Cheetah Trails and Garden Route

From Port Elizabeth to George

Tour Overview

Set out on an extraordinary journey through two of South Africa’s most captivating regions—the remote wilderness of the Great Karoo and the lush, coastal beauty of the Garden Route.

This independent tour blends conservation, wildlife, and coastal escape, with experiences designed to reconnect you with nature.

Begin at Samara Karoo Reserve, a pioneering conservation project set on 67,000 acres of restored wilderness in the heart of the Great Karoo. With five distinct biomes and over 60 mammal species—including the Big Five and wild cheetah—Samara offers one of South Africa’s most diverse safari experiences. Here, guests can participate in the unforgettable thrill of tracking cheetah on foot, a rare and intimate wildlife encounter that supports ongoing preservation efforts in this Global Biodiversity Hotspot.

Founded in 1997, Samara is at the forefront of rewilding in southern Africa, with a long-term goal to expand to a 3-million-acre conservation corridor. Its dramatic landscapes, from semi-arid plains to mountainous escarpments, provide a stunning setting for game drives, bush walks, and meaningful conservation travel.

Bonus Offer: Enjoy a complimentary flight from Johannesburg or Cape Town with a 4-night stay at Samara Karoo Reserve.

After your safari, unwind in Sedgefield, a peaceful eco-paradise on South Africa’s famous Garden Route. Perched above the coastal lakes and forested headlands of the Greater Knysna Area, this region is ideal for walking, biking, birdwatching, kayaking, or simply slowing down to appreciate the view.

The Garden Route is known for its spectacular diversity—dramatic shorelines, forested ravines, sandy beaches, fynbos-covered hills, and nearby natural wonders like the Little Karoo and Tsitsikamma rainforest. From Swartvlei Beach to fossil dunes, this is a place where slow travel meets spectacular scenery.

Whether you want to track wildlife, hike through floral kingdoms, kayak a quiet lagoon, or watch the sun set over the ocean, this journey offers the perfect balance of adventure and relaxation.

This independent tour is fully customizable—talk to us to tailor it to your style of travel.

Video Highlights

Viva's Best Bits...

Samara offers unparalleled Cheetah viewing. The chance to observe and learn about cheetah behavior in their natural habitat is truly extraordinary.

The majestic views over the mountains, beaches, lagoons and fynbos are spectacular! Fynbos on Sea also offers adventures to keep you busy for days.

Samara's efforts in rewilding is truly inspiring. The reserve has taken the lead in restoring the semi-arid yet biodiverse landscape, home to the Big Five and over 60 mammal species.

Tour Itinerary

Customisable ? This tour can be customised to suit your tastes and timing. Enquire here for more information.
Day 1
Port Elizabeth Samara Karoo Reserve

On arrival at Port Elizabeth Airport guests will be met and transferred to Samara.

Samara is uniquely situated at the meeting point of five of South Africa’s nine vegetation biomes: Grasslands, Nama Karoo, Savanna, Thicket and Forest. This diversity of vegetation creates a multitude of habitats for species that are specially adapted to the Karoo’s arid environment. Explore each of these biomes during your safari at Samara with our experienced guides, who will bring each biome to life during bush walks and game drives.

Eight Karoo Suites are standalone cottages a short distance from the main Karoo Lodge homestead. Ideal for couples, each spacious suite contains a four-poster bed, fireplace, air-conditioning and luxury en-suite bathroom with large separate bath and shower and two washbasins, and an outdoor shower. Private covered patios with outdoor seating look out over a waterhole, providing the ideal location for morning coffee or a nightcap under the stars.

Depending on arrival time, enjoy lunch before your afternoon game drive with an experienced guide and tracker.

Overnight accommodation | Samara Karoo Reserve | Karoo Suite | Fully Inclusive + Activities

Day 2-4
Samara Karoo Reserve

Enjoy your included scheduled game activities.

As well as game drives, Guests can participate in some of the various included activities:

Cheetah Tracking Experience
One of the highlights of a stay at Samara is the opportunity to track wild cheetah on foot. Thanks to a number of relaxed individuals, starting with our famous Sibella, we have been able to offer unrivalled wild cheetah viewing to many years of Samara guests.

Several of Samara’s cheetahs have radio collars for research and monitoring purposes to inform our conservation management. These collars also enable them to be tracked more easily. This is essential given the type of terrain they live in – from hunting in the thicket adjoining the rivers to giving birth on steep mountain slopes. Depending on the vegetation, your guide will also teach you to track the old-fashioned way – point out the signs of a cheetah’s presence, from tracks to dung to scratch marks on a tree trunk.

Bush Walks
Let our experienced guides walk you through our four vegetation biomes, pointing out the signs of the wild invisible from the vehicle. Marvel at busy termites as they go about their daily business, listen out of the call of the Honeyguide leading you to wild honey and feel your senses heighten in every way as you navigate the sort of landscape our prehistoric ancestors dwelled in long ago.

On the last morning enjoy a Spek Boom Planting Experience

Overnight accommodation | Samara Karoo Reserve | Karoo Suite | Fully Inclusive + Activities

Day 5
Samara Karoo Reserve Simbavati Fynbos by Sea

Enjoy a morning game drive before breakfast. Afterwards, you’ll be transferred from Samara to the Garden Route and the tranquil town of Sedgefield, where the next few days are yours to relax and explore at your own pace.

Perched on a headland above Sedgefield in the Greater Knysna Area, Simbavati Fynbos on Sea offers a spectacular eco-retreat with panoramic views of the Indian Ocean, indigenous fynbos, coastal lagoons, and distant mountain ranges. This hidden gem along South Africa’s famed Garden Route invites you to reconnect with nature and embrace the slower pace of life that Sedgefield is known for—symbolised by its tortoise emblem and ethos of “slow travel.”

Spend your days unwinding on the terrace, walking through wildflower-rich landscapes, or simply soaking in the scenery. For those looking for adventure, a variety of guided and self-guided activities are available to book locally at the on-site Activity Centre. Options include hikes, cycling trails, paragliding, kayak tours, and more—all offering some of the best views and outdoor experiences on the Garden Route.

Nearby, discover fossil dunes and untouched beaches, kayak on the Swartvlei and Sedgefield lagoons, or visit the neighbouring protea farm. In summer, the tidal rockpools are perfect for a refreshing snorkel.

Accommodation is in one of three luxurious suites, each featuring a king or twin beds, an en suite bathroom with a spacious shower, and a private terrace opening onto the gardens—with sweeping views over the fynbos towards the ocean.

Overnight at Simbavati Fynbos on Sea in a Luxury Suite including Breakfast

Day 7-9
Simbavati Fynbos on Sea

Enjoy your days at leisure

Explore the fynbos landscape on self-guided walking or mountain biking trails—mountain bikes are available for your use. You’ll also find a beach kit in your room, complete with umbrella, chairs, towels, and a beach game, perfect for a relaxing day by the sea.

Overnight at Simbavati Fynbos on Sea in a Luxury Suite including Breakfast

Day 9
Simbavati Fynbos on Sea George

Enjoy breakfast, then you will be transferred to George Airport for the onward flight

What’s Included

Accommodation
  • Included Copy 20 8 nights accommodation as specified
Food
  • Included Copy 20 Local beverages at Samara
Fees & Services
  • Included Copy 20 Meals, road transfers and activities as indicated
  • Included Copy 20 Conservation fees and tourism levies
  • Included Copy 7 Gratuities, Meals/Drinks not specified, porterage and items of a personal nature

Activities

  • Included Track Cheetahs in the wild on foot
  • Included Enjoy Game drives, with experienced guides
  • Included Learn about each biome during bush walks
  • Included Enjoy the spectacular African sunsets and endless starry night skies
  • Included Be part of the conservation success story and enjoy a Spek Boom Planting Experience
  • Included Enjoy Kayaking on the Swartvlei and Sedgefield lagoons
  • Included Discovery lovely fossil dunes and beaches
  • Included Snorkle in the rockpools in summertime
Click here for dates & prices
Duration

9 days

Price from

$5,923 USD

Per person, sharing

Daily, on request