The Garden Route

Name: The Garden Route
Brand: Exodus
Rating: 4.7 (155 reviews)

Top 5 Places to Discover on the Garden Route

Storms River

The mouth of Storms River, where the waterway meets the Indian Ocean, is generally considered the start (or end) of the Garden Route. See the ocean break across the rocky shore whilst staying in a chalet overlooking the coastline. The area is a great place for bird enthusiasts with a variety of sea, forest and fynbos (scrubland) species present. Other resident animals include vervet monkeys, chacma baboons and clawless otters.

Hike in Tsitsikamma National Park

Getting its name from a local word meaning ‘place of abundant water’ and encompassing land and sea, Tsitsikamma National Park is a diverse wilderness of lush forest, epic canyons and magnificent coastal views. One of the most challenging hikes is the Otter Trail, a well-marked hike with some small ladders and boulder hopping. This is the only walk that has rocky shoreline sections to it, taking us through the forest, past the Strandloper Cave and ending at a waterfall dropping into the ocean.

Visit Kynsna Heads and Mossel Bay

One of the most picturesque sights on the Garden Route is Knysna Heads – a pair of sandstone cliffs that form a channel separating the calm waters of Knysna Lagoon from the turbulent Indian Ocean. Also worth a visit is Mossel Bay, a quaint coastal town home to The Post Office Tree, a landmark where seafarers once left letters to be taken home by Portuguese sailors.

Discover Oudtshoorn and the Cango Caves

The Little Karoo is a dry, hot region, located inland but still considered a great stop as part of the classic Garden Route. Oudtshoorn itself became renowned for its trade in ostrich feathers and is still regarded as the ostrich capital of the world. The Cango Caves are an extensive complex of caverns with stalactites and stalagmites. Discover these fascinating limestone caves with a local guide who will take you on a journey through the ages.

Whale Watching in Hermanus

Travel to Hermanus between June and November for a chance to spot migratory southern right whales as you stand on the shore. Whales visit the area each year to mate and calf in the secluded waters and can be seen frolicking in Walker Bay. A whale crier will sound his kelp horn when he spots whales off the coast. As well as land-based whale watching you can join a boat trip or visit the Whale Museum to discover more.

Garden Route Trips

The stunning scenery makes this stretch of coastline one of the world’s great drives, and Garden Route trips are widely regarded as a highlight of any holiday to South Africa.

The wine region of Stellenbosch enjoys world-wide fame, and aside from great wines, the rolling vineyards set out below rising peaks are a photographer’s delight. From the coast there’s also excellent land-based whale watching from August to early November. This area can be explored on foot or bicycle, and there’s the opportunity to try abseiling, black-water tubing or even bungee jumping too.

The Garden Route Adventure Holidays

10 Days from £ 2899

£ 2689

Guided Group (Excl. Flights)

Culture

12 Days from £ 2015

£ 1945

Guided Group (Excl. Flights)

Culture

12 Days from £ 2699

Guided Group (Excl. Flights)

Cycling

11 Days from £ 5089

£ 4769

Guided Group (Excl. Flights)

Culture

14 Days from £ 4789

Guided Group (Excl. Flights)

Cycling

Culture

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From Port Elizabeth to Cape Town, we loved every minute of the tour, learning so much about the country, the culture, the people, the food and the wildlife. Our guide Marco had a wealth of knowledge on all of the above and with boundless energy was prepared to go to enormous lengths to make the trip special (he also has a wonderful sense of humour).
The group comprising 15 people (about the right size) was so warm and friendly, making it a pleasure to get to know everyone.
The hotels were all well equipped, with some better than others: Tsitsikama had amazing views of the sea, House Martin was a clear step up (run by a lovely couple), while The Windsor was great provided you have a sea facing room (do pay for this to avoid overlooking the car park). City Lodge is a typical city travellers hotel but has just been refurbished so it was in good condition.
The trip may not be super-active but the pace is full on as you move from activity to activity and from location to location. We ate in some fantastic spots and Marco was always on hand to recommend the local specialities / what not to eat at each restaurant. He even managed to convince us to try Mopane worms by the end!
Wine tasting under the trees in Stellenbosch was lovely despite the food and tour around the facility being a little shambolic.
When in Cape Town, the Robben Island tour was well worth attending especially for the second part when you are guided by an ex-political prisoner. Our last night of the tour at Marco’s Restaurant (not related) in Cape Town which was such a fun way to bring it to an end.
Overall, a fabulous trip which we thoroughly enjoyed and would highly recommend.

Paul OLeary Cape Town & the Garden Route

This entire trip was a fantastic experience. From seeing one of the best cities in the world, to seeing the changing vegetation, wildness and wildlife, its understandable to why this is such a sought after area to see in South Africa.

Nicole Twomey Discover South Africa's Garden Route

The trip was a wonderful way to see some of Southern Africa, we enjoyed the safari’s and boat trips. We had wonderful accommodation across the whole itinerary. The people were very friendly and the food and wine along the way was of good quality and plentiful. The coastline is amazing and the weather in October was pleasant. Our group was small , but it meant we had the opportunity to get to know one another quite well. Our guide Marco was very knowledgeable and good company.

Stephanie George-Phillips Cape Town & the Garden Route

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