After two months of being thoroughly spoiled by Chesney’s family in Muizenberg (Cape Town), we finally hit the road for the trip everyone had been telling us to do: the Garden Route in South Africa. One week, one borrowed car, and a drive out to Plettenberg Bay and back. Yes, technically the Garden Route stretches from Mossel Bay to Storms River, but you’re likely to leave from Cape Town, so I’m counting it.
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1-week Garden Route itinerary at a glance
This is the exact route we drove, day by day — where we stayed, what everything cost, and what I’d do differently. If you just want a ranked list of the best stops, that’s over in my Garden Route highlights post.
- Day 1: Cape Town → Hermanus → L’Agulhas
- Day 2: L’Agulhas → Swellendam → Mossel Bay
- Day 3: Mossel Bay → Wilderness → Sedgefield → Knysna
- Day 4: Knysna → Plettenberg Bay
- Day 5: Plettenberg Bay
- Days 6–7: Return to Cape Town
Total distance: About 1,000 km round trip.
How many days you need: One week was perfectly fine for us. You could squeeze it into five days, or stretch to 10 or more if you want to take it slow or add Tsitsikamma and Storms River. (We were on a bit of a time crunch and didn’t make it that far.)
Best time to drive the Garden Route: We went in October, in time for whale season in Hermanus (July to November). It’s not too hot or too cold, and not yet the busy high season over summer. But if I’m honest, I don’t really think there’s a bad time to go — you’ll just want to pack lots of layers if you go during the winter.
What to know before driving the Garden Route South Africa
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Getting the right car
The Garden Route is a road trip. There's no version of this that works without a car. We borrowed one from family. But if you're flying in, here's everything you need to know about renting a car in Cape Town. Ideally you'll want an SUV!
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Staying connected
Between Google Maps rerouting us around crumbling mountain passes, checking last-minute tour availability, and updating my Insta followers, we leaned on mobile data a lot. I used eTravelSim in South Africa and it was great. They also have 25% off all eSIMs until the end of July 2026 with the promo code: ETS25.
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Safety in South Africa
The Garden Route is generally very safe. However, you should always remember to lock your doors before you start driving. And definitely double check that everything is locked up when you park or leave your Airbnb. Driving through these small towns is generally very chill, and even Cape Town's roads weren't as hectic as I was expecting. We had no issues, but keep your wits about you, don't walk alone at night, etc.
Day 1: Cape Town – Hermanus – L'Agulhas
Hittin’ the open road! Get ready and excited to experience the Garden Route, South Africa’s best road trip along the south coast.
Distance: 250 km (150 miles)
Drive time: 3 hours
Spot whales
Hermanus is nicknamed the “Whale Watching Capital of the World,” and we accidentally timed our trip for whale season. You don’t even need a boat. From July to November, you can spot southern right whales from viewpoints right in town. Free whale watching? Sign me tf up.
(Unfortunately we didn’t actually get to see any on this stop. But we did see them when we stopped in Hermanus again on the way back to Cape Town.)
Have lunch in an actual cave
Chesney’s aunt saved the day with a hot recommendation: Bientang’s Cave, a restaurant built into the rock face. Love the coast, love a cave, say no more.
Every table had a reserved sign and we hadn’t called ahead, but the road trip gods squeezed us into a small table near the entrance. Close enough that we could hear several hopeful diners getting turned away just after us. We ordered the seafood potjie (a South African stew cooked in a big cauldron) and it exceeded every expectation.
Lesson learned: Book a reso at Bientang’s Cave ahead of time. On a good day, you can actually spot the whales right from the cave, so try to get a table outdoors or with a good view.
Visit the Southern Tip of Africa
We drove down iron-rich, bumpy dirt roads, dodging tortoises and guinea fowl — South Africa’s silly turkey-chickens with blue heads — along the way to reach our final destination for the day: L’Agulhas. The main event is the southernmost tip of Africa, where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet. (Cape Point in Cape Town claims to be the southern tip, but this is the real one.)
Pop over to StruisBaai to meet Parrie the friendly stingray
Parrie is a local celebrity. He hangs around by the dock in the Struisbaai Harbour every day. Some people pet him (but shouldn’t, in my opinion) and he’s just a friendly little guy. There’s also a seaside restaurant and ice cream truck parked up right here at the harbour. We didn’t actually see Parrie when we went, and a local fisherman said he sometimes disappears when there’s been too much rain, so I think we just had bad luck.
Where to stay in L'Agulhas
L’Agulhas is a very chill, low-key place. You won’t find a Hilton Hotel here and nor would you want one. Airbnb has its problems, but it’s a perfectly fine option for this stop on the Garden Route. There aren’t many knockout hotels or buzzing hostels you need to book instead.
Self-catered one bedroom apartments like South of Africa start around 700 ZAR. Alternatively the Cape Agulhas Guest House provides more service for 2,000 ZAR per night.
Day 2: L'Agulhas – Swellendam – Mossel Bay
This leg is a pretty big driving day, so make sure you take lots of breaks along the way.
Distance: 300 km (200 miles)
Drive time: 3-4 hours
Follow the signs for the Faerie Sanctuary
We only stopped in Swellendam for a road coffee, but a series of little homemade signs pointing to a “Faerie Sanctuary” derailed our plan. They lead to a house with a wild, overgrown garden with gnomes, dragons, fairy castles, and mushroom-themed decorations all over. You exit through a gift shop stacked floor-to-ceiling with faerie trinkets, so that could be a fun and pretty random Garden Route souvenir.
I live for unexpected gems like this. Not the faeries specifically — though my mom used to hide fairies around our backyard when I was a kid — but these weird little discoveries in small towns.
One heads up when road tripping this part of the Garden Route: We’d planned to go over the mountain pass toward Barrydale, but the road was full closed and basically crumbling with rocks coming down the mountainside. A perfect example of the infamous South African infrastructure lol.
Explore Mossel Bay
Once in Mossel Bay, we dropped our things at the Airbnb and hiked up to the lighthouse. Some rickety wooden steps lead to a giant cave underneath it, and a stone path continues up to an epic coastal viewpoint. This is the start of the 14-kilometre St Blaize Trail, which you could tackle if you’re taking more time to do the Garden Route. It takes about 6 hours.
Highlight: Dassies! They look like gophers but are apparently somehow relatives of the African elephant??? Fact-checked, but weird.
Visit the Point of Human Origins if you have time. It’s an archeological cave site and UNESCO World Heritage-listed. You can only book this in advance by contacting them directly. We tried to do it the day before and missed out.
There’s also the Mossel Bay Zipline, which stretches over the ocean. You may even get splashed by the waves as they crash against the rocks below you.
Where to stay in Mossel Bay
There are lots of little apartments around town for 1,000 ZAR per night. The location isn’t so essential here because you’re not staying long, but it’s nice to be within walking distance of the lighthouse trail and the central restaurants for dinner.
Must-stay hostel: Santos Express Train. Yes, a hostel in an actual decommissioned train overlooking the beach. This is such a unique bucket list-worthy stay, but it books up quickly so jump on it early! Prices start at 300 ZAR per night.
For a bougier, more traditional hotel: Protea Hotel by Marriott. Sea view rooms and a top buffet breakfast included to kick start your Garden Route road trip. Prices start at 2,300 ZAR per night.
Day 3: Mossel Bay – Wilderness – Sedgefield – Knysna
Ok this is where South Africa’s Garden Route officially starts. Today is a big driving day. But there are lots of short stops you can make from coffee shops to beaches.
Distance: 120 km (75 miles)
Drive time: 1-2 hours
Top stops between Mossel Bay and Knysna
- Elvis Brew Co
It’s just outside the George Airport (GRJ), which feels like a weird location for a road trip stop. But it’s super cute and has shelves of artisanal trinkets, craft beer, and a cafe with coffee and a solid pepper steak pie. - Wilderness
Wilderness is the name of a town (“Hi, I live in Wilderness — not THE Wilderness.”) and it’s home to a beach that’s perfect for a little stroll to stretch your legs on this long driving day. - Sedgefield
If you happen to be passing through Sedgefield on a Saturday, hit the Wild Oats Community Farmers’ Market for a bite to eat. But there are lots of other options in town for lunch if the stars don’t align for you. - Gericke’s Point (also Sedgefield)
A beautiful stop for another coastal stroll, but this is more dramatic and rocky than Wilderness’ beach.
Explore Knysna
Once you reach Knysna, assuming it’s still light out, go straight to he Knysna Heads Viewpoint overlooking the beach. We watched an otter swim to shore just like 20 metres from people who had no idea it was there on the other side of some rocks. I wonder how often I’ve been that close to cool wildlife without even realizing it. Whether you see an otter or nah, this is a cool spot. It’s also nice down on the beach.
Oysters are a thing in Knysna, and we’re on a shoestring budget… but when in Rome. At 34 Degrees South market, sitting right on the waterfront, Chesney got a classic tasting plate with four “types” of plain oysters (that were really just different sizes). I got the weird set of four actually different oysters: teriyaki, tempura, sushi, and blue cheese. The sushi one comes with an actual piece of salmon nigiri on it. 10/10 worth the slight hit to our daily budget.
Knysna is really cute. So if you’re taking more days to drive the Garden Route, you could easily spend an extra night or two here.
Where to stay in Knysna
We stayed at this Knysna Airbnb and absolutely loved it. The downside is that we had to drive to town, but it was a great price (now about 1,000 ZAR per night) and the host had some really nice little finishing touches.
For options closer to town:
Hostel: Island Vibe Knysna
Basic, but strong social vibes and it’s a good location with friendly staff who will help you find cool stuff to do. Dorms starting at 300 ZAR per night.
Budget Hotel: The Russel Hotel
A bit in land, but still walkable to the waterfront restaurants and a really good price for a hotel. Starts at 700 ZAR per night for a room.
Hotel: Protea Hotel by Marriott
A bougier option if you’re doing a Garden Route road trip to treat yo’self. Rooms start at around 2,200 ZAR per night.
Day 4: Knysna – Plettenberg Bay
It’s just a short stint on the road today! And once you reach Plett, you’ll barely need to drive anywhere at all. If you had any other activities you wanted to hit in Knysna but didn’t get around to yesterday, you can fit them in in the morning before you head off.
Distance: 30 km (20 miles)
Drive time: 30 minutes
Monkeyland
I always wrestle with animal tourism. I did some dumb stuff as a young backpacker, so now I think critically about every animal activity — as we all should. I was a bit skeptical about Monkeyland when we first started researching. But they all roam the forested park freely (though a net around the perimeter does ultimately keep them contained).
You can only visit Monkeyland in Plettenberg Bay if you go with a guide, which felt unnecessary at first. But then the kids in our group started throwing little twigs at the wildlife while their parents did nothing, and I was like ooooooh, right, people are the worst. Fortunately our guide told them off.
He was also brilliant at spotting animals hidden in the canopy we’d never have found ourselves, including howler monkeys and a newborn lemur.
The grand finale is a long suspension bridge. A spider monkey sauntered up right behind me, basically jumped over Chesney’s head, and swung past us down the middle of the bridge. I love him. The visit takes about an hour, includes a guide, and costs 440 ZAR.
If you want the full rundown of which wildlife experiences in South Africa are worth doing (and which to avoid), I’ve written a whole post about it.
Where to stay in Plettenberg Bay
Here are some hotels and vacation rentals in Plettenberg Bay, South Africa, with consistently strong guest ratings of 4+ stars. I wouldn’t steer you wrong.
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Day 5: Plettenberg Bay
No driving needed today beyond getting yourself to the beach or exploring outside of downtown.
Swim with seals in South Africa
Ok so this was the main event and hands down the best thing we did on the entire Garden Route.
We’d been tossing up between seal swimming and canyoning. But we can do stuff like canyoning/blackwater rafting in New Zealand, and I’ve never seen the chance to swim with seals anywhere else. I obviously had to ask the people what they wanted, and 79% agreed in my Instagram poll that swimming with seals was the way to go.
There’s a colony of about 10,000 Cape fur seals that live on a rocky outcrop a short boat trip from the main beach in Plettenberg Bay. As we approached, they came out jumping and flipping around the boat before we’d even gotten our snorkels on. Once we hopped in the water, they were ready to play. Every time we dived down, a group would chase or try to race us. They truly are the puppies of the sea, and kept playfully nipping at our fins. Chesney swears he got a little nip on the bum.
I’ve written more about this specific seal swimming experience and others in South Africa in another post. Stuff like what it costs, the ethics of it, what to bring, and everything you need to know before you go.
You can book the exact trip we did via Get Your Guide or directly with Offshore Adventures. There are several tours per day, usually 10 AM, 12 PM, or 2 PM, but make sure you book in advance rather than just rocking up. Everything was 100/10, and 1,000 ZAR for a once-in-a-lifetime experience felt pretty reasonable.
Lunch at Moby's
We went for lunch at Moby’s (technically called Moby Dick’s but they seemed to have dropped the “dick”) after the seal trip. It’s right on the beach by the Offshore Adventure office. It was nice to unwind and admire all of our GoPro footage with some calamari overlooking the beach.
Robberg Peninsula Nature Reserve
If you have the energy for a nice hike, head over to the Robberg Nature Reserve. This is also a great alternative if you’re not comfortable with the seal swimming, because there are some nice seal viewpoints along the trail.
Day 6-7: Back to Cape Town
For this compact 7-day Garden Route itinerary, Plettenberg Bay should be your last stop. Now you’ll head straight back to Cape Town, which you could do in one intense driving day, or split it into a more comfortable two.
Distance: 500-600 km (350 miles)
Drive time: 6-10 hours
Go direct or via Hermanus
If you got some great whale sightings in Hermanus when you kicked off your Garden Route road trip, you might not feel like you need to go back. In that case, you can cut about 50 kms out of the journey and go straight from Plettenberg Bay to Cape Town without leaving Highway 2.
We returned via Hermanus for a better chance at seeing whales and it was entirely worth it. Second time was a charm and we got to watch a mother and calf surfacing just offshore. There are lots of good viewpoints, but we saw them from Gearing’s Point. Remember this is a seasonal activity between July and November, with “almost guaranteed” sightings from September-November.
While you can spot them for free from the shore, you can also:
- Get even closer on a boat trip. Guides can tell you more about the different whale species and will be better at spotting them. Boat tours usually cost about 1,500 ZAR.
- Try kayaking for a budget-friendly boating option. A sustainable option where you won’t be fighting your neighbours for the best seat on the boat. 2 hours in the kayak will run about 600 ZAR.
- Go whale-watching from a helicopter. (This is a more luxury activity at a whopping 25,000 ZAR though.)
Where to stay in Hermanus
Hermanus is very small, and the main event is (not sure if I’ve made this clear yet) whale watching. So you should look for something on the coast… with a sea view if you can swing it. There are lots of Airbnbs under 1,000 ZAR per night.
Hostels
- Zen Den: Great location just a short walk from town, with a good social vibe and access to surf lessons. Dorms starting at 250 ZAR per night, private rooms are about 700 ZAR.
- Zzzone: This boutique hostel is super lush and even has a pool. Only a few dorms 350 ZAR, and private rooms start at 900 ZAR. Try to book well in advance.
- Hermanus Backpackers: Another spot with a pool and this one has a very cozy vibe. Dorms are well-priced at 550 ZAR, but private rooms are spenny at 1,500 ZAR or more.
Hotels
- Misty Waves Boutique Hotel: Stunning sea view rooms and very um, unique, interior design. It’s kind of like an elevated classic B&B style. Hard to pinpoint, but it’s full of charm. Rooms range from about 2,500 ZAR to 6,500 ZAR.
- Harbour House Hotel: This one is kind of weird because the pool is basically on the street, right at street level and everything on a busy corner. But the location makes it worth it, and rooms start around 5,000 ZAR.
- Auberge Burgundy Boutique Hotel & Spa: Elevated, cozy, and in an unbeatable location. Enjoy the included breakfast then walk straight out to Gearing’s Point to spot some whales. Rooms start at the same price, 5,000 ZAR.
- W-Collection Hermanus: Luxury sea view suites starting at 3,500 ZAR.
Naomi Lai
Naomi is a Canadian travel editor and writer with 13 years of international travel across Southeast Asia, Europe, South America, New Zealand, and beyond. She covers everything from budget backpacking to luxury travel — always from personal experience.
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