The Garden Route from Port Elizabeth to The Crags - FD07

We did two tours, led by Graeme who was a great guide and stayed with us the whole time. The first day we did a Garden Route to the Crags tour, taking in everything specified on the description. The scenery is amazing and the stops were great. It was a very full and long day. Graeme especially wanted us to get the most out of the next day as we had a short half-day and agreed to pick us up even earlier from the ship. We went to Addo Elephant Park and did indeed see many elephants and other animals, though sadly no lions. I can fully recommend Alan Tours.

I only had the weekend to spend roaming around Port Elizabeth and I am super happy to have chosen to book Alan Tours! They have truly made my first visit to South Africa memorable as Andrew (guide) came to fetch me on time from my hotel at 8am. He navigated along the sea coast showing fabulous sites including the Nelson Mandela University, Plettenberg Bay and small towns until we reached the Wild Flower Reserve. There, he prepared a breakfast picnic for us with pressed-coffee and buttered cookies. He also took initiative to get great pictures via my phone or his phone, which he later on sent me via WhatsApp. There was also no dull moment with Andrew as he named most plants, flowers and insects/animals thought the trip. He made sure I was comfy, safe and hydrated throughout the day. Next stops were the Storms River Bridge and Jeffrey’s bay with breath-taking views. As we made our way to Tsitsikamma National Park, he not only stated facts about the sites we came across but also shared fun stories about his tour guide career from Namibia across RSA. I appreciate his openness and imparted passion about his work & love of nature. We had lunch in the Crags just by the sea shore. Offered choices on the menu were great seafood, burger, salad or meat selections - mid-priced, not cheap ones. After which, we went to the Monkey Land and just beside it, Birds of Eden. The animals were so cool! Locals, and Andrew mentioned, go to those sites during school trips. But hey, if you’re an animal lover as myself, they are definitely worth checking! We headed back around 17:00 just in time to get to pass through the Bloukrans bridge before sunset - one of the highest global bungee jumping sites. Andrew asked where I preferred to be dropped off and we reached the hotel back at 19:30. The garden route tour was superb! I recommend this tour as it differs from the normal big 5 park or game reserves, seeing more sites towards the west coast of Port Elizabeth.