On our way from the Western Cape to the Eastern Cape, we make sure to stop at some of the most beautiful coastline that the Africa and the world have to offer. This stretch of coast is better known as the Garden Route. Some of the highlights include Mossel Bay Beach where we enjoy a seafood feast at a beachside restaurant called The Pavilion. Other pit stops include Wilderness and the famous Knysna along the way to our first night’s destination in Plettenberg Bay. In Knysna, we take a short hike to a beautiful spot to enjoy sunset. Clasmmates Jan, Carmen, Inessa, and I find a nice quiet hostel in this small town after enjoying a fun open-air dinner.
On the second day along the Garden Route, we begin by enjoying a relaxed breakfast in Plettenberg before continuing onwards. Our first stop of the day is at Nature’s Valley Beach. Nature’s Valley includes two parallel beaches, one next to a fresh water lake and the other facing the ocean. We walk between the two several times enjoying the warm water and the hot sun. This wide, sandy beach is a perfect start to the day, which ends at Addo Elephant National Park, where there is a bit of excitement upon arrival as we first go to the wrong entrance and then have to travel along a bumpy dirt road before barely making it in time before the park closes. We quickly order some food to be ready for us after an evening game drive through the park, and all proceed to pile into an open-air truck to see what wildlife we can find.
