Wellness Adventure: Cape Town and the Garden Route

Day 1: Cape Town. Place where you do yoga: Table Mountain, one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature

Cape Town. 1-hour drive Begin your Cape to Kruger adventure with a magical first yoga session on top of Table Mountain. Meet us at your centrally located hotel to start this tour for Cape Town's most famous icon: Table Mountain by the Aerial Cableway at 7 am to take in the natural beauty and stunning views. This is followed by a visit to the first botanical garden in the world to be established (in 1913) to protect local flora, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden in the UNESCO-listed Cape Floral Kingdom follows. Lunch is at an African cuisine restaurant. Visiting Groot Constantia, we taste their export quality wines. We journey along the False Bay coastline to Boulders Beach near Simon’s Town, home to one of the few land-based penguin colonies in the world. Choose one of the popular restaurants in the area for dinner. You overnight at African Soul Surfer, a youth hostel, the location for our first studio-based class with sweeping views of Muizenberg and where surf lessons are offered.

Day 2: Winelands. Yoga: Cape Point, where the 2 oceans meet on tip of Africa 

Cape Town to Caledon: 2-hour drive First visit is Cape Point, part of the Table Mountain National Park and home to an abundance of flora and fauna. Depending on the weather conditions you might hike a light downward trail to the stunning Dias beach to enjoy your morning yoga session next to the ocean. You also visit the viewpoint with the Flying Dutchman Funicular. Driving in the direction of Stellenbosch, we go to the Spier Wine Farm for chocolate and wine tasting on the banks of the Spier dam. Overnight at The Caledon Hotel and Spa which has an impressive view of the Klein Swartberg Mountains and the continuing wheat fields. The hotel is situated around an hours’ drive away from Cape Town and offers guests mineral-rich hot springs and spa with three restaurants, a gym, and children’s activities offered to all guests. The wellness centre is equipped with comfortable seating, natural hot springs, lap pool, steam room, sauna, frigidarium (The distinctive brown colour of the water is due to the rich mineral content known as chalybeate.), Swiss shower, elegant Victorian Bath House (erected 1897 and outdoor Jacuzzi, as well as a great Zen Garden. A full range of spa treatments including massages, body wraps, facials, and beauty therapies are on offer as an option.

Day 3: Caledon Hotel and Spa wellness centre, natural hot springs, lap pool, steam room, sauna, frigidarium. 

You stay at the Caledon Hotel and Spa for another day where you can do yoga and to make most use of the wellness facilities. You also have the option to go with your tour Guide to do shark cage diving. (not included)

Day 4: Cango Caves, Buffalo Bay, Garden Route 

Caledon to Knysna via the Cango Caves:  5-hour drive Starting our journey to the Garden Route, we move on to the town of Oudtshoorn with Route 62. This route delivers an unforgettable South African travelling experience, making of life-long memories. After visiting the Cango Caves for a Heritage Tour, we head down the scenic Outeniqua Pass and onto the green forests and beaches of the Garden Route. We go to Buffalo Bay for a rejuvenating beach walk. Buffalo Bay beach is a blue flag beach located in Goukamma Nature Reserve, between the coastal towns of Knysna and Sedgefield, along the Western Cape Garden Route. The beach is characterized by dune fields, coastal fynbos, and a forest that flanks the long white sands. Overnight is at the Peace of Eden Nature Lodge and Vegan Retreat. This is “rustic, eco and natural, our accommodation is earthy and creative, your shower water is golden brown, our drinking water is straight from the heavens, and know that here in the country, ‘things’ with 4 legs rule! We are here to chat to the monkeys, clap when the baboons come visiting, give you clean sheets and generally ensure you have a peaceful carefree time with little bits of spice thrown in the mix with the peace, and where guided forest walks, massages, vegetarian cooking classes, yoga and meditations can be arranged.”(or similar accommodation in Knysna).

Day 5: Dolphin Encounters, bungee jump at Bloukrans Bridge 

Knysna return: 3-hour drive Breakfast follows a drive through Knysna and to the town of Plettenberg Bay, where you can take a boat ride for a “Dolphin Encounters” excursion of 1,5 to 2 hours at Ocean Blue Adventures. (highly weather dependable) You go to the world’s highest bungee jump at Bloukrans Bridge. Standing 709 feet (216 meters) above the Bloukrans River, the arch bridge is the ideal place to bungee jump. This is an optional activity (own expense), and you are free to watch the bungee jumpers take the plunge. Alternative to the “Dolphin Encounters” boat ride you can do one of the activities at Stormsriver Adventures: a Tsitsikama Woodcutters Journey or a Tsitsikama Canopy Tour. Overnight is at the Peace of Eden Nature Lodge and Vegan Retreat.

Day 6: drive to Cape Town

Knysna to Cape Town: 6-hour drive After you did some activities at your choice at the Peace of Eden Nature Lodge we head back to Cape Town and visit some of the amusing farm stalls on the way.