Kruger Safari & The Garden Route — Self-Launched
16 days · South Africa
G Adventures charges £3,300
No-markup version: ~£1,755 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 16-day independent version of G Adventures' "Kruger Safari & The Garden Route" (trip code DSJO): nearly a week of self-drive or guided safari in the Greater Kruger area, then an overland run down the Garden Route from Addo to Cape Town via Tsitsikamma, Knysna, Oudtshoorn and the Winelands. You book the same lodges, bush camps, safari drives and wine tastings yourself — using budget lodges/hostels, shared safari vehicles, the Baz Bus and domestic flights instead of a private group coach. Estimated independently at roughly £1,600-1,900 per person, excluding international flights. All figures are approximate.
Day-by-day
Arrive Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Land at OR Tambo (JNB) at any time and make your own way to a hostel or budget guesthouse in Maboneng or Melville. Buy a local SIM (Vodacom/MTN, ~£5 for data) and pick up any pre-ordered safari gear. Evening: casual dinner and drinks in Maboneng — try a braai platter or Kota sandwich. No welcome meeting — you're your own tour leader.
🚌Gautrain from OR Tambo to Sandton then onward, or metered Uber from airport (~£15-20)
🛏Hostel dorm or private room in Maboneng/Melville (~£18-25)
- →Arrive OR Tambo, settle into hostel
- →Buy local SIM card and data
- →Evening in Maboneng or Melville
Johannesburg to Greater Kruger
Greater Kruger Area (Hoedspruit / Hazyview)
Long transfer day to the bush. Two self-bookable options: (1) budget flight from Johannesburg to Hoedspruit/Eastgate or Kruger Mpumalanga (MQP) with Airlink or FlySafair (~£55-90, 1hr), or (2) the Intercape/Greyhound coach along the N4/N12 to Hazyview or Hoedspruit (~£20-28, 6-8hrs). Most Kruger-area lodges and hostels offer a paid shuttle from Hoedspruit or Nelspruit. Check into a bush lodge or hostel with a viewing deck — many overlook a waterhole. Afternoon is free; dinner at the lodge.
🚌Airlink/FlySafair flight JNB-Hoedspruit (~£55-90) or Intercape coach (~£25)
🛏Bush lodge or safari hostel in Hoedspruit/Hazyview area (~£30-45, often with dinner/breakfast)
- →Transfer to Greater Kruger area
- →Check into bush lodge
- →Sundowner on the deck
Full day of classic Kruger safari drives
Greater Kruger / Kruger National Park
Get up before sunrise for a morning game drive in open 4x4s or a self-drive in a hired sedan/4x4. Book your drives directly with the lodge or via SANParks' official guided activities at the rest camp you enter. Picnic lunch at a rest camp (Skukuza or Lower Sabie). Late afternoon: a second drive as predators become active. Evening braai at the lodge — bring your own meat and pap from a local spar and grill it yourself for a fraction of restaurant prices.
🚌Shared open safari vehicle (~£35-50 per drive) or self-drive SANParks conservation fee ~£18/day
🛏Same bush lodge or safari hostel (~£30-45)
- →Sunrise safari drive
- →Picnic lunch at Skukuza or Lower Sabie rest camp
- →Late afternoon game drive
- →Self-catered braai dinner
Full-day Kruger — Big Five chase
Kruger National Park
Enter the park early through Phabeni or Paul Kruger Gate and spend the day driving the southern loop — best chance of lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo. Buy the SANParks Wild Card if doing 3+ park days (pays for itself in conservation fees). Pack water, snacks and sun cream. Return to the lodge late afternoon for dinner.
🚌Hired 4x4/SUV shared between travellers (~£20-30 each/day) or shared guided vehicle
🛏Same bush lodge or safari hostel (~£30-45)
- →Full-day self-drive or guided Kruger game drive
- →Big Five spotting on the southern loop
- →Rest camp lunch stop
Open-vehicle 4x4 safari
Kruger National Park Area
Book a small-group open 4x4 safari for a more intimate experience — these run from most Hoedspruit and Hazyview lodges and typically include a guide, drinks and a bush stop. Alternatively hire a guided night drive from a SANParks rest camp (~£25) which spotlights nocturnal species. Dinner back at the lodge.
🚌Shared open 4x4 safari vehicle (~£45-65)
🛏Same bush lodge or safari hostel (~£30-45)
- →Small-group open-vehicle 4x4 safari
- →Optional night drive from a rest camp
Free day — Panorama Route or extra safari
Greater Kruger Area
Choose your own adventure: shuttle to the Panorama Route to see God's Window, Bourke's Luck Potholes and the Blyde River Canyon (~£40-55 with a local guide/shuttle), or add another Kruger drive. Cheaper DIY version: if you have a hire car, the Panorama Route is a straightforward self-drive with small entrance fees (~£4-8 per site). Dinner at the lodge or a local restaurant in Hoedspruit.
🚌Shared shuttle or self-drive on the Panorama Route (~£40-55)
🛏Same bush lodge or safari hostel (~£30-45)
- →Optional Panorama Route day trip (God's Window, Blyde River Canyon)
- →Or extra morning/afternoon Kruger drive
Chimp Eden and back to Johannesburg
Kruger Area to Johannesburg
After breakfast, stop at the Jane Goodall Institute's Chimp Eden in the Umhloti Nature Reserve — a sanctuary for rescued chimpanzees; entry and guided tour ~£11-15 (book direct). Continue on to Johannesburg by coach (Intercape/Greyhound, ~£25, 6-8hrs) or a budget flight from Hoedspruit/Eastgate (~£55-90). Overnight in a Jo'burg hostel or guesthouse near the airport or Maboneng.
🚌Chimp Eden taxi/shuttle + Intercape coach (~£25) or budget flight (~£55-90)
🛏Johannesburg hostel or airport guesthouse (~£20-28)
- →Guided visit to Chimp Eden sanctuary (Jane Goodall Institute)
- →Transfer back to Johannesburg
Fly to Port Elizabeth / Addo
Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) / Addo
Morning budget flight from Johannesburg to Port Elizabeth/Gqeberha (FlySafair or Airlink, ~£45-70, 1.5hrs). Pick up the Garden Route leg here. Transfer to Addo — book a budget guesthouse or the SANParks Addo rest camp rondavels directly. Afternoon: quick sunset drive or relax before an early start tomorrow.
🚌Budget flight JNB-PLZ (~£45-70) + shuttle to Addo (~£8-12)
🛏Addo guesthouse or SANParks rest camp rondavel (~£30-45)
- →Fly to Port Elizabeth
- →Transfer to Addo area
- →Check into guesthouse or SANParks rest camp
Addo Elephant National Park safari
Addo Elephant National Park
Addo is famous for dense elephant herds and the Big Seven. Do a self-drive game loop (conservation fee ~£18/day for international visitors) or join a guided SANParks sunset/night drive (~£25-35). Carry your own picnic. Afternoon drive onward to Port Elizabeth or stay a second night in Addo depending on your onward plan.
🚌Self-drive hire car (share ~£20-30 each/day) or SANParks guided drive
🛏Addo guesthouse or SANParks rest camp (~£30-45)
- →Self-drive or guided game drive in Addo
- →Big Seven spotting
- →Picnic lunch in the park
Addo to Tsitsikamma via the Garden Route
Tsitsikamma / Storms River
Drive or take the Baz Bus along the Garden Route to Storms River/Tsitsikamma (~4-5hrs from PE, Baz Bus hop-on hop-off pass from ~£130 covers the full route). Check into a Storms River backpackers. Afternoon: stroll to the Storms River Mouth suspension bridges (~£8 SANParks fee) where the forest meets the sea.
🚌Baz Bus hop-on hop-off (~£130 full-route pass) or shared shuttle (~£25-35 per leg)
🛏Storms River backpackers/hostel (~£18-28)
- →Garden Route transfer via Baz Bus
- →Storms River Mouth suspension bridge walk
Tsitsikamma hiking and adventure
Tsitsikamma National Park
Hike the first section of the Otter Trail or the shorter Mouth Trail and Waterfall Trail inside the national park. Optional adventures bookable direct or via GetYourGuide: Bloukrans Bridge bungee (world's highest bridge bungee, ~£55-70), Tsitsikamma canopy tour (~£35), or kayak/lilo down the Storms River gorge (~£30). Evening braai at the backpackers.
🚌Walking locally; shuttle to Bloukrans (~£8)
🛏Storms River backpackers/hostel (~£18-28)
- →Otter Trail / Waterfall Trail hike
- →Optional Bloukrans bungee jump
- →Optional Tsitsikamma canopy tour or gorge kayak
Tsitsikamma to Knysna / Plettenberg Bay
Knysna / Plettenberg Bay
Short hop west to Knysna or Plett. Free things to do: Plettenberg Bay's Robberg Nature Reserve peninsula hike (~£6, spectacular), Knysna Heads viewpoint, and the Knysna lagoon waterfront. Optional paid extras: Knysna Elephant Park or Birds of Eden (~£12-18). Overnight in a Knysna or Plett hostel.
🚌Baz Bus or local minibus taxi between Tsitsikamma and Knysna (~£12-18)
🛏Knysna or Plettenberg Bay hostel (~£20-30)
- →Robberg Peninsula hike
- →Knysna Heads viewpoint
- →Optional Birds of Eden or Knysna Elephant Park
Oudtshoorn — ostrich farms and Cango Caves
Oudtshoorn
Head inland over the Outeniqua Pass to Oudtshoorn in the Little Karoo. Visit an ostrich farm for a tour and, if you're brave, a ride (~£8-12), and join a guided tour of the Cango Caves (~£8-10). Optional: Cango Wildlife Ranch or a Swartberg Pass scenic drive. Overnight in an Oudtshoorn guesthouse or backpackers.
🚌Baz Bus or shuttle via the Outeniqua Pass (~£15-20)
🛏Oudtshoorn guesthouse/backpackers (~£18-28)
- →Ostrich farm tour
- →Cango Caves guided tour
- →Optional Cango Wildlife Ranch
Oudtshoorn to the Winelands
Stellenbosch / Franschhoek
Travel to the Cape Winelands (Baz Bus to Stellenbosch/Franschhoek, ~5hrs). Afternoon wine tasting — the Stellenbosch and Franschhoek wine tram or a hop-on wine bus lets you sample several estates without driving (~£20-30 for the tram/bus, tastings ~£4-8 each). Optional guided bike-and-wine tour (~£25-40, book locally or via GetYourGuide). Overnight in a Stellenbosch/Franschhoek hostel or guesthouse.
🚌Baz Bus to Stellenbosch/Franschhoek (~£15-20) + wine tram/bus
🛏Stellenbosch or Franschhoek hostel/guesthouse (~£22-32)
- →Franschhoek/Stellenbosch wine tram or wine bus
- →Wine tastings at 2-3 estates
- →Optional guided bike-and-wine tour
Winelands to Cape Town
Cape Town
Morning: one last tasting or a walk through Stellenbosch's historic centre, then transfer by Baz Bus/metro to Cape Town (~1.5hrs). Check into a Cape Town hostel (Long Street or Sea Point). Afternoon free to wander the V&A Waterfront, Bo-Kaap or Table Mountain's lower slopes. The G Adventures tour skips a deep Cape Town stay — here you can add your own days if you wish.
🚌Baz Bus or metro train to Cape Town (~£10-15)
🛏Cape Town hostel (Long Street/Sea Point) (~£22-32)
- →Stellenbosch historic walk or final tasting
- →Transfer to Cape Town
- →V&A Waterfront / Bo-Kaap wander
Cape Town — depart
Cape Town
Last morning in Cape Town. If your flight is later in the day you could squeeze in a Table Mountain cable car ride (~£18) or a Robben Island ferry (~£20, book ahead — often sells out). Allow time for the airport. If using the same 17:00 departure constraint as the original tour, plan an airport transfer by Uber or the MyCiTi bus. Safe travels.
🚌Uber or MyCiTi bus to Cape Town International (~£8-15)
🛏None (departure day)
- →Optional Table Mountain cable car
- →Optional Robben Island ferry
- →Depart from Cape Town International
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,755 | £3,300 |
| Duration | 16 days | 16 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,545 per person (47%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,755
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does Kruger Safari & The Garden Route — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,755 per person for 16 days in South Africa. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £3,300 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,755 — a saving of roughly £1,545 (47%) per person.
How long is the South Africa trip?+
This itinerary runs 16 days, covering 16 day-by-day stops through South Africa.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, wildlife, hiking trip through South Africa, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.