Discover the most beautiful road trip in South Africa with insightful tips on what ethical animal sanctuaries to visit and which activities to avoid on the Garden Route. This Garden Route guide will give you the confidence and insight to navigate the coastal route like a local.

Along the South Coast of South Africa lies one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in the world, home to the Garden Route National Park.

The Garden Route (Afrikaans: Tuinroete) is a 300-kilometre (190 mi)[1] stretch of the south-eastern coast of South Africa which extends from Witsand in the Western Cape to the border of Tsitsikamma Storms River in the Eastern Cape.

Stretching along the southern Cape coast for 300-or-so kilometres, the Garden Route is a favourite holiday playground for good reason. Lined with deep, lush forests on one side and a sparkling blue ocean on the other, it offers spectacular scenery, natural attractions and its fair share of creative quirkiness.

The Garden Route is a popular and scenic stretch of the south-eastern coast of South Africa. It stretches from Mossel Bay in the Western Cape to the Storms River which is crossed along the N2 coastal highway over the Paul Sauer Bridge in the extreme western reach of the neighbouring Eastern Cape.

The Garden Route is one of South Africa's most popular and interesting stretches of coastline, a temperate landscape of sandy beaches, indigenous forests, rocky shores and quaint towns where you can do everything from savour fresh oysters to watch southern right whales at play.

Plan your Garden Route South Africa road trip with this complete guide covering the best stops, scenic drives, wildlife and coastal highlights.

10 highlights of the Garden Route including Knysna Heads, Robberg Nature Reserve, Bloukrans Bridge, Storms River Mouth, and a game park

This is our guide to the Garden Route and includes things to do, where to stay and where to stop along the way. It’s the route we used when we visit South Africa and is the perfect guide for planning your Garden Route Itinerary.

The Garden Route is among the world’s most magnificent trips, a 200 kilometers of road which winds beyond wooded mountains, vast swamplands as well as white-sand beaches having idyllic villages spread at most a 45-minute ride away from each other.