Looking for somewhere that you can – you’ll need a big breath for this one – dive, hike, snorkel, kayak, swim, climb, abseil, mountain bike, sail and bungee jump? Well firstly, what a list of wants and needs, you must be quite the tricky customer. But not to worry, because we’ve found the place for you. Yes, Tsitsikamma National Park really does have it all.
Combining rugged coastal scenery with a lush forest and mile-upon-mile of unruly, fynbos carpeted land, Tsitsikamma is any nature-lovers dream. But you don’t have to be an outdoors-y type to enjoy its myriad highlights – the tranquility of this park is enough to seduce anyone. This is the garden of the Garden Route after all.
And, with the boundary of this incredible national park stretching 3 miles out into the ocean, it has more than just its onland delights to offer. In fact, water plays a big part in the fun that can be had in this national park. From spotting whales breaching in the distance to kayaking down one of its fast-flowing rivers, the thrills are plentiful. And, beneath the all-encompassing blue of the ocean’s surface, a wonderland of reef and marine life is protected within the park’s borders, highlighting once more just how keen South Africa is on conservation – always a plus in our eyes.
Possibly the most iconic symbol of Tsitsikamma National Park is the much-photographed Storms River suspension bridge – its name may have been derived from engineering technicalities, but there’s certainly a whole lot of suspense when crossing this bridge. It’s probably not one for the acrophobics, but it definitely makes for a dramatic picture.