THE GARDEN ROUTE, SOUTH AFRICA

When French explorer, Francois Le Vaillant travelled here in the 1780s he wrote “The land bears the name Outenique, which in the KhoiKhoi tongue, means ‘laden with honey’”. Running along the Western Cape coast, with a ridge of quartzite mountains on the one side and a deep blue sea on the other, the Garden Route is one of the most visited areas in South Africa.

UNSURPASSED BEAUTY ALONG SOUTH AFRICA’S COASTLINE

Named for its abundant greenery, lush forests, coastal coves and lost lagoons, the scenic towns along the Garden Route were previously only connected by a route frequented by settlers and traders. Over time, roads, mountain passes and bridges were constructed to link these popular villages that would soon become known as the Garden Route.

This ever-popular self-drive route takes guests through dramatic mountain scenery, peaceful indigenous forests, white sand beaches, scenic vineyards, sunny orchards, expansive lakes and so much more.

From pristine beaches, lakes and forests, to navigable rivers and wild flowers in their millions, the scenery is diverse but certainly consistent in its beauty. Add to that temperatures that seldom drop below 20˚C and high annual rainfall (usually at night), and it is easy to understand why even the earliest inhabitants described this as a land of milk and honey.