Garden Route National Park (Tsitsikamma en Wilderness)

The Garden Route National Park is of course located on the famous Garden Route. The park consists of 4 different parts: Tsitsikamma section (the original Tsitsikamma N.P. before it was extended to Garden Route N.P.), Wilderness section, Knysna Lakes Section and Nature’s Valley Section. All different parts have the similarity that they are green and wetland areas with beautiful nature and lots of birds. Spread over the park are picnic areas and walking and hiking routes.

‘Tsitsikamma ‘is derived from her Khoisan expression; “Place of abundant water”. This area is the oldest and largest marine reserve and also the largest marine protection area in the world. The landscape consists of high mountains, deep gorges, waterfalls and stately forests, so that visitors here not only enjoy exuberant nature but also the adventurous activities that you can undertake here such as a bungee jump of no less than 216 meters.

Hiking Trails

There are a variety of walking and hiking routes in the Garden Route National Park. From short walks to multi-day hiking trails with overnight stays in the park. A short and easy walk is for example the Woodville Big Tree Circular Walk where you start and end at the same point and visit a huge yellowwood tree (+/- 45 minutes).

The Tsitsikamma Hiking Trail is the first officially accredited trek and is characterized by the route through unspoilt nature and the standard to luxury accommodation for overnight stays. The conditions along the way are very good and the trip is qualified as medium to difficult. The option to have the luggage transported separately to the following address makes the tour accessible to a wide audience and also offers participants more freedom to enjoy the scenery, to photograph or to study birds and other animals with binoculars. The 60 km long tour takes the participants for 6 days through the Tsitsikamma Mountains with its immense trees. Since each overnight address has the facilities to start the tour, a shorter route for fewer days can be mapped out as you wish.

The most famous and most popular trek in South Africa is undoubtedly the 42.8 km long Otter Trail through the Garden Route National Park (formerly Tsitsikamma National Park). Five days of challenge along the coastline in which the tractors pass indigenous forests, rivers (low tide only) and a waterfall. Where several times height differences of about 150 meters are bridged between the cliffs and the river mouths.

Activities
– Hiking, hiking, mountain biking
– Tsitsikamma is one of the ten best points along the Eastern Cape coastline to see whales. The annual sardine migration attracts the whales to the coast, thereby ensuring a true marine spectacle. Don’t forget to bring binoculars.
– Bird watching in the woods or along the coast
– Bungee Bloukrans
–An excellent way to enjoy this area is to make one Canopy Tour.
– Or opt for a water activity such as black water tubing.

Conservation Fees: the South African National Park administration has set a daily entrance fee (admission fee) for all individual SAN parks. If you are going to visit several SAN parks in South Africa then it may be useful to purchase a Wildcard

Accommodation:
SANParks Storms River Mouth Rest Camp
SANParks Nature’s Valley Rest Camp