Garden Route National Park

Situated in South Africa’s Western Cape, the Garden Route is world famous for its abundance of beautiful plants and staggering scenery, and the Garden Route National Park encapsulates all of this and more. The park is split into three sections: Tsitsikamma, Wilderness and Knysna Lakes – each offering their own unforgettable mix of fauna and flora, with experiences to suit just about any traveller. Each section is easily accessible from George airport, a regional hub for local airlines. 

The Tsitsikamma section is at the heart of the Garden Route and is one of the few parks in South Africa that boasts both marine and land wildlife. Looking out to the Indian Ocean, you’ll have a chance to spot eight different majestic whale species, including humpback whale, southern right whale, and orca. On land, look out for African wild cat and caracal, as well as the ever-elusive leopard and one of Africa’s toughest beasts: the honey badger. 

The Wilderness section of the Garden Route National Park is the ideal place to get adventurous! Visit Goudveld to explore the verdant Knysna Forest – the largest continuous indigenous forest in South Africa – where you can take a Scootour on a windy, downhill track. Other attractions in the Wilderness section include a series of lakes connected by the meandering Touws River, which together create an internationally acclaimed Ramsar site which hosts a number of aquatic bird species, including reed cormorant, grey and purple heron, little egret, African spoonbill, little bittern and red-knobbed coot.

The Knysna section is where you’ll find two remarkable species: One is the famous and iconic African elephant – or rather, the last remaining female of a herd that was once plentiful in the area but was sadly decimated over the centuries. The other is an antelope that you won’t find anywhere else: the Cape grysbok, which is endemic to the Western Cape. Luckily there are more of these shy, nocturnal buck. 

In all sections of the park, you’re surrounded by an astonishing array of unique plant life. Mountain forest flourishes alongside fynbos, which gives way to grassy dunes, all with a mix of flora and birdlife that can’t be matched anywhere else in the world.

The Garden Route National Park offers perhaps the most immersive experience of any park in South Africa, with walking and hiking trails, forest excursions and mountain bike trails as just some of its highlights. 

If you’re adventurous enough, you can also take on the world-famous Otter Trail. It extends from the Tsitsikamma forest to Nature’s Valley traversing the infamous Bloukrans crossing along the way – it’s a challenging, but incredibly rewarding 45km, 5-day hike on which you can experience the very best the park has to offer. Be warned, though – the Otter Trail is booked up well over a year in advance!

Accommodation options across the park are varied and include everything from campsites and tented options with communal amenities, to family cabins, four star chalets and even an historic home.