The Garden Route Accommodation

The Garden Route Accommodation

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The Garden Route Accommodation

The Garden Route - Simply Irresistible

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 attracts hundreds of bird species to it's wetlands.

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 town 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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Explore in pictures...

Buffelsbaai from the air with Brenton-on-Sea in the background
A Rock Kestrel perched on a wire close to its nesting site in Dana Bay, Garden Route
Looking down towards George from the Outeniqua Pass, N12 Road
Boggomsbaai beach, Garden Route
Swimming beach at Vleesbaai
Walkway leading down to the beach at Brenton-on-Sea
"Hazy-dayz" at Buffelsbaai beach, Garden Route
"Ou Winkel" (old shop) - Keurbooms River crossing at De Vlugt
Diaz Beach, Mossel Bay, Garden Route
Dutch Reformed Church in the centre of Heidelberg, Garden Route
St Pauls Church School, Market Lane, George
Gouritsmond, Garden Route
If camping is your thing, and you need to be near the sea, then look no further than Hartenbos!
Outlying Valley in Heidelberg District
Herolds Bay on the outskirts of George, Garden Route
A Yellowwood Tree (Podocarpus falcatus) in Hoekville, estimated to be +- 800 years old, with a circumference of 12 m and a height of 33 m
Looking across the Keurboom's River towards Brackenburn Private Nature Reserve
Keurboomstrand looking towards Brackenburn Private Nature Reserve
East Head, Knysna Heads from Featherbed Nature Reserve, Knysna
Pair of Knysna Turacos, commonly referred to as Knysna Loeries
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Aerial View of the Knysna Waterfront
View across the Knysna Lagoon, with Thesen Island on the left and The Heads (opening to the sea) in the distance
Leisure Island in the Knysna lagoon, Knysna
Mossel Bay, Garden Route
The Santos Beach Pavilion was completed in 1906 by the builder WJR Swart, and it became a popular meeting place - particularly in the 1920s and 1930s
War Memorial at Mossel Bay Point was built in 1924 to commemorate Mossel Bay residents who lost their lives in action in World War I. In 1954 names were added of residents who lost their lives in World War II
Mossel Bay, looking North East towards Klein Brak River
Nature's Valley lagoon - the end of the line for the Grootrivier (big river)
Nature's Valley beach
Nature's Valley lagoon
Plettenberg Bay as seen from the Robberg Nature Reserve
Looking towards Look Out beach and the Keurboomsrivier beyond at Plettenberg Bay
Beacon Island, Plettenberg Bay
Rondevlei Nature Reserve, Midway between Wilderness and Sedgefield, Garden Route
Sunset at Stilbaai (Still Bay). Stilbaai offers impressively wide beaches and big swells making it popular with surfers the world over
Wilderness beach, Garden Route
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