Eastern Cape Glamping Road Trip: Garden Route to Malaria-Free Big Five
Most safaris start with a flight. This one starts with a full tank of fuel. Here is a 10-day malaria-free road trip from Cape Town along Route 62 and the Garden Route to the Eastern Cape, with Big Five at both ends and the best tented camps, treehouses and glamping stays along the way.
Most safaris start with a flight. This one starts with a full tank of fuel and a good playlist. Drive from Cape Town along Route 62, down through the forests and lagoons of the Garden Route, and finish among the elephants of the Eastern Cape, sleeping under canvas, in treehouses and on decks above the bush along the way.
It is one of the best road trips in South Africa, and it has a big advantage for families and first-timers: the whole route is malaria-free, including two Big Five stops. This guide gives you a 10-day plan, the best glamping stays on each leg, and the practical bits that make it work.
The route at a glance
| Days | Leg | Approximate drive | Where to stay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 2 | Cape Town to Sanbona (Route 62) | 3 hours | Dwyka Tented Lodge |
| 3 | Sanbona to Oudtshoorn and over the Outeniqua Pass | 3 to 4 hours | AfriCamps at Oakhurst, Wilderness, or Botlierskop near Mossel Bay |
| 4 to 5 | Wilderness, Sedgefield and Knysna | Short hops | Teniqua Treetops or AfriCamps at Oakhurst |
| 6 | Plettenberg Bay and Tsitsikamma | 2 hours | A night in Plettenberg Bay or near Storms River |
| 7 to 10 | Tsitsikamma to the Eastern Cape reserves | 2 to 3 hours | Gorah, Shamwari Sindile or Woodbury Tented Camp |
The full route is roughly 850 km. Drive times are estimates without stops. Fly home from Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) rather than driving back.
Days 1 and 2: Route 62 and Big Five in the Karoo
Leave Cape Town through the Winelands and pick up Route 62, the inland road that runs through the Little Karoo. About three hours from the city you reach Sanbona Wildlife Reserve, a huge malaria-free Big Five reserve set among rocky mountains and dry riverbeds.
Dwyka Tented Lodge, Sanbona
Dwyka sits in a horseshoe bend of a dry riverbed under Karoo cliffs. Each canvas tent has a private plunge pool, and the reserve offers game drives, walks, ancient rock art and some of the darkest night skies in the Western Cape. Two nights gives you four game drives and a proper chance to slow down after the city.
See rates and availability for Dwyka Tented Lodge
Travelling with young children? Sanbona’s Gondwana Family Lodge has a kids’ programme, a children’s club and babysitting. It is not tented, but it is one of the most family-friendly lodges in the Western Cape. See Gondwana Lodge
Day 3: Ostriches, caves and the Outeniqua Pass
Carry on along Route 62 through Barrydale and Calitzdorp to Oudtshoorn, the ostrich capital of the world. Stop at the Cango Caves if you have time, then drive over the Outeniqua Pass and watch the landscape turn from dry Karoo to green forest in less than an hour.
AfriCamps at Oakhurst, Wilderness
AfriCamps at Oakhurst is set on a 640-hectare working dairy farm near Wilderness, with views to the Outeniqua Mountains. There are eight glamping tents, each sleeping five, with a full kitchen, an en suite bathroom, a big deck and a wood-fired hot tub. A boardwalk trail runs through the indigenous forest, and there is a play area for children. Rates start from about $76, which makes it one of the best-value glamping stays on the route.
Botlierskop Tented Lodge, near Mossel Bay
If you would like a safari stop on the Garden Route itself, turn towards Mossel Bay after the pass. Botlierskop has five-star tented suites with private decks, a spa and pools, and the Big Five on the reserve. Its horseback safaris are a highlight, from one hour to three and a half hours, for riders aged seven and up, and there are pony rides for younger children.
Days 4 and 5: Lakes, lagoons and treehouses
Wilderness, Sedgefield and Knysna sit close together, so these are easy days. Paddle the Touws River in the Wilderness section of the Garden Route National Park, browse the Saturday market in Sedgefield, and watch the sea rush through the Knysna Heads.
Teniqua Treetops, near Sedgefield
About 23 km from Sedgefield in the Outeniqua foothills, Teniqua Treetops is a collection of tented treehouses in the indigenous forest. Some are spread over several levels, with glass showers and decks looking into the canopy. The camp is self-catering and built to tread lightly, using rainwater, river water and dry toilets. Days are for hiking, rock hopping in the Karatara River and doing very little in a hammock.
Day 6: Plettenberg Bay and Tsitsikamma
Plettenberg Bay has some of the best beaches on the Garden Route. Walk the Robberg Nature Reserve peninsula for seals and sea views, and between about June and November look out for southern right whales in the bay. Further east, the Tsitsikamma section of the Garden Route National Park has the Storms River Mouth suspension bridge, coastal forest trails and, for the brave, the 216-metre Bloukrans bungy jump. Spend the night in Plettenberg Bay or near Storms River so the drive to the Eastern Cape is short the next day.
Days 7 to 10: Malaria-free Big Five in the Eastern Cape
From Tsitsikamma it is about two hours to Gqeberha, and the Eastern Cape’s private reserves are an hour or so beyond. The landscape here is thicket, grassland and river valley, and the elephants are everywhere. Plan at least three nights to make the most of it.
Gorah Elephant Camp, Addo Elephant National Park
Gorah is in a private concession inside Addo, which has the densest elephant population in South Africa. Eleven tented suites with private decks surround a restored 19th-century manor house where dinner is served by candlelight. Horse riding, cycling and walks join the game drives, and the camp is about an hour and a half from Gqeberha.
Shamwari Sindile
Sindile is Shamwari’s tented camp, with nine elevated tents over the Bushmans River. Each has a heated plunge pool, an indoor fireplace and an outdoor shower, along with butler service and binoculars to borrow. Shamwari also runs a wildlife rehabilitation centre and a Born Free big cat sanctuary that guests can visit.
Woodbury Tented Camp, Amakhala
Woodbury is the relaxed, family-friendly choice, with en suite tents looking over the Bushmans River floodplain in Amakhala Game Reserve. As well as game drives and walks, you can canoe or take a river cruise, which is rare on a Big Five reserve.
See more options in our guide to malaria-free glamping in South Africa.
Short on time? Three ways to shorten it
- Seven days: skip Sanbona and fly from Cape Town to George. Spend two nights on the Garden Route, then drive east for three nights in the Eastern Cape.
- Five days: fly straight into Gqeberha for two nights at an Eastern Cape reserve, then drive west to Plettenberg Bay for two nights.
- Weekend from Cape Town: two nights at Dwyka Tented Lodge and back along Route 62.
Practical tips for the road trip
- Hire the car one way. Collect in Cape Town and drop off in Gqeberha, then fly home. One-way fees are usually worth it.
- Drive in daylight. Distances are manageable, but rural roads have animals and few lights at night.
- Time your safari stops. Lodges run afternoon drives from about 3 or 4 pm, so aim to arrive by lunchtime.
- Pack for two climates. The Karoo can be hot by day and cold at night, while the Garden Route can be damp and cool.
- Choose your season. The Garden Route is lovely from October to April. Winter, from June to August, brings whales to the coast and cooler, clearer days for game viewing in the reserves.
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need for the Garden Route and Eastern Cape?
Ten days is ideal for Cape Town to the Eastern Cape with a safari at each end. Seven days works if you fly to George and skip Route 62.
Is the Garden Route malaria-free?
Yes. The Western Cape, the Garden Route and the Eastern Cape reserves are all malaria-free.
Can you see the Big Five on the Garden Route?
Yes. Botlierskop near Mossel Bay and Sanbona on Route 62 both have the Big Five, and the Eastern Cape reserves around Addo, Shamwari and Amakhala do too.
Where can you go glamping on the Garden Route?
AfriCamps at Oakhurst near Wilderness has self-catering tents with hot tubs, Teniqua Treetops near Sedgefield has tented treehouses in the forest, and Botlierskop near Mossel Bay has luxury tented suites with Big Five game drives.
Should we drive or fly back from the Eastern Cape?
Fly. Gqeberha has direct flights to Cape Town and Johannesburg, which saves a full day of driving.
When is whale season on the Garden Route?
Southern right whales visit the coast roughly from June to November, with Plettenberg Bay one of the best places to see them.
Start the engine
Ten days, forests and lagoons in the middle, the Big Five at both ends, and no malaria tablets to pack. Book the safari stops first, as they fill fastest, then build the Garden Route nights around them. Browse South Africa’s glamping stays or see the best luxury tented camps in South Africa for more ideas.