Garden Route Travel Guide

The stretch of southern coastline between the town of Heidelberg and the Tsitsikamma National Park makes up South Africa's well-travelled Garden Route. Travellers will find a scattering of popular resort towns, spectacular mountain ranges, scenic lakes, indigenous forests, golden beaches, and secluded bays.

The main cities on the route are George and Mossel Bay. George is a bustling commercial centre with some good hotels, making it a convenient central point from which to explore the coastal region.

George is also close to Oudtshoorn: site of the world-renowned Cango Caves, and home to several ostrich farms that offer entertaining and educational tours. Other popular holiday towns on the Garden Route include Knysna, Wilderness, Nature's Valley, and Plettenberg Bay.

The Garden Route encompasses a wide variety of attractions from historic sites to scenic vistas, with the spectacular beaches and nature reserves the main highlight. There are ample opportunities to interact with nature, and visitors may spot whales, dolphins, seals, baboons, and nearly 300 species of bird.

To make the most of the area, travellers need to stray from the national N2 highway and explore the towns, villages, and resorts en route. Fortunately, this major highway makes roadtripping easy. A fun way of enjoying the scenery is to ride on the Outeniqua Choo-Choo vintage steam train between George and Knysna. There are also great recreational opportunities to enthral active holidaymakers, from bungee jumping and water sports to hiking trails and canopy tours.