The Garden Route is actually shorter than you might think. But it’s a journey that’s packed with spectacular scenery, varied wildlife, exciting outdoor activities and lovely towns that make it a must-do on a trip to South Africa.
I’d originally assumed the Garden Route ran all the way from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth. In reality, it starts almost 240 miles from Cape Town at Mossel Bay and finishes just over 125 miles along the coast at Storms River. So you could easily drive it in a day and stop off for a few visits. Or you can do a few short hops to stay overnight at different points along the route.
Franschhoek to Mossel Bay
My travel buddy and I started our South Africa trip in Cape Town and then headed to the Winelands for a couple of days in Franschhoek. So we decided to start the Garden Route with an overnight stay at Mossel Bay. The drive to there from Franschhoek takes around four hours, initially through the Franschhoek Pass, a winding mountain road with many switchbacks and the occasional baboon!
Then you’re on the N2 highway where the halfway point to Mossel Bay is Swellendam, the perfect place for a pit stop. Parking on the street was easy and we had lunch at La Belle Alliance, a converted Masonic lodge with a riverside setting. Ideal for an alfresco sandwich. After lunch, we stretched our legs with a short walk through the town and couldn’t miss the stunning Dutch Reformed church.
Two hours later we were at the Protea Hotel in Mossel Bay. It’s part of the Marriott group and was the biggest hotel we stayed in during our South Africa trip. But I’d recommend it as our room was a great size and had a balcony with a sea view. The sun was hot so after a day of driving we headed for the nearby Mossel Bay Oyster Bar overlooking the harbour. We weren’t in the market for oysters but the cocktails and sushi were excellent. Dinner that evening was at Cafe Gannet which is in the Protea Hotel but open to non-guests and very popular. The food was delicious.
After breakfast the next morning, we checked out the Post Office Tree in the hotel garden. It’s claimed to be where mariners used to leave messages for passing ships in an old boot under a milkwood tree. You can post mail here and get a special stamp on it.
Then we headed over to The Point which is Mossel Bay’s beach. Usually, it would be quite busy and a nice place to hang out, but on a rainy morning it was pretty quiet. Though we did see one hardy surfer getting ready to ride the waves. The Garden Route is known for its plentiful surf spots, particularly Mossel Bay. A friend also did sandboarding on his visit and there are lots of other outdoor activities available. Near to The Point is the St Blaize Lighthouse and Cape St Blaize Cave. You can visit both and there are great views from the top of the lighthouse on a good weather day.
Mossel Bay to Knysna
From here the N2 takes you along the Garden Route with a variety of beaches and towns to choose from for a short stop or an overnight stay. It really depends on how often you want to repack and unpack! As Mossel Bay was already our third South Africa location we decided on short stops en route to Plettenberg Bay where we booked an extended Garden Route stay to chill for a while.
So our first stop was 45 mins from Mossel Bay at Wilderness Beach and what a spectacular one it is. Even on a cloudy day, it was fabulous. We found parking at the end of Sands Road where there are lots of B&Bs and guest houses with a sea view.
Continuing along the Garden Route we passed Sedgefield which has miles of beautiful beaches and then the Goukamma Nature Reserve. This has a lake and around 18km of beachfront, some with sand dunes, but given the unsettled weather, we decided to stop at the Holy Trinity Anglican Church. It’s in Belvidere, an upmarket estate of homes just outside Kynsna and was built in the Norman style by homesick Brits in the 1850s. The church is very pretty and set in lovely gardens so it makes a peaceful little detour off the Garden Route.
Knysna is probably the most famous town on the Garden Route and despite the lack of a beach, its beautiful lagoon setting and nearby ancient forests make it very popular. It was lunchtime so we headed for Thesen’s Island, which is connected to Kynsna Quays, the town’s waterfront, by a causeway. At the end is a cluster of houses, shops and cafes, including the Ile de Pain bakery and cafe. There’s lots of outside seating so it’s a lovely spot for an alfresco lunch (yes, the rain had stopped by now!).
After lunch, we went for a quick walk and found that the island is actually a series of mini islands connected by bridges and looked like a nice place to stay. Then we headed out to Kysna Heads, the two sandstone cliffs that form the entrance to the Knysna Lagoon from the Indian Ocean. It’s for sure one of the most spectacular spots on the Garden Route.
Rest & relaxation in Plettenberg Bay
Plettenberg Bay or Plett as it’s more commonly known is a popular town but not as busy as Kynsna so we chose it as our Garden Route destination for five nights of rest and relaxation. We stayed at Milkwood Manor which is probably a bit more costly than other options in Plett, but it’s right on beautiful Lookout Beach and we had a lovely big room with a patio and a sea view.
Just across the beach are two places to eat and drink, the casual Lookout Deck and the more upmarket Grand Africa. We preferred the latter where the food menu, wine and cocktail options were better. The sushi was always really fresh and the fish dishes were delicious.
On two evenings we went into Plett town to eat. It’s a 15-20 minute walk from Milkwood Manor and not advised after dark but there are taxis which the hotel and restaurants are happy to call for you. We ate at Nineteen 89 which does great pasta and The Fat Fish which unsurprisingly specialises in fish. But they do some very good cocktails too. We also popped into town for a wander around the shops one day and had a nice lunch at Le Fournil de Plett bakery and cafe.
We spent most of our time in Plett relaxing on sunbeds but did make time for a Garden Route boat trip with Ocean Safaris. It wasn’t the time of year for whale watching, but we had a brilliant time spotting some gorgeous dolphins, a large shoal of mackerel and some very noisy seals.
Afterwards, we popped over to Old Nick Village, just outside Plett. It’s a lovely place with a large plant selection and a variety of small craft shops. Also on site is the Mungo Shop & Mill where you can go inside to see the weaving factory from an observation gallery and buy products that are made there. There’s also a cafe, so we spent quite a while there, having lunch and making a lot of purchases!
Plettenberg to Schotia
From Plettenberg Bay it’s less than an hour to the end of the Garden Route at Storms River but there is lots to see and do along the way. The drive is initially uphill, then very forested before you start to see vineyards. There’s also a snake farm and Monkeyland which has free-roaming monkeys, lemurs and gibbons. Then comes Nature’s Valley which covers 650sqkm and runs down to Storms River. It has yellowwood forests, a lagoon and a stunning beach as well as a huge range of outdoor activities including an Otter Trail and one of the world’s highest bungee jumps.
It’s also around here that you cross from being in the Western Cape to the Eastern Cape which is where we were headed for the safari section of our trip. We considered Kruger National Park which would have meant a flight to Johannesburg. But then realised that the Eastern Cape has great safari options too, including the vast Addo Elephant National Park where you’ll find Schotia Safaris, a private but very affordable game reserve. I’ll drop a couple of photos below as a taster but that amazing visit deserves a blog post all of its own!
For more posts about my trip visit the South Africa section of my blog and why not check out other categories in the Home Page menu for more great trip ideas.