Help needed - CT to Addo NP | South Africa - Lonely Planet Forum

ONLINE

Tue, 20 Sep 2016 09:17:35 +0000

Hi,
I need some help arranging a trip.
After staying in Cape Town for three nights and four days (love to hear recommendations about what we absolutely have to check out), we would like to travel Garden Route to Addo National Park and then return to CT for one/two night/s.

Where and for how long should we stop?

As of now we are thinking:

Starting our drive and passing Hermanus and Mossel Bay to arrive in Knysna - is this possible one day with also trying to see everything on the road? I think we would like to stay in Knysna for 2 nights. Then drive on to Port Elizabeth and either staying there one night and driving to Addo NP or staying in the NP for one night before driving back to CT taking a hopefully different route.

We will be in CT from Oct 19-22, then try to make our way to Knysna and stay from Oct 22-24, then on to Elizabeth Port and possibly staying one night until Oct 25, then on to Addo NP and staying another night until Oct 26. and then we would have one more day to return to CT. We would likr to be back the evening of Oct 27 for two more nights and one full day before flying out to Jo'burg on Oct 29. Does this sound reasonable?

Thank you very much for your help!

Edited by ShelaghDelaney

ONLINE

Tue, 20 Sep 2016 14:43:13 +0000

Your are looking at about 850km between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, and with only 10 days for Cape Town + the Garden Route + Addo, you definitely dont want to do the drive twice (there is no point in driving back from P.E. to Cape Town in one day - you wont have time to see anything on the way).

I would rather do:
- CPT 19-23 or 24
- Garden Route 23 or 24-27
- Addo NP 27-29
And on the 29th, fly from P.E. To Joburg to fly home from there

I love Cape Town and there is plenty to do and see there. With 3-4 nights on the Garden Route (and 2 of them in Knysna), it depends on you where you spend the other night or two. Yes, you could drive all the way from CPT via Hermanus to Knysna in one day if you want, but you are looking at about 6 hours driving, which doesnt leave a lot of time for sightseeing on the way. As you will be travelling in Whale Season, stopping in Hermanus to see Whales from the shore (or better, go on a boat trip to see them even closer up) is a must in my opinion. I would spend 2 nights in Addo, one night only will be very rushed and you wont have enough time to enjoy the experience. Also, P.E. is a pleasant enough town, but not a place you "must" spend the night in.

Edited by nathalie2

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Thu, 21 Sep 2017 01:01:10 +0000

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