Nestling against the fringes of an emerald forest along South Africa’s Garden Route is a narrow coastal terrace that shears off into the deep blue canvas of the Indian Ocean. Tstsikamma National Park takes in 80 km of coastline east of Plettenburg Bay which is 68 km from the main rest camp. The nearest major city is Port Elizabeth which is 141 km to the east, while Cape Town is 615 km to the west. The entrance gates open from 05h00 to 21h30 throughout the year.
The Tstsikamma National Park habitat is a rocky coastline rising sharply through Afro-montane forests to fynbos on the higher ground. The De Vasselot section of the park takes in several stretches if sandy beach and large areas of forest and fynbos. Many handsome tree species can be seen in the dense woodlands. The climate is cool temperate with an average annual rainfall.
The Tstsikamma National Park’s forests, mountains and coastal fringe teem with birds: 220 bird species including such notables as Narina trogon, bluemantled and paradise fly-catcher, sombre bulbul, rameron pigeon, forest buzzard, chorister robin, forest canary, and Knysna lourie find sanctuary under the forest canopy. For lovers of the sea and marine life, there is probably no better place along the Garden Route to explore its submarine life. Numerous rock pools harbour a dazzling array of local marine species. The most popular of these is Goudgate near the start of the Otter Trail where you can expect to see anything from sea anemones and sea urchins to butterflyfish, blaasop and rockcod. The Tstsikamma National Park is a ramblers dream. Here 12 trails take you into an enchanting world of tangled bush, dominated by forest giants such as the Outeniqua yellowwood, bastard ironwood and stinkwood. The principal trail at the Tstsikamma National Park is the Otter Trail (48km), regarded as Southern Africa’s finest coastal walk. The trail leads west from the Storms River mouth to Nature’s Valley, crossing a landscape of lonely beaches, rocky shores, tumbling mountains bisected by rivers and ravines, and gentle plateaus covered by leucadendrons, ericas and proteas. |
