Cape Garden Route & Klein Karoo accommodation

The Cape Garden Route is South Africa’s Garden of Eden, a combination of long, deserted beaches and tranquil lagoons, lush green forests and majestic mountain ranges. Stretching from the Slang River near Heidelberg to the Tsitsikamma Forest and Storms River, the Cape Garden Route is a narrow temperate zone, wedged between the mountains and the sea. The area known asthe Klein Karoo is a scenic valley between the Outeniqua and Swartberg Mountains.

Stilbaai offers a safe and placid coastline, a navigable river and many natural springs. The peaceful village of Albertinia, at the foothills of the Langeberg Mountains, is the “home of the aloe” and is surrounded by fine examples of Cape fynbos. Nearby attractions include the Aloe factories, bridge bungy jumping, Rein’s Coastal Nature Reserve and the Garden Route Game Lodge.

Mossel Bay is where the first Europeans landed in Southern Africa nearly 500 years ago. Places of interest include the Milkwood tree - the first “Post Office” in South Africa, the Bartolomeu Dias Museum Complex, which houses the Dias Caravelle, a replica of Bartolomeu Dias’s ship, the Sea-Shell Museum, the Hartenbos Museum, the Harry Giddey Park, and the Cape St Blaize Cave. The Point, at the tip of Cape St Blaize, is an ideal location to view whales, dolphins and seals at play or swim in a safe tidal pool. The St Blaize hiking trail is 13.5 km along rugged cliffs with spectacular views. The town also offers an indigenous garden and braille trail, where a fynbos garden can be observed, touched and smelt. Seal Island in the bay is the home of countless seals. George, 443 km from CapeTown, established in 1811 and the centre of the Cape Garden Route, is surrounded by seaside resorts – Glentana, Herolds Bay, Victoria Bay, Wilderness and Swartvlei. A scenic drive is the “Lakes Road”, which winds between the Wilderness Lagoon, the upper and lower Langvlei, the Rondevlei and the Swartvlei Lagoon. Attractions include the Gary Player designed Fancourt golf-courses, the George Golf Course, the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe steam train and the Outeniqua Railway museum.

The Outeniqua Choo Tjoe steam train offers passengers a unique, picturesque and scenic 52-kilometre journey, experiencing the Cape Garden Route with spectacular views of the Indian Ocean from George to Mossel Bay. The railway initially traverses mainly agricultural land used for grazing, then crosses two major rivers. After crossing the Gwaiing River, the railway climbs towards the siding of Skimmelkrans, thereafter it winds its way for four kms into the Malgate Valley. Where the railway crosses high above the Malgate River, large roundish holes can be seen in the rock of the riverbed. These holes are the result of floodwater rolling stones over and over in the depressions causing gradual, but noticeable erosion. From Outeniqua the line begins its descent to the sea. As the train twists around a large horseshoe bend, the hillsides fall dramatically towards the sea, and the view of the Indian Ocean with its foaming waves crashing on to the seemingly endless beach, is breathtaking. The train plunges into a deep cutting and then snakes through the only tunnel on the line. Emerging again into the sunlight, passengers have an awesome vista, which stretches away to the St Blaze lighthouse to the south of Mossel Bay. On arrival at Santos Beach and the Diaz Museum Complex, passengers have the opportunity explore the area.

Wilderness is an ecotourist's paradise in the heart of the Cape Garden Route. Nestling between the warm Indian Ocean and the Outeniqua Mountains, the village forms the gateway to the Wilderness Lakes National Park, which is well known for its scenic beauty and abundance of birdlife. There are a wide range of outdoor activities in the area, including walks on the beach, gentle hikes in indigenous forest, canoeing on the lagoon or even paragliding and abseiling. For outdoor adventures, contact Eden Adventures Phone: 044 877 0179 Fax: 044 877 0179 E-mail: tours@eden.co.za Website: www.eden.co.za