10 Highlights of the Garden Route, South Africa
The Garden Route is an amazing area with many highlights and things to do. The suggested top 10 places based on our experience (we've travelled the Garden Route 4 times including 1 time with our toddler daughter). Every trip added new favorite places. Your list of top places might be different from ours. If you have any suggestions or places to add, don't hesitate and comment at the end of the post.
The easiest way of traveling the Garden Route is by car. If you don't want to rent a car you can join a small group tour or use hop-on-hop-off bus.
Stingy Nomads participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs. If you click on the link and purchase the item or make a booking, we will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost. Thank You for supporting us and assisting us to produce quality, free content.
St.Blaize hiking trail, Mossel Bay
Hiking the trail along the rugged cliffs from Mossel Bay to Point of Human Origins Cave is a great way to start your Garden Route adventure. St.Blaize is a 13 km linear trail. You can walk it as a return hike or take an Uber to get back to Mossel Bay. The route starts/ends (it can be walked either way) at Cape St.Blaize Lighthouse in Mossel Bay. The entire 13 km are on a footpath along the cliffs with spectacular views of the coast.
Make sure to take enough water (1,5l per person) and snacks, wear a hat, and comfortable shoes. There is no place to stop for food or water between the start and the end of the trail. The route finishes at Point of Human Origins Cave, next to Pinnacle Point Golf Club. If you want to visit the cave you have to make a booking.
Places to stay in Mossel Bay
- Low-end | Baylight Accommodation Room | Aloe @ the Sea |
- Mid-range | 3ColoursBlue Guest House | Ana's Place Apartments |
- High-end | Aquamarine Guest House | Betty's Boutique Hotel |
Botlierskop Private Game Reserve
A visit to South Africa is not complete without a safari drive. If you don’t have time to visit Kruger National Park or Addo Elephant Park you can include in your Garden Route itinerary a visit to one of the game lodges on the Garden Route.
Botlierskop Game Reserve is one of the most famous on the Garden Route. This family-run reserve occupies 4500 ha. On a safari trip you can see free roaming African animals such as elephants, rhinos, giraffes, zebras, lions, cheetahs, and more. Guides usually know where to find different animals. Your chances of seeing most of them are high. You can do a traditional drive in an open safari vehicle, a horseback safari, or a guided walk.
The game farm is a malaria free area which is great especially if you travel with small children.
You can visit the reserve for a day or stay here overnight.
Ebb and Flow, Wilderness
Ebb and Flow Rest Camp is the Wilderness Section of the Garden Route National Park. It’s one of our favourite campsites on the Garden Route. Don’t worry, it’s open to day visitors. You don’t have to stay here though camping is highly recommended by us.
The rest camp is situated on the banks of the river, surrounded by the hills covered in lush green forest. The place is a real paradise. During your visit you can do several hiking trails, swim or kayak in the river, or have a picnic with the amazing view.
If you like good coffee go to Green Shed Roastery which is on the way to Ebb and Flow.
Admission fee - ZAR 209/US$11 (adults), ZAR 105/US$6 (children). Nationals pay a reduced fee.
Things to do
- Hiking. You can follow one of the forest trails. We highly recommend the Bosduif Loop and the Kingfisher Trail.
- Swimming in the river
- Kayaking and paddling on the river
Places to stay in Wilderness
Another personal recommendation from us to stay in Wilderness is AfriCamps at Oakhurst, an amazing glamping place hidden in the forest.
- Low-end | Wilderness Beach House Backpackers Lodge |
- Middle price | Amber Light Wilderness Beach Cottage | Tranquil Shores |
- High-end | Haus am Strand - on the Beach | Pearl Moon Boutique Suites |
Beaches of Sedgefield
Garden Route has many amazing beaches but the ones in Sedgefield are our favourites. Long white-sand beaches with dunes are just perfect. If you’re looking for a tranquil place to spend a couple of days Sedgefields is a perfect option. The town is very small; it has a couple of nice coffee shops and restaurants. In Sedgefield you have everything; sandy beaches and ocean for tanning and swimming, a picturesque lagoon for kayaking and paddling, and green forest and mountains for hiking.
The three main beaches in Sedgefield are Cola Beach, Myoli Beach, and Swartvlei Beach. All three are spectacular. Watching the sunset from the beach in Sedgefield is one of the highlights of the Garden Route.
Things to do in Sedgefield
- Surfing and SUPing in the ocean
- Relaxing on the beach
- Kayaking on the lagoon
- Fishing
- Paragliding
- Horseback riding
Places to stay in Sedgefield
- Low-end | Sedgefield Huts | Haven on Hoopoe |
- Middle price | Eastbrook River Lodge | The Gull |
- High-end | Kambaku @ Sea |
Cango Caves, Oudtshoorn
Visiting Cango Caves is a unique unmissable experience on the Garden Route especially for travellers with children. The network of caves ranging from big halls to tiny spaces is truly impressive. Gigantic stalactites and stalagmites, bizarre rock formations, shinning minerals, and remains of prehistoric animals can be seen in the caves.
You can do a standard walking tour that takes you through the bigger caves or an adventurous tour where you have to squeeze through narrow passages and tunnels. Remember to wear comfortable clothes and shoes.
You can book your tour in advance.
After the caves you can visit an ostrich farm, another fun place for kids. Several farms in Oudtshoorn offer interactive tours. Kids can learn about the natural habitat of ostriches, feed them, see gigantic ostrich eggs and their little chicks. Safari Ostrich Farm offers a tractor tour.
Knysna Heads
Knysna is a beautiful town known for fresh seafood and spectacular views of the lagoon from the Knysna Heads. The headlands of two peninsulas separated by the Knysna River make for perfect lookout points. East Head View Point is the best place for taking photos.
Knysna Heads and Leisure Island are the best areas to stay in the town. You can swim in the tranquil waters of the Knysna Lagoon and relax on the beach.
Knysna Forest is another amazing place to visit here. It’s an ancient forest that once was inhabited by the Knysna elephants. You can explore the forest following several hiking trails, visit King Edward VII Big Tree, and get breathtaking views from Spitzkop Viewpoint (you might need a jeep to get there).
Popular tours in Knysna
Places to stay in Knysna
Our personal recommendation for Knysna is Under Milkwood Resort, a fantastic place with a private beach and cozy wooden chalets in the forest.
- Low-end | Island Vibe Knysna | 12onParkesLane |
- Mid-range | The Nest | Knysna Pearl View Guest House |
- High-end | TwoAngels |
Robberg Nature Reserve, Plettenberg Bay
Robbers Nature Reserve is another highlight of the Garden Route with fantastic hiking routes and spectacular views. Robberg means “seal’s mountain” in Afrikaans. You can guess from the name that you can see seals there. There are many seals in the water and on the rocks along the cliffs. For a closer encounter you can swim with seals or do a boat tour to see them in the water.
The reserve is a World Heritage Site. Rocks found in the area date back 120 million years. Needless to say that the scenery is breathtaking; rugged cliffs, fynbos vegetation, dramatic drops, and sandy beaches.
I highly recommend staying at Fountain Shack inside the Nature Reserve. It’s only one wooden house on the side of the hill overlooking the ocean. After closing time you’ll have the entire peninsula for yourself.
Conservation fee - ZAR 64/US$4 (adults); ZAR 45/US$2 (children).
Popular tours in Plettenberg Bay
The town has many amazing things to do.
Places to stay in Plettenberg Bay
- Low-end | Nothando Backpackers Lodge | Castleton Plettenberg Bay |
- Mid-range | Dolphin Circle Bed and Breakfast |
- High-end | La Vista Lodge |
Bloukrans Bridge
The famous bridge is one of the highlights of the trip. The height of the bridge is 214 m. It’s known as the highest bungee jumping bridge in the world. Bungee jumping from Bloukrans Bridge is probably the most thrilling thing to do on the Garden Route. We did it once but are thinking of doing it again. The free fall with spectacular views of the canyon and ocean is something to remember.
Even if it sounds too extreme for you, the bridge is worth a stop. The view of the bridge and the canyon from the restaurant are impressive. As an option you can do a skywalk on the bridge and watch others jumping. You’re not allowed to stop or walk on the bridge, the skywalk is the only way to see the views.
Birds of Eden and Monkeyland
The two places are situated next to each other. It’s easy to combine them. Both places are great for travellers with children. We visited the parks with our daughter when she was 2 and she loved it.
Monkeyland is a park with walking trails in the forest. It’s a free roaming sanctuary with different kinds of primates living in the forest. Some of them are native to the area, some not. 3 kinds of lemurs, squirrel monkeys, vervet monkeys, howler monkeys, and capuchin are just some of the species you can see here.
You can visit the place only with a tour. Guides are very knowledgeable and know how to spot and where to find monkeys. The tour is not long so the kids don’t get tired.
Birds of Eden is a peace of paradise filled with tropical birds in the lush green jungle. It’s a free-fly aviary. There are no cages, just a big net-ceiling (to prevent birds from flying away) that covers the entire area of the forest. You walk on wooden bridges and boardwalks that go through the jungle.
If you visit both places with small children a carrier or a backpack will work better. The grounds at Monkeyland are not nice for pushing a stroller nor stairs at Birds of Eden.
You can buy a combined ticket and visit two sanctuaries (Monkeyland and Birds of Eden).
Storms River Mouth, Tsitsikamma
The Storms River Mouth Section of the Garden Route National Park is one of our favorite places on the Garden Route. The scenery in the park is spectacular; lugged cliffs, hills covered in lush green forest, unspoiled sandy beaches, breathtaking lookout spots, deep river canyons, big and small waterfalls, and rocky pools. The park has plenty of things to do for the whole family.
Things to do in Storms River Mouth
Hiking is a popular activity here. Several short routes and one multi-day trek takes visitors to the most picturesque parts of the park.
Walking on the suspension bridges with amazing views is a not-to-miss thing on the Garden Route.
Kayaking and lilo in the Storms River Gorge is an exciting thing to do. The gorge is spectacular; high cliffs, lush green forest, small caves, and pools.
Snorkelling can be done alone or with a tour. If you’re inexperienced and don’t have a wetsuit it’s better to join a tour. Currents can be strong and water is cold.
Watching wildlife which includes otters, dolphins, whales (during the season), genets, bats, and a variety of birds. These are the animals we saw there on different occasions. The official list of mammals is longer.
Swimming in rocky pools or the ocean. The best pool for swimming is at the end of the waterfall trail. It’s a big fresh water pool with a beautiful waterfall.
Places to stay
Camping or staying at one of the cabins is the best way to experience the park. Camping spots are situated at the seafront. You can watch dolphins and even whales (if you’re lucky) sitting in your tent. Wooden cabins and bungalows offer great views and more comfort. They sit behind the camping spot. Book your accommodation online.
Admission fee - ZAR 326/US$18 (adults), ZAR 163/US$9 (children). Nationals pay a reduced rate.
The pretty half of Stingy Nomads, responsible for all our land adventures (hiking, climbing, walking the Camino) and following them write-ups. Alya loves walking since she was a child, she prefers to walk 1000 km with a backpack rather than to do a 10 000 km road trip (actually any road trip). Alya is a big fan of Latin America, the Spanish language, and dancing. Every time we go away she desperately misses our dog Chile.
The article was really informative and helpful with making our plans. We are planning a trip in August and was wondering what you recommend as we have four nights to get from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth. We would like to go swim with sharks in Gansbaai but wanted to know where we should stop and what to do to maximise our time?
Hello, George! Thank you for the comment! You don't swim with sharks in Gansbaai you do cage diving with great whites. You can do the same in Plettenberg Bay too. In Plettenberg, you can go snorkeling with seals and do a boat tour to see Southen Right whales, August is the peak season for it. Plettenberg is definitely a must-stop for you if you want to do any of these water activities. Sedgefield is a very small place with beautiful long sandy beaches if you want to relax on a beach for a day it's probably the best place to stop on the Garden Route. Knysna is a beautiful place to stop to see Knysna Heads and the Lagoon. Tsitsikamma National Park is a must-stop it's a stunning place with beautiful hiking trails, suspension bridges, and great look-out points. If you have time you can include a day safari in Addo National Park near Port Elizabeth in your itinerary. I hope it helps.
Cheers!
HI - My husband and myself are planning a trip to Cape Town from Canada from Sept 21 to Oct 6 this year. We are thinking of spending a week doing the Garden Route and wondering if you can give some advise on the best way to break it up. If we are returning back to Cape Town is there an alternative route going back to see different places or take the same route? We were thinking of going to Port Elizabeth and back but not necessary if there was no real reason to go that far. Any advise you can give would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Hello, Valerie! Thank you for the comment! There are several options. The first option, you can drop a rental car in Port Elizabeth and fly back to Cape Town, this way you'll have more time to spend in places along the Garden Route and less time driving. You can check in the post for estimated car rental prices for one week. The second option, drive along the coast to PE and take Route 62 on the way back, it's an inland route that links PE with Cape Town. It's more off the beaten track route with many wheat fields, small towns and some vineries in the Worcester-Paarl area. The scenery on this route is very different from the Garden Route. The third option is to drive to and back on the Garden Route and stop in different places on the way to and back, e.g. Mossel Bay - Knysna - Storms River on the way to and Cape Agulhas - Plettenberg Bay - Wilderness/Sedgefield - Hermanus on the way back. We, personally love the coastal drive along the Garden Route and the drive between Hermanus and Strand. There are some nice wine estates in Hermanus.
As for going all the way to Port Elizabeth, the main reason would be to visit Addo Elephant National park but there are several private game reserves on the Garden Route where you can do a day drive and see many African animals including lions, cheetahs, elephants, rhinos etc. You can find recommended game reserves in the post. Unless you decide to drop your car in PE it's not worth driving that far you can turn around at Storms River. I hope it helps!
Cheers!
Hello! This post is really informative n helpful, thank you! We re planning to visit SA from 26th July till 7th august. Intend to spend the first few days in Cape Town n the start the garden route tour from the 1st aug from Cape Town , finishing on 6th in port Elizabeth. I quite like ur itinerary above but we might make a few changes. We re traveling with 2 young kids so would like to avoid long distances of driving ( planning to self drive). The areas we d like to stop at are hermanus for whale watching , cape agulas to see the tip of AFRICA, Mosel bay, oudtshoorn, wilderness, kynsna, pletenberg n storms river n finally PE.
Can you pls suggest where u think we should make overnight stops .
Also there seem to be several winery’s throughout the route . Which one do you recommend we should visit?
In Cape Town we intend to visit the table Mountains, penguins at boulder beach, robben island and VA waterfront. Is there anything else you d recommend that a 5 n 8 year old would enjoy?
Thanks in advance
Thank you for your blog, it is really inspiring! You easily managed to convince me and my family to to squeeze our Cape Town sightseeing and take a short (unfortunately) Garden Route trip during our stay in SA in February... I wanted to share with you our initial itinerary idea and ask for your experience to criticize anything or suggest any changes... first 3 full days in CT and then day 1 CPT to Struisbaai, day 2 Struisbaai to Wilderness, day 3 Widerness to Tsitsikamma Nat Park, day 4 Tsitsikamma to Mossel Bay and finally next day Mossel Bay to CPT (possibly visiting Gendenday on the way back) and the next day noon back to Europe. BTW we are family of 4 with 2 older teenage daughters.
Thanks for your feedback,
Rafal
Hello, Rafal! Thank you for the comment! Your itinerary looks good, you'll have to drive quite a bit but I think you'll have enough time to do some sightseeing on the Garden Route. On your first day, I'd suggest taking a longer route to Struisbaai along the coast past Hermanus, it's a very beautiful drive. On the way, you can stop at Betty's Bay if you don't have time to see penguins at Boulder's Beach you can do it at Stony Point Nature reserve there are fewer people and more penguins there. Here is our post on that drive https://stingynomads.com/travel-cape-town-to-cape-agulhas/. Just before Wilderness make sure to stop at Map of Africa viewpoint. Don't miss Knysna Heads on a nice day the scenery is spectacular. If you have time and not going to do any safari drive from Cape Town I would recommend doing it on the Garden Route there are several safari parks where you can do a game drive for a couple of hours and see African animals like elephants, lions, rhinos, etc. I hope you'll enjoy your trip!
Safe travels!
Many thanks for a quick and comprehensive response. We will follow you recommendations... Thanks, Rafal
Its simple wow!! a beautifully detailed plan. I have a small question regarding my trip. We (hubby, me and 4 year old son) are planning to visit SA in Nov 2019 (Nov 1 to Nov 9), we will reach SA on 31st oct. We want to do cape town for 2 days for Nov 1st and 2nd and then do the garden route till Port Elizabeth. We will take a flight from PE to J.Berg and want to visit the Pilanesberg NP for 3 days 2 nights.
Would like your suggestions regarding the planning of cape town and garden route plan.
Hello, Sushma! Thank you for the comment! For two days in Cape Town, I can suggest Table Mountain, Boulder's Beach, V&A Waterfront, Cape Point, Konstantia wine farms. As for the Garden Route, this whole post is pretty much about what to see and to do in the area so you can choose what you would like to see yourself.
Safe travels!
WOW! You got us (Wife and Husband) really hyped to visit South Africa. Your blog is really beneficial, detailed and shed light on what to expect from our SA trip. Thank you so much for your amazing effort, dedication and helpfulness!
Actually what we care about the most are the activities, but when we checked the prices online, it was much more expensive than the prices you mentioned above and we're concerned that the activities we want to try might exceed our budget. Especially Skydiving and bungee jumping and were thinking to put off the whole idea. After reading the above, you gave us some hope again 😀 My question is: Are those the prices of tickets I can buy upon arrival? or do I have to purchase them online in advance? (We're planning our trip in the beginning of Jan 2020)
Also, we are planning to rent a car for our trip, do you recommend us to rent it from the airport or is it better to rent from an agency?
Hello, Saeed! Thank you for the comment! The prices in the post a from the last season so they could have changed in a year, usually but not always it's cheaper to buy tickets directly from the tour operator upon arrival. I'm not sure about skydiving it's possible you have to book it in advance but with bungee jumping, you can just arrive there and pay at the office. As for car rental, it's better to rent it at the airport, it's just easier to move around and from what I've seen on the Rental car site it's not more expensive than renting in the city.
Safe travels!
Hi, thank you so much for such an informative post. We are heading to CPT in Feb 2020. I have caused myself a headache with the intense research I have done for this trip and would love your advice. We are looking at around trip doing the garden route, so CPT back to CPT. We have about eleven/twelve (ideally 10-11) days but on day 4, PM we have a safari locked in Albertina till day 6, AM.
My thoughts were Hermanus/Gaansbaai, (Day 1), Swellendam/Barrydal/Oudshoorn (Day 2), Oudshoorn (Day 3), AM: Mossel Bay/George PM : Safari (Day 4), Safari Albertina (Day 5), AM :Safari Albertina, Wilderness, Knysna (Day 6), Kynsna (Day 7), Kynsna, Plettenberg/ Natures Valley, (Day 8), Nature Valley/Tskikamma National Park (Day 9) , Storms River , ?? (Day 10), ?? day 11, day 12 ??
Would absolutely appreciate your thoughts and ideas on how to best do this. Ideally we would like to do this in ten days (or even less if we could, so we can go up near the Langebaan area). Thanks so much.
Greetings from Ireland! Travelling to SA Feb 2020, which route would you suggest we take from Oudtshoorn to Paternoster and could you recommend a place for an over night stay along this route? We will at this stage have completed the Garden Route and want to spend a few nighrs in Paternoster before heading back to Capetown. Many thanks, Teresa.
Hello, Teresa! Ireland is on our bucket list, we would like to do a road trip along the coast, it looks fantastic! I'd suggest taking Route 62 from Oudtshoorn. It's a nice route through wheat fields and vineyards. Depending on how far you want to drive you can stop in Swellendam, about 220km from Oudtshoorn, it's a nice town with many guesthouses, tourists often stop there on the way to the Garden Route or in Ceres, 400km from Oudtshoorn, another small town with basically one street, several guesthouses, and restaurants. In Swellendam, it gets very hot in summer, Ceres is located in the mountains it's always cooler there than in the rest of the area. If you have time you can visit vine farms in Breedevalley on the way, the area is very beautiful, you can visit a couple of places, do some wine tasting or stop for lunch. I can recommend Jason's Hill or Nuy restaurant (it will be right on the way).
Safe travels!
Many thanks for your prompt response ?
Hi, very nice article. Me and my friends are travelling to Capetown in mid of August for 10 days. And we are planning to stay in Capetown for 3 days and 2 days in Port Elizabeth and cover the garden route in 4 days. But I am confused where to stay in Garden Route. Can you please help us in deciding where to stop and how to cover the maximum in 4 days.
Thanks
Hello, Ritika! Thank you for the comment! As the first day stop I'd suggest Hermanus, it's not on the Garden Route yet but it's a nice place by the sea, the drive from Cape Town along the coast to Hermanus is very beautiful and it's not too far so you'll have enough time to stop for photos on the way. August is the beginning of the whale season (Southern Right whales) and Hermanus is the best place to see them. On day two I'd suggest stopping in Sedgefield or Wilderness for the night, maybe do some hikes in Ebb & Flow National park (you can stay there as well), enjoy the beach, rent a SUP or kayak. The next day, stop in Knysna just for a couple of hours to see the Knysna Heads, then drive to Plettenberg Bay where you can do snorkeling with seals, hiking in the Robberg Nature Reserve, cage diving with sharks etc. Day four stop in Tsitsikamma National Park, you can stay there (camping or cabins), the area is stunning, many hiking trails, kayaking or lilo in the canyon, etc. On the way you can stop at Bloukrans bridge for bungee jumping, it's the highest bungee bridge in the world. From Tsitsikamma park to Port Elizabeth is only 180km. I hope it helps!
Cheers!
Hello, thanks for this very DETAILED article. Amazing. I have a question , I am pretty puzzled. Me and my husband will be arriving in Cape town on September 16 in the evening. We will have 7 days until we take our flight back to Europe on September 23 late in the evening. (in Cape town). as it is our first time in Cape town and south africa, we were thinking to spend 3 days in cape town and then drive the garden route. But because we have to go back to cape town to take our flight back home, what would be the best option: things to visit in 5 days (2 adults, love adventures and to drive back to cape town, or take a flight from George Airport to go back to Cape town to avoid wasting time driving back to cape town. Advices much appreciated -)
Hello, Debby! Thank you for the comment! The drive from George to Cape Town is about 4h30min., the flight is 50min. but giving one hour before the flight you have to be at the airport and the time it'll take after the landing in Cape Town and getting from the airport to the city it'll take 3-4 hours which is not that much faster. As an option, if you don't want to have long driving days and rather spend time doing things you can travel around Cape Town there are many interesting places that will keep you busy for a week. You can drive to Cape Point and do some hiking there. Visit Boulders Beach and see African penguins, do Chapman's Peak Drive - a scenic route along the coast. Visit Stellenbosch and Franschhoek and do some winetasting there, some wine farms have hiking and cycling routes as well. September is the peak season for Southern right whales Hermanus is one of the best places to watch them, you can do a boat trip and see them from quite close. From Hermanus, you can keep driving along the coast to Cape Agulhas the southernmost point of Africa. There are some private safari parks near Cape Town where you can see African animals and do game drives. I hope it helps! We'll be happy to help if you have more questions!
Cheers!
Fabulous article! You may have already answered this, but would love a bit of advice. We are visiting South Africa for the first time in August. We are visiting Cape Town, then driving from Port Elizabeth back to CT, or the other way round. We have 7-8 days. I have 2 boys age 11 & 14 who love being active. What would you definitely include, bearing in mind time of year? We want to visit Addo did our first safari! Any tips gratefully received, Louise
Hello, Louise! Thank you for the comment! I think Cango Caves in Oudtshoorn is one of the children's favorite places on the Garden Route, it's away from the coast will have to do a detour but it's something definitely interesting for kids. Not far from the Caves, there are a couple of ostrich farms where children can ride the birds. Snorkeling with seals in Plettenberg Bay can be fun as well there are many of these guys in the area, they're very curious and usually, come close. Tsitsikamma National park might be interesting as well there are two long suspension bridges and many short hiking trails if the weather is nice you can spend a day there. Nearby in Wilderness, you can do a zipline canopy tour it's quite exciting. August is the season for the Southern Right whales you can go on a boat safari to spot these magnificent animals. You can see them in Plettenberg Bay or in Hermanus these two are the best spotting places. Monkeyland Sanctuary near Plettenberg can be interesting and entertaining as well there you can see free-roaming monkeys and lemurs. We like stopping in Sedgefield/Wilderness both towns are nice, close to the beach and there is Ebb & Flow Natural reserve nearby you can rent a cabin or camp inside, there are kayaks and SUP to rent, a couple of hiking trails it's a very nice spot. I hope it helps.
Enjoy South Africa!
Amazing reply! Thank you so much. I have one more question (sorry!!) as it's August and likely less warm I was considering instead Durban or Joburg as a starting point.... but then it sounds like there is so much to do around Garden Route that it might be more fun for a family holiday with kids, despite the winter? What do you think? It's certainly convenient to go from Cape Town. Thanks in advance!
No worries we're happy to answer our readers' question! Cape Town and Western Cape Province might be quite rainy in August when Joburg and Durban will be drier and warmer (Durban is the warmest area). If you fly there I'd suggest staying in those areas instead of driving all the way to the Garden Route otherwise you might spend more time driving than doing things. There are big safari parks in both places (famous Kruger Park near Joburg), Blade Canyon and etc. Durban is a good place for diving and snorkeling not sure if you're into it. I don't know these areas very well but I'm sure there are things to do that will be interesting for children as well.
Enjoy your holiday!
Hello,
Thank you so much for the sharing and the valuable infor shared & its helpful to me. I will be visiting SA in May 2020 and planning to do a 8 days road trip on my own ( Port Elizabeth to Cape Town) + 2 days Cape Town. For the 1st timer there, do you have any comments where should i stop and stay throughout the road trip? Personally im not very much into beaches but would love to see more of the natures and animals. Once again, Thanks for your sharing and suggestions 🙂
Hello, Ricky! Thank you for the comment! Since you're coming from PE and want to see animals I'd suggest Addo National park as the first stop on the route, there you can see some African animals including African Big 5 (rhino, lion, elephant, leopard, and buffalo). Definitely stop at Storms River National park, you can stay inside the park in a tent or renting a cabin. There are several day hiking trails along the coast and through the forest, this area is very different from Addo it's very green, with waterfalls, rivers etc. You can do kayaking tour in Storms River Gorge which offers incredible scenery. If you like water activities I'd suggest to stop in Plettenberg Bay and go snorkeling or diving with seals. It's possible to do shark cave diving here as well. Definitely visit Knysna Heads but we never stop in Knysna itself but rather in Knysna National park (Diepwalle camping decks). Mossel Bay is another great stop on the route with many activities including hiking St.Blaze Trail. We really like Wilderness in general and Wilderness Ebb & Flow National park in particular, there are a couple of hiking trails, a nice campsite, you can rent a paddle board and go along the river, very peaceful and quiet place. Sedgefield is a very beautiful towns but it's more of a beach destination - a long sandy beach with not many people. I hope it helps.
Cheers!
Hi, great blog! Have been reading up on the Garden Route and your blog is so informative-thank you for sharing. We are a family of 4 (2 teens) coming to Cape Town mid December 2019 to early Jan 2020. We have allocated 4 nights max for the garden route. We love hiking, the beach and most outdoor activities. Would appreciate advice on where to spend each night along the route given we will be driving Cape Town return (hoping to get as far as Storms River). Thanks.
Hello, Tammy! Thank you for the comment! If you want to drive all the way from Cape Town to Storms River in 4 days we'd suggest the following itinerary; Day 1 stay in Mosselbay, Day 2 stay in Plett, Day 3 in Storms River, Day 4 Wilderness/Sedgefield and from there drive all the way to Cape Town the next day. This way only your first and last day will be a lot of driving. Many guides suggest Knysna as the main stop on the Garden Route and it's definitely worth visiting but we, personally, don't really like staying there. Keep n mind that Christmas is an extremely busy time, book accommodation beforehand and keep in mind if you drive to or back around 23rd-26th or New Year Eve don't drive along the coast from Cape Town through Hermanus, take inland Route 62 otherwise you'll be stuck in traffic forever.
Safe travels!
Thank you for this amazing post! I am travelling the garden route solo end of May-mid June. I bought the Baz Bus ticket from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth 🙂 Though I am super excited, I can't drive and am unsure of how to get around each place once arriving at the different destinations. I booked this a bit spontaneously without thinking haha, would you happen to know of any websites that do tours within each destination? Or would it be possible to see the sights by walking or using any other forms of transport (public transport within each place).
Thank you! 🙂
Hello, Natasha! Thank you for your comment! Baz Bus is the easiest way to travel around South Africa if you don't want to rent a car. The bus stops at several hostels and hotels in different locations. If you want to do a tour e.g. snorkeling, canyoning, diving etc. you can book it from a hostel/hotel you'll be staying most places offer tour booking service, then a company you do a tour with will pick you up at your hotel, drive you to the spot and after the tour is finished they'll drive you back. I'm sure you'll be able to book most of the tours on the Garden Route at the places you're planning to stay.
Safe travels and enjoy South Africa!
Hello, first let me thank you for the exhaustivs informations 🙂 Truly appreciate.
We booked our flight for Cape Town (Arrival : March 8th - Return : March 18th). We will definitely spend some time in Cape Town but we've been told 10 days would be a bit too much in the city.
Thus, we are considering now (a bit late) to split our trip : 4 days in Cape Town, 5 days in the Garden Route and 1 day back to Cape Town .
May i please ask you what itinary would you recommend for a 4 days trip in the garden route ?
Can we rent a car in Cape Town and leave it in Port Elizabeth to take a one way flight to cape town ?
Thank you in advance,
Hello, Amine! Thank you for the comment! 10 days in Cape Town might be too much it depends what kind of activities you want to do here. There are many places around Cape Town that you can visit as a day trip e.g. Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Hermanus, Muizenberg, Cape Point National park, game reserves etc. If you'd rather stay in one place and spend more time doing things than driving you'll be able to find what to do in Cape Town. As for the Garden Route there are many beautiful places to stop it depends on what you want to see and to do. Our favorite places on the route are Wilderness Ebb and Flow campsite, Sedgfield (beautiful beach), Natures Valle (a small town with nice beach), Storms River mouth park (there are several hiking routes, beautiful lush green forest, sea, we love camping there or staying in the bungalows). Mossel Bay and Plettenberg are nice towns to stop if you want to do water activities like snorkeling with seals (Plett), diving with sharks (Mossel Bay). There are some nice hiking routes as well St.Blaze trail in Mossel Bay and hike in Robberg Nature reserve in Plett. Knysna is considered to be a must stop on the route but we personally are not big fans of this town. If you travel with children you can go to Oudtshoorn to see the caves, visit cheetah rescue center near Plett or go on a safari drive in one of the game reserves. If you like adventure you will enjoy bungee jumping from Bloukrans bridge. There are tons of places to see and things to do in the Garden Route.
As for dropping a car in PE I'm sure most of the big rental places offer this option.
Cheers!
Hello, I liked your blog.
As we don't drive, we are considering the Intercape or Hop On Hop Off option.
Is there another option like this: where we could join a group in their van, share in the cost of the gas and make about 4 stops over 2 days including Plet, Mossel Bay, St. George on Garden Route just for scenic views and coffee stops. Do you know of such a group planning for March 2019 starts from George or Cape Town?
Hello, Ja! Thank you for the comment! We'd recommend to check BazBus they do transfers between Cape Town and George and many other destinations with several stops on the way, it will be probably the best option as their stop at several backpackers and hotels in different cities and towns. Unfortunately we can't tell you about any group planning this trip in March.
Cheers!
Great post!! I´ll be going on january 2019 and was wondering if all campings have to be booked beforehand or if we can see where to sleep as we go. what would you recommend, we would definetly prefer booking upon arrival but are worried that it will al be full or if prices get higher. what do you think?
I will be travelling with a friend
Hello, Rafael! Thank you for your comment! It depends when in January you're going, if after 10th January (the end of school holiday) it's fine there won't be many people. We did this trip last year mid January, didn't book anything in advanced and could always get a spot at the campsites. If you're going in the beginning of January it's better to book in advance. Prices are usually the same doesn't matter if you book a campsite beforehand or pay on arrival. If you need any tips on the trip we'll be happy to help!
Cheers!
Great post. We are heading over end of 2019. I’d love to hire a camper van (hubby & 8yr old) for 7days (garden route), but hubby is concerned with our safety due to current political situations in South Africa. We are from Australia, do we really need to do this beautifully stunning road trip on a tour bus?
Hello, Kerri! Thank you for the comment! We've done the Garden Route a couple of times, camping with a tent and it never felt dangerous, all the campsites we stayed are quite secured. Many tourists drive this route in rental cars or vans, the main danger is around the big cities like Johannesburg or Cape Town etc. We advise you never to leave any valuable stuff in the car, break ins are common when you leave stuff on the seats. There is a lot of crime in South Africa, but we have done a lot of camping around South Africa and have never had a bad experience. If you have more questions or need some help in planning your trip we'll be happy to help you!
Cheers!
One of the most informative posts on the Garden route that I've read so far. I've booked a trip to SA in April and will do part of the Garden route. I am considering buying a wild card so that was helpful. Now on to your other Sa osts 🙂
Hello, Anki! Thank you for the comment! We're glad you found our post helpful! I'd suggest to check first the price of Wild Card for foreigners as it's much more expensive if you're going to visit two or three National parks buying a Wild Card might be not worth for you. Hope you'll enjoy South Africa!
Wow!! it should have never finished. Your blog was concise yet so informative and entertaining. We (wife and 4 yr boy) planning this trip. I am novice at camping with family so lets see how it will go. Definitely i will use your blog as a guide.
Thanks
Mukul
Hello, Mukul! Thank you very much for the comment! We're glad your liked the post. There are some amazing campsites on the Garden Route I'm sur you and your family will enjoy this trip!
Good luck!
@Stingy Nomads, Hi! can you tell me what document you refer to as we are not aware of any discount for locals or temporary residents?
You mention: If you’re a temporary resident in South Africa take a document proving it you pay local entrance fees, which are half or even less than international.
Hello, Johan. All National Parks (SANParks) is South Africa have different entrance fees for locals/residents and foreigners. To pay a reduced entrance fee for locals you need your ID document or a passport. As an example you can check entrance fees to the Garden Route National Park on the official site https://www.sanparks.org/parks/garden_route/tourism/tariffs.php
Cheers