Garden Route, South Africa - A dream come true
- Hila Tamir
- 23 minutes ago
- 11 min read
I don't think there are enough words to describe the magic of South Africa. This country is simply stunning in beauty and has a charm that I haven't found anywhere else.
We focused mainly on the Garden Route, which, as its name suggests, is a green route that doesn't put Europe to shame, with dramatic views, the endless blue of the sea and a huge variety of marine animals on land and in the air.
Unfortunately, the weather in the first few days was very stormy, which changed some of our plans and sometimes left us disappointed, but we still had a great time.
The food in South Africa is incredibly delicious, the restaurants are high-class and the prices? Significantly cheaper. A 200g fillet steak costs 40-50 NIS including a side dish.
Trip map
Table of Content:
Plettenberg Bay
Port Elizabeth
We chose to start our trip in Port Elizabeth. There are direct flights from Johannesburg. Although we only stopped here for one night, it looks like a very cute city with beautiful beaches.
We stayed here in a really cute hotel located 15 minutes from the airport.
Towards sunset we enjoyed the waves crashing against the beach
פורט אליזבת
Singa Lodge
The lodge has cute cabins that are suitable for a couple / couple + child. The cabins are decorated in African style, each with a different design from the other. They are surrounded by lots of vegetation and a well-kept garden and there is a cute pool. The breakfast is very basic.
Singa Lodge
Pumba game reserve
The highlight of the trip was a stay at the Pumba game Reserve, a beautiful reserve located about an hour and a half from Port Elizabeth.
On the way to the reserve we stopped in Kenton-on-Sea , a small town with a beautiful beach.
Kanton on the sea
The reserve has very luxurious lodges, offering unique and unforgettable experiences. Every detail in the design of the place has been carefully chosen, with the comfort and enjoyment of the guests in mind. For example, when you return from dinner, you will find a hot water bottle waiting for you in bed, which adds a touch of warmth and relaxation after a long day of exciting experiences in nature.
The guides know the reserve like the back of their hand and will try to find you the most animals
During the trip itself, the guides do not forget to treat you to a refreshing drink and delicious snacks, which can include fresh fruit or local snacks. These treats add to the overall experience and allow you to feel relaxed and satisfied while you experience nature to the fullest.
If all this is not enough, the reserve also has a pride of stunning white lions. White lions are spectacular and impressive animals, and meeting them is an unforgettable experience.
Pumba Game Reserve
Pumba Game Reserve
Pumba Game Reserve Pumba Game Reserve Pumba Game Reserve Pumba Game Reserve Pumba Game Reserve Pumba Game Reserve Pumba Game Reserve Pumba Game Reserve Pumba Game Reserve Pumba Game Reserve Pumba Game Reserve Pumba Game Reserve
Addo park
Addo Elephant Park is a vast area. Originally established in 1931 to protect the endangered local elephant population, the park is now home to impressive herds of African elephants, which are the highlight of the park. In addition to the elephants, the reserve is home to all five big game – elephants, lions, rhinos, buffalo and leopards – as well as a wide variety of other wildlife, including zebras, antelopes and rare birds, making a visit to the place a unique and fascinating experience.
We arrived on a particularly rainy day with strong winds and we still got to see many elephants.
Addo park
Jeffreys bay
Jeffreys Bay is a lovely surf town, there isn't much to do there, especially in winter weather, but it's a convenient stopover on the way from the Port Elizabeth area to Tsitsikamma/Plantenburg Bay.
The town has a variety of outlet stores for various surf brands, the largest of which is Billabong, and you can definitely find attractive items there.
ג'פריז ביי
Tsitsikamma-Storms River
This beautiful reserve, located in a magical area of wilderness, boasts a breathtaking landscape where a powerful river flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The river, which crosses the reserve, provides not only a spectacular view but also a variety of options for water activities. The highlight of the reserve is Storms River Mouth, where the famous hanging bridges are located. These bridges, which were built in a strategic location, offer a unique view of the magnificent surrounding landscape, allowing visitors to experience the perfect combination of water, rich vegetation, and spectacular cliffs.
The path leading to the hanging bridges is about one kilometer long, but it should be taken into account that the path is not easy. During the walk, there are about 400 steps, some of which go up and some of which go down, which makes the route quite a physical challenge. However, the effort is definitely worth it, as with every step a new and special view is revealed.
Storms River Mouth
As we left the reserve, we encountered a group of playful baboons on the side of the road.
Tsitsikamma national park Tsitsikamma national park Tsitsikamma national park
For extreme sports lovers, near the park (about a 15-minute drive) you can do ziplining over the waterfalls, a unique experience. The cost is not high, in my opinion, it is also worth investing in a photographer who accompanies you and takes photos and videos. The cost of this is really minimal.
Tsitsikamma national park
Plettenberg Bay
Plettenberg Bay is considered one of the most beautiful and spectacular towns in South Africa, and is a popular destination for tourists from all over the world. During our trip, we stopped here several times, mainly to enjoy good lunches, which were not only delicious but also served in a breathtaking view. The scenery in the Plettenberg Bay area is simply stunning, with golden beaches, clear waters and green mountains surrounding the area. If you are lucky, you can witness the special sight of whales emerging from the water, especially in the right seasons, which makes a visit here an unforgettable experience.
Plettenberg Bay
Monkey Land
A lovely place where abandoned monkeys from all over the world are collected and rehabilitated. The tour is only with a guide and is very experiential. There are lots of teachers who will be happy to pose for your camera.
Monkey Land
The birds of Eden
A beautiful bird sanctuary that is an important refuge for a wide variety of birds, with its main goal being to protect the various species and restore them in their natural environment. The reserve not only provides protection for the birds, but also works to preserve the biological and ecological diversity of the area, ensuring the existence of many species in the future.
A spectacular variety of birds can be found in the reserve, some of which are very special and typical of the area. The birds include rare species, some of which are in danger of extinction. The reserve offers a diverse environment that includes forests, marshes and water areas, which allow the birds to find places to live, nest and feed. During a visit to the reserve, visitors can be impressed by the spectacular beauty of the birds, which fly freely in the area and blend in harmony with the environment.
The birds of Eden
Enrico
A lovely Italian restaurant, on the seashore, the view from it is amazing, it is worth sitting outside as close to the edge of the cliff as possible, we were lucky enough to see a lion and 3 dolphins there. Please note that it is not open every day.
The lookout deck
Excellent restaurant, located on the other side of the bay, also has a beautiful view. The food is really delicious and, as befits South Africa, cheap. The restaurant has 2 floors, the lower floor has an area full of sand and game tables and the upper floor has tables with a beautiful view of the sea.
The Chicken Burger is the most recommended, don't miss the pineapple!
The lookout deck
Knysna
Knysna is undoubtedly one of the cutest and most picturesque stops on the Garden Route. It sits right on the waterfront, surrounded by a wide lagoon and offers mesmerizing views from every corner. The highlight here is the gorgeous lookout points.
East Head View Point
One of the famous viewpoints, it is a perfect place to stop with the family, breathe the salty air and overlook the powerful meeting between the lagoon and the open ocean.
East Head View Point
Water front
There are a variety of parking lots and restaurants here, a great place to end the day, and if you're there at sunset, you've won a bonus.
Water front
Chez Pier
We stayed in an excellent B&B located on Leisure Island, a beautiful and completely safe area in Knysna.
Pierre, a Belgian by origin, hosted us exceptionally well. He has 3 cute dogs that the children really enjoyed playing with. Pierre makes excellent Belgian waffles. During the day, the place also serves as a café.
Chez Pier
The island where the house is located is really cute, very pleasant to walk around, because of the tides you can find quite a few birds that come to find prey.
Knysna
More Gallery
In the center of the island there is a shop/restaurant that sells dreamy granola (which Pierre serves for breakfast) and various art objects.
Knysna Knysna Knysna
Cafe Mario
A really cute Italian restaurant, Mario will host you with joy and warmth
Oudtshoorn
In a desperate attempt to escape the floods and landslides that were plaguing the area where we were staying, we decided to head towards Oudtshoorn, a city famous for being a habitat for ostriches. Located in the west of the country, Oudtshoorn is known not only for its many ostrich farms, but also for the spectacular landscapes that surround it.
Cango farm
The city is home to Cango Farm, an animal rehabilitation farm. The highlight of the place is the opportunity to stay with some of the animals, such as lemurs and cheetahs. Unfortunately, this area was flooded and we didn't get to see a cheetah as close as I wanted.
The tour is with a guide only. The guide will tell you how the animals arrived at the farm and were rehabilitated.
Cango farm
Map of Africa
On the way back from Oudshoorn, we stopped at a particularly interesting viewpoint. The road to it is winding and beautiful. The viewpoint is at the end of a dirt path and overlooks a mountain in the shape of the continent of Africa. The view from here is stunning, with the mountain on one side and the coastline on the other.
Map of Africe
George
George is a must-see stop on the Garden Route. This town enjoys a stunning location and has some great little corners.
Outeniqua Family Market
Outeniqua Family Market, open every Saturday from 8:00 to 14:00. It has about 150 food and craft stalls for children, a train ride and a play park. Here you can find fresh fruit and vegetables from the farm, international cuisine, sweet treats or gifts and decor
Outeniqua Family Market
In addition, there are all kinds of centers with boutique stores, one of the cutest is Corner Stone.
Hussar Grill
A restaurant chain that serves very high-quality steaks, relatively expensive compared to South Africa. We ate a 200g fillet there for 40NIS including side dishes. Highly recommended
Buff and Felow
We chose to sleep in George at an ecological farm where there are two rhinos named Buff and Fellow.
The farm also has other animals.
The cabins are very cute, everything is ecological, in the morning you can go to the coop next to your cabin and take fresh eggs that the chickens laid, go fishing or wade in the hot tub.
Buff and Felow
Botlierskop
For those who don't have time to dedicate more than one day to a safari reserve, the Botlierskop Reserve is a good solution. You can come here for a daily tour of a few hours. This tour is much less good than Pumba's, but as mentioned, if you don't have time, it's definitely worth stopping here.
Botlierskop
Cape Winelands
The Cape Winelands area is an area that is simply hard to stop photographing. The scenery here is stunning and changes with every bend of the road, the area is very reminiscent of Italy with vineyards and mountains all around
You can visit a variety of different wineries here
Horse Rides at Pete’s
Horseback riding safari
Since it was Shani's Bat Mitzvah trip and she really loves riding horses, we booked her a horseback riding safari, a special experience without a doubt.
Horse Rides at Pete’s
Gansbaai
Gansbaai is a great place to stop on the way to Cape Town and watch the whale migration.
The whales come very close to the shore here and put on a great show.
Gansbaai
Sunset View at Whale Cove
A simple, but cute apartment. From the balcony you can see the whales and a spectacular sunset. A lovely place to stop for the night.
Sunset View at Whale Cove
Republic of Swellendam
A cute restaurant on the way to Gansbaai, the food is really delicious especially the African dishes on the menu.
The children's menu is especially entertaining
Republic of Swellendam Republic of Swellendam Republic of Swellendam
Hermanus
If you prefer a more lively and touristy place to see the whales, Hermanus is your address, unlike sleepy Gansbaai. There are plenty of restaurants, shops, and things to do here.
Hermanus
Fick's Restaurant
A very cute tapas restaurant, the view here is stunning and there is also a small wading "pool" created from the sea, the food is excellent
Fick's
Capetown
Cape Town is beautiful, on one side it is surrounded by the sea with stunning turquoise blue tones and dramatic rocks, on the other side the special Table Mountain that peeks out from almost every corner.
Relative to Johannesburg it is safer, we chose to sleep very close to the Victoria and Albert Water Front, a relatively safe area.
Capetown
Warwick Mansions 8
A really cute and spacious apartment in a building with 24-hour security and parking. The apartment was well equipped and in a very convenient location.
Warwick Mansions 8
Table Mountain
Without a doubt, one of the main attractions in Cape Town is Table Mountain. For those who love challenges, you can climb to its summit on foot, and for lazy people like me, there is a cable car that rotates 360 degrees that will take you to the summit.
Visiting the mountain is a bit problematic. On the one hand, you need very specific weather conditions to reach the summit. The mountain is often under heavy clouds that do not allow visibility at all. On the other hand, the queues that get there can be very long. Usually, the parking is very far away and requires a difficult climb up the mountain.
On the official website of the mountain, you can keep up with the waiting times and the visibility conditions.
We decided to get there with the hop on hop off tourist bus. It stops right in front of the mountain, so there is no parking problem and you can decide when to go based on the visibility conditions and the queues. That's how we got there with only a 20-minute wait and with excellent visibility.
Table Mountain
Bo-Kaap
A colorful and really cute iconic neighborhood in the old center of the city
Bo-Kaap
Crankshaft cafe
A cafe that is actually a classic car dealership. There is a very nice variety of cars and motorcycles here.
Crankshaft cafe
Camps bay
Stunning beach, many cafes and restaurants in the area
Camps bay
Boulder beach
Here you can find a cute colony of tiny, sweet penguins, you can get really close to them, a very sweet experience.
Boulder beach
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is considered the tip of the African continent and a connecting point between the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. On days with good visibility, you can actually see the line separating the two oceans.
It is especially worth reaching the lighthouse, the view from here is stunning in its beauty, and the climb up can be done by funicular.
Cape of Good Hope
V&A waterfront
The Victoria and Albert Dock, V&A waterfront, is a great place to spend the evenings. It is a relatively safe area with plenty of parking, restaurants and cafes. During the day there is also a nice artists' market.
Mythos
Nice Greek tavern - Mythos, with excellent Greek food
Karibu
Karibu, a restaurant with African food, an interesting and rich menu. In the evening you can see a nice show of African dancers.
Golden tips
-In South Africa, they drive on the left side, not the right side like we do, but the drivers there are very polite and most of the roads are in really good condition.
-The travel distances are very long between destinations, so you have to take this into account, especially for refueling. Outside of the cities, there are almost no gas stations.
-There are a lot of planned power outages, so it is advisable to download an app called ESP that reports on outages in advance, look for a place to stay with a generator, and stock up on portable chargers.
-Running water in isolated places will often be unclean.
- Checkers is an excellent supermarket, it has everything, including cooked food, and the prices are really cheap.
-On Saturdays, many businesses close at 3:00 PM, and on Sundays at 1:00 PM.
- Most restaurants close early.20:00-21:00
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