The Garden Route on the southern coast of South Africa is one of the most scenic and spectacular stretches of coastline in the world – a true paradise. The national highway runs from Cape Town in the east, to Port Elizabeth through the breathtaking Garden Route with its bays, cliffs, white sand beaches, lakes, dense forest and National Parks.
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This scenic paradise stretches along approximately 210 km of coastline with its starting point including towns like Riversdale, Stillbaai, Albertinia and ending on the eastern side with Storms River and Tsitsikamma. Some of the other towns that form part of the Garden Route are Mossel Bay, George, Wilderness, Sedgefield, Knysna and Plettenberg Bay.
Slightly inland are a series of mountain ranges that form the border with the Klein Karoo. These ranges include the Langeberg, Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma mountains and add to the varied landscape of the prestine Garden Route.
This region forms an important part of the Cape Floral Kingdom – the smallest of the world’s six floral kingdoms and the only floral kingdom that is confined within the borders of a single country. This region boasts more than 6500 indigenous plant species and many bird and wildlife species offering the visitor a memory of a lifetime. Indigenous plants are a unique mixture of Cape Fynbos and Forest Species and offer a range of eco-tourism activities in the way of hiking, bird watching etc. Nearly 300 species of birdlife are to be found in a variety of habitats ranging from fynbos to forest to wetland. Ten nature reserves embrace the varied eco systems of the area as well as a unique marine reserve home to soft coral reefs, dolphins, seals and a host of other marine life. This region is enviromentally sensitive and information around the enviroment has been included.
The Garden Route has also become sought after for its adrenalin activities. The lakes, forests, oceans and mountains provide a host of activities for the true adventure seeker. Activities include the highest bungy jump in the world at the Bloukrans Bridge, a sheer cliff-face known as Needle Point at Featherbed Nature Reserve, kite surfing, abseiling etc. For a unique eco-wilderness adventure, book a treetop canopy tour in the indigenous Tsitsikamma Forest which involves traversing between platforms suspended in the forest 30 meters apart. Other activities include arts and crafts, hiking, golf, scuba-diving, bird watching, whale watching, and indigenous plant viewing. Couples from all over the world decide to get married in this prestine paradise.
This region is a golfer’s paradise, with many world-class golf courses between Plettenberg Bay and Mossel Bay. These include Simola Golf Course, Knysna Golf Club, Pezula Championship Course, Goose Valley, Oubaai and Fancourt in George.
It enjoys a Mediterranean climate with warm summers and mild winters and one of the highest rainfall regions in South Africa with the rain being brought by the humid sea winds from the Indian Ocean.
The Garden Route offers a range of accommodation options – hotels, B&Bs, self catering, guest houses, backpackers etc.
This renowned scenic and adventure route and has something to offer all ages and budgets. The Garden Route is basically South Africa in a nutshell – adventure, culture, scenic beauty, wildlife, spectacular beaches, multi-ethnic food and lots more.
Info: www.garden-route-info.com
