Travel Idea

The Garden Route

South Africa's most famous road trip

overview

Running from Mossel Bay to Port Elizabeth, expect pristine beaches flanked by dense forests, mountains and wild flowers. Discover charming towns and villages and enjoy some fantastic food and wine.

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This journey has been inspiring travellers for generations. Cape Town's beauty shows no end, oozing with culture & history whilst also spoiling us with endless food and wine.

Ben Nelson
Founder

Cape Town

When arriving in Cape Town, we'd recommend you could spend the first few days of your trip exploring the Western Cape before setting off along the Garden Route. In this region you have the Cape Winelands, where you can tour vineyards to sample the region’s finest wines. You’ll also find excellent food in the towns of Franschhoek and Stellenbosch (the latter is the country’s second-oldest town). Cape Town also has beaches, is a cultural paradise and is home to Table Mountain. There's a lot to do and it's a great place to relax and unwind.

Hermanus

Made up of a collection of villages, farms, rivers, bays, coves and valleys, the Cape Whale Coast is a pristine stretch of the South African coastline which runs from the town of Rooiels for roughly 150km, to the east. Next we stop at the largest breeding colony of the African Penguin, Stony Point Nature Reserve. An hour and a half’s drive from Cape Town is Hermanus, known as South Africa’s whale-watching capital. Between June and October, you can head out on boat trips to see migratory southern right whales, or even spot them from the coastal path that winds along the cliffs.

Favourite Vineyard

Babylonstoren. This vineyard has become very well know and it's no surprise why when you have been. We'd like to say we knew about it first, but that's not true.

Favourite Place

We're big fans of Camps Bay. It epitomises Cape Town and is the perfect place to find yourself after a long flight.

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Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay is a harbour town known for the wide Santos Beach and the 19th-century Cape St. Blaize Lighthouse, which offers bay views. The Bartolomeu Dias Museum Complex includes the Maritime Museum, the Shell Museum and botanical gardens. The Gondwana Game reserve within is striking distance for those after their Big 5 fix.

Knysna

Everything is greener and fresher as you leave the semi-desert and mountains behind and reach the craggy coastline.You eventually hit the town of Knysna, hemmed in-between its forest and lagoon. Here, streets are lined with cafés, shops and art galleries, and intimate guesthouses sit along the water’s edge.

Plettenberg Bay

Possibly the best-known place along the Garden Route. There’s the bay’s long, pristine sweep of sandy beach, where the water is usually calm enough for swimming. The cliffs of the Robberg Peninsula form a backdrop, and walking the trails that weave through the Robberg Nature Reserve gives you the opportunity to get close to Cape fur seals.

Eastern Cape

Continue eastward to the city of Port Elizabeth. From its airport, you can fly up to Johannesburg for international flights. But, if you have time, I’d definitely add in a few nights on safari in the Eastern Cape game areas. You can choose from a cluster of parks and private game reserves, all between one and two hours away.

Boat trips at Kysna

We highly recommend taking a paddle-driven boat trip out on the lagoon at sunset. You cross the water toward the Knysna Heads, passing sandy banks and the Featherbed Nature Reserve.

Prices

Prices do vary, especially if including nights on safari, but our itineraries tend to start at £1,500 per person for two weeks.

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