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South Africa🇿🇦 | national parksGarden Route National ParkOtter Trail, Touw River, forest boardwalks, coastal sections | things to do and best time to go

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Backpacking in Garden Route
🏆 Top picknational park ranked #6
By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 22, 2026

Garden Route National Park is not one block of land but a ribbon of separate sections strung along the coast, so there is no single gate and no single trailhead. It sits in the Western and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa, east of Cape Town, between Wilderness and Storms River. I drove in from George and stopped at a roadside stall near Wilderness where a woman sold me a bag of warm koeksisters, which I ate watching kayakers paddle the Touw River. Skip the highway stretches between sections, they are plain driving. Do the Tsitsikamma coast and the Wilderness lakes, where forest, tannin-brown water and surf sit within minutes of each other. Unlike Addo Elephant National Park, you come here for forest, gorges and coastline rather than big game.

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✨ Why go?
Ranked #6 national park in South AfricaThe unique appeal for travelers

Garden Route National Park suits independent travelers because each section works as its own mini-trip, and you can string them together without a tour. The headline draw is the Otter Trail, a five-day coastal hike that books out months ahead, yet the same cliffs, fynbos and forest can be sampled on short walks that need no booking. The Storms River Mouth suspension bridge and the gorge walks give you big scenery in an hour or two. Rest camps, nearby hostels and campsites make a self-guided route easy, and you control your own pace, swimming in tannin-dark lagoons one day and walking rocky shoreline the next. Guided kayaking, tubing and canopy tours exist if you want them, but nothing here forces you into one. The mix of ocean, indigenous Afromontane forest and lakes in one park is what sets it apart from other South African reserves.

💡 HighlightsEssential experiences to have while exploring Garden Route

  1. Otter Trail: South Africa’s most famous multi-day hike, 44 kilometers along the Tsitsikamma coast between Storms River Mouth and Nature’s Valley, with river crossings, waterfalls and sea cliffs.
  2. Storms River Mouth Suspension Bridge: A short boardwalk leads to a swaying bridge over the river as it meets the Indian Ocean, with surf pounding rocks below.
  3. Tsitsikamma Big Tree: A giant Outeniqua yellowwood, estimated at several hundred years old, standing in forest along an easy boardwalk loop.
  4. Wilderness Lakes and Touw River: Kayaking or paddling through quiet, tea-colored water lined with reeds and kingfishers, with forested banks close by.
  5. Kaaimans Gorge and Map of Africa viewpoint: A cliff-top lookout over the river bend that curves in the outline of the African continent.
  6. Salt River and Nature’s
… read more 👉
  1. Otter Trail: South Africa’s most famous multi-day hike, 44 kilometers along the Tsitsikamma coast between Storms River Mouth and Nature’s Valley, with river crossings, waterfalls and sea cliffs.
  2. Storms River Mouth Suspension Bridge: A short boardwalk leads to a swaying bridge over the river as it meets the Indian Ocean, with surf pounding rocks below.
  3. Tsitsikamma Big Tree: A giant Outeniqua yellowwood, estimated at several hundred years old, standing in forest along an easy boardwalk loop.
  4. Wilderness Lakes and Touw River: Kayaking or paddling through quiet, tea-colored water lined with reeds and kingfishers, with forested banks close by.
  5. Kaaimans Gorge and Map of Africa viewpoint: A cliff-top lookout over the river bend that curves in the outline of the African continent.
  6. Salt River and Nature’s Valley: A wide lagoon and beach at the eastern end, with calm swimming and forest walks behind the dunes.
  7. Knysna Forest and Goukamma sections: Forest paths and quiet lakeside areas where you may hear the Knysna turaco and spot bushbuck.
  8. Dolphin and whale watching along the coast: Dolphins can be seen from rocky points year-round, while southern right whales pass in the cooler months.
The Big Tree boardwalk and the coastal viewpoints cost the least, since the lookouts cost nothing, while Storms River Mouth charges the standard park conservation fee.
Spotted a mistake or missing something? Contact us.

Things to do near Garden Route National Park

Knysna Ziplines Tour

Knysna Ziplines Tour

5.0(771) 2h
From €38
per personViator
Standard Canyoning Trip in The Crags, South Africa

Standard Canyoning Trip in The Crags, South Africa

5.0(486) 3h
From €58
per personViator
Short Canyoning Trip in The Crags

Short Canyoning Trip in The Crags

4.9(237) 2h
From €46
per personViator
Swim with Seals

Swim with Seals

4.7(136) 1h 30m
From €72
per personViator
Seal Swimming Activity in Plettenberg Bay

Seal Swimming Activity in Plettenberg Bay

5.0(33) 1h 30m
From €72
per personViator
3D ARCHERY EXPERIENCE (1,5 hour guided tour) in Plettenberg Bay

3D ARCHERY EXPERIENCE (1,5 hour guided tour) in Plettenberg Bay

4.9(26) 1h 30m
From €47
per personViator
1.5-Hour Seal Viewing Boat Tour in Plettenberg Bay

1.5-Hour Seal Viewing Boat Tour in Plettenberg Bay

4.4(23) 1h 30m
From €44
per personViator
Explore Lawnwood Snake Sanctuary Ticket Tour

Explore Lawnwood Snake Sanctuary Ticket Tour

4.9(13) 1h
From €16.63
per personViator
Quad Bike Fun Ride in The Crags, Plettenberg Bay

Quad Bike Fun Ride in The Crags, Plettenberg Bay

4.6(11) 30m
From €33
per personViator
eBike Tours

eBike Tours

4.9(7)
From €67
per personViator

Ratings based on Tripadvisor reviews. When you book through this link, you support our work at no extra cost to you.

🌤️ When to go?Choosing the right time of year

Garden Route National Park is walkable year-round, but February to April and September to October give the most reliable hiking weather.
  • Summer (December to February): Highs of 24 to 28°C (75 to 82°F), warm sea, long daylight, and school holidays that fill every campsite and push prices up sharply, especially around Christmas and New Year.
  • Autumn (March to May): Highs of 20 to 25°C (68 to 77°F), calmer seas and thinner crowds. Good for the Otter Trail and Tsitsikamma coast.
  • Winter (June to August): Highs of 17 to 20°C (63 to 68°F), nights near 7 to 10°C (45 to 50°F), more rain and cut-off lows, but cheap beds and empty trails. Days are shorter, so start walking early.
  • Spring (September to November): Highs of 19 to 23°C (66 to 73°F), wildflowers, and southern right whales offshore from July through
… read more 👉
Garden Route National Park is walkable year-round, but February to April and September to October give the most reliable hiking weather.
  • Summer (December to February): Highs of 24 to 28°C (75 to 82°F), warm sea, long daylight, and school holidays that fill every campsite and push prices up sharply, especially around Christmas and New Year.
  • Autumn (March to May): Highs of 20 to 25°C (68 to 77°F), calmer seas and thinner crowds. Good for the Otter Trail and Tsitsikamma coast.
  • Winter (June to August): Highs of 17 to 20°C (63 to 68°F), nights near 7 to 10°C (45 to 50°F), more rain and cut-off lows, but cheap beds and empty trails. Days are shorter, so start walking early.
  • Spring (September to November): Highs of 19 to 23°C (66 to 73°F), wildflowers, and southern right whales offshore from July through November. Rain showers are common.
Rain can fall in any month here, so book popular huts and campsites months ahead for summer and carry a shell year-round.


source: climatestotravel.comJANJanuary: good for travelingFEBFebruary: highly recommended for travelingMARMarch: highly recommended for travelingAPRApril: excellent for travelingMAYMay: excellent for travelingJUNJune: fair for travelingJULJuly: fair for travelingAUGAugust: fair for travelingSEPSeptember: excellent for travelingOCTOctober: excellent for travelingNOVNovember: highly recommended for travelingDECDecember: good for traveling
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🛏️ Where to stay?Best areas and accommodation options

Your best bases are inside the park at SANParks rest camps, or in the gateway towns of Knysna, Wilderness and Storms River.
Inside the park, Storms River Mouth in Tsitsikamma has forest cabins, oceanfront chalets and a campsite (camping from about US$25 to 40 for a site), and it books out far ahead in school holidays. Wilderness has a SANParks camp at Ebb and Flow with campsites and chalets beside the lakes and river.
Backpacker hostels sit just outside. Wilderness has several hostels with dorms around US$15 to 25, and Knysna has a few hostels close to the lagoon and waterfront, plus the cheapest … read more 👉
Your best bases are inside the park at SANParks rest camps, or in the gateway towns of Knysna, Wilderness and Storms River.
Inside the park, Storms River Mouth in Tsitsikamma has forest cabins, oceanfront chalets and a campsite (camping from about US$25 to 40 for a site), and it books out far ahead in school holidays. Wilderness has a SANParks camp at Ebb and Flow with campsites and chalets beside the lakes and river.
Backpacker hostels sit just outside. Wilderness has several hostels with dorms around US$15 to 25, and Knysna has a few hostels close to the lagoon and waterfront, plus the cheapest supermarkets and ATMs. Storms River village has a small hostel and guesthouses a short drive from the park gate, handy for the Tsitsikamma hikes and bungee-bridge crowd.
Plettenberg Bay is pricier, but it has a few budget dorms and is close to Robberg and the eastern edge. For the multi-day Otter Trail you sleep in basic huts that you must reserve long in advance. Pick Wilderness or Knysna if you rely on public transport or shuttles.
Best hostels in South Africa


Best quality hotels in South Africa

👛 Costs (as of 22 October 2026)Money, prices, and spending tips

Garden Route National Park costs around US$62 to 98 a day for a backpacker on a camping or hostel budget, with park fees as the main variable.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Entrance feesUS$6 to 18Conservation fee per person per day, paid in rand. Lower for South Africans and SADC residents. Wild Card holders enter free.
Accommodation (high season)US$15 to 40Hostel dorms in Wilderness or Knysna cost roughly US$15 to 25. SANParks campsites cost about US$25 to 40.
Accommodation (low season)US$12 to 30Winter dorm and campsite rates drop, and bargaining is easier.
Local transportUS$10 to 25Intercity buses along the N2 plus shuttles or taxis to trailheads. Renting a car is more flexible but costs more.
Food and suppliesUS$10 to 20Self-catering from Checkers or Pick n Pay is cheapest. A restaurant
… read more 👉
Garden Route National Park costs around US$62 to 98 a day for a backpacker on a camping or hostel budget, with park fees as the main variable.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Entrance feesUS$6 to 18Conservation fee per person per day, paid in rand. Lower for South Africans and SADC residents. Wild Card holders enter free.
Accommodation (high season)US$15 to 40Hostel dorms in Wilderness or Knysna cost roughly US$15 to 25. SANParks campsites cost about US$25 to 40.
Accommodation (low season)US$12 to 30Winter dorm and campsite rates drop, and bargaining is easier.
Local transportUS$10 to 25Intercity buses along the N2 plus shuttles or taxis to trailheads. Renting a car is more flexible but costs more.
Food and suppliesUS$10 to 20Self-catering from Checkers or Pick n Pay is cheapest. A restaurant meal is about US$8 to 15.
Activities and trail feesUS$6 to 12Most day walks are covered by the park fee. The Otter Trail is a separate fee of several hundred dollars and sells out early.
Total Daily BudgetUS$62 to 98Per person, per day, in high season.
⚠️ Prices can change and everyone travels differently, so take this as a rough guide. Hope it helps you plan your adventure!

🥾 TrailsWhere to hike in Garden Route: trails for every level

Garden Route National Park has walks from 20-minute strolls to a famed five-day trek, spread across forest, gorges, lagoons and shoreline.
  • Otter Trail: 44 km over five days, hard. Steep ups and downs, rock scrambles, tidal river crossings and sea views. Huts are fixed and bookings open far ahead.
  • Storms River Mouth Trail: about 1 km each way, 30 to 45 minutes, easy. Boardwalk to the suspension bridge over the rocky river mouth.
  • Waterfall Trail: about 6 km return, 2 to 3 hours, moderate. Rocky coast, then a fall dropping into a pool.
  • Big Tree Trail: about 4 km loop, 1 to 2 hours, easy. Boardwalk through
… read more 👉
Garden Route National Park has walks from 20-minute strolls to a famed five-day trek, spread across forest, gorges, lagoons and shoreline.
  • Otter Trail: 44 km over five days, hard. Steep ups and downs, rock scrambles, tidal river crossings and sea views. Huts are fixed and bookings open far ahead.
  • Storms River Mouth Trail: about 1 km each way, 30 to 45 minutes, easy. Boardwalk to the suspension bridge over the rocky river mouth.
  • Waterfall Trail: about 6 km return, 2 to 3 hours, moderate. Rocky coast, then a fall dropping into a pool.
  • Big Tree Trail: about 4 km loop, 1 to 2 hours, easy. Boardwalk through yellowwood forest to ancient giants.
  • Dolphin Trail: a guided, catered multi-day walk, aimed at those wanting comfort with their hiking.
  • Wilderness Half-Collared Kingfisher Trail: roughly 5 km, 2 to 3 hours, moderate. Forest paths ending at a waterfall near the Touw River.
Wildlife includes bushbuck, baboons, otters, dassies, Knysna turaco and, from rocky points, dolphins. Sections are scattered along the N2 highway, so a car makes everything simpler. Buses along the highway stop in towns such as Wilderness, Knysna and Storms River, though gates sit some distance from the stops. Popular sections get busy in school holidays, while weekdays are quiet. Entry is by daily conservation fee, payable at each gate, and Otter Trail huts need advance booking.
⚠️ Hiking info can sometimes be outdated or inaccurate. Before you hit the trail, check the latest conditions with locals. If you do spot anything that's off, I'd love to hear from you, so I can update it for fellow travelers.

🛡️ SafetyTraveler Safety Guide

Garden Route National Park is straightforward for hikers, with marked trails and rangers at the main camps, and the risks are mostly weather and water.
Rain and surf make the coastal sections slippery, so wear shoes with real grip. The Otter Trail has tidal river crossings, notably Bloukrans, that you can only wade at low tide. Check tide tables each morning and never force a crossing. Swells can sweep people off coastal rocks, so keep well back from the edge.
Wildlife is low-key. Baboons and vervet monkeys raid unattended food, so keep it zipped inside your pack. Snakes are shy, and you rarely see them on a wide path. Chacma baboons near Storms River should be given space.
Carry a rain shell and at least 2 liters of water, and tell someone your route. Never leave valuables in a parked car at trailheads, as break-ins happen at some lots.
Check Country Safety

FAQFrequently asked questions about Garden Route

Plan on 3 to 5 days for Garden Route National Park, since it spans separate sections: Tsitsikamma, Knysna and Wilderness. Tsitsikamma alone needs a full day for Storms River Mouth and the suspension bridge walk. Add a day each for the Wilderness lakes and the Knysna forests, plus extra if you want a multi-day hike like the 5-day Otter Trail.
Yes, though it takes planning, because Garden Route National Park is spread along roughly 200 km of the N2 highway. Long-distance buses such as Intercape and Baz Bus stop in Knysna, Wilderness and Plettenberg Bay, and Baz Bus offers hostel drop-offs. From there you need local shuttles, taxis (US$10 to 30 per ride) or a lift to reach Storms River Mouth and other trailheads.
Yes, Garden Route National Park charges a daily conservation fee, roughly US$6 to 18 per adult for international visitors, payable at the gate. A Wild Card gives free entry to most SANParks parks and suits longer stays. Overnight camps and huts are booked separately, and the Otter Trail needs a reserved permit months ahead, costing several hundred dollars.
⚠️ Things can change over time, so always validate details locally before you go.

Other South African national parks near Garden Route

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We 💚 feedbackWhat to keep in mind

Garden Route National Park will suit active travelers who like a bit of everything: forest walks, a paddle, a coast hike, a swim. It is less right if you want a single wild wilderness or big game. I would book a short trail at Storms River Mouth and bring a waterproof bag for the river crossings.

✈️ When did I visit South Africa?
I have visited South Africa, before and after my Zimbabwe trip in 2001.

✍️ Help improve this page!
The information on this page is based on my own backpacking experience in South Africa, supplemented with up-to-date research and feedback from other travelers. Travel details can change, so if you notice anything outdated or incomplete, feel free to let me know.



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Johan, backpacker and founder of TakeYourBackpackHi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past 3 decades, I’ve backpacked through 90+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.

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