Garden Route

The Garden Route is a dazzling stretch of the southern coast of South Africa. It stretches from Mossel Bay in the Western Cape to the Storms River and includes towns such as Mossel Bay, George, Knysna, Oudtshoorn, Plettenberg Bay and Nature's Valley.

The Route is sandwiched between the Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma mountains and the Indian Ocean. The Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma indigenous forests are a unique mixture of Cape Fynbos and temperate forest, and offer hiking trails and many eco-tourism activities. Nearly 300 species of birdlife are to be found in a variety of habitats, ranging from fynbos to forest to wetlands.

Although the most popular exploration of the Garden Route is by car, it is also the site of Africa's last remaining passenger steam train, the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe.