HYLTON ROSS: Garden Route

Hello, my name is DIVA and I am happy to accompany you on your Garden Route Excursion with Hylton Ross. The Cape’s Garden Route is a wonderland unlike any other part of the world. A corner of Africa so unique and magical in its diversity, that it’s been called “nature’s garden”. Please click “Start Guided Tour” now – and I will show you the Highlights of our 4-Day Tour. On our first day we depart from Cape Town and head to the Karoo Town of Oudtshoorn. We will pass scenic Du Toit´s Kloof (360°)… …and many other panoramic highlights before stopping at Joubert-Tradauw Wine Cellar for a wine tasting and lunch. Our next stop is at Highgate, one of the biggest Ostrich Show Farms of the Karoo and we will attend a very informative - and entertaining tour here).Wednesday: Today we explore Oudtshoorn´s finest sites before we set off for Knysna: The Cango Caves are renowned worldwide for the variety and beauty of their exquisite dripstone formations. Hanging from the limestone cavern roofs are calcite flowers, stalactites and stalagmites. The Cango Wildlife Ranchnearby is also a must-see on our way. It has various conservation programmes, including one involving the rare White Bengal Tiger. In the late afternoon we arrive at the Knysna Quays Hotel, where we have dinner at the water’s edge and spend the night. Thursday: Spend some time at your own pace in the quaint village of Knysna or take part in the morning excursion to the beautiful Tsitsikamma Forest, where we visit the Garden of Eden. We then embark on a scenic, relaxing cruise on the Knysna Lagoon, sailing right up to the Knysna Heads. E njoy lunch at the Featherbed nature reserve and then take the famous Choo-Tjoe – Train (Bild-Text-Fehler: Choo-Tjoe nicht Choo Choje!!!) for an unforgettable ride along one of the world’s most picturesque rail routes to the town of George. Friday: It is time to return home. We stop at Mossel Bay to see the Post Office Tree, where early navigators left mail for homebound ships to Europe. Then we continue via farmlands and the rolling hills of Swellendam, where we have lunch. Our last stop is Hermanus, with the chance of whale sightings between July and November, before arriving back in Cape Town after four fabulous days Thank you for taking the virtual Hylton Ross Garden Route Tour. We hope to welcome you soon for the real experience of this unforgettable trip. Welcome to our 4-day Gardenroute Excusion: The Cape´s Garden Route is a nature wonderland unlike any other part of the world. A corner of Africa so unique and magical in its diversity, that it’s been called “nature’s garden”. It is an infinitely diverse region that uses an overriding theme of natural beauty to incorporate rocky shores, mysterious forests, breathtaking mountains, lakes, and vast open vistas. Driving Route 62 is one of the best ways to enjoy the ever changing landscape of the Little Karoo and as it is also the world’s longest wine route, our first stop will be at Oudtshoorn and district is a region of incredible contrasts.Oudtshoorn is the h eart of the ostrich industry. In former times it gained importance because of exporting the feathers, today it is the leading exporter of low fat ostrich steaks and meat. The Cango Caves are worldwide renowned for their variety and beauty of exquisite drip-stone formations hanging from limestone cavern roofs, calcite flowers, stalactites and stalagmites. It is a must-see on our way…. …as well as the Cango Wildlife Ranch, which has various conservation programmes, including one involving the White Bengal Tiger. Plettenburg Bay has some of the most beautiful beaches on the coastline. The Garden Route boasts some of South Africa’s best beaches as well as the world-renowned surfers’ paradise, Victoria Bay, where you can “hang ten“ with the best of them. Endless stretches of uninterrupted sand interspersed with rocky promontories and intimate bays offer sun-worshippers and water sports enthusiasts an almost embarrassing richness of opportunities for great holidays: swimming, angling, surfing and wind surfing, walking, scuba and snorkelling, sea kayaking. Some of the more popular beaches offer lifeguard patrols during the summer holidays, as well as refreshment kiosks, restaurants, camping and/or ablution facilities. The perfect day-trip to experience is a drive along the old road between George and Knysna – the Seven Passes Road.
The Seven Passes road runs through some diverse terrain, starting on a plateau at the foot of the Outeniqua mountains. The terrain, which drops sharply to a narrow coastal belt of lakes and lagoons, is characterized by deep gorges and ravines, and rivers and streams which run through luxuriant primeval forests filled with dense shrubbery and wild flowers,
heath, creepers and ferns. Enjoy a trip down memory lane. The famous Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe, offering a three-hour journey between George and Knysna, is the last scheduled steam train service in the country. Departing from the Outeniqua Railway Museum in George, passengers enjoy breathtaking views of coastal scenery as the train winds along hills, through forests, along the coast and across rivers, lakes and lagoons. The Knysna National Lake Area – the lagoon – is controlled by the National Parks Board because of its ecological importance. This is the second largest estuary in South Africa and covers 21 km. The lagoon is home to the unique Knysna seahorse, the delicate pansy shell and at least 200 species of fish. The Heads are the two sandstone sentinels that mark the mouth to the Lagoon. In past centuries they were the scene of many dramatic shipwrecks. Enjoy swimming, boating, canoeing, fishing or scuba diving. A cruise on the estuary is an essential part of the Knysna experience, while a ferry trip to the Featherbed Nature Reserve is a great experience. Plett’, as it is known by locals is a resort of perfect beaches served by its own airport. Surrounded by the Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma Mountains and engulfed by indigenous forest, Plett abounds with hotels, restaurants and shops to suit every taste. Over the years it has become South Africa´s premier pleasure paradise for lovers of fauna, flora, scenery, whales and life on the coast. From Natures Valley, to Robberg Nature Reserve, to the Tsitsikama National Park to Keurbooms River Nature reserve, the beauty of the natural world surrounds Plett on all sides. deep sea fishing, trout fishing, hiking, abseiling, gliding, golf, horse riding, polo, mountain biking and to top it off, the highest commercial Bungi Jump in the world at 216 m at the Bloukraans River bridge.