Garden Route Accommodation & Packages

Garden Route

Accommodation on the famous picturesque Garden Route of South Africa is some of the best in the country and our packages take visitors into forest cabins, ocean-view boutique hotels, luxury lodges and gorgeous, homely guest houses. Choose this gorgeous meander as part of your South Africa holiday with Voyage2Africa and we will show you our best accommodation and customise top Garden Route packages for your budget and needs. 

We share the very best information and accommodation venues on the Garden Route, a well-loved meander down the South African coast between the Western Cape and Durban. Read on for all you need to know about booking your holiday to the Garden Route today.

Garden Route Location and Setting

Find this beautiful meander stretching less than 300 km from Witsand on the mouth of the Breede River in the west to the border of Tsitsikamma at the famous Storms River Bridge. Experience awe-inspiring scenery and an eclectic variety of quaint accommodations in self-catering cottages, bed and breakfasts and family resorts on its side roads.

The name comes from the verdant, biodiverse vegetation growing here and the abundant estuaries and lakes dotted along the coast. It includes towns such as Knysna, Plett, Mossel Bay, Oudtshoorn, Great Brak River, Little Brak River, Sedgefield and Nature’s Valley. George is the largest town, the gateway to the Garden Route, and its main administrative centre. 

The popular route twists between forested mountains and the warm Indian Ocean, the Outeniqua Pass linking the area with the arid Little Karoo. The Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma indigenous forests are a unique mixture of Cape Fynbos and Temperate Forest and offer hiking trails and eco-tourism activities. Find nearly 300 species of birdlife in diverse habitats in this member of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves. 

Did you know?

Gondwana Private Game Reserve is the only conservation area on the Garden Route offering wonderful safaris for visitors on day trips. Explore the 11 000-ha private game reserve just 48 km from Mossel Bay and stay overnight in luxury suites with five-star service. 

Highlights

  • Robberg Nature Reserve sits on a 4 km long peninsula, a cultural, historical and ecological national monument packed with hikes, ancient rocks dating back to 12 million years, caves where ancient humans used to live and special breeding areas for birds and seals. 
  • Storms River Suspension Bridge stands in the stunning Tsitsikamma National Park, 7 m high on a long 77 m bridge spanning the wild river as it meets the ocean.
  • The famous Otter Trail is a picturesque 42 km challenge for hikers who stay overnight in huts and have to cross raging rivers, from Storms River Mouth to Nature’s Valley.
  • The Knysna Heads reveals two huge cliffs facing the ocean between a lagoon, lush forests and the wild ocean so take a boat cruise or enjoy long walks on special walkways where cafes offer coffee and snacks. 
  • Some giant yellowwoods still remain, now about 400 to 800 years old, in the spectacular Knysna Forest where once huge herds of elephants roamed in yellowwood forests.

Sanctuaries for Wild Animals on the Garden Route

The South African Animal Sanctuary Alliance SAASA) owns three linked animal rehabilitation and protection sanctuaries outside Plettenberg Bay. This organisation recently won several awards for Best Wildlife Encounters, Best Animal Welfare Initiative and winner of the World Responsible Tourism Awards!  

One sanctuary is for birds, one is for primates and one is for general wildlife:

  • Birds of Eden is the world’s largest dome shelter covering 2 ha of habitat for 3,500 birds from over 220 species! Walk for kilometres under the dome and enjoy the canopy walk too as you get up close to Knysna Loeries, Channel-billed Toucans, Bleu cranes, Crowned cranes and colourful Macaws. 
  • Monkeyland is next door, a haven for various primates that free roam in a safe place. Go on exciting monkey safaris to see more than 550 primates of different species including Capuchin Monkeys, Ring-tailed and Black-and-white Ruffed Lemurs, Gibbons and Howler Monkeys. Walk along the 128 m suspension bridge within the forest canopy. 
  • Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary is for big cats and other creatures rescued or taken in from facilities that could no longer care for them. View Lions, Tigers, Leopards, Pumas and Jaguars. Enjoy an 80-minute tour with a knowledgeable guide and also view Raccoons, a Honey Badger, Caracal, an African polecat, Zebra, Springbok and the Spotted Hyena. 

Knysna Elephant Park is a separate entity where elephant lovers can walk with these gentle giants, feed them and interact with them. They are rehabilitated elephants and the sanctuary was started more than 20 years ago for orphaned African elephants, rescued from circuses or culls. 

From farmers to artists and creators, the Garden Route is a magnet for esoteric healers, horsey smallholders and people escaping city life for rural vegetable-growing existences. Most tourists like to visit the common highlights of the Garden Route including the mind-boggling Cango Caves near Oudtshoorn, an enormous cavern inside the earth comprising several chambers in the limestone lit up with colourful lighting. 

Family Safaris to the Garden Route are Hot

Garden Route family holidays are immensely popular thanks to the diverse range of accommodation and things to do. This stunning region includes adventures on mountain hikes, beautiful beach holidays, challenging overnight hikes, river sports, forest adventures, game reserve safaris and animal sanctuaries.  Garden Route holidays focus on rural fun on lagoons, ziplines, bungee jumps, in the ocean, on forest hikes and artistic meanders.  

Voyage2Africa will advise you on where to stay and what to do on the garden Route on amazing combo forest-beach packages made for you. We recommend fab family accommodation with our favourite hand-picked selection of guest houses, boutique hotels, family-friendly hotels as well as luxury private villas.

The Best of the Best Safaris on the Garden Route

The Garden Route is an excellent starting point for your holiday to the Eastern Cape then Cape Town, or to the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal. From here, Voyage2Africa offers the best safaris inland to Addo Elephant Park and beyond. We cater for families, honeymoon couples and friends, business travellers and large groups. 

Talk to us, Africa is our home. We customise your dream Garden Route holiday in a region that has it all. We have the best packages for your family holiday in Plettenberg Bay or your couple’s retreat to the Knysna Heads and the bushveld at Gondwana.  Chat with us today to secure your customised Garden Route tour package with special rates on all accommodations. 

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