South Africa safari
Imagine driving down one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in the world; the magnificent ocean and iridescent lagoons on one side and luscious trees and forests on the other. Lying between Mossel Bay and Storms River, the Garden Route is the definition of 124 miles of beauty and is one of South Africa’s true treasures. With an endless list of activities and experiences, the challenge is to decide how long to stay to cover everything you want to see. From bungee jumping, ziplining, wine tasting and golfing, to exploring the Cango caves or a viewing of the meerkats, the Garden Route has something everyone is guaranteed to love.
Table of Contents
South Africa adventure
Mossel Bay
About 4 hours from Cape Town, lies Mossel Bay, a harbour town with a rich heritage and amazing sea life. From dolphins, penguins and the occasional orca swimming through the bay, to the abundance of different whales and of course, the great white shark, Mossel Bay really does not disappoint. For those who would love to be Indiana Jones for a day and dive into solving the mystery of human origin, The Point of Human Origin (a mystical archaeological site) is worth visiting.
Oudtshoorn
On the edge of the Little Karoo lies the small town of Oudtshoorn that is famous for its ostriches, meerkats and the spectacular Cango Caves. The Caves, filled with an abundance of stalactites and stalagmites, offer both a Heritage tour (an easy walk through the six largest and most magnificent halls) and the Adventure tour (a challenging tour of the caves with exciting narrow passages and tunnels). Oudtshoorn is also a home to the very shy, charming little creatures that were made famous by the Disney star Timon in the legendary movie “The Lion King”. Getting up close with the meerkats as they awake with the sun, is an incredibly special and rare thing to witness.
From bungee jumping, ziplining, wine tasting and golfing, to exploring the Cango caves or a viewing of the meerkats, the Garden Route has something everyone is guaranteed to love.
Knysna
A popular holiday destination for locals, with it’s beautiful lagoon right on your doorstep, Knysna is the highlight of the Garden Route. Stop at Knysna for a day or two, sailing or water-skiing on the lagoon, go whale or dolphin watching and enjoy the delicious Knysna oysters. If you are a golfer then this is the place for you with the breathtakingly scenic Pezula Championship Golf course and, only an hour away, the Links Fancourt Golf Estate, which is currently voted number one in the country by Golf Digest South Africa. Get lost in the beauty of nature when visiting the Featherbed Nature Reserve, a place with stunning plant life, Khoi-Khoi caves and breath-taking views.
Plettenberg Bay
Plettenberg Bay, or ‘Plett’, is a seaside town that has gained a reputation as a holiday-makers hotspot. Plett has many leisure activities on offer, from yachting on the Keurbooms river, watching marine wildlife on a boat, surfing, stand-up paddle boarding or just relaxing on the white sand beaches. Enjoy a cup of local coffee watching the dolphins playfully splash around in the morning. Go on a popular whale or shark sighting just before lunchtime and ride through the vineyards in a horse carriage in the afternoon. Some award winning MCC sparkling wines are being produced in the area, so make sure not to miss out on a wine tour.
Go on a popular whale or shark sighting just before lunchtime and ride through the vineyards in a horse carriage in the afternoon.
South Africa adventure
Storms River
Inland to the north, about 50 minutes from Plett, lies Tsitsikamma Nature Reserve. This is a place that is perfect for the adrenaline junkies and ideal for taking on your fear of heights. Tsitsikamma is home to the world’s highest commercial bungee jump at Bloukrans Bridge, kayaking and lilo-tubing expeditions up the Storms River and zip-lining tours in indigenous rainforest. If flinging yourself off a bridge is not your thing, don‘t worry, there is plenty else on offer. From stunning mountain bike trails to breath-taking coastal walks through the reserve, take in the natural beauty that Tsitsikamma has to offer.
