SOUTH AFRICA


SIX DAYS ON THE GARDEN ROUTE


One of the world’s great coastal drives, the Garden Route offers food, adventure, culture and beach time in equal measure


The setting for arguably South Africa’s most scenic road trip, the Garden Route runs for 125 miles along the country’s southern coast, from Mossel Bay (about 240 miles east of Cape Town) east to Storms River. The ocean- hugging N2 road — as it’s more prosaically known — cuts between sandy beaches, pretty towns and dense patches of indigenous forest, with the Outeniqua Mountains a short distance inland. A road trip along it allows for experiences that range from adrenaline- pumping bungee jumps to leisurely wine tastings, and a plate of oysters at a waterside restaurant rounding off the perfect day.


DAY ONE Mossel Bay is something of an adventure hub, home to a zip-line that extends over the ocean — at 3,773ft, the longest of its kind in


70 NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL


the world — and the chance to sandboard down the 1,148ft-long Dragon Dune, South Africa’s largest. It’s not all adrenaline- drenched escapades though. There’s evidence of Middle Stone Age human inhabitation at the Point of Human Origins archaeological site, including tools dating back 160,000 years. From here, you can take a detour inland to the Outeniqua Mountains, which run along the southern coast, with options for day hikes. mosselbayzipline.co.za dragondune.com humanorigin.co.za sanparks.org


DAY TWO It’s a 50-minute drive to the tiny town of Wilderness. The beach here is a long sweep of platinum-blonde sand backed by frothing waves in which dolphins play. The Wilderness section of the Garden Route National Park


is a protected area of indigenous forests and coastal rivers and lakes. At the Wilderness Ebb-and-Flow Rest Camp, guests can rent a canoe to paddle down the Touws River, looking out for fish eagles and the half- collared kingfisher. There’s also a walking trail dedicated to the latter and one to an Outeniqua yellowwood tree thought to be over 800 years old. sanparks.org


DAY THREE The lagoon-side town of Knysna, 40 minutes from Wilderness, is a popular holiday destination for South Africans and visitors from further afield. Whale-watching season, when southern right and humpback whales can be seen along the coast, runs from June to November. Another major draw is food, mainly seafood — oysters being a speciality. The


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