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The Garden Route stretches roughly 200 km along South Africa's south-eastern coast between Mossel Bay and Storms River, and most visitors arrive the way the route was meant to be seen: behind the wheel on the N2. Those short on time fly into George Airport, the region's own gateway about a 50-minute hop from Cape Town.
N2 highway between Mossel Bay (Western Cape) and Storms River (Eastern Cape), South Africa
The N2 is the route's spine. Cape Town to Mossel Bay is 385 km (about 4 hours), then the hops shorten: Mossel Bay–Wilderness 50 km, Wilderness–Knysna 45 km, Knysna–Plettenberg Bay just 32 km. From Plettenberg Bay it's another 68 km to Storms River, and 190 km more to Gqeberha.
You'll want the car. The whole reason this is South Africa's most popular self-drive destination is that the stops — Knysna's Heads, the Garden of Eden, Robberg — sit just off the N2 between towns. Drive in daylight; the road is unlit and baboons, livestock and broken-down vehicles appear after dark. A 2WD is fine, though the Swartberg Pass and parts of Route 62 are gravel if you loop inland.
George Airport is the Garden Route's own airport, and the sensible shortcut. The hop from Cape Town International takes about 50 minutes, replacing a 4–5 hour drive, and rental cars and private transfers are arranged at the terminal. George sits mid-route: Wilderness is 15 minutes east, Knysna under an hour.
Fly in here if you're short on time. The classic play is Cape Town to George by air, pick up a car, drive the coast east, and drop the car in Gqeberha — though check that drop fee (roughly R1,800) before committing to the one-way.
Intercape runs coaches between Cape Town and the Garden Route towns — George, Knysna, Plettenberg Bay — continuing on to Gqeberha. Baz Bus does something different: a hop-on hop-off service that stops at hostels along the route, built for solo backpackers who don't want to commit to a schedule.
Neither bus covers the ground between towns, though. To reach Storms River Mouth, Robberg or the forest trails you'll pair the bus with local shuttles or a rental picked up in George or Knysna. Book 48–72 hours ahead online.
Gqeberha is the eastern gate. From its airport you're 190 km (about 2 hours) from Storms River on the N2, passing straight into the Tsitsikamma section where the route technically ends. Rental cars are at the airport, and shared transfers run this corridor for less than a private car.
Starting east works well if you've paired the coast with Addo Elephant National Park, a short hop beyond Gqeberha. Drive the route east-to-west, finish in Cape Town, and you get the scenery building rather than fading. Note that SANParks has posted fee and booking changes for Addo effective 1 October 2026.
Operators run 3-day (Gqeberha–George), 4-day and 5-day small-group tours departing from Cape Town or Gqeberha, covering the full ~200 km route — Knysna, Tsitsikamma and the Bloukrans area — with pickup included. You'll be driven the N2 in a vehicle with someone who knows where the food is good.
This is the pick if you don't want to drive on the left or you're squeezed for planning time. The trade-off is pace: stops are fixed, so no lingering at the Knysna Heads if the group is moving. Multi-day pricing runs roughly $700–1,400 per person.
Parking is inside the SANParks gates themselves — Storms River Mouth has a rest camp car park a short boardwalk from the suspension bridges, and Robberg's car park fills by mid-morning in season, so arrive before 09:00. No separate parking fees are published; you pay the daily conservation fee at the gate. The Garden of Eden, right off the N2 between Knysna and Plettenberg Bay, has an 800 m wheelchair-accessible circular route from its car park.
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| From | Mode | Time | Cost | Tip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Town (self-drive) | Rental car via the N2 | About 4 hours to Mossel Bay (385 km); 4.5 hours to Wilderness | Rental cars from roughly R350–R700/day in season; one-way drop fee approx R1,800 if you finish in Gqeberha | Drive the town-to-town legs in daylight — rural N2 stretches are poorly lit and you can meet baboons, livestock and unlit vehicles after dark. |
| Cape Town International Airport (CPT) | Flight to George Airport (GRJ), then rental car or private transfer at the terminal | About 50 minutes in the air (~420 km) | Domestic fares vary by season — compare carriers online before booking | Flying into George skips the 4–5 hour drive and pairs well with a one-way rental ending in Gqeberha, but check the drop fee first. |
| Cape Town (by bus) | Intercape coach or Baz Bus hop-on hop-off backpacker service | 5–7 hours, depending on your stop (George, Knysna or Plettenberg Bay) | Fares vary by route and date — book online 48–72 hours ahead | Buses rarely cover the whole route on their own; most travellers combine them with a rental car or shuttles between towns. |
| Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) | Rental car or shared shuttle from the airport via the N2 | About 2 hours to Storms River (190 km) | Rental car or shuttle; shared transfers available from Gqeberha airport | Starting here and driving west to Cape Town flips the usual direction — same scenery, and you can fly out of Cape Town instead. |
| Cape Town or Gqeberha (no car) | Small-group guided tour (3, 4 or 5 days) | 3–5 days, covering the full ~200 km route with pickup included | Roughly $700–$1,400 per person depending on length | Tours take in Knysna, Tsitsikamma and the Bloukrans area — a workable option if you're short on time or can't drive. |
George Airport (GRJ) is the route's own airport, a 50-minute flight from Cape Town International, and rental cars wait at the terminal. That saves the ~4-hour drive from Cape Town outright. Fly out of Gqeberha at the end instead, since Storms River is only 190 km (~2 h) from there.
A one-way rental from Cape Town to Gqeberha avoids an ~800 km return drive but adds a drop fee of roughly R1,800. Do the math against flying: for short trips, the 50-minute Cape Town–George flight plus a local rental often costs less. Seasonal rates run about R350–R700/day either way.
SANParks day-visitor gates open 07:00 in summer (Sep–Apr) and 08:00 in winter, closing at 18:00 and 17:00 with zero flexibility — overstaying can earn you a summons under the Protected Areas Act. Arrive at opening at Storms River Mouth: you'll get golden light on the suspension bridges and a parking spot before the 09:00–15:00 crush.
The Plaatbos and Goesa gates in Storms River Village — covering the forest trails and the Tsitsikamma Big Tree — take card only, no cash. Robberg has gone the same way. Carry a working chip card everywhere, plus some cash for small towns.
Daily conservation fees stack fast: Storms River Mouth is R367 per international adult, Wilderness R235, Knysna R231, each charged per day, per section. A SANParks Wild Card exempts you from all of them — if you're visiting two or more sections, or adding Addo on the way out of Gqeberha, it pays for itself.
George Airport (GRJ) is the route's own airport, a 50-minute flight from Cape Town International, with rental cars available at the terminal. Many travellers instead fly into Cape Town, drive the N2 east, and fly out of Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), which sits about 190 km — roughly 2 hours — beyond the eastern end at Storms River.
Cape Town to Mossel Bay, the route's western start, is 385 km and takes about 4 hours on the N2; from there the core 200 km stretch to Storms River adds another 2–3 hours non-stop. Don't do it non-stop — most travellers allow 4–5 days, and operators recommend 5–7 nights for the highlights.
A rental car is by far the most practical option, since the route is South Africa's most popular self-drive destination and the N2 links every town — Wilderness to Knysna is 45 km, Knysna to Plettenberg Bay just 32 km. Rentals run about R350–R700 per day in season. If you'd rather not drive, small-group guided tours from Cape Town or Gqeberha cost roughly $700–$1,400 per person for 3–5 days.
Yes — Intercape runs long-distance coaches from Cape Town to George, Knysna and Plettenberg Bay and on to Gqeberha (5–7 hours), while Baz Bus runs a hop-on hop-off service that stops at hostels along the route, ideal for solo travellers. Book online 48–72 hours ahead. Note that buses rarely cover the whole trip on their own; most travellers combine them with a rental car or shuttles between towns.
Expect a one-way drop fee of roughly R1,800 if you pick up in Cape Town and drop off in Gqeberha — check it's included before booking. For shorter trips, flying the 50-minute Cape Town–George hop and renting locally is often cheaper, and it saves the 4–5 hour drive from Cape Town.
Plan your town-to-town legs for daylight. The N2 between towns is poorly lit, and you can encounter baboons, livestock, pedestrians, and broken-down vehicles without lights or reflectors. It's otherwise considered one of South Africa's safer tourist routes — just refuel at major stations, lock doors, and keep valuables out of sight.
SANParks day-visitor gates run 07:00–18:00 in summer (September–April) and 08:00–17:00 in winter (May–August), with no entry outside these hours — the times are strictly enforced and can carry a summons under the Protected Areas Act. If you're staying overnight, units can only be occupied from 14:00, and the Storms River Mouth suspension bridges are best caught soon after the 07:00 summer opening.
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