The Garden Route has so much to offer. To help you to see and experience the best, we have divided it into 3 sections. This is the Central Garden Route from Krantzhoek to Sedgefield with forests, fynbos and wonderful coastline. Here, you have it all: first world facilities and infrastructure plus totally unspoilt nature and wilderness.
There is a small taste of good places to stay, for all budgets, our choices of where to eat, what not to miss and experience. We have not completed this area…this is just a starter to wet your appetites! The area absolutely heaves in peak season. Go a little off peak and you will find a more relaxed area and if you book directly with our places to stay, you will get the best deals.
Each town has something different to offer. Try them all for a true taste of the area. Overall it is action packed for the adventurous. For those who need to chill, you have stunning vistas to soak up, delicious grub, superb wine and perfect beaches. Visiting the top vineyard or going on the wine route is a must.
We have not completed our eating out options but the photos show some great options so far. Some choices are incredibly reasonable and in all our areas, we also have fine dining. We focus on taste and vibe.
Plett (or Plettenberg Bay) is an upmarket beach resort loved by the Gauteng set with a great coffee culture and sophisticated shopping. The choice of beaches is very good, and they are minutes from the town. There are shark criers to protect bathers. The town slopes up the hill to give good ocean views for visiting whales. Robberg Nature Reserve is a must visit. Our top activity is swimming with seals in a guided trip.
The horseshoe-shaped bay has long, sheltered beaches and wonderful views of the deep-blue Tsitsikama Mountains. The town itself may be small but it’s the favourite seaside playground for South Africa’s big spenders as evidenced by the huge villas set in prime positions on the town’s surrounding hills. For a short period over peak summer, it buzzes with night life. Arch Rock at Keurbooms Beach, just east of Plett, is a great walk along the beach, starting at Keurbooms main beach parking to Cathedral Rock for about 1.5 km. You can walk all the way along the beach at low tide, but will have to use the coastal path during high tide. We have a great budget friendly, simple, self- catering here and steps from the private beach.
Hoekville is small with good places for casual bites, great walks and the superb studio and forge to visit of a renowned sculptor. Nearby are 2 superb 5 star places to stay, one high in the trees and the other in a gorgeous garden with sumptuous accommodation. Their situation makes exploring westwards or eastwards, easy.
Sedgefield is officially a ‘Slow Town.’ It is a little gem and often overlooked as the focus goes onto larger towns. We suggest staying overnight or longer as it will give you a real Garden Route feel. There is lots to do locally and it is an easy base from which to explore. Enjoy the mosaics as you wander around. It has superb beaches too, plus busy markets on Saturdays. Don’t miss our artist studios and you won’t be able to miss the wonderful sunsets.
Gericke’s Point is a rocky headland with fossilized dunes. The dunes here are some of the highest in South Africa, and have an array of fossilized sea creatures. Snorkelling off the point shows a wealth of marine life and we recommend a Moonlight Meander with a naturalist.
Knysna is the oldest town with scenic large lagoon protected by massive sandstone bluffs. The Heads. It is a boating haven and the developed docklands make for great sauntering. Explore the stunning indigenous forest on boardwalks and dirt track to experience the massive trees, fernery, water trickling and tumbling everywhere and massive trees: Yellowwood, Stinkwood and Ironwood.
Look out for the beautiful Knysna Lourie, easier to hear than see, flying from cover to cover in the forest, and have a look at the tiny Knysna Seahorses as the lagoon is a marine protected area. Speeding boats close to where these endangered little creatures cling onto vegetation, can kill them. Over 200 species of fish have been recorded here and birds in the forest… over 280 species.
Beaches are some way away, and arguably the best, Noetzie requires some effort but well worthwhile. You can walk enjoying galleries and antique shops, from Main Street, to the Waterfront and then Thesen Island for upmarket shopping. Head for the Lofts deck to enjoy sunset over the lagoon helped by a G & T or beer or 2!
When in Knysna… oysters just must be on the menu! Coming soon is an oyster tour but a must visit is a laid back eatery where the menu IS the oyster. Oysters are a potent source of omega-3 fatty acids and zinc. These are said to aid depression, mood, brain functioning… and yes it is true, male fertility while helping to temper inflammation that contributes to almost every chronic illness. From the 21st to the 30th June, there is the fun Oyster Festival of food and wine, art and culture, sport and entertainment.
For greater detail and more options, join our mailing list by emailing gillittfoundation@hotmail.com. We send out two mailings a month with the best walks, places to swim etc. to inspire you to visit.
See the choices so far in the Itineraries section.
