Garden Route Tours, Safaris and Honeymoons

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Garden Route

Recommended Trips

The Garden Route takes travelers through a scenic stretch of the southern Cape, a place of mountains, forests, fynbos and pristine coastline

Western Cape Golf Tour

10 Days From: ZAR 69,270 pp Luxury Code: G03

A Private Golf Tour combines playing some of the finest courses in Cape Town and the Garden Route with the highlights of each area visited.

Cape Town to Addo Tour

10 Days From: ZAR 69,270 pp Personal & National Park Camps Code: T17

This private tour is popular amongst those seeking to combine a tour of the Cape Coast with a Big Five safari in Addo Elephant National Park.

Cape's Finest Tour

7 Days From: ZAR 69,270 pp Exclusive Top-End Code: T05

The Cape's Finest is a luxurious private tour that seeks to bring to life the highlights of Cape Town, the Cape Winelands, and the Garden Route.

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Reasons to visit the Garden Route

1

Nature

Between the leagues of coastal forest, sparkling lakes and lagoons, and the salty sea swell, it is not difficult to understand why the Garden Route is a nature lover's dream. Birdwatchers will delight in sightings of the striking Knysna turaco, avid hikers will marvel at the meandering trails through ancient trees and over breathtaking clifftops, and leisure-seekers will feel their batteries recharge in the cusp of South Africa's coastal Eden.

2

Adventure

Opportunities for adventure abound in the Garden Route. Bungee jump from the highest commercial bungee at Bloukrans Bridge, wander deep into the limestone chambers of the Cango Caves, survey the landscape from the hide of an elephant, ride the world's largest species of bird, kayak up Storms River Gorge, sand board down the 170m (230 ft) high 'Dragon Dune' near Mossel Bay - whatever your adventurous spirit desires.

3

Leisure

Should your idea of a holiday lean more towards relaxation, the Garden Route is bountiful. Repose on one of the many fine beaches, opt for a rewarding round of golf on one of the many championship golf courses, enjoy a cruise on the sparkling Knysna Lagoon, visit the fascinating Birds of Eden and Monkeyland Sanctuary, or the historic Diaz Museum in Mossel Bay, an homage to the first European explorer to set foot on these shores in 1488.

4

Ocean-based Activities

The waters along the Garden Route are more temperate than the frigid waters of Cape Town, as it is past the point where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet, which means that there are more ocean-based activities on offer. Thalassophiles will delight in the opportunities to engage in deep-sea fishing, whale watching, dolphin watching, swimming with wild seals, ocean kayaking, sailing, or simply floating in tranquility on the tide.

Experiences to be Savored on the Garden Route

When visiting the Garden Route, you'll savor the area's pristine natural environment above all else. A wealth of rewarding experiences are tied into the region's features, from the Knysna Lagoon to the primordial forests.

Cruising on the Knysna Lagoon

A cruise on the Knysna Lagoon is one of the most pleasing and relaxing ways to enjoy the scenery of the jewel of the Garden Route - Knysna. If the sea is calm enough, some vessels may spoil you by venturing just beyond the famous Knysna Heads, allowing views of coastal caves and the emerald lagoon glittering behind you.

Traversing the Outeniqua Pass

This breathtaking pass snakes its way through the evergreen Outeniqua Mountains that form the barrier between the lush Garden Route and the vast, semi-arid expanse of the Little Karoo. Constructed in 1951 at 800m (2 600 ft), it cedes stunning views for all who traverse it.

Unwinding on the beach

The Garden Route's plethora of fine, sandy shores and temperate waters have established it as an attractive beach destination for local and international visitors. Lay down your towel, wriggle your toes in the sand, or wander into the waves at your leisure – this is what a holiday is all about.

The beautiful stretch of rugged coastline, towering mountains and rolling hills of flowers between Mossel Bay and Storms River is known as the Garden Route. The region is incredibly biodiverse and scenic, and a tour along the N4 through the Garden Route passes through a number of quaint towns, golf courses and coastal forests, pristine beaches, high cliffs and mountain passes in the heart of the southern Cape.

Starting off in Mossel Bay, there is Pinnacle point, a slightly protruding peninsula with a beautiful view of the ocean to the south and of the Blombos Caves, a set of coastal caves known for the archeological finds of early humans that called this part of the continent home hundreds of thousands of years ago. The Robinson Pass goes through the mountains on the way to Oudtshoorn not far from the town and is worth the journey for the Protea-filled slopes and stark views of the Little Karoo on the other side of the mountains.

Wilderness is a town at the start of the forested part of the Garden Route, where towering yellowwood trees, dense canopies and winding rivers can be seen, and the sound of the Knysna Lourie’s call echoing through the silence. There are a number of wonderful hiking routes here, and canoeing on the town’s rivers, lakes and lagoons is a favorite Saturday activity. The culture here is distinctly hippy-like, and the atmosphere relaxed - perfect for a getaway from the bustle of the city.

Slightly further east, past the beautiful coastal villages of Buffels Bay and Sedgefield, is the town of Knysna. Once the center of the timber trade of the region, Knysna sits perched on a hillside overlooking the Knysna Lagoon below, with towering cliff gates to the open ocean known as the Knysna Heads to the south. The lagoon is perfect for boating, canoeing, paddleboarding or jet-skiing, and suburbs that include Paradise Island and the Heads are known for their spectacular views and wonderful restaurants. Thesen Island, a series of canals near the lagoon waterfront, is perfect for shopping and an excellent base from which to launch for the day.

Garden Route Tours