The Garden Route

The Garden Route is a stunning and scenic stretch along the southeastern coast of South Africa that extends from Cape Agulhas in the West to Port Elizabeth in the East. The route is known for its diverse landscapes including dense forests, expansive lagoons, picturesque coastal cliffs, beautiful beaches, and charming towns. Visitors can enjoy a wide range of activities from water sports to whale watching, safaris in various wildlife sanctuaries, horseback riding, and leisurely cruises. There are also some spectacular resorts & spas and restaurants along the route.

Some of the key sights along the Garden Route include:

1. Cape Agulhas: Located at the southern tip of Africa, where the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet, Cape Agulhas has great significance in the history of maritime navigation, and has one of the oldest working lighthouses in Africa.
2. Mossel Bay: A historic coastal town with a rich maritime history, Mossel Bay is home to the Diaz Museum Complex, which commemorates the arrival of the Portuguese explorer Bartholomeu Dias in 1488.
2. Knysna: This charming coastal town, nestled on the banks of a tranquil lagoon and surrounded by lush forests and hills. is famous for its oysters and offers a variety of water-based activities, dining options, and boutique shopping.
3. Plettenberg Bay: Plett, as it’s affectionately known, is a popular holiday destination known for its beautiful beaches and outdoor adventure opportunities. Visitors can enjoy whale watching (in season), dolphin encounters, and bungee jumping from the Bloukrans Bridge, one of the highest commercial bungee jumps in the world.
4. Oudtshoorn: While not directly on the coastline, Oudtshoorn is often included in Garden Route itineraries. It is known as the “Ostrich Capital of the World” and offers opportunities to visit ostrich farms and explore the stunning Cango Caves.
5. Port Elizabeth: Located along the shores of Nelson Mandela Bay, Port Elizabeth is colloquially known as the “the friendly city.” Established in 1820 as a British settlement, it is famous for its nearly 40 km of pristine beaches, and for great surfing spots and watersport activities.

Destinations

Key sights to see

Cape Agulhas

Cape Agulhas is at the southern tip of Africa, where the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet. Historically, it was a key navigational landmark for early explorers, like Bartholomeu Dias and Vasco da Gama, who rounded the Cape on their voyages to India. Today, visitors come here to take pictures at the monument that marks the southernmost point of the continent, and to climb up one of the oldest working lighthouses in Africa (built in 1848).

Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay is a historic coastal town with a rich maritime history. Visitors can explore the Diaz Museum Complex, which houses a replica of the Caravelle ship used by the Portuguese explorer Bartholomeu Dias, when he arrived here in 1488, visit the St. Blaize lighthouse, or relax on Santos Beach. More adventurous visitors can explore activities like shark cage diving, quad biking, and sandboarding or try their luck at the Garden Route Casino.

Oudtshoorn

Located along the well-known Route 62 in South Africa’s beautiful Klein Karoo, the charming town of Oudtshoorn is known as the ostrich capital of the world. Tourists can visit numerous ostrich farms, sample ostrich meat and biltong, learn about the ostrich feather boom, encounter meerkats in their natural habitat, and visit the Cango Caves, featuring sparkling stalactites and stalagmites.

Knysna & Plettenberg Bay

Knsyna (pronounced ny-znah) is blessed with spectacular scenery, especially the Knsyna Lagoon, and the pristine beaches and forests that lay just beyond. The town is famous for its oysters. A little further along lies Plettenberg Bay, with its endless beaches, tranquil lagoons, and dramatic rocky peninsula. Visitors can enjoy whale watching (in season), dolphin encounters, and bungee jumping from the Bloukrans Bridge.

Port Elizabeth

Port Elizabeth, also known as Gqeberha, was established in 1820 as a British settlement, and is now a major seaport and an important economic hub. The city is known for its nearly 40 km of pristine beaches including King's Beach, Hobie Beach and Pollock Beach, great surfing spots and watersports activities, dolphin and whale watching, several historical landmarks, and a vibrant cultural scene.

Activities

Exciting and memorable things to do

Knysna Lagoon Cruises

With five rivers flowing in and meeting with the Indian Ocean, Knsyna Lagoon is one of the most popular locations on the Garden Route. Visitors can enjoy sunset cruises, private boat charters, kayak tours, oyster tours, nature trails, and scooter tours of the forests surrounding the lagoon. The John Benn (a double-decker floating restaurant) is one of most famous cruise liners in Knysna. Tours are 90 minutes long and go across the lagoon to the Knsyna Heads.

Cango Caves Tour, Oudtshoorn

Explore the 20 million year old Cango Caves system consisting of a series of hidden chambers cut deep into a thick limestone rock layer in the Swartberg Mountains, 30 kilometres north of Oudtshoorn, in South Africa’s Western Cape Province. Learn about the various rock formations including stalactites and stalagmites in a wide variety of colors, especially Cleopatra’s needle which stand nearly 9 meters high!

The Garden Route

Destinations

Cape Agulhas

Mossel Bay

Oudtshoorn

Knysna & Plettenberg Bay

Port Elizabeth

Activities

Knysna Lagoon Cruises

Cango Caves Tour, Oudtshoorn

Map

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