The stunning Garden Route runs from South Africas most popular tourist destination, Cape Town, for 800 km along the scenic coastline between this city and Port Elizabeth. The area enjoys a Mediterranean maritime climate and the trip is regarded as one of the worlds truly classic coastal drives.
As you drive along the well-forested coastal plain, youll find freshwater lakes, lovely lagoons filled with water birds, indigenous forests of giant yellowwood trees and fields covered in colourful wildflowers. Its easy to see why visitors are drawn to this beautiful region year-round.
One of the highlights of a drive along the Garden Route is a stop at the sleepy coastal town of Hermanus near the southern-most tip of Africa. The town is situated next to a 12-km path that runs along the cliff top, right next to the ocean. From May to December, pods of Southern Right Whales swim to within 20 metres of the cliff as they travel along the coast.
The more adventurous traveller can try some heart-stopping shark cage diving, sea kayaking, abseiling, scuba diving, sand boarding, and paragliding. Those looking for something more relaxing to do can visit the vineyards in a...