The Essential GuideSouth Africa's Garden Route
South Africa is a country full of charm: its nature, its wildlife, the culture, the stunning landscapes, and wonderful beaches… It’s hard not to fall in love with this country. If there is something you should not miss on a trip to South Africa, it is the Garden Route. This iconic road trip will bring you to some of the most beautiful and diverse sceneries of this country: from mountains to forests to beaches and safaris. The Garden Route has it all.
Because of the variety of things to do along the Garden Route, here’s is an essential guide including everything you should know about this wonderful road trip and some tips on what you should not miss out on your itinerary.
What is South Africa’s Garden Route?
The Garden Route is considered to be one of South Africa’s most picturesque areas. The 300 km long route starts from Mossel Bay in the Western Cape to Storms Rivers in the Eastern Cape. Along the way, you’ll get to see rivers, lakes, lush forests, lagoons, and some cute towns as well as wonderful beaches that look like they came out of a painting.
Why Should You Take the Garden Route?
If you are planning a trip to South Africa, there is no way you can leave without having been on this iconic trip. Not only there is a breathtaking amount of things to do along the way, but it is also one of the best ways you can get to know the fascinating country that is South Africa.
What Can You Expect While Visiting the Garden Route?
It is hard to give a full picture of what you can expect from this trip, as the variety of landscapes you’ll see and of the activities, you can undertake does open a lot of possibilities. One thing is for sure, you will enjoy it! Indeed, there are activities and things to see for all tastes. To inspire, we collected a list of some of the many things you can expect from a trip on the Garden Route.
Go Whale Watching
The Garden Route is one of the best places in the world to do some whale watching and there are plenty of ways you can enjoy the view of these majestic mammals: from boat trips to hikes with a view on the oceans from which you can spot whales, you’ll be surprised by the beauty of being able to see these gigantic animals in their natural habitat. The area around Mossel Bay is the best for whale watching.
Get Lost in The Nature In Wilderness National Park
If you are a nature lover. there is no doubt you are going to adore this national park. It has indeed a lot to offer in terms of outdoor activities spanning from hiking, to canoeing in beautiful scenarios to paragliding and birdwatching. Wilderness is a big and varied national park, situated right in the middle of the Garden Route, between George and Knysna and there are so many things to see and do that you might want to spend more than a couple of days here.
Hike Along Some of The Most Beautiful Panoramas
The Garden Route is a paradise for those who are into hiking. The variety of trails suits every level while most of them will offer you magnificent sceneries. As mentioned before, hikes are also a great way to spot some wildlife such as white sharks. dolphins, whales, seals, and birds. One of the most popular hikes is the Otter Trail, but you can find great trails even in Robberg Nature Reserve and in the Storms River area.
Visit Some Incredible Caves and Ostrich Farms in Oudtshoorn
Oudtshoorn is another destination along this iconic route, where you’ll have the opportunity to visit the beautiful Cango Caves but also see a completely different scenery compared to that of the sandy beaches or the lush forests that you can get in other parts of the route. Oudtshoorn, situated in the Little Karoo is characterized by mountainous landscapes and semi-arid lands.
As you can see the Garden Route offers a lot to its visitors. Make sure you include it on the itinerary of your trip to South Africa, you won’t regret it!
