Visit Garden Route National Park

Garden Route National Park is South Africa's three in one must visit destination, stretching from Tsitsikamma to Knysna to Wilderness known for the Otter Trail; one of the most popular hiking trails in South Africa. Made up of three diverse protected areas, this national park is certainly worth visiting for the beautiful landscapes you will find. At Tsitsikamma, for example, there are amazing rocky coasts that form a dramatic border with the ocean and from the shore trails snake up the sand dunes and into the nearby forests. In this wet and fertile region, nature abounds as do a number of lovely lakes. Knysna Lakes are where you want to head to if you are looking for a great day out on the pristine and tranquil waters. Delightful paths follow the shores of the lakes and these make for some memorable hikes in the breathtaking scenery

Overview: Garden Route National Park

The Garden Route National Park is a national park in the Garden Route region of the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces in South Africa. It is a coastal reserve well known for its indigenous forests, dramatic coastline, and the Otter Trail. It was established on 6 March 2009 by amalgamating the existing Tsitsikamma and Wilderness National Parks, the Knysna National Lake Area, and various other areas of state-owned land

Climate: Garden Route National Park

Nature has blessed the Garden Route National Park (Tsitsikamma, Knysna and Wilderness Sections) with a pleasant, temperate climate; it is unique in Africa as the only area in which rainfall occurs throughout the year. And, to cap it all, most of our rain falls at night! It's the ideal climate for a visit - at any time of the year!

The Wilderness Section: Garden Route National Park

The Wilderness section is located around the seaside town of Wilderness between the larger towns of George, Sedgefield and Knysna, in the Western Cape. It stretches from the Touw River mouth to the Swartvlei estuary and beyond, where it links with the Goukamma Nature Reserve, giving protection to five lakes and the Serpentine, which is the winding strip of water joining Island Lake to the Touw River at the Ebb and Flow Rest Camp. This section of the park protects three major zones of indigenous forest, four types of fynbos (wild shrubs), plus various lakes and winding waterways. There are also a number of archaeologically significant sites.

The Tsitsikamma Section: Garden Route National Park

The Tsitsikamma section of the park covers an 80 kilometres (50 miles) long stretch of coastline with Nature's Valley is at the western end of the park. The section is known for its indigenous forests, dramatic coastline, and the Otter Trail. The main accommodation is at Storms River Mouth. Near the park is the Bloukrans Bridge, the world's highest bridge bungee jump at 216 metres (709 ft)

The Knysna Lakes Section: Garden Route National Park

The most prominent landscape feature in this section is the Knysna Estuary. The high conservation importance of this estuary has been emphasised in several studies, with it ranking 3rd of South Africa’s estuaries in terms of botanical importance, 8th in terms of importance for conserving fish, 19th in terms of waterbird conservation, and 1st in terms of overall conservation importance which includes criteria such as size, diversity of habitat, zonal rarity and biodiversity.

How to get there: Garden Route National Park

Directions for the Wilderness Area:

The Wilderness Section is situated close to the N2 highway, 15km from George, 2km from Wilderness village, 410km from Port Elizabeth and 450km from Cape Town. The closest airport is at George, where car hire facilities are available.

Directions for the Krysna Area:

The Knysna Lakes Section lies on the scenic Garden Route, some 500km from Cape Town and approximately 300km from Port Elizabeth. Rental facilities and a national airport can also be found at George, some 70km from Knysna.
Distance on the N2 from Knysna into Uniondale Road (R339) to Diepwalle (camping sites and guest house) is 23km. Travel on the gravel provincial road.
All the major car hire companies have offices at the George Airport and there are specialised companies in Knysna that provide airport transfers. The upgraded road between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth is very good, making road travel along the scenic Garden Route a pleasure.

Directions for the Tsitsikamma Area:

The Tsitsikamma Section is situated some 615km from Cape Town, 195km from Port Elizabeth and 68km from Plettenberg Bay.
The access route from the N2 highway and all internal roads are tarred. Car hire is available at Plettenberg Bay, which is also the nearest airport (limited scheduled flights). Airports are also found in George and Port Elizabeth.

Attractions & Activities: Garden Route National Park

There is a variety of fun and adventurous actvities as well as excellent facilities available at the Garden Route National Park ranging from hiking trails, nature walks and much more.

Attractions:

Hiking and Nature Walks
Forest Excursions
Birding
Mountain Biking
Water Activities
Otter Trail

Where to stay: Garden Route National Park

Garden Route National Park offers a variety of camp-run accommodation. Each camp has its own unique selection of accommodation types

Knysna Lakes Section Accommodation:

Diepwalle Forest Camp: Set amidst the treetops of the Diepwalle Forest, this elevated camp affords the visitor an opportunity to feel at one with the forest whilst providing that perfect balance of outdoor living and basic amenities which the ardent camper will love.
Old Forester's House (Diepwalle): This historical building was once forester D.E. Hutchins’ house. He was responsible for constructing stone houses at the Gouna, Diepwalle, Harkerville and Fisantehoek Forest Stations between 1888 and 1920. Rustic finishes add to the age-old charm of the building. An indoor fireplace warms during winter. Sleeps 6 and comes with fully equipped kitchen, lounge, and TV with DSTV (limited channels). Visitors have access to a washing machine and tumble dryer. Firewood provided.
Harkerville Forest Treetop Chalet: This 4-star chalet has two double rooms, each with its own bathroom and sleeps four in comfort. This magical hideaway is tucked away at the head of a wide valley situated in the Harkerville forest. From this vantage point you can bird-watch, botanise, explore the walking trails close by or hop on your bike for an exhilarating cycle through the forest

Basic Accommodation Type:

Forest Huts: These forest huts are available at Nature's Valley and Storms River rest camps
Family/Log Cottages & Forest Cabins: These accommodations are available at both Wilderness and Storms River rest camps
Caravaning/Camping: All with communal ablution, laundry and washing up facilities. A maximum of six persons, one caravan with a side tent and one vehicle, or one tent and one vehicle, or one autovilla or motorised caravan will be permitted per site. These are all available in the Knysna Area as well as the Storms River Mouth, Wilderness and Nature's Valley rest camps.

Overview

How to get there

Attractions & Activities

Where to stay