Things to do on the Gardenroute – South Africa

 

NL version

Firstly, I will introduce myself: I am Amber Krijbolder and I am doing my graduation internship at UYUNI Travels. Last year, I went 6 months to Cape Town for my study Tourism Management. During this period, I tried to find a lot of beautiful places in and around Cape Town. One of my most special moments was the Gardenroute. In this blog I will take you to the unforgettable places I visited during the Gardenroute.

The Gardenroute is one of the best known and most beautiful routes of South-Africa. This route takes you from Cape Town to Addo via the special African coastline. The Gardenroute is well-known for her diversity, from fishing villages to safari parks and from wineries to wilderness.

South-Africa is the perfect destination for incentive travel. Especially Cape Town, the wine regions and whale watching in Hermanus are unique experiences with your team and can be combined with a wildlife safari.

Cape Town

Cape Town is certainly one of the most special cities in the world. Not only because of the diversity of the different cultures, but also because of the special location, think of the snow-white beaches surrounded by the Table Mountain. The sporty types among us can climb the Table Mountain, but it is also possible to go up by cable car.

Whether you go to Cape Town for the beaches, the impressive history, the variety of good bars and restaurants, the beautiful nature of something else, there is something for everybody. A visit to Robben Island, hiking Lions head or Table Mountain and visiting The Botanical Gardens are highly recommended!

Hermanus

Hermanus is a 2-hour drive from Cape Town via a scenic coastal route. Hermanus is a small village and is known as the best whale watching place in the world. The whale season is approximately from June till December, and the chance that you will not spot a whale is nil. Hermanus has several viewpoints to spot whales.

For large groups, it is possible to do a boot tour or a kayak tour among the whales. These are definitely recommended for a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Franschhoek

South-Afrika is also known for the great wine regions. Franschhoek is a beautiful colonial town with dozens of vineyards where you can enjoy delicious wine tastings in combination with various chocolates, cheeses or extensive dinners.

A unique way to discover the wine route is through the hop-on, hop-off wine tram. This tram takes you to 7 different vineyards for delicious wine tastings.

Mosselbay

Mosselbay is a wonderful place to relax and enjoy the beach. However, this coastal town also has many activities to offer, and cage diving with white sharks is by far the most spectacular.

Would you like to stay in a unique accommodation? Then the Santos Express train lodge is definitely worth it. This is an old train on the beach, the train compartments have been converted into hotel rooms. Not very big but certainly unique and cozy.

Knysna en Plettenbergbay

Halfway through the garden route you will arrive at Knysna. This town is best known for Knysna Heads, a place where a lagoon and the ocean come together. With a little luck you can even spot whales here! Knysna Heads has several viewpoints that are easily accessible by car.

Close to Knysna is Plettenbergbay, a special coastal town known for its beautiful beaches and many activities that can be undertaken. Think of snorkeling with seals or a beautiful hike in the Robberg Peninsula nature reserve.

Tsitsikamma

Tsitsikamma national park is known for its beautiful suspension bridges and great hiking trails. The national park stretches about 50 miles across the coastline of South Africa.

The park is also known for the amount of activities to do. Think of kayaking, hiking and zip lining. But the most special activity is bungee jumping from the Bloukransburg. Until recently, this jump of 708 feet was the highest in the world. 

Addo elephant park

Addo elephant park is number 3 of the largest national parks in South-Africa. The name may already say it, Addo is known for its large number of elephants. It is estimated that there are 600 elephants in Addo, but besides that there are many other animals to be spotted. If you are lucky you can even see the big 5!

The park has several accommodations to spend the night and there is also a restaurant on the main camp.

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Do you want to discover the special places of South-Africa with your team? Click here for an example trip to South-Africa or contact us here for a tailor-made offer!