Tsitsikamma

Tsitsikamma Review

The Tsitsikamma section of the Garden Route National Park (which is administered as its own park) is a narrow belt of coastline extending for 80 km (50 mi) from Oubosstrand to Nature's Valley, encompassing some of the most spectacular coastal scenery in the country, including deep gorges, evergreen forests, tidal pools, and beautiful empty beaches. The best way to see the park is on the five-day Otter Trail, South Africa's most popular hike, or the somewhat easier and more comfortable Dolphin Trail. A less strenuous highlight is the Storms River Mouth, in the middle of the park. The river enters the sea through a narrow channel carved between sheer cliffs. Storms River was aptly named: when gale winds blow, as they often do, the sea flies into a pounding fury, hurling spray onto the rocks and whipping spume high up the cliffs. From the Tsitsikamma section's visitor center, a trail descends through the forest (different tree species are all labeled) and over a narrow suspension bridge strung across the river mouth. It's a spectacular walk, a highlight of any trip to the Garden Route. On the other side of the bridge a steep trail climbs to the top of a bluff overlooking the river and the sea—the turning point of the Storms River MTB (mountain bike) Trail, which starts and finishes in Storms River village. Other trails, ranging from 1 to 3.2 km (½ to 2 mi), lead either to a cave once inhabited by hunter-gatherers or through the coastal forest. A pleasant, ordinary restaurant with great views of the river and the ocean serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the park.