Cape Town to Storms River: Highlights of the Garden Route

A road trip is both my favorite and most challenging way to travel. There's nothing quite like the freedom of the open road, where your itinerary is your own and the only limits are how far the gas tank and your patience with the backseat chorus of "Are we there yet?" can take you.

Setting out from Cape Town on South Africa’s legendary Garden Route, we found that each stop was more beautiful and surprising than the last.

Stretching along South Africa’s southeastern coast, the Garden Route is a treasure trove of diverse landscapes, rich biodiversity, and charming towns. Officially beginning in Mossel Bay and ending at Storms River, this scenic journey offers endless ways to explore. You could spend two weeks marveling at natural wonders, vineyards, and quaint towns, some just 30 minutes apart.

Our five-day sprint barely scratched the surface, leaving us with a list of must-sees for the next adventure.

Hermanus: Whale-Tales and Cliff Trails

Just under two hours from Cape Town, Hermanus Bay is the Garden Route’s welcoming committee. Renowned for whale watching from June to November, this former fishing village offers views so stunning they'll make you forget all about the whales. (Which is fortunate because we didn’t spot any in the off season.)

We liked the 12 km Cliff Path so much we went back to do it again the next day. In addition to the remarkable views, Hermanus serves up some of the best food in all of South Africa. In 2019, it became Africa’s first and only UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy. Who knew that was a thing? It’s easy to understand once you’ve tried a few places. We especially liked Lizette’s Kitchen & Bar.

Hemel de Aarde: The Hidden Gem

This hidden treasure is a bit off the traditional path and we’re lucky a South African friend suggested we stop. Tucked away in the lush folds of the Western Cape, this place is a sanctuary of tranquility. Imagine sipping a glass of fine South African wine, peacefully watching the sun set over the rolling vineyards and horses grazing…while (not so peacefully) two boys scream and splash in a small wood fired hot tub surely designed for honeymoons.

We stayed on a serene horse farm where we were free to wander and get up close and personal with their award-winning stallions. We learned that apple picking by horseback is much more challenging than it seems. And defending the orchards from the onslaught of baboons is even more difficult. Every morning and evening farmers must patrol by quad bike, scaring the beasts back into the forest. It’s a serious threat – our guide shared that one year the farm lost $50,000 in apple crops.

Knysna: Lagoons, Oysters, and Forest Magic

Knysna, pronounced “Nice-na” (a helpful tip to avoid the embarrassment of saying “Knees-na”), is a popular midpoint stop.

We arrived at night and finally made it to our AirBnB after spending hours getting sorted in a security booth (S.A. is filled with extensive biometric security barriers). At this point, we’ve discovered a highlight of any stop on the garden route is the food. Knysna’s île de païn has such a great breakfast we went back twice, and the sandy-floored Freshline Fisheries market lived up to its reputation as the best seafood stop in South Africa.

Foregoing Knysna’s popular oyster tours due to weather, we opted for the eerie tranquility of the Diepwalle Forest. Once teeming with elephants, it now hosts mainly baboons.

Storms River Mouth: The Grand Finale

The Garden Route saves the best for last with the breathtaking Storms River Mouth, nestled within the Tsitsikamma National Park. Renowned for its stunning coastal vistas and adventure activities, this is the spot to start the famed Otter Trail, ranked among the world's top multi-day hikes. Since it is nearly impossible to secure a spot, we were grateful to get at least a day hike and a few days soaking in the area's natural beauty. For the ultimate experience, staying at the Storms River Mouth rest camps within the park is ideal. These fully equipped cabins sit right on the shoreline, offering a lullaby of Indian Ocean waves as you drift off to sleep.

The End of the Road

After a few days at Storms River we made the journey back in Cape Town in one shot. Not recommended. Especially when someone decides that days-old pasta salad is “perfectly fine.” (It is not.)

Despite a few other brief stops (George, Plettenberg Bay, and Mossel Bay), we left many stones unturned, eagerly planning our next expedition.