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What to see on the Garden Route

Do not rush the Garden Route. It is a short drive on the map, but the best of it is off the main road: forest walks, lagoons, river mouths and mountain passes. Driving it in a day shows you a highway. Stay at least two nights in one place.

Wilderness and the lakes

Just east of George, Wilderness has a long beach and a chain of lakes and rivers.

• gentle canoeing and birdwatching;
• forest walks along the rivers to waterfalls;
• viewpoints over the coast and the curving river mouth.

Knysna

• The Knysna Heads: two great sandstone cliffs where the lagoon meets the sea. You can drive up the eastern head for the view.
• The Knysna forests: the largest area of indigenous forest in the country, with walks among giant yellowwood trees, ferns and streams.
• The waterfront and the town's markets.

Allow two or three days for Wilderness and Knysna. The Garden Route gets rain in every season, so any time of year works.

Tsitsikamma and Storms River Mouth

At the eastern end, the Tsitsikamma section of the Garden Route National Park protects a wild coast of cliffs and forest.

• A path leads through the forest to a suspension bridge across the Storms River mouth. The walk is about a kilometre each way, with many steps.
• There are short forest and coastal trails, and guided kayak trips up the gorge.
• The famous five-day Otter Trail starts here. Book it far ahead.

You pay the park's daily conservation fee. Keep off wet rocks near the waves.

Plettenberg Bay and Robberg

"Plett" has long, sandy beaches and water that is warm by Cape standards. It is busy in December.

• Swim between the flags at beaches with lifeguards.
• Watch for dolphins and, in season, whales from the shore.
• Walk the Robberg peninsula, a nature reserve with a seal colony and wide views. The full loop takes most people four hours over rock and sand, and shorter loops turn back sooner.

On Robberg, start early, take water, keep to the marked paths, and stay away from cliff edges and waves.

Oudtshoorn and the Cango Caves

North of George, over the Outeniqua Pass, the land changes completely into the dry Little Karoo. Oudtshoorn grew rich on ostrich feathers more than a century ago.

The Cango Caves are huge limestone caverns that can be visited only on guided tours:

• a standard tour of about an hour through the large, lit chambers;
• an adventure tour through narrow tunnels and tight squeezes, which is not for anyone who is large, unfit, afraid of small spaces, or has heart or breathing problems.

Never touch the formations. The oils on your skin stop them from growing.

The Swartberg Pass and Meiringspoort

Two roads cross the Swartberg mountains to the small town of Prince Albert.

• The Swartberg Pass is a gravel road built in the 1880s, climbing in tight zigzags to huge views. It is narrow and steep, and it closes after snow and heavy rain. Drive slowly in a low gear and do not tow a caravan over it.
• Meiringspoort is a tarred road through a deep gorge between red cliffs.

A good day: up the pass to Prince Albert for lunch, and back through Meiringspoort.

Planning the trip

• By car: Cape Town to Mossel Bay takes about four hours. Plan a week from Mossel Bay to Tsitsikamma, with a loop through Oudtshoorn.
• By bus: long-distance buses run along the N2 and stop in the main towns.
• Where to stay: park campsites, backpackers' hostels and self-catering cottages are the cheapest. December is the busiest and dearest month.
• On a budget: many forest walks, viewpoints and beaches are free. Park fees are the main cost, and residents pay a lower rate.

This guide is based on Chapter 4 of Must-See Places in South Africa.