Easy Guide to Garden Route Tours: Best Beaches & Towns to Visit

Garden Route Tours are so full of incredible destinations and activities that it can be hard to decide what to do. This easy guide explains the best beaches, towns, and activities on the Garden Route.

After taking in the sights of Cape Town, the Stellenbosch and Franschhoek Winelands, and the delights of the Whale Route and Hermanus, many tourists take to the famous Garden Route for a guided or self-drive tour. The Garden Route road trip runs roughly 200 km from Mossel Bay to Stormsriver & Tsitsikamma. Those with an eye for exploration can, however, explore Karoo towns like Oudtshoorn, and venture along more coast to Jeffery’s Bay & Cape St. Francis, as well as Gqebera aka. Port Elizabeth. Ending a Garden Route adventure in Gqebera puts you on the doorstep of Addo Elephant National Park or an easy flight to Kruger National Park.

This easy guide to Garden Route tours is loaded with incredible activities and outlines the best of what the Garden Route has to offer.

From Cape Town along the N2 adventurers will hit Swellendam. I always recommend that road-trippers take in the Tradouw Pass en route to Barrydale and travel between the Rooiberg and Swartberg before dropping down the astonishingly beautiful Outeniqua Pass to George. Victoria Bay (just outside George) is a gorgeous, but very small beach, that is popular with surfers. After Victoria Bay, you will hit the Garden Route Proper, introduced by Dolphin Point just before you get to Wilderness. After Wilderness, Sedgefield, Knysna, then Plett, and Storms River await.

Wilderness on the Garden Route

The first notable stop on the Garden Route should be Wilderness. This small town has restaurants, an amazing coffee shop, incredible Garden Rote beaches, forest trails, hidden pizza parlours, and some of the most incredible views in South Africa.

Wilderness is a tranquil haven known for its stunning landscapes and easy laid-back vibes. This is a great place to spend a few days really soaking up the sun and relaxing on the sand.

Start your day with a coffee from The Green Shed in Wilderness Village which serves up a delicious brew as well as pastries that make a perfect takeaway to enjoy on the beach.

There are two beaches to choose from and so much space that it never feels crowded. Main Beach is the first of the Garden Routes Blue Flag Beaches and boasts endless stretches of sand, perfect water, and pounding surf. West of Wilderness Main Beach is Leenjies Klip Beach. With Dolphins Point behind you, this beach feels like an open secret. Paragliders land on the sand at the back while revellers laze in the sun, swim, and bodyboard.

Enjoying the beach is all about timing. Mornings and evenings are best as the afternoon sun will sizzle.

Luckily, hidden between the undulating hills and crags that surround Wilderness on the Garden Route, is a lush Afromontane forest with a number of trails that wind beneath the canopy to explore. The Half-collard King Fisher Trail, an easy and relaxing walk that can also be combined with kayaking, ends in a delicious waterfall and plunge pool that is nothing short of magic.

If you are looking for a little more, drive up to Wilderness Heights in search of pizza, and see if you can find the Woodville Big Tree. This protected indigenous forest has an easy 2 km trail or a more challenging 7 km loop. Either on a short stop or an all day excursion, the Woodville Big Tree is an 800-year-old giant that is worth a stop.

Wilderness offers a perfect mix of relaxation and adventure.

Sedgefield the Garden Routes Underrated Star

Sedgefield, just 20 km from Wilderness on the Garden Route, can be visited as a day trip if you choose to make Wilderness your base. Driving through Sedgefield, you wouldn’t think it had much to offer. However, Sedgefield is home to 3 notable attractions in the Wild Oats Market, paragliding, and endless beaches.

The Wild Oats Market, now in its 15th year, is a charming, internationally renowned farmers' market that draws locals and travellers alike with its festive atmosphere. Celebrating diversity, it unites urban and rural communities while promoting education on local food, nutrition, and sustainability. The market attracts locals from as far afield as Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. Open every Saturday morning, this vibrant space offers excellent local crafts, food, clothing, and more. If you are on the Garden Route over a weekend, head to the Wild Oats Market for a unique market experience.

Hidden behind Sedgefield is an incredible stretch of beach. Not for everyone, the star attraction is an uninterrupted 14 km stretch of pristine beach. Starting at Myoli Beach which draws crowds in the summer and has a restaurant (mixed reviews), the beach stretches to the left through Cola Beach and all the way to the Goukamma Nature Reserve. Take a picnic to snack on or work up an appetite for any of the fine restaurants in Sedgefield. When we visited, we walked barefoot with our feet in the sea and sand for almost 5 hours without seeing another soul!

Sedgefield offers a surprising number of adventure activities too. While visiting Myoli Beach, consider having a Kite Surfing lesson, going quad biking, and doing a tandem paraglide from Cloud 9.

Read The Best Garden Route Adventure Activities by Land, Air & Water to find out more about what Garden Route Tours South Africa has to offer.

Knysna on the Garden Route

Knysna, just 20 minutes further down the road from Sedgefield, is a vibrant gem on South Africa's Garden Route. Knysna is the epicentre of South Africa Garden Route Tours offering an embarrassment of natural riches, excellent accommodations and restaurants, and a plethora of activities for families, couples, and solo travellers.

Though Knysna does not have a notable beach of its own, there are two spectacular beach destinations on either side of the town. On the Sedgefield side, Buffalo Bay is a favourite for its beautiful sand and surf. On the Plett side, Noetzie Beach is secluded and backed by a row of imposing castles that give it a special feeling.

If you fancy indulging in some forest activities, head to Diepwalle which has some excellent walking beneath the towering canopy of the indigenous forest. Stop for food and tea at the tea room and explore the Forest Legends Museum to find out more about the fascinating history of the Knysna Forests and its people.

Finally, after a day of exploring, visit the Thesen Island complex. There are tennis courts, golf courses, boating, bird watching, and even a few lagoon beaches. The Thesen Island Harbour Town also boasts plenty of restaurants, boutique shops, and relaxed cafes that cater to every taste. For a more commercial experience, visit the Knysna Waterfront for family dining and plenty of opportunities for South African-themed curios.

Plettenberg Bay on the Garden Route

When you’ve had your fill of Knysna, head west along the N2 to Plettenberg Bay. Plett is another beautiful seaside town with beautiful beaches, plenty of outdoor activities, and loads of good eateries, and accommodations.

The distance to Plett is only 34 km, and there are plenty of places to stop along the way including The Garden of Eden – a small trail through some thick forest, Knysna Ziplines – for family fun, the Garden Route Wolf Sanctuary, the Knysna Elephant Park – where you can get up close to these African Giants, and the Harkerville Trail and look out point. Because of the short distances, these activities are all doable from either Knysna or Plettenberg Bay.

My favourite Plettenberg Bay destination is the Robberg Peninsula. This spit of land has incredible hiking trails, beautiful lookout points, and some deserted beaches. It is worth spending a morning walking the trails and keeping an eye out for Great White Sharks that cruise the rocks for seals. Robberg also has its own blue flag beach.

Plett also offers some beautiful beaches, perfect for paddle boarding, surfing, swimming, and lazing about in the sun. Beaches to choose from include Central, Shipwreck, and Lookout Beach. The town itself is small and self-contained and offers a good selection of cafes restaurants and shops.

Two outstanding activities not far from Plettenberg Bay are the Knysna Elephant Sanctuary and Birds of Eden. Knysna Elephant Sanctuary lets guests get up close to these rescued elephants. It is a great educational experience perfect for the whole family. Birds of Eden is the largest open-air aviary in the southern hemisphere. They have an amazing 3500 birds from 220 species from all over the world, and listening to their calls and discovering them along the pathways is a treat. Next door to Birds of Eden is Monkeyland, home to over 550 primates.

Storms River on the Garden Route

Storms River is the next Garden Route Town, but we’d be remiss to mention Nature's Valley which lies between Plettenberg Bay and Storms River.

Nature's Valley is a tiny town with an amazing secluded feeling. Another one of South Africa's Garden Route blue flag beaches offers stunning coastlines, rivers and forests that all combine to make Nature's Valley an idyllic spot to explore.

Storms River is a tiny village that serves as the gateway to the Tsitsikamma National Park and the Otter Trail. Tsitsikamma is the main attraction and offers forest walks, suspension bridges, and amazing nature. For the adventurous, try kayaking and lilo-ing through the Storms River Gorge, an exhilarating experience.

Other Tsitsikamma adventures include segway tours, canopy tours, quad biking, horse riding and more. Don’t forget the Bloukrans Bungee Jump, at 216m is the highest bungee in Africa.

Garden Route Add-ons

While the Garden Route technically ends at Storms River, Gqeberha, Jeffery’s Bay and Addo Elephant Park are a hop skip and jump along the N2.

Jeffery’s Bay is famous as a surfing paradise and is a no-brainer for anyone who knows its fame. The town eats, sleeps, and breathes surfing. Just around the corner is Cape St Francis, another one of South Africa’s Blue Flag Beaches and a good place to lounge around and relax.

Gqeberha aka. Port Elizabeth, offers several activities and comes with a big city feel. Perfect for catching internal flights back to Cape Town, or onward to Durban, Johannesburg, or the Kruger National Park. If you have a couple of days, don’t hesitate to visit Addo Elephant National Park.

Addo Elephant National Park is a Big 7 reserve, having great white sharks and southern right whales in addition to the regular lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino. Addo is a massive park with incredibly diverse biomes. It is also a great self-drive destination and one of the best Malaria Free Big 5 Safari Destinations in South Africa.

Planning a Garden Route Tour?

The Garden Route in South Africa is a popular destination for travellers wanting to soak up the beauty of this incredible region. Bookended by Addo Elephant Park in the East and Cape Town in the West, the Garden Route makes an excellent pre- or post-Kruger National Park diversion. It is a destination in itself but combines well with the Winelands, the Whale Route, and Cape Town Tours. 

Read more about the Garden Route South Africa Tours in our free Garden Route Guide.

African Budget Safaris can help you plan your Garden Route Tour with itineraries to suit your needs and your budget. Our experienced consultants can give you advice about routes, Big 5 safaris near Cape Town, the best way to connect to Kruger and much more.

Contact African Budget Safaris and start planning your dream safari to the southern tip of Africa.

Andrew Hofmeyr Senior Safari Blogger

Andrew Hofmeyr is a seasoned travel writer with over 10 years of experience. He’s travelled widely in Southern Africa, Southeast Asia, and Europe, with favourites including Bali, the Drakensberg, and the Amatole Mountains. His writing covers conservation, wildlife, and travel advice, with work featured in Wild Magazine and the Kingdom of Eswatini Tourism. He also conducts insightful interviews with global experts.

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