Highlights
Wildlife
The Garden Route is a prime spot for watching marine mammals from land or boats, with annual visits from Humpback and Southern Right Whales, as well as year-round sightings of playful dolphins and a resident breeding colony of Cape Fur Seals. Plettenberg Bay is a wonderful location from which to watch these marvellous sea creatures perform their graceful ocean acrobatics. Bird-watching is also hugely popular, the area housing an amazing array of species - including the Emerald Cuckoo, Chorister Robin, Knysna Woodpecker, Forest Buzzard and Half-Collared Kingfisher.
Adventure
Ideal for outdoorsy types, expect countless watersports options, as well as world-class golf and tennis, treetop canopy tours, rafting, kayaking and miles of trails for hikers, bikers and riders. A top spot for exploring is Knysna Heads, an extraordinary geological feature where the sea gushes through sandstone cliffs into a lagoon. Another is the Knysna Forest, a swathe of greenery brimming with old trees and exotic species, an original stomping ground of elephants.
Beach
For pristine crescents of snow-white sand and panoramic ocean views, Plettenberg Bay is the grand finale of our Garden Route journey, boasting a choice of beaches - from shallow lagoon areas for tiny-feet paddlers, to scooping hotspots for surfers and body-boarders. What’s more, this picturesque corner of the coast has been voted South Africa’s ‘Best Beach Location’ for five years consecutively. Four of them boast Blue Flag status: Lookout Beach, Nature’s Valley, Robberg 5 and Keurboomstrand.
Gourmet
A natural larder of fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and fish, the Garden Route skirts prime land and sea for a scrumptious epicurean experience. Sample mussels from Mossel Bay, succulent steaks from Little Karoo and oysters from Knysna Lagoon, all washed down with stunning local wines. With luck, your trip may coincide with Knysna’s annual oyster festival, showcasing delectable seafood and other fine produce from the region.