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garden variety
By Shaney Hudson.
Published in the January-March 2012 issue.
Stretching more than 300 coastal kilometres and taking in some of South Africa’s most dramatic scenery, the Garden Route is far from ordinary.
His swollen girth is the only clue to his immense power. As he rises slowly from the murk, his grey skin begins to shimmer, a casually sashaying tail propelling him forward. I can see him but I cannot hear him as he gets closer and closer, the water suddenly colder, the air in my lungs running out as he glides by. In the blink of an eye and with one quick flick of his tail, the Great White shark is directly in front of the cage, so close that I would not have to extend my arm to touch him. All I can see are teeth, snout and dark, dark eyes. It’s only my first day exploring South Africa’s Garden Route; so far, it’s been a wild ride.
Officially, the Garden Route is a scenic drive between Mossel Bay and Plettenberg Bay, around 300 kilometres to the east, on the Western Cape. But most people stretch the drive out, leaving from Cape Town and driving through to Port Elizabeth on the Eastern Cape. The coastal drive along the N2 is popular for good reason – impeccable infrastructure aside, the route weaves past some of South Africa’s wildest terrain.
Here, the Tsitsikamma ranges rise up against the Indian Ocean, creating striking cliff-top drops. Thick indigenous forest clings to the slopes, while magnificent beaches and sheltered lagoons hem the coast. The entire drive is punctuated by villages, waterside hamlets and
resort towns.
Relative to other parts of Africa, the Garden Route is also very accessible and appeals to nature-lovers and gourmands, families and couples. Oh, and adrenalin junkies, for whom diving with Great Whites six kilometres off the coast of Kleinbaai should definitely be on the agenda.
Leaving Mossel Bay, we pass towns with names such as Hartenbos, Reebok and Pacaltsdorp before arriving at Wilderness, a peaceful beach resort fringed by national park. As we wind through town, our car grinds over the overgrown railway tracks of the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe, the iconic steam train that once chugged across the Kaaimans River Bridge linking the towns of George and Knysna.
We head up to the Map of Africa Viewpoint, a popular hang-gliding spot, to gaze out over the Kaaimans River emptying into the ocean and the town’s old railway bridge bracing against the wild surf. Damage to the track cut the rail service in 2006 and though it was revived for the 2010 World Cup, the service was discontinued in September 2010. It’s now a piece of history gradually being worn away by the sea.
As beautiful as Wilderness is, it’s The Crags that steals my heart. Around 115 kilometres up the coast from the weathered railway bridge, The Crags takes its name from the sheer rock-faces of the Tsitsikamma. There are plenty of luxury hotel options in the area, including the award-winning Kurland hotel. But we check in to the homely That Place, a house fitted out with inlaid woodblock sculptures, overlooking a large gorge.
One of the reasons we book That Place is that it is within walking distance of Bramon Wine estate, which bottles the only method cap classic sauvignon blanc in South Africa and has a tapas restaurant where you can dine alfresco amid the vines. For me, however, the real appeal is the fact the deck looks over the nearby Elephant Sanctuary, where you can watch gentle giants graze and call to each other as the sun goes down.
The Crags is also an ideal base for those keen to explore Plettenberg Bay, a popular whale-watching spot, and Storms River, better known as South Africa’s adrenalin territory. For those who love adventurous activities, the area is a goldmine, offering everything from zip-lining canopy tours and white-water tubing to bungy jumping. I have no intention of jumping, but we pull the car over at a bridge to take a look at others hurtling towards earth. An hour later, I find myself being strapped in to take the plunge.
The next day, we make our way to The Elephant Sanctuary at Plettenberg Bay for its one-hour, trunk-in-hand elephant educational program. I shudder as I feel the warm, wet suction of bristly skin in my left hand, the “thumb” on the tip of the elephant’s trunk curling into my palm. We walk, trunk-in-hand as promised, feeding the elephants chunks of apple.
The Elephant Sanctuary is one of a series of wildlife encounters available in The Crags. Others include Monkeyland, a free-roaming primate sanctuary; Birds of Eden, the largest free-flight aviary in the world; and Tenikwa Wildlife Awareness Centre, which rehabilitates wild cats.
At Tenikwa, I join the after-hours cheetah walk. Technically, I’m supposed to be walking Chester, a male cheetah, but in reality he’s the one pulling me along, growling every so often and dragging me forward with his powerful muscular frame. We stop in a clearing for a break and he rubs his chin around my legs, curling his tail over my knees and demanding a pat the way my tabby cat would at home.
Most of the animals here and at neighbouring wildlife parks have been rescued or rehabilitated, and the emphasis is on education and conservation through interaction. And in the absence of government support, most of the parks rely on income from tourism to survive.
Back at That Place I meet with Katie Rutherford, a twentysomething who runs the Dollars for Change charity supported by the hotel. Her regional community projects range from an afterschool program for kids to the rebuilding of the local kindergarten and the refurbishment of a dilapidated home for the disabled in the nearby village of Kurland.
“We would rather get one dollar from 50 people than $50 from one person. Small can have a meaningful impact when people work together around a common goal,” she tells me.
We sit and chat for so long that it’s dark by the time I take my leave and drive on to Jeffreys Bay, one of the world’s most renowned surf hangouts and my final destination on the Garden Route.
The next day, I wake before dawn to watch the sun burn through the darkness in dazzling shades of hot pink and orange. I take a garden path straight onto the beach, a surfboard tucked under my right arm.
The surf is closing out but the morning is too beautiful and the beach too empty to not be in the water. I muck about on the shore break, aware that this is the hunting hour for Great White sharks and that I could be mistaken for a seal snack if I venture too far out to sea.
I end up sitting on the sand, looking out over the ocean. I realise that over the last few days, I’ve walked with cheetahs, swum with sharks, jumped off bridges and held “hands” with an elephant. This is the first opportunity I’ve had to sit and be quiet and just let South Africa in. •
Photography by Shaney Hudson and courtesy of Eastern Cape Tourism and Storms River.
TRAVEL FACTS
getting there
Under a code-share agreement, South African Airways (SAA) and Qantas fly direct from Perth and Sydney to Johannesburg.
• Qantas. 131-313; qantas.com.au
• South African Airways. 1300-435-972; flysaa.com
Kenya Airways offers daily flights from Sydney to Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, with onward connections to Johannesburg. 1300-787-310; kenya-airways.com
getting around
The Garden Route is best accessed by car. Roads are well signposted but hiring a GPS can be handy, as most businesses include their GPS coordinates on their websites. Talk to Avis when planning your trip. avis.co.za
If you don’t drive, the Bazbus is a convenient pick-up drop-off service along the Garden Route. bazbus.com
Alternatively, a number of tour companies offer guided trips around South Africa, including:
• Adventure World. 1300-295-049; adventureworld.com.au
• Creative Holidays. creativeholidays.com
• Wildlife Safari. 1800-998-558; wildlifesafari.com.au
• World Expeditions. 1300-720-000; worldexpeditions.com
when to go
The Garden Route is beautiful year-round, with mild winters and warm summers, though spring – September to December – is the best time of year to see the area’s stunning fynbos in bloom. Whales are best spotted off the Western and Eastern capes between June and November, while the shark cage-diving season lasts from May until October.
where to stay
That Place at Falls Farm in The Crags is a self-contained house that sleeps six in three bedrooms with pool and sauna. It is opposite the Elephant Sanctuary and next to a winery.
27-44/534-8886 or 27-82/578-1939; thatplace.co.za
where to eat
Bramon Wine Estate offers wine tastings and serves tapas-style food. Off the N2, The Crags, Plettenberg Bay;
44/534-8007; bramonwines.co.za
what to do
• The Elephant Sanctuary. 27-44/534-8145; elephantsanctuary.co.za
• Face Adrenalin for bungy jumping. 27-42/281-1458; faceadrenalin.com
• Marine Dynamics for Great White shark cage-diving trips. 27-28/384-1005; sharkwatchsa.com
• Storms River Adventures for canopy tours and zip lining. 27-42/280-3563, stormsriver.com
• Tenikwa for wild-cat walks. 27-44/534-8170; tenikwa.com
further information
Contact South Africa Tourism for additional information on driving the Garden Route. 1800-238-643; southafrica.net
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