Blog/Travelstory

The Garden Route: The Most Beautiful Road Trip in South Africa

The ‘Garden Route’ in South Africa is one of the most beautiful road trips in the world. You’ll drive along lush mountains, rugged cliffs, and the Indian Ocean, as well as through desert-like areas and forested nature reserves. Along the way, you’ll discover countless bays and charming little towns. In this blog post, you’ll find out which ones you absolutely shouldn’t miss. Time for some tips and tricks!

Charlie's Travels | Blog | The Garden Route: The Most Beautiful Road Trip in South Africa

From Port Elizabeth to Cape Town, or the other way around?

Most people drive from Port Elizabeth (PE) to Cape Town, but of course, you can also do it the other way around. At Charlie's Travels, we like to be a bit unconventional, so we start our journey in Cape Town. If you prefer to start in PE, just read this text from bottom to top! ;) The Garden Route is about 1,000 kilometers long, but you might end up driving a bit more if you don’t stick strictly to the N2 highway. It’s important to know which route you’ve mapped out when you’re renting a car, as you’ll need to indicate how many kilometers you expect to drive. If you exceed the agreed limit, you may end up paying extra. The route can be completed in a few days if you stick to the N2 highway, where you can really make good time. However, our advice is to take your time! This is one of the most beautiful coastal routes you’ll ever drive, so there’s no rush. Golf Club

Bettysbaai, Hermanus en Gansbaai

Once you’ve left the trendy, delightful Cape Town behind, hop on the N2. But wait—don’t rush straight onto it! Instead, take a detour through the backstreets of Cape Town and head towards Gordons Bay. From there, drive through Rooi Els, Pringlebaai, and Bettysbaai towards Hermanus. This stretch might just be one of the most scenic parts of the route, so make sure to stop in Rooi Els to get one last look back at the city you’ve just left behind. Hermanus and Gansbaai are the perfect spots to get up close with some giant sea creatures. Hermanus is known as the breeding waters for the Southern Right Whale, a whale that can only be found in the temperate and cool seas of the Southern Hemisphere. For whale enthusiasts, this is a must-visit Garden Route destination! While in Hermanus, keep your ears peeled for the whale caller, who blows a large horn during the whale season (August to October) to announce the location where the whales can be spotted. You can head out onto the water to see them, but often they can be seen from the land as well. If you’ve had enough of all the trendy food and wine in Cape Town, head to Dutchies, a beachside restaurant in Hermanus, where you can even enjoy some good old Dutch bitterballen. If whales aren’t your thing, but you’re more interested in the dangerous creatures lurking in the waters around the Cape, continue on to Gansbaai. Here, you’ll be suited up in a wetsuit, dropped into the sea inside a cage, and with a bucket of blood and a half-ton of tuna tossed into the water, you’ll soon be face to face with a great white shark.

L’agulhas, Oudsthoorn, Albertinia and Knysna

From Hermanus, you can continue on the N2 towards Knysna, or opt to head towards L'Agulhas or 'Cape Agulhas'. This small village may not be especially remarkable, but visiting it means you can say you've stood at the southernmost point of Africa. Did you know you can also enjoy some great golf along the coast? We won't go into detail here, but if you're interested, feel free to message us! Good news from Cape Agulhas: The sea from Cape Town to this point is incredibly cold all year long, making it unlikely you'll take a saltwater dip. However, from L'Agulhas (Portuguese for ‘Needle’), the water becomes much warmer as the Indian Ocean and Atlantic Ocean meet here. From this point, the warm Agulhas current flows along the eastern coast of Africa, heading back into the Indian Ocean. If you're keen on taking a dip, the nearby Arniston beach offers much calmer waters! The picturesque Oudtshoorn is also known as the 'Ostrich Capital of the World.' Yes, they love ostriches here! When ostrich feathers became fashionable among European elites (1865-1870 and 1900-1914), this ostrich town boomed with business worldwide. If you visit an ostrich farm, be sure not to sit on the birds' backs—it’s quite painful for them. Between Heidelberg and Mossel Bay, you’ll find the small village of Albertinia inland. Carnivores will enjoy buying dried meats here; nowhere else does Droëwors taste so good! Further east, you'll reach Knysna (pronounced ‘Nais-na’), one of the country’s favorite vacation towns. Here, you'll find a vibrant boulevard with plenty of cafés and restaurants. Knysna's oysters are so rich that they are celebrated every year in July with a 10-day Oyster Festival! Once you've filled up on oysters in Knysna, it’s time to get out of the car and enjoy some activity in the lush forests of Tsitsikamma National Park. The name Tsitsikamma comes from the Khoi language and means ‘place with much water.’ As a Dutch traveler, you'll surely feel right at home! The Storms River winds its way through the forest in the park and eventually flows into the sea, right at the impressive Storms River Bridge. You're likely to spot dolphins here. For hiking enthusiasts, Tsitsikamma is also a perfect stop on the route to Port Elizabeth. The park’s most famous trail is the Otter Trail, a 5-day, 4-night hike. This 44-kilometer stretch takes you along the coastline and stays in comfortable huts, making it a great option for those with more than a week to spare! kerk

J’s Bay, The Elephants of Addo, and the Final Stop: Port Elizabeth

Jeffrey’s Bay: The Ultimate Spot for Surfers

After all the hiking, there's nothing better than relaxing in a town with a chill surfer vibe: Jeffrey’s Bay is the place to catch a wave. This former sleepy fishing village was flooded by hippies in the sixties and seventies, who laid the foundation for an extremely relaxed beach town. This was all thanks to the great waves along the coast, which still attract many surfers to ‘J’s Bay.’ Zen from surfing and up for some different natural wonders? Then you can drive around Port Elizabeth for a safari in Addo Elephant Park! This gem among South Africa's game reserves was founded in 1931 to save the rapidly declining elephant population. And it worked: with over 600 elephants in the park, a close encounter with these magnificent creatures is inevitable! By the way, don't be fooled by the park's name: in addition to elephants, Addo is home to the rest of the classic Big 5: lions, buffalo, rhinos, and leopards. And then, last but not least: the beginning or end point of the Garden Route road trip, Port Elizabeth! This coastal city doesn’t have much to offer, but it has a wide variety of shops, restaurants, bars, and cinemas. From here, you can fly back to Cape Town or continue on to Johannesburg. If you stay a bit longer in 'P.E.', a visit to the Oceanarium might be worth it.

Our Routes

South Africa is of course huge and offers countless beautiful places to discover. Take the Garden Route, for example—the most popular coastal route in South Africa. Absolutely impressive, but due to the enormous amount of tourism and because we really want to focus on what we're good at, we’ve decided not to offer this route. Instead, we focus on off-the-beaten-path experiences and routes, away from mass tourism. Our goal is to show our travelers as much of the authentic side of South Africa as possible. In South Africa, we choose routes with relatively short travel distances, allowing you to experience safari, nature, tropical coasts, and mountains all in one. With a variety of activities ranging from unique hikes to beautiful boat trips, diving, zip-lining, horseback riding, and, as the cherry on top, culture! That’s why we’ve focused on two regions: the truly off-the-beaten-track Western Cape and the Eastern Loop. This way, you can fully enjoy the beauty that South Africa has to offer.

Endless travel inspiration

Travel Story Geraldine Kemper discovered beautiful Kenya with her boyfriend
Geraldine Kemper discovered beautiful Kenya with her boyfriend
"From vast hilly landscapes in Masaai land to the dry desert and hot springs at Magadi, staying with a Masaai family and sleeping in a tent among the wildlife, having breakfast with fresh pancakes in the morning sun and going to bed after a beer by the campfire, it was an unforgettable holiday within a holiday. " - Geraldine & Freek
Blog Hiking In Uganda
Hiking In Uganda
Travel Story Susan & Wietze: exploring in Tanzania
Susan & Wietze: exploring in Tanzania
Blog Discover Kenya: our top 3 off the beaten track adventures
Discover Kenya: our top 3 off the beaten track adventures
Travel Story Margot in Kenya
Margot in Kenya