From free-fall to free-roaming game
Hereafter you will find a week’s itinerary from the Western Cape into the Eastern Cape that awaits you with its golden sunsets and special views from the valley of desolation. On this particular route you can literally jump from one border to the next, a free-falling experience that is a must for all bungee-jumping lovers. The other side, further east, already invites you to immerse yourself into the wilderness of the Camdeboo and Mountain Zebra National Park.
Eastern Africa in 14 Days from Cape Town into the adventure!
Apr. 2023: Hello, Bonjour and Molo from a ten days travel route that will leave you nothing but short on high adrenaline levels. Don’t hesitate to jump from one of the highest bungee-jumping bridges offering magnificent mountain and river views while you free-fall. Afterwards, the eastern route will take you into the wilderness, where you can enjoy a sundowner from your veranda, accompanied by the magical sounds of the bush.
Short summary:
- Length – 14 days / 13 nights
- Total km – ca. 2.210km
- Vehicle – normal sedan does the job, 4WD is helpful for special routes in the National Parks
- Road conditions – good conditions of tared and gravel roads; the 4WD routes are only passable with a 4WD and need special permission
- Accommodation – private lodges, guesthouses and SAN Park chalet or tented camps
- Highlights – Bungee-jumping, valley of desolation, Robberg Nature Reserve
- Advice – Get yourself the wildcard, which allows you to enter all SAN Parks for free, might save you some costs
If you are looking forward to a ten day holiday along the southern coast of South Africa where you can combine adrenaline activities with relaxing beach days and wildlife encounters, this route might be your suitable option. Keep in mind to not drive during darkness as it bears many risks due to crossing wildlife, bad road conditions and other hazardous possibilities you might not be familiar with. Hence, plan always enough time to reach your next goal within sunlight.
CPT Airport – Plettenberg Bay drive about 500km; 6hr
Day 1 – 3: Most likely you will arrive in the morning hours at the airport, which gives you the time to pick up your vehicle and stock on provisions if you like before you head eastwards towards Plettenberg Bay; a place where many South Africans spend their holiday season. En route, a 45min drive away from Cape Town you will pass by Grabouw pass where you should consider to stop by the Houw Hoek Farm Stall. They offer great coffee and even better pies that you should not walk by without having tried one. Plett is a quaint little town by the ocean offering breathtaking hiking views in Robberg Nature Reserve and also along the never-ending beachfront. You can find easily accommodation places; one that is quite central and offers ocean views is the Bayview Hotel.
Plettenberg Bay – Jeffreys Bay drive about 170km; 2hr
Day 5 – 6: Welcome to the Eastern Cape! From Plettenberg Bay you can head eastwards to Jeffreys Bay, the surfer’s paradise! You will find endless, beautiful beaches where you can run for at least 7km one way. This place is mainly known to surfers as it offers stunning waves to ride. For everyone else, the views are spectacular enough to make for a relaxed get away. The Supertubes offers wonderful accomodation from Bed & Breakfast to self-catering guest houses right at the ocean front. If you are looking for a great lunch or dinner place, the Kitchen Windows Beach Restaurant will go the extra mile to even create you a meal that is not on the menu – surely a place to recommend.
Jeffreys Bay – Mountain Zebra National Park drive about 340km; 4hr
Day 7 – 9: After a relaxing beach time, the next morning will bring you into the wilderness; namely into the Mountain Zebra National Park. It is a park managed by the South African government with basic accommodation (chalets) and even a restaurant in the park – in case you have forgotten to stock up on all your braai utensils (which you definitely should bring along to fully enjoy your veranda overlooking the African bush). The park offers enough self-driving routes that will keep you busy for 2 or 3 days. Most likely you will encounter different species of antilopes, buffaloes and the mountain zebras for which the park was established to protect the endangered species. But you can also spot cheetahs, black rhinos and even a caracal if you are really lucky. There is no need for a 4×4 vehicle as most of the gravel roads are drivable via a normal sedan car.
Mountain Zebra National Park – Camdeboo National Park drive about 130km; 1,5hr
Day 10 – 11: After a last early morning drive you can head for a short drive westwards to the Camdeboo National Park into the heart of the karoo. This park is also managed by SAN Parks, however, accommodation is rather basic here. SAN Parks offer a tented camp with a communal kitchen and an abolution block but no restaurant or any food facilities within close vicinity, therefore be prepared and come with your own food. Neverthless, what this place does offer is magnificent – often even unknown to South Africans themselves; a place called Valley of Desolation. This place offers fabulous views from the top of the mountains across the vlei; especially beautiful during the golden hour. Hikers will surely also enjoy this place as there a shorter hiking paths within the park but also longer ones outside it, closer to the town Graaf Reinet that will take you far inside the valley that you can see in the below picture.
Besides stunning vistas you will find many different species of antilopes, ostriches, plenti of different kind of birds and of course monkeys. You should beaware of the cheeky vervet monkeys that will raid your tent in a blink of an eye. Therefore, keep it closed in a proper manner with the lock on and closed.
Camdeboo National Park – Knysna drive about 480km; 5hr
Day 12 – 13: After exploring 2 beautiful SAN Parks in the Eastern Cape that are by far less known than the Addo Elephant National Park (you can find a different journey to that particular park here), your routewill bring you back into the Western Cape. As your holiday comes to an end, your adrenaline levels can still go up as you will be driving past the Bloukrans Bungee Jumping Bridge – the border connecting the Eastern and the Western Cape. Take a stop here about 1 hour away from your destination at Knysna to jump from one of the highest bridges offering stunning views of the mountains, river and even the ocean. A zip-line will take you from the main land onto the large bridge from where you will be jumping into the nowhere. The team is highly professional and will surely make the event unforgettable for you. Just make sure to arrive early enough to be able to do a jump at latest early afternoon.
After this eventful drive you will be back at the ocean side. Knysna is very well known by all locals as many South Africans tend to spend their Christmas holidays at this place. There are many water-related activities to do or you can just relax at the beach or go for some shopping in town. For a relaxed stay, Chez Pierre is a wonderful place to enjoy the magical coastline of Knysna.
Knysna – Cape Town drive about 500km; 6hr
Day 14: Your holiday is coming to an end, the last stretch of about 500km is between you and Mother City. To break up the long journey you can have a short stop at any of the lovely farmstalls you will find along the route – really nice and authentic places to grab a coffee and some biltong. Bybe bye, salut and sala kakuhle∞
If you have any questions, contact me or read my advices about South Africa on Instagram.
