A picturesque 190-mile road trip in Africa takes you through pristine beaches, rugged cliffs, and serene lagoons – and it ends near a gorgeous river. The Garden Route stretches along South Africa’s southeastern coast and extends from Mossel Bay in the Western Cape to Storms River in the Eastern Cape.
The coastal corridor is renowned for its diverse ecosystems and is extremely popular among holidaymakers. The Garden Route officially begins in Mossel Bay, located around 400 km (250 miles) from Cape Town, which is roughly a five-hour drive away. Since most travellers fly into Cape Town, it usually makes sense to spend at least one night there—though with so much to explore, many opt for three or four—before setting off on the journey along the Garden Route.
The coastal town of Mossel Bay offers sandy bays ideal for swimming, sailing, and kayaking. Nearby, the Botlierskop Private Game Reserve provides a taste of South Africa’s wildlife experiences.
According to go2africa.com, those who want to wrap up Cape Town and the Garden Route in a few days can only really do it by flying between destinations, ideally by charter flight. For others, the ideal is to spend less on transport but have enough holiday time to drive leisurely between sites.
Part of the Garden route also covers Tsitsikamma National Park, which features indigenous forests, dramatic coastal scenery, and adventure activities such as hiking and bungee jumping at Bloukrans Bridge.
One of the travellers who tackled the journey wrote on TripAdvisor: “Travel guides disagree on the length, starting and ending point of this route. The leader of our 18 Day Kaleidoscope of South Africa tour described it as a spectacular drive from Port Elizabeth, through Tsitsikamma National Park, Plettenberg Bay, Knysna, and The Wilderness to Mossel Bay, the distance that our group traveled en route to Cape Town.
“Lush and beautiful, this magnificent stretch of coastline encompasses rivers, lagoons, lakes beaches, hidden coves, and the indigenous forests of Tsitsikamma Park.
“Taking its name from a year-round riot of vegetation, it is little wonder that it has become the country’s most popular tourist destination after Cape Town. It’s appeal is timeless.”
Another user wrote: “I drove the Garden Route in a hire car from Cape Town to East London, stopping at Hermanus, Wilderness, Knysna, Plettenberg, Keurboomstrand, Addo and East London over 10 days, absolutely fantastic. Will be driving it again with different stops along the way.”
Those who tackle the whole journey will be rewarded by reaching the mouth of the Storms River at the end of the trip. But there is still a short trip to undertake for those brave enough – a walk across the suspension bridge that crosses it.