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Garden Route Travel Guide

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Garden Route
Plettenburg Bay © SATOUR
The stretch of southern coastline between the town of Mossel Bay and the Tstsikamma National Park makes up South Africa's well-travelled 'Garden Route', scattered with popular resort towns. The coastal plain is backed by spectacular mountain ranges, offering scenic lakes, indigenous forests, golden beaches and secluded bays. The main town on the route is George, which is a bustling commercial centre with some good hotels making it a good central point from which to explore the coastal region. From George it is also a short drive inland over the Outeniqua Mountains to Oudtshoorn, site of the world-renowned Cango Caves and home to several ostrich farms that welcome visitors to enjoy their entertaining and educational tours.

Attractions along the Garden Route encompass a wide variety from historic sites to scenic vistas, and beaches to nature reserves. To make the most of the area one needs to stray from the national N2 highway and explore the towns, villages and resorts en route. 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.



Resorts

See our separate guides to the following Garden Route holiday resorts: Knysna and Plettenberg Bay


Attractions

Mossel Bay

The rather industrialised town of Mossel Bay, about 250 miles (400km) east of Cape Town, is traditionally regarded as the gateway to the Garden Route and is famed for being the spot where the first European set foot in South Africa. The Portuguese...  see full details



Wilderness

The village of Wilderness, set on the Touws River estuary, is fast developing with a plethora of luxury holiday homes lining the cliffs and hills along the long sandy beach and river. It is, however, a pretty spot surrounded by a chain of...  see full details



Excursions

Tsitsikamma National Park

Tsitsikamma is the word of the indigenous Khoi-San people meaning ‘place of many waters’, which accurately describes the naturally beautiful thin 50-mile (80km) stretch of coastline that makes up the Tsitsikamma National Park, Africa’s oldest and largest marine reserve. The park boasts many attractions, including... see full details



Events


Knysna Oyster Festival

Knysna Oyster Festival

The Oyster Festival has established itself as one of the most popular annual events in the Western Cape and is a feast for oyster lovers and sport enthusiasts. Besides the famous mollusc, which can be sampled in a variety of forms, highlights of the festival include a mountain bike race, as well as the popular Knysna Forest marathon and half marathon. Other events include a street carnival, the Waterfront Food Fair, craft markets and a variety of other sporting events.

Venue: Knysna
Date: 3 - 12 July 2009
Website: www.oysterfestival.co.za

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