Corona Virus and travel to the Garden Route

Updated: 23 March 2020

As of this Thursday March 26, 2020 South Africa will be under National Lockdown for 21 days, which is until Thursday April 16, 2020. 

More info and full text of the National Address by President Cyril Ramaphosa can be found here:

South Africa on National Lockdown

While the 2019-nCoV, also known as Corona Virus causing COVID19, is spreading worldwide and causing serious interruptions in travel arrangements and travel trade relations, it is important to stay objective, informed and up-to-date on the latest developments.  Destination Garden Route stays up to date with information received from SATSA (through the World Health Organization as well as the South African National Institute of Communicable Diseases or NICD), the Garden Route District Municipality and the Western Cape Government.

General Public Hotlines:

• 0800 029 999 NICD Hotline – seven days a week, 24 hours a day;
• +27 (0)21 928 4102 Western Cape Provincial Government Hotline;
• 0600 123 456 National Department of Health (NDoH) on Whatsapp, send ‘hi’ to be added.

As of March 24, 2020 we will no longer be updating below section of this page. 

Garden Route & Klein Karoo accommodation, restaurants and activities:

Cango Caves – Oudtshoorn: (Mar. 17, 2020) Closed until Apr. 1, 2020.  More info: Cango Caves website | Cango Caves facebook page;

Fancourt Hotel – George: (Mar. 19, 2020) Cancelling all reservations up until 30 April 2020 / not taking any reservations 24 March up until 30 June 2020.  More info: Fancourt facebook page;

Face Adrenalin / Bungy Jump – Tsitsikamma: (Mar. 20, 2020) Closed until further notice.  More info: Face Adrenalin website | Face Adrenalin facebook page;

Caffe Mario – Knysna: (Mar. 20, 2020) Closed from Mar. 23, 2020 until further notice.  More info: Knysna Waterfront website | Caffe Mario facebook page;

Featherbed Co. – Knysna: (Mar. 21, 2020) All Featherbed Eco Tours and Lagoon Cruises as well as trading at Cruise Café Restaurant temporarily suspended until further notice.  More info: Featherbed Co. facebook page;

Bitou Municipality – Plettenberg Bay, Tsitsikamma: (Mar. 22, 2020) All beaches and public amenities will be closed from today Sunday 22nd of March until further notice.  More info: Bitou Municipality website | Bitou Municipality facebook page;

George Municipality – George: (Mar. 22, 2020) George Municipality confirms today that all beaches and public amenities will be closed to the public as of today Sunday 22 March 2020.  More info: George Municipality facebook page;

Knysna Municipality – Knysna: (Mar. 23, 2020) All municipal halls, libraries, museums, sports facilities, braai areas and play parks (…) closed until further notice. (…) also closing all beaches with immediate effect.  More info: Knysna Municipality website | Knysna Municipality facebook page.

Garden Route & Klein Karoo Events & Festivals:

The Destination Garden Route’s Events & Festivals Calendar gets updated on a daily basis.  Cancellations and postponements will be indicated on here as well as on the Destination Garden Route facebook page.

Cape Town, Winelands, Overberg, Eastern Cape attractions:

Table Mountain Aerial Cableway – Cape Town: (Mar. 18, 2020) Closed until after the Easter weekend.  More info: TMAC website | TMAC facebook page;

Two Oceans Aquarium – Cape Town: (Mar. 17, 2020) Closed until Tuesday 14 April 2020.  More info: Two Oceans website | Two Oceans facebook page;

Cape Wine farms – Franschhoek, Stellenbosch, Paarl: (Mar. 17, 2020) Several closed, please check with individual farms;

Robben Island – Cape Town: (Mar. 19, 2020) Tours suspended until further notice.  More info: Robben Island website | Robben Island facebook page;

V&A Waterfront – Cape Town: (Mar. 20, 2020) Adjusted trading hours, restaurants may adjust opening hours accordingly.  More info: V&A Waterfront website | V&A Waterfront facebook page;

Hop-on Hop-off Bus – Cape Town, Hermanus & Johannesburg: (Mar. 21, 2020) Services suspended until at least Apr. 14, 2020.  More info: City Sightseeing South Africa website | City Sightseeing facebook page.

General further info:

Visa:

Uploaded Mar. 22, 2020: Any foreign national who is already present in the Republic and originates from a country which is affected by the COVID-19 outbreak or who, in order to reach such destination of origin needs to transit a country which is affected by COVID-19, and whose temporary residence visa is due to expire or has already expired, will be allowed to re-apply for such a visa provided they meet all the prescribed requirements. Visas valid until 31 July 2020 may be issued to such applicants.

More info: Department of Home Affairs

General gatherings:

• All gatherings over 100 people cancelled / postponed until further notice;
• Social distancing to be adhered to;
• Beaches, museums, public amenities are (being) closed;
• Visitor Information Centers are closed or limiting hours.

Restaurants, shebeens, places serving alcohol:

• Restaurants are limited to a maximum of 50 patrons, regardless of size or capacity, and that this may be further reduced subject to maintaining social distance;
• Non-compliance is an offence that may lead to sentences with fines and jail-time for the restaurant owner/manager;
• Sales of alcohol is restricted to certain hours.

General info on the virus:

• The Garden Route District Municipality – info leaflet;
• Corona virus / COVID-19 info for travellers;
• The Western Cape Government has opened a separate page on their website with latest info on the virus; and
• Also issued an info leaflet about how to protect yourself, your family and your community which can be downloaded here;
• For general info and updates: SATSA Corona virus page;
• Latest overview of ’confirmed’ cases reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) (interactive map).

Should you have any questions regarding travel to and in South Africa, you can always contact Ypie – ypie@destinationgardenroute.co.za.

For now: Stay safe, stay home, #TravelLater…