Garden Route & Cape Game Reserves

The Garden Route is a stunning stretch of indigenous forest, dramatic coastline and huge sandy beaches running east from Cape Town.

The area also boasts a number of ‘malaria free’ private game reserves in the Eastern Cape with some excellent game viewing and lovely luxury lodges offering you the perfect mix of beach and bush.

The Garden Route derives its name from its dense vegetation, including the famous fynbos, which characterises this coastline in contrast to the country’s arid interior. It’s a beautiful and easy route to drive, stopping at small towns, beaches, lagoons and nature reserves. 

As well as lovely guest houses and unique lodges, there’s a huge variety of activities and game reserves en route. Some of the reserves only have plains game but the more established reserves such as Shamwari have the Big 5 and Addo has huge herds of elephant and some rhino. The Cape Reserves are great for children, being malaria-free, but also because some of the lodges cater specifically for them with children’s activities, children’s meals and babysitting services.

Did you know?

• You can go whale and dolphin watching from Plettenberg Bay.
• Go zip-wiring and the tree top canopy walk in the Tsitsikamma Forest.
• Horse-riding and golf are also available in the area. 
• The Garden Route combines really well with Cape Town and the Winelands, with malaria-free game reserves within easy reach so you can start or end with a couple of days on safari without need for anti-malarials.
• There is some top surfing and glorious beaches all along the coast.
• Fly into Cape Town and hire a car and drive along the Garden Route, finish off with a safari and fly back from Port Elizabeth so you don’t need to drive both ways.
• Get off the beaten track and head inland to the Great Karoo with its dramatic landscapes and wildlife.
• You shouldn’t visit the big cat orphanages.