18 Oct 2026
Twin share
£1,440pp
Escorted tour
Garden Route & Lesotho Overland: Durban to Cape Town – 14 Days
The Drakensberg, the Lesotho Highlands, the Wild Coast, Addo and the Garden Route by overland truck.
14 days
From £1,215
Tour overview
This 14-day overland adventure follows South Africa's most scenic route from the Indian Ocean at Durban to Cape Town, climbing into the mountain kingdom of Lesotho on the way. You travel in a purpose-built safari truck with a group leader and up to 22 fellow travellers aged 15 and over. You stay thirteen nights: six camping at campsites with facilities in two-person canvas dome tents, two in a backpacker lodge in the Drakensberg, two in basic huts in Lesotho and three in hotels in Durban and Cape Town. Breakfast is included daily, with three lunches and ten dinners, many cooked at camp.
Your adventure begins in Durban, a city of golden beaches and spicy bunny chow. Heading inland, you stop at the Nelson Mandela Capture Site, marking the spot where he was arrested in 1962, then reach the Drakensberg, the highest range in Southern Africa, known as the Barrier of Spears. A guided day hike takes you through spectacular mountain scenery with plenty of flora and fauna.
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Driving past the sandstone formations of Golden Gate Highlands National Park, you cross into Lesotho, the Kingdom in the Sky, for two nights. A choice of hikes includes the Pitseng Canyon, with its rock pools and red rock, a walk to a village and museum, and trails to ancient San rock paintings. You then follow the Wild Coast to Cintsa, home to Xhosa communities, for a free day of beach, mountain biking, canoeing or surfing.
Addo Elephant National Park, a conservation success story that now protects more than 450 elephants, is explored on two game drives. On the Garden Route, Tsitsikamma National Park offers two nights where ancient forest meets the ocean, with trails to the Storms River Mouth. You pass the lagoon at Knysna, explore the Cango Caves and watch wild meerkats greet the sunrise near Oudtshoorn, the ostrich capital of the world. A wine tasting in the Cape Winelands brings you to Cape Town, where you visit the penguins at Boulders Beach.
The physical rating is medium, with early starts and camp duties. This trip suits active, sociable travellers who want to see South Africa's best scenery at a great price.
Trip highlights
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A Drakensberg day hike (Day 3)
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Two nights in the Lesotho Highlands (Days 4–5)
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The Wild Coast at Cintsa (Days 6–7)
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Addo's elephants (Days 8–9)
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Wild meerkats at sunrise (Day 12)
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Boulders Beach penguins (Day 13)
Your route
13 stops from Durban to Cape Town
- Durban Day 1
- Howick Day 2
- Maloti-Drakensberg Park Days 2–3
- Golden Gate Highlands NP Day 4
- Lesotho Highlands Days 4–5
- Cintsa Days 6–7
- Addo Elephant NP Day 8
- Tsitsikamma NP Days 9–10
- Knysna Day 11
- Cango Caves Day 11
- Oudtshoorn Day 11
- Stellenbosch Day 12
- Cape Town Days 12–14
Why choose this tour
Mountains, coast and wildlife from Durban to Cape Town. Great value, with ten dinners included.
Best suited to
- Active travellers
- Travellers on a budget
- Solo travellers looking for a social group
- Nature and wildlife lovers
Day-by-day itinerary
14 days from Durban, South Africa to Cape Town, South Africa
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Day 1 · Durban Durban
A welcome meeting.
- Hotel
- Hotel
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Day 2 · Nelson Mandela Capture Site, Drakensberg Drakensberg
History and mountains.
- Hotel
- Backpacker lodge
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
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Day 3 · Maloti-Drakensberg Park Drakensberg
A guided day hike.
- Hotel
- Backpacker lodge
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
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Day 4 · Golden Gate, Lesotho Highlands Lesotho
Into the Kingdom in the Sky.
- Hotel
- Basic huts, shared facilities
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 5 · Pitseng Canyon Lesotho
Hikes and rock art.
- Hotel
- Basic huts, shared facilities
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
-
Day 6 · Wild Coast, Cintsa Cintsa
Along the Wild Coast.
- Hotel
- Camping with facilities
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 7 · Cintsa Cintsa
A free beach day.
- Hotel
- Camping with facilities
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
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Day 8 · Addo Elephant National Park Addo
An afternoon game drive.
- Hotel
- Camping with facilities
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
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Day 9 · Addo, Tsitsikamma National Park Tsitsikamma
A dawn drive, then the Garden Route.
- Hotel
- Camping with facilities
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
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Day 10 · Storms River Mouth Tsitsikamma
A free day of trails.
- Hotel
- Camping with facilities
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
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Day 11 · Knysna, Cango Caves, Oudtshoorn Oudtshoorn
A lagoon and caves.
- Hotel
- Camping with facilities
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 12 · Oudtshoorn, Cape Winelands, Cape Town Cape Town
Meerkats and a wine tasting.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 13 · Boulders Beach, Table Mountain Cape Town
Penguins and a free afternoon.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 14 · Cape Town Trip ends
The trip ends after breakfast.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Where you stay
- Durban (1 night) Hotel
- Drakensberg (2 nights) Backpacker lodge
- Lesotho Highlands (2 nights) Basic huts, shared facilities
- Cintsa (2 nights) Camping with facilities
- Addo (1 night) Camping with facilities
- Tsitsikamma (2 nights) Camping with facilities
- Oudtshoorn (1 night) Camping with facilities
- Cape Town (2 nights) Hotel
Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.
What's included
Included
- Accommodation 6 nights camping, 2 in a lodge, 2 in huts and 3 in hotels
- Meals 13 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 10 dinners
- Overland safari truck
- Nelson Mandela Capture Site and Drakensberg hike
- Two game drives in Addo
- Cango Caves and meerkat experience
- Stellenbosch wine tasting and Boulders Beach
- Tents and mattresses, and a group leader
Not included
- Flights
- Optional activities such as Table Mountain
- Meals not included 9 lunches and 3 dinners
- Visas, tips, travel insurance and personal spending
This trip might not be for you if…
Honest disclaimer — please read
- You dislike camping
- You want luxury
- You dislike early starts
- You want flights included — they are not
Good to know
Meals by day
Breakfast: Days 2–14 · Lunch: Days 4, 6 and 11 · Dinner: Days 2–11
In pictures
Departures & prices
From £1,215 per person, twin share, tour only. 3 upcoming departures.
15 Nov 2026
Twin share
£1,215pp
27 Dec 2026
Twin share
£1,350pp
Frequently asked questions
How do I book this tour?
Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.
What financial protection do I get?
Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.
What is the camping like?
Two-person canvas dome tents with mattresses at campsites with facilities. Upgrades to rooms are sometimes available locally.
Do we visit Lesotho?
Yes, two nights in the Lesotho Highlands in basic huts with shared facilities.
Can I have my own tent?
Yes, if you book a single supplement in advance.
Do I need a visa?
UK visitors don't usually need visas for short stays in South Africa or Lesotho. Check the latest advice before travel.
Are there early starts?
Yes, including dawn game drives in Addo and the sunrise meerkat visit.
How many people travel together?
Up to 22 travellers, with a group leader.
Can you tailor the trip?
Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.
What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?
If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.
ATOL protected
100% financially protected in a Trust bank account
PTS 6035
4.7 on Trustpilot
Tailor-made option
Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.
If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.
Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary