Garden Route travel guide

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The Garden Route is a vast strip of land located in south-eastern part of Africa. Garden Route has a lot to give you in terms of beauty, natural attractions and the unique flora and fauna. This magnificent place stretches from Mossel Bay in the Western Cape to the Storms River which flows along the N2 coastal highway over the Paul Sauer Bridge in the Western Cape. This place is famous for the ten nature reserves with the varied ecosystems and unique marine reserves. Garden Route has rugged terrain and steep mountains but has a beautiful shoreline with wonderful beaches and bays. The vivid landscapes are surely a delight to the eye.

Fast Facts

This vast stretch of land has numerous attractions for its tourists like : -

√ Tsitsikamma National Park : - offers you a lot in terms of wilderness and adventure.

√ Wolf Sanctuary : - is surely a place worth going.

√ Birds of Eden Bird Sanctuary : - have some of the most spectacular birds that are free to fly giving an incredible experience to those who visit.

√ Boosmansbos Wilderness Area : - lies in the beautiful Langeberg Mountains.

√ Featherbed Nature Reserve : - is a natural Heritage site that utters uniqueness in terms of fauna.

√ Robberg Nature Reserve : - is a remote rocky peninsula outside the Plettenberg Bay.

√ Monkeyland Primate Sanctuary : - is a world's first free roaming multi-specie primate sanctuary.

Some of the merry-making times in Garden Route are : -

√ Hartenbos Wine Festival
√ Eden Wolwedans Festival
√ Pick 'n Pay Knysna Oyster Festival.

Since it is a main tourist destination there are restaurants for every taste. Tourists coming to Garden Route specially enjoy the fresh fish and oysters from the ocean.

Garden Route is a paradise for shopaholics. There are numerous places where you can shop like : -

→ Jacana : - You can buy African Curios here.

→ Langeberg Mall : - Langeberg Mall is a popular open air mall.

→ Milkwood Village : - Milkwood Village is situated close to the Wilderness train station. It showcases a range of curios, clothing and accessories.

→ Feathers Gallery : - Feathers Gallery provides you a wonderful shopping experience.

→ Renett's Candle Studio : - This place also offers a wide range of souvenirs.

Garden Route runs parallel to the coastline having lakes, mountains, tall indigenous forests and golden beaches which offers the tourists a wide range of leisure options, spectacular scenery and guaranteed unforgettable holiday experience. Some of the activities are : -

• Scuba diving
• Mountain Biking
• Motorcycle Trips
• Sailing
• Shark Cage Diving
• Skydiving
• Boat trips
• Bungee Jumping.

The best way of traveling around the city is by car. You can hire a car from any of the companies easily and tour all around.

South African Airways has regular flights to reach here. The nearest international airport is in Cape Town; from there you can easily reach Garden Route. Even there are regular services of buses to Garden Route from Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.

Tourists coming here have a long to-do list like :

• Surf : - Surf in Plettenberg Bay Vic Bay.
• Bungee Jumping : - Bungee Jumping at Bloukrans (world's highest known bungee jumping).
• Walk : - Walk on the Bloukrans Bridge.
• Ride : - Ride on the famous Outeniqua Choo-tjoe Train.
• Camping : - Camping under the stars in mountainous region of Karoo to experience the wilderness.