Driving in George, South Africa

• Posted by: Editor
• On: 27/09/2007 11:01:56
• In: South Africa Car Hire

George is one of the oldest cities in the country - reputed to be the 6th oldest. The Dutch East India Company set up an outpost here in the late 18th century to exploit the rich wood resources of the Outeniqua forests. Later it was named George by the Earl of Caledon after the reigning monarch King George III. It gained its municipal status in 1837.

Later in 1907 the city of George was linked to Cape Town by rail and it has enjoyed much economic success since. Of course today, it's well connected with both Cape Town (420 kms to the West) and Port Elizabeth (320km to the East) via a network of roads and rail. The drive from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth through George has in recent years gained much popularity as you can take in the beautiful landscapes and coastline of the southern edge of Africa en route.

Although it's a city, George has a population of just over one hundred thousand. As well as having a number of business facilities, banks etc, there's a new shopping centre, Garden Route Mall with its cinema and numerous big name stores.

George is also home to some fantastic golf courses. These include the Oubaai Golf Resort (Designed by Ernie Els), Le Grande George (Designed by Greg Norman) and the world famous Fancourt Golf Estate which hosted the Presidents Cup in 2003 and continues to host high profile competitions throughout the years.

The city also boasts a number of historically important landmarks including the Slave Tree. This is an English Oak tree which was planted by Landdrost van Kervel in 1811. The tree is said to be the largest oak in the southern hemisphere and has an iron chain embedded in its trunk. Other landmarks in George include the King Edward VII Library which is one of only a few examples of Edwardian Architecture in the city.

What to see in the George area?

George nestles at the foot of the Outeniqua Mountains on the shores of the Indian Ocean. If it's an activity holiday your looking for, there's plenty to do here.

A visit to the Tsitsikamma National Park is well worthwhile and the best way to get here is by car. Another popular adventure is whale watching, and there's also a number of nature trails including the Forest Canopy Tour. If you don’t fancy walking or hiking then there's the leisurely boat trip, Spirit of Tsitsikamma, up the Storms River Gorge. For longer duration trips you can do the Otter Trail (5 Days and 4 nights) or Dolphin Trails (2 days and 3 nights), which take you 42kms or 20kms, respectively into the surrounding mountains.

For watersports enthusiasts there's Jeffrey’s Bay, a very popular surfing beach on the way to Port Elizabeth. Other popular surfing locations include Plettenberg Bay or Vic Bay. Bloukrans Bridge is on the N2 and stands 216 metres above the river. This makes it the highest single span arch in the world and if you've a head for heights and a strong stomach it's the highest bungee jump in the world.

Another popular activity is the Quad Adventures Tour that takes you through the mountains as well as into open spaces such as the Little Karoo Desert. George is also home to a number of ostrich farms – you'll even get a chance to ride an ostrich. And if you have the time a visit to the Cango Caves is also worthwhile. 

A classic favourite in the George area is the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe steam engine route which operates from the Outeniqua Railway Museum. The train normally goes from George to Knysna but due to damage from excessive rain and mudslides the route is currently only operating from George to Mossel Bay. This route still takes it past a number of seaside resorts but the rest of the rail journey is expected to be repaired sometime in 2008.

Why not hire a car in George, South Africa?

Probably the best way to see the area is by car. Although George is well connected to other cities by buses and rail links, you'll not have the freedom to stop where you want. You can plan your own itinerary and fit in as many sights, beaches and adventures as you can. So your best bet for a complete holiday is to hire a car.
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Driving in George itself isn’t too bad but it can have its own traffic problems especially on York Street but it’s not as bad as the other major cities. There is a continuous flow of traffic on the Garden Route and it peaks during the summer months so be prepared for busy roads.

Special mention should be made for anyone travelling over the Kaaimans River Pass between George and Knysna. The route may look easy but there is a speed limit of 60kms and it is well advised to maintain no more than this as the road can be very dangerous at higher speeds especially when wet.

Have you visited George, South Africa before? If so, why not use the comment box below to let us know of any valuable information or travel tips you've picked up. Likewise, if you've any queries about car rental in George, feel free to get in contact.