Positioned between the Outeniqua Mountains and the Indian Ocean, the Garden Route is a paradise of tranquil lakes, rivers, ancient indigenous forests, coastal fynbos, exquisite shorelines and majestic mountain scenery. It offers much to sightseers, and it’s also an action-packed playground for adventure-junkies and eco-tourists. It’s a region that simply must be seen by visitors, and a self-drive tour of the area is an ideal way of appreciating its full magnificence at your own tempo.
Among its best-known attractions are the Tsitsikamma National Park, the Lakes Area National Park, Monkeyland Primate Sanctuary, the Outeniqua Choo-Choo (one of South Africa’s remaining steam trains), Robberg Nature Reserve, and the impressive Cango Caves. There’s also great golf, the world’s highest bungi jump at Bloukrans River Bridge, and for hikers there’s South Africa’s popular Otter Trail. The coastline is dotted with superb Garden Route getaways to suit absolutely every taste.
Exclusive Getaways South Africa is a travel specialist with 17 years of expertise in the planning and booking of upmarket getaways and tours in South Africa. Our team of dedicated specialists cater specifically to the needs of self-drive explorers, designing tailor-made South Africa travel packages, recommending high-end accommodation, arranging car rental and airport transfers, planning routes, providing directions, and offering suggestions about where to go and what to see. We also arrange guided day trips, adventure experiences, or any add-on that will enhance your particular experience of South Africa.
The holiday town of Knysna is an old-time favourite for exclusive getaways along the Garden Route, sheltering South Africa’s largest indigenous forest, an oyster hatchery, and the Knysna lagoon. The Knysna Heads are an impressive geological feature forming a channel through which the sea washes into the lagoon. Pezula Resort Hotel and Spa is a world-class destination located on the Eastern Head of Knysna, with exquisite views of the ocean, lagoon and the secluded Noetzie Beach. It’s a great hotel for nature-lovers who like to holiday in opulent luxury, with a variety of leisure activities on the doorstep.
Knysna also provides a fabulously romantic setting for the Phantom Forest Eco Reserve, a place of romance and sensual delight set high in an eco reserve in Knysna. You could also base yourself beneath a forest canopy at the trendy Tsala Treetop Lodge between Knysna and Plettenberg Bay. If you’re a lover of fine old country houses, Hunter’s Country House is another winning choice, also situated midway between Knysna and Plettenberg Bay.
If staying in Plettenberg Bay, check in at The Plettenberg, a superb ocean-facing hotel with fashionable exclusive-use options, or head for Kurland, a resplendent country homestead and world-class polo complex on the outskirts of Plettenberg Bay. Lavish accommodation, a luxury spa, and special provision for children in a serene setting of oaks, meadows and paddocks make Kurland an exclusive Garden Route getaway for the whole family.
Thanks to its particular location along the western coast, the Garden Route combines well with tours of the Western Cape, the Eastern Cape and Klein Karoo.
If you’re departing from Cape Town on your self-drive tour, a few nights in the Cape Winelands would be a wonderful prelude to the activities and events in the Garden Route.
You may also wish to extend your Garden Route tour to include the Little Karoo, to visit some interesting wine-producing towns, as well as the town of Oudtshoorn which is home to the Cango Caves and several ostrich show farms.
A self-drive Garden Route tour also begs for some sightseeing and a safari in the Eastern Cape. You could spend a night or two in St Francis Bay or in the surfing town of Jeffreys Bay after the Garden Route experience, and then head for the Addo Elephant National Park and one of the private big five game reserves in the malaria-free Eastern Cape. The options are almost endless, so please ask Exclusive Getaways for some ideas.
Author Bio:
Whether you’re visiting the Garden Route for the first time, or returning to experience its many wonders yet again, book exclusive getaways in South Africa with us. We are able to offer the personalised package that will feature your choice of upmarket accommodation and take care of all the finer details that will ensure a treasured experience of the Garden Route.
