Garden Route

The "Garden Route' is a fairly loosely defined geographic area, referring to South Africa's south east coastline, roughly from Port Elizabeth to the Cape Peninsula. The name is not derived from any great concentration of gardens, but is a reference to the Garden of Eden, and reflects the verdant beauty and ecological diversity that, to a large extent, still characterizes the stretch of coastline sandwiched between the Indian Ocean in the east and the Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma Mountains to the west. Much of this area is, however, more route than garden, and the secret to getting the most from the Garden Route is to focus on the highlights, and not waste time in the 'dead' areas.

Traversing one of three spectacular mountain passes in the west brings one inland to the arid grandeur of the Klein Karoo, which could not be more starkly contrasted from the lush coastal bounty of the Garden Route proper. Whether as a day trip from a base along the Garden Route, or an alternative routing to Cape Town, a journey through the Klein Karoo is a worthy addition to any exploration of this south-eastern corner of South Africa.