Home  Garden Route
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Garden Route |
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 The
Garden Route extends along the coastal strip between Heidelberg and the
Eastern Cape border at Storms River Mouth, and incorporates all of
the towns and resorts along the N2 highway and coast. To the North the
Garden Route is bordered by three mountain ranges, the Langeberg,
the Outeniqua and the Tsitsikamma mountains. The
whole region is one of extreme natural beauty and many very popular
resorts have become established along the route. Large parts of the
Garden Route are controlled by the South African National Parks thus
ensuring the preservation of this pristine area well into the future.
Just east of George, lies the Wilderness National Park
This region attract hundreds of bird species to it's wetlands.
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 In
the extreme West of the Garden Route where the Breede River flows
into the Indian Ocean is St Sebastion Bay, an annual breeding
place for the Southern Right Whale, which can be seen between June and
September from Whitesands. In 2005 more than 130 whales were seen in the
nursery including more than 50 pairs of cows and their calfs. |
 The
town of Riversdale lies on the N2 and has become known as the
Floral Paradise of the Garden Route. The town is a mecca for nature
lovers of all ages and especially for fynbos enthusiasts. From
here you can hike, bike or take a horse trail. To the North of the town
is the famous Sleeping Beauty Peak in the Langeberg, and a
mountain pass leads you to the Klein Karoo. A little to the East of
Riversdale is the small town of Albertinia named after a local preacher.
The town is situated in a major sheep and wheat region and is well known
as being South Africa's main producer of red and yellow ochre and of
kaolin. There are two factories that process gel from the aloe based
here.
Mossel Bay has a history dating back to the 15th Century and
derives its name from the abundance of mussels found here. The town lies
on a sunny peninsular just off the N2 and is half way between Cape Town
and Port Elizabeth. It was at Mossel Bay that the Portuguese navigator
Bartomoleu Dias landed in 1488 to replenish his water supplies. History
lovers can also see several block houses built by the British in the
Outeniqua mountains during the Anglo-Boer War. |
 The
Garden Route's next town is George which is harbours a wonderful museum
which is mostly dedicated to wooden artifacts. There is a reconstructed
woodcutter's cottage as well as wagons and carts and even old
gramaphones. Herold's Bay is George's own beach resort and is just
outside the town. Here there are good vantage points for whale and
dolphin watching. A mountain pass leads from George into the Klein
Karoo.
The Knysna National Lake Area, known as the Jewel of the Garden
Route, there is a large lagoon bounded at its entrance by two sandstone
heads and with a background of the mountains of the Outeniqua Nature
Reserve. The lagoon is home to the famous Knysna Seahorse and
the Pansy Shell. This beautiful town offers the visitor anything from
fine shops and restaurants to hiking trails, and there are even three
golf courses. The Knysna Elephant Park offers a unique chance to
get see these magnificent animals that once lived in these forests. Just
along the coast from Knysna lies the popular resort of
Plettenberg Bay, known affectionately by many a visitor as 'Plett'.
Standing out on the beach here is Beacon Island with its hotel. In the
bay itself you can witness schools of common dolphin playing, as well as
Bottlenosed and Humpback dolphins. Several species of whale can
be seen here - the Southern Right, the Humpback and Bryde's whales as
well as Orca, the killer whale. This is the only place on Earth where
the rare Beaked whale has been filmed. Boat based whale watching tours
are available here. To the south of Plettenberg Bay lies the
Robberg Nature Reserve, which has many short hikes through the coastal
fynbos that dominates this peninsula.
At the Eastern end of the Garden Route you will find the Tsitsikamma
National Park , a pristine indigenous forest that is home to
Yellowwood, Stinkwood and Ironwood and many other tree species that are
protected in this forest. The coastline here is quite spectacular with
its natural gorges formed over millions of years. The 5 day Otter Trail
that runs along this coast. Hikers are advised to book well in advance. |
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