"The Garden Route"

[ijkh]

I would like some information about travel on the garden route in South Africa.

 

We are thinking of taking a little leave of absence from our world cruise from Durban to Capetown. Our plan is to fly to Port Elizabeth from Durban. We would then hire a car one way from Port Elizabeth to Capetown.

 

We would neet to get an automatic vehicle. Driving "on the wrong side" is enough excitement for us. Has anyone else from North America tried this from a cruise?

 

We would then drive over 4 or 5 days to Cape Town.

Questions:

Would we do better to hire a tour company to do this? Can anyone recomend a tour company?

What are some fabulous lodgings on the route?

What are great spots or sites that we must see?

What roads or highway do we select?

Is this a safe thing to do?

Are 3 or 4 nights enough to see this area?

 

Recomendations please.

Yes I have been reading trip advisor already.

[Globaliser]

If you're comfortable with driving, it's easy to drive and it's a safe (and very popular) thing to do by yourself. This is one of the well-established holiday areas of the country. Basically, you're driving on the N2 along the coast (although the point of the exercise is to detour off it whenever there's something interesting, like towns, parks, places to walk, landscapes to see and bungy jumping to watch).

 

Four nights would be adequate time for the Garden Route itself, but if so, plan on going directly from Mosselbaai to Cape Town, thus concentrating your time on the Garden Route proper. You need to allow plenty of time to stop and walk/wander.

 

For accommodation, I'd recommend that you go to the Portfolio Collection website and order the relevant books. This is a highly regarded guide, because you can't just pay to be in it. They have very demanding standards, and they conduct rigorous inspections before they will list any establishment. We have often played it by ear whilst driving the Garden Route and elsewhere, with a copy of the book in the car - just phoning some places a few hours when we know roughly where we'll end up that evening, secure in the knowledge that any of the places listed will be of at least decent quality. This gives you lots of flexibility for exploring if you're not tied to getting to any particular place at any particular time.

 

If you get bored with the Garden Route, there are other things to do between Mosselbaai and Cape Town, including visiting Cape Agulhas, the most southerly point of the African continent (although this is more interesting as a concept than as reality), Hermanus and Walker Bay if it's whale season (probably unlikely if you're on a world cruise), and the winelands around Robertson and the Stellenbosch/Franschoek/Paarl region. But don't underestimate the distances involved.

[houtbay]

I would like some information about travel on the garden route in South Africa.

 

We are thinking of taking a little leave of absence from our world cruise from Durban to Capetown. Our plan is to fly to Port Elizabeth from Durban. We would then hire a car one way from Port Elizabeth to Capetown.

 

We would neet to get an automatic vehicle. Driving "on the wrong side" is enough excitement for us. Has anyone else from North America tried this from a cruise?

 

We would then drive over 4 or 5 days to Cape Town.

Questions:

Would we do better to hire a tour company to do this? Can anyone recomend a tour company?

What are some fabulous lodgings on the route?

What are great spots or sites that we must see?

What roads or highway do we select?

Is this a safe thing to do?

Are 3 or 4 nights enough to see this area?

 

Recomendations please.

Yes I have been reading trip advisor already.

 

 

Plettenberg Bay, Knysna and Oudtshoorn. Beautiful drive with some spectacular passes. Can be done in 4 to 5 days. Addo elephant park near Port Elizabeth for a day before heading to Cape Town would be my first stop. Endless possibilities!!!

[ijkh]

That sounds wonderful. Anyone know of reputable tour guides for this sort of trip. We are American and a little nervous about driving on that other side of the road.

 

Question for South Africans:

What are your favorite towns and stops on the Garden Route and why?

[loerie]

No guide needed - easy to drive. Agree the Addo Elephant Park about 25 miles from Port Elizabeth is a MUST. Other good places are: Plettenburg Bay (for tea):: Knysna - spend the night here (some very good B&B's here as well as hotels); Oudtshoorn is also a good place to spend the night (visit the Cango Caves is also a must here as is a visit to an ostrich farm). Suggest you take the route from Oudtshoorn to Worcester (it is on the inland side of the usual "garden route" via Swellendam, but with great mountain scenery all the way and a wonderful way to enter Cape Town with great views from the mountain pass to Paarl. Contact the local Port Elizabeth Tourist Bureau for maps etc. and for a list of B&B's.

[We-R-Off]

I would add Tsitiskama & Hermanus should be on your list. Do not forget to visit the Wine Route.

 

Once in Capetown you should visit the Cape & weather permitting a visit to table mountain. Try & visit Robbins island too but you should prebook this.

 

We found drivers to be very courteous. When refueling it is customary for someone to do this for you. They will clean the windscreen for which you should give a few rand as appreciation. Do not be alarmed at parking places for someone to help you park & watch your vehicle. Again do tip.