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St Francis Bay is the furthest reach of a proper Garden Route road trip — whitewashed canal houses, quiet beaches and a famous surf break, about 2h15 from George Airport through the Tsitsikamma forests.
Distance from George Airport
205 km
Drive Time
~2h15
The full run out to St Francis Bay takes you through everything the Garden Route is known for — Knysna's lagoon, the bridges out to Plettenberg Bay, and then deep into the ancient Tsitsikamma forests, crossing the Storms River and Bloukrans gorges before the road opens out toward the Eastern Cape coast. It's a proper road-trip distance, not a day-trip one, and one of the most varied long drives available from George.
St Francis Bay itself is known for its distinctive whitewashed, thatched Cape Dutch-style canal houses built around a network of waterways, plus long, quiet beaches and Seal Point's well-regarded right-hand surf break. It sits right next to Jeffreys Bay, and the two are almost always visited together given how close they are once you've made the drive out.
Collection is at George Airport (illy Express) — book online with a R500 refundable deposit, settle the balance on collection. Given the distance, plan this as a multi-day Garden Route trip rather than a single long day.
R1,950/day · R500 refundable deposit to secure your dates
Reserve Your BMW Z4How far is St Francis Bay from the George Airport car rental collection point?
About 205 km, roughly 2 hours 15 minutes along the N2 through Knysna, Plettenberg Bay and the Tsitsikamma forests.
Is St Francis Bay a day trip or an overnight trip from George?
Given the distance, this is best treated as a multi-day trip along the Garden Route rather than a single-day round trip.
Does the drive to St Francis Bay pass through Tsitsikamma?
Yes — the N2 runs directly through the Tsitsikamma forests and crosses the Bloukrans and Storms River bridges on the way.
What is St Francis Bay known for?
Its Cape Dutch-style canal houses, long uncrowded beaches, and a well-regarded right-hand surf break at Seal Point.
Is the BMW Z4 available for rental in Cape Town?
Yes, on special request — subject to a minimum 4-consecutive-day rental, a R3,500 surcharge, and 75% of the total rental value payable upfront.