The Garden Route in South Africa is arguably the most beautiful driving route in the country, and perhaps one of the most beautiful in the world. This scenic drive , also known as the Garden Route, is located between Cape Town and Addo Elephant National Park. Along the way you will pass pleasant coastal towns, dramatic cliffs and beautiful views where you have a chance to see whales and dolphins. You can go hiking in national parks, swim with seals or taste local wines. In short, there is a lot to see and do on the Garden Route. Based on our own experiences, we have put together the perfect 7-day itinerary so you won’t miss a thing from the Garden Route in South Africa!
What is the Garden Route in South Africa
Officially, the Garden Route starts in Mossel Bay and ends 200 km away in the small village of Stormsrivier. But because the Garden Route is often part of a tour of South Africa, many call the drive between Cape Town and Addo National Park is called the Garden Route. You could perfectly stretch out two to three weeks for this beautiful drive, as there is a lot to do and experience. The Garden Route gets its name from the extraordinary vegetation that grows along this route. The lush landscape with fynbos and regular rainfall means that the Garden Route is always very green.
How to move along the Garden Route
The best way to explore the Garden Route is with your own rental car. This gives you the freedom to stop along the route wherever you want. The roads are in fine condition in South Africa and it absolutely safe to drive by yourself. However, we do recommend avoiding the townships around Cape Town. Prefer not to drive yourself? Then you can also join an organized tour from Cape Town. Finally, there is also a hop-on hop-off bus that runs along the Garden Route called Baz Bus.
7-day itinerary Garden Route, South Africa
This itinerary will take you in seven days through the best highlights the Garden Route in South Africa has to offer. We give you a day to day schedule with the best things to do and where to stay along the Garden Route. This travel guide starts in Cape Town and ends in Addo, but you can also easily reverse the route.
Day 1) Hermanus
Today you drive from Cape Town toward the pleasant coastal town of Hermanus. We recommend driving this stretch via Bettys Bay. Also known as the Whale Coast Route, this stretch is characterized by impressive landscapes and rugged coastlines. A nice photo stop is Pringle Bay. In Bettys Bay, be sure to make a stop at Stony Point Nature Reserve. Here you will find a large colony of South African penguins that you can admire up close. Unlike the penguins on Bolders Beach in Cape Town, it is much quieter here. You will also find plenty of other birds and the entrance fee is much cheaper than for Boulders Beach.
Opening hours Stony Point Nature Reserve: daily from 08:00 to 16:30 (last tickets at 15:45) | Entrance fee: 40ZAR
In the late afternoon you will arrive in Hermanus, one of the best places in the world to see whales. Between June and December, you have a great chance of seeing these gentle giants swimming along the coastline. Even from the shore in Hermanus you have a chance to see whales (and dolphins and seals) passing by in the water . For an even better experience, we recommend you take a whale watching tour booked the next morning. Enjoy a beautiful sunset on the coast of Hermanus and then have dinner in one of the many cozy restaurants along the boulevard of Hermanus. La Pentola is a must, from where you also have great views of the ocean!
Where to stay in Hermanus
Stay in an apartment or hotel right on the coast. With any luck, you’ll see whales and dolphins swimming by from your room!
- Budget (€): Hermanus Backpackers Accommodation
- Comfort (€€): Hermanus Waterfront Apartments
- Luxurious (€€€): Auberge Boutique Hotel & Spa
Day 2) Swellendam
Start your day in Hermanus with this whale watching tour. After a morning at sea, you then drive on toward Swellendam. Along the way you will pass vast fields with high mountains in the background. Make a stop at Bontebok National Park, South Africa’s smallest national park. Here you can take a self-drive and look for bonteboks, zebras, hartebeest and numerous unusual birds. Then drive on to Africamps. At Africamps you sleep in a beautiful glamping tent with wooden terrace surrounded by nature. Each tent also has its own barbecue and wooden Jacuzzi, perfect for a cozy evening! If you prefer to eat out, the Grace + Merci restaurant in Swellendam comes highly recommended.
Where to stay in Swellendam
Highly recommended is an overnight stay at Africamps at Kam‘Bati. This unique accommodation will put you in the South African mood. Africamps does lie a bit outside Swellendam. If you prefer to stay in the town itself, the beautiful Schoone Oordt Country House highly recommended. Here you truly sleep in a piece of South African history that takes you back to Victorian times.
Day 3) Wilderness & Knysna
Today a longer drive is scheduled with your final destination being Plettenberg Bay. Here you will spend the next 3 nights exploring the Garden Route. Your first stop today is the quiet town of Wilderness. Here you can go take a look at the “Map of Africa” viewpoint . Then enjoy lunch at Salinas Beach Restaurant overlooking the sea.
Drive on towards Knysna, the oyster capital of South Africa. Here you will find the famous Knysna Heads, where the lagoon and ocean meet. You have several viewpoints from where you can admire the beautiful scenery and with some luck you will also see dolphins or whales swimming here. Every year in June or July, the 10-day Knysna Oyster Festival also takes place here. If you want to taste this local delicacy at a different time, you need to go to 34 Degrees South are. From Knysna, it’s about a 30-minute drive to Plettenberg Bay.
TRAVEL TIP: If you are in Knysna on a Saturday, be sure to check out the Hakerville Country market. Here you can buy plenty of local produce and delicacies.
Day 4) Plettenberg Bay
The town of Plettenberg Bay is in the middle of the Garden Route, making it an ideal base for exploring the area. On day 4, you can do one of the most fun activities along the Garden Route: swimming with seals. Off the coast lives a large colony where you, under guidance with this tour you can swim with the seals.. Afterwards, you can explore one of the beautiful beaches of Plettenberg Bay. In the evening, be sure to descend to Keurboomstrand and have dinner at Ristorante Enrico. Not only do you find delicious Italian dishes here but it is also a great place to watch the sunset.
Where to stay in Plettenberg Bay
In Plettenberg Bay you will find plenty of accommodations for every budget. We recommend spending two or three nights here and visiting the surrounding attractions of the Garden Route from here. Knysna, Robberg Nature Reserve, Natures Valley and Keurboomstrand are all nearby.
- Budget (€): Nothando Backpackers Lodge
- Comfort (€€): Panoramic Blue B&B
- Luxurious (€€€): Emily Moon River Lodge
Day 5) Robberg Nature Reserve (must-do along the Garden Route)
Robberg Nature Reserve was one of our favorite stops along the Garden Route in South Africa. Located on a peninsula near Plettenberg Bay, this nature reserve is home to a large colony of seals. You can take three walks in Robberg Nature Reserve that take you through the typical landscape with fynbos, red rocks and clear blue water. Be sure to go for “The Point” walk that takes you across the peninsula for 9 km. Along the way you will pass the colony of seals and beautiful viewpoints. Alternative walks are Witsand Dune (5.5 km) and The Gap (2.1 km).
Opening hours Robberg Nature Reserve: daily from 07:00 to 18:00 | Entrance fee: 65ZAR
Day 6) Tsitsikamma National Park.
$The next stop along the Garden Route in South Africa is the Tsitsikamma National Park. Start your day full of adrenaline and stop at Bloukrans Bridge. You see, this is the highest bungee jump in the world at a whopping 216 meters! You can book the world’s highest bungee jump online here. You will also find right by the bungee jump a cafe from where you can admire the daredevils jumping.
From Bloukrans Bridge, it’s about a 10-minute drive to Tsitsikamma National Park. Here you’ll find plenty of fun hikes like the Mouth Trail (also called Suspension Bridge Trail): this 1-hour hike takes you up to suspension bridges suspended over the wild ocean. If you want to see more of the park, the Waterfall Trail is highly recommended. This hike takes 4 hours round trip, and you’ll be treated to spectacular views along the way. The end of this hike is at a beautiful waterfall. There’s also a good chance you’ll encounter klipdassies along the way. You can do both hikes just fine in one day if you start on time.
Where to stay in Tsitsikamma National Park
Highly recommended is The Fernery Lodge, a beautiful lodge perched high on a cliff. From here you have dramatic views of the ocean. Furthermore, the nearby village of Stormsrivier is a good base for exploring Tsitsikamma National Park:
- Budget (€): Storms River Forest Lodge
- Comfort (€€): Tsitsikamma Village Inn
- Luxurious (€€€): The Fernery Lodge
Day 7) Addo Elephant National Park
We end this Garden Route with perhaps the highlight of the trip: a safari in Addo Elephant National Park. This is the third largest national park in South Africa and home to as many as 600 elephants. You will also find the other Big 5 such as rhinos, lions, buffalo as well as hyenas, zebras, giraffes and you name it. You can explore Addo Elephant Park by yourself with a self-drive. Leave early in the morning so you can spend a full day in the park and get the most out of your visit. It’s best to book your ticket in advance because the park only allows a maximum number of visitors per day. Book through this official website.
Opening hours Addo Elephant Park: daily from 07:00 to 19:00 (may vary by season) | Entrance fee: 437 ZAR
Where to stay near Addo Elephant Park
Addo Elephant National Park is a 15-minute drive from the eponymous village of Addo. Here you will find plenty of nice accommodations. These hotels also often offer organized game drives within Addo Elephant National Park. These are some nice options:
- Budget (€): Homestead Bed & Breakfast
- Comfort (€€): Chrislin African Lodge
- Luxurious (€€€): Charihandra Game Lodge
Other fun stops along the Garden Route
From Addo Elephant Park, it is a 30-minute drive back to Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth). There you have an airport from where you can travel on to your next destination in South Africa or back home. You can fly back to Cape Town or continue on to Durban or Johannesburg to explore the other part of South Africa. Find the cheapest flights here!
Do you have more or less time to explore the Garden Route in South Africa? Then you can shorten the above route or include one of these stops in your itinerary:
- Cape Agulhas: The southernmost tip of the continent of Africa where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet.
- Mossel Bay: The official starting point of the Garden Route. Here you will find the Botlierskop Private Game Reserve, a 5-star lodge where you can see the Big 5.
- Oudtshoorn: The ostrich capital of South Africa. Located in Klein Karoo, you will find beautiful landscapes and can visit ostrich farms.
- Natures Valley: A small village in the middle of nature. You can hike the Salt River Mouth Trail here, a beautiful hike that takes you through the fynbos to a hidden cove. Be sure to hike this trail during low tide.
- Jeffreys Bay: One of the best surf destinations in the world where you can surf both as a beginner and advanced.
Best travel time Garden Route, South Africa
The great thing about the Garden Route in South Africa is that you can visit it all year round. The best months are March to May (autumn) and September to November (spring). Then the weather is pleasant, less crowded and between September and November you also have a chance to see whales. The most popular period is the South African summer (December to February), then you have the best chance of good weather but it is also much busier.
Still have questions about the Garden Route in South Africa? Let us know in a comment below! Looking for more information for your next trip? Please do not hesitate to contact us contact or send an email to info@snoezelsontheroad.com
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