“So where is the Garden Route?” you might ask It is a 200km section of South African coastline that stretches from the town of Mossel Bay to the other side of Tsitsikamma National Park. I recently took some time to revisit the Garden Route, this time to investigate what fun and exciting things to do on the Garden Route. It is a fabulous destination and definitely a “must see” for anyone visiting South Africa. To sum up the Garden Route, I’d call it “South Africa’s mecca of golf and outdoor adventure.” Here I have compiled some suggestions for your journey on the Garden Route.
Scenic Drives – Well, there are a couple of lovely scenic drives on the Garden Route and depending on how much time you have and where you spend the night, you might be able to fit them into your itinerary.
1. Swartberg Pass and Meiringspoort near Oudtshoorn – A beautiful day trip to enjoy with a lunch stop at a beautiful waterfall at Meiringspoort, spectacular mountain scenery and panoramic views.
2. Seven-Step Path, the original path between George and Knysna: dense native forest, tannin-rich blackwater rivers, steep gorges and prolific bird life.
3. Montagu Pass – Traverse the majestic Outeniqua Mountains between George and Oudtshoorn, the original route built in 1848 by convict ploughing.
Mossel Bay
Shark Cage Diving – an exhilarating experience that I would recommend to anyone! Mossel Bay has the most accessible great white shark experience in the world, offering a shorter, more comfortable boat ride in calmer waters than the competition at Gansbaai near Cape Town. You will leave with a newfound respect for these magnificent predators.
Oudtshoorn – Great place to visit, especially if it’s raining elsewhere on the Garden Route. Oudtshoorn is the capital of the Little Karoo, which is classified as semi-desert, so you can count on the weather to be quite good for most of the year.
Cango Caves: an underground wonderland with the most spectacular stalactite formations
Cango Ostrich Farm – Learn about the ostrich farming industry that made Oudtshoorn famous and take an ostrich ride!
Cango Wildlife Ranch: A sanctuary for endangered wildlife species. Get up close and personal with a cheetah or snorkel with crocodiles.
Wilderness – A sleepy seaside town offering a variety of outdoor activities including paragliding, canoeing down the Touws River, hiking trails through enchanted indigenous forests, Kloofing and rappelling.
Knysna – a bustling little city with a lot to offer!
I can recommend the 4-hour eco-experience at Featherbed Bay, which includes a boat ride on the lagoon, a guided tour in the nature reserve, a tractor-trailer ride, and a tasty lunch in a fancy restaurant under the old-growth trees. milk.
Quad Biking, Harkerville & Knysna Forest Mountain Biking, Knysna Heads Rappelling, Knysna River Canoeing, Knysna Forest Hiking
Plettenberg Bay – Another bustling town to add to your itinerary that offers a great selection of outdoor activities, something for the whole family. Many activities for children are also offered.
Elephant Sanctuary – where you can walk with these gentle giants and even ride one
Birds of Eden – A magnificent display of birds from around the world!
Monkeyland – fascinating and informative!
Adventure activities such as sea kayaking, canoeing on the Keurbooms River, boat cruises to see marine life such as dolphins, seals and whales in season (July to December)
Skydiving, Rappelling, Hiking in the Robberg Nature Reserve, Bunji Jumping from Bloukrans Bridge (highest bunji jump in the world at 216m)
Plett has become the “polo mecca” of South Africa. Exciting polo tournaments are being played at Bitou House and Kurland during Easter, December and January with polo practices throughout the year.
Tsitsikamma National Park
The Big Tree: The largest Outeniqua Yellowwood tree in the area with a circumference of 8.5m and a height of 36m. This is one of the largest tree species we have in South Africa and one of the most beautiful in my opinion.
Tree Top Canopy Tours – Offers fun and adventure ziplining from one big tree to the next, a great way to get to know our beautiful indigenous forest and its little inhabitants!
Hiking trails along the rugged coastline
virgin beaches
Of course, do not forget that this entire stretch of coast has a large number of beautiful beaches, most of them with the status of “blue flag”. Heralds Bay, Glentana and Victoria Bay near George, Wilderness Beach, Buffels Bay, Noetsie Bay, Plettenberg Bay and Natures Valley all offer the warmest waters in the Indian Ocean and beautiful stretches of golden sand. This makes the Garden Route a great summer destination!
Golf is a big activity on the Garden Route with some of the best golf courses in the world based here such as Fancourt Country Club Estate offering 4 courses built by Gary Player, our South African golf icon, George Golf Course, Simola Golf Estate , Pezula Champioship Golf Course offering the most spectacular scenery, Knysna Golf Course and Goose Valley Golf Course in Plettenberg Bay.
So all in all a great destination to put on your itinerary when you come to visit our beautiful South Africa!