Published: 12/10/2011 by Alison Beere

They’re coming to get you.
They’re on their way, it’s just a matter of time!
No matter where you live, the school holidays roll through 3 or 4 times each year.
How do you survive them?

It helps to have help, preferably of the road trip variety. And you’re in luck because the Garden Route offers a trip to remember!

Of course you know about the Garden Route
It’s that very particular region along the south-eastern coast of South Africa. I guess comparing with Paradise have always been popular because a major part of the region is named for the famous Garden of Eden.

Idyllic associations spring instantly to mind because the Garden Route has a lush and largely untouched landscape. There are long stretches of uninhabited beaches, mirror-like lakes and lagoons, deep forest glades with centuries-old trees and mountains covered with heather. These are the things that set it apart from the rest of the country.

It’s a world of its own, for a brief stretch
Separated from the interior by a wall of mountains, the Garden Route stretches from Mossel Bay, which is its closest point to Cape Town, to Storms’ River at its farthest eastern end.

In total it spans about 300 km and you could drive it in a few hours if you didn’t stop en route. But who can resist the temptation to stop in Paradise?

Like Paradise, the Garden Route has a universal appeal
Everyone from unacknowledged princes to hard-working upcountry pig farmers has found something to love along the Garden Route.

Though research proves otherwise, local legend still holds that Knysna was once home to a not-quite-legitimate member of the British Royal family in its earliest days. In actual fact it was just a chap who went by the name of George Rex – and people thought ‘Rex’ meant ‘royal down the wrong side of the blanket’!

Since those long-past days, families of all persuasions have holidayed in the area, following in the footsteps of the early farming fraternities who made yearly visits to re-charge their batteries before tackling another year pitted against the hazards of the interior.

More recently Knysna has gained a name for itself as a foodie destination and the area’s golf estates are legendary. But even if your fancy runs more to bungee jumping, paragliding, shark diving or surfing, the Garden Route can accommodate your wish.

She’s a gracious hostess all year round
No matter what month you choose the Garden Route will bid you welcome with its mild climate. There is no fixed rainy season so while winter (May to September) is certainly cooler and a little damper, it’s still a pleasant time to visit.

In fact, if you are visiting Cape Town in winter, an interlude along the Garden Route can be a welcome respite if the Cape of Storms is showing its most ferocious face.

So now that the summer school holidays are only a couple of months away, you just have to decide whether you’ll be there sooner rather than later :)