Full of Surprises
SOME say this is the most beautiful region of South Africa and it surely is full of wonderful surprises - rugged coastlines with white sandy beaches and coves, tranquil lakes, rivers and lagoons, forests with 800 year old Yellowoods and peaceful villages and towns.
Stretching from Still Bay in the west to the rugged Tsitsikama coast beyond Plettenberg Bay, and enclosed by the Langeberg, Outeniqua and Tsitsikama (pronounced sit-see-karma) Mountains, this is the only area in South Africa which enjoys all year rainfall.
Access is easy, with flights to George airport from all main cities. Some travelers prefer to fly in to Port Elizabeth and drive through the Garden Route to Cape Town, enabling a visit to the Addo Elephant Park outside Port Elizabeth.
A toll road between Port Elizabeth and Plettenberg Bay bypasses some places that warrant exploration, so if driving by car, then choose the old, winding coastal road through forests and along the sea shore. Places like Storms River Mouth are well worth visiting.
At Bloukrans River Bridge, the intrepid, the brave and the daring take the world's longest Bungi Jump (216m drop), while for a few dollars at Plettenberg Bay a quick glider flight above the magnificent beaches and cliffs provides a bird's-eye-view of the magnificent coastline.
Situated between lush forests and a peaceful lagoon, Knysna is a town with a fascinating history and charm and is home to numerous artists. Most visitors to the area include a walk through the forests, and with names like The Garden of Eden, it is difficult not to pause to hug an ancient tree. Birdwatchers have great fun spotting the Knysna Loerie, one of the numerous species which make this area a twitcher's paradise.
Between Knysna and George, one can follow the original road along the Seven Passes Route, winding through indigenous forest, along lake shores and over rivers by way of narrow Edwardian bridges.
From George, it is an hour's drive over the Outeniqua Pass to Oudtshoorn, original home of ostrich farming and one-time "Feather Capital" - meeting the demands of the fashion cognoscenti of Paris, London and New York a century ago. Here, one can also visit the famous Cango Caves, with its vaulted caverns and sculptures created by nature over millennia.
The more adventurous may choose to take the gravel road from Knysna over Prince Alfred's Pass through Uniondale to Oudtshoorn - a hair-raising and dramatic drive along a precipitous road through starkly beautiful scenery.
By stopping over in Swellendam, the traveler can easily reach Cape Agulhas, the Southern Tip of Africa, with its rocky seashore and wild, untamed coast.
The natural tapestry of this region is a fragile, delicately balanced eco-system composed of many strands. By staying over and exploring the coastal and forest tracks, the traveler will be richly rewarded by this wild lovely garden.
