The Garden Route offers one of the best guided or self-drive road trip experiences in one of the most beautiful regions of South Africa with top-notch scenic roads, towns, accommodation, dining options, and activities on offer. The best is to stay longer and to combine the Garden Route with nearby Cape Town, the Cape Winelands and the Whale Route for an all-in-one ocean and coastal safari experience, especially when approaching the Garden Route via the renowned Route 62 in the Klein Karoo, famous for its wineries as well as the Cango ostrich farms and Cango caves. Furthermore, the region is easily accessible by air from other areas of South Africa, including the Kruger National Park, for an all-round South Africa safari.
The Beautiful Garden Route
A paradise landscape of pure beauty nestled between the Outeniqua Mountains and Indian Ocean on the southern coast of South Africa.
South Africa’s Garden (Route) of Eden
The Garden Route is a coastal corridor located on the southern coast of South Africa, just a few hours from Cape Town. The route mainly stretches between the towns of Mossel Bay and Plettenberg Bay. Here ancient forests, rivers, wetlands, dunes, stretches of beach, lakes, mountain scenery and indigenous fynbos all merge to form a landscape of pure beauty. The Garden Route, which culminates in the Tsitsikamma Forest is a true paradise for eco-lovers, bird watchers and solitude seekers and one of the most beautiful regions of the Western Cape. Meandering trails are followed by hikers, the forests invite long, leisurely drives, and the ocean, lakes and rivers lend themselves to swimming boating and fishing. A wide range of leisure options, spectacular scenery and a mild climate guarantee an unforgettable safari holiday experience when visiting the Garden Route in South Africa. The main tourist hubs in this region are the towns of Mossel Bay, George and Knysna, but the smaller towns of Wilderness and Sedgefield are especially known for their own special allure due to their setting and scenery.
Mossel Bay
George
Wilderness
Knysna
Plettenberg Bay
The Ultimate South Africa Coastal Safari Experience
Picturesque Seaside Towns, Endless Nature & Wonderful Wildlife
The Garden Route offers numerous picturesque seaside towns, endless nature, and wonderful wildlife. The most popular towns along the route are Wilderness, Knysna and Plettenberg Bay, but Mossel Bay is home to a fascinating museum complex, and George is the largest town and transport hub. Nature is all around you with oceans, rivers, lagoons, beaches or forests on your doorstep. Animal and wildlife lovers will find plenty of attractions, from elephant experiences, cheetah encounters, and bird sanctuaries to ostrich farms and whale-watching trips.
World Class Beaches and Endless Adventure Activities
The Garden Route offers visitors access to more than a dozen world-class Blue Flag beaches for leisure activities as well as endless adventure activities for adrenaline junkies. Blue Flag is an internationally recognised eco-label whose strict criteria focuses on the environmental management of coastlines and coastal waters to support sustainable tourism growth and development. The beaches here are wide and endless, for beautiful sunrise or sunset walks and most also offers rock and tidal pools. For true adventure, the region offers an endless range of land and water-based adrenaline activities, including hiking, helicopter flights, kayaking, bungee-jumping, paragliding, canopy-tours, mountain biking, quad biking, tubing, scuba diving, snorkelling, surfing and whale-watching.
Ideal Destinations
For memories that last a lifetime, tailor your ideal African safari
Jewel of Africa works with your wish list, or offers obligation-free advice, on personally-curated safaris to fit your schedule, budget and desires.
Africa’s Top Safari Experts
For experienced travel guides, personalized attention to detail, luxury travel and accommodation, choose jewel of Africa Safaris.
The Real Africa
Jewel of Africa’s local experts will take you to top safari destinations, and offer you experiences, way beyond anything you’ll find in the average guidebook.
Expert Advice
The passionate team has a vast knowledge of Africa and can offer advice on many areas of interest from city sightseeing to seasonal game viewing.
Safe and Comfortable
Luxury and safety are top priorities, from the vehicles Jewel of Africa uses to the guides it chooses and the accommodation it recommends.