The Garden Route is best known for its beaches, lagoons and forests, but it also hides something many travellers don’t expect: private game reserves with lions, elephants, rhinos and buffalo, a few hours’ drive from Cape Town and completely malaria-free.
Last checked: 29 September 2026 — prices and conditions change, always confirm before booking.
This site helps you pick the right reserve, decide between a day trip and a night in a lodge, and fit a safari into a road trip along the coast. Start with our complete Garden Route safari guide, or jump straight to what you need:
- Choosing where to stay: the best safari lodges on the Garden Route, luxury and private lodges and child-friendly options.
- Short on time: a one-day or two-day safari, or a safari near Cape Town.
- Planning the whole trip: our Cape Town, Garden Route and safari itinerary, with a Kruger add-on.
- Specific reserves: Garden Route Game Lodge, Garden Route Safari Camp and where to see the Big 5.