---
title: Self-Drive Cape, Garden Route & Safari
date: 2026-04-30T08:00:04Z
modified: 2026-05-10T08:00:15Z
permalink: "https://www.thesafaripartners.com/tour/self-drive-cape-garden-route-safari/"
type: tour
status: publish
excerpt: ""
wpid: 328443
travel-style:
  - Beach & Relaxation
  - Water Based Safari
  - Wildlife Safaris
who:
  - Group of Friends
  - Seasoned Travellers
when:
  - April
  - December
  - February
  - January
  - March
  - May
  - November
  - October
  - September
budget:
  - I am flexible
  - On a budget
tour-type:
  - Tailored Tour
featured_image: /wp-content/uploads/2026/04/istock-184804519.jpg
---

This 17-day curated self-drive itinerary follows one of South Africa’s most varied and scenic routes, beginning in Cape Town and ending in the bushveld of the Eastern Cape. The journey moves at a deliberate pace, with multi-night stays at boutique guesthouses and country lodges, and combines the cultural and coastal highlights of the Western Cape with a malaria-free safari to close. From Cape Town and the Cape Winelands, you continue along the Whale Coast to Hermanus, inland to the Klein Karoo and Oudtshoorn, then east along the Garden Route to Plettenberg Bay, before handing over the rental car for three nights of guided game drives at Kariega Game Reserve. The route is well-suited to first-time visitors and works year-round, designed to balance driving days with time to settle in, explore, and enjoy each region at its own pace.