<B>Classic Drives - The Garden Route, South Africa</B>

The stunning Garden Route runs from Southeven stroke a Cheetah at Cheetahland.
Africa's most popular tourist destination, CapeBack on coast, the Garden Route takes you to
Town, for 800 km along the scenic coastlineGeorge, located on a 10-km plateau that runs
between this city and Port Elizabeth. The areafrom the majestic Outeniqua Mountain to the
enjoys a Mediterranean maritime climate and theIndian Ocean. Besides enjoying whale watching,
trip is regarded as one of the world's truly classicsurfing, swimming, scuba diving and paragliding,
coastal drives.you'll find three of South Africa's top golf courses
As you drive along the well-forested coastal plain,are also located here. The Fancourt Golf Estate is
you'll find freshwater lakes, lovely lagoons filledespecially popular, with an 18-hole course designed
with water birds, indigenous forests of giantby Gary Player, a golf academy, exclusive hotel
yellowwood trees and fields covered in colourfuland conference centre, restaurants, and
wildflowers. It's easy to see why visitors arenumerous sporting facilities.
drawn to this beautiful region year-round.Further along the coast toward Port Elizabeth is
One of the highlights of a drive along the Gardenthe town of Knysna, also a very popular tourist
Route is a stop at the sleepy coastal town ofdestination. This laid-back town is situated
Hermanus near the southern-most tip of Africa.between a lush indigenous forest, home to the
The town is situated next to a 12-km path thatlast of the forest-dwelling elephants in Africa, and
runs along the cliff top, right next to the ocean.a beautiful lagoon teeming with birds and other
From May to December, pods of Southern Rightwildlife. The oysters grown in this unpolluted
Whales swim to within 20 metres of the cliff aslagoon are among the tastiest in the world. The
they travel along the coast.closest beach is in nearby Buffalo Bay, a favourite
The more adventurous traveller can try somespot for fishing, surfing and swimming, as well as
heart-stopping shark cage diving, sea kayaking,whale and dolphin watching. The entire area
abseiling, scuba diving, sand boarding, andsurrounding Knysna, with its incredible biological
paragliding. Those looking for something morerichness and beauty, is a paradise for the
relaxing to do can visit the vineyards in a nearbyeco-traveller, with plenty of places to camp, hike,
valley and do the short drive to the southernmostcanoe, kayak, and observe the unique wildlife.
tip of Africa, where the Atlantic Ocean meets theAt Plettenberg Bay, there are ten important
Indian Ocean.nature reserves as well as marine reserves. The
You will have to drive inland to visit Oudtshoorn,endangered Southern Right Whale calves in the
which was built in the early 1800s, in the centrebay from July to December, and seals and
of the Klein Karoo, a semi-desert area wedgeddolphins live here all year round. In the bay you
between the coastal mountains to the south andcan snorkel and scuba dive on unique soft coral
the spectacular Swartberg mountain range to thereefs, and on the beach you'll find a wide range of
north. The town was the world capital of thewater sports on offer, including fishing, surfing,
Ostrich feather industry during Victorian times,swimming and sailing. Nearby, there are superb
and many grand houses from that era are stillhiking and mountain biking trails, horse riding,
standing today. There's plenty to do inkayaking and canoeing in scenic Nature's Valley
Oudtshoorn - you can try riding an ostrich at anand Stormsriver.
ostrich farm, take a tour through the magnificentYour drive along the Garden Route ends in Port
Cango Caves that stretch for kilometresElizabeth, on the shores of beautiful Algoa Bay.
throughout the mountains, visit the vineyards, and