Two quick things to get out of the way:
The Garden Route is a scenic drive that runs from Mossel Bay (about 4.5 hours east of Cape Town) on the Western Cape of South Africa to Port Elizabeth on the Eastern Cape
It’s name comes from the diverse ecology, vegetation, numerous lagoons and lakes that dot the coast
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We started our Garden Route from the east side in Cape Town which meant an initial 4.5 hour drive to get to the official start of the route. Along the way we stopped in Hermanus for breakfast and strolled around looking out at sea for whales, dolphins, anything! We ate at Just Pure Bistro which I could imagine becoming my regular stomping grounds this place was SO cute, with a view of the Ocean to boot.
From Hermanus onto a town called Wilderness where we spent three nights in a Home Exchange which also happened to be a stunning guest house on the beach, Dune Guest House. We knew the apartment for the exchange looked great, but didn’t quite realize it was the “owners” apartment for the guest house. We felt very fortunate.
Wilderness reminded us of a place like Del Mar, California with beautiful homes on the dunes and cliffs overlooking the Indian Ocean. It’s a super small town, maybe village is the best way to describe it, with one grocery store and a handful of restaurants. The larger city of George was only 15 minutes away for any big shopping needs. While in Wilderness we enjoyed the beach (tho cold in the winter), a day trip to the Karoo and a Saturday market that was super cool 10 minutes away in Sedgwick. The Wiild Oats market had amazing food kiosks with great Gluten Free and Vegan options, fresh fruit, flowers, jams, pickles, etc. In the summer we were told Wilderness (and most of the Garden Route) has a very different vibe with all the beach town type activities you’d expect (surfing, sunbathers, kayaking, SUPs, boating, hiking, etc.)
While in the area we drove to Oudtshoorn which is in the Karoo area, about an hour inland. Here we visited an Ostrich Farm and the Congo Caves. I didn’t know much about Ostrich’s and from a distance they look pretty cool, but up close and personal, totally different POV (video for perspective). Check out the photos. Though it’s a reality, we didn’t love participating in this tourist activity, supporting the Ostrich Farmers who harvest the eggs, feathers, meat of these animals.
The Cango Caves on the other hand were pretty darn cool - and given David is a total cave geek, he loved it. These caves are known specifically for the formations inside and they were gorgeous.
From Wilderness we moved onto Plettenberg Bay, another town along the Garden Route. It had been windy and raining most of the morning, so we took our time getting going and with only an hour drive ahead of us, tried to enjoy the views of the ocean as well as all the lagoons and lakes along the way. We stopped for lunch in Knysna at DryDock which overlooks the lagoon and tried to stay warm while the wind and rain came down. Knysna is a home base for many people along the Garden Route with lots to do in the area. We had considered visiting the Knysna Elephant park and Monkeyland nearby (which both get rave reviews) but honestly, after the Ostrich farm neither of us was that excited about seeing animals in captivity.
We arrived at our guest house in Plettenberg Bay around 2p, just as it seemed the rain was taking a break. So off we ran to try and enjoy the outdoors a bit. Robberg Nature Reserve was stunning but the rain, and the ocean tides didn’t quite hold out for us. The loop trail required passing along the beach and our timing was all off for the last part of the loop. So after having a lot of fun coming down some steep sand dunes, we made our way back UP them, while the rain decided it was time to start pouring again. In only took all evening to dry our puffy jackets in front of the fire, rotating them like marshmallows! We especially enjoyed the sea lions, the schools of dolphins (video) below the cliffs and the aqua marine color of the ocean - definitely worth it!
The last leg of our Garden Route was from Plettenberg to Port Elizabeth. Unfortunately David and I picked up a stomach bug that night in Plettenberg and had a rough night and next day. We had a two+ hour drive with sour stomachs and definitely did not have the capacity to enjoy any hikes along the way; there were plenty of options so I guess we’ll have to return! Not to worry, we’re on the mend and managed to eat and keep down lunch today. Our first couple of weeks have not been the healthiest, but we’re continuing along hoping the worst is behind us.
P.S. send us texts, emails, photos - we’ll be sharing our life on the road, please share your life with us as well - miss you already!
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