Garden Route & Surrounds

Strictly speaking, the Garden Route refers to a lush coastal belt running along the shoreline from Mossel Bay in the west to Cape St Francis in the east, backed by a ridge of amazing quartzite mountains. Aptly named for its startling natural beauty, this acclaimed and iconic route covers a stretch of rugged coastline which is graced with long empty beaches of golden sands, white rollers crashing into the sea, dense indigenous forests, lakes, lagoons, bays, cliffs, coves and meandering rivers – the list is endless! It is a visual and sensual delight, a paradise for nature-lovers and outdoors enthusiasts – and it also happens to have some of the country’s finest hotels and lodges. 

Blessed with a mild climate, year-round rainfall and unique vegetation, few routes in the world can offer experiences close to those of South Africa’s ‘Garden Route’. Some of the best-known towns of the Garden Route include Mossel Bay, Wilderness, Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, Nature’s Valley and Tsitsikamma … make a point of setting aside as many days as you can because this area can make time disappear!