Garden Route and Karoo

The Garden Route is one of the most beautiful and popular travel destinations in South Africa. It starts in the west at Swellendam and ends at Humansdorp just before Port Elizabeth. The most interesting part stretches from Mossel Bay to the Storms River mouth in the Tsitsikamma National Park.

Along its stunning coast the Garden Route displays steep rocky cliffs alternating with white sand beaches and dense evergreen montane rainforests.
Numerous rivers originate in the bordering mountain range which is part of the Great Escarpment.
They meander their way through the green coastal plain and eventually flow into the Indian Ocean.

Historical events have also left their mark.
One of the first settlers' movements towards the east went along the Garden Route.
This fertile land matched the Voortrekkers' idea of the Garden of Eden, where the name comes from.
You find details under the "History" menu and information about the climate at the Garden Route in our "Climate" menu.

The coast between Storms River and Kei River mouth in the Eastern Cape Province is called Sunshine Coast because of its favourable subtropical climate.
From a tourism perspective this coast is less developed than the Garden Route, but it is much more quiet and has a lot to offer as well.

To help you explore the Garden Route, the Karoo and the Eastern Cape Province you will find subjects and destinations on the menu bar below and on the map.
If you click on "Start", you can follow a guided tour of the most popular locations and related topics.

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