There’s not a lot that can beat a getaway in the Western Cape, especially when you’re a lively travel-loving bunch like us at Giltedge. Earlier this year, a few of our team members had the opportunity to take on the role of tourist and traveller, exploring the Garden Route and Overberg region where you can do everything from hiking, snorkelling, bungee jumping and boat cruising.
We recently got together to share our adventures and have put together a few of our favourite pitstops and activities, which you’ll certainly want to add to your travel list this year.
As a bit of background, the Garden Route is regarded as one of South Africa’s most sought after coastal stretches. Although often debated, the official starting point of the Garden Route is Mossel Bay, with the official endpoint at Storms River. Known as a gateway to the Garden Route coastal stretch, the Overberg region lies within easy driving distance from Cape Town. Also referred to as the ‘Whale Coast’, it spans through the most exquisite seaside towns of Hermanus, Gansbaai, and Cape Agulhas.
Bigtree Marketing invited our Head of Digital Marketing, Julien, on a two-day exploration of Paarl and Gansbaai.
One of his top highlights was shark cage dive with White Shark Projects, a renowned marine research organisation based in the town of Gansbaai. He was invited to join their team on a thrilling boat excursion out to Dyer Island, home to a colony of over 60 000 Cape Fur Seals – the great white shark’s favourite food.
This image from Julien shows exactly where the cage diving takes place. “During my time with the White Shark Projects team, I learnt a lot about the importance of marine conservation,” he explains. “I even managed to get a closeup of the other two members of the Big 7, the southern right whale and the great white shark! “
He also admits that spending hours at sea observing the behaviour of great whites from above and below was a life-changing experience that completely took his breath away.
Julien also stopped at Rhebokskloof Wine Farm, which he reckons is one of his new favourite spots. “With its manicured lawns and majestic mountain views, this is just the place to go if you love being outdoors and enjoy a glass of Chardonnay or Chenin Blanc!”
Our Africa Travel Expert, Robyn, was invited by Adventure Shop to join their three-day off-road cycling adventure cycle tour from Hermanus to Cape Agulhas. As an avid outdoor enthusiast, she jumped at the chance to go!
The group met in the historical town of Stellenbosch and set off for a fun 4 km beach ride from Grotto Beach, continuing along jeep tracks and gravel roads across the Overberg countryside. During this experience, their backup vehicle was always close at hand, offering snacks and plenty of water.
After a 40 km cycle, they arrived at their first stop: Hermanuspietersfontein Wines, just outside of Hermanus.
She admits that day two was a lot more challenging, with a few climbs and headwinds. “Despite this, the experience passing by the most charming little roadside villages made it all worth it,” she explains.
During this day, the group pedalled across some of the most exquisite scenery of rolling farmlands and natural fynbos until reaching their accommodation for the night, Inyoni Lodge in the Wolvengat area. “If you’re a bona fide nature-lover, be sure to add this excursion to your bucket list,” she says.
On the last day, they geared up to ride for a whopping 58 km in order to reach their final destination: Cape Agulhas, the most Southern tip of Africa. As for the overall verdict of the trip? Robyn highly recommends it. “It’s jam-packed with the most incredible scenery along with getting you outdoors into the fresh air!” she adds.
Last year’s Garden Route MegaFam was the best one yet, according to Africa Travel Expert, Lenecha who joined the four-day marathon organised by SATSA and Wesgro. The group set off to explore the best of the Garden Route, dining at some of the top restaurants in the area and sipping on award-winning handcrafted gins.
They also embarked on a sailing excursion through the breathtaking Knysna Lagoon to witness those iconic Knysna Heads. “Knysna’s bewitching lagoon reflects the changing light throughout the day, making it the perfect place to go for your late afternoon sundowner,” she concludes.
Ready to embark on your own adventure through the Garden Route? Drop us a message and let us take care of all the finer details. We’re big fans of this region and want you to experience it too!