South Africa Roadtrip with a Local: Untouched beaches 🌞, Mountains, Wilderness, Campfires & Adventure 🤙 Epic Roadtrip through an epic Country🚙

Hosted by

Olaf

Guided trip
Hello beautiful People 😃, Join me and other fun and adventure-seeking explorers for a once in a lifetime Road trip through South Africa — The Rainbow Nation, which has it all. From cosmopolitan Cities, award-winning wine routes, endless deserts, empty white sandy beaches, lush tropical forests, spectacular mountain ranges to a superb infrastructure and welcoming locals.😎 I'm looking for 4 – 8 intrepid travelers who want to experience the authentic and natural beauty of Southern Africa. We'll travel in 4 x4 safari camper vehicles with rooftop tents. Two or four people per car. We'll combine camping out in nature at beautiful hand-picked sites with all necessary amenities, comfortable BnB's and quirky Backpackers. South Africa provides amazing value for money, and sharing this trip will get you even more bang for your buck. 🙋‍♂️And who am I? My name is Olaf, and I'll be your Facilitator, Driver, hiking partner, motivator, debating and sing along buddy adventure wingman, plus hopefully a good friend during and after the trip. I was born and raised in South Africa. My Parents are both German, and I was lucky enough to visit the German School in Cape Town, basically making me an Incognito German. I've been a Dog sledding guide in Norway, Overland Chef and Guide all through southern and eastern Africa, Sailor throughout the Mediterranean, ran my own German-style Food truck in Cape Town and have done more road trips to every part of South Africa than I can remember. I'm also a qualified Tour guide for Cape Town, with emphasis on wine tours. :) I love good Food and will be cooking up a storm and braaing (barbecuing) lovely delicious South African classics over the fire most nights. Sharing my beautiful country and making meaningful connections whilst exploring this multi-facetted land, is the main motivation behind offering this trip. I feel most alive on the road, meeting interesting individuals, having lively conversations at the camp-fire and feeling the exhilarating drive of adventure.🌏 We commence on this trip as soon as we have filled 2 cars with 2 or 4 people each. I'm looking for outgoing and adventurous people who are not afraid to get a little dirty here and there and live for telling a good story at the end of it all. Couples are welcome, and we would have to either share a rooftop tent or make arrangements for having a separate tent to put up on the ground. 💰Pricing... What is included in the price? 🏠Accomodation — stays at camp-sites are included in the pricing. Most nights will be camping. Cost of Rooms and Bungalows depend on the location and need to be booked in advance and are subject to availably. Upgrades for private rooms or bungalows are not included in the pricing. Our accommodation in Cape Town is included in the price. Most Camp-sites have the possibility for private rooms or similar. 🥑Food —Food is included in the pricing. We will cook on the open Fire most nights. Cooking and shopping will be done together, where I take the lead in organizing and planning. Alcohol and Restaurant are not included and need to be paid individually. 🚙Vehicle rental. —Rental is included in the pricing. 4×4 Vehicles equipped with all amenities you will require on your trip are included. Pricing is done for 2 people per car. If 4 people share a vehicle, the cost will come down. Please ask me for more details on this. Our Van in Cape Town for exploring around the city is also included in the pricing. ❌What is not included? —Petrol is not included in the pricing. For about 3500 km at current cost of Fuel and current conversion rate (09.03.2022) it comes to about 7000 Rands which is about 450 Euro or about 480 U.S. dollar — Park entry fees are not included in the price. — Alcohol and restaurants are not included in the price. — All other activities can be arranged and are to be paid individually. There are loads of opportunities for Yoga and mindfulness along the trip. Hiking, fishing, swimming, snorkelling, sunbathing, bungee jumping, paragliding and many more activities can also be enjoyed in spectacular scenery. If all this has tickled your fancy, just contact me, and we can get to know each other over a video call, and I'll answer all your questions. P.S: There are also opportunities to get some remote work done. South Africa has pretty decent Internet and plenty of awesome beach spots to get all the inspiration you need. I'm a digital Nomad myself these days, and also work on the road here and there. Some additional Infos about South Africa: ☀ Weather and Climate: Weather in Cape Town is very comparable with south of Spain or Portugal. We have a Mediterranean climate. Winter rain and Summers dry with loads of wind. April is Autumn, and it's off season, so not too many tourists. Weather is still warm, but can get pretty chilly in the evenings, especially if we get some cold fronts moving in. Being a shoulder month, it is still one of the best times to visit Cape Town. We have both the Indian and Atlantic Ocean surrounding the Cape, but expect the water to be very icy. As we head off to the interior of the country, expect the days to get quite hot and the nights to be cold. On the eastern coastline, starting from wilderness, the climate becomes more tropical and warm. The ocean also becomes considerably warmer as we move up north-easterly. Expect the nights to still get quite cold. In the Drakensberg we have typical mountain weather which can be very unpredictable. It can even snow here in summer, so be prepared for all types. Generally hot during the day and very cold during the night. Moving along back into the Karoo and the semidesert, we can expect hot days and cold nights. https://www.tripsavvy.com/south-africa-weather-and-average-temperatures-4071461 ✈ Entry requirements for South Africa (COVID-19 and Visa): For EU citizens and almost all other European or North American Passport holders you get a Visa on arrival for 3 months which you can normally extend by another 3 months without any problems. You do have to show a return flight on your arrival in South Africa. http://www.dha.gov.za/index.php/immigration-services/exempt-countries COVID-19 is currently not having any major effect on Tourism in South Africa. All flights are operating as normal. Everything is currently open including all types of accommodations, restaurants, shopping malls, national parks etc. When you enter South Africa you need an PCR test obtained not more than 72 hours before the date of travel. You don't need a vaccine to enter South Africa, and you don't need to quarantine. Normal (No FFP2) Face Masks are mandatory indoors. The COVID-19 situation is generally very relaxed and normal hygiene protocols are to be followed. Washing of hands, Masks, sanitizing, etc. https://www.gov.za/covid-19/individuals-and-households/travel-coronavirus-covid-19 ➡ The Route, Petrol Price and Insurance : The route is approximately, 3500 km through the best of South Africa. That makes about 200 km driving every day. We have some off days on the trip, but it will be a lot of driving. We are going to do some off-roading on some spectacular mountain passes. It helps if you have a buddy to share the driving. We are going to leave pretty early on most driving days, but especially the long stretches. Find a detailed itinerary of the route on Google Maps here: First half of the trip : https://goo.gl/maps/Bh2iu39GAwko23jy6 Second half of the trip : https://goo.gl/maps/oHqFBn9QyLpZzb748 Petrol is not included in the pricing. For about 3500 km at current cost of Fuel and current conversion rate (09.03.2022) it comes to about 7000 Rands which is about 450 Euro or about 480 U.S dollar. Insurance: The price of the cars include full cover. You need international medical aid and an international driving permit. Police are generally very relaxed and not corrupt in South Africa. Private Hospitals are on the same standard as in Europe or North America. We have excellent infrastructure and very capable Hospitals and Doctors. There is no Malaria on the route we are travelling on. The Tap water is normally potable. 🚙The expeditions vehicles: We will use fully equipped 4×4 campers with rooftop tents. Everything you will need for camping in the bush will be provided with your vehicle. A full description of the vehicle will be found once you've made your choice of 2 or 4 seaters. Are you ready for an unforgettable adventure? Send me a message!! 📬
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Olaf Bleibtreu, German-South African adventurer, guides across Africa, and shares awe-inspiring moments with fellow travelers

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Trip Itinerary
1

Cape Town

Day 1-4
We all meet here. We will be staying together in Sea point along the Atlantic seaboard 5 min from the City centre with beautiful sundowners every night. Familiarise yourself with the climate and, time zone etc. We'll take a small tour around the area, finishing off with a ''nice get to know each other personally'' sundowner drink on top of signal hill, followed by a BRAAI. (weather permitting) We stay here the next days and organize our vehicles and any other things you might need ahead of the trip. We explore the ''Mother City'' : climb up Lion's head and the famous Table mountain. Visit the penguins and the Cape of Good Hope. Learn to surf in Muizenberg and stroll around the quirky towns of Simon's town and St. James. I can assure you, we won't get bored in Cape Town. 75km +- 1.20 hour drive time
2

Franschhoek

Day 4-5
No trip to Cape Town would be complete without a little wine tasting. Franschhoek (French corner) is for me the most beautiful of the many wine routes in the Cape Wine lands. We hop on one of the wine Tuk-tuks that will take us to 3-4 different wine farms. We'll, have an absolute blast while tasting some of the best wines South Africa has to offer. Franschhoek is the most up market wine destination in South Africa but is still cheap in comparison with wine tastings in Europe or America. We'll be camping in Franschhoek with the possibility to book a room at the same camp-site. 450km +- 5.30 hour drive time
3

Wilderness

Day 5-7
Latest here, we'll get into our Road trip feeling. Travelling on the famous Rout 62 which is often compared to the more known Route 66 in the U.S. Think open roads, Semi desert, big blue skies and dark starry nights. We continue our trip towards the East Coast, driving over beautiful mountain passes into a different climate zone. The lush and tropical forests this area is famous for, will be soothing for our eyes. The warm ocean makes for a perfect beach day. Here you can actually have a proper swim in the ocean without a wetsuit, unlike Cape Town. We'll have a choice of awesome hippie backpackers perched high on a mountain overlooking the ocean, or some more sophisticated BnB's directly on the beach. Wilderness is a Mecca for Paragliding, and Tandems can be booked here for about 70% of the price in Cape Town. Beautiful forest walks welcome you to slow down and revel in the spectacular afromontane forests which grow in abundance here. This place is what some would call paradise. Here we also have some time to shop and do some potential remote work. 130 km +- 2 hour drive time
4

Angie's G Spot

Day 7-8
We head back over the ''Outeniqua'' mountains through some epic thick forests and good 4x4 tracks and arrive at a secluded place aptly named Angie's G spot. This is a popular stop for motorcycles and other intrepid travellers. We close out the night with a good Braai and some beers and/or wine. 150km +- 3hour drive time
5

Baviaanskloof

Day 8-9
We carry on to the Baviaanskloof which a real South African gem and not very well known by non South African. This huge gorge teams with wildlife, and we'll have our first bush experience here. Camping and enjoying the stunning and secluded Baviaanskloof will be something never to be forgotten. There are some interesting sites and ancient rock paintings to see here, plus some nice places to relax and have a swim. 270 km +-5 hour drive time
6

Addo Elephant National Park

Day 9-11
We try to leave pretty early, so we can extensively experience the awesome Addo elephant park. There are many options to book a guide on a safari vehicle or do a self game drive. This National Park is by far the best one on our trip and the best choice for some game viewing. We can either camp in the park or find accommodation adjacent to the Addo. 310km +- 4 hours to drive
7

Chintsa

Day 11-12
We make our way back to the East Coast and stop over in Cintsa. A picture perfect little tropical bay with white sandy beaches and warm water. The water here is even warmer and the climate tropical. We stay at the infamous buccaneers and maybe find enough players for a game of volleyball and red wine. Relaxation, reading, sunbathing and socializing will make this quick stop one to remember. 250 km +- 4.20 hours to drive
8

Bulungula Xhosa Community EcoLodge

Day 12-13
We head off early for a long drive into my favourite part of South Africa. The wild coast. This is South Africa's most magical and rural part. The roads here are challenging and at times the going is slow, which makes for fewer tourists and a more authentic African experience. The wild coast is mostly untouched and has hundreds of pristine beaches teaming with fish and other creatures of the sea. The Xhosa peoples who inhabit this stretch of land are welcoming and hospitable. Here you will feel one million miles from home, but at the same time closer to humanity than ever before. We can hike along the coast, explore huge waterfalls, swim in the ocean and slowly fall in love with this special part of South Africa. We will mainly camp, although there are huts and rooms available at most of the camping grounds. Furthermore, we can buy fresh fish straight from the local fishermen or some huge crayfish (if it's in season) and braai them directly over the fire. This amazing backpacker is owned by the local community and many social programs give this spot a great vibe. You can get an insight to local Xhosa culture, go on a kayaking trip, or maybe even catch a fish… We can't take our cars here, so well have to take a room in one of the rooms. We can cook our own food or join everybody else for Dinner prepared by the backpackers. 90 km +- 2.30 hours to drive
9

Mdumbi Backpackers

Day 13-15
The best spot along the wild coast. Discovered as a secret surfing spot in the 80s, it hasn't lost any of its charm over the years. A hidden gem and a great place for a magnitude of things. I spent 3 months here once because I didn't want to leave any more, :) We can camp here and, if we're a little lucky, listen to African drums around a large fire. 200 km +- 4 hours to drive
10

Minnehaha Chalets, Maclear

Day 15-16
We head off towards the interior again and drive towards the mighty Drakensberg. This is the biggest and highest mountain range in Southern Africa, and are also called uKhahlamba, meaning the 'barrier of spears' in Zulu. The mountains make up the natural border to Lesotho and here we can see mighty Vultures flying high above, over wild and untamed rivers with endless green valleys and mountains as a backdrop. This is a truly untamed and extraordinary place. 100 km +- 2.30 hours to drive
11

Rhodes

Day 16-17
Rhodes has stood still in time and is a very old English town with dusty gravel roads and the beautiful backdrop of the mountains. Fly-fishing, mountain biking and hiking are all huge in this area. South Africa's only skiing resort is located not far away at Tiffendales. Some of the highest and most epic mountain passes are in this region, and we will drive some of these out and in of this town. 200km 3 hours to drive
12

Badfontein Guest Farm

Day 17-18
We head back into the wide open landscape of the Groot Karoo. The climate becomes dryer and the temperature hotter. Feeling tiny whilst camping under the stars and taking in the exceptional stillness and the beautiful night sky makes this space very special. 410 km +- 4.20 hours to drive
13

Nieu-Bethesda

Day 18-19
This is a true Gem of a small Town. In the middle of the Great Karoo, this little town has become a meeting point for artists, bohemians and a fair amount of quirky inhabitants. It lies super remote between some mountains in an arid landscape but boasts a host of delectable restaurants, art galleries, a gin distillery and a brewery. Everyone loves this place. Plus its still an insider tip. 420 km +- 5.30 hours to drive
14

Swartberg Backpackers

Day 19-20
We soak in more road trip feeling and hit the open road back towards the Klein Karoo. Here, we will navigate one of the most spectacular mountain passes of South Africa. The Swartberg pass. Once we have descended into the small fertile valley on the other side of the Swartberg, we find our happy place in a cosy camp where we will stay the night. 420 km +- 5 hours to drive
15

Cape Town

Day 20-21
Back in the most beautiful city on the planet. Return rental cars and relax for one or more night and have one last memorable BRAAI in our Airbnb. Spend some more time exploring the million sights this cosmopolitan city has to offer. There are plenty of opportunities for digital nomads to find coworking spaces, and cost of living is comparably low to most other cities with this high standard of living.
Trip Summary
Accommodation
Camping & Other & Hostel & Bed & Breakfast & Apartments
21 days trip
Cape Town, Franschhoek & 13 more
Transportation
Car
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