Tsitsikamma National Park

An 80 kilometre stretch of glorious coastline, Tsitsikamma, part of the greater Garden Route National Park, is named from the indigenous Khoekhoe language ‘tse-tsesa’ and ‘gami’ meaning clear water. A place of pure beauty, here thickly forested hills and river-carved canyons and ravines meet the sea, rugged, black cliffs facing the ceaseless ocean swells. This is a place to meet nature face to face, with endless trails meandering through the forest and fynbos (indigenous shrubland), crossing rivers and canyons and pausing on clifftops to admire the views. The park’s protection also spreads about five kilometres out to sea, where rocky reefs cover the seafloor and dolphins and porpoises play among the waves.

One of the iconic sights of the park is the Storms River Mouth, where the clear waters of the river, having just passed through a rocky canyon, meet the ocean. The canyon and river are crossed by a dramatic suspension bridge, which leads you to more beautiful, old forest on the other side – crossing it is a must!