Garden Route (Tuinroete)

The Garden Route, or Tuinroete, compasses the beautiful coastal region between Mosselbaai (Mossel Bay) and the Tsitsikamma National Park in the southern part of Western Cape Province.

The area consists of white-sand beaches, dunes, lagoons and forests. Its northern boundary are the Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma Mountains, which are up to 1,700 m high.

The Garden Route stretches for about 300 km (190 mi) along the southeastern coast of South Africa and includes some of the country's last remaining indigenous forests, including the Outeniqua, Grootvadersbosch and Tsitsikamma forests. There are numerous hiking trails through these forests and they are home to countless bird species. You can see yellowwood trees, ericas, proteas, gladioli, strelitzia, watsonias, agapanthus and numerous other wild flowers. This variety of vegetation is what gave the Garden Route its name.

The beaches in the area are all superb and very good for all sorts of water sports, including swimming, surfing, fishing and sailing. Most towns in the area have developed into holiday resorts, with apartment blocks, restaurants and expensive hotels. The area of the Garden Route has very nice weather all year round.

There are several interesting towns that are well worth a visit. They include George (The Garden Route's largest city and its administrative center), Albertinia, Buffelsbaai (Buffalo Bay), Gouritsmond, Great Brak River, Heidelberg, Heroldsbaai (Herold's Bay), Knysna, Little Brak River, Mosselbaai (Mossel Bay), Nature's Valley, Oudtshoorn, Plettenberg Bay, Riversdale, Sedgefield, Stilbaai, Wilderness and Witsand. Bear in mind that during the high season in December, January and Easter, prices skyrocket throughout the area.

The Garden Route is connected to the Little Karoo via the the Outeniqua and Garcia's passes through the Langeberg, Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma mountains.