Travel Butlers Ltd
Astra House
The Common, Cranleigh
Surrey GU6 8RZ, United Kingdom
tel: +44 (0)1483 266725


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Garden Route Uncovered

Example holiday

Garden Route Uncovered

We hope that this example holiday will give you give some inspiration to help you begin to plan your own dream holiday to Africa.

The next couple of pages show a summary of the itinerary, followed by a detailed page on each destination.

Important travel information for visitors to South Africa is included at the back of this document.

All the holidays we offer to our clients are tailor-made so we can adjust this trip to fit in with your travel dates, interests, preferred accommodation...and of course your budget.

All our travel consultants have extensive knowledge of travel throughout Southern and East Africa, and our strong relationships with suppliers mean that our rates to you will always be competitive.

Let us take the hard work out of planning your trip: you can get in touch either by giving us a call on +44 (0) 1483 266725, completing the Enquiry Form on our website or emailing us at info@travelbutlers.com.

We look forward to hearing from you!

The Travel Butlers Team

Travel Butlers Ltd
Astra House
The Common, Cranleigh
Surrey GU6 8RZ, United Kingdom
tel: +44 (0)1483 266725


Page 

Garden Route Uncovered

Example Itinerary

TB-1826-1 / 22948

Example Cost

Holiday Title: Garden Route Uncovered

Holiday Destination: Holiday to South Africa for 3 nights

Passengers: 2 Adults

Example Cost for 2 Adults: * per person sharing.

*Excludes international flights from your home country - please ask us if you would like us to include these for you.

ABTOT provides protection for your booking as set out in Section 6 of our booking conditions.

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Travel Butlers Ltd
Astra House
The Common, Cranleigh
Surrey GU6 8RZ, United Kingdom
tel: +44 (0)1483 266725


Page 

Summary Of The Itinerary

Printable Version

Holiday Title: Garden Route Uncovered

Passengers: 2 Adults

Day 1

From Port Elizabeth, head westwards along the Garden Route, which follows the Indian Ocean coastline and is bordered inland by soaring mountain ranges and indigenous forests. You will visit Tsitsikamma Park and Storms River Mouth, before arriving at your overnight accommodation in Knysna. The afternoon is at leisure to relax or explore the town.

The Rex Hotel is renowned for its chic urban style and impeccable service. Located in the vibrant seaside town of Knysna and surrounded by beaches, forests and lakes, this elegant retreat is the perfect base from which to explore all the attractions of the world-famous Garden Route. Accommodation at the Rex is inspired by a mix of contemporary and classic decor, featuring calming colours and plush fabrics.


Day 2

Enjoy the shops and atmosphere of this quaint town before joining a lagoon cruise to Featherbed Nature Reserve, before taking a trailer ride to the top of the Western Head to take in the panoramic views of the town and lagoon, returning for lunch (included). The afternoon is at leisure to further explore this charming town set around a natural harbour lagoon.


Day 3

Travel through the Outeniqua Pass to Oudtshoorn, the centre of the world's Ostrich farming industry. You will visit an Ostrich Farm for a guided tour and light lunch (included), before taking a tour of the spectacular limestone caverns of the Cango Caves, one of the world's great natural wonders, sculpted by nature through the ages. In the late afternoon you will be transferred to your hotel in Oudtshoorn, with enough time to check in and relax before dinner.

Situated just outside of Oudtshoorn, within walking distance of some of town's finest restaurants, Hlangana Lodge is a pretty guest house set in a picturesque garden with a sparkling swimming pool. The attractive and comfortable en-suite rooms offer all modern amenities and lead out onto a deep, tranquil veranda with refreshing garden views.


Day 4

[OPTIONAL ACTIVITY AND ADDITIONAL COST] Enjoy an early morning meerkat safari and witness these incredible wild, habituated creatures emerging out of their burrows, in time to soak up the sun before they head about their daily activities. After this thrilling experience, head back for a delicious breakfast.

After breakfast, the journey continues through the Little Karoo to Barrydale, where you will have the opportunity to visit a local farm school (subject to the school being open), interact with the children and teachers, spending time with them in the classroom learning more about the local farming community, before travelling to Montagu, a picturesque and historic spa town. Continue to Cape Town, spectacularly set at the foot of Table Mountain, where the tour ends on arrival.

 
Travel Butlers Ltd
Astra House
The Common, Cranleigh
Surrey GU6 8RZ, United Kingdom
tel: +44 (0)1483 266725


Page 

The Rex Hotel

Knysna: 2 Nights

Situated right in the heart of the Garden Route and set on the shores of a beautiful lagoon, Knysna (pronounced 'Nysna') is a bustling little holiday town with a lively Waterfront area.

The excellent selection of accommodation and restaurants, coupled with the many activities on offer, makes this a superb holiday destination and a perfect base from which to explore the many attractions of the Garden Route. The annual Knysna Oyster Festival takes place mid-year in Knysna and is one of the area’s annual highlights, boasting amazing food, great music and friendly people.

The Knysna Lagoon is sheltered from the ocean by a coral reef and the Knysna Heads - 2 large cliff formations which form a natural narrow opening into the ocean. Several operators offer relaxing catamaran trips and sunset champagne cruises out to the Heads and into the open sea, which is a great way to escape the busy streets for a while.

The surrounding forests and nature reserves provide ample opportunity for leisurely walks or picnics, short hikes or more strenuous day walks, plus a number of biking trails. Nearby Brenton-on-Sea beach is a magnificent 7 km stretch of uninterrupted white sands around a half heart-shaped bay.

The Rex Hotel promises its guests superior service and exceptional comfort. This impeccably appointed hotel offers guests a gateway to world-class restaurants, lush forests and the shores of the peaceful Knysna Lagoon.

The Rex Hotel offers the choice of Standard Rooms, Luxury Studios and two bedroom Apartments that reflect an urban chic ambiance and mixes contemporary and classic décor with cool colours and rich fabrics. The studios and the apartments have an open-plan lounge, dining area and kitchenette.

The O Bar & Eatery at The Rex offers excellent service, superb cuisine and exciting specialities. The outdoor terrace area is the perfect spot to bask in the sunshine and indulge in coffee or light snacks.

Example Details For The Rex Hotel

Nights: 2 Nights
Adults: 2 Children: 0
Room: 1 x Standard Room
Includes: Breakfast is included. Dinner is included on the first night as well.

Location

The Rex Hotel Location Map
Travel Butlers Ltd
Astra House
The Common, Cranleigh
Surrey GU6 8RZ, United Kingdom
tel: +44 (0)1483 266725


Page 

The Rex Hotel

Travel Butlers Ltd
Astra House
The Common, Cranleigh
Surrey GU6 8RZ, United Kingdom
tel: +44 (0)1483 266725


Page 

Hlangana Lodge

Oudtshoorn: 1 Night

Oudtshoorn (pronounced ‘oats-horn’) is 55 km north of George and is the tourist mecca of the Little (or Klein) Karoo. It is most famous for its ostrich farms.

Before the First World War, thousands of ostriches were bred on farms across the area, primarily to service the growing fashion trend for ostrich feathers. Today, there are still many breeding farms but the main tourist attraction are the Ostrich Show Farms, which offer interactive tours where you can learn more about the history of ostrich farming and meet the long-legged and long-necked inhabitants face to face.

The impressive Cango Caves are a further 30 km from Oudtshoorn. Naturally formed, the caves are engraved into the heart of the Swartberg Mountains and empowered by the beauty of the stalagmite and stalactite rock formations. The caves are illuminated to show some of the biggest stalagmite formations in the world. The largest chamber is the Grand Hall, which is107 metres across and 16 metres high.

Another popular reason to visit Oudtshoorn is the chance to spend a memorable (but early) morning with a family of meerkats. Tours depart before sunrise and you get to spend a couple of hours watching these endearing little creatures as they wake up and start popping out of their burrows to forage for food and frolick in the morning sun.

Hlangana Lodge is set in exotic gardens on the outskirts of Oudtshoorn. Offering the highest standards of luxury and service, it is perfectly situated to explore the surrounding countryside.

Guests can enjoy the landscaped garden, relax in a deckchair next to the saltwater swimming pool, or admire the skillfully crafted woodwork on the veranda.

Standard rooms open onto the verandah overlooking the garden.

Example Details For Hlangana Lodge

Nights: 1 Night
Adults: 2 Children: 0
Room: 1 x Standard Room
Includes: Breakfast is included.

Location

Hlangana Lodge Location Map
Travel Butlers Ltd
Astra House
The Common, Cranleigh
Surrey GU6 8RZ, United Kingdom
tel: +44 (0)1483 266725


Page 

Hlangana Lodge

Travel Butlers Ltd
Astra House
The Common, Cranleigh
Surrey GU6 8RZ, United Kingdom
tel: +44 (0)1483 266725


Page 

Important Travel Information For South Africa

Passport, Visa and Entry Requirements

Latest Travel Updates

For up-to-date travel information from the UK government, please check:

UK Government Advice: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/south-africa

 

Normally, holders of the following passports do not require a visa to enter South Africa when travelling as a tourist for stays up to 90 days: United Kingdom; United States of America; Canada; Australia; Ireland; Belgium; Netherlands; Italy; France; Germany; Spain, Switzerland.

If you are a passport holder from another country, please contact your local South Africa High Commission or Embassy for up-to-date visa requirements, as citizens of certain countries (including New Zealand) are required to obtain visas before travelling. Please note that if you are applying to the Embassy for your visa, some visas can take a long time to be processed so please do take this into consideration, as it is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct visa in place before you travel.

Children under 18 years of age who require a visa to enter South Africa may be required to provide additional information when applying for the visa including an unabridged birth certificate and affidavit if travelling with only one parent.  There are also additional rules for unaccompanied minors and/or South African children - details available on request or via the SA Department of Home Affairs at http://www.dha.gov.za.

Please note that anyone travelling to South Africa should have a valid return ticket and a valid passport. Your passport should be valid for a minimum period of 30 days from the date of exit from South Africa. However, some immigration officials still request that a passport should have at least 6 months validity from the date of entry to South Africa so to avoid problems on arrival, we advise that your passport meets this requirement instead. The passport must also have sufficient pages for entry/exit stamps - AT LEAST 2 BLANK PAGES.

South Africa has implemented biometric capturing at all ports of entry. This may result in some delays at land borders so you should allow additional time for border crossings.

PLEASE NOTE: Countries can change their entry requirements at any time. Travel Butlers try to ensure that the information displayed here is correct, but the onus remains with the traveller to verify the information with the relevant High Commission or Embassy and ensure that they can comply with the applicable entry requirements.

Medical

You are advised to contact your doctor or clinic around 4-8 weeks before your trip to check whether you need any vaccinations and to get their professional medical advice regarding travel to South Africa.

To help avoid heatstroke, drink plenty of bottled water/fluids, and keep out of the midday sun.

Tap water is purified and safe to drink in major cities and towns, however, we do advise that you do not drink the water in more remote places such as the camps in the National Parks - the water may be safe to drink, but it simply is not worth the risk, as bottled water is widely available.

Whatever you do, do not drink water from any river lake without firstly purifying the water. Always take water with you when you go on a hike, and have a bottle in the car on a long journey to avoid dehydration.

There is a risk of malaria in and around the Kruger National Park/Mpumalanga Province, the Limpopo (Northern) Province, and the north-eastern part of KwaZulu-Natal - check with your doctor about suitable antimalarial tablets. Try to avoid mosquito bites wherever possible - wear loose long-sleeved clothing and trousers, and use a repellent on clothing and exposed skin.

There is no risk of yellow fever in South Africa, so a yellow fever vaccination is NOT required for travellers whose sole destination is South Africa. However, in accordance with International Health Reguations, South Africa requires all travellers over one year of age arriving from a yellow fever risk country, or having been in transit longer than 12 hours at the airport of such a country, to have a yellow fever certificate. These countries include Kenya and Uganda but it is up to the traveller to check the full list here https://nathnacyfzone.org.uk/factsheet/60/yellow-fever-maps

If you need emergency medical assistance during your trip, dial 10177 and ask for an ambulance.

Travel Butlers Ltd
Astra House
The Common, Cranleigh
Surrey GU6 8RZ, United Kingdom
tel: +44 (0)1483 266725


Page 

Important Travel Information For South Africa

Continued

Languages And Culture

The 11 official languages are Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, Pedi, English, Tswana, Sotho, Tsonga, Swati, Venda and Ndebele. Whilst many visitors will hear at least a couple of the tribal languages during the course of their stay, it is possible to travel extensively and comfortably with just English as a language.

The South African society is quite liberal, as gay marriage was legalised in 2006 nationwide and everyone’s rights are protected under the constitution. In some more rural areas, however, the local people may not be quite as liberal thinking, so whilst everyone is of course entitled to their own sexual preferences and gender identity, we would advise all clients of the LGBT+ community to refrain from public displays of affection (including kissing and holding hands) and to be as discrete as possible about their relationship if travelling to a rural/remote area.

Travel Butlers Ltd
Astra House
The Common, Cranleigh
Surrey GU6 8RZ, United Kingdom
tel: +44 (0)1483 266725


Page 

Book With Confidence

Travel Butlers have 20 years experience of booking travel to Africa and the Indian Ocean for clients from all around the world.  In this time we have supported clients through disruptions caused by numerous unexpected events including natural disasters, localised disease outbreaks and airline cancellations. Nobody can be certain exactly what will happen in the future, however Travel Butlers can offer you peace of mind and flexibility to ensure that you feel confident booking a holiday with us.

Flexibility and peace of mind before you travel

Our team are specialists in travel to Africa and the Indian Ocean, and we are constantly monitoring the changing situation regarding travel to the region. If your trip cannot go ahead due to specific travel restrictions related to Covid-19 then we will get in touch to offer you the choice of the following:

The specific Covid-19 travel restrictions are defined as follows:

We would not normally be able to confirm that your trip cannot proceed due to travel restrictions until a couple of weeks before the start of your trip, however should you want to look at postponing or altering your trip before then we would aim to be as flexible as possible.

If we confirm that your trip is unable to proceed due to Covid-19 travel restrictions, then we will not charge you an amendment fee if you choose to postpone your trip or move it to another destination. We may need to adjust the cost of your trip to reflect the new dates, particularly if those coincide with a more expensive season of travel or higher grade of accommodation. Equally, if the cost of your postponed trip is less, we will reduce the cost accordingly.

You should still take out travel insurance that includes Covid-19  to cover you in the event that your trip can go ahead but you are unable to travel due to illness or a change in your personal circumstances. If there are no travel restrictions in place that mean your trip could not go ahead but you need to cancel due to illness or a change in your personal circumstances then our normal terms and conditions would apply. You should ensure that your travel insurance provides adequate cover for cancelling due to illness, including Covid-19, and you may be able to make a claim against your travel insurance depending on the cover offered by your policy.

Support whilst you are away

We offer 24/7 telephone assistance to all our clients whilst they are away, and also have partners in each country that are able to assist with any PCR tests or other issues that might arise during your trip.

If you fall ill whilst you are away, or if your trip is disrupted due to Covid-19 whilst you are travelling, then our experienced team will be on hand to assist you in whatever way you need.  You would need to pay any additional costs incurred due to illness or travel disruption whilst you are away, however you may be able reclaim these expenses on your travel insurance depending on the cover offered by your policy.  Travel Butlers will be able to assist by providing supporting documentation for your claim.

Financial protection for your Travel Butlers holiday

All of the holidays we sell are 100% financially protected through our ATOL and ABTOT bonding so your money is in safe hands when you book a Travel Butlers holiday. Furthermore, our business is well positioned to navigate through the challenges which the travel industry is currently facing.

Please read our Terms and Conditions for more information.

Finding suitable travel insurance that covers Covid-19

You can now get insurance that offers cover for disruption related to Covid-19, and these policies could include cover for:

Not all policies offer this kind of cover, not necessarily even all policies from the same provider, so you should ensure you check the policy details carefully before buying your insurance. 

You can read more about choosing suitable travel insurance in the FCDO guide to travel insurance.