Oranges and Lemons

Adventures on the Garden Route May 2025

Having visited Cape Town before, I was looking for a unique experience.  Enter the Garden Route, a 300-kilometer (190-mile) stretch of coastline located along South Africa's southeastern coast, linking the Western and Eastern Cape provinces. It runs from Mossel Bay in the Western Cape to Storms River in the Eastern Cape. Known for its unique landscape, rugged ocean and vineyards.  I found this amazing 6-day tour from a company called Earthstompers. 6 Day Garden Route & Addo Group Tours

Day 1 - Cape Town - Cape Agulhas: Having met my six other partners in crime and our fearless tour leader, Mark, we set off from Cape Town to Betties Bay, one of the homes for the African Penguins.  We continued on our way south towards Hermanus.  Each year humpbacks and southern right whales migrate to the southern African coast to mate, calve and nurse there young.  We spotted a pod of dolphins in the distance.

Having an hour to walk around Hermanus before lunch, I found a restaurant and wine bar on the cliffs with views to die for.

We continued on to the night's destination, Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point in Africa, where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet.  Some decided to bike to the point while I was happy riding in the van.

The sun was setting as we walked to the signpost and learned about the Meisho Maru, a Japanese fishing vessel that ran aground in 1982.  All 17 crew members were able to swim to shore. We shared dinner, drinks and stories at the backpacker hostel.

Day 2 - Cape Agulhas - Oudtshoorn:  We drove northeast through mountain overpasses and stopped at a restaurant on Route 62 that served milkshakes and ice cream. The next stop was in Calitzdorp. With hot days and cool nights, this area of the Garden Route is home to well over twenty wineries. We stopped for lunch and winetasting at De Krans, one of the oldest vineyards on the Garden Route.   A little buzzed, we swapped stories and quickly 7 strangers became a family as we drove on to Chandelier Game Lodge and Ostrich Show Farm. Oudtshoorn Game Lodge | Ostrich Show Farm Oudtshoorn

The owners give us a quick tour of the farm where we had the opportunity to feed the giraffes and ostriches.

A quick game drive and sundowners as we watched the sunset over the Swartberg Mountains

A luxury tent, tonight's accommodation

Day 3 - Oudtshoorn - Sedgefield: An early morning breakfast as we said goodbye to the giraffes and drove up and thorough the Outeniqua Mountain pass and onto the official start of the Garden Route. A quick grocery store run to get lunch before the afternoon's activity, canoeing in the Wilderness National Park. Paddling up the Touw River through indigenous forest and a 2 km hike to a waterfall where we had lunch. Back in the van we drove to tonight's accommodations in the town of Sedgefield for a traditional South African Braii.

Morning mist in the Outeniqua mountain pass

Paddling along the river. It looks easy but the canoes were hard to maneuver.

Day 4- Sedgefield - Knysna - Tsitsikamma: The first stop today is in the town of Knysna along the Lake District area of the Garden Route. We admired the views over the Indian Ocean. Five insane friends decided to jump off the Bloukrans Bridge, the world's highest bungee jump drive. I decided to hike along the water's edge in the Tsitsikamma National Park. It is a coastal reserve known for its indigenous forests, and dramatic coastline. Arriving after dark to our hotel in the Sunday River Valley. We had enough time to enjoy a home cooked meal and head off to bed.

The Bloukrans Bridge.

Brave Emma bungee jumping off the Bloukrans Bridge. Use the link below to watch the video

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/8e20c9_d692576532da4068ad1b288901a15cea/720p/mp4/file.mp4

I enjoyed the solitude hiking along the water's edge. With a storm offshore, the power of the waves crashing onto the rocky breakers was magnificent.

Day 5 - Addo Elephant Park - Wilderness: The alarm goes off at 4:30am. It's cold, dark and foggy as I bundle up in every bit of clothes I own. We meet the 4 x 4 jeep for a two-hour sunrise game drive in Addo Elephant Park. Addo, the third largest national park in South Africa is home to the big five. Addo Elephant National Park. On this morning, most of the animals seemed to be hiding in the bush. We witnessed elephant families and zebra playing. Herds of eland in the distance. Cape buffalo and lots of warthogs (AKA Pumba AKA rhino). After the 2 hours we meet the rest of the group for breakfast and off on another game drive through the park. The drive back to Wilderness was long but went quickly as we shared stories of life and love before checking into the hotel and grabbing our last dinner together as a group.

A lone Eland grazing on this misty morning

Day 6 - Wilderness - Cape Town: We settled down in the minivan for the last drive back to Cape Town. After breakfast, we will stopped in Mossel Bay to spend some time hiking the Cape St. Blaize trail along the cliffs overlooking the Indian Ocean, and visited the famous Diaz Museum, commemorating the first known European exploration around the tip of Africa. Others went skydiving. We shared our wonderful memories (oranges) and not so great adventures (lemons). Before long we said goodbye to Juan and Tanya as they were off on their next adventure. While the rest of us continued to Cape Town and parts unknown.

View from the Cape St. Blaze trail in Mossel bay. The rain held off, but the clouds made for some dramatic photos.

Replicar of the ship used by Bartholem Diaz as he rounded the Cape of Good Hope.

Our mighty band of trekkers - Rachel, Paul, LeeAnn, Emma, Tanya and Juan. Thanks for great oranges!!