The Garden Route is a stunning stretch of coastline that runs along the southwestern coast of South Africa, between Mossel Bay in the Western Cape and Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape. Along this route, several picturesque towns offer a unique blend of natural beauty, cultural attractions, and outdoor adventures.

In this article, we'll take a closer look at some of the most popular towns of the Garden Route and what makes them special.

Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay is one of the first towns you'll come across when traveling along the Garden Route from Cape Town. This coastal town is known for its warm and mild climate, making it a popular destination for water-based activities such as surfing, fishing, and whale watching. Visitors can also explore the town's rich history, including the Diaz Museum, which commemorates the first European explorer to set foot in South Africa, and the Post Office Tree, where sailors used to leave messages for passing ships.

Oudtshoorn

Oudtshoorn is a charming town located in the Klein Karoo region of the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is known for its natural beauty, as well as its ostrich farming industry.

One of the main attractions in Oudtshoorn is the Cango Caves, a series of limestone caverns that are over 20 million years old. The caves are located in the Swartberg Mountains and offer visitors a chance to explore underground lakes, chambers, and tunnels. Guided tours are available for those who want to learn more about the history and geology of the caves.

George

George is a bustling town serving as the Garden Route's administrative hub. George is a bustling town located in the heart of the Garden Route. It is the largest town in the region and serves as the administrative hub of the area. The town is situated at the foot of the Outeniqua Mountains and is surrounded by natural beauty, including forests, rivers, and lakes. George is also a popular destination for golf enthusiasts and is home to several world-class golf courses such as Fancourt Golt Estate with its world-class and highly rated course The Links.

Wilderness

The town of Wilderness is located in the heart of the Garden Route and is surrounded by pristine beaches, wetlands, and forested mountains. It is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts, offering opportunities for hiking, kayaking, and paragliding. Visitors can also explore the nearby Wilderness National Park, which is home to a diverse array of flora and fauna, including several bird species.

Plettenberg Bay

Plettenberg Bay is a coastal town that is known for its pristine beaches and upmarket restaurants and hotels. It is a popular destination for both families and couples, offering a range of activities that cater to different interests. Visitors can spend their days lounging on the beach, whale watching, or exploring the nearby Robberg Nature Reserve, which is home to a diverse array of wildlife, including seals and dolphins.

Tsitsikamma

Tsitsikamma is a nature lover's paradise and is home to some of the Garden Route's most iconic attractions, including the Storms River Mouth and the Bloukrans Bridge, which is the highest bridge bungee jump in the world. The town is situated in a protected area, and visitors can explore the lush forests, rugged coastline, and crystal-clear rivers that make up the Tsitsikamma National Park

Top 5 Experiences Of The Garden Route

Along with our favourite stops, we’ve compiled our top five Garden Route experiences.

1 Swartberg Pass

The Swartberg Pass is a spectacular gravel mountain pass linking Oudtshoorn in the Klein Karoo with the charming village of Prince Albert. Winding up through the dramatic Swartberg Mountains, the pass is made up of hairpin bends, sheer rock faces and sweeping views over layered valleys and distant plains. As you climb, the scenery shifts from farmland to rugged sandstone cliffs and fynbos-covered slopes, with plenty of spots to pull over for photos. It’s a real driving adventure, offering a sense of remoteness you just don’t get on the main highways.

2 Cango Caves

The 20 million year-old Cango Caves are a series of vast limestone caverns tucked into the foothills of the Swartberg mountains, just outside Oudtshoorn. Guided tours lead you through soaring chambers filled with stalactites, stalagmites and other-worldly rock formations, beautifully lit to show off their colours and textures. You can choose an easy heritage tour along boardwalks or a more adventurous route squeezing through tunnels and narrow passages. The caves are an underground spectacle and have been a popular attraction since the 1800s. 

3 Knysna Heads & Lagoon

Knysna Heads and Lagoon form one of South Africa’s most iconic coastal scenes, where a sheltered, sapphire-blue lagoon meets the Indian Ocean through two towering sandstone cliffs. The town of Knysna wraps around the water’s edge, with forested hills, marinas and waterfront cafés giving it a relaxed holiday feel. A highlight is taking a boat tour across the lagoon and out through the dramatic heads, feeling the swell and seeing the cliffs up close from the water. Combined with viewpoints on the Eastern and Western Heads and quiet beaches like Bollard Bay, it’s a gentle, scenic contrast to the wilder stretches of coast nearby.

4 Whale watching (in season)

Whale watching along the Garden Route brings a different kind of magic to South Africa’s southern coast, as southern right and humpback whales cruise close to shore between June and November. From clifftop paths, quiet bays and beachside viewpoints, you can often spot tail slaps, fin waves and, with luck, full breaches just beyond the breakers. Boat tours from towns like Plettenberg Bay get you even closer still, with sweeping views back to forested hills and long, empty beaches. It’s a powerful, and emotional experience, adding living, breathing wildlife to the region’s already spectacular scenery.  

5 Storms River Mouth

Storms River Mouth is where Tsitsikamma’s forested gorges meet the Indian Ocean in a swirl of cliffs, river and crashing surf. Set within Garden Route National Park, it’s a place of boardwalks, the famous suspension bridge and short coastal trails that lead you right to the water’s edge. You can feel the sea spray on your face, watch waves hammer the rocks and look back onto dense, emerald-green forest. Kayaking or boat trips up the gorge reveal a quieter side, with steep rock walls and still, dark water. It’s a refreshing, wild-feeling stop on the Garden Route and perfect for anyone who enjoys being close to both ocean and forest

Touring the Garden Route offers visitors a unique blend of natural beauty, cultural attractions, and outdoor adventures. From the bustling town of George to the picturesque coastal town of Plettenberg Bay and the nature lover's paradise of Tsitsikamma, there is something for everyone along this iconic stretch of coastline. Whether you're looking to explore South Africa's rich history, relax on pristine beaches, or get your adrenaline pumping, the Garden Route has it all.