Reaching from Cape Town to Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), the Garden Route is so-called because of its perpetual lushness in a beautiful area. From the semi-desert of the Karoo and forests of Tsitsikamma to charming seaside towns and beautiful white sandy beaches. It is home to natural wonders such as the Cango Caves, with the finest dripstone caverns, and the Knysna Heads. The protected fynbos and flora is synonymous with the Garden Route. The section known as the Whale Route takes you to the shores where the Southern Right Whales visit annually to calve. The inland on Route 62 through the Little Karoo with some of South Africa’s most breathtaking mountain passes and many fantastic wineries and some fine brandies and ports. The scenic coastal Route runs from Mossel Bay in the west to Storms River Mouth in the east and is the most traditional of the Garden Route journeys.

There are many exciting experiences along the scenic Garden Route coastline. The green and lush coastline offers a mild climate with relatively much rain that naturally contributes to the greenery. Garden Route is one of the most popular destinations in South Africa and along the route there is much to experience such as beautiful nature, world class golf courses, beautiful endless white beaches, hiking trails etc.

Route 62, with the spectacular Swartberg Pass, is considered one of the most beautiful driving routes in South Africa, but also one of the least known.

Destinations along the Garden Route

Knysna

Knysna’s (probably from a Khoikhoi word meaning “ferns”) with about 56,000 inhabitants, is a popular and lively holiday resort along the Garden Route. The location of the city is carefully chosen by a protected lagoon where oysters are grown and is beautifully framed with the Outeriqua Mountains as a background and the Indian Ocean as a foreground. Knysna center is a lively and cozy area that offers shopping and nice restaurants, many with views of the beautiful lagoon. It’s most famed attraction, where the treacherous entry into the Knysna lagoon where many an ancient sailing vessel met its doom. It is also famed for its oysters who appear frequently on restaurant menus. Knysna is home to the country’s largest indigenous forest. Dolphins are often spotted offshore, while southern right whales pay seasonal visits (June to mid December) to the shores of the Paradise Coast. A dolphin-spotting boat trip might include a stop off at the Robberg Peninsula near Plettenberg Bay to visit a noisy seal colony. Participate in an Oyster cruise with an historical look at the famous Knysna oyster. For anyone who loves oysters this is an ideal cruise. The cruise starts off towards the Knysna Heads, At the Knysna lagoon, where a guide will inform you, in a fascinating interactive experience. You will get to taste both wild and farmed oysters and learn alot about the Knysna oyster.

The beaches around Knysna are well suited for swimming, sailing, fishing and surfing. Due to sharks in the Indian Ocean, the most popular beaches have been secured using nets in the water. The nearest protected beach is called Buffalo Bay. At Brenton-on-Sea you can see whales and dolphins (mainly September to mid-December). In the area around Knysna there are several attractions. The Rheenerdal district is located a mile west of Knysna and is an area filled with artists and craftsmen, painters, potters and wood sculptors. Here you will also find nice restaurants and cafes.

Plettenberg Bay

Plettenberg Bay, nicknamed Plet or Plett, was originally named Bahia Formosa (beautiful bay) by early Portuguese explorers. Plett lies on Garden Route approximately 600 km from Cape Town and approximately 210 km from Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth). The city is perched high on red sandstone cliffs that rise above the coastline and lagoon formed by the rivers Kerubooms and Bietou. South of the city, the Robberg Nature and Marine Reserve juts out into the sea with cliffs that rise 148 meters above the water. From hiking trails you have a varied view of dramatic surf and calm, sheltered coves where anglers cast for bluefish, red tuber, galleon fish, South African sea bream. Seals and dolphins are a common sight, while whales occur in the spring (September to mid-December). East of Plett runs a crooked scenic road from the N2 to Nature’s Valley. This densely populated seaside resort is part of the Garden Route National Park. Plett is a premier holiday destination with sweeping golden beaches, the iconic Robberg Peninsula, intriguing lagoons and estuaries, towering indigenous forests and unpolluted rivers. With its moderate climate and beautiful view sites over the Indian Ocean, Plett’s about lazy sun-filled beach holidays and adrenalin-filled activities ranging from mountain biking to abseiling and diving with the seals. Plett is home to wildlife sanctuaries, game reserves, whale and dolphin watching, canoeing up the Bitou and Keurbooms rivers, sailing, boating etc. Just outside Plettenberg Bay in the Crags area, there are some Sanctuaries where different animals are cared for. These include Monkeyland, Birds of Eden, Elephant Sanctuary and Tenikwa (Cats).

Tsitsikamma

Tsitsikamma National Park is considered one of the country’s foremost wilderness areas and is pure heaven for those who enjoy the outdoors and adventure. Tsitsikamma National Park is located on the coast, south of the Fromosa Nature Reserve and east of Plettenberg Bay. Tsitsikamma, means “water-rich place” in San. The park offers a marine wildlife such as dolphins and porpoises, for bird lovers this park is home to the beautiful African black Oystercatcher (shorebird) and Knysna Lourie (beautifully colored African bird). For hiking enthusiasts, here are two of South Africa’s most popular hiking trails, the Tsitsikamma Trail (60 km long) and the Otter Hiking Trail. The latter stretches right along the coast from the Groot River to the mouth of the Storms River, a total distance of 42.5 km – a 5 day and 4 night trip. Tsitsikamma with dramatic coastal scenery, reefs, rivers, lush forest and delicate fynbos, is a hiking and water sports paradise. The region forms the top section of the magnificent Garden Route National Park. The boundary of the Tsitsikamma stretches some 5 km out to sea, protecting a wonderland of inter-tidal life, reef and deep-sea fish. The park has two rest camps, one at Storms River mouth and one at Natures Valley.

Bloukrans Bridge Bungy

25 km from Storms River and 40 km from Plettenberg Bay, in Tsitsikamma Forest Village Market, lies the world’s second highest commercial bungy bridge, Bloukrans Bridge. The brigde is 216 meters above the Bloukrans River. Enjoy an adrenaline-filled bungee experience!

Alternative route – Route 62

The Cape Route 62 is a tourist route that meanders between Cape Town, Oudtshoorn, the Garden Route, and Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), offering the scenic alternative to the N2 highway. The beautiful Route 62 is named for the R62 provincial route, which it follows from Montagu to Humansdorp approximately 650 km, but the tourist route extends further along other highways to Cape Town and Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth). Also known as the Wine Route, Route 62 leads through the wine-growing areas of Wellington, Tulbagh, Worcester, Robertson and the Klein Karoo and is thus one of the longest wine routes in the world. Along Route 62, a variety of attractions are offered and, among other things, you pass picturesque small towns and it is an excellent opportunity to make small stops to explore many of the locally produced products. Activities along Route 62 include wine tours, safari game drives, tribal art, cultural tours, museums, hiking, mountain climbing, 4X4 routes, canoeing, horseback riding, ostrich riding, fishing, caving, and even skydiving. In the Karoo area is the charming town of Prince Albert, with many historical sites, art galleries, museums as well as restaurants and cafes. Just a few kilometers from the city begins the magnificent Swartberg Pass, built by the legendary road builder Thomas Bains in the 1860s and recognized as one of the world’s spectacular mountain passes with miles of sweeping panoramic views. The beautiful mountain pass runs between Prince Albert and the city of Oudtshoorn.

Oudtshoorn

Visit Oudtshoorn, the principal town of the Little Karoo. The town is home to the world’s largest ostrich population, with a number of specialized ostrich breeding farms. 29 km from Oudtshoorn, at the head of the picturesque Cango Valley, lies the spectacular underground wonder of the Klein Karoo, the Cango Caves. Situated in a limestone ridge parallel to the well known Swartberg Mountains, you will find the finest dripstone caverns, with their vast halls and towering formations. Oudtshoorn is about 6 hours by car from Cape Town.

Activities

South Africa has a lot to offer in terms of activities. Upplev Sydafrika have put together activities to do in regions or hubs you will pass during your trip. Contact us for more information.

Suggested Family Travel that includes the Garden Route

Proposed itinerary, Family Trip

13-DAYS IN SOUTH AFRICA WITH SAFARI IN EASTERN CAPE

Family Trip 2: A return trip with a start in one of the most beatiful towns, Cape Town. Then on to the wine district for a “mini-safari”, tresure hunt and wine tasting. Further on to the scenic coastsl town of Hermanus and Garden Route and end the trip with safari at Kariega Game Reserve.