfast, giving you the best chance of spotting the animals at their most active. You then return to your accommodation for a hearty breakfast. The afternoon game drive doesn't set off until the late afternoon, so the middle of the day is free for you to relax, enjoy a leisurely lunch and perhaps head out on a bush walk. This gives you a different perspective of the reserve as your guide points out some of the smaller wildlife species, such as birds and insects, and explains their role in the local ecosystem.

Day 10 : Zululand Rhino Reserve (Manyoni)

Spend your last day on safari trying to spot any species you've missed on the previous days. Hyena, suni and leopard are all rare sightings here, but you may get lucky. Your guide will know the best places to go to see the wildlife that interests you the most. This evening, after your afternoon game drive, share stories of your travels with fellow guests over dinner and drinks.

Day 11 : International return flight

Today you leave the reserve and drive for around two hours to Richard's Bay airport, where you drop off your car and board your onward flight.

Day 12 : International return flight

Arrive home today to complete your journey.