The Garden Route is home to a variety of appealing attractions, the white sandy beaches, big 5 game reserves, and most importantly the best golf courses in the country. The driving experience through the Garden Route is second to none, with incredible backdrops all across the coastline, making the seemingly tiring drive between destinations become part of the highlights. Some of the key destinations within the Garden Route includes Mossel Bay, George, and Knysna which covers game reserves and the famous Fancourt resort.
The Garden Route officially starts in Mossel Bay and ends at Storms River, producing an incredible 200 km stretch of coastline. Along the way you can experience the big 5 safari at the Gondwana Game Reserve, and play the best golf course in South Africa on the Links Course at the prestigious Fancourt Resort. Pinnacle Point is another course to mention with spectacular views over the blue Ocean.
The Fancourt resort is regarded as one of the best resorts in the South Africa, boasting 3 highly ranked golf courses, with the Links Course top of the pack. Located in George, the heart of the Garden Route, it’s a more than ideal destination.
Delivering breathtaking view of the Knysna Lagoon and the Indian Ocean, Pezula combines a genuine championship golf course in an extraordinary setting to make it one of the top courses in South Africa and especially in the Garden Route.
Set along the stunning cliffs of Mossel Bay, the co-designed course with Peter Matkovich and Darron Clarke is an essential stop when visiting the Garden Route for a golf holiday, with its panoramic views over the Indian Ocean.
When visiting South Africa taking a game drive is an absolute must to witness the big 5 safari animals which includes lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, and the Cape buffalo, which has earned its reputation as one of the most feared creatures in all of South Africa. Gondwana Game Reserve is nearby Mossel Bay and is a superb game reserve to visit whilst in the Garden Route.
For those who are looking for an adrenaline rush you’re in for an absolute treat whilst in the Garden Route, with activities such as sky diving out of a plane over Mossel Bay, or paragliding over Wilderness Beach, but most of all doing a bungee jump at Bloukrans Bungy set 216 metres above the ground, and is the world's highest commercial bungy bridge.
The Garden Route is home to some stunning beaches including Plettenberg Bay and Mossel Bay. One of South Africa’s premier surfing destination is Jeffreys Bay where you can take to the waves, and there is a slightly more placif beach slightly further down so you don’t have to worry about competing with the pros. Another exhilarating water sport is to go Blackwater Tubing down at Storms River.
The Garden Route’s incredible 200 km stretch is one of the most scenic drives in the world, so take a look at some of the drive times across the Garden Route to get a feel for how long the journey will take.
Drive Times by Car
40 mins
50 mins
1 hr
2.5 hrs
To access the wonders of the Garden Route, the best way is to fly to Cape Town directly, then either take a connecting flight over to George or simply drive over and stop by at some of the popular destinations along the way. Take a look at some key flight details, with tips of when the best time of year is to travel.
Flights & Weather
11.5 hrs
Cape Town Airport - CPT
October - April
24 - 30° C