The Garden Route is a popular and scenic stretch along the southern coast of South Africa and the Klein Karoo inland areas surrounding Oudtshoorn. It stretches from Mossel Bay in the Western Cape to the Storms River which is crossed along the N2 coastal highway over the Paul Sauer Bridge in the extreme eastern reach of the Western Cape.

It includes towns such as George, Oudtshoorn and Nature's Valley, and popular holiday destinations including Plettenberg Bay, Knysna and Mossel Bay.

The Garden Route has a Mediterranean maritime climate, with moderately hot summers, and mild to chilly winters. It is one of the richest rainfall areas in South Africa, most of which occurs in the winter months, brought by the humid sea-winds from the Indian ocean. As a tourist destination, the area is a peaceful retreat during the winter months, or a bustling hub of activity during the summer.
 
The Garden Route is an important part of the Cape Floral Kingdom - the smallest of the world’s six floral kingdoms and the only floral kingdom that is completely confined within the borders of a single country. Here, in a narrow strip of land along the coast, you’ll find more than 6500 species of indigenous plants – many of which (like the gladiolus and pelargonium) have provided the basis for vast, international horticultural industries. This region also boasts South Africa’s biggest montane forest complex, and it is a region of spectacular mountains, placid lakes and endless white beaches.

 
Knysna
Knysna's history began in the year 1804, the year that saw the arrival of George Rex, rumored to be the illegitimate son of King George lll. He purchased the estate known as Melkhoutkraal on the shores of the beautiful lagoon and moved his entire family and considerable entourage down to Knysna to settle there.
 
Knysna is one of the Southern Cape coast's best known holiday destinations. Situated between lush forests and the shores of the peaceful lagoon, it offers a wide variety of activities and attractions. The most well known attraction being the Knysna Heads - two great sandstone cliffs guarding the mouth of the lagoon which connects the estuary with the sea. A lookout has been erected on the Eastern Head, commanding spectacular views of the lagoon, Leisure Isle and Knysna. The Western Head is a privately owned nature Reserve, namely Featherbed Bay. The Knysna Lagoon is one of the few places along the coast and in the world that supports a oyster hatchery, and the oysters produced there are reputed to be among the tastiest in the world.  Millwood House Museum in Queen Street houses material relating to the history of the town, and includes artifacts once owned by George Rex. It was built from yellowwood at the end of the previous century during the gold rush. From Millwood, it was later moved to Knysna.
 
Another spectacular attraction here is the Knysna Forest. It is the largest indigenous forest in South Africa comprising of tall and ancient trees of local and exotic species, including stinkwood, yellowwood, blackwood, ironwood, white alders and Cape chestnut. Not forgetting the ferns, creepers and wild flowers which add colour to this endless green collage. The forest is vast and extremely dense, making it impenetrable in places. Animal life is limited to a few small antelope and a large variety of birds, such as the famous Knysna Loerie. Home to the once great herds of Knysna Elephants, it is believed that only one lonely cow remains today.
 
Another historical attraction is the Millwood Gold Mine. Alluvial gold was found here in 1885, which caused a rush to the area. Jubilee Creek, the exact spot where gold was found, today provides a tranquil and beautiful picnic spot with many enjoyable forest walks in the area. Buffalo Bay is the closest beach to knysna, one of the safest for swimming along this coast and enjoyed by many holiday makers every year. It is very rocky in places, making it a great angling spot. There is also a slipway available for small boats.
 
 
Mossel Bay
Situated halfway between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, beautiful Mossel Bay is a coastal village and harbour on the Garden Route. This popular holiday town is surrounded by a sunbathed peninsula and the refreshing waters of the Indian Ocean.  It is blessed with a mild climate all-year round which makes it an ideal destination any time of the year. It is also the historical capital of the Garden Route.

Well-traveled pleasure boats dock regularly as well as other international seafaring vessels making use of the modern docking facilities. Mossel Bay is a rapidly growing tourist destination as more and more travelers are discovering this jewel of the Cape Garden Route. In 1488, Bartholomew Dias threw anchor here in the Bay of St Blaize. "Aguada de Sào Bras" as it was originally known. This town was then developed as a busy export harbour for wool, ochre and ostrich feathers. The many beautiful historical buildings in the town is evidence of the town's history. In 1601 the Dutch navigator, Paulus van Caerden, renamed it Mossel Bay, as he found that mussels were a most welcome addition to the diet of his crew. Today, mussels gathered in Mossel Bay each spring are rated by gourmets  as among the finest in the world.

Due to its rich history, there are many museums in the town to visit, including the Maritime Museum which focuses on the sailing and ships of the early days of discovery, and is home to the impressive life-size replica of Bartolomeu Dias's caravel, the ship in which he sailed into Mossel Bay the first time. The Granery is another museum which has a permanent display of fresh specimens of wild flowers found in this region, and a good selection of photographs of the many mountain passes that link the coastal area to the Little Karoo. The Shell Museum houses a very large collection of shells, and demonstrates how they were used by man through the ages as tools. The Cultural History Museum has many and varied artifacts of historical importance from the area covering various periods in history. Many of these museums were developed within some of the historical buildings in the town, but there are others, such as the Shirley Buildings, the Munrohoek Cottages and many others which may be visited. One of the most popular attractions is the Post Office , which is estimated to be more than 800 years old and has been declared a National Monument. It is underneath this milkwood tree where Pedro d'Ataide left a letter in 1500 in a seaman's boot for passing ships. Letters are still posted there today in a seaman's boot!  Mossel Bay is sportsman's and waters sport enthusiast's paradise, it has a very wide variety of adventure sports facilities and golf,  squash, tennis, bungi jumping and bridge diving, indoor heated pools and horse riding may also be enjoyed here. Shark cage diving, ship wreck diving, snorkeling and power boating activities are available for the adrenalin junkies.