Garden Route Road Trip from Cape Town: Itineraries & Tips

Strictly speaking, the Garden Route is the roughly 200 km stretch of the N2 between Mossel Bay and Storms River (the Tsitsikamma section), with George, Wilderness, Sedgefield, Knysna and Plettenberg Bay in between. In practice, most people start the trip in Cape Town and either loop back or end in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), the nearest city with an airport to the east.

From Cape Town it's about 385 km — four hours or so — to Mossel Bay along the N2 over Sir Lowry's Pass, through the Overberg wheatlands and past Swellendam. That first day is part of the trip, not just a transfer.

• 5 days — the minimum for a one-way trip ending in Gqeberha, with two nights in Knysna or Plett. Doable, but busy.
• 7 days — the sweet spot: time for Hermanus on the way, a forest hike, a lagoon day and Tsitsikamma.
• 10 days — a relaxed loop that returns via Route 62 and the Karoo, with a night in the Winelands at the end.

Rule of thumb: no more than 3–4 hours of driving on any day, and two nights wherever you stop for a while. Driving after dark is best avoided — not because of crime but because of animals, unlit roads and long distances between towns.

5 days (one-way, Cape Town → Gqeberha)

1. Cape Town → Mossel Bay or Wilderness (≈ 4–4.5 h). Lunch in Swellendam.
2. Wilderness → Knysna via Sedgefield. Knysna Heads and the lagoon.
3. Knysna: forest walk, oyster lunch, or a boat trip on the lagoon.
4. Knysna → Plettenberg Bay → Tsitsikamma (Storms River Mouth suspension bridge).
5. Tsitsikamma → Gqeberha (≈ 2 h), drop the car and fly home.

7 days (one-way, with Hermanus)

1. Cape Town → Hermanus via Clarence Drive (R44) along False Bay (≈ 1.5–2 h). Whale-watching from the cliffs in season (roughly June–November).
2. Hermanus → Swellendam → Mossel Bay or Wilderness (≈ 4 h).
3. Wilderness: canoe the Touws River, walk the Kingfisher Trail.
4. Wilderness → Knysna (≈ 45 min).
5. Knysna: Featherbed Nature Reserve or a day at Buffalo Bay.
6. Knysna → Plettenberg Bay → Tsitsikamma (≈ 1.5 h).
7. Tsitsikamma → Gqeberha and fly out.

10 days (loop, back to Cape Town)

1. Cape Town → Hermanus.
2. Hermanus → Wilderness.
3. Wilderness (rest day).
4. Wilderness → Knysna.
5. Knysna → Plettenberg Bay.
6. Day trip to Tsitsikamma and Storms River, back to Plett.
7. Plett → Oudtshoorn via the Outeniqua Pass (N12) or the Prince Alfred's Pass gravel road (SUV recommended).
8. Oudtshoorn: Cango Caves and the Swartberg Pass.
9. Oudtshoorn → Montagu or Robertson along Route 62.
10. Route 62 → Franschhoek or Stellenbosch for a final night, then Cape Town.

Route 62 is the inland road between the Cape Winelands and Oudtshoorn, through Worcester, Robertson, Montagu, Barrydale, Ladismith and Calitzdorp. It's slower and quieter than the N2, with semi-desert Karoo scenery, padstals (farm stalls), wine and brandy cellars and dramatic mountain passes. Most people use it as the return leg of a loop, joining it from the N1 through the Huguenot Tunnel (a toll road) or over Du Toitskloof Pass.

From Oudtshoorn, the Outeniqua Pass (N12) drops down to George and the coast in under an hour, so it's easy to combine both routes.

Add time for roadworks: stop-and-go sections are common on the N2, and holiday weekends bring heavy traffic over Sir Lowry's Pass. There's a toll plaza on the N2 at Tsitsikamma between Plettenberg Bay and Storms River; otherwise the N2 route from Cape Town is toll-free.

• Premium SUV (Toyota Fortuner, BMW X5) — the best all-rounder: room for luggage, comfortable on long N2 days and confident on gravel passes like Prince Alfred's or the Swartberg. See SUV and 4x4 hire.
• Executive sedan (C-Class, 3 Series) — ideal for couples sticking to tar roads; quiet and frugal at 120 km/h.
• Electric (BMW iX, Volvo EX30) — very doable on the N2, which has fast chargers in the larger towns. The iX's long range makes the Cape Town–Mossel Bay leg comfortable; the EX30 suits a slower, more planned trip. Read our EV road-trip guide for the Western Cape and electric car hire.
• People carrier — for families of six or more, with room for everyone's bags.

Check the kilometre allowance: a 7-day Garden Route trip easily covers 1,200–1,500 km. Our SUVs include 300 km a day and our electric cars have unlimited kilometres.

Driving back to Cape Town adds a full day or more. The alternative is a one-way rental: collect in Cape Town, drop the car in Gqeberha and fly home or onward. A one-way fee applies to cover returning the car, and it's shown upfront in your quote. Details on drop-off options are on our one-way car hire from Cape Town page.

Yes. It's one of the most travelled holiday routes in the country, the N2 is in generally good condition and the towns are geared to visitors. The usual precautions apply: don't drive long distances at night, keep valuables out of sight at viewpoints and beach car parks, and fill up when you're at half a tank on the quieter inland passes. Occasional local protests can close a road briefly; follow traffic reports and your accommodation's advice. More in our Cape Town driving safety guide.