Travel Tips for the Garden Route

View our Tours & Safaris page for your travel inspirations  !!

The Garden Route is a study in contrasts - and in order to enjoy this area to it's fullest, is best taken at a leisurely pace - giving you time to enjoy each area's activities and beauty.

The Garden Route can be travelled from Cape Town, travelling inland to the arid and semi-deserts of the Little Karoo.   A night in Oudtshoorn is certainly worthwhile.   Enjoy the uniqueness of this area, and we recommend a visit to the Cango Caves and one of the Ostrich Show Farms in the area.  A Meerkat Encounter and tour is an amazing experience and should be booked in advance.  Oudtshoorn offers a variety of accommodation from Luxury to quaint little guest houses - something for family's travelling with children to your Honeymooners.  Visit our Oudtshoorn accommodation page.

After your visit to Oudtshoorn, head towards the coast and stay for a couple of nights in the Wilderness or Knysna - which can be used as a base for a few nights to explore the the Knysna Heads and Knysna Lagoon.  One of the boat trips on offer by The Featherbed Company is worthwhile or perhaps visit the Oyster factory in the area.  Do not leave Knysna without tasting one of their famous Oysters !

A variety of accommodation options in Knysna - Luxury suites in Eco-Reserves ,  hotels with golf courses and lovely guest houses

Plettenberg Bay is in relatively close proximity to Knysna, and offers some exciting activities - such as Ocean Safaris, close encounters with Elephants, walking with Cheetah's or Hiking.  A popular hotspot for locals.   Plettenberg Bay is also a good central base for exploring the surrounding areas.

Once again, a variety of Plettenberg Bay accommodation is on offer - Beautiful hotels overlooking the ocean,  Treetop accommodation , guest houses on the beach - there is something for all budgets !

The Garden Route "officially' ends in Port Eizabeth and should you prefer to not proceed as far along the East Coast as this, spend a night in the Tsitsikamma Forest and Storms River area - where rugged cliffs and rolling ocean awaits.

End your Garden Route trip with a Safari extension to one of the Eastern Cape Game reserves or the Addo Elephant Park   These are all situated approximately one to one and a half hours from Port Elizabeth.   View the Big Five in a Malaria Free area, and enjoy being pampered on one of these private Game reserves.

The Garden Route is family friendly, beautiful, romantic and for avid photographers - a dream !

Contact one of our travel consultants to design your personalised Garden Route trip.