The Garden Route

A tour of 15 people. Everyone got on well. Some queries with the itinerary. We passed by fabulous beaches without stopping such as Jeffrey’s Bay and Wilderness, yet stopped at service stations for lunch. This actually happened three times; once shortly after Knysna which would have been far preferable. The rooms were not always very good. In Tsitsikamma the room was very good, but it was at least a mile walk each way for breakfast. I’m fit, but this was classified as a leisurely tour. The rooms in Hermanus and Cape Town overlooked car parks. Our room in Hermanus also had no air conditioning. I expected better accommodation quality from Exodus based on personal recommendations. I would say it is comparable to mid range G Adventures. There were no whales (not the season) but also the waterfall in Karoo had dried up and Storms River was very low water also: Our tubing became bouldering. Cape Town and Cape of Good Hope were magnificent. Food provided or purchased throughout was consistently of high quality. A quite expensive trip when excursions, tips and food is added but we probably got what we paid for. A few simple tweaks could have made things better. Enjoyment – 8 out of 10. VFM – 7 out of 10. I regret not seeing some of the wonderful beaches on-route.

Gary Josey Cape Town & the Garden Route

This was a particularly enjoyable holiday where everything came together to create a fantastic experience. Good weather, a friendly group, an excellent tour leader and a well-constructed itinerary that took us to some wonderful places. The accommodation was of a good standard throughout. The “oceanettes” at Storms River Mouth with their incredible views were outstanding (a pleasant surprise having seen previous travellers’ comments on the wooden cabins there). We very much enjoyed staying in House Martin Guest Lodge too.
–South Africa was thought-provoking and very different to our expectations in so many ways. Like Jill Chaloner (previous review), we found it hard to get a Black perspective on the country, and mention of apartheid was largely restricted to our visit to Robben Island, which was a sobering reminder of South Africa’s recent past.

P&E Rooke Cape Town & the Garden Route

An enjoyable and interesting insight into South Africa with varied landscapes and experiences. Three game drives at the start with lots of wildlife – elephants, lions and many other animals to see in beautiful locations. We enjoyed stunning mountain and semi-desert scenery, the wild cape coast and the city life and scenery of Cape Town.

Accommodation was good throughout the trip– clean, good facilities and well located in each location. The accommodation and food at House Martin Lodge was excellent. We used a large minibus which was spacious enough for our needs and was safely driven by our guide. Our couple of long drives but the scenery helped and regular stops were arranged.

Meals and food were varied and good throughout the trip and we were able to experience different types of South African food.

Michael Gallagher Cape Town & the Garden Route