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Wilderness ![]() Wilderness nestles in the green coastal hills, framed by the Touws River lagoon on one side and miles of superb beach on the other. The beautiful Wilderness National Park protects the unique eco-system that makes up the surroundings. Honeymoons and love-birds The Wilderness National Park is bordered by the mountains inland and runs through the wetlands down to the ocean. A series of freshwater lagoons edged by forests, dotted with islands and connected by rivers are home to fish eagles, wading birds, small buck and otter. 250 species of bird include 5 of South Africa’s 10 kingfisher species – giant, pied, half-collared, malachite and brown-hooded kingfishers. 75 out of 95 species of waterfowl in the country live in the park and this is one of the few places where marsh harriers and grass owls breed. There are several marked hiking trails that vary in length from one to four hours walking time or you can launch a canoe and paddle through the waterways. The Lakes A number of lakes such as Langvlei, Rondevlei, Groenvlei and Swartvlei run between George and Knysna. Swartvlei is the largest and deepest and stretches over 40 km along the shoreline. If you’re lucky (and very quiet), you may grab a glimpse of the Cape clawless otter or the Knysna loerie. What's in a name? According to legend, a George Bennet of Cape Town won the hand of the love of his life on the condition that he take her away to the wilderness. So, on the 16 January 1877, he purchased Lot 497 for 500 pounds. He called it Wilderness - describing it as “a wilderness of dense forest and bush falling from the interior down to the lagoon of the Touws River”. Today Wilderness still has some of that wild feel and long stretches of beach invite romantic strolls. Places to Stay
What to do
Feeling lucky?(randomly selected service providers from all regions) Discover the Valley of 1000 Hills. (Durban ,Durban) Explore the mountains, the museums, second-hand shops, art galleries and rocky shores, then bliss out in the waves or on the beach. (Muizenberg and Kalk Bay,Cape Town) The Old Goal is one of the most unusual backpackers in SA. Located in a bona fide old jail, complete with heavy metal prison doors and bars, it offers an interesting insight into what “doing time” must be like in real as-they-were cells. (Grahamstown,Eastern Cape Inland and the Karoo) 20 years of experience in running overland trips from east to west to Southern Africa. (Cape Town City Centre,Overland Trips) In the centre of the vibey student town of Ob's (Observatory,Cape Town) Durban Backpackers - On the Beach is on the beach and within walking distance of La Lucia Mall and a bunch of city amenities. (Durban ,Durban) Close to all animal farms and a huge curio market. (Hartbeespoort and surrounds,North West Province) They promise an adventure around every corner. (Sabie Mpumalanga,Mpumalanga) A mouthwatering selection of adventures from the Coffee Shack… (Coffee Bay,Wild Coast) Kruger Inn Backpackers is a community inside a nature reserve, on the border of the Kruger National Park. (Marloth Park,Mpumalanga) |