soccer

We are taking 4 days/3 nights to drive from Port Elizabeth to Capetown in mid-December. Does anyone have suggestions on where would be the best places to stay and visit along the way?

colind

Try and spend longer it is a wonderful area.

Before you go start make sure you have spent some time in Port Elizabeth, and taken a Township tour, visited the Addo National Park and one of the Private Big 5 Game Reserves.

Day 1 stop overnight in Storms River visit the Tsitsikamma National Park, good choice of accommodation, take the tree top canopy tour.

Day 2-3. visit Plettenberg Bay and take a whale and dolphin watching boat trip.

Stay overnight in Knysna visit the heads and enjoy the town.

Add day 4 and either visit Mossel Bay or Oudtshoorn visit the Cango Caves and take the 54 km bicycle ride down the Swartberg Pass.

Kavey

We took about 11 or 12 nights to drive from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth so I realise our itinerary wouldn't work for you but if you've time to plough through a long trip report you might find some ideas in mine:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34511049

mkhonzo

I agree with Colind, in that you should try and spend a little more time in the area.

I don't think that you'll see whales at that time of year, however the boat trip will be an experience worthy of dolphins and other more local species.

Study a map. There are many passes through the outeniqua mountains that are worth exploring. have a look at Natures Valley as an alternate to Plettenberg Bay, it sees a ton less people.

Stop in at Knutzi (sp) beach outside Knysna. Try and swing through Arniston for a day.

If you decide to remain on the garden route from PE to Cape Town, some folk break away and drive the Karoo from Oudtshoorn, then I do suggest that you leave the N2 at Botriver and drive the R44 toward Gordons Bay. If you can time it so that you reach Onrus at 18h00, you will be in for a fabulous sunset drive around Pringle Bay.

Shout if you need more tips and pointers.

Selwyn_Davidowitz

soccer,

Agree with Colind and Mkhonzo in that it is really a pity that you cannot spend 4 nights on your Garden Route excursion. Assuming that your amount of nights are fixed in stone I would suggest the following:

1 night in PE so as to give you an opportunity to visit game farms in the region.

On your second day travel to Knynsa taking in a Teeetop safari, Bloukrans Valley, Natures Valley and Plettenberg Bay before arriving in Knysna where I suggest you then stay for 2 nights.

On your third day I would explore Knysna with amongst others going to the Heads, visiting the village itself as well as taking a drive to Belvedere and maybe even Brenton on Sea where you can go on a lovely beach walk.

On your last day you can then travel back to Cape Town (500km).

The above should work out fine but oh it would be so much better if you could add a day or 2 to your itinenary.

Hope this helps.

Very proudly part of the wonderful nation of South Africa

linjudy

We really enjoyed Knysna. In addition to the lagoon, you can use it as a base to visit Tsitsikama, Plettenberg Bay, etc. Brentan beach was really beautiful.

I also highly recommend the River Bend Lodge near Addo Elephant Park. Wonderful place. Awesome staff and you'll see huge numbers of elephants.

Greginlh

Have one reccomendation--go to Knysna and stay at the Old Cape Road Guest House. It was beautiful driving thru the city and seeing this home on the hill overlooking the bay. We didnt have a room for the nite, but drove up the winding drive to find a room available and very reasonable rate with breakfast. The owners book us an ultralight flight which was one of the highlights of our trip. Very friendly owners and guests.

ardbroilach

We took 4/5 days to do it earlier this year. Stayed 2 nights at the Plettenberg Park (gorgeous location, if rather isolated0 and 2 nights at the Blue Gum Country Estate in Stanford, near Hermanus. I can particularly recommend the later where pretty much everything was perfect. Our suite was lovely, the food amazing and great value. Nothing was too much trouble. We had some great to the whale viewing at De Kelders and in Hermanus itself.

We drove from PE to Plett the first day. The following day we drove back to the Storms River and spent some enjoyable hours exploring there. Visited Monkey Land on the way back - good fun if you like Monkeys or have children - and then had dinner by the beach in Plett.
The drive from Plett to Stanford took some time and, had we had time, I would have loved to have stopped in some of the places mentioned by the other posters. Scenery is truly beautiful.