Garden Route

Your trip across South Africa will have many unique features in store - the so-called Garden Route being one of the most famous. Following the sea shore line, this road leads you through the southern parts of South Africa, revealing a stunning nature from Slang River to the Tsitsikamma Forest and to Storms River. On a distance of over 250 kilometres you will find numerous game and nature reserves, quaint little towns and important cities. Watch out! Here we go!

Garden Route Coast - Photo: Roberto Pisa

Coming from the Western Cape, you will find at the Garden Route the most beautiful landscapes with sandy beaches and lonely bays, framed by rocky walls and primeval forests. Nobody knows exactly where the Garden Route begins. Perhaps already at the little town of Mossel Bay famous for its many mussels, oysters, and crayfish, or at Heidelberg which got its German name from the Heidelberg catechism. But when it then passes George with its 90 000 inhabitants, it is known as the Garden Route to everybody. The town is famous for its university and its industry. Additionally, one of the last steam railways runs here.
Leaving George behind, one of the most spectacular parts of the Garden Route begins, the Seven Passes Road. You can discover dolphins and whales at the beach of the popular sea resort Wilderness, or you walk along lakeshores through coastal forests. In Wilderness National Park, you experience untouched nature in many different ways. The Seven Passes Road - called the "true" Garden Route by many - ends at Knysna between mountains and sea. Clearly, the great lagoon will be in the centre of your attention. It is connected to the sea by a narrow entrance between to lime sand rocks. In its immediate neighbourhood, at the Knysna Elephant Park, you will be able to observe elephants very closely, roaming in their natural habitat.
Along the Garden Route, you can also go on game drives in the Garden Route Game Lodge Game Reserve, at Great Brak River, in the De Hoop Nature Reserve or in Monkeyland. Experience the South African game or a forest full of monkeys - in free nature, of course. Water sport enthusiasts as well as sun worshippers are at the right place in Plettenberg, and in the Cango Caves, you can discover one of the most impressive systems of stalactite caves worldwide.
Come and experience! For your tour planning, you may use our "Create your Tour" facility - not to miss any attraction on your tour!
The Garden Route is widely seen as one of the hallmarks of South Africa. Between mainlands an coast - experience one of the most beautiful roads in the world, and visit the original settings of many shots in film and television that were taken in the nature reserves and game parks along the Garden Route. This is too beautiful to be true? No, because these places do exist! See for yourself!