Heard of South Africa's Charming Garden Route Yet?

I know it is Kerala that is revered as God’s Own Country but one trip to South Africa and trust me, you would be willingly sharing the sobriquet between the two. It all started when my husband moved to the African land on business a few moons ago. I, like any loving wife, was more than glad to visit him and that too in a destination I had never visited before. So what I had imagined to be a romantic holiday, surprisingly also turned out to be the biggest adventure of my life!

Arriving in Africa

True to my spirit, I packed well in time and was jumping with excitement as I boarded the 15-hour long connecting flight from Delhi to Cape Town via Dubai. Well, it was an exhausting journey but all my tiredness disappeared as soon as I looked out the window. South Africa (SA) was absolutely gorgeous! The usual trend for most first time international travellers is to flock to either Europe or parts of South East Asia. I am so glad we didn’t because SA is more beautiful than you or I could ever imagine. Most of us are oblivious to the fact that in Cape Town, the second most populated city in SA, there are more than 1,100 species of indigenous plants, at least 250 species of birds and different types of terrains that your camera will be spoilt for choice.

I cannot even begin to fathom what locales like Durban, Sun City, Johannesburg, Kruger, and others have to offer! These are all in our bucket list though.

Starting the Journey

The next morning started early with a hearty breakfast. A delicious fare comprising jams, eggs, breads, cheese and juices charged us up for the 500 kilometres drive we were going to undertake. That’s how we started out for Knysna, a town that falls on the famous Garden Route.

With infinite shades of green and brown, the Garden Route boasts of small and quaint countryside houses, extensive golf courses, evergreen forests, stunning green landscapes, countless types of flora and fauna, spectacular bridges, cliffs, valleys and coastal towns. The best of Mother Nature is enclosed in this dream drive route. 

Things To Do

Apart from driving and soaking in the gorgeous locales all around, you have plenty of sightseeing options in this part of South Africa and one could perhaps spend days or even weeks exploring the region. Here are the things to look out for:

Vineyards – With a variety of wines to taste ranging from red, white and rose wines, Jakkalsvlei Vineyards in the Langeberg Mountains, Bramon Wine Estate in The Crags and Herold Wine in George are the popular choices.

Feast on the beauty of the rolling vineyards along the Garden Route

Nature Reserves – There is a plethora of options available for wildlife and nature lovers on this stretch. Top choices are Featherbed Nature Reserve, Garden Route National Park, Knysna Elephant Park, Oyster Bay Reserve, Tsitsikamma National Park amongst countless others.

White Sand Beaches – Port Elizabeth, St. Francis Bay, Plettenberg Bay and  Mossel Bay boast of white sand beaches, perfect for long romantic walks.

Adventure Activities - There is no end to the adventure sports you can enjoy on the Garden Route. I could go on and on but the not-to-miss ones are bungee jumping from Bloukrans Bridge, deep sea diving at Mossel Bay and Plettenberg Bay, skydiving at Plettenberg Bay, whale watching at Hermanus and shark cage diving at Gansbaai.

Fine Dining – There are so many fine dining places to explore on different destinations along the Garden Route stretch that you might want to try a new place for each meal. Bomo Terrace at Plettenberg Bay, The 5th Season and The Rose on York Restaurant at George, Dine in Style at Wilderness, The Lighthouse Restaurant at Mossel Bay, Jazzbury’s at Mossel Bay, Vaaljapie Station restaurant at Little Brak...the list is endless.

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