Experience South Africa's RICH History Through the Garden Route!

Lying along South Africa's southern Cape Coast is a spectacular region of deep gorges, rocky cliffs, sheltered bays and lagoons, freshwater lakes and fynbos, a region protected over the years by two dramatic mountain ranges, and one that is aptly known as the Garden Route. Here, the gentle serenity of rural landscapes comes contrast with the savage beauty of the shoreline, where for eons the raging surf has been pounding the coastal plateau, gradually claiming the land for itself as it breaks down the rock face into small particles of sand. It's hard to believe that many of the same caves lashed by the angry sea were once inhabited by man, and that between 12,000 and 18,000 years ago these impressive cliffs were mere rocky outcrops on vast inland plains, far from the coast. On the stunning Roburg Peninsula, a nature reserve close to Plettenberg Bay, archaeologists have uncovered in Nelson's Cave layers of debris which point to human occupation as far back as 120,000 years ago, and evidence that Middle Stone Age man resided here for over 100,000 years. The later Stone Age inhabitants were the Khoisan, whose middens can still be found in many of the caves. Middens of shell and Stone Age implements left behind by strontlopers, nomads who lived off the bounties of the sea, can also be found along the Garden Route on a beach trail which takes its name from the endangered black oyster catcher, a seabird which ferrets out food along this coastline. The oyster catcher trail starts at the old fishing village of Mossel Bay, where Khoisan middens were uncovered in St. Blaise Cave, a national monument whose historical treasure was protected from the plundering sea by virtue of its position high up on the cliff face. Discovered by explorer Bitholomew Dias in 1488, Mossel Bay was first called the Bay of Car Herds after the Khoisan people who tended their cattle on the surrounding hills, and who later traded with the Portuguese ships. 500 years later, an exact replica of Dias' caravel sailed into Mossel Bay, a gift from the Portuguese government. And today it can be seen in the Maritime Museum, which was specially designed to house the vessel. The museum has a fascinating record of the voyages of discovery between the East and West, together with dramatic sketches of some of the many shipwrecks along this turbulent coastline prior to 1652. For those who want to take away replicas of some of these early sailing vessels, the model shipyard close by has a range of museum models on offer. Next to the museum is the famous post office tree, where Portuguese sailors travelling along the spice route left their letters. For more than 800 years this milkwood, which has claimed for its own an old anchor and cannon, has been fed by a perennial spring flowing beneath it and providing over the years fresh water for countless passing ships. Further up this wild rocky coast, huge amounts of seawater flood through a narrow channel into a scenic lagoon flanked by two sandstone cliffs, the famous Knysna Heads. The lagoon is the breeding ground for some of the most delicious oysters in the country. It also gives shelter to the Knysna seahorse and provides a soft bed for the delicate and unusual pansy shell. The calm waters of the lagoon contrast with the turbulent surf at the mouth. Knowing when to enter the lagoon and when not was a skillful exercise for many ships that passed through the Heads during its heyday as a seaport. Many did not make it, and the rough seas took their toll on shipping until the appointment of the legendary John Benn as port captain in 1868, a man who skillfully guided ships to a safe haven alongside the Western Heads, affectionately known as Featherbed by countless sailors who no doubt associated it with other comforts after long, rough journeys at sea. The Western Head has remained largely untouched over the centuries thanks to its status as a nature reserve, one that is linked to J.B. Smith, the scientist who gained fame through his work with the coelacanth, a prehistoric fish discovered along the coastline that can trace its lineage back to 400 million years ago. J.B. Smith was the man who identified this animal in 1938 and he was instrumental in the discovery of the second animal. And he wrote the story of his find and of the hunt for the second coelacanth in a book which he called Old Forelegs. Old Forelegs was a fine read and it became an international bestseller. It was translated into 22 different languages. And it was with the proceeds of the sale of Old Forelegs that J.B. Smith was able to buy the first piece of land here. And then in later years his son William bought two other pieces of land and in 1985 he put the three together and he created Featherbed Nature Reserve. The reserve has a breeding program for the endangered blue duiker, a gentle creature nearly wiped out by 200 years of destruction of the southern Cape's indigenous forests. Conservation forestry only came about in the 1930s in time to protect the primordial forests that still clothe some of the slopes and mountains along the garden route and offer protection to the giants of the forest, the Otonicua Yellowwoods. From Featherbed there's a ferry back to the Knysna waterfront with its colourful shops, restaurants and artworks. Lying adjacent to Featherbed Nature Reserve is the old settlement of Belvedere, part of the farm Melkhoed Kral, which surrounded the entire lagoon and was owned by the founder of Knysna, George Rex, believed by many to be the illegitimate son of King George III. Rex's daughter married Lieutenant Thomas Duthie and they settled at Belvedere Manor, which to this day retains its historic character and together with a number of specially erected Victorian cottages serves as an exclusive hotel for those who enjoy the gracious lifestyle of a bygone era. On the estate is the Holy Trinity Church, built by the Duthies in the 11th century Norman style. The stained glass windows are made of glass salvaged from Coventry Cathedral and other churches bombed in World War II. Judging by the ghost stories that abound, there are many past residents who still enjoy living in the old manor house. Upstairs in one of the bedrooms there's been an old gentleman sitting in a chair gazing through the window down the old Elk Avenue. He has a collar that's reversed, turned backwards, but there's a smell that goes with him, old pipe tobacco, and even if there's not been a sighting of the gentleman, the aroma of that pipe tobacco has been smelt many times all the way through the house. Then there's the past staff, whose spirits linger on in the dining and reception areas. Another daughter, Maria Rex, married Captain John Fisher Sewell, and they built the stately Portland Manor on a farm in the Renendale area, just outside Knysna. This beautiful home also serves today as a guest lodge and the farm a scenic retreat where a tame hippo can be seen blissfully grazing alongside other herbivores. The peaceful forest setting of Renendale has attracted many artists and given rise to the Renendale Ramble, a route which explores the area's flourishing art industry. A little further along the Renendale Road is the location of a fascinating saga that played itself out in the late 19th century when this area experienced its very own gold rush. Gold was initially found in the streams that intersect the dense forest. Here, the play of golden light on the water and stones of the streams that flow through this bewitching area must have tricked many miners into believing that they had come across a small fortune in gold. Within a few years, some thousand miners descended on a nearby hill where a reef was discovered, and the mining camp that sprang up quickly developed into the town of Millwood with its own mining cottages, shops, police station and hotels. But the promise of great wealth was not to be. The reef along the dark shafts delivered very little and the site was abandoned as quickly as it was inhabited, leaving behind an eerie silence and some poignant memories in the small visitor's museum. Elephant droppings have been found in the forest around Millwood, belonging to the few remnants of a once thriving herd that flourished in this area but were flushed out through hunting and forestry. Keeping alive the spirit of this legendary herd is the Knysna Elephant Park, where visitors can enjoy exclusive walking safaris with elephants through the Knysna Forest, an experience that many have described as a lifetime high. The fact these two elephants, Harry and Sally, are tame takes nothing from this very special excursion. On the contrary, it's somewhat comforting to know that they're not likely to turn on you at any moment, as has happened in the past with the traumatised wild forest elephants. The guides have their hands full keeping these two lively numbers under control. Like all elephants, they're highly intelligent and like two mischievous children, will take advantage of any opportunity that presents itself, especially where tasty treats are involved. These are highly intelligent creatures. You've got to be so careful because you need to outwit them all the time. He knows that there's food in the front here because the bags arrived for the guide. He knows that if he comes up to the vehicle, there's his food. It was not only elephants that were decimated by hunters in this region of the Southern Cape. Virtually all wildlife was taken out, something which has been turned around with the reintroduction of animals indigenous to the area through several new private game park initiatives. At Botlias Kop, near Mossel Bay, it's possible once again to see wildlife roaming through a magnificent landscape of Cape Feynbos, a unique sight seen nowhere else in Africa. The eland, long revered as a sacred animal by the sand people, thrive on a feynbos diet. An unusual sight awaits those who visit this game farm. Black in parlour, comfortably integrated in a group where colour has no significance. Owner Arnold Njeteling explains how this came about. We introduced the two black ones with 16 red females and we started a breeding programme. Basically what happened in the programme is it's a recessive gene. Your first generation baby is on red mothers with black fathers or red babies. Second generation you get a 25% chance and it works gradually up until you get a 100% chance of getting a black baby from a red mother, although black on black is always black. But it's not only herbivores found here. Lions have been introduced and judging by their condition they seem to be thriving in their floral kingdom. Buffalo Hills, close to Plettenberg Bay, is yet another private game farm that is bringing big game back to the area. Here a wide range of antelope, as well as the Cape Mountain zebra, graze peacefully with buffalo, which come up really close to the vehicle. This one looked as if it was trying to get into the vehicle or maybe it just took a liking to our sound man. Strange behaviour indeed. Another strange sight is that of a zebra foal sporting a cross on its rump, a highly unusual occurrence not likely to be seen again. There's luxury tented accommodation on this game farm as well as a mampu distillery where those brave enough can imbibe the spirit of Africa. Talking of bravery, there's plenty to offer in this part of the world for those who are looking for adventure. For a start, try sailing through the treetops of the Tsitsikama Forest harnessed to a cable 30 metres above the forest floor. Gliding from one enormous tree to another is a three hour journey of a lifetime, offering you a bird's eye view of one of South Africa's most spectacular indigenous forests. If this is not high enough for you, African Ramble will fly you over the whole garden route. But if you're really looking for the ultimate adrenaline rush, take a leap off the Bloekrans Bridge and you can boast that you've participated in the highest bungee jump in Africa. Paragliding is very popular in this part of the world with its high cliffs and strong sea breezes. And then there's abseiling from one of the cliffs of the many rivers that wend their way down to the sea. And if it's the sea you hanker for, whale watching is on offer at Plettenberg Bay. The boat trip takes in the Roburg Peninsula where seals always put on a show if you missed the whales. For a more relaxing outdoor excursion, paddling up the Toe River in the wilderness area takes you into a magical world of fauna and flora where the bird life will take your breath away and where nature has her own way of entertaining you. Then there's hiking along the banks of the same river in an environment of unspoiled beauty, sweet sounds and verdant smells, a proverbial Garden of Eden. Weaving its way through the stunning scenery between Nizna and George is the Otanekwa Chuchu. George, named after King George III, was once described by the well-known English writer Anthony Trollope as the prettiest little town on earth. Its old and elegant buildings are reminders of a graceful past and a respect for heritage. The place for departure for the Chuchu is very appropriately at the Otanekwa Transport Museum in George which will transport you into yesteryear, setting the scene for your steam train journey. These are the carriages that transported the British royal family on their visit to South Africa in 1947. And here's the famous steam engine and coach that President Paul Kruger of the Old Transvaal-Boer Republic travelled in during the later years of the 19th century. No doubt many serious matters of state were discussed in this lounge car. Taking pride of place in the displays is this stately lady, the first steam engine to carry passenger coaches operating from Johannesburg. Long train journeys were very popular in South Africa right up until the 1960s. And the nostalgia of those days and the elegant dining cars has been captured in one of the many displays in this large 15,000 square metre museum. For those looking for nostalgia of another kind, there's the impressive display of 20th century vintage and veteran cars. George is a good place to depart from for Ootshorn on a journey that will take you through the spectacular Otanikwa Mountains via the Otanikwa Pass. Ootshorn was the centre of the ostrich boom which lasted from 1870 to the start of the First World War when wearing ostrich feathers did not suit the mood of the time. Old palatial homes are reminders of those opulent times when ostriches were bred for their ornamental value rather than as a source of low-fat meat as they are today. Today this town is more famous for one of South Africa's greatest natural wonders, the Kango Caves. Dating back 24 to 25 million years, this underground crystal wonderland spans approximately five kilometres underground and is made of limestone, stalactites, stalagmites, columns and chambers. The chambers and passageways have names like Bridal Chamber, Fairy Palace and Crystal Forest, names which conjure up images of the enchanted world created over the eons by drops of water. This subterranean fairyland is all part of the magic of the region which lures visitors back again and again, enticing many to stay permanently and embrace a more leisurely lifestyle in an area which, in a strange way, inspires creativity and stimulates a desire to search back to the very beginning of time. An area that has lost much to human activity but also one that is beginning to reclaim much of what it has lost.