Autumn transforms the Garden Route into one of South Africa's most effortlessly beautiful drives, stripping the rush of summer visitors from its beaches and forests while keeping the sea warm enough for swimming and the roads dry enough for unhurried exploration. If you have been putting off the classic Cape Town to Port Elizabeth coastal drive, April is the month to finally make it happen.
The road trip traditionally begins in Cape Town, where most travellers spend a night or two before heading east. But the opening stretch along the N2 through the Overberg is worth slowing for: the whale nurseries around Walker Bay near Hermanus come alive in June and July, but southern right whales begin appearing from late April, and the road through Stanford, Gansbaai and Agulhas — South Africa's southernmost tip — adds a half-day but rewards with dramatic coastline and excellent seafood.
Mossel Bay, sitting five hours east of Cape Town, is the traditional starting point for the Garden Route proper. The town offers a charming waterfront, reliable surfing at the Point, and the fascinating Bartolomeu Dias Museum Complex commemorating the Portuguese explorer's 1488 landing. Allow at least a full day here before pushing eastward.
George, the regional hub, serves as the base for Outeniqua Pass and the breathtaking steam-train journey to Knysna. The Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe, resurrected by a private operator in 2024, now runs twice-weekly scenic journeys through the mountain pass and along the lagoon approaches — book seats well in advance for Easter and school holiday periods.
Knysna itself — the lagoon town with the famous Heads sandstone cliffs guarding its entrance — warrants two nights at minimum. The Waterfront market is lively on weekends, the oysters are exceptional, and a sunset cruise through the Heads is among the most memorable experiences in the Western Cape. Day trips from Knysna to the Tsitsikamma National Park's Storms River mouth and suspension bridge can easily fill a third day before the road leads on to Plettenberg Bay and, ultimately, the Eastern Cape.
