Rolling Stone : South Africa's Garden Route

Sunday, November 30, 2014

South Africa's Garden Route

The southern coastal route between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, known as the Garden Route, is the premier tourist attraction of South Africa. This is a distance of about 800 kms travelled by bus or car, private or rental. At each end, or in the middle at the town of George, you can hop on a plane and return to the hinterland at Johanesburg, and so go on to other destinations.

You need at least two days and preferably a week or more to "do" the Garden Route. The favourite single stopover is the seaside resort town of Knysna with its nice harbour, yacht club and many seafood restaurants. The route is very popular with backpackers and budget accommodation abounds. The unique backpackers' Baz bus services the region and makes it easy to stop off en route. A typical backpackers would be Wildfarm located near Wilderness. The Baz bus calls in and they pick up travelers at the George airport. You don't need a car as the staff run a shuttle service to local sights, including the beach, Knysna and Wilderness.
(Click on fotos to enlarge)

The Garden Route relies primarily on tourism for its prosperity. Transport, accommodation and services related to tourism are what keeps the cash register tinging. The top attractions are the beautiful ocean beaches with their whale watching, diving, surfing and fishing. Each little seaside resort town around Wilderness has a unique attraction linked up by an antique tourist steam train. A little inland is the popular Cango Caves in a limestone region where you can cool off underground in a world of stalactites and stalagmites.

Ostrich farms are a tourist attraction. You get to ride and "race" ostriches, and at one backpackers I was served an ostrich egg omelette for breakfast. Details of a visit to an ostrich farm are given in my Bootsnall article Oudshoorn

Not to be missed at backpackers is an evening braai, or friendly barbecue washed down with the local beer or vino. It is a good way to meet up with fellow travelers. Each of the stop over points listed above have their accommodation websites listed ranging from backpackers to luxury lodges and motels, which give details of local tourist attractions. For starters try exploring the accommodations and associated details offered at Knysna, the premier tourist resort town on the Garden Route.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Accommodation in Managua and Granada

Accommodation in Puerto Varas

Puerto Varas is a tourist town with a wide spectrum of accommodation, ranging from five star hotels (5), to large backpackers (2) to numerous small family guest houses, or hospedajes. Hostels can be found from the website Hostel World and provide private rooms for US $20 to $45. Large backpackers, Casa Azul and Compass del Sur are listed with Backpackers Chileand offer economical accommodation ranging from $10 to $20 dorms to shared rooms with a buffet breakfast for $3.50. They are similar to a large South African backpackers and offer tours, excursions, Spanish classes, you name it and they'll provide it.

Most economical are the family guest houses or hospedajes costing $10 to $15 per person, and listed in guide books like Lonely Planet. A family may rent out to travelers a couple of rooms in a large family house. If you are lucky you may get to share their kitchen to cook meals and learn some Spanish for free at the same time. So you learn how a Chilean family operates. In Puerto Varas I have gone back and stayed at the same hospedaje three years in a row. (and with a different companera each time, which confused mama)

Cape Town for backpackers

Backpackers are very well accommodated in Cape Town. There are dozens of exciting backpackers to choose from. A little booklet called "Coast to Coast" lists them all, with details for booking. The same information is on the Internet for Southern Africa, just put in "Cape Town" for the region.

I shall not recommend any backpackers because that would be unfair and half the fun is finding a good one that suits you. Important factors in your choice are that the backpackers should have good Internet facilities, a good kitchen and dining area, a travel bureau office, a swimming pool, and be close to a popular restaurant, plus any more factors? Many backpackers have ALL these facilities and are converted mansions of old. Lucky you!