The Garden Route

Name: The Garden Route
Brand: Exodus
Rating: 4.6 (190 reviews)

Top 5 Places to Discover on the Garden Route

Storms River

The mouth of Storms River, where the waterway meets the Indian Ocean, is generally considered the start (or end) of the Garden Route. See the ocean break across the rocky shore whilst staying in a chalet overlooking the coastline. The area is a great place for bird enthusiasts with a variety of sea, forest and fynbos (scrubland) species present. Other resident animals include vervet monkeys, chacma baboons and clawless otters.

Hike in Tsitsikamma National Park

Getting its name from a local word meaning ‘place of abundant water’ and encompassing land and sea, Tsitsikamma National Park is a diverse wilderness of lush forest, epic canyons and magnificent coastal views. One of the most challenging hikes is the Otter Trail, a well-marked hike with some small ladders and boulder hopping. This is the only walk that has rocky shoreline sections to it, taking us through the forest, past the Strandloper Cave and ending at a waterfall dropping into the ocean.

Visit Kynsna Heads and Mossel Bay

One of the most picturesque sights on the Garden Route is Knysna Heads – a pair of sandstone cliffs that form a channel separating the calm waters of Knysna Lagoon from the turbulent Indian Ocean. Also worth a visit is Mossel Bay, a quaint coastal town home to The Post Office Tree, a landmark where seafarers once left letters to be taken home by Portuguese sailors.

Discover Oudtshoorn and the Cango Caves

The Little Karoo is a dry, hot region, located inland but still considered a great stop as part of the classic Garden Route. Oudtshoorn itself became renowned for its trade in ostrich feathers and is still regarded as the ostrich capital of the world. The Cango Caves are an extensive complex of caverns with stalactites and stalagmites. Discover these fascinating limestone caves with a local guide who will take you on a journey through the ages.

Whale Watching in Hermanus

Travel to Hermanus between June and November for a chance to spot migratory southern right whales as you stand on the shore. Whales visit the area each year to mate and calf in the secluded waters and can be seen frolicking in Walker Bay. A whale crier will sound his kelp horn when he spots whales off the coast. As well as land-based whale watching you can join a boat trip or visit the Whale Museum to discover more.

Garden Route Trips

The stunning scenery makes this stretch of coastline one of the world’s great drives, and Garden Route trips are widely regarded as a highlight of any holiday to South Africa.

The wine region of Stellenbosch enjoys world-wide fame, and aside from great wines, the rolling vineyards set out below rising peaks are a photographer’s delight. From the coast there’s also excellent land-based whale watching from August to early November. This area can be explored on foot or bicycle, and there’s the opportunity to try abseiling, black-water tubing or even bungee jumping too.

The Garden Route Adventure Holidays

12 Days from 2 095 €

Guided Group (Excl. Flights)

Experience icons of South Africa: safari animals, dramatic coastal roads, electric cities and unforgettable landscapes

Culture

12 Days from 3 240 €

Guided Group (Excl. Flights)

Vineyards, mountain passes and South Africa's coastline

Cycling

Mountain kingdoms, world-class wine, safari and dramatic coastline where two oceans meet

Culture

20 Days from 4 800 €

Guided Group (Excl. Flights)

Overland adventure through three countries

Culture

12 Days from 5 640 €

Guided Group (Excl. Flights)

Dramatic coastal scenery and world-class wine

Culture

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This was an amazing trip on so many levels.
I have come back feeling energised, invigorated and really sad to leave…testament to a great hol!
I was travelling on my own and apprehensive. I needn’t have been. My group were so welcoming and friendly. We got to know each other quite quickly and had such a laugh together. We are hoping to meet up again in the New Year.
The itinerary was so varied, there was never a dull moment. Ideally 14 days would be preferable as you are packing so much in.
Animals and birds- so much to see, recommend doing Schotia game drive and whale watching. Penguins at boulders beach were brilliant.
Flora-beautiful flowers, shrubs and trees and a chance to visit the botanical gardens in Cape Town.
Food-Wow…such a variety , huge portions and cheap. Recommend the ostrich, but so many other dishes to choose from( meat or veg)
Wine-fabulous and cheap. I loved the chenin blanc. I enjoyed the afternoon in Stellenbosch too.
Landscape-absolutely stunning..Tsitsikamma, Cape of Good Hope, ocean drives and more!
Activities- so varied and you have the opportunity to choose the activities you want to do at various locations.
Guide- Marco was great on every level. He was informative, professional, catered to everyone’s needs and kept us safe.
Accommodation – I particularly liked Tsitsikamma oceanette as right by the ocean. Got woken up at 5.30am by baboons jumping on the bin outside:-). Loved House Martin and the Windsor Hotel.
Cape Town-beautiful. I visited Robben Island, 2nd half of this tour was particular good as we were shown around by an ex inmate. I didn’t get the chance to go up Table Mountain as I had to leave early. There is so much to see and experience that I will definitely return.

Anne Parkins Cape Town & the Garden Route

This was a wonderful tour showcasing the beautiful scenery along the coast from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town. Accommodation was great throughout our tour other than a very musty cabin at Storms River, however, the scenery there was stunning. Petro was a wonderful guide …was well organized and had excellent people and communication skills. The knowledge she shared of her country along the way including the names of numerous animals and birds was really appreciated. Highlights for me included: Schotia Game Drive, our stay at De Rust that included home cooked meals, and finishing with Table Mountain, Boulders Beach, and Cape of Good Hope in Cape Town. I had done a Langa Township tour prior to our tour starting and didn’t do the one organized by Exodus, however, I’d recommend doing this type of half day tour as well as it shows you a different perspective.

Denise Schlachter Cape Town & the Garden Route

A tour of 15 people. Everyone got on well. Some queries with the itinerary. We passed by fabulous beaches without stopping such as Jeffrey’s Bay and Wilderness, yet stopped at service stations for lunch. This actually happened three times; once shortly after Knysna which would have been far preferable. The rooms were not always very good. In Tsitsikamma the room was very good, but it was at least a mile walk each way for breakfast. I’m fit, but this was classified as a leisurely tour. The rooms in Hermanus and Cape Town overlooked car parks. Our room in Hermanus also had no air conditioning. I expected better accommodation quality from Exodus based on personal recommendations. I would say it is comparable to mid range G Adventures. There were no whales (not the season) but also the waterfall in Karoo had dried up and Storms River was very low water also: Our tubing became bouldering. Cape Town and Cape of Good Hope were magnificent. Food provided or purchased throughout was consistently of high quality. A quite expensive trip when excursions, tips and food is added but we probably got what we paid for. A few simple tweaks could have made things better. Enjoyment – 8 out of 10. VFM – 7 out of 10. I regret not seeing some of the wonderful beaches on-route.

Gary Josey Cape Town & the Garden Route

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