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The Garden Route
South Africa's most famous road trip
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.
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.
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.
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.
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