Garden Route Named World's Best Scenic Drive for 2026
The Garden Route has been named the world’s best scenic drive in the 2026 World Travel Rankings, recognising the 300-kilometre coastal corridor between Mossel Bay and Storms River as the standout road trip on the planet.
What the Award Covers
The World Travel Rankings evaluate scenic drives based on landscape variety, road quality, accessibility, and the range of experiences available along the route. The Garden Route scored highest across all categories, beating out competition from routes in New Zealand, Norway, and the United States.
The route passes through old-growth forests in the Tsitsikamma, skirts the coastline at Wilderness Beach and Knysna Lagoon, winds through the Outeniqua Mountains near George, and ends at the dramatic Storms River gorge. That diversity - ocean, forest, mountains, and wetlands within a single drive - is what set it apart from flatter or more narrowly focused competitors.
What This Means for Visitors
The ranking will likely increase interest in self-drive itineraries along the Garden Route, particularly from international markets that follow the World Travel Rankings closely. If you are planning a trip, it is worth booking accommodation in Knysna, Wilderness, and Plettenberg Bay well in advance for the peak July–August school holiday period and the December–January summer rush.
Car rental demand along the N2 between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth traditionally spikes after award announcements, so locking in rates early will save money.
Planning Your Drive
The full Garden Route takes a minimum of four days to do justice to its main stops, but a week is more comfortable. Most visitors drive west to east from Cape Town, though doing it the other way gives you better afternoon light on the coastal sections.
Key stops include Wilderness for the lagoon and beach walks, Knysna for the Heads viewpoint and oysters, Plettenberg Bay for whale watching (particularly May through December), and Tsitsikamma for the suspension bridge at Storms River Mouth.
Our Garden Route adventures guide covers the best activities at each stop, from bungee jumping at Bloukrans to kayaking through the Knysna estuary. For those extending the trip westward, whale watching at Hermanus is a natural add-on between Cape Town and Mossel Bay.
The award is a validation of what South African travellers have long known: the Garden Route is a world-class drive, and 2026 is a strong year to make it happen.