Garden Route Vacations

The Garden Route is one of South Africa’s most well-known and beautiful areas, drawing visitors from all over the world, as well as from across the country, to enjoy its amazing scenery and wonderful array of things to do. Despite this, the Garden Route actually covers a relatively small area, with just 200kms separating the start point at Mossel Bay and the end at the Storms River mouth. The small size is a massive draw for visitors as days can be filled with a wonderful variety of activities without having to travel too far to enjoy them. Many visitors like to go on a self driving Garden Route holiday to explore as much as possible, and the roads are good quality in this area too.

Separated from the interior by the Tsitsikamma Forest and Outeniqua Mountains, the Garden Route consists of a mosaic of sweeping lakes and wetlands, empty, unspoilt beaches, amazing mountain passes, nature reserves, prehistoric caves and the country's largest indigenous forest.

The warm waters of the Indian Ocean skirt the bays, beaches and capes, linking one town to another along the rugged coastline. The area provides endless activities including scenic walks, deep-sea fishing, water skiing, sailing, sunset cruises, bird watching, whale and dolphin spotting, golf, and most importantly the chance to simply relax and enjoy the picturesque surroundings. It is also a superb area for food, with Knysna long renowned for offering some of the finest oysters in the country, and the annual Knysna Oyster Festival is a nationwide institution. All along the coastline there are some outstanding seafood restaurants where diners can enjoy the freshest fish imaginable. Accommodation tends to lean towards smaller, owner-run B&Bs and guesthouses, which give visitors a real flavour of local life and owners are always happy to help plan days out as well as suggest and book restaurants for you.