Your Ultimate Guide to the Garden Route in South Africa

When going to South Africa, a lot of people have Cape Town and Kruger National Park on their radar – but what about the Garden Route?

Driving along the Garden Route towards Paarl in South Africa; March 2025

The Garden Route refers to a 300 kilometer or 190 mile stretch of road that includes stops such as Hermanus, Mossel, Bay, Storms River, and Oudtshoorn.

Driving to see South Africa, especially on a coach bus where you won’t have to worry about a thing – allows you to see parts of the country that you may not be able to see otherwise.

I’m going to provide a breakdown of all the places we stopped along the Garden Route and give you advice for each one, so you know what to expect each step of the way along your South African roadtrip.

Stellenbosch

Stellenbosch is a University Town in Cape Town, coveted in charming streets and patio-style cafés – making this a perfect stop before heading to any nearby winelands.

While in Stellenbosch, the best thing to do is just wander – find a nice place to sit and have a drink in the sun and also check out the town’s cute little boutiques.

Inside one of the many cute restaurants in Stellenbosch; March 2025

Pro Tip: If you’re a sucker for cute, down-to-earth cafés – you’ll have to stop by motherdough. Unfortunately, they don’t have anything vegan – but the vibes are immaculate and this makes for the perfect spot to co-work for a while or take some cute photographs.

Inside moutherdough in Stellenbosch; March 2025

Hermanus

Known as the place where people go whale watching during South Africa’s winter, or May to August – this is a small, non-commercialized ocean-front town.

I won’t lie, there isn’t much to see and do here – the main appeal is to eat dinner by the water or to sit on one of the benches near the ocean and have a small picnic.

atlantic ocean hermanus — View of Atlantic Ocean in Hermanus; March 2025

However, that isn’t to say that it isn’t appealing in a simplistic way – but I also don’t think it’s one of the highlights of the Garden Route.

Pro Tip: If you’re really into seafood, try going to eat at OceanBasket – they offer a giant seafood platter that can easily be split between two people, and it’s also nestled on a cute and color little side street.

Mossel Bay

Nestled on the Indian Ocean with the world’s longest zipline, surfing, and a prime camping spot for native South Africans during their Christmas and New Year holidays – Mossel Bay is another harbor town alongside the Garden Route.

moseel bay — Indian Ocean in Hermanus; March 2025

I was fonder of the cute little hotel we stayed at, called Oceans Hotel, as they had cute color-blocked exteriors for the rooms and woodsy vibes with a cozy pool in the center.

Pro Tip: If you’re brave, try taking a dip in the Indian Ocean – the water will probably be warmer than the Atlantic Ocean in Cape Town, but still prepare for an icy mental-health bath if you’re courageous enough.

Kynsna Waterfront

Out of all the little waterfront places we went to during our trip along the Garden Route – this one was my favorite.

It’s hard to pinpoint what drew me to this waterfront, maybe because it was a bit more manicured – but I just loved the atmosphere at the Kynsna Waterfront – lots of little shops and really charming restaurants along the water to eat at.

Pro Tip: Check out 34 Degrees South – they have an extensive menu, vegan-friendly options, all at a really affordable price while nestled in a cute corner on the water.

Storms River & Tsitsakamma National Park

Alright guys… this was probably my favorite stops alone the Garden Route.

view of tsitsakamma national park — Tsitsakamma National Park in the Eastern Cape; March 2025

Located past the world’s highest bridge for bungee jumping, Bloukran’s Bridge serves as the theoretical divider between the Eastern and Western Capes.

The Eastern Cape does not have the same amount of resources for infrastructure as the Western Cape does, so while here – you’ll notice some differences such as in the color of the water and buildings.

Here, you’ll have the chance for fun activities such as zip lining and kayaking – and you have to spend a few hours at Tsitsakamma National Park.

People kayaking near the beach in Tsitsakamma National Park; March 2025

Pro Tip: Be sure to walk to the suspension bridge, take a peek at the beach where tourists go kayaking, and to sit by the restaurant next to the park’s convenient shop – which will have small toiletries, canned goods, and snacks to help campers top up their supplies.

Birds of Eden & Monkeyland

While I didn’t go to monkeyland, because I have enough monkeys walking around in my waking life – I can offer practical advice on monkeyland if you decide to go as people on my tour group went, such as:

Put on bug spray before going inside
Remove any neck straps, jewelry, or sunglasses as the monkeys like to grab them
DO NOT go to monkeyland if you will not be comfortable being up front and close with the monkeys

For Birds of Eden, which only 3 of us opted for on our tour group, it was absolute stunning and absolutely worth seeing. In fact, one of the people who went with me made a joke, “I bet we’re having more fun than everyone who went to go see the monkeys.”

Colorful bird at the Birds of Eden; March 2025

However, just like monkeyland, there are some things to remember for Birds of Eden:

Wear good shoes with traction as things can get slippery
Either wear a shirt you don’t care about or bring wipes with you, as you will be prone to bird droppings
Birds of Eden is the perfect place to bring your best camera and opt to film video over taking pictures as it can be challenging to get a good photograph of the birds
DO NOT drink the water from the tap at the bathroom, as the water in this region of South Africa has additional minerals in it and your body could be sensitive to it

Birds from Brazil and all over the world at Birds of Eden

Oudtshoorn

This is where most group tours will take you to an Ostrich Farm, where for mere cents – you can pay to feed the ostriches while riding on a tractor. In addition to this, you can learn about ostrich eggs, how they are used to make various materials such as little feather dusters or leather keychains, and even the opportunity to try ostrich meat.

I personally was not a fan of the ostriches, as their long necks come barreling into the tractor and can be intimidating… I spent most of the time hiding out on the floor of the tractor…

… other than that, they make for beautiful and kind of scary and creepy animals!

Pro Tip: Try to catch them running, they can run up to 75 or 45 miles per hour.

Cango Caves

As this was something I was extremely nervous about (particularly on the subject matter if there were bats in the Cango Caves and if I needed a rabies vaccine), I am here to tell you that the one hour tour for the Cango Caves is definitely worth seeing.

Don’t worry, you don’t have to worry about bats in the cave – literally.

I asked the tour guide, and she told me that while they are bats in the Cango Caves – they almost never come out during the day. Therefore, you’ll be safe in the cave and won’t have to worry about coming across a bat or being infected by rabies – the chances are very low.

Pro Tip: Be sure to take your photos in night mode and bring your camera as it can be hard to get good, detailed photos inside the cave. Also, don’t lean against any walls in the cave – always respect and abide by your tour guides expectations.

General Tips for the Garden Route & South Africa

Tipping – South Africa is big on tipping, so be sure to bring cash everywhere to tip your tour guides and hotel staff.
Drinking the Water – If you want to err on the side of caution, don’t drink the tap water in South Africa – especially while in the Eastern Cape. Opt for bottled water during the trip instead.
WiFi – Internet along the Garden Route and South Africa can be spotty. The best solution for this is to try to connect to WiFi when at a restaurant or coffee shop, as I noticed that was when I had the strongest connection – it was even better than the WiFi at our hotels.
Bring Layered Clothing – Regardless of the season of time of year, South Africa is similar to New Zealand not only for its adventurous opportunities – but for its erratic weather patterns. but for safaris, etc.
Don’t Post Safari Location – Rhinos across the country are being poached, so in order to protect their safety – don’t share the exact private game reserve where you went on a safari, even if it was a miniature one.
Stay Up-to-Date on Vaccines & Medications – While you don’t need any special vaccines for Cape Town or the Western Cape, you might need anti-malaria pills for Kruger or a Yellow Vaccine. Check your local governments website for more information, and also be sure to consult your doctor on specific medications necessary.

Want to see the garden route in action?

Check out my extended vlog below!

Looking for more advice to plan your trip to South Africa?

Click here to read more about what to do in Cape Town and to see on the Garden Route.