Garden Route Holidays
Embark on one of the worlds most spectacular drives with a Garden Route holiday. Explore 300km of breathtaking coastlines, mysterious forests, golden beaches, peaceful lagoons, sprawling wetlands and picturesque towns on a road trip that uncovers some of the best sights of South Africa.
The world-famous Garden Route is overflowing with unforgettable hiking trails, forest adventures, wildlife encounters, relaxing beach days and insightful opportunities to learn about South Africa’s incredible history.
The iconic Garden Route
There are many natural wonders to explore on this stunning coastal drive and the Garden Route National Park is not to be missed. With a marine conservation belt that stretches over five kilometres out into the ocean, dramatic river gorges, rugged mountainscapes and vast stretches of sandy white coastline, it will take your breath away. Visit the Knysna Lagoon area, well known for its fresh oysters, walking tracks, lagoons and more. Spend your morning on a relaxing walk taking in the sights of this stunning location and then head into town to unwind with a delicious fresh-off-the-boat seafood lunch at Knysna Waterfront.
Our Garden Route highlights tour is a four-day journey which takes you to the magical Cango Caves of Oudtshoorn, the Knysna Elephant Sanctuary and Tsitsikamma National Park. Why not extend your stay with an exciting Big Five safari at one of our luxury safari lodges? Alternatively, opt for a self-drive tour and explore at your own pace and combine Cape Town, the Garden Route and Eastern Cape through our A Tale of Two Capes itinerary. With so much to see and do in this location, we recommend giving our Destination Specialists a call, they will help you put together a Garden Route holiday to remember.
Destination Highlights
Great sample itineraries
Browse through a wide selection of Garden Route tours, available for all kinds of holidaymakers. If you can’t see what you’re looking for below, give us a call to discuss all your options.
Garden Route and Eastern Cape Safari
Guide Price €1,969 pp
This twelve day self drive gives you the opportunity to explore the city of Cape Town and its surrounds, spot Southern Right Whales in Hermanus (seasonal), drive along the Garden Route and track the Big Five on safari in the...
Self drive holidays
Cape Town and Eastern Cape Multi Centre
One of the most popular South Africa itineraries twins a visit to the cosmopolitan city of Cape Town with the game reserves in the Eastern Cape province. Cape Town is the oldest city in South Africa and has been voted...
Couples Holidays
Highlights of the Garden Route
Guide Price €1,959 pp
Discover the unrivalled natural wonders of South Africa and enjoy the hidden gems of the world-famous Garden Route as you journey from your starting point in vibrant Cape Town to the coastal town of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape...
Escorted tours
Cape Town and Botswana by Belmond
Our Cape Town and Botswana multi-centre holiday allows you to combine the sophisticated urban cool of Cape Town with the breath taking wildness of Botswana’s Chobe National Park. It’s a brilliant way to see two different sides to Africa. Your...
Wildlife holidays
Our favourite hotels
There are a wide variety of Garden Route hotels to choose from. We’ve listed some of our favourite places to stay below however, our Destination Specialists would love to assist you with any personal preferences.
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Frequently Asked Questions
We recommend that you allow at least 4 –5 days to travel the Garden Route and stop off to explore. However, this is dependent on what you want to do and your overall itinerary.
In short, no – it's not necessary to travel from west to east. Cape Town is a natural starting point for the tour if you're flying in from the UK but it's just as likely that you might want to depart from there. You might also fly into George airport via Johannesburg (from elsewhere in South Africa) which is at the eastern end of the route.
We recommend you pack sunscreen, a hat or cap, binoculars, comfortable walking or hiking shoes and a good camera to capture your adventure. A jacket or lightweight rain coat is also a good idea – just in case there's a light shower.
