The Seven Wonders of the Garden Route

It’s a 300-kilometre road trip between ocean and mountains from Mossel Bay to the Tsitsikamma. And while it’s all pretty lovely, there are some places (and experiences) on the world-famous Garden Route that you simply shouldn’t miss. Factor these into your plans for your next holiday.

Tsitsikamma

This is the wilder far east of the Garden Route, where the forests seem even denser (there are mountains behind all that greenery), the coastline is all but inaccessible (unless you’re hiking the five-day Otter Trail), and the disquietingly named Storms River offers some truly spectacular adrenaline-pumping activities – starting with the world-famous bridge that crosses it. From here, you can head into the forests to explore, or head upriver into the mysterious craggy gorge on a water-borne adventure.
Don’t miss

• Exploring the Storms River by kayak and lilo (with a little kloofing thrown in), or snorkelling at the river mouth, with Untouched Adventures. Book Now
• The Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour – SA’s original treetop zipline course, built 30 metres up amid ancient yellowwoods. Book Now
• Hiking – there are nine trails leaving from SANParks’ Storms River Camp, leading to waterfalls, a series of rockpools, a Big Tree, ocean lookouts or down to the river mouth.
• The world-famous Bloukrans bungy jump from Africa’s highest bridge (or do the Sky Walk or zipline, if you prefer).
• The four-day mountain-biking Tour de Tsitsikamma, ending in Nature’s Valley, run by Firefly Falls. Enquire Now
• Combine tubing and SUPing while exploring the river and deep forest in the Plaatbos Reserve with Blackwater Tubing.

Eat For a taste of retro nostalgia, visit Marilyn’s 60s Diner in Storms River Village. There’s also a microbrewery in town.
Stay Storms River Village has plenty of options, from backpackers and guesthouses to the cabins at the SANParks rest camp.
Good to know There are daily conservation fees for hiking as it is part of Garden Route National Park.
Adults: R82 (SA citizens), R167 (SADC), R367 (international)
Children (under 12 years): R41 (SA citizens), R83 (SADC), R183 (international)

The Crags

“Crags” may sound rugged (and it is, in places), but this is the most exclusive corner of Plett, home to polo fields, wine farms and plenty of animal sanctuaries. It’s also one of the most biodiverse areas in the world.
Don’t miss

• The Plett Wine Route is known for its bubbly. Start with Bramon, Newstead-Lund, Kay & Monty and Lodestone to enjoy tastings and informal lunches or picnics.
• Kurland Horse Trails offers rides through forest and fynbos, along a river, to a wine farm or to Natures Way Farmstall.
• Get up close to the “locals” at Birds of Eden, Monkeyland, Jukani and the Elephant Sanctuary. (Pop in at The Mohair Mill on the road to Monkeyland, where there’s a café and angora goats for the kids to feed). Book Now
• Go wild and explore the river, waterfalls and gorge on a kloofing trip with AfriCanyon. Book Now

Eat Any of the wine farms is a good choice. Newstead has a new menu of fire-cooked dishes; Bramon does tapas; Kay & Monty has sharing boards. The restaurant at five-star Crags Country Lodge does local, seasonal dishes – with stunning sunset views.
Stay Trogon House is next door to Birds of Eden, in the middle of the forest – a glam stay complete with a private forest spa. For glamping (with hot tubs), head to AfriCamps at Ingwe. There’s also nature-soaked Tamodi Lodge and Fairview House Boutique Hotel.
Good to know Polo season at Kurland is November to May. If you’re yearning for the ocean, visit the stunning beach at Nature’s Valley, just beyond The Crags.

Plettenberg Bay beaches

Plettenberg Bay has the iconic golden sands on which holiday memories are made – and not just one beach but five, side by side, creating an incredible 15km stretch of coastline. There’s Robberg Beach (between the peninsula and the Beacon Isle) that includes Blue Flag Robberg 5; Central Beach (the “family” beach, great for swimming); Hobie and Wedge Beach (watersport central); and Blue Flag Lookout Beach (where you might find a pansy shell). It’s a mecca for swimming, paddling, surfing, bodyboarding, jet-skiing, snorkelling, diving, boating – and whale watching. Further up the coast you’ll find four more Blue Flag havens: The Waves, The Dunes and Singing Kettle at Keurbooms, and Nature’s Valley.
Don’t miss

• Swimming with seals – the Robberg Peninsula is home to around 6 000 Cape fur seals, and you can get up close to them on a trip with Offshore Adventures. Book Now
• Get further out, beyond the waves, on an ocean kayak; Dolphin Adventures offers guided trips to see, yes, dolphins, and other marine creatures. Book Now
• Or take a marine eco safari in Ocean Blue’s custom-built boat (which also offers whale spotting in season, from June to November). Book Now 
• Rent a jet-ski and indulge your 007 fantasy, whizzing around on the waves off Central Beach.
• Hike the Robberg Peninsula – there are three circular trails, passing a shipwreck, rock pools, ancient caves, a lighthouse, picnic/viewing decks and a massive dune. You can also abseil down the cliffs with Adventure Zone. Book Now 

Eat Whatever you’re craving, Plett has it. Here’s our list of the Best Restaurants in Plettenberg Bay. New in town is chef Guy Clark’s Café Civara at The Junction Hotel.
Stay See our Best Places to Stay in Plettenberg Bay. For ultimate seclusion and a back-to-basics nature experience, book the Fountain Shack in Robberg Reserve.
Good to know The Robberg Nature Reserve is run by CapeNature. Conservation fees/hiking permits are R75 (adult), R55 (child). The guided three-day Inqua Trail traverses the Robberg Coastal Corridor, from sea to forest.

Bonus beaches

• Victoria Bay (or Vic Bay), between George and Wilderness, is cosy, picturesque and renowned for surfing.
• Noetzie, west of Knysna, is a fairytale beach lined with holiday “castles”.
• Brenton-on-Sea, on the west side of Knysna Lagoon, is a pristine beach, and a 5.5km coastal walk (at low tide) will connect you to glorious Buffels Bay. There’s also sandboarding at Brenton (contact Dune Adventures).

Keurbooms River

Snaking from the Outeniqua Mountains for 85 kilometres to meet the Indian Ocean just outside Plettenberg Bay, the river and its surroundings offer freshwater and saltwater attractions, and a lagoon in between (a birders’ paradise and a great spot for SUPing). Most of the river in this area is protected by a 740-hectare nature reserve. If you’re in the mood for a lazy river day, this is the spot. The beach at Keurbooms is wilder and longer than Plett’s other strands, and great for swimming on calmer days at the Blue Flag beaches of The Dunes and Singing Kettle.
Don’t miss

• Rent a motorised river boat from Plett Boat Hire and head out along the dark waters, through a deep, forested gorge, stopping off for a picnic on a sandy beach.
  Or book a guided trip with Keurbooms River Ferries. Book Now
• Hire a canoe (R160 at the entrance gate of Keurbooms Nature Reserve) and paddle to one of three picnic spots upstream.
• If SUPing is more your vibe, SupPlett offers board rental, lessons and guided tours (as well as kayaking tours and rentals on the Bitou River, which also flows into the Keurbooms Lagoon).
• Take a long, long walk along Keurboomstrand – strewn with driftwood and dotted with rock pools, dunes and rock formations (including Arch Rock and Matjes River cave).
• Tour the Mungo Mill at Old Nick Village (which also has several other creative artisanal shops). There’s a Midweek Market on Wednesdays.

Eat Ristorante Enrico serves excellent seafood, pizza and more overlooking the beach. Otherwise, head to Nice Neighbour at Old Nick Village (for a garden setting), or Stowaway restaurant on Stanley Island in the middle of the lagoon (it also hosts a pop-up beach bar in the December holiday season).
Stay Keurbooms Lagoon Caravan Park gets booked up quickly for good reason. Whiskey Creek Cabin can only be reached by a two-hour paddle upriver. BLOU in Keurbooms is Babylonstoren’s enchanting coastal outpost, with eight cottages. The magical Emily Moon River Lodge is nearby, up the Bitou River, and Bobbejaanskloof, a private nature reserve, is further up the road from there.
Good to know The Keurbooms River Nature Reserve is run by CapeNature. Conservation fees are R75 (adult) and R55 (child).

The Knysna Forests

One of South Africa’s greatest swathes of indigenous forest, this Garden Route wonder is home to a mysterious (and extremely shy) Knysna elephant, plenty of birdlife and lots of other woodland creatures. To enter into this “otherworld” is to experience a deep connection to nature; overgrown with ferns and mosses, run through with streams and cola-coloured rivers, it feels ancient and timeless. There is a vast network of trails to explore. Behind town, the Phantom Pass through the forest connects to Rheenendal, and the Old Cape Road leads to the dirt roads into Gouna Forest.
Don’t miss

• Jubilee Creek’s picnic spot and river pool (from the Goudveld Forest Station at Bibby’s Hoek near Rheenendal).
• The Millwood Mine Walk goes back in time, taking in the remains of the village and mine tunnels (take a torch). En route to Millwood, the Drupkelders trail leads to an enchanting, sun-dappled stretch of the Homtini River with large rock pools and a waterfall.
• The new three-day Portland Camino in the Rheenendal area was inspired by Dalene Matthee’s classic book Circles in the Forest.
• Head to Diepwalle Forest Station to visit the Big Tree (nearly 800 years old), the Forest Legends Museum, and to hike one of the three circular Elephant Trails.
• Continue past Diepwalle on the R339 and you’ll get to the Spitzkop Viewpoint (one of the highest points in the area) and the nearby Little Fern Forest.
• Whizz along forest trails on an off-road scooter with Scootours. Book Now

Eat Totties Farm Kitchen is a good spot for a food break on the Rheenendal Ramble; it hosts a country market on Sundays. Find Mother Holly’s Tea Garden at Millwood.
Stay There are fabulous cottages and cabins in the Rheenendal area (see our Knysna Accommodation listing). SANParks’ Diepwalle Camp has rustic furnished safari tents on platforms in the forest.
Good to know There are daily conservation fees for hiking as the forests are part of Garden Route National Park.
Adults: R51 (SA citizens); R105 (SADC); R231 (international)
Children (under 12 years): R26 (SA citizens); R52 (SADC); R115 (international)

Knysna Lagoon

This 1 600-hectare tidal lagoon is the heart around which Knysna revolves. Its link to the ocean runs between two towering headlands that form a scenic “gateway” just 230 metres wide. There’s a wide range of aquatic activities, from every kind of boat trip and cruise to paddling, fishing and swimming. The East Head hides a lovely, small beach, or Leisure Isle’s Bollard Beach is good for a dip.
Don’t miss

• The private Featherbed Eco Reserve, on the Western Head, can only be reached by ferry. The tour also includes a 4×4 drive and guided nature walk (and optional lunch in the milkwood forest).
• Enjoy a lunch cruise, sundowner or all-day cruise on a yacht with Springtide Charters or Ocean Sailing Charters.
• See the same scenery, while enjoying oysters and wine, on Knysna Charters’ Oyster Boat trip. Book Now
• Sail through the Heads to the sea with Ocean Odyssey on a marine eco-tour to see dolphins, seals and whales (humpback, Bryde’s or southern right, depending on the season).

Eat For waterside meals, head to Thesen Island – île de païn bakery-café is legendary; or try Sirocco or Nest Food Bar at The Boatshed. At Knysna Quays Waterfront, there’s 34 South, among others. Don’t miss out on fish and chips at the East Head Café.
Stay See our Knysna Accommodation listing for our top choices. You can also hire a floating home from Knysna Houseboats to cruise the lagoon 24/7.
Good to know Visit the SANParks office on Thesen Island to view the lagoon’s seahorses. There is a beach bar during season at Featherbed Reserve (with boat shuttle service).

Wilderness Lake District

The idea of “wilderness” becomes reality in this small town, with two rivers and five lakes creating a water wonderland. But there’s more: a long stretch of pristine beach and a backdrop of deep, green forest. The Touw River and Kaaimans River offer plenty of opportunities for nature outings, as do the lakes – Island Lake, the Serpentine, Langvlei, Rondevlei and Swartvlei – which together form a Ramsar Wetland of international importance. There are bird hides on the water’s edge, and picnic and fishing spots.
Don’t miss

• The Giant Kingfisher Trail (7km) takes you through the forest to a waterfall, perfect for a picnic and swim.
• Hire a canoe at SANParks’ Ebb and Flow camp to explore the Touw River – the further you go, the more the forest closes in. Or head to Island Lake via the twisty-turny Serpentine for a braai on the banks. There is also a guided boat cruise.
• A paddle on the Kaaimans River takes you into a gorge to a waterfall; head the other way and you’ll pass under the iconic railway bridge. Kaaimans Adventures has kayaks to rent. (You can grab a beer/coffee and a bite to eat at the tuckshop afterwards.)
• The “Map of Africa” (a natural landmark created by the Kaaimans River gorge) can be admired from a viewpoint west of town. This is also where paragliders leap off the cliffs and are rewarded with exhilarating views (contact Paraglide Africa).
• Go kloofing with Paradise Adventures – it’s an adrenaline-pumping day trip that includes abseiling, hiking and river swimming. They can also organise mountain-biking.

Eat iLali is a casual spot for pizza, pasta, seafood and cocktails. Pop in at Peron Coffee Bar at the train station. Timberlake Organic Village is home to Figtree Bakehouse and Naughty Monkey Café (adjacent to the Acrobranch rope course), and Oysters R Us is across the road (for “oysters 6x ways”). For a tasting menu of local flavours, book a dinner at Serendipity.
Stay Nima Lodge’s cabins are spectacular – and spectacularly located. SANParks’ Ebb and Flow camp beside the Touw River has log cabins. Or stay in a gypsy caravan at Treedom.
Good to know There are daily conservation fees as the forests and lakes are part of Garden Route National Park.
Adults: R61 (SA citizens); R124 (SADC); R235 (international)
Children (under 12 years): R30 (SA citizens); R62 (SADC); R118 (international).

You might also be interested in:
The Best Things To Do in Knysna
The Best Things To Do in Plett
The Best Places to Stay in Knysna
The Best Places to Stay in Plett
The 9 Must-Visit Wine Farms in Plett

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