If you’ve always wanted to go on the adventure of an African safari, but worry you’ll feel rushed through the experience. JENMAN African Safaris is happy to be able to offer you the perfect solution – South Africa self-drive safaris! During the trip, you will be able to explore the beauty of South Africa as you make your way from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town, in your own rental car, at your own pace! Read on to find out more about this incredible opportunity to finally experience your own African adventure, while doing it all YOUR way!
The self-drive safari stretches over six days, which you can fill with whatever type of activities most appeal to you. Our experienced travel guides will be more than happy to help you plan your itinerary, putting their many years of experience to good use, but at the end of the day, how you spend the hours in a day is completely up to you. We will also take care of the travel necessities – the car and booking accommodation – so that you can focus on making the most of your time under the African sun.
Self-drive Itinerary
Day 1
The first day of your self-drive safari will allow you a little time to sit back and relax in Port Elizabeth, one of the largest cities in South Africa that has a rich cultural heritage, which offers insight into the region’s diverse and remarkable past. You can spend the afternoon at the beach, in the ocean with a spot of surfing, or enjoying one of the other optional activities we can recommend.
Day 2
On the second day, you will begin the first leg of your drive towards the Tsitsikamma Forest. The drive itself is incredible scenic, offering many photo opportunities for any aspiring photographer. You can get up close and personal with Mother Nature as you explore the coastal bush and rocky shoreline of the Garden Route. Or, if you’re more of an adrenaline junky, you can get your blood pumping by taking a leap off the Bloukrans River Bridge, the highest bungee jump in the world!
Days 3 & 4
The third and fourth day will see you travel further along the Garden Route. You can stop off at Plettenberg Bay, a stunning coastal town which is renowned for its pristine beaches, before making your way to Knysna. A visit to the Knysna Elephant Park will see you driven through fields on a tractor trailer to see the elephants that you will be able to touch, feed and photograph. This is an incredible encounter and time spent these majestic beasts will certainly make for an impressive story to tell around the dinner table at home. Other wildlife encounters to be enjoyed in the area include a visit to Monkeyland, where you can go on a monkey safari, and Birds of Eden, when you can complete a canopy walk, visit mysterious ruins, and spent time behind a waterfall, while taking in the 220 species of bird that inhabit the aviary.
Day 5
Your second last day on a self-drive safari will see you proceed to Oudtshoorn, the ostrich capital of South Africa. You can experience the historical and unique Klein Karoo, before enjoying such experiences as a visit to an ostrich show farm to learn more about these incredible birds, or going on an unforgettable tour of the famous Cango Caves, which feature limestone formations that have formed over thousands of years.
Day 6
Day six will see you delivered to Cape Town, the country’s breathtakingly beautiful Mother City. The road you arrive by – Route 62 – is the longest wine route in the Western Cape and offers you ample opportunity to stop off and taste the fruit of the vines that is so expertly produced by many award-winning wine farms, before heading to the airport and boarding your flight back home. However you choose to fill the hours in your day as you drive along South Africa’s famous Garden Route, we can guarantee that you will be spoiled for choice.
We are committed to helping you in the process of planning the perfect self-drive safari to Africa. We will customize every part of the trip to meet your requirements, including accommodation, activities, and transportation arrangements.
