Garden Route to Plettenberg Bay

This is a 4-day, 3-night tour

Visiting Plettenberg Bay, Knysna, and Tsitsikamma — along with the thrill of bungy jumping — offers a rich blend of natural history, indigenous culture, environmental education, and adventure tourism insights. These experiences encourage meaningful discussions on overcoming fear, risk management, and personal empowerment. Tourists leave with a deeper appreciation of the region’s biodiversity, its layered history, and its transformation from colonial industries to a hub of conservation.

Highlights

Knysna

• Once a centre of timber harvesting, especially of the indigenous Stinkwood and Yellowwood trees.

• Home to the Knysna Forests, made famous by author Dalene Matthee's novels.

• Discover the history of the Knysna elephants, forest ecology, and the impact of colonial timber industries.

• Visit the Knysna Museum and explore the relationship between local communities and forest ecosystems.

• Learn about indigenous cultures and early trade in the region.

Plettenberg Bay

• Plettenberg Bay was originally inhabited by the Khoisan people and later visited by Portuguese explorers in the 15th century and was later developed as a timber and whaling hub during the colonial period. Learn about indigenous Khoisan heritage, early European exploration, and the shift from exploitation (whaling, logging) to eco-tourism and conservation.

• Explore marine biology through dolphin and whale watching and visits to conservation centres like Tenikwa Wildlife Awareness Centre or Birds of Eden.

Tsitsikamma National Park

• Named from the Khoekhoe word meaning “place of much water,” Tsitsikamma has been inhabited by indigenous peoples for thousands of years.

• Became South Africa’s first marine national park in 1964. Explore marine conservation, forest ecology, and biodiversity of the Cape Floral Kingdom.

• Learn about sustainable tourism and preservation of ancient indigenous forests.

• Hike along the famous Otter Trail or walk the suspension bridge, gaining insight into geology, plant life, and ocean ecology.

Bloukrans Bungy Jump (Near Tsitsikamma)

• Located at the Bloukrans Bridge, this is the world’s highest commercial bridge bungy jump at 216 meters.

• Symbolises the region’s shift from industrial use to adventure tourism.

• Understand the engineering behind the bridge and the bungy jump system.

• Gain insight into the economic and social impact of adventure tourism on rural communities.