The Garden Route is a magnificent stretch of coastline on the south-eastern region of South Africa which extends from Heidelberg in the Western Cape to Storms River Village on the Eastern Cape border.

From spectacular passes in the Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma mountain ranges to the secluded little beaches on bays surrounded by clear champagne-coloured warm waters, the Garden Route has a year-round holiday feeling and residents are always ready to welcome visitors to the plentiful resorts along the way. All needs are catered for when it comes to deciding where to stay – choose from resorts, hotels, self-catering houses and apartments, B&Bs, guesthouses, caravan parks or backpacker hostels. Foodies are spoilt for choice with many top chefs having found their niche here and you can look forward to an interesting choice of dining experiences.

Easily accessible from Cape Town, this region is named for beautiful scenery, lush vegetation and its famed fynbos (fine bush) floral kingdom. The weather is ideal for holiday making with moderate temperatures and beautiful sunny days – even during winter.
Most places are accessible by bus and car and extensive walking and cycle trails in the forests and along the beaches allow you to take in both the dazzling views and fresh ocean air. There are no less than nine world class golf courses on the Garden Route, designed by golfing legends like Gary Player, Ernie Els, Jack Nicklaus, Darren Clarke and Sally Little. These include Fancourt’s Links, Outeniqua and Montagu courses near George, Kingswood, Mossel Bay, Pinnacle Point, Oubaai (Herolds Bay), Knysna, Pezula, Simola, Plettenberg Bay and Goose Valley.

The area is also a hub of creativity, as many artists and craftspeople have made their base in and around the towns along the Garden Route. Visitors are spoilt for choice with a variety of wonderful art and craft from paintings, pottery and furniture, to fabrics, jewellery and sculptures found here.

There are plenty of rest-stops where you can gaze out to sea and especially near Plettenberg Bay, you could be rewarded with a sighting of Southern Right and Humpback whales, Bottlenose and common dolphins, and even Killer whales that venture close to shore for breeding and feeding. Nature enthusiasts will be in their element, as beautiful forests and wild coastline come together in the Wilderness National Park which blends seamlessly in with the Tsitsikamma National Park.