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Published: October 27 2014

The beautiful Overberg mountain range is best known for the "Garden Route", which starts in Cape Town and stretches all the way to Port Elizabeth. This route is reminiscent of the Route 1 drive in California. You will be treated to beautiful scenery, magnificent coastline views, lakes, mountains, undulating wheat fields, rivers and more. There are two routes that you can drive along the N2 highway and the R62, both have their own beauty, charm with a diversity of landscapes and interest.

The first route starts on the N2 from Cape Town towards Caledon. For a quick detour take the Caledon-Bredasdorp road (R316) towards Bredasdorp and after 26km turn right onto the R326 towards Stanford, a quaint village set in the beautiful Overberg countryside where foodies and winos abound. Expect long lunches, interesting characters and gorgeous scenery, where dozing off in a comfy chair in the late afternoon sun is expected, and letting out a button in your trousers after you've eaten is understandable. Stay at the Stanford Hotel (or at any of the lovely B&Bs or Guest Houses) and enjoy country hospitality and charm at its best. Eat at Havercrofts for decadent food prepared by husband and wife team Bryndon and Innes. Not to be missed is the critically acclaimed Mariana's at Owls Barn where locally sourced food is perfectly combined into authentic Cape cuisine with French and Italian influences. The restaurant is set in a country garden where you overlook the fruit trees that supply ingredients such as guava, citrus, quince, fig and pomegranate. Everything on the menu is made from scratch by a dedicated, impassioned team led by Mariana and Peter Esterhuizen. Activities in Stanford are not limited to eating and drinking fine South African food and wine; also on your doorstep are hiking, mountain biking, horse-riding, and unique gift shopping.



The mountains enveloping Stanford

When you finally drag yourself away from Stanford, drive East along the N2, feasting your eyes on wide-open spaces. Stop for feasting of a different kind at Tredici in Swellendam. This is just one more restaurant in the Cape where the food is prepared with joie de vivre and I would recommend...everything. If you don't want to leave Swellendam, spend the night at any one of the B&Bs in town. You can drive up, ask them their rates, and if you like it, park your bags and take a stroll down quiet streets. Or sit on the patio, like at Braeside B&B, with a G&T and a book looking up regularly to marvel at the magnificent mountains.

Braeside Guest House

Braeside Guest House

A touristy thing to do is to visit Cape L'Agulhas, the Southern most tip of Africa. Many will argue with me but I find the drive there a bit bleak and the coastline unspectacular but we all like different things, so it is an option. Take a look at the hauntingly beautiful Arniston with its azure Sea and white beaches. If you have time, and fancy some peace and quiet, book self-catering accommodation using wheretostay.co.za. October-November is whale season. The De Hoop Reserve in Arniston has, arguably, the largest concentration of Southern Right Whales coming to give birth to their calves in the world. This is a spectacular sight, and in case I haven't mentioned this before, traveling in South Africa with a good pair of binoculars is advisable.

Southern Right Whale

As a side note: for the less "flush" traveler, use www.wheretostay.co.za  for accommodation suggestions. It is what the locals use. All the prics are quoted in the South African currency of Rands, which is always a good sign (the Rand is around 10 to 1 USD).

Hermanus during whale week

Hermanus is known as whale-watching mecca and has "Whale Week" in October every year. Whale Week is fun, but Hermanus is so much nicer without the crowds. You'll be treated to beautiful beaches, gorgeous cliffs, nice walks, whale watching boat rides, shark cage diving (if you never wish to enjoy another swim in the ocean again), art galleries and jewelry shops. Hermanus has many stunning hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses to choose from, at very reasonable prices. Arabella golf course, 30 kilometers from Hermanus, is one of the top ranked golf courses in South Africa, has luxurious accommodations and a fabulous spa.

Another interesting stop along the Garden Route, five kilometers from Stilbaai is an independent gin distillery called Inverroche. Mellow summers and misty winters create the rich Cape Flora from which they make their gin. A very interesting tour and tasting. For more information visit: www.inverroche.co.za. Buy a bottle of their delicious gin to drink in the evenings with tonic and lime, or replace the lime with cucumber. Probably also a good idea to buy two bottles and take one home with you.

Mossel Bay has a busy harbor, which has been used through the centuries to export goods such as wool, ostrich feathers, and ochre. The area is also well known for its cold-water oysters, hence its name, "Mossel" meaning "mussel" in Dutch. Recent evacuations of nearby Stilbaai have proved that early Homo sapiens inhabited the area over 75,000 years ago. Interestingly, the reason for these early inhabitants making Mossel Bay their home is that the area has the second mildest climate in the world with only a 15 degree difference between maximum high and maximum low, together with the greatest bio-diversity / amount of plant species (10 - 30 times more than anywhere else in the world). There is a maritime museum in Mossel Bay with a life-size replica of Bartholomew Dias's ship. Bartholomew Dias "discovered" Mossel Bay in 1488. The museum also houses other ship models and maps of routes to the East. There is a wild flower museum, called the Granary, a Cultural History Museum and a Shell Museum. The village has many old buildings including the 800-year-old Post Office.

Another reason to visit is the Pinnacle Point Golf Course outside Mossel Bay is one of the most challenging golf courses in the world with four of the holes being played over the cliffs which line the course. Designed by legendary South African golf course designer Peter Matkovich in consultation with Irish golfer, Darren Clarke. You'll need lots of balls but with breath-taking views, you'll find it hard to lose your temper. Accommodation for every budget is available in Mossel Bay. Again, visit wheretostay.co.za.

Pinnacle Point (courtesy globalgolfermag.com)

The city of George has a nice little airport from where you can travel around the country as well as rent a car. I wouldn't recommend stopping in the city of George for a night, as there are better things to do and see. Again, for the golfers, the Overberg continues not to disappoint. The Fancourt Golf Courses are just outside the city of George. Fancourt features three courses designed by Gary Player. The Links course was voted South Africa's top golf course this year and is described by Gary Player as being his greatest feat. The 150-year-old Manor House at Fancourt has been meticulously renovated into a boutique hotel. Luxury accommodation, excellent for families can be found at the Fancourt Hotel.

Victoria Bay, just past George is known as "The Gem of the Garden Route" and its large waves are much sought after by surfers from around the world. Stop in for a wave or chill on the beach and watch some of South Africa's surfers do their thing.

Knysna HeadsKnysna with its lagoon, and the famous Knysna Heads, is picturesque but unfortunately not what it was when my Mom was a young girl. A poor decision was made by its residents decades ago was not to have the N2 highway by-pass the town but instead keep it on the main street. This has meant that the traffic at certain times can be hell and the Main Street has become tacky with informal markets and cheap stores. Have a drink at the Heads at one of the two restaurants there, but don't bother eating there. The service and the food are forgettable. Knysna does have some lovely galleries, jewelry shops and a stunning French furniture shop on the way up to the Heads. The lagoon still has the endangered and delicate Knysna sea horses, which I remember seeing as a child, apparently you can still find them. Knysna has beautiful homes – the ones with the views of the Heads are truly spectacular. Eat at Ille de Pain where French pastry chef Marcus and his Chef-wife, Liezie prepare sumptuous, to-die-for lunches. They have a bakery on site too.

Between Knysna and Plettenberg Bay is the Knysna Elephant Park, where one can walk and feed the Elephants.

And then there is Plettenberg Bay, simply, heaven on earth. Plett, as the locals call it, has Blue Flag beaches, hikes, fishing, whale watching, good restaurants, quaint shops, and friendly locals. Not surprisingly there are a growing number of "snowbirds" making Plett their winter/summer home due to a weak Rand and superb quality of life. Stay here, if not forever, then at least three days. If you can afford it the Relais et Chateau, Plettenberg is sensational. Fabulous B&Bs abound but I recommend the Robberg side as it is more low-key with quiet beaches, beautiful scenery and amazing bird-life. Buy or borrow a bird book and after you have done a long walks on the beach, chill on the front lawn of your B&B and see how many bird species you can identify. Southern Cross B&B is small and lovely with gorgeous views. Sea Breeze Beach House and Annex is stunning too. Eat at Enrico's Restaurant a short drive from Plett (have the prawns), at Emily Moon for African inspired meals, Zinzi at Hunter Hotels www.hunterhotels.co.za  for traditional French and Italian, to name but a few. Emily Moon and Hunters have wonderful accommodation as well

The Robberg peninsula and beach in Plett

The indigenous Knysna Loerie, which can be spotted in the vlei (wetland) near RobbergOn your way out of Plett is the highest bungee jump in the world at Bloukrans Bridge. If you are going further, skip Port Elizabeth, unless you need to use the airport. Surfers doing the Garden Route are obviously on their way to Jeffrey's Bay - home to the perfect right wave - one of the top five surfing destinations in the world. Cape St Francis and St Francis Bay are beautiful and very, very quiet. Long walks on the beach, more golf, good surfing and a few quiet pubs are what to expect. St Francis has always struck me as being a great family holiday if you have lots of extended family and friends and you all hang out together at your beautiful homes with your nice ski boats, otherwise you may die of boredom.

Supertubes at Jeffrey's Bay

The Route 62 SceneryRoute 62 is the less well known of the two routes and is different, and spectacular, in its own way. From Cape Town take the N1 to Worcester where you take the R62 towards George. If you wish to do the one route out of Cape Town and the other route back to Cape Town, you can join the R62 in George. Along the R62 you will be treated to a well-maintained roadway, beautiful scenery, historic and quiet towns, as well as some excellent wine farms. There are reported to be over 500 species of succulents along this roadway, and in spring you may be treated to the flowering of the statuesque Protea, indigenous to the region.

Just outside of Worcester begins the longest wine route in the Western Cape. The wines in this region are different to anywhere else in the Cape as they are grown in the semi-arid region of the Klein (Afrikaans for "small") Karoo (the name given to the desert region of the Cape). A good first stop is at the Graham Beck wine estate, most well known for its sparkling wines. I have bought Graham Beck at Total Wine and it is an inexpensive alternative to French champagne and as delicious (I may be a little biased). For those who relish Chardonnay, enjoy the tasting at family-owned De Wetshof Wine Cellars. The tasting rooms hours are Monday to Friday from 08h30 to 17h00 and on Saturdays from 09h30 to 13h00. Cellar tours are by appointment only, to book a tour call +27 23 615 1853. The Bon Cap Wine Estate is famous for its organic wines (allegedly organic wine give you less of a headache), and also offers lunch and dinner at their Bistro. Please be advised that on Saturday, the Bistro is closed for private functions. The Bistro offers wonderful South African meals such as waterblommetjiebrede, a stew made from a water lily. Waterblommetjie is also used to make preserves, Padstale (farm stores) are prevalent on the Garden Route and jars of waterblommetjie preserve make wonderful gifts – scrumptious when served with Gorgonzola, Brie, Camembert and Stilton, to name but a few.

Depending on how much wine you have consumed, and if time allows, you may like to stay in the town of Robertson, particularly if your last stop of the day includes a visit to Klipdrift Brandy Distillery. "Klippies" and coke is a favourite South African cocktail but Klipdrift also produces some nice aged brandies that are enjoyed in the traditional snifter. The 5 Star Robertson Small Hotel on Van Reenen Street is stunning. In addition to the lovely accommodations, the restaurant Reuben's, run by notable chef Rueben Riffel offers an ever-changing menu that never fails to disappoint. The hotel costs around $60 per night (I know right?!?!). To make a booking at Robertsons Small Hotel call +27 (0)23 626 7200 or email reservations@therobertsonsmallhotel.com. If you are looking for a more "country" vibe, stay at Klaasvoogds Cottage (pronounced closely as classfoogds – which will still make the locals smile) situated on a working wine farm 20km outside of Robertson towards Ashton. Klaasvoogds provides self-catering accommodation for two adults and a fabulous restaurant. The scenery is spectacular and you are well-positioned here to enjoy the outdoor activities around Robertson such as hiking, mountain-biking, rock-climbing, fishing, swimming, bird-watching and horse-riding. For enquiries contact Jane Sussen at +27 (0)12 355-4305.

Continue your explorations towards Montagu, stopping at the myriad of wine estates on the way. As a side note: the blood, alcohol limit in South Africa was recently reduced. The rule of thumb many South Africans follow is to consume no more than one glass of wine per hour to a maximum of two glasses, to be on the safe side of the law, as well as safe on the roads. Be sure to stop at Igadi Olive Farm for olive and olive oil tasting. The Igadi Olive Farm practices biodynamic farming where farmers strive to create a diversified, balanced ecosystem.

Kick back in the historic town of Montagu, which boasts not only gorgeous scenery and various outdoor pursuits, but also has the most national monuments on one street out of any other town in South Africa.

Montagu

In Montagu there is plenty to do: visit the museums and art galleries, take a guided Walk in MontEco Nature Reserve and a guided rock-climbing excursion. If that is not enough for you visit www.montagu.org.za/what-to-do/  for more ideas. The Vineyard Country House in Montagu is set on a working grape and apricot smallholding on historic Long Street, within walking distance of the monuments, restaurants and shops. They also serve dinner ither in front of the fire or on the "stoep" (Afrikaans for "porch" but a word widely used by all South Africans). Visit the website at www.thevineyardcountryhouse.co.za

Travelling towards Barrydale, take a detour on Traddouw Pass built by Sir Thomas Bain in the 1800s. Be sure to check the weather before taking any out of the way mountain passes as they can be dangerous in snow and heavy rain. Ask at your guesthouse if you are unsure.

Traddouw Pass

Over 4000 species of aloes and 2500 species of indigenous trees line this route and in Autumn (April/May) one can see the aloes in flower and in Spring (September/October) the wildflowers are in bloom. Barrydale is a quaint little town situated at the foothills of the Langeberg Mountains with excellent hiking. Barrydale is a fruit-producing town with farms growing peaches, apricots, plums, apples and grapes (yes, more wineries).

On the road to Ladismith, stop at Ronnies Sex Shop. This is not an adult store, as the name suggests, but a bar frequented by bikers. I won't ruin the surprise so all I will say is that it's a fun stop off for a cold beer, and maybe you will even feel like adding to the décor...

Towerkop Ladismith The town of Ladismith lies at the foothills of the Swartberg mountain range with the majestic Towerkop as the backdrop to the town. Local legend tells the story of an angry witch who flew over the mountain, striking it with her wand and splitting the mountain in two.

Ladismith is another epicenter for outdoor enthusiasts with nearby Buffelspoort offering adventure canoeing, mountain biking, kloof (cliff) swimming and abseiling. The town also features two cheese factories to pair with the wine you have bought. Seweweekspoort pass was opened in 1862 and was one of the first routes through the Swartberg range. It is a spectacular drive with majestic cliffs and fascinating rock formations. These mountains, along with the other mountains in the Cape, are some of the oldest in the world, originally continuous with the Ventana Mountains near Bahía Blanca in Argentina and other fold and thrust belts in Antarctica and eastern Australia (for more information see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Fold_Belt ). Spend the night with Andy and Penny at the unique Mymering Guest House. The Mymering Guest House is well sign posted from Ladismith. The rooms are clean and comfortable and all have wonderful views of the mountains. Andy will advise you on the hiking nearby, and perhaps escort you on a walk with their dogs. To add to your enjoyment and comfort they serve good wine and food. Visit www.mymering.com for more information.

Calitzdorp has a climate very similar to the Douro valley in Portugal making it a very good area for producing Port. Visit De Krans and Boplaas, the most well-known of the Port producing wineries. De Krans won best South African Port in the SAWI Wines Excellence Awards 2014. Boplaas produces a variety of award winning wines; the tasting room is open Monday to Friday from 09:00 till 17:00, on
Saturday from 09:00 till 15:00, on Public holidays from 09:00 till 17:00, they are
closed on Sunday, Christmas and Good Friday (Easter Friday).

Oudtshoorn is home to the Cango Caves, which are over 20 million years old and consist of a series of hidden chambers cut deep into a thick limestone rock layer. The Caves have been inhabited since the early Stone Age and are South Africa's oldest tourist destination. There are a variety of tours on offer, depending on your adventure level, and whether or not you are claustrophobic.

The Cango Caves

Oudtshoorn is also famous for ostrich farming and many farms will offer a ride on an ostrich. Please do not do this. It is painful and terrifying for the animal and has become a stupid tourist attraction. It is enough to enjoy photographing and watching them, as with all wildlife. I do recommend an ostrich steak though, which may be hypocritical. Located on the road to the Cango Caves is the Villa Ora B&B, call +27 (0)44 272 8371 to book.

Swartberg Pass ExitLeaving Outshoorn towards Prince Albert you will take the famous Swartberg Pass.

The Swartberg Pass is treacherous in bad weather! Please check Cape Nature (023 541 1736, www.capenature.co.za) for up-to-date road conditions. It is a thrilling drive, again, built by Sir Thomas Bain, featuring hairpin bends and fantastic rock formations.

On the other side of the Swartberg Pass is Prince Albert, a Karoo village whose spare beauty and remarkable light make it popular with artists. As a result there are some lovely galleries including Ostrich egg art. The Saturday market is worth a visit. Prince Albert also has a cheese factory, wine tastings, yoga and touch therapies such as massage and body talk. You can take cooking classes, photography classes, take a donkey tour through the desert, see a real blacksmith in action, take long hikes, scenic drives and go 4x4 adventuring. Prince Albert won the town of the year competition in the Western Cape and it is easy to see why! Stay at De Bergkant Lodge for its beautiful character. Be Bergkant is a 19th century house, built in 1858 by local craftsman Carel Lotz as a wedding present for his daughter and her husband. The house features unique gables known as Prince Albert gables, beautiful sash windows, elegant doors, high, wooden ceilings and Cape antiques. For bookings call +27 (0)23 541 1088 .

From Prince Albert you can travel back to Oudtshoorn and on to George. Enjoy your travels!