On the dune above the mouth stands a man with a rod, and nobody else. Gouritsmond lies west of Mossel Bay at the end of a dead end road, where the Gouritz River, one of the great rivers of the Cape, reaches the Indian Ocean. The 2011 census counted exactly 515 residents, plus coastal plains, vegetated dunes and no reason to hurry. People live off fishing in the sea and the estuary, off surfing, and off guests who come for the quiet.
- west of Mossel Bay, about 50 minutes
- 55 km
- residents (2011 census)
- 515
- R325 from the N2 to the village
- 26 km
- one of the great rivers of the Cape
- Gouritz
Two roads lead there: from the N2 on the R325, 26 kilometres of country road through farmland, or from Mossel Bay through Dana Bay, Boggomsbaai and Vleesbaai to the bridge over the river. Take one out and the other back. On the N2 the Gouritz bridge spans a deep gorge; people bungee jumped from the old arch bridge next to it for years, and whether that still runs is worth checking, because in August 2026 there was no reliable answer. And the beaches at Vleesbaai and Boggomsbaai are the quietest around, long and almost empty.
- Time needed
- half a day
- Cost
- free
- When
- all year, often windy
- From Mossel Bay
- 55 km, 50 minutes
Our tipDrive out through Dana Bay and Vleesbaai: the coast road is the better way, and at Vleesbaai you will find a beach with nobody on it. Come back on the N2 with a stop at the Gouritz bridge.
Gouritsmond: frequently asked questions
How far is Gouritsmond from Mossel Bay?
Around 55 kilometres west, about 50 minutes, either on the N2 and the R325 or along the coast road through Dana Bay and Vleesbaai. From Mossel Bay, Gouritsmond is half a day.
Can you bungee jump at the Gouritz bridge?
People jumped from the old arch bridge next to the N2 for years. Whether an operator is running it was not reliably clear in August 2026; ask Mossel Bay Tourism. The dependable bungee on the Garden Route is the Bloukrans bridge near Plettenberg Bay.