L'Heure du Voyage
🇿🇦 Itinerary · South Africa · 14 days

2-week South Africa itinerary 2026: Cape, gardens, Kruger

The tested combo: Cape Town, the Garden Route and Kruger Park. 14 days self-drive, detailed budget, real distances and southern-season advice.

🔄 Updated June 1, 2026

📅 See the program 🔄 See variants

In brief

Duration

14 days

Stops

7 places

Average budget

€2,200-3,800

Total distance

~2,400 km

Profile

Road trip + safari

Season

Apr-Oct

Cape Town 4d · Hermanus 1d · Knysna 2d · Tsitsikamma 1d · Addo 1d · Kruger 4d · Johannesburg 1d

Itinerary map

The route at a glance

South Africa 2-week itinerary map: Cape Town, Hermanus, Knysna, Tsitsikamma, Addo, Kruger, Johannesburg

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Detailed program

14 days, day by day

1

~€90/pers

Cape Town · Arrival and waterfront

  • Morning Landing at Cape Town (CPT), pick up the rental car (left-hand driving).
  • Afternoon Rest for jet lag, walk at the V&A Waterfront.
  • Evening Fish dinner facing the harbor, scouting for Table Mountain.
🛌 🛌 Cape Town · e.g. The Bay Hotel, Camps Bay (4 nights)·🚗 Rental car essential·South Africa guide →
2

~€60

Cape Town · Table Mountain and center

  • 8am Table Mountain cableway at opening (before the wind and clouds).
  • 1pm Lunch in Bo-Kaap, the colorful-houses district.
  • 4pm Company's Garden and Greenmarket Square market.
3

~€70

Cape Town · Cape of Good Hope

  • 8am Scenic Chapman's Peak Drive toward the peninsula.
  • 11am Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point, short hike.
  • 3pm Boulders Beach penguins at Simon's Town.
4

~€80

Cape Town · Stellenbosch wineries

  • 10am Drive to the wineries of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek (50 km).
  • Day Tastings at two estates, gourmet lunch.
  • Evening Back to Cape Town, last evening at Camps Bay.
5

~€110

Cape Town → Hermanus · Whales and the start of the road

  • 9am Departure for Hermanus (120 km, 1h45).
  • Afternoon Whale watching from the cliff (June to November) or a boat trip.
  • Evening Sunset over Walker Bay.
🛌 🛌 Hermanus · e.g. The Marine Hotel (1 night)·🚗 Coastal road
6

~€120

Hermanus → Knysna · Heart of the Garden Route

  • 8am Long drive to Knysna (370 km, 4h30) via Mossel Bay.
  • 4pm Check-in facing the Knysna lagoon.
  • Evening Knysna oysters, a local specialty.
🛌 🛌 Knysna · e.g. Premier Hotel Knysna (2 nights)·🚗 N2, perfect asphalt
7

~€70

Knysna · Lagoon, Heads and forests

  • Morning The Knysna Heads and a lagoon cruise.
  • Afternoon Plettenberg Bay beach (30 min), swim or walk.
  • Evening Back to Knysna.
8

~€130

Knysna → Tsitsikamma → Addo · Forests and elephants

  • 8am Tsitsikamma Park, Storms River suspension bridge (90 km).
  • 1pm Drive to Addo Elephant Park (200 km, 2h30).
  • 4pm First game drive among Addo's elephants.
🛌 🛌 Addo · e.g. Addo Rest Camp (1 night)·🚗 N2 then park tracks
9

~€180

Addo → Kruger · Flight to the big safari

  • Morning Drop the car at Port Elizabeth (PLZ).
  • 12pm Domestic flight to Hoedspruit or Nelspruit (2h, ~€120), pick up a 4x4.
  • Evening Enter the southern Kruger, check-in at camp.
🛌 🛌 Southern Kruger · e.g. Skukuza Rest Camp (4 nights)·✈️ Domestic flight essential
10

~€120

Kruger · Southern park, the Big Five

  • 5:30am Morning game drive from Skukuza, the densest area.
  • Midday Break at camp during the heat.
  • 4pm Second game drive, searching for leopards.
11

~€120

Kruger · Central park

  • Day Drive up to Satara, an area known for lions and cheetahs.
  • Evening Guided night game drive (option, ~€25).
12

~€110

Kruger · Full safari day

  • Morning Game drive along the Sabie River, waterholes and rhinos.
  • Afternoon Free viewing from the park hides.
13

~€100

Kruger → Blyde · Panorama Route

  • 8am Exit the park onto the Panorama Route: Blyde River Canyon, Bourke's Luck Potholes.
  • Afternoon God's Window and Three Rondavels.
  • Evening Drive to Nelspruit or Hoedspruit.
🛌 🛌 Nelspruit (1 night)·🚗 Mountain roads
14

Flight

Johannesburg → France · Return

  • Morning Domestic flight or drive to Johannesburg (OR Tambo).
  • Afternoon Return flight to Paris, direct or via Doha/Addis Ababa.

How much

Itinerary budget (per person, flight included)

Backpacker

€2,200

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €750
  • 🚗 Economy car: €35/day
  • 🏨 Guesthouses: €45/night
  • ✈️ PLZ-Kruger domestic flight: €120
  • 🦁 Kruger park fees: €100
Recommended

Comfort

€3,000

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €850
  • 🚗 Mid-size SUV: €55/day
  • 🏨 3-4★ hotels: €90/night
  • ✈️ Domestic flight: €150
  • 🦁 Lodge + game drives: €350

Premium

€6,000

per person

  • ✈️ Business flight: €1,800
  • 🚗 High-end 4x4: €90/day
  • 🏨 5★ boutique hotels: €250/night
  • ✈️ Domestic flights: €250
  • 🦁 All-inclusive private lodge: €1,200

Shorter, longer

Other possible durations

1 week

1 week

Cape Town and the Garden Route, or Cape Town + a short safari.

You're here

2 weeks

2 weeks

Cape Town, the Garden Route and Kruger.

1 month

1 month

The grand tour: Cape, gardens, Kruger, Drakensberg and Wild Coast.

How to get around

Itinerary logistics

The itinerary is a self-drive (left-hand driving, excellent roads), from Cape Town to Kruger. A domestic flight links Port Elizabeth to the Kruger region to avoid 1,500 km of road. Count ~€120-150 for that flight.

🚗

Rental car (Cape → Addo)

€35-55/day · left-hand driving · perfect N2

🐋

Whale trip in Hermanus

~€50 · June to November · or from the cliff

✈️

Flight Port Elizabeth → Kruger

€120 · Airlink / FlySafair · 2h

🚙

4x4 in Kruger

Self-drive possible · tarred roads in the south

🏔️

Panorama Route (Blyde)

Mountain roads · allow half a day

Adapt by season

Two opposite climates by season

South Africa plays on two opposite seasons. For Cape Town and the Garden Route, the southern summer (November to March) brings sun and beaches, but it's also high season. For Kruger, the southern winter (April to October) is ideal: low vegetation, animals at waterholes, little rain. So this itinerary works best in May-June or September-October, straddling both. Avoid mid-December to mid-January, local holidays, peak prices.

Author tips

What I would redo (and change)

✅ Would redo

  • • In October 2024, going up Table Mountain at 8am sharp at opening: clear sky, no wind, and back down before the cloud layer (the famous tablecloth) closed everything at 11am. The morning cableway changes everything.
  • • The Port Elizabeth → Kruger flight rather than the 1,500 km of road: two days saved.
  • • The Boulders Beach penguins early in the morning, before the tour coaches.
  • • Keep 4 nights in Kruger to vary south and center: patience pays for leopards.
  • • Stellenbosch tasting with a driver or by staying at one estate: driving on the left after wine, best avoided.

⚠️ Would change

  • • Add a night at Plettenberg Bay if you love beaches.
  • • Skip Tsitsikamma if the suspension bridge doesn't appeal, and go straight to Addo.
  • • Prefer a private lodge bordering Kruger (Sabi Sands) for off-road game drives, if the budget allows.
  • • Avoid mid-December to mid-January: peak prices and saturated roads.

FAQ

Itinerary FAQ

Can you self-drive in South Africa? +
Yes, it's even the best way to do the Garden Route. Driving is on the left, the main roads (N2) are excellent. In the southern Kruger, self-driving is possible on tarred roads.
What budget should I plan for 2 weeks? +
Count about €2,200 on a budget basis, €3,000 in comfort and €6,000 in premium, per person, flight from Paris included. Car rental and safari make up most of it.
Is the domestic flight to Kruger essential? +
Strongly recommended. Linking Port Elizabeth to Kruger by road is 1,500 km and two days. The flight costs €120-150 and takes 2 h. On 14 days, the gain is decisive.
What's the best period for this itinerary? +
May-June or September-October, straddling both seasons: dry enough in Cape Town, ideal in Kruger. Avoid mid-December to mid-January (local holidays, high prices).
Do I need antimalarial treatment for Kruger? +
Kruger is a low-to-moderate malaria zone depending on the season. See a vaccination center. Cape Town and the Garden Route are not affected.
Is this itinerary family-friendly? +
Yes, it's one of Africa's most accessible: flexible self-drive, safaris in a closed vehicle, beaches and penguins. Plan child seats with the rental.

Marie Laurent ✓

·

Southeast Asia specialist · itinerary personally tested.

Last updated: June 1, 2026.

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