“So where is the Garden Route?” you might ask. It is a 200 km section of the South African coastline that stretches from the city of Mossel Bay to the other side of the 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 a definite “must see” for anyone visiting South Africa. To sum up the Garden Route, I would call it “South Africa’s outdoor adventure and golf Mecca.” Here I have compiled some suggestions for your trip 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’re staying the night, you might want to include them in 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 Pass Trail, the original trail between George and Knysna: dense native forest, tannin-rich blackwater rivers, steep gorges and prolific bird life.
3. Montagu Pass – Traverses the majestic Outeniqua Mountains between George and Oudtshoorn, the original route built in 1848 using the convicts’ plow.
mossel bay
Shark Cage Diving – a thrilling 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 new 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 a 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 a ride on an ostrich!
Cango Wildlife Ranch – A sanctuary for endangered wildlife species. Get up close and personal with a cheetah or snorkel with the crocodiles.
Wilderness – A sleepy seaside village offering a variety of outdoor activities including paragliding, canoeing down the Touws River, hiking trails through enchanted indigenous forests, Kloofing and abseiling.
Knysna – a bustling little town with so much to offer!
I can highly recommend the 4-hour Featherbed Bay Eco Experience, which includes a boat ride on the lagoon, a guided tour in the nature reserve, a ride in a trailer truck and a tasty lunch in an elegant restaurant under the ancient trees of milk.
Quad biking, Mountain biking in the woods of Harkerville and Knysna, Rappelling at Knysna Heads, Canoeing on the Knysna River, Hiking in the Knysna Forest
Plettenberg Bay – Another bustling town to include on your itinerary offering a great selection of outdoor activities – something for all the 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 Robberg Nature Reserve, Bunji Jumping from Bloukrans Bridge (highest bunji jump in the world at 216m)
Plett has become South Africa’s ‘polo mecca’. 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 large 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 coastline has a large number of beautiful beaches, most of them with “blue flag” status. Heralds Bay, Glentana and Victoria Bay near George, Wilderness Beach, Buffels Bay, Noetsie Bay, Plettenberg Bay and Natures Valley all offer the warmest waters of the Indian Ocean and beautiful stretches of golden sand. This makes the Garden Route a great summer destination!
Golf is a great 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 our South African golf icon Gary Player, George Golf Course, Simola Golf Estate , Pezula Championship 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 include in your itinerary when you come to visit our beautiful South Africa!