SA Route Tours
Garden Route Tour
Port Elizabeth to Cape Town (or vice versa)
En route to Plettenberg Bay from Port Elizabeth are the world renowned surfing resort towns of Jeffreys Bay and Cape St. Francis – the former being a prolific source of sea-shells – a museum displays rare and exquisite specimens. Cape St.Francis was named by the Portuguese navigator, Manuel Perestrello, in 1575 in honour of the patron saint of sailors.
Continue on to the 130 metre high Storms River Bridge and Tsitsikamma Forest, featuring more than 30 species of indigenous trees some of which are reputedly 1000 years old.
Proceed through Natures Valley to Plettenberg Bay, first named “Bahia Formosa” (Beautiful Bay) by the Portuguese. Plettenberg Bay is renowned for its rock and surf angling and deep sea fishing. Safe beaches, a lagoon and a river mouth are backed by mountain ranges and a prominent cape at the end of a promontory known as Robberg – home to archaeological sites in caves once used by the “strandlopers” who lived in the area.
Continue to Knysna with its magnificent Lagoon and the sandstone “Heads” flanking the gateway to the sea. This attractive town grew from the timber trade, started in 1804 by George Rex, said to be the illegitimate child of King George III – although never substantiated. The St George’s Church, Matteroli-Knysna House and the angling museum are worth visiting. There are many talented artists and crafters displaying their work at craft markets and in the many shops.
A popular tourist attraction is the John Benn Lagoon Cruise including Featherbed Nature Reserve.
The Outeniqua Choe-Tjoe is a steam train that travels twice daily between Knysna and George – the journey takes approximately 3 hours and includes magnificent lakes, mountains and coastal scenery.
Travel via Sedgefield and the romantic seaside resort of Wilderness to George. The George Museum depicts the town’s history, while the Mark Mall and St Mark’s Cathedral are also worth seeing.
Travel through the Outeniqua Pass to Oudtshoorn featuring several historic monuments and the fascinating architecture of the sandstone buildings that were built by ostrich farmers at the beginning of the century and dubbed the “ostrich palaces” (in those days prime feathers fetched more than their weight in gold!). There is a myriad of quaint shops displaying various forms of local arts and crafts, including many ostrich products.
Warm, dry summers and sunny winter days make this the ideal breeding ground for the ostrich. Ostrich show farms offer the opportunity to ride an ostrich or to stand on a rock-hard giant ostrich egg. A tour of an ostrich farm is recommended along with lunch.
Cango Crocodile Ranch and Cheetahland features numerous wild animals as well as the rare wild dog and also houses a snake park.
This morning visit the seaside town of Mossel Bay which was first discovered by Bartholomew Diaz in 1488 while on a voyage to the east. He named the bay “Aguada de Sao Bras” (watering place of St Blaize). The Dutch navigator Paulus van Caerden renamed it in 1601 after the bounteous supply of mussels that line the shores. Visit the Bartolomeu Dias Museum at the end of Market Street – it includes the Culture Museum, Shell Museum, a replica of the Dias Caravel and The Post Office Tree.
Continue on to Cape Town via Riversdale and Swellendam.
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