Overview
Take a trip to Garden Route on your South Africa Vacation
Located between Heidelberg and Storms River, the Garden Route is a popular stretch of the southeastern coast of South Africa. The name “Garden Route” comes from an abundance of flora and fauna including lagoons, lakes, lush forests, wildflowers and a pleasant and comfortable year-round climate to be enjoyed on a South Africa vacation.
The Garden Route intersects with various towns including Mossel Bay, George, Wilderness and Knysna. The town of George is seen as the administrative and commercial hub and is considered “The Gateway to the Garden Route”.
Chosen by many as the ideal self-drive holiday destination on South African tours, the Garden Route has garnered another nickname – “the driving route”. Following the coastline of the Indian Ocean, there are many places to stop and much to do. There are wine tastings, good hiking, diving and surfing and some of the best golf courses in the country.
With nineteen nature reserves and national parks located within the expanse of the Garden Route, there is no shortage of wildlife available. Due to its proximity to the coast, marine parks are a particular specialty of the Garden Route. Various bays along the coast are nurseries for endangered Southern Right Whales that come to calve in spring and summer.
The name seems to suggest relaxation and while there are many spots to rest and unwind, there are also many exciting activities to explore when embarking on the Garden Route during South Africa travel.
With nineteen nature reserves and national parks located within the expanse of the Garden Route, there is no shortage of wildlife available. Due to its proximity to the coast, marine parks are a particular specialty of the Garden Route. Various bays along the coast are nurseries for endangered Southern Right Whales that come to calve in spring and summer.
The name seems to suggest relaxation and while there are many spots to rest and unwind, there are also many exciting activities to explore when embarking on the Garden Route during South Africa travel.
At a Glance
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Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, EnglishCurrency
South African Rand (ZAR)What do the experts say?
Skip the more commercial wineries and visit artisanal producers—you’ll find sparkling wines and small-batch reds that are absolutely world-class.
Djembe drumming at GOLD in Cape Town is an immersive African experience through their 14-dish food safari and unique live entertainment.
The game viewing in Kruger and Eastern Cape always draws me back—it’s truly superb.
South Africans are famously warm—when you’re new in town, you're often invited to a braai, our way of welcoming people through food.
South Africa is a wonderful starting point for Africa. It's got some of the top cities in the world, stunning food and wine, and exceptional value for money.
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This is the second time I have used Goway for traveling and it has exceeded my expectations. katieahotmail.comWe just returned from an incredible 2-week trip to Brazil, and it exceeded every expectation. This was our first time using Goway, and RuthAnne absolutely knocked it out of the park.
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Traveled as a family of four - would recommend for couples, families, or anyone seeking a hassle-free, world-class experience.Ethan DavenportWe just returned from a 2 week tour of South Africa, Zimbabwe(Victoria Falls) and Botswana, and had a fabulous time! This was the third tour I've used Goway, and as usual, it was such a positive experience! The accommodations that were booked were awesome! The hotels were luxurious, clean and the staff, all so warm and welcoming! Our travel agent, Vanessa Lloyd, did a fabulous job arranging everything, and was always available to answer my many questions! We'll be using them again, next year when we take a family trip to the Greek Islands and Turkey! They are always consistent in the quality of the hotels and experiences, and I highly recommend them for your travel needs!Fran Nitta BarnesWe are still on our journey in Italy. At Capri now and heading to the Amalfi Coast. So far, we can’t thank Goway enough for putting our itinerary together so quickly. Everything is going well and hope the next 10 days are perfect too. Gladys VivianCan't say enough good things about Goway Travel. From the very start, our travel rep, Harpreet, listened carefully to what we were hoping to see and do on our first trip to Japan. She asked great questions and then came back to us with a detailed itinerary packed with adventure and fun, and all within our travel budget.
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In three weeks' time we were able to visit six cities and so many fascinating shrines, temples, castles, imperial palaces - most of which were World Heritage sites. Harpreet also tucked in fabulous "experiences" like learning how to make sushi with a professional chef, enjoying a tea ceremony and watching graceful Geishas dance.
My husband and I are seasoned travelers. But we don't speak Japanese and we really knew very little about the country. There is no way we would have been able to see and do all of the fascinating things we did in Japan if we hadn't chosen Goway Travel to be our guide. Many thanks for an unforgettable trip! Bobbi FagoneGreat country (Italy), great people and love the feel you get by just being you.
Ingrid Aird did a great job with a pair of tours one private and one group. Organizing pickup from airport and flights.
Hotel, Enterprise Hotel, after a bit of a rough start getting us into a proper room, was more than excellent.Thomas Helps
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