Page 16 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - South Africa

14  INTRODUCING SOUTH AFRIC A

7 Days on the to the 20-million-year-old
Garden Route Cango Caves (see p235) and
take a guided tour through the
Tangled forests, character- series of subterranean chambers
ful towns and idyllic famed for their spectacular
beaches are among limestone formations.
the many features that
make the southern Day 3: Wilderness
Cape’s Garden Route so Back on the coast, east of
enduringly popular. George, chill out at beachfront
Wilderness (see p242-3), or
• Arriving The route below
assumes you would fly in and explore the adjacent Wilderness
out of George, a short hop sector of the Garden Route
National Park, which protects a
from the international
airports at Johannesburg and series of estuaries and lakes rich Dare to make the crossing on a swaying
in birdlife, day hikes and
Cape Town. Alternatively, suspension bridge at Storms River Mouth
Mossel Bay and George are kayaking opportunities. Robberg Nature Reserve
only half a day’s drive from
Cape Town or Hermanus in Day 4: Knysna (see p246) incorporates some
truly dramatic cliffs as well as
The prettiest town on the
the Western Cape.
Garden Route, Knysna (see good birding and a fair chance
• Transport The Garden p244–5) overlooks a beautiful, of spotting seals and other
Route is best explored on a calm lagoon protected by a pair marine mammals.
self-drive basis. You can pick of cliffs called the Knysna Heads.
up a rental car at George For energetic walkers, a visit to Day 6: Storms River Mouth
Airport. Organized tours are Diepwalle Forest in the Knysna Drive east via forested Nature’s
also possible, but public sector of the Garden Route Valley to Storms River Mouth
transport is limited. National Park (see p245) beckons, (see p249), which lies in the
while a more sedate alternative Tsitsikamma sector of the
is an organized boat trip across Garden Route National Park.
Day 1: Mossel Bay the lagoon to the private Another favourite with walkers,
Although inland, George is the Featherbed Nature Reserve this park is famed for its sandy
main point of entry and the (see p244). Round off the day beaches, forest-covered cliffs
largest town on the Garden with fresh oysters and locally- and spectacular suspension
Route, but nearby Mossel Bay brewed ale on the bridge. On Day 7, return to
(see p241) is a far more Knysna Quays. George, a 2-hour drive, to
interesting prospect for the catch your onward flight.
visitor. Here, the Bartolomeu Day 5: Plettenberg Bay
Dias Museum Complex (see The most overtly resort-like To extend your trip…
pp240–41) includes a full-scale town on the Garden Route, Continue east along the
replica of one of the boats used Plettenberg Bay (see p246–7) coast to spend two nights
by its namesake in 1488, and a has a wide curving beach where at Addo Elephant National
massive milkwood tree first used weary travellers can pull up a Park (see p254) before
as a “post office” by Portuguese deck chair for a well-earned flying out of Port
navigators in 1501. Boat trips to break. More challengingly, the Elizabeth (see p250).
Seal Island (see p241) are day hike through the nearby
also available.
Day 2: Oudtshoorn
A scenic hour’s drive inland
from Mossel Bay, Oudtshoorn
(see p232) is best-known as the
centre of the Karoo’s century-
old ostrich farming industry.
Head to the out-of-town High-
gate or Safari Ostrich Show
Farms (see p233) to learn more
about the world’s largest bird,
and visit the central CP Nel
Museum (see p233) to explore
the history of the booming
Victorian ostrich-feather
industry on which the town
became rich. Afterwards, drive Extraordinary rock formations in the Cango Caves near Oudtshoorn
For practical information on travelling around South Africa, see pp436–441

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