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Garden Route Introduction

The beautiful Garden Route is one of South Africa’s most popular tourism destinations. Set along pristine coastline, it is the country’s largest expanse of natural indigenous garden showcasing the Cape Fynbos, one of the world’s six floral kingdoms. The Garden Route comprises many charismatic small towns such as Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, George, Wilderness and Mossel Bay. These seemingly sleepy holiday towns cater to the needs of thrill seekers, businessmen and leisure tourists alike. It is also the gateway to the Eastern Cape, where many popular malaria-free game reserves and safari’s are located.

The coastal belt along the Garden Route has a Mediterranean type climate with conditions similar to Cape Town, although rain falls throughout the year so it is much greener and wetter. The best time to visit is from September to May. Maximum temperatures in midwinter average 19 degrees C with a minimum of six degrees Celsius. Midsummer maximum temperatures average about 29 degrees Celsius, with a minimum of 17 degrees Celsius.

The region is a diverse mix of South African culture, interesting people, valleys, mountains, lakes, rivers and of course, the sparkling Indian Ocean, which when combined with many sun-filled days, make for the perfect holiday destination.
 

Garden Route - Making Friends

Garden Route’s Local Phrasebook

1. “Howzit my bru?” This informal greeting is a way of saying 'hi' to someone whom you regard as a friend or a brother.

2. “Aikona!” Meaning no way, absolutely not. It is from the Nguni language and is sometimes pronounced Haikona.

3. “Just now.” When a South African uses this expression, it could mean something will happen in anything from five minutes to a few hours.

4. “Oh, is it” is what many Eastern and Southern Cape people say when you tell them something interesting. It’s a way of expressing interest and curiosity. It basically means, “tell me a bit more”, or in some cases, means the person has nothing to say on the topic and is merely being polite. Listen to the tone of voice it is used in to tell the difference.

5. “Babalaas” is the Afrikaans word for a hangover. So if you’ve had a few too many glasses of wine the previous night, don’t be surprised if someone asks you if you are “feeling babalaas”.

6. “Cool” is an expression used for anything that’s good. If something’s cool, it means everything is ok.

7. “Kief.” Another expression for everything that is nice. “This food is kief and lekker.”

8. “Ag Shame.” An expression of sympathy. “Ag shame, you’ve hurt your foot.”

9. “Sluk.” An Afrikaans word meaning to swallow. “Here, have a sluk of my beer.”

10. “Check”. Meaning do you see what I mean, do you follow what I am talking about? “You check what I mean?”