We continue our journey through Africa today with South Africa's spectacular Garden Route, so named for its beautiful and lush scenery. Many of our guests either undertake a organized tour or ask us to arrange a self-drive itinerary, which is very doable from Cape Town.
The region is specifically known for its scenic beauty. There is some debate as to where the Garden Route actually starts with Swellendam getting the most votes. If you are heading out of Cape Town, we highly recommend a slight diversion off the N2 highway to Hermanus, especially in the months of September/October and November when the two with its cliffs offers some of the world's best land-based whale watching and, for the adrenalin junkies, shark-cage diving to see the great whites. But we digress.
Make a short detour off the motorway at Swellendam to see some of the beautiful Cape Dutch architecture before continuing inland through the farming lands of Riversdale and the Klein Karoo rejoining the ocean at Mossel Bay.
The principal town of the region is George and it does have a domestic airport with good flight connections so if you prefer to fly into the Garden Route from Johannesburg, George is a good starting point.
There are many outstanding walks in the region and coastal paths, even for the novice or less-fit walker. Many of our guests like to stay in either the towns of Knysna or Plettenberg Bay.
Knysna is a beautiful little town with quirky shops, coffee shops and restaurants hugging its lagoon that opens to the see through a tight gap known as "The Heads".
We continue our journey along the coast line to Plettenberg Bay and, if you are a keen golfer, it is important to note here that the region has some of the best courses in South Africa!
Storms River Mouth in the Tsitsikamma National Park is generally recognized as the end of the Garden Route with its pretty suspension bridge over the river mouth. Travel wise if you are renting a car, you can either return to Cape Town or hand the vehicle back at Port Elizabeth Airport which has connections to Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town.
Don't forget to get in touch with our qualified team if you are looking at planning an African Journey. Call us on +357 26221634, email us on: info@theluxurytravelco.com or visit our flagship store in the heart of the Old Town in Paphos.
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