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Camping at Tsitsikamma
This was one of the amazing views from our tentsTsitsikamma N.P. is a great place to hang out and it’s definitely a must in the Garden Route. This park has much opportunity’s for hiking, but with a quit sea you can enjoy diving and snorkeling and with luck you spot a whale. Or take a kayak, wild water rafting, a canopy tour but for the real dare devils, try the Bloukrans Bungy Jump.
From the Bramon wine tasting, we drove to our next destination, Tsitsikamma N.P. But first, we cross the Bloukrans Bungy Jump. This bungy jump is the highest bungy from the world. We drove on the same bridge as the jump. The bridge is placed at the Bloukrans River valley; with its lowest point around 200 meters down below. So if you jump, you would do around a 160 meters bungy jump. There was a possibility to do the bungy, so Manda could make a reservation for the jump. I was a little bit doubting, but 160 meters is very very high! In the end, I did not do it, and no one did it. Maybe, if someone else did is as well, I also would like to try it. If you would like to
Camping at Tsitsikamma
Also a great view from our tents do the bungy, you can book it over here
http://www.faceadrenalin.com/jump/ From here, we drove at the Storm River Mouth, a place in the Tsitsikamma N.P. and we could enter the park. This would be the first night, really open in the park! That’s was awesome. And, there was one thing that was even more badass; the great view from our camping place. In front of our tent, the rough sea was dancing against the rocks. Around 100 meters behind, the ancient forest were waiting for us to come; and the rocks of the forest were quite high. In around 1 to 1,5 km, there was the restaurant and a shop. From here, you could do some hikes. Also, we had a swimming pool in 20 meters from our camping place; but the water was a little bit dirty. That was a little bit too bad. Also, the places for camping were quite great. Every place had electricity, and the places were clean. In around 10 meters we had a good toilet block; even with showers. Including good heat water. I really liked this place! I agree, this camping was quite good. And that’s mostly because of the
Tsitsikamma N.P.
One of the views from the veranda of the Restaurant great view. And there was laundry service as well. After putting on our tents, it was time to go for a little walk. Manda advised to do the 1 km Mouth trail, to visit the Stationary hang bridge. And there we go!
The 1 km Mouth trail starts at the restaurant. In total, it will take you around 1 to 1,5 hour to visit the bridge, to walk there around, enjoying the great sight and the stone beach, and walk back. The trail is for everyone doable. Keep in mind that some wood may be wet, and for children the trail might be tuff. The end of the trail will be the Stationary hang bridge. You do not have to cross the bridge to finish the trail. At the end, you just walk back the same route. And no, that’s not boring. During this trail, we got a great introduction of Tsitsikamma. Mainly this trail, you walk around wooden stairs; up and down, and then though nature paths. The next day, we do another trail, and this was a great introduction to get used to the hiking, the paths and the beauty. Suddenly, you walk in the
Suspension Bridge
Do you see the bridge? forest, you only hear the sea, and then, almost around the corner, you can see the sea. Sometimes, you can smell the sea. I really like the hike, and then we saw the Stationary hang bride. The bridge is also called Storms River Bridge. That’s because the Storms River, the most important river in the park meets here the sea. This bridge hangs around 7 meter above sea level, and it’s length of 77 meters. It’s not allowed to go on the bridge with more than 25 people, and jumping is strictly forbidden. If you walk on the bridge, you can feel it moved. If you arrived on the other side, you could walk to the beach of stone, to enjoy the rough power of the sea. In this park, the water of the ocean is slamming against the many rocks coming from the coast and out of shore. Also, the water stream was quite rough. This leaded to a great view. And, what’s more special, is that this rough coast meets the ancient forest. The forest was not rough, but it was hilly, quite green, lot’s of small rivers and a great place to hang out. Of course, we
did not went quite deep into the forest, but even quite close and it felt you were deep in the nature. Of course, we were in the middle of a nature park, but we were also quite close to our camping place. I was not afraid when I walked on the bridge, but I can imagine that some others will. When we arrived back at the restaurant, we took a drink and an ice cream. Here, you had a great view over the ocean and we did try to spot a whale.
Manda cooked for us; today we had a little bit a Dutch menu: cooked potatoes, with fried fish, a vegetable mix of corn with peas and carrots and in additional a salad. For the people who do not like fish, there was some little chicken in sauce. In this place, it cools down very quickly and soon we want to lay warm in our tent. Also, in the tent, you could enjoy the sea. The rough slamming against the rocks, the sound of the sea it was loudly hearable in the tent. The first night in the open park and fall in sleep with the
sounds of the sea; the sea which never rest.
After a good night of sleep, I woke up due the first sunlight and the sound of the sea. In total, we should stay here 2 nights. After breakfast, it was time to go to discover the beauty of the park. The park became a National Park in 1964 and It’s name is coming from the Khoi Tribe. “Tsitsikamma” does meet “Place which as much water”. It does contain much water, and that’s because a lot of rain fails during the year. Today, we were lucky that we did not have rain. So we could enjoy the great place with a nice sun. But, still we could enjoy a lot of water. The park does have a 80 km long coast line, mostly consisting out of rocks and stone beaches. Sometimes you do have a sand beach, but do not expect it’s pearl white. If you are lucky, you might spot a whale, because they are coming quite close to the coast. The sea that is slamming against the rocks is the Indian Ocean. Yesterday, we met the Suspension bridge; a place where the almighty Storms River meets
the Indian Ocean. This river is the most important river in the park and the biggest. It does have the most branches and waterfalls. You can find rivers and waterfalls in the park quite often from big too small. The best way to discover this park is by the famous Otter Trail. A trail which you can hike in 5 days (4 nights) and its length is 42 km (almost a marathon). This trail is not for beginners, you should have some experience. Today, we should hike a part of the trail as well. Not complete, we did not have time for this. But if you have time and a good condition you should have very very good excuse to not hike this trail. If the trail is too heavy for you, you might do the Tsitsikamma Trail or the Dolphin trail. Or you can do the short cut of the Otter Trail which starts at Storms River and brings you to the waterfall. This trail we did today. From the Storm River point, you can go further with the Otter trail, or do some other trails. If you stay around the camping place of the Storms River you do
Blue Duiker/ Otter Trail
Me walking at the Blue Duiker / Otter Trail not need a guide. The route is perfect indicated. But I would not suggest to walk here alone. Some stones are slippery when you have to cross the river. But, if you go deeper in the park, do not economize at a good guide! A trail that you can do at the Storms River point, and that we did, was the Blue Duiker Trail. It’s a trail of 3,7 km and I would advise it. Ready to go! It’s hard to describe the trail. But it was so beautiful. We climbed first up. We did not were quite far from the camping place, and again it felt if we were days out of the living world. Sometimes you heard only birds, just we talking or shoes, and then you heard the sea, and smell the sea. It goes up and down, you had to cross some small rivers and it was great amazing. The paths were quite good. Of course, you are in the wilderness so you should have an eye out that you do not fall, and sometimes you had to cross wooden stairs. Just look at the pictures, that will say enough. From here, we went up to
Blue Duiker/ Otter Trail
Sometimes you have to cross a river by the stones that are laying over there the Otter trail to hike to the Waterfall. This trail is quite adventures and technical heavy. You do not have to been afraid, you have to climb some rocks and be a little bit handy. This was really fun and the look-out was amazing. We had our lunch here. This place was so great. You sit on a rock, and from the front side you have the rough ocean slamming to the rocks, and behind you, you have the beautiful waterfall. From here, hiked back to Tsitsikamma to get of course an ice-cream and to lay our feet in the air.
When enjoying our drink and ice-cream we got some surprise when we were sitting relax at the veranda of the restaurant. “Look a whale”, said Remko. Yes! We were luckily. Official, the whale season was over for almost a week, but we were so lucky that we were able to see one! The whale was quite far away, and we only saw a little bit that the whale was spraying water in the air. It was also not possible to make a picture of the whale, but it was so awesome to see one! And to
make a spoiler: it was not the first time we should see an difficult animal to spot at this trip. We helped with the diner, read a book and in the evening, Manda created some great typical African meal. He made a sort of porridge of flour which was sticky, served with spinach in a panda sauce. He served with a great portion of good meat with an even better red, spicy sauce. But Manda did not want to give the receipt for this great amazing sauce. Yvonne tried it the complete trip and when I tried for her, he also did not said anything than “surprises of Africa”. This night was the last night at this amazing place, and we should head on to the Wild Coast. The wild Coast should have, of course a wild coast and it’s one of the least developed areas of South Africa. So, that promised again a great area and a great day. But that you can read in the next blogpost.
Yes, you should definitely visit Tsitsikamma N.P! Or hike the complete Otter trail. Hiking is in mine opinion the best way to discover the park. But
The end of the Otter Trail
From one side you have here the rough ocean there are some other options, to book at the restaurant or the reception. From the restaurant, you also are able to rent some kayaks for a kayak at the Storms River. If you do not the kayak at the Keurbooms River, you can do it here. Today, and the last days, the sea and the river were quit rough. But if you are luckily and it’s calm, it’s also great to make a dive. But if you like the water rough, then go wild water rafting! If you also would like a little bit more action on height, try the canopy tour. Or the bungy, as told before. Mountain biking is also a possibility if you do not like to walk. If you want to do some low-level you are able to book a Woodcutters tour, a village tour, a segway tour or a cheese making excursion. But I agree that those low-level activities do no show enough of the great nature here around. If you travel with kids, do not take them when they are too young. So remember folks, if you are in South-Africa, do not skip this great amazing place!
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