--- title: South Africa: How to Do the Garden Route description: Find yourself on the southern edge of Africa with 48 hours to spare and agood set of wheels at your disposal? Then set the GPS... canonical: https://time.com/archive/6938004/south-africa-how-to-do-the-garden-route/ author: Cindy-Lou Dale article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2009-06-03T04:00:00.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-22T07:27:55.071Z og:title: South Africa: How to Do the Garden Route og:description: Find yourself on the southern edge of Africa with 48 hours to spare and agood set of wheels at your disposal? Then set the GPS... og:url: https://time.com/archive/6938004/south-africa-how-to-do-the-garden-route/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltefa01c7bb06a31b3/698a4f4586f68eff586f4702/360_southafrica_0615.jpg?branch=production&width=360&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 360 og:image:height: 203 og:image:alt: 360_southafrica_0615.jpg og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: South Africa: How to Do the Garden Route twitter:description: Find yourself on the southern edge of Africa with 48 hours to spare and agood set of wheels at your disposal? Then set the GPS... twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltefa01c7bb06a31b3/698a4f4586f68eff586f4702/360_southafrica_0615.jpg?branch=production&width=360&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # South Africa: How to Do the Garden Route > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. 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Subscriptions are at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### What is included in a TIME print and digital subscription? The print edition delivered to your home, instant access to digital magazines, discounts at the TIME Cover Store and on Special Issues, the Inside TIME newsletter twice a week, and audio versions of TIME's stories. It is from $29 for one year or $49 for two years at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### What is the difference between TIME's digital and print plans? Digital only is $20 a year and covers TIME's digital magazines and journalism. Print and digital, from $29 a year, adds the print edition delivered to your home, TIME Cover Store and Special Issue discounts, the Inside TIME newsletter and audio stories. #### Is TIME a reliable news source? TIME is a general-interest news organization founded in 1923. Its journalism is reported and edited by a professional newsroom led by Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs, with named correspondents on politics, climate, health, technology and culture. It reaches 1 million US print subscribers and 1.15 million globally, plus more than 1.1 million newsletter readers. #### How do I subscribe to TIME magazine? Subscriptions are at time.com/subscribe-agent. Choose digital only at $20 a year, or print and digital from $29 a year or $49 for two years. TIME also publishes seven free email newsletters at time.com/newsletters, which do not require a subscription. #### Can I cancel a TIME subscription? Yes. TIME states that subscriptions can be cancelled at any time. #### Does TIME have free newsletters? Yes. TIME publishes seven free email newsletters reaching more than 1.1 million readers, covering daily news, Washington politics, health, AI, climate and energy, culture, and the newsroom itself. They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-sub-2026q3/newsletters?i=46c574fe-20a3-408c-9e1f-eb90246e3dd2&cr=time-sub-2026q3-v1) * TIME Subscriptions: [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-sub-2026q3/subscribe?i=46c574fe-20a3-408c-9e1f-eb90246e3dd2&cr=time-sub-2026q3-v1) by [Cindy-Lou Dale](https://time.com/author/cindy-lou-dale/) Jun 3, 2009 4:00 AM UTC  SURF'S UP: Hermanus' stunning coastline is a Garden Route highlight SURF'S UP: Hermanus' stunning coastline is a Garden Route highlight Fabrice Bettex / Alamy by [Cindy-Lou Dale](https://time.com/author/cindy-lou-dale/) Jun 3, 2009 4:00 AM UTC Find yourself on the southern edge of Africa with 48 hours to spare and a good set of wheels at your disposal? Then set the GPS coordinates for Franschhoek in the Western Cape, and from there take a spin down Africa’s southernmost road — the Garden Route. Here’s an itinerary for two days of indulgence. **DAY ONE** Rise early from your luxury overnight accommodation at the Franschhoek boutique hotel — a historic, six-room retreat, tel: (27-21) 876 4723, and head east along the N2 highway, with Table Mountain at your back. Once you’ve negotiated passage over the forbidding Sir Lowry’s Pass, you’ll arrive in Hermanus. Brunch at the Bientang’s Cave restaurant, tel: (27-28) 312 3454\. It really is found in a cave and overlooks Africa’s only whale sanctuary at Walker Bay. ([See TIME’s Global Adviser for exotic, beautiful and interesting getaways.](https://www.time.com/time/travel/tipsadvice/globaladviser)) A little further is the village of Gansbaai, known for its shark-cage diving. Specialist operators like Great White Shark Tours, tel: (27-83) 300 2138, take you out to Dyer Island in custom-designed boats and lower you in a diving cage into the ocean. Once you’re safely ensconced, deckhands start chumming bloody entrails beside the boat, attracting underwater predators from miles around. If you don’t end up as their mid-afternoon refreshment, your own will be waiting for you back onboard. Just beyond Gansbaai — follow the signs from the R327 turnoff — is the privately owned Gondwana Game Reserve, tel: (27-44) 889 0287, home to Africa’s legendary Big Five. Be sure to take a horseback safari or an evening game drive, which comes with hors d’oeuvres, sundowners and romantic views across the Outeniqua Mountains. Have dinner under the stars, then overnight at Gondwana’s luxurious Fynbos Camp. **DAY TWO** Continuing east for another 19 miles (30 km), passing through numerous picture-postcard villages, you’ll reach Mossel Bay, a busy seaside town boasting the world’s mildest all-year climate, second only to Hawaii. For a good tapas brunch stop off at Café Havana, tel: (27-44) 690 4640, before moving on to George — the next town, featuring elegantly restored Victorian homes under blossoming bougainvilleas. The must-do excursion is the old Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe, tel: (27-44) 801 8288, a steam train that runs to and from Mossel Bay. Beyond George is the town of Wilderness — a thoroughly romantic place of lakes, rivers and talcum-white beaches. About 43 miles (70 km) further is Plettenberg Bay, possibly the most beautiful town on the Garden Route. One of the local attractions allows you to combine the two great South African loves of wild game and strong, sweet drink. Take the R340 turnoff, follow the signs for Buffalo Hills in Wittedrift, and head to the Nyati JJJ Distillery, tel: (27-44) 535 9739, which is both a distillery and a game reserve. Embark on a safari, then sample the potent and award-winning _mampoer_ (a citrus-fruit liqueur) and _witblits_ (a powerful brandy). Clear your head with coffee and cake at the Oak Tree Coffee Shop, tel: (27-84) 514 4934, then return to Knysna and spend a memorable night in an elevated treetop suite at the Phantom Forest Lodge, tel: (27-44) 386 0046, where a heart-stopping sunset and endless views of the Knysna Lagoon greet you from your glass-encased forest bathroom and wooden deck. _Got an awful travel gripe? The Avenger may be able to sort it out for you._ [Click here to tell us your problem.](https://www.time.com/time/travel/avenger/form) [See Time.com/Travel for city guides, stories and advice.](https://www.time.com/time/travel) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/archive/6938004/south-africa-how-to-do-the-garden-route/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/archive/6938004/south-africa-how-to-do-the-garden-route/"},"headline":"South Africa: How to Do the Garden Route","datePublished":"2009-06-03T04:00:00.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-22T07:27:55.071Z","description":"Find yourself on the southern edge of Africa with 48 hours to spare and agood set of wheels at your disposal? 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