Hailed by many to be one of the greatest road trips on earth, South Africa’s Garden Route manages to fit a lot into its 125-mile journey. Think cosmopolitan cities, award-winning wineries, awe-inspiring wildlife spotting, both on land and at sea, and views out across both the Atlantic and Indian Ocean.
Whale spotting season runs from June to December in South Africa, and nowhere is better to catch a glimpse of these majestic creatures that Hermanus. From the pretty coastal town, you’ll find a number of boat trips to take you out to sea where you can get up close as the migrating Southern Right Whales pass by on their migration from their Antarctic feeding grounds.
Home to the majority of South Africa’s wine production, the western cape wine region hosts a number of award-winning wineries such as Waterford Estate, Spier Wine Farm and Vergelegen Estate. The two most famous wine destinations in the country can be found here, Stellenbosch and Paarl.
How could we talk about South Africa without mentioning the world class safari opportunities? the country’s third largest of its 20 National Parks sits just off the Garden Route, making it an easy addition to any trip and one that ticks off a huge item from many people’s bucket list. Addo Elephant National Park houses around elephants, endangered black rhinos, Cape buffaloes, Lion, and spotted hyena.
Enjoying a fortuitous location sandwiched between the Atlantic Ocean and one of the world’s best wine regions, Cape Town’s dining scene has a lot to offer for seafood aficionados and wine connoisseurs. Head to Willoughby & Co. in the V&A Waterfront for reliably delicious seafood, or for a taste of Japan, try Kyoto Garden Sushi.
The iconic snapshot of Table Mountain looming over Cape Town is etched into the memory of everyone that has been lucky enough to visit the city. The mountains most popular route, Platteklip Gorge Trail, heads straight for the summit, with very little weaving, which makes for a quick ascent. If you’ve time to spare, then take the 12 Apostles Trail to avoid the crowds and capture a photo at the diving board cliff edge.
Across 12 days, this guided itinerary from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town follows the famous Garden Route. Along the way you’ll take in fantastic wildlife, beautiful beaches, rainforests, deep canyons, rolling hills, endless vineyards, quaint towns and vibrant cities, all with the help of an expert local guide.
As with any visit to South Africa, a highlight of this trip is the wildlife spotting opportunities with elephants, lions and penguins all likely to feature. By visiting in late September, you’ll also time your visit to coincide with whale watching season in Hermanus.
This trip has been crafted with the aim of improving the lives of people and the places that you’ll visit along your route. The use of a local guide ensures you’ll learn about local traditions and cultures, by staying in locally owned hotels you’ll be supporting local enterprises, and throughout the trip, you’ll be encouraged to try local foods such as ostrich sausages, pap and snoek fishcakes to reduce food miles and give you an authentic flavour of the Rainbow Nation.
To book your Garden Route trip, get in touch today. You’ll benefit from our 24-hour duty office ready to assist you before, during and after your trip.
With a cleverly planned city break, you can really make the most of your weekend. There are so many amazing European destinations, with more than enough sights and attractions to fill two, three, or even four days.
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